Blair Urges Middle East Progress ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters March 27, 2008 - 12:10pm Palestinians and Israelis must try to improve living conditions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to keep the peace process alive ahead of a visit by US President George W. Bush in May, Envoy for the Quartet of Middle East Peace Brokers, Tony Blair, said on Tuesday.   Blair also told the European Parliament that progress in the peace talks was crucial to build both sides' confidence in the negotiations and to show that Palestinians could take charge of security, and called for a new strategy on dealing with the Hamas -run Gaza Strip. » Read more

Fatah Says Hamas Must Cede Gaza Before Talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Ali Sawafta - March 27, 2008 - 12:07pm Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction on Wednesday ruled out talks with Hamas unless the Islamist group first cedes control of Gaza, casting doubt on a Yemen-sponsored reconciliation push. Fatah and Hamas, which seized control of the coastal enclave last June, agreed in Yemen this week to revive direct talks after months of hostilities to "return the Palestinian situation to what it was before the Gaza incidents." » Read more

Abbas: Talks With Israel Touch On All Core Issues Including J'lem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters March 27, 2008 - 12:05pm Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday said that talks between chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qureia and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni are tackling "all the core issues without exception: Jerusalem, refugees, settlements, borders, and security." "We hope to achieve a settlement in 2008, there are many obstacles but we hope they will be removed. We are all pressing to reach a settlement by the target date," Abbas said. » Read more

We Heard You, Mr. Boim ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Kadura Fares - (Opinion) March 27, 2008 - 12:03pm Housing Minister Ze'ev Boim explained away the construction of 750 new housing units in the settlement of Givat Ze'ev by saying that the permits had been issued in 1999, but that construction had stopped due to, as he put it, the "outbreak of violence." That is, the outbreak of the Palestinian uprising. According to Boim, the contractors went to court, and as a result of their petition, the government ordered the construction's approval. Boim was talking, it seems to me, to Israelis and overseas leaders critical of the renewed construction. » Read more