Evangelist To Yoffie: 'i'm Not Trying To Undermine Peace' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shmuel Rosner - (Blog) April 9, 2008 - 8:55am Televangelist John Hagee sounded a bit irate when he read his response to the accusations leveled at him and the organization he founded, Christians United for Israel (CUFI), by Rabbi Eric Yoffie, head of the Union for Reform Judaism. » Read more

The Palestinians Are Under Inner And Outer Siege ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Bassem Eid - (Opinion) April 9, 2008 - 8:54am Before Oslo, Palestinians primarily desired unity and an end to the occupation. But as soon as the first intifada began to fade, divisions among Palestinians emerged. Throughout the Oslo years, these rifts continued to widen. While scores of Palestinians took to the streets, armed with stones and kitchen appliances, during the first intifada, the present uprising is increasingly characterized by the deadly firepower of small arms. » Read more

Gaza: Hamas Welcomes Deployment Of Arab Troops ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Saleh Al Naeimi - April 9, 2008 - 8:52am The Hamas movement has announced that it welcomes the advent of Arab forces to Gaza only if the objective is to assist the Palestinian people resist the occupation and liberate their land. Commenting on what the Israeli news agencies had reported last Saturday (5 April) that Egypt had suggested deploying Arab forces in Gaza to help break the deadlock, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum denied that the movement had received such a proposal from the Egyptian government. » Read more

We Need Real Peace, Not A Shelved Piece Of Paper ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Walid Awad - (Opinion) April 9, 2008 - 8:50am Unconfirmed reports circulating in the media say that Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is now busy with Palestinians drafting a preamble to a comprehensive peace agreement, a sort of another “declaration of principles”. A shelved document that will spell out all the core issues, and be adopted by the Quartet, the Security Council, and “moderate” Arab countries, to be signed by President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, witnessed and co-signed by President George W. Bush in West Jerusalem during his visit to Israel next month. » Read more

Olmert And Abbas Resume Meetings After Hiatus ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times April 9, 2008 - 8:49am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met for the first time in nearly two months on Monday with Palestinians cautioning that settlement expansion undercut the chances of a peace deal. Abbas’ aide Saeb Erekat described differences over building in Jewish settlements, especially around Jerusalem, as "very deep", but Israeli officials said the leaders agreed not to allow such issues to interrupt the US-brokered negotiations. » Read more

Gadhafi Is Right To Say Arab Rulers Are Worthless - But So Is He ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star (Editorial) April 9, 2008 - 8:48am In the aftermath of the Arab League's 20th summit in Damascus late last month, a number of Arab commentators and editorialists have criticized the regional body's chronic failure to break away from its two-decade-long pattern of impotence and inaction. Much like the 19 aimless meetings that preceded this year's gathering, the Damascus summit was marked by poor attendance, even poorer progress on substantive issues, and an abundance of made-for-government-owned-media rhetoric. » Read more

Settlement Bloc Expansion Is The Most Destructive ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Yariv Oppenheimer - (Opinion) April 9, 2008 - 8:46am Recently, the Israeli and international media has featured reports on progress in peace negotiations. Chief negotiators Ahmed Qurei and Tzippi Livni maintain silence about the details, but allow that the talks are ongoing, detailed and purposeful. Now of all times, when the core issues never before discussed appear to be on the agenda, the negotiating theater seems to be infinitely distant from the reality unfolding on the ground. » Read more

Barghuti Says Palestinians Ready For Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) April 9, 2008 - 8:44am Jailed senior Palestinian leader Marwan Barghuti said on Tuesday Palestinians were ready for peace with Israel in a letter congratulating the Israeli Peace Now movement on its 30th anniversary. "The vast majority of the Palestinian people, myself included, are ready for a historic reconciliation based on international resolutions that will result in the establishment of two states," he said in a letter to the group. » Read more

Gazans' Latest Crisis: Fuel Cuts ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Ibrahim Barzak - April 9, 2008 - 8:43am Muin Abdul Ghani sleeps in his car, parked among dozens of other vehicles at a gas station, unwilling to give up his place in line in his desperate scramble for gasoline. It's one way Gaza's embattled 1.4 million residents are adjusting to their newest crisis: a protest by gas station owners who have refused to sell the small amounts they have in stock or accept future shipments after months of restricted Israeli fuel supplies. » Read more

Approach The Israelis ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Middle East Times by Ori Nir - (Opinion) April 9, 2008 - 8:39am The League of Arab States has re-adopted its six-year-old peace initiative, offering comprehensive peace and normal relations with Israel by all its members in return for an Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 borders, and a resolution of all outstanding issues between Israel and the Palestinians. This initiative is to be commended, but it has a major flaw: it is addressed to the international community at a time when the Arab League really needs to focus on the Israeli public. » Read more