March 6th

Under Pressure, Abbas Says He’ll Talk Peace, But Actual Dialogue May Be Remote ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Helene Cooper, Isabel Kershner - March 6, 2008 - 7:20pm After coming under heavy pressure from the United States, Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, said Wednesday that he intended to resume negotiations with Israel on a peace plan. But he did not say when he would return to talks, and he is under political pressure at home not to do so if the Palestinian death toll continues to rise from Israeli attacks on Gaza. » Read more

Palestinians Question Own Advocacy Group ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Nathan Guttman - (Opinion) March 6, 2008 - 7:19pm The American Task Force on Palestine, a moderate group that has emerged in the past several years as the most prominent pro-Palestinian voice in Washington, is fighting off criticism from within the Palestinian American community that it has cozied up to the Bush administration at the expense of the Palestinian cause. » Read more

March 5th

Rice’s Insistence On Palestinian-israeli Talks Can Work – If She Means It ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star (Editorial) March 5, 2008 - 7:52pm US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has achieved a major breakthrough for her country's foreign policy by insisting that Palestinian-Israeli peace talks continue despite a dramatic increase in violence in the Gaza Strip. Undeterred by an Israeli onslaught that has killed more than 120 people - including dozens of civilians, among them at least 23 children - Rice has forced Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas back to the table after he demanded that a truce be put in place first. » Read more

' Birthright Palestine' Mimics Jewish World's Flagship Program ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Haviv Rettig - March 5, 2008 - 7:51pm A new Palestinian NGO is taking a page out of the Jewish educator's handbook in its search to strengthen the connection of Palestinians overseas to their "historic homeland" and Palestinian society. The name of the program leaves no doubt as to its intent, or its inspiration. Birthright Palestine is described on its Web site as a "program created by native Palestinians for diaspora Palestinians." » Read more

Forward From Gaza: How The U.s. Can Lead ((interview With Daniel C. Kurtzer) ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Middle East Progress by S. Daniel Abraham - (Interview) March 5, 2008 - 7:51pm The problem right now is that everyone is looking only at tomorrow. There is no long-term thinking or activity taking place. The Israelis and Hamas are engaged in an effort to hurt each other. Hamas finds it in its own very significant interest right now to not only inflict some pain on Israel but to demonstrate that it has the capacity to hit Ashkelon and to withstand Israeli incursions. » Read more

Arab Initiative Still The Best Deal Around ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Middle East Times by Alon Ben-meir - (Opinion) March 5, 2008 - 7:50pm The Arab summit, scheduled for the latter part of March in Damascus, is in serious trouble even before it begins because of several political discords among Arab states as well as the region's continuing violent conflicts. Whereas a resolution to the crisis in Lebanon over the selection of a new president seems a prerequisite to holding the summit in Damascus, no one expects its leaders to even attempt to resolve the many other crises that have plagued the Arab world. » Read more

Rice Encircled By Mideast Troubles ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Middle East Times by Sana Abdallah - March 5, 2008 - 7:49pm The mission of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to restart the Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations was Tuesday facing serious challenges as the Palestinian leadership insisted that Israel first halt its military operations in the Gaza Strip. Following talks with Rice in Ramallah, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas said he was committed to the peace process, but blamed the Israeli attacks and the siege of Gaza for sabotaging the negotiations. » Read more

Hamas Rejects Arab-league Proposal For Truce With Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line March 5, 2008 - 7:48pm Hamas has turned down a recent proposal by the secretary general of the Arab League, ‘Amru Mousa, for a unilateral truce stopping rocket firing into Israel, sources in Gaza said.   The proposal, which was presented to Hamas leader, Khalid Mash’al during Mousa’s visit to Damascus last week, also suggests declaring a unilateral cease-fire with Israel.   The plan, according to the League’s sources, was meant to stop the current military operation against Hamas and avoid further escalation and a likely massive Israeli invasion of Gaza.   Mash’al » Read more

Palestinian Drag Queens At Odds With Nearly Everyone ATFP World Press Roundup Article from McClatchy News by Dion Nissenbaum - March 5, 2008 - 7:47pm His friends call him "The Bride." This night, he was standing behind a storefront art-gallery window in a bloodied wedding dress. His face was ghostly, and he was clutching a large rock in his right hand. A small crowd had gathered on a south Tel Aviv street as The Bride opened his mouth and began to sing — in Arabic. To be more accurate, The Bride was lip-synching the words of a political anthem by one of Lebanon's best-known divas. » Read more

Arab League Vows To Drop Out Of Npt If Israel Admits It Has Nuclear Weapons ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press March 5, 2008 - 7:46pm Arab countries will walk away from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty if Israel ever officially acknowledges it has nuclear weapons, the Arab League announced in a statement Wednesday. As Arab foreign ministers met at the Cairo headquarters of the Arab League to prepare for their annual summit at the end of the month, they also issued a series of statements on regional issues, including extremely sensitive matter of Israel's refusal to join the NPT. » Read more