Leadership failure betrays the Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) October 13, 2009 - 12:00am Who would be George Mitchell? As the US peace envoy wearily boarded a plane for Washington after yet another fruitless round of shuttle diplomacy in the Middle East, two of the key players in the process were hurling abuse at each other between the West Bank and Damascus. If the scenario were not so tragic, it would be a farce. The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas ,and the Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal, traded insults in separate televised speeches, leaving Mr Mitchell looking like a travelling salesman trying in vain to sell hair-restorer to two bald men fighting over a comb. » Read more

Israeli Embassy: J Street could ‘impair Israel’s interests’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) October 13, 2009 - 12:00am An Israeli Embassy spokesman said J Street supports policies that could "impair Israel's interests." Yoni Peled told the Jerusalem Post that the embassy has "communicated to J Street its views on the peace process and on the best way to ensure Israel's security." The embassy told the left-wing pro-Israel organization that "while recognizing the need for a free and open debate on these issues, it is important to stress concern over certain policies that could impair Israel's interests," Peled said, according to the Post. » Read more

The 'no peace now' camp ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Petra Marquardt-Bigman - (Opinion) October 13, 2009 - 12:00am It was a good example for bad timing: just shortly before the news broke that President Obama had been awarded the Nobel peace prize, Israel's foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, made headlines when he declared in an interview on Israeli radio that in his coming meeting with US Middle East envoy George Mitchell, he would explain that "there was no chance of reaching a comprehensive peace deal with the Palestinians for many years". Lieberman will probably be suspected by many of doing his best to make sure he is proven right – after all, he never had the reputation of a peacemonger. » Read more

Gaza government: We backed Goldstone from the start ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 13, 2009 - 12:00am The Hamas-backed government in the Gaza Strip on Monday denied President Mahmoud Abbas’ allegations that the government did not support the Goldstone report on war crimes. Government spokesperson Taher An-Nunu said in a statement, “Goldstone met with the government and its ministers more than once, and he also met with the Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh, which led him to praise our government in his report clearly, openly and in public.” » Read more

Israelis may stay home to avoid arrest in Europe ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Times by Eli Lake - October 13, 2009 - 12:00am Israel is seriously considering restricting travel to Europe by its senior officials and military officers, fearing they might be arrested in the wake of a disputed U.N. report that accuses the Jewish state of targeting civilians in its Gaza war earlier this year. » Read more

Jerusalem Diary: Monday 12 October ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Tim Franks - October 12, 2009 - 12:00am People who work to bring Jews and Arabs together often neither seek nor gain glory. The projects grind on, in the shadows, on the margins, with little reward. But Avi Levy's self-proclaimed work on co-existence is not just handsomely rewarded, it also could not be more out there. Mr Levy, 49, is a pornographer. Eight years ago, along with some business partners, he set up the website Parpar 1 - literally butterfly in Hebrew, but also slang for swinger. In a saturated market, he believes he has identified a niche: Israeli men and women having "real sex", as he describes it. » Read more

Abbas seeks vote on Gaza report ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News October 12, 2009 - 12:00am Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has called for a session of the UN Human Rights Council to vote on a report accusing Israel of war crimes in Gaza. Mr Abbas has faced a week of angry criticism after the Palestinian Authority backed deferring the vote until March. On Sunday he said there had not been enough support for the vote. Hamas's leader in Damascus called the issue a "scandal" that would harm Palestinian unity efforts. » Read more

Palestinians launch $220 million housing project ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Mohammed Assadi - October 12, 2009 - 12:00am The Palestine Investment Fund (PIF) on Monday announced the establishment of the Palestinian territories' most ambitious real estate project to date, with initial capital of $220 million. The goal is to create 30,000 new housing units in the next five to 10 years, PIF Chairman Mohammad Mustafa said. "We want to see projects on the hilltops other than (Jewish) settlements," Mustafa told reporters. "The aim is to participate in building Palestine in the coming period, to create jobs and economic opportunities." » Read more