October 14th

Palestinian PM fears Israeli offer of 'Mickey Mouse' state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) October 14, 2009 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad said on Wednesday he feared Israel intended to create a "Mickey Mouse" Palestinian state on only limited parts of the occupied West Bank.   "You cannot but wonder what it is that Israel has in mind when it talks about a Palestinian state," Fayyad told a press briefing in the West Bank town of Ramallah. "By all appearances, it looks like they have a Mickey Mouse state in mind, and that is not what we are looking for." » Read more

The Third Mideast Option ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Ephraim Sneh - October 14, 2009 - 12:00am The difficulties surrounding preparations for the Obama-Netanyahu-Abbas meeting in New York last month should bring the U.S. administration to one conclusion: There is no sense in pressing for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks now. That is not because there is no urgent need of a negotiated agreement -- there certainly is. It is because the political constraints of both leaders, the Palestinian Authority's Mahmoud Abbas and Israel's Binyamin Netanyahu, prevent any progress at the negotiation table. » Read more

Will Israel’s ambassador attend J street parley? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Ron Kampeas - October 14, 2009 - 12:00am J Street has lined up plenty of high-profile speakers for its first major conference, but the new and controversial self-described "pro-Israel, pro-peace" lobby is looking to add one more prominent name to the guest list. The organization -- which has backed U.S. pressure on Israel (and the Palestinians), criticized Israel’s invasion of Gaza and criticized more established pro-Israel groups -- wants Michael Oren, the U.S.-born and raised Israeli ambassador to Washington, to attend and address its first major conference at the end of this month. Oren is undecided. » Read more

Palestinians urge Israeli punishment over Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Edith M. Lederer - October 14, 2009 - 12:00am UNITED NATIONS — The Palestinians called Wednesday for global action to punish Israel for alleged war crimes during its military assault on Gaza last winter, warning that the credibility of the United Nations and international human rights law was at stake. The demand was based on the findings of a commission headed by former South African judge Richard Goldstone. » Read more

Fatah official: Abbas' adviser gave him bad advice over Goldstone ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 14, 2009 - 12:00am Those who advised President Mahmoud Abbas to defer the Goldstone report gave him bad advice, Fatah Central Committee member Nabil Sha’ath told a Paris panel on Wednesday. Sha’ath spoke at an online panel discussion of the issues raised by the recent Palestinian Authority decision to delay the decision on whether or not to adopt the Goldstone report into UN policy. The discussion was organized by the Paris-based Arab European Studies Center. » Read more

Palestinians rescue 2 Israelis who accidentally enter West Bank village ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews October 14, 2009 - 12:00am The Palestinian security organizations have removed two Israeli citizens who accidentally entered the village of Dura, west of Hebron. The two were handed over to the Israel Police through the Civil Administration. The Israel Defense Forces stresses that Israelis are not allowed to enter Area A, and should refrain from entering Area B, which is considered dangerous. (Hanan Greenberg)

Draft UN resolution inserts text on Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 14, 2009 - 12:00am A draft resolution submitted by Palestinian diplomats to the United Nations Human Rights Council calls for a full endorsement of the Goldstone report on Gaza and also condemns Israel for its policies in Jerusalem. The draft was made public on Wednesday on the website of the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. President Mahmoud Abbas’ government reportedly submitted the draft after it demanded a new debate on the Goldstone war crimes report. » Read more

Hopes fade over Palestinian unity ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Jazeera English October 12, 2009 - 12:00am A reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas, the rival Palestinian parties, has been delayed, following a bitter dispute over the Palestinian decision not to back a UN report on alleged Israeli war crimes. The deal was to be signed on October 25, clearing the way for Hamas and Fatah to co-operate in rebuilding war-damaged Gaza by preparing for Palestinian elections in the first half of 2010. » Read more

Too early to villainize Obama in Mideast ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Rami Khouri - October 10, 2009 - 12:00am The Obama administration policy in the Middle East vis-à-vis the Arab-Israeli conflict is starting to become clearer, but remains mostly unclear. It is clearer because of recent moves on such matters as the Richard Goldstone report on the Gaza war or the pressure on Israel to freeze settlements, but it would be a mistake to jump to conclusions and assume that the Obama Middle East policy is quickly reverting to the traditional American default position of being in Israel’s pocket. » Read more

Disappointing state of affairs ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times (Editorial) October 12, 2009 - 12:00am George Mitchell, the US Middle East envoy, is dangerously close to going the way of so many others who have tried to mediate between the Palestinians and Israelis. It was hoped that Mitchell would arrive in Ramallah Friday with something to rescue the Palestinian leadership from the doldrums that it has found itself in ever since the PLO accepted the UN to defer a vote on the Goldstone report on alleged war crimes during Israel’s brutal offensive on Gaza earlier this year. » Read more