Where things stand in the Middle East after Sec. Clinton's not-so-excellent adventure ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ibishblog by Hussein Ibish - (Blog) November 3, 2009 - 1:00am Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went to the Middle East and inadvertently created yet another crisis for the Obama peace initiative. It's not so much that she badly mishandled everything -- although that argument could certainly be made -- it's more that I think her difficulties demonstrate how complicated and in some practical senses almost impossible the American diplomatic task at hand really is. » Read more

No obvious successor: An interview with Said Zeidani ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons (Interview) November 5, 2009 - 1:00am bitterlemons: In the past week we've twice heard reports that Mahmoud Abbas is considering not running for re-election. How serious do you think this is? Zeidani: As far as Abu Mazen [Abbas] personally is concerned, I don't think he is interested in another term. He has expressed his desire to step down and I think he is sincere. The question is whether he will be allowed by his own Fateh faction to do so. I think there will be pressure on him to stay and run for another term. bitterlemons: Why? » Read more

One-state solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Lisa Kaaki - (Book Review) November 5, 2009 - 1:00am This first critical study of the “one-state” agenda comes at a time when Palestine has witnessed no real progress on the ground and an atmosphere of hopelessness and pessimism is spreading in the region. » Read more

PA: Netanyahu promised US settlement freeze ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked - November 4, 2009 - 1:00am The Palestinians are optimistic about comments made by American officials in recent days. Palestinians sources told Ynet on Wednesday that the Americans said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has committed to halt construction in settlements.   The sources said that despite the Palestinians' dissatisfaction with US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton's public support of Israel on settlement construction, Netanyahu has officially committed to a freeze.   » Read more

'Totally divorced from reality' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Michael Jansen - (Opinion) November 5, 2009 - 1:00am The most outrageous thing about US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s statement that Israel is making an “unprecedented” commitment to restrict colonisation activity in the West Bank is its total divorce from reality. » Read more

Erekat: Two-state solution may have to be abandoned ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 5, 2009 - 1:00am Bethlehem – Ma’an/Agencies – The continued expansion of Israeli settlements could force Palestinians to abandon the notion of a state in the West Bank and Gaza, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Wednesday. It may be time for President Mahmoud Abbas to "tell his people the truth, that with the continuation of settlement activities, the two-state solution is no longer an option," Erekat told a Ramallah news conference, according to Reuters. » Read more

Conflicting, wavering positions that do not help peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Daoud Kuttab - (Opinion) November 5, 2009 - 1:00am As first lady of the United States, Hillary Clinton was the darling of Palestinians and Arabs when late in Bill Clinton’s term she uttered the hot button word: Palestine. Since then, she has been swinging depending on the political winds. As a senator for the state of New York, she became a staunch Israeli supporter, standing by Israel whether justifiably or not. To win the US presidency, she continued this pro-Israel stance, but as secretary of state in the Obama administration, she flipped back. » Read more

Poll finds support for Hamas dropping, most support elections ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency November 5, 2009 - 1:00am Bethlehem - Ma’an - Palestinians have flip-flopped in their support for Hamas, which spiked markedly following Israel’s war on Gaza last winter, a poll from the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion said. » Read more

Obama must deliver on his potential ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) November 5, 2009 - 1:00am The first nine months of US President Barack Obama's tenure at the White House have been pregnant with thought-provoking ideas and commendable aspirations aimed at improving the tarnished US image and bringing the world closer together in every way possible — especially in the Middle East, where an unresolved Arab-Israeli conflict has been simmering for more than 60 years. But there is increasing fear in Europe and the Arab world that Obama may fail to deliver on his potential. » Read more

Hamas warns of elections decree aftermath ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua November 4, 2009 - 1:00am GAZA, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- A senior Hamas official on Wednesday warned of "dangerous consequences" facing the Palestinians if President Mahmoud Abbas went ahead to stage elections without national agreement.     "The elections should be held with national understanding for the sake of the Palestinian interest," Khalil al-Hayya said at a news conference in Gaza city. » Read more