Beyond a two-state solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from New Statesman by Edward Platt - (Opinion) April 16, 2009 - 12:00am When Binyamin Netanyahu finally announced the make-up of his coalition government on 30 March, two of the most important posts went to figures from opposing ends of the political spectrum – the Labour leader Ehud Barak retained his job as minister of defence, and the leader of the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu (“Israeli Home”) party, Avigdor Lieberman, became foreign minister. Such a broad coalition, born of Israel’s system of proportional representation, will generate a stalemate in the domestic arena, and it is hard to see it making much progress in foreign affairs. » Read more

Obama envoy Mitchell to ask PM to clarify position on peace talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar, Amos Harel - April 16, 2009 - 12:00am U.S. special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell arrived last night in Israel for the third round of talks in Jerusalem and Ramallah since his appointment, and the first during the tenure of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mitchell is expected to ask the prime minister during their meeting today to clarify Israel's position regarding the resumption of negotiations with the Palestinians and Syria. » Read more

Egypt’s Escalating War on Hezbollah ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by J.J. Goldberg - (Analysis) April 16, 2009 - 12:00am After months of relative passivity, Egypt effectively declared war in mid-April on Iranian-backed terrorist groups operating in its backyard, executing an unprecedented wave of arrests of alleged terrorists, smugglers and arms-makers linked to Hezbollah and Hamas. » Read more

Palestinian activists plan massive graffiti protest on West Bank fence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Cnaan Liphshiz - April 16, 2009 - 12:00am The separation barrier will receive its largest piece of graffiti yet when Dutch and Palestinian activists scrawl on it a 2,000-word letter by a South African scholar arguing that "Israeli apartheid" is "far more brutal" than Pretoria's was. The letter by Farid Esack will be put on the eastern face of the wall this week by activists belonging to Sendamessage - a Dutch group that collects money over the Internet for painting messages to protest against the barrier Israel is building along the West Bank. » Read more

Egypt terror cell planned to strike in Tel Aviv ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roee Nahmias - April 16, 2009 - 12:00am Members of the Hizbullah cell uncovered in Egypt planned to carry out terror attacks inside Israel, Egyptian daily Almasry Alyoum reported on Thursday. According to the report, two of the cell's members are Fatah operatives, who confessed to having planned to enter Israel and carry out massive suicide attacks, "maybe even in Tel Aviv". Sources close to the investigation told the newspaper that two Fatah members, Muhammad Ramadan Barakeh and Nidal Fathi Hassan were arrested under suspicion of ties with the Hizbullah cell. » Read more

Trembling earth under economic peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Alon Cohen-Lifshitz - April 16, 2009 - 12:00am The West Bank is returning to center stage amid expectations that the new U.S. administration will do more to push the diplomatic process between Israel and the Palestinians forward. The United States faces the old vision of two states living side by side and enjoying independence, security and prosperity. Unfortunately, this vision relies on false assumptions about the West Bank's development potential. » Read more

Lieberman to Mitchell: Past Mideast peace efforts failed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar, Amos Harel - April 16, 2009 - 12:00am Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Thursday told special U.S. envoy George Mitchell that a different approach was needed to solve the Middle East conflict, because that of past Israeli governments had failed. "New ideas" must be found, because the path taken by previous governments did not lead to "good places, to say the least," Lieberman told Mitchell, who arrived in Israel Wednesday night. This was Mitchell's third round of talks in Jerusalem and Ramallah since his appointment, and the first during the tenure of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Advertisement » Read more

Obama envoy holds talks in Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News April 16, 2009 - 12:00am George Mitchell reiterated Washington's support for a Palestinian state alongside Israel, in talks with the Israeli president and foreign minister. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said the diplomatic process was at a "dead end" and a new approach was needed. Mr Mitchell is due to have dinner with Mr Netanyahu later on Thursday. He will then travel to the West Bank for talks with Palestinian leaders on Friday. The US envoy has arrived in Israel to a changed political landscape, says the BBC's Tim Franks in Jerusalem. » Read more

What’s really behind Hizbollah’s recent appearance in Egypt ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Michael Young - (Analysis) April 16, 2009 - 12:00am Last week the judicial authorities in Cairo announced that they had arrested members of a Hizbollah cell and accused the Lebanese Shiite party of threatening Egypt’s national security. In a televised address, Hezbollah’s secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, admitted that one of those in custody was a party member working to rearm Palestinians in Gaza. However, he added, no one was trying to undermine Egyptian security. Both accounts told us little about what is really going on. » Read more

Mitchell urges two-state solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters April 16, 2009 - 12:00am The US president Barack Obama’s Middle East envoy today told Israel’s ultranationalist foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman, that Washington wants to see the creation of a Palestinian state. With Mr Libeerman at his side, George Mitchell told reporters: “I reiterated to the foreign minister that US policy favours, with respect to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a two-state solution which will have a Palestinian state living in peace alongside the Jewish state of Israel. “We look forward also to efforts to achieving comprehensive peace throughout the region.” » Read more