April 24th

Lieberman brands Arab Peace Initiative 'dangerous' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star April 24, 2009 - 12:00am sraeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has branded the Arab Peace Initiative as "dangerous" because it requires the Jewish state to allow Palestinian refugees to return to its borders, a senior official said Wednesday. "Lieberman considers the Arab Peace Initiative as dangerous and as a threat to Israel because it includes the clause on the Palestinian refugees," the official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "The foreign minister has nevertheless not rejected the initiative as a whole," he said. » Read more

A grand bargain? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Economist April 23, 2009 - 12:00am ASKED about the hardy perennial of Palestinians and peace, officials in Israel’s new government now reply with dire talk about Iran and the threat of nuclear war. “However much progress we might make on peace,” says one, “it would all disintegrate if Iran achieved the ability to make a bomb and proliferate it.” » Read more

Israel 'risking support on Iran' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News April 24, 2009 - 12:00am Israel risks losing Arab support against Iran if it does not make progress on the Palestinian issue, says US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Mrs Clinton told legislators in Washington that the two issues "go hand-in-hand". Israel considers a nuclear-armed Iran as its main threat. Unlike his predecessor, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not voiced support for a Palestinian state alongside Israel, a key Arab demand. » Read more

Remarks by His Majesty King Abdullah II Centre for Strategic and International Studies ATFP World Press Roundup Article from April 24, 2009 - 12:00am In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate, Thank you, General Scowcroft. I am delighted to be with all of you this afternoon. CSIS has been a tremendous source of understanding about the important relationship between the Middle East and the United States. It is an honour to be invited to join in your dialogue. My friends, » Read more

Clinton Counters Israeli Stance on Palestinians and Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Center For Strategic & International Studies by Glenn Kessler - April 24, 2009 - 12:00am Progress on establishing a Palestinian state must go "hand-in-hand" with efforts to stem Iranian influence in the Middle East, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said yesterday, implicitly rejecting the emerging position of the new Israeli government. » Read more

April 23rd

Connect Gaza and West Bank now ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Daoud Kuttab - (Opinion) April 22, 2009 - 12:00am US presidential envoy George Mitchell is touring the region searching for signs of progress to report back to his boss and to move the peace process forward. » Read more

Netanyahu's Mideast policy damaging EU ties ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - April 23, 2009 - 12:00am The foreign policy of the Netanyahu government, which deems unacceptable the two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict as an outline for negotiations with the Palestinians, has damaged Israel's relations with the European Union. » Read more

Lieberman won't accompany Netanyahu to Egypt, says Mubarak ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz April 23, 2009 - 12:00am Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said on Thursday that Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman would not accompany Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on an upcoming visit to Egypt. "Some say... that [Netanyahu] will bring his foreign minister with him," AFP quoted Mubarak as saying during a speech to mark the end of Israel's 15-year occupation of the Sinai peninsula in 1982. "The Israeli prime minister is coming alone. His cabinet chief will come with him. He will not bring any other minister with him," Mubarak said, according to the news agency. » Read more

Jordan King: Arabs must do more on Mideast peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) April 23, 2009 - 12:00am Jordan's King Abdullah II said Wednesday it was time for Arab and Muslim countries to help the United States do "the heavy lifting" needed to forge peace between Israel and the Palestinians. "Too many times in the past, America has been asked to do all the heavy-lifting," the king said as he met with Democratic US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi one day after delivering the same message at the White House. » Read more

China vows strong support for Mideast peace process ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) April 23, 2009 - 12:00am Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on Wednesday pledged strong support for an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement based on a two-state solution. China "will pursue its efforts to advance the Middle East peace process and strongly supports a settlement based on two states," he said after talks with Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas in the West Bank town of Ramallah. » Read more