September 14th

PM aide: 3-way summit important ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roni Sofer - September 14, 2009 - 12:00am The success of US special envoy George Mitchell's visit to Israel will be measured by whether or not it leads to the scheduling of a three-way summit between US President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during the UN General Assembly in New York next week. As of yet, it remains unclear whether such a meeting will take place, and both parties are still in talks with Mitchell on a construction freeze in West Bank settlements, and goodwill gestures on the part of the Palestinians and the Arab world. » Read more

West Bank economy heading toward growth for first time in years ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters September 14, 2009 - 12:00am The economy in Palestinian West Bank remains on course to grow about 7 percent this year, for the first growth since 2005, according to the International Monetary Fund. In notes to media accompanying a report the IMF will present to donors at the United Nations on Sept. 22, the international lending agency said on Sunday achieving the projected figure largely depended on Israel's policy towards the Palestinians. » Read more

Israel: Won't accept 'complete freeze' on settlement building ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jonathan Lis - September 14, 2009 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that there will not be a complete freeze on settlement building and that building in Jerusalem will proceed as usual. "The Palestinians expect a complete halt to building; it is now clear that this will not happen," Netanyahu said, "Jerusalem is not a settlement and the building [there] will continue as normal." While speaking to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee of the Knesset, Netanyahu spoke about progress made in regards to the peace process as well as the U.S. demand to freeze building beyond Israel's Green Line. » Read more

U.S. is blind to limits of Palestinian politics ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) September 14, 2009 - 12:00am After a drawn-out and frustrated negotiation over several hundred housing units in the settlements, the Obama administration realized that instead of tasting the grapes, it is wasting its time fighting with the vineyard's gatekeeper. They also revealed that the greatest superpower came to the fight unarmed. They discovered that to threaten Benjamin Netanyahu and Moshe Ya'alon with ceasing construction in the West Bank by pain of not resuming the Oslo process, was akin to threatening them that if Israel does not remove the outposts, the United States would bomb Iran. » Read more

Armed settlers enter West Bank village, spark clashes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 14, 2009 - 12:00am Violent clashes between Israeli settlers and Palestinians erupted in the village of Burin south of the West Bank city of Nablus erupted Sunday evening. Ghassan Daghlas, Palestinian official following Israeli settlement activities in the northern West Bank, told Ma’an that “dozens of heavily armed settlers from the nearby illegal Israeli settlement of Yitzhar attacked Palestinians in Burin after failing to steal dozens of sheep from a Palestinian shepherd who was in the area,” he explained. » Read more

U.S. Mideast efforts impaired amid Palestinian, Israeli infighting ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua September 14, 2009 - 12:00am Power struggles and partisan frictions within Israel and among the Palestinians have become a hindrance to the peace efforts in the region, including an on-going Mideast tour by U.S. envoy George Mitchell. Mitchell, who arrived in Israel on Saturday, expected to strike a deal during his visit on an Israeli settlement freeze and revival of the stalled peace process between the Palestinians and Israelis. » Read more

Many American Jews support President Obama's proposed settlement freeze ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Seattle Times by Richard Silverstein - (Editorial) September 14, 2009 - 12:00am Over the past few months, the Obama administration has urged Israel to accept a settlement freeze as a means of showing good faith toward its Palestinian neighbors in negotiating peace. The freeze is important because 300,000 Israeli settlers live beyond the Green Line and they have poisoned the political atmosphere and prevented the parties from negotiating in earnest. » Read more

Mitchell in Israel to jumpstart talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - September 14, 2009 - 12:00am US Middle East envoy George Mitchell sounded cautiously optimistic before meeting with Israeli President Shimon Peres on Sunday about the prospects for an agreement before October on a settlement freeze that's expected to jump start peace negotiations with the Palestinians. » Read more

Passions High Ahead of Talks On Settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Howard Schneider - September 14, 2009 - 12:00am The scene from the Dr. Billye Brim Community Pool, named after the American pastor from Branson, Mo., who helped underwrite it, is decidedly suburban and removed from the international fray over Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. The modern design lets in ample sunlight and fresh air for swimmers doing laconic laps in the midafternoon, while sunbathers lounge on a courtyard of clipped grass spotted with white umbrellas. The more energetic pound away on treadmills in a swanky fitness center. » Read more

Israeli Cities Differences With U.S. on Peace Talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Mark Lavie - September 14, 2009 - 12:00am Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, speaking ahead of a key meeting with the White House's Middle East envoy, said Sunday that differences remain with the United States over resuming peacemaking with the Palestinians. Netanyahu delivered the assessment before flying to Cairo for talks with Egypt's president, a main mediator in efforts to restart peace talks, and ahead of a meeting with George J. Mitchell, the U.S. envoy, later in the week. » Read more