December 7th

Israel warns Argentina: Recognizing Palestinian state shatters peace process ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz December 7, 2010 - 1:00am Israel's Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned as "highly regrettable" Argentina's announcement of the previous day that it recognized Palestine as "a free and independent state" within its borders prior to the 1967 Six-Day War. The decision was highly "damaging," foreign ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said, "because they are in fact shattering the foundation of the peace process." The recognition while peace negotiations are ongoing and no final peace deal has yet been reached "is contrary to the existing legal framework of the peace process," he added. » Read more

Encountering Peace: The house is on fire ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) December 7, 2010 - 1:00am A week ago I wrote in this column that “the house is on fire and it’s time to wake up before everything we have built is destroyed by our own doing.” I was, of course, not referring to the tragic fire in the Carmel Forest. The fire is now out and Nature will have to work its wonders to bring life back where cinders now took over, but Nature knows how to recover. » Read more

Palestinians Moot Plans for Organized Lobby in the West ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by David Miller - December 6, 2010 - 1:00am The Palestinian Authority wants to mobilize Palestinians living in the United States and Europe to campaign politically for the national cause, building a counterpart to the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and other pro-Israel lobbies. The idea was raised at the first-ever Conference of Arab Expatriates, which ended yesterday in Cairo. Aimed at establishing an organizational framework for Arab expats and fostering "a dialogue of civilizations, cultures and religions," the three-day conference was held under the auspices of the Arab League. » Read more

A narrow road to Palestinian freedom ATFP World Press Roundup Article from NOW Lebanon by Hussein Ibish - (Blog) December 7, 2010 - 1:00am A narrow road near the small West Bank village of Qarawat Bani Hassan is now the implausible epicenter of the Palestinian drive for freedom and independence. At first glance, the two-kilometer stretch is remote and of little practical significance, since it does not lead to any major hub and has no strategic value. But it is, quite literally, the frontline of the Palestinian state and institution-building program being led by Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. » Read more

December 6th

Palestinian official says not yet to dissolve PNA, welcomes Brazil's recognition of state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from by Saud Abu Ramadan - December 6, 2010 - 1:00am A senior Palestinian official announced on Sunday that dissolving the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is an option, but will not be taken for the time being, while the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) movement slammed Hamas for accepting a referendum in case of a peace deal with Israel. Nabil Shaath, member of the Palestinian negotiation team said in a press statement emailed to reporters that dissolving the PNA might be carried out only when the Middle East peace process with Israel collapses, "but it is not planned for now." » Read more

Auschwitz borders are here ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Bradley Burston - (Opinion) December 6, 2010 - 1:00am Auschwitz borders. That ominous phrase, so elegant in its horror. A go-to mantra of the right for more than four decades, it has proven so durable in linking a West Bank withdrawal to the annihilation of the State of Israel that it has outlasted countless anti-peace process ad campaigns ?(“Yesha zeh kan” the ubiquitous signs once read: Judea, Samaria and Gaza are right here?). » Read more

Unraveling another myth about the State of the Jews ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - December 6, 2010 - 1:00am In everything that pertains to locating the source of fires, water shortages, flight safety, earthquakes, etc. - subjects that require long-term planning - our decision makers prefer to use a method of pinpoint handling. It is known as "putting out fires." Yet the disaster in the Carmel has shown that we are also far from being able to be called world champions in putting out fires. » Read more

Palestinian firefighters come to Israel's aid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post December 6, 2010 - 1:00am Firefighters and firefighting personnel from all over the world came to Israel's aid over the weekend, responding to the most devastating fire the country has ever seen. While most of the aid that arrived had to be flown in, early Sunday morning, four fire engines manned by 21 firefighters began a five-hour drive to the Carmel mountains. » Read more

Yvette Cooper calls for Israeli settler labelling on food imports ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Kai Bird - December 5, 2010 - 1:00am Britain should step up pressure on Israel to stop building illegal settlements in the West Bank by pressing for greater Europe-wide transparency on food exported from the occupied territories, Yvette Cooper says today. In an interview with the Guardian, she calls on the government to persuade the EU to introduce labelling that would identify goods produced by Israeli settlers. Cooper, who spoke after her first visit to the Middle East as shadow foreign secretary, wants the EU to follow the example of supermarkets which identify goods produced in the occupied West Bank. » Read more

Abbas: Last resort _ I'll ask Israel to take over ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Mohammed Daraghmeh - December 4, 2010 - 1:00am RAMALLAH, WEST BANK — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has warned he may dissolve his self-rule government and ask Israel to resume full control of the West Bank if troubled peace talks fail. Dismantling the Palestinian Authority would be a last resort, Abbas told Palestine TV in an interview broadcast late Friday. However, his comments marked the most explicit warning yet that he's considering a step that could crush lingering hopes for a Mideast peace deal. » Read more