Normalizing Relations ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The American Conservative by Scott McConnell - May 1, 2010 - 12:00am President Obama has probably studied the first President Bush’s standoff with Israel. Then as now, the issue of contention was Israeli settlement-building in the West Bank and Jerusalem. George H.W. Bush was hopeful about moving toward a comprehensive peace between Israelis and Palestinians. » Read more

Israel recognizes Obama means business ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Asia Times by Jerrold Kessel, Pierre Klochendler - March 31, 2010 - 12:00am Against all expectations, it's becoming the forerunner of a peace plan. Indeed, it might in the end even surprise the world as Israelis and Palestinians are forced into peace. Even if, for now, it's shaping up as anything but peaceful. It's a battle royal. "It" is the ongoing and unprecedented crisis in relations between the United States and Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues to insist that the divide between his government and the administration of President Barack Obama is still bridgeable. » Read more

Israel lobby presses Congress to soften Obama's tough stance on Netanyahu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Chris McGreal - March 30, 2010 - 12:00am America's main pro-Israel lobby group is mobilising members of Congress to pressure the White House over its bitter public confrontation with Binyamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister. The move, by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (Aipac), appears aimed at exploiting differences in the Obama administration as it decides how to use the crisis around settlement building in Jerusalem to press Israel towards concessions to kickstart peace negotiations. » Read more

Time to change the status quo ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Alon Ben-meir - (Opinion) March 30, 2010 - 12:00am The last few weeks have looked like a crash course in Middle East diplomacy, replete with the grandeur of talks and lofty speechmaking and the lows that shamed even those most committed to the peace process. As the media frenzy played out, the public watched as Israel and its closest ally celebrated proximity talks, clashed over the untimely announcement of new construction in Jerusalem and worked through their differences during the AIPAC conference in Washington and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s subsequent meeting with President Barack Obama. » Read more

The meaning of Exodus ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Moshe Dann - (Opinion) March 30, 2010 - 12:00am As if Jews needed a reminder in the form of a modern rendition of "Pharaoh's heart hardened," President Obama provides an example, emphasizing an important lesson: The Egyptian dictator/king was part of the process of liberation and, ultimately, of God's will and the destiny of the Jewish People. » Read more

Palestinian PM ploughs ahead with future state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Ali Waked - March 30, 2010 - 12:00am Prime Minister Salam Fayyad got behind a horse-drawn plough in the West Bank on Tuesday and drilled a furrow in protest against Israeli control of Palestinian land. Wearing a T-shirt and a hat, the former World Bank economist put his foot to the rusty plough as Jewish settlers watched from a hilltop outpost nearby. Arab protestors attend special ceremony in Sakhnin, cry out: 'Barak, how many children have you killed today?' MKs present complain of Israel's 'racist policies', say they won't stop fighting for 'stolen land' » Read more

Sarkozy 'condemns Israeli construction in East Jerusalem' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press March 31, 2010 - 12:00am French President Nicolas Srakozy on Tuesday said his country stands with the United States in condemning Israeli settlement activity in East Jerusalem. Sarkozy said his own commitment to Israel's security is well known but adds that the settlement activity in an area claimed by the Palestinians "contributes nothing." Speaking at a news conference with U.S. President Barack Obama after their White House meeting, Sarkozy praised Obama for trying to engage the two sides in peace talks. » Read more

Needed: An Israeli peace plan ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) March 31, 2010 - 12:00am While in Washington the U.S. administration is trying to reduce tensions with Israel, in Jerusalem they go out of their way to depict in war paint the demands President Barack Obama put to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Political sources in Jerusalem told Haaretz's Ari Shavit this week that hiding behind the American demands is an intention to impose a permanent settlement on the two sides in less than two years. This is being presented as a troubling change in U.S. » Read more

U.S. seeks 4-month East Jerusalem building freeze in return for direct talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - March 31, 2010 - 12:00am One of the U.S. administration's requests to Israel regarding the peace process with the Palestinians is a four-month construction freeze in all parts of East Jerusalem. In exchange, the United States would pressure Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to hold direct talks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instead of the indirect talks to which the Palestinians have agreed. » Read more

Senior Fatah official refuses to appear alone before Israeli court ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 31, 2010 - 12:00am A senior official from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party on Wednesday refused to stand before an Israeli military court, showing a solidarity sign with a group of detainees who were detained with him and being tried separately. Abbas Zaki, a member of Fatah central committee, was arrested with 11 Palestinians on an Israeli checkpoint in the West Bank during a demonstration this week. » Read more