April 21st

PNA denies upcoming summit on Middle East talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua April 21, 2010 - 12:00am A Palestinian official on Tuesday denied reports that Washington had suggested a summit meeting on stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians in Egypt. "This is untrue at all," said Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator. "From time to time, Israel releases trial balloons to evade obligations the international community wants it to meet," he told Voice of Palestine radio. » Read more

U.S. piles pressure on Netanyahu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by David Harris - April 21, 2010 - 12:00am As Israelis marked the 62nd anniversary of the nation's independence on Tuesday, the country's Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned them that in all probability much of the land currently held by the Jewish state will have to be ceded to the Palestinians. Barak made the comment on Monday, the Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day. It was the headline maker from an interview he granted to the country's Army Radio to mark the most introspective of days on the Israeli calendar. » Read more

Hamas burns recreational drugs, taxes cigarettes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by RIZEK ABDEL JAWAD - April 21, 2010 - 12:00am Gaza's Hamas rulers on Tuesday burned nearly 2 million pills of a painkiller many Gazans take recreationally because they say it relaxes them and provides temporary relief from the territory's hardships. The disposal of the drugs comes days after the Islamic militant group confiscated cigarettes from Gaza shops to collect taxes on them. Both moves are part of Hamas' efforts to strengthen its grip on Gaza and impose its strict interpretation of Islam on the impoverished seaside territory's 1.5 million Palestinian residents. » Read more

"Imposed" Mideast solution would stoke violence - Israel FM ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters April 21, 2010 - 12:00am In a veiled warning to U.S. President Barack Obama, Israel's foreign minister said on Tuesday that any move to impose a peace settlement between Israel and the Palestinians would lead to greater conflict. "Any attempt to force a solution on the parties without establishing the foundation of mutual trust will only deepen the conflict," Avigdor Lieberman told the assembled diplomatic corps at an event marking Israel's Independence Day. » Read more

When Your Best Friend Gets Angry ATFP World Press Roundup Article from International Herald Tribune by Martin Indyk - (Opinion) April 19, 2010 - 12:00am How do you know when there’s a real crisis in U.S.-Israel relations? It’s when the president of the United States convenes a nuclear security summit to curb Iran’s nuclear ambitions, and the Israeli prime minister declines the invitation. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has made Iran’s nuclear threat to Israel’s existence the central organizing principle of his second term. Yet at the nuclear summit in Washington last week, President Obama was the one to do the heavy lifting, persuading China to join in a new round of U.N. sanctions against Iran. » Read more

April 20th

Fatah Behind Bid to Reshuffle the PA Cabinet? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Rachelle Kliger - April 19, 2010 - 12:00am Conflicting views over participation of high-ranking Fatah members in the Ramallah-based government. Rumors of an imminent reshuffle in the Palestinian cabinet have ignited debate over expanding Fatah Party presence under the independent Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. The London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is planning a cabinet re-shuffle to include more members of Fatah’s Central Committee. » Read more

Violence will only end up harming the Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Murad Bustami - (Opinion) April 20, 2010 - 12:00am Covered faces, stones and tear gas: This was the scene on the streets of East Jerusalem in the “day of rage” last month, which was declared in response to the opening of a synagogue in the Old City’s Jewish Quarter next to the Al-Aqsa Mosque. » Read more

War would take the heat off Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Linda S. Heard - (Opinion) April 20, 2010 - 12:00am As clouds of volcanic ash loom high over Europe, clouds of war are once again lurking over Lebanon. In recent days, Israel's President Shimon Peres has accused Syria of supplying Hezbollah with Scud ballistic missiles that can reach Israeli cities. Damascus has denied the charge while Hezbollah has refused to deny or confirm it, saying it's nobody's business. US officials remain doubtful due to an absence of proof. However, a spokesman for the US State Department has said his government is "increasingly concerned about the sophisticated weaponry that is allegedly being transferred." » Read more

Asharq Al-Awsat Talks to Fatah's Azzam al-Ahmad ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Ali El-saleh - (Interview) April 19, 2010 - 12:00am The Palestinian Authority [PA] through more than one of its officials has called on Israel to rescind its decision to deport what it described as "infiltrators" into the Palestinian territories. Azzam al-Ahmad, member of Fatah Central Committee and leader of its parliamentary bloc, interprets the Israeli decision as a return to the military orders and military rule that existed before the Oslo Accord in 1993. According to Al-Ahmad, this means "relinquishing the Oslo accord and wriggling out of it, which in its turn means that the occupation still exists." » Read more

Israel Attacks and Obama Backs Down ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Bilal Hassen - April 19, 2010 - 12:00am The Israeli announcement about deporting the Palestinian "infiltrators" from Gaza to the Gaza Strip or to Jordan is the beginning of a new stage in the Arab-Israeli conflict. » Read more