April 29th

PNA: Israel aids settlers to confiscate Palestinian land ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua April 29, 2010 - 12:00am The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Wednesday accused the Israeli government of supporting Jewish settlers to confiscate Palestinian-owned land. The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release that the Israeli authorities "prevent farmers and shepherds in Tubas district in northern West Bank from reaching their farms." "The Israeli authorities allow hundreds of armed settlers to erect tents in the area where Palestinian shepherds usually feed their sheep," said the ministry. » Read more

Israeli troops kill Gaza border protester - medics ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Nidal Al-Mughrabi, Dan Williams - April 28, 2010 - 12:00am Israeli soldiers killed a Palestinian who approached the Gaza Strip border on Wednesday to demonstrate against a no-go buffer zone imposed there by Israel, witnesses and hospital officials said. They said the 20-year-old was shot as he and scores of other protesters planted Palestinian flags in the ground near the border fence, east of Gaza City. Some threw stones, drawing gunfire from an Israeli patrol on the far side of the fence. » Read more

Gaza police accuse Egypt in deaths of 4 tunnellers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Nidal Al-Mughrabi - April 28, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian police accused Egyptian security forces of killing four smugglers from the Gaza Strip and injuring three others on Wednesday by blowing up their cross-border tunnel. Under pressure from Israel and the United States, Egypt has tried to stem the secret passages from its Sinai peninsula, which have allowed Palestinians in Gaza to import weapons and commercial goods in defiance of an Israeli-led blockade. » Read more

Hamas tax laws trigger leftist protests in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency April 29, 2010 - 12:00am The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) called on Gaza residents and particularly the poor to attend a series of peaceful rallies demanding change to the recent tax laws enforced by the Hamas government. Marking a further rise in tensions over the issue and a clear alignment of leftist parties against what Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) officials called "harsh" means of tax collection and an arbitrary mandate for collection, the protests are expected to take place Friday. » Read more

Borrowing from Gandhi? Palestinian passive resistance gains followers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - April 28, 2010 - 12:00am As has become ritual in this Palestinian village for the last five years, every Friday several hundred demonstrators march toward Israel's security fence - and toward a confrontation with soldiers stationed on the other side. » Read more

2 Officials and 2 Views on Discussing Mideast Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Mark Landler - April 28, 2010 - 12:00am For those wondering why it has been so hard for the United States and Israel to get past their dispute over Jewish housing, consider the disconnect on display this week in Washington. On Tuesday, Israel’s defense minister, Ehud Barak, made the rounds at the State Department and the Pentagon, warmly welcomed by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates. At a White House meeting with the national security adviser, Gen. James L. Jones Jr., President Obama dropped by, lingering for 40 minutes. » Read more

Israel’s fear and loathing of Obama ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Financial Times by Gideon Rachman - April 29, 2010 - 12:00am Israel’s alarm at the deterioration in its relations with the US is palpable. In Jerusalem recently, even a liberal commentator told me: “Barack Obama is a disaster for Israel. I don’t think the general public realise just how much of a disaster he is.” Government officials are more careful – but only a bit. Danny Ayalon, the deputy Israeli foreign minister, says that it would be a “grave mistake” for America to present its own Middle East peace plan, an idea that the US president’s people are known to be considering. » Read more

April 28th

US officials: Barkat undermines talks effort ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yitzhak Benhorin - April 27, 2010 - 12:00am Defense Minister Ehud Barak met Tuesday with senior US administration officials in Washington, who expressed their surprise over Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat's behavior. His conduct, they said, completely contradicts to the atmosphere the government is trying to create in order to renew negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. » Read more

Pushing for a provisional Palestinian state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Aluf Benn - April 28, 2010 - 12:00am The announcement of upcoming "proximity talks" between Israel and the Palestinians raises a number of questions - what exactly will they talk about? What else can be renewed in the peace process, where everything seems to have been tried while peace remains elusive? What trick does George Mitchell, the mediator of the hour, have up his sleeve that was kept from his frustrated predecessors? » Read more

Sarkozy: Netanyahu's foot-dragging on peace process is unacceptable ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - April 28, 2010 - 12:00am French President Nicolas Sarkozy has told his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres that he is disappointed with Benjamin Netanyahu and finds it hard to understand the prime minister's diplomatic plan. Sarkozy made his comments at the Elysee Palace two weeks ago. The latest criticism follows the diplomatic crisis between Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama and the subsequent fallout between Netanyahu and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. » Read more