Risky business of making peace in the Middle East ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Osama Al-Sharif<br /> - September 14, 2010 - 12:00am The risky business of forging peace between Israel and the Palestinians through a negotiated settlement has resumed after almost three years of forced interruption. But few on either side are hopeful. The one-year process of direct negotiations under United States auspices aimed at concluding a final status agreement and the birth of a Palestinian state has its critics, and sceptics, on both sides of the divide and beyond. In fact few believe that this latest round of talks will lead to an historic deal. The chasm is simply too wide. » Read more

Encountering Peace: Two rights don’t make a wrong ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin<br /> - (Opinion) September 14, 2010 - 12:00am Yes, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is right – why should Israel continue the settlement freeze; after all, everyone knows Gilo will never be Palestinian. Ramot Eshkol will not be part of the Palestinian capital of al-Kuds, nor will Pisgat Ze’ev? Palestinians should understand that there are certain facts that will not be undone. The Jewish Quarter of the Old City and the Western Wall will remain under Israeli sovereignty in any peace agreement; without this, there can be no peace and certainly the Palestinians should realize this by now. » Read more

IDF: 2 Gazans killed at border Sunday were not terrorists ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Yaakov Katz<br /> - September 14, 2010 - 12:00am Two Palestinians killed on Sunday by IDF fire along the Gaza border were not engaged in terrorist activity but were standing next to a Palestinian who was pointing a loaded RPG at the Israeli military force, an investigation of the incident has revealed. The incident took place Sunday evening when troops deployed along the security fence spotted a man pointing a loaded RPG in their direction. Earlier in the day, the IDF detected a number of people who had also approached the security fence in the area, and soldiers fired several warning shots. » Read more

PM, Clinton and Abbas discuss freeze in Sharm e-Sheikh ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon<br /> - September 14, 2010 - 12:00am US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday sat down with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Sharm e-Sheikh, Egypt to tackle the most immediate dispute between the two sides: a soon-to-expire curb on new construction for Israeli settlements in the West Bank. No press conference was held prior to the beginning of the meeting. A determination to make the peace talks work was expressed by Israeli officials accompanying Netanyahu on Tuesday to the second round of direct peace talks with Abbas. » Read more

Netanyahu and the freeze ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Nahum Barnea<br /> - (Opinion) September 13, 2010 - 12:00am You screwed up, Netanyahu can say to Barack Obama following the president’s call over the weekend to extend the settlement construction freeze. The construction was frozen for a limited period of time – 10 months. The American Administration chose to accept this timeframe. It cannot show regret as this period draws to an end and ask for more. It’s not serious or credible. » Read more

Report: Palestinian civilians' deaths go unpunished ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked<br /> - September 14, 2010 - 12:00am he Israel Defense Forces policy of refraining from thoroughly investigating the wrongful deaths of Palestinian civilians absolved IDF soldiers from such action even when criminal charges should be brought against them, B'Tselem said. The conclusion is at the core of a new report by the human rights group, released Tuesday, which said that soldiers who kill Palestinian civilians are rarely prosecuted, even when circumstances clearly indicate foul play. » Read more

East Jerusalem housing plans cast new shadow over Israel-Palestinian peace talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson<br /> - September 14, 2010 - 12:00am In a move that could strike a blow at already fragile peace talks, Jerusalem city planners will in the coming weeks discuss a scheme to build over a thousand housing units beyond the Green Line, Haaretz learned on Tuesday. At a U.S.-mediated summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said talks were being conducted in a "good atmosphere". » Read more

East Jerusalem housing plans cast new shadow over Israel-Palestinian peace talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson<br /> - September 14, 2010 - 12:00am In a move that could strike a blow at already fragile peace talks, Jerusalem city planners will in the coming weeks discuss a scheme to build over a thousand housing units beyond the Green Line, Haaretz learned on Tuesday. At a U.S.-mediated summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said talks were being conducted in a "good atmosphere". » Read more

Palestinian 'all or nothing' strategy paralyzing peace talks, Israeli officials warn ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid<br /> - September 14, 2010 - 12:00am The Palestinians' "all or nothing" strategy of insisting on a total freeze on West Bank settlement construction risks paralyzing Middle East peace talks in their infancy, officials close to the heart of negotiations warned Tuesday. As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrived in Egypt for a second round of negotiations, senior officials inside Netanyahu's office said they expected the Palestinians to avoid extreme responses that could derail the U.S.-sponsored peace process. » Read more

Sha'ath: Key issues on Sharm agenda ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 14, 2010 - 12:00am The second round of negotiations in Egypt will focus on land, borders and security, said member of the Palestinian negotiations team Nabil Sha'ath on Tuesday, as officials and leaders arrive in the coastal resort town ahead of talks. Sha'ath said reports that the talks in Sharm Ash-Sheikh will focus on Israel security matters solely were false, adding in a statement that "there is no security without the land and the borders and they know this very well." » Read more