October 25th

Settlers confirm work has begun on up to 600 homes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Karin Laub - October 25, 2010 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — A senior settler official says that work has begun on up to 600 new homes in West Bank settlements since Israel lifted its curb on such construction Sept. 26, mirroring recent findings by The Associated Press and the Israeli watchdog Peace Now. » Read more

Saudi Arabia pledges $100 million to PA ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 25, 2010 - 12:00am RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Saudi Arabia pledged $100 million to the Palestinian Authority on Sunday, PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said. Fayyad said President Mahmoud Abbas was notified that the donation would arrive within three days. The money was intended to ease the PA's financial difficulties, Fayyad said in a statement. The prime minister expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the king, government and people of Saudi Arabia for their constant support of Palestinian efforts to establish a state on 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital. » Read more

Abu Libdeh: Rawabi can absorb settlement workers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 24, 2010 - 12:00am RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- PA National Economy Minister Hassan Abu Libdeh said Saturday that the first planned Palestinian city in Ramallah could be "a real opportunity to absorb Palestinian workers employed in settlements," a statement read. The Rawabi City project, he said, could provide between 8,000 to 10,000 jobs during the construction period and up to 3,000 jobs in the city itself once complete. » Read more

Gaza govt to raze 'illegal structures' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 25, 2010 - 12:00am GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- The Gaza government announced Monday that it has given directives to its interior ministry to raze what it has termed illegal structures on public lands and enforce previous orders to arrest those trading the land. Head of the ministry's land department Ibrahim Radwan said those in violation of the order had been given a deadline which has now expired and that officers would maintain permanent checkpoints, supported by police, on public lands to prevent "any violation." » Read more

Halt to Palestinian peace talks could become permanent ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Glenn Kessler, Janine Zacharia - October 23, 2010 - 12:00am In perhaps the shortest round of peace negotiations in the history of their conflict, talks between the Israelis and Palestinians have ground to a halt and show little sign of resuming. » Read more

October 22nd

A Search for Plan ‘B’ as Hopes Fade for Direct Mideast Talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Nathan Guttman - October 20, 2010 - 12:00am As Israelis and Palestinians continue to reject compromise on the extension of a Jewish settlements freeze on the West Bank, all eyes are turning to Washington to see what happens next. With each side digging in on its demands regarding the settlements before they will agree to resume direct negotiations, diplomats and analysts are increasingly discussing the possibility of the Obama administration issuing its own “terms of reference” for such talks. It is an act that would mark a new phase in American involvement, but would still fall short of a full-fledged Obama peace plan. » Read more

A Search for Plan ‘B’ as Hopes Fade for Direct Mideast Talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Nathan Guttman - October 20, 2010 - 12:00am As Israelis and Palestinians continue to reject compromise on the extension of a Jewish settlements freeze on the West Bank, all eyes are turning to Washington to see what happens next. With each side digging in on its demands regarding the settlements before they will agree to resume direct negotiations, diplomats and analysts are increasingly discussing the possibility of the Obama administration issuing its own “terms of reference” for such talks. It is an act that would mark a new phase in American involvement, but would still fall short of a full-fledged Obama peace plan. » Read more

This Peaceful Position Takes Courage ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Mel Frykber - October 20, 2010 - 12:00am Yonatan Shapira, 38, was fired from his job, has been verbally abused in public, subjected to death threats in newspaper talk-back comments, called a traitor by many Israelis, falsely charged with assaulting Israeli security forces, and interrogated by Israel's domestic intelligence agency, the Shin Bet. While Israel often gets a lot of negative publicity for its brutal treatment of Palestinians and the inherent racism within its society, there is a growing core of Israeli human rights activists who are challenging government policy -- and paying a high price for their courage. » Read more

New bag of tricks? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) October 22, 2010 - 12:00am While all the world was watching, silently, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu managed to sabotage the US-sponsored “peace talks” with the Palestinians, led by Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority. Most governments and many international organisations, particularly the United Nations, seemed handcuffed, but the right-wing Israeli government has still lost significant support at home and abroad for its extremist views and shortsightedness. » Read more

Netanyahu: Kadima isn't joining the coalition ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post October 22, 2010 - 12:00am Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said he does not have plans to widen the coalition, in a statement released overnight Thursday, Army Radio reported. The prime minister met with opposition leader Tzipi Livni last week, and phoned her days later, fueling rumors that the two are negotiating terms for Kadima's addition to the coalition. However, Netanyahu has reportedly denied this assertion. According to Army Radio, Netanyahu said he called Livni because their meeting was cut short by an urgent situation. He added that he meets with Livni every three weeks. » Read more