The API and the regional security deal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Amor Boubakri - (Blog) March 16, 2011 - 12:00am The Arab Peace Initiative promises to "provide security for all the states of the region". These provisions are at the core of the offer made by Arab states in their initiative to Israel and represent a solemn commitment to withdraw the threat of war and the use of arms in the resolution of problems related to territorial claims in the region. » Read more

Middle East security from a Palestinian perspective ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Mkhaimar Abu Sada - (Blog) March 15, 2011 - 12:00am The Arab Peace Initiative of 2002 stipulates that the Arab countries "consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region". This, in exchange for a complete Israeli withdrawal from all Arab territories occupied in June 1967, a "just solution" to the Palestinian refugee problem based on UN Resolution 194, and the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. » Read more

Voices in unity raise new hope for Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) March 16, 2011 - 12:00am The phrase "Palestinian resistance" does not usually evoke peaceful images. From the forced removal of Palestinians from their homes, to Israel's use of fighter-jets to strike neighbourhoods in the West Bank, to rocket attacks from Gaza, violence has been ingrained in the story of the Palestinian struggle. » Read more

New Jerusalem bill circulating House ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) March 16, 2011 - 12:00am Top Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives are circulating a bill that would strip the president of his power to waive a law requiring him to move the embassy to Jerusalem. The bill, launched March 10 and sponsored by Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.), the chairman of the House's Europe Subcommittee, is also backed by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), the chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio), the chairman of the House Middle East Subcommittee -- all but guaranteeing its passage in the Foreign Affairs Committee and referral to the full House. » Read more

PM says IDF to build fence along Jordan border ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ilana Curiel - March 15, 2011 - 12:00am During a tour of the fence that is being constructed along Israel's border with Egypt on Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he had instructed the IDF to begin planning the construction of another fence along the border with Jordan. "We will have to build a fence in the east as well, because if we block one border they will come from the Arava," he later told the Negev Conference in Eilat. » Read more

Israel punishes itself ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Nahum Barnea - (Opinion) March 15, 2011 - 12:00am The government approved Sunday the construction of 400 housing units in Judea and Samaria in response to the murder in Itamar. Why Only 400, wondered Eli Yishai. We need to build 5,000 units, a thousand for each murder victim. To a certain extent, Yishai is right. If the proper response to the despicable murder of the Fogel family is settlement expansion, 400 is a rather pathetic number. It does not reflect the shock, repugnance and fury. It offers no comfort. At most, it serves as an attempt to calm the hard core among the settlers with a real estate pill. » Read more

'Jenin, Jenin' gets Hebrew U. campus screening despite ban ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Asaf Shtull-Trauring - March 16, 2011 - 12:00am Organizers of students' Hadash party branch at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem screened the controversial film "Jenin, Jenin" at a Hadash-sponsored event on the university's Mount Scopus campus last night, although the university had prohibited the screening. However, 10 minutes before the end of the film, university security personnel cut the electricity to the hall. » Read more

France says EU recognition of Palestinian state a 'possibility' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz March 15, 2011 - 12:00am French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Tuesday that European Union recognition of a Palestinian state could be a "possibility that should be kept in mind," according to AFP. "There's no point recognizing the Palestinian state on our own. It must be done together," AFP quoted Juppe as saying about recognition by EU countries. "Personally we're not there yet, I think that it's a possibility that should be kept in mind," he said. » Read more

Barak must join opposition to save Israel from disaster ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Aluf Benn - (Opinion) March 16, 2011 - 12:00am Defense Minister Ehud Barak is a brave man, not only in his operations from the days of the reconnaissance unit, or in his proposal at Camp David to divide Jerusalem. He is also brave in his willingness to stand apart from the choir and say unpopular things on days of terror attacks and mourning. A few hours after the funerals of the Fogel family from Itamar, on Sunday, Barak gave a lecture at the Institute for National Security Studies. » Read more

Jordan urges for two-state solution to end Palestinian-Israel conflicts ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 15, 2011 - 12:00am Jordan on Tuesday called on the international community to pressure the Israeli government to achieve the two-state solution by the end of September. Stressing that developments in the region should not deviate attention away from the Palestinian issue, which is the core issue in the region, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said Tuesday that continued Israeli settlement activities threaten the two-state solution. » Read more