The facts and fictions of Netanyahu's address to Congress ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jonathan Lis - May 25, 2011 - 12:00am Here is some of what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Congress on Tuesday - and what he failed to mention: Netanyahu to Congress: "The vast majority of the 650,000 Israelis who live beyond the 1967 lines reside in neighborhoods and suburbs of Jerusalem and Greater Tel Aviv." Netanyahu presented a figure to Congress, according to which 650 thousand Israelis live over the Green Line (1967 borders). This is an inflated figure, based on a report published by the Israeli Civil Administration on June 30, 2009, at the height of the settlement freeze. » Read more

Israeli lawmakers react differently to Netanyahu's Congress speech ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua May 24, 2011 - 12:00am Some members of Israeli Knesset parliament on Tuesday evening praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress, while others condemned it as "nothing new." Gidon Sa'ar, a lawmaker from Netanyahu's Likud faction, hailed the address. "There's no statesmen in Israel or the world who could present the case for Israel as strongly as Netanyahu could," he was quoted by The Jerusalem Post as saying. » Read more

Abbas refuses to offer solutions without peace talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua May 25, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday he will not "put solutions before restarting peace talks" as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in his speech to the U.S. Congress Tuesday, in which the prime minister announced Israel cannot go back to the 1967 borders. Abbas' remarks came before a meeting of the Palestinians leadership to review the recent speeches of U.S. President Barack Obama and Netanyahu. The prime minister announced Israel cannot go back to the 1967 borders. » Read more

US criticism of Palestinian reconciliation pact shadows Middle East peace talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Omer Othmani, Osama Radi - May 25, 2011 - 12:00am The Egyptian-drafted inter- reconciliation agreement, which was signed in Cairo on May 4 between Fatah and the Islamic Hamas movement, is facing difficulties following U.S. President Barack Obama's criticism of the agreement. Obama, who demanded Hamas to accept the requirements of the International Quartet Committee for peace in the Middle East, said in a speech on Monday that the deal between Abbas and Hamas "is a big obstacle for achieving peace." » Read more

FACT CHECK: Netanyahu speech ignores rival claims ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Josef Federman - May 24, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave an impassioned defense of his approach to peace during a speech to Congress on Tuesday. But the address reflected the world view of Israel's nationalistic right wing, one of several conflicting narratives that divide Israelis and Palestinians. Here is a sampling of Netanyahu's claims along with what he did not mention. ___ NETANYAHU: "You don't need to send American troops to Israel. We defend ourselves." THE FACTS: Israel is a leading recipient of American foreign aid, including more than $1 billion in military assistance each year. » Read more

Palestinians say Netanyahu speech obstacle to peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters May 24, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's vision for ending conflict with Palestinians put "more obstacles" in front of the Middle East peace process, the spokesman for the Palestinian president said. "There was nothing new in Netanyahu's speech other than more obstacles in front of the peace process," Nabil Abu Rdainah, the spokesman for President Mahmoud Abbas, told Reuters following Israeli leader's address to the U.S. Congress on Wednesday. » Read more

Hamas' top leader challenged by Gaza strongman ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press May 24, 2011 - 12:00am Gaza's Hamas strongman on Tuesday was quoted as challenging the Islamic militant movement's top leader because of his tacit backing of Palestinian negotiations with Israel. The comments by Mahmoud Zahar were carried by the Lebanese newspaper al-Akhbar on Tuesday and signaled a rare public dispute among Hamas leaders. A Hamas statement in Gaza claimed the comments were fabricated, but did not explain. » Read more

Hamas: Unity does not mean we take on Fatah's platform ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 25, 2011 - 12:00am In an interview with the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahhar set out the compromises the party was willing to make for a unity deal with Fatah, and made clear that unity would not change the party's platform. "Reconciliation does not mean Hamas has changed its agenda," the leader was quoted as saying in the Tuesday report, adding that nor was Fatah bending its own goals to those of Hamas when it signed the document. » Read more

Congress applause of Netanyahu 'pathetic' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency May 25, 2011 - 12:00am The warm reception of the Israeli prime Minister at the US Congress was "pathetic," President Abbas' secretary-general At-Tayyib Abdul-Rahim said Wednesday. Benjamin Netanyahu entered Congress to applause the day before, and received more than 25 standing ovations during a speech in which he ruled out international demands to return to the 1967 borders or share Jerusalem, and called on Mahmoud Abbas to "tear up" the reconciliation agreement his Fatah party signed two weeks ago with rival faction Hamas. » Read more

PA: UN still goal for September ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) May 25, 2011 - 12:00am The Palestinian leadership reaffirmed its goal to take the issue of statehood to the United Nations after a speech by the Israeli premier which failed to offer any new incentive to talk peace. In a 45-minute address to the US Congress, Benjamin Netanyahu laid out his vision of peace in a speech which pundits said contained nothing to deter the Palestinians from plans to seek UN recognition for their state later this year or to revive the moribund peace process. » Read more