June 2nd

Hamas strongman accuses Abbas of breaching reconciliation pact ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Emad Drimly, Osama Radi - June 2, 2011 - 12:00am A high-ranking Islamic Hamas movement official on Wednesday accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of breaching the reconciliation agreement, which was signed in Cairo and sponsored by Egypt on May 4 between the movement and Fatah party. Mahmoud al-Zahar, Hamas strongman in Gaza, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua that President Abbas has made a mistake " when he tried to make the new government, which should be formed after signing the agreement, as his own government, instead of a government of national accordance." » Read more

The Israelis in Iran! ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Tariq al-Homayed - (Editorial) June 1, 2011 - 12:00am We know that pragmatism is a part of politics, and that politicians deal with the public along the lines of "do as I say, not as I do". Yet this is all we know today with regards to the politics of our region, where Israeli ships, commercial or otherwise, have been anchored in Iranian ports for years, and this is another matter altogether! » Read more

French FM arrives in Israel; asserts September deadline ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 2, 2011 - 12:00am French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe arrived in Jerusalem late Wednesday on an "exploratory mission" aimed at reviving the stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians through a conference in Paris. "We are convinced ... that maintaining the status quo in the Middle East would be a serious mistake. Everything is changing in this region, in Egypt, in Syria, so we must move to regain the initiative," Juppe said after meeting President Mahmoud Abbas in Rome. » Read more

French FM arrives in Israel; asserts September deadline ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 2, 2011 - 12:00am French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe arrived in Jerusalem late Wednesday on an "exploratory mission" aimed at reviving the stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians through a conference in Paris. "We are convinced ... that maintaining the status quo in the Middle East would be a serious mistake. Everything is changing in this region, in Egypt, in Syria, so we must move to regain the initiative," Juppe said after meeting President Mahmoud Abbas in Rome. » Read more

Hamas, Fatah leaders detained in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 2, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli forces detained two members of the Palestinian Legislative Council from the Hamas and Fatah blocs overnight on Wednesday, following raids on their homes in Nablus and Tulkarem, official sources told Ma'an. Fatah lawmaker Hussam Khader, a long-time proponent of reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, was taken from his home at 2 a.m., officials said. Witnesses said 50 Israeli military jeeps had arrived in the Balata refugee camp, surrounded the home and searched its contents before taking Khader to an unknown location. » Read more

Juppe's Visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat by Randa Takieddine - June 1, 2011 - 12:00am There is weak optimism about the results of the visit by French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe the day after tomorrow to Israel, where he will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Juppe will also visit Ramallah, where he will meet with the Palestinian prime minister, Salam Fayyad, after meeting tomorrow evening with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Rome. No matter how strong Juppe's personality is, or the widespread respect he enjoys in France and the rest of the world, the problem lies in the obstinate positions of Netanyahu. » Read more

Jerusalem Day: Why the Holy City is at the crux of the peace process ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Christa Case Bryant, Ariel Zirulnick - (Analysis) June 1, 2011 - 12:00am Today is Jerusalem Day in Israel, the anniversary of the day in the 1967 war when Israel took the Old City and East Jerusalem from Jordan. More than 40 years later, Jerusalem remains one of the largest hurdles to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel insists Jerusalem is its ‘undivided and eternal’ capital while Palestinians insist on securing a capital in East Jerusalem. Here are three reasons why Jerusalem is so important to both sides. One capital city wanted by two nations » Read more

What leverage to reach Palestinian statehood? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Daoud Kuttab - (Opinion) June 2, 2011 - 12:00am Negotiators the world over are taught that in order to maximise one’s bargaining position, they should always have credible alternatives. » Read more

Consistent support ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Ghassan Khatib - (Editorial) June 1, 2011 - 12:00am The Arab Peace Initiative adopted at an Arab summit conference in 2002 and reiterated in another summit in 2007 was never controversial among Palestinians in the occupied territories. » Read more

Dispute Grows as Egyptian Gas Is Still Not Flowing to Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Ethan Bronner - June 1, 2011 - 12:00am More than a month after saboteurs blew up an Egyptian pipeline supplying natural gas to Israel, the line is repaired but gas is not flowing and foreign shareholders of the company suspect politics to be the reason. They are threatening legal action against Egypt. American and Thai shareholders in the pipeline have demanded urgent consultations to avoid resorting to binding arbitration based on trade treaties. One letter to Egyptian ministries from an American company with an Israeli chairman threatens a lawsuit of $8 billion. » Read more