Israeli ease of blockade not lasting solution for Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
by David Harris - June 18, 2010 - 12:00am

Israel will in the near future lift some of the restrictions placed on the import of goods into the Gaza Strip. The decision was taken on Thursday by the country' s security cabinet, comprising senior government ministers. The office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a brief statement to the media immediately after the meeting, which lasted for two days, but government spokespeople would not detail the measures to be taken.

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Abbas: Palestinian, U.S. positions "completely identical"
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
June 17, 2010 - 12:00am

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday he feels the Palestinian National Authority ( PNA) and the U.S. administration's positions are completely identical. Abbas, who returned Wednesday to the West Bank after visiting five countries, including the United States, said "the most important thing in this tour is that the U.S. and Palestinian positions were completely identical." "There are no differences between me and President Barack Obama on any issue," Abbas told the Ramallah-based al-Ayyam newspaper.

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At last, the Palestinians opt for auto-emancipation
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star
by Shlomo Avineri - (Opinion) June 16, 2010 - 12:00am

Although the crisis over Israel’s naval interventions to defend its blockade of Gaza is gaining all the headlines around the world, something of far more historic importance is taking place in the Middle East. The Palestinian Authority is preparing to issue a unilateral declaration of independence, and it is taking concrete steps on the ground to make any such declaration viable.

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Robert Wexler, has Abbas given you any hope for the peace process?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Natasha Mozgovaya - (Interview) June 14, 2010 - 12:00am

During his visit to Washington last week, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met with some 30 Jewish-American community leaders and former senior government officials at the Daniel Abraham Center for Middle East Peace for a serious discussion on the peace process. Former U.S. congressman and Abraham Center president Robert Wexler, you hosted the encounter between the PA president and Jewish-American leaders. Do you see any hope as a result of the meeting?

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EU, Blair expect Israel to soften Gaza blockade soon
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Luke Baker - June 14, 2010 - 12:00am

Israel has agreed in principle to begin easing its three-year-old blockade on Gaza "in days", Middle East envoy Tony Blair said on Monday. Blair said that after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent days he believed there was now a willingness to allow the entry of more goods into the territory. "In respect of the closure policy, I hope very much in the next days we will get the in-principle commitment that we require, but then also steps beginning to be taken," he told reporters, referring to Israeli commitments.

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Israel Backs Panel to Examine Raid
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Isabel Kershner - June 13, 2010 - 12:00am

In an effort to dampen international criticism and stave off calls for an international inquiry, Israel’s cabinet unanimously approved a government-appointed commission with foreign participation to investigate the circumstances surrounding its deadly commando raid on a flotilla bound for Gaza in late May. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the move to set up an inquiry would demonstrate clearly “to the entire world that the state of Israel acts according to law, transparently and with full responsibility.”

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Abbas: Quran Recognizes Jewish Ties to Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Nathan Guttman - June 11, 2010 - 12:00am

The Quran itself, Islam’s holy book, recognizes the Jews’ historic ties to the land of Israel, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas told a group of American Jewish leaders at a June 10 meeting in Washington. “He made clear that the Jews have a historic connection to the land and said the Quran is full of references to that,” said David Makovsky of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who attended the event. “I think it was important because people don’t hear these kinds of statements from an Arab leader every day.”

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U.S. envoy to lead fourth round of Israeli-Palestinian talks soon
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
June 11, 2010 - 12:00am

U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell will visit the region soon to lead a new round of indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians, a Palestinian newspaper reported Thursday. The Ramallah-based Al-Ayyam daily quoted Ma'an Erekat, the Palestinian ambassador to Washington, as saying that Mitchell is visiting the region "within days." Erekat said Mitchell informed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about his decision following a meeting between the pair in Washington.

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'Nobody denies Jewish history here'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Hilary Leila Krieger - June 11, 2010 - 12:00am

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas laid out new requirements for moving to direct talks with Israel Thursday, dropping earlier calls for a settlement freeze in favor of progress on borders and security. Specifically, he said he was looking for agreement from the Netanyahu government that the basis for borders would be the 1967 lines with agreed land swaps, an arrangement he said was in place during his direct talks with the previous prime minister, Ehud Olmert.

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President Obama to Mahmoud Abbas: Engage in talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Politico
by Kendra Marr, Laura Rozen - June 10, 2010 - 12:00am

Ten days after an Israeli operation to intercept a Gaza aid flotilla left nine dead and sparked international outrage, President Barack Obama met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House Wednesday and encouraged him to engage in direct talks with Israel.

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