Arab Leaders Say The Two-state Proposal Is In Peril
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Michael Slackman - February 22, 2008 - 4:08pm

Arab leaders will threaten to rescind their offer of full relations with Israel in exchange for a complete Israeli withdrawal from occupied lands unless Israel gives a positive response to their initiative, indicating the Arab states’ growing disillusionment with the prospects of a two-state solution for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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Economic Reform Key To Mideast Stability - Un
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Linda Hindi - February 21, 2008 - 7:24pm

Delegates attending a UN conference yesterday stressed economic reform as the key for stability in the occupied territories and the basis for building a foundation for a viable two-state solution. But they added that sustainable growth cannot be achieved without a political settlement.

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Israel Extends Closure Of Palestinian Offices In Jerusalem
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
February 21, 2008 - 7:19pm

Israel is keeping Palestinian institutions in east Jerusalem shut tight, despite its pledge to reopen them under a recently revived peace blueprint, Palestinian officials said Thursday.

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Abbas And Olmert Struggle To Move Talks Forward
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Isabel Kershner - February 20, 2008 - 6:42pm

The Israeli and Palestinian leaders met here on Tuesday amid growing dissonance over the content of their talks and the kind of agreement they are trying to achieve. The prime minister of Israel, Ehud Olmert, and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, met in the evening at Mr. Olmert’s official residence, first accompanied by their negotiating teams and then alone, a spokesman for Mr. Olmert said.

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Who's He Kidding?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) February 19, 2008 - 6:48pm

Essentially, the Sderot residents are a new version of "the victims of peace." Government spokesmen explain that an invasion of the Gaza Strip may strike a fatal blow to Mahmoud Abbas, the partner, because peace negotiations with the West Bank Palestinian leadership cannot take place under the shadow of scenes of hundreds of Palestinian casualties caused by an Israeli invasion of the Strip.

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Palestinians: Jerusalem Still High On Agenda
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
February 19, 2008 - 6:33pm

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has not agreed to postpone talks on the future of Jerusalem, a senior adviser said yesterday, disputing comments by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Olmert said on Sunday that Abbas had consented to hold off discussing Jerusalem until the end of the negotiating process, a move that could anger Palestinians but help the Israeli leader hold together his fragile coalition government for now.

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Olmert, Abbas Agree To Accelerate Talks: Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Adam Entous - February 19, 2008 - 6:30pm

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed on Tuesday to accelerate U.S.-backed peace talks after critics warned Israel not enough was being done to get a deal this year. The negotiations, which President George W. Bush hopes will yield an agreement on Palestinian statehood before he leaves office next January, have been stalled by disputes over Israeli plans to build new homes near Jerusalem and Olmert's insistence on putting off talks on the fate of the Holy city.

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Hopes Are Fading
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arabic Media Internet Network
by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) February 15, 2008 - 2:11pm

It is now almost three months since representatives of nearly 50 countries and international organisations attended the historic Middle East peace conference at the Naval Academy in nearby Annapolis which gave many high hopes that a Palestinian-Israeli settlement is around the corner. The event was the first serious action on the Arab-Israeli conference since President George W. Bush assumed the presidency more about seven years ago.

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Israeli Minister Plans Arab City
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News
February 13, 2008 - 5:07pm

Israel's Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit says he wants to build a new Arab city in the north of Israel. It would be the first city built for Israel's Arabs - who make up nearly 20% of the population - since the country was founded in 1948. Mr Sheetrit said he wanted the plans to be completed and submitted for government approval by the year's end. Meanwhile, Israel announced plans for 1,100 new homes in East Jerusalem - a decision condemned by Palestinians.

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Israel Plans To Build 1,100 Homes
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Matti Friedman - February 13, 2008 - 5:01pm

Israel is planning to build 1,100 new apartments for Israelis in East Jerusalem, a Cabinet minister said yesterday, angering Palestinians and further straining troubled peace talks. Housing Minister Zeev Boim told Israel Radio that plans were under way to build 370 apartments in Har Homa and an additional 750 in Pisgat Zeev, two Jewish neighborhoods in east Jerusalem. An Israeli plan to build an additional 307 apartments in Har Homa two months ago soured the latest round of peace talks just as they were resuming after a seven-year pause.

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