Palestinians invest $2 billion in Jericho to celebrate its 10,000th birthday
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Irit Rosenblum - (Analysis) October 3, 2010 - 12:00am

The Palestinian Authority is launching a new branding campaign for the city of Jericho, one of the oldest cities in the world. Celebrations planned for October 10 will be held in honor of the establishment of the city 10,000 years ago. The city is also expecting to see $2 billion invested in a residential complex and hotels, and the option of an airport is also being discussed.

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Palestinians invest $2 billion in Jericho to celebrate its 10,000th birthday
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Irit Rosenblum - October 3, 2010 - 12:00am

The Palestinian Authority is launching a new branding campaign for the city of Jericho, one of the oldest cities in the world. Celebrations planned for October 10 will be held in honor of the establishment of the city 10,000 years ago. The city is also expecting to see $2 billion invested in a residential complex and hotels, and the option of an airport is also being discussed.

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Settlement boycott to target Israeli chain store
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
September 22, 2010 - 12:00am

The Palestinian Authority Ministry of National Economy, charged with implementing the boycott of settlement-made goods, announced Tuesday it will be launching a boycott campaign against an Israeli chain of superstores, a statement read. The ministry said the Rami Levi Shivok Hashikma chain, which has "spread like cancer" following the opening of new stores in Ramallah, Hebron and Bethlehem.

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Palestinians forced to claw their way to building Israel's dream homes
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Avi Issacharoff - September 22, 2010 - 12:00am

In Bethlehem, several hundred meters from the separation fence, a vague commotion is audible. Moving closer to the fence, you can see the full, unpleasant scene. It's 4 A.M. and underneath the fence, hundreds of people are cramming into a corridor bounded by iron bars. The corridor is several hundred meters long and a meter and a half wide. Young men in their 20s push their way next to others over 60. They yell, argue, hit and do whatever else they need to in order to get through the crossing as quickly as possible. Almost all work legally in Israel, building Israelis' dream homes.

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Palestinian refugee agency presses Arabs for funds
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Marwa Awad, Dina Zayed - September 16, 2010 - 12:00am

The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees called on Arab nations to give it more money on Thursday, saying a lack of funds was endangering its work supporting Palestinians scattered across their region. Arab leaders regularly condemn Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories but give less than 5 percent of the funds the agency uses to alleviate one of the world's longest running refugee crises, according to the agency's figures.

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Our Man in Palestine
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Review Of Books
by Nathan Thrall - (Analysis) September 16, 2010 - 12:00am

On August 31, the night before President Obama’s dinner inaugurating direct talks between Israeli and Palestinian leaders, Hamas gunmen shot and killed four Jewish settlers in Hebron, the West Bank’s largest and most populous governorate. The attack—the deadliest against Israeli citizens in more than two years—was condemned by Palestinian and Israeli officials, who said that it was meant to thwart the upcoming negotiations.

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Palestinians Make Strides In West Bank Security
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from National Public Radio (NPR)
by Deborah Amos - (Analysis) September 16, 2010 - 12:00am

Israeli and Palestinian leaders are back at the table negotiating for peace, and a key factor in getting them there was improved security in the West Bank. The Palestinians have taken a larger role, forming police and security forces that have helped restore order in the disputed territory. It’s considered a success, but a new report says it’s hard to sustain.

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An Assessment of State-Building Efforts
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Middle East Progress
by Robert Danin - (Interview) September 14, 2010 - 12:00am

September 14, 2010 Last time we spoke, you were head of the Office of the Quartet Representative, and you just recently returned from that posting. What are the main things that you learned from that experience?

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Rush of openings on West Bank is sign that prosperity is returning
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
(Analysis) September 10, 2010 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH // On the eve of Eid al Fitr, Rukab Street was gripped in the traditional holiday fervour. Hijab-clad women and their Christian counterparts, in knee-length skirts and floral shirts, bumped shoulders as they thronged shoe stores and sweet shops for last-minute bargains. Employees at coffee shops busily scrubbed their storefronts in anticipation of customers after iftar. Unlike previous years, the end of the holy month came amid unmistakable signs of prosperity.

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Egypt: Peace will 'cost' world $50B
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Roee Nahmias - September 7, 2010 - 12:00am

Peace with a hefty price? Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Tuesday that a future peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority will "cost" the world between $40 and $50 billion. Speaking with Cairo's official news agency, Aboul Gheit said the amount will allow the fledgling Palestinian state to sustain itself, and offer the Palestinians some compensation for lands and services lost. In reference to the settlement freeze, which is scheduled to end on September 26, Aboul Gheit said that the subject will be "the first test to Israel earnest in the process."

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