Ain al-Hilweh upbeat on recent Fatah-Hamas reconciliation
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star
by Mohammed Zaatari - May 9, 2011 - 12:00am

Lebanon’s Palestinian factions celebrated over the weekend the Egyptian-sponsored reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas as officials and residents of Ain al-Hilweh underscored the importance of this opportunity to boost the resistance to Israeli occupation. At the southern entrance to the country’s biggest refugee camp, Hamas and Fatah flags were spotted elevated side by side atop of a tent where Palestinian nationalist anthems were played to mark unity among the Palestinian people and enmity to Israel.

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An improbable leader’s unrelenting quest for a state of Palestine
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Globe and Mail
by Patrick Martin - (Opinion) May 9, 2011 - 12:00am

He is an unlikely man in a most unlikely setting, but Munib Rashid Masri, who, 10 years ago in the middle of a violent intifada, built a palatial mansion on the top of Mount Gerizim overlooking this Palestinian city, deserves much of the credit for the historic reconciliation between the antagonistic Hamas and Fatah organizations.

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Overcoming political obstacles in implementing the Palestinian state-building program
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ibishblog
by Hussein Ibish - (Blog) May 6, 2011 - 12:00am

Presented at the UNITED NATIONS SEMINAR ON ASSISTANCE TO THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE: "Mobilizing international efforts in support of the Palestinian Government’s State-building program" Helsinki, 28 and 29 April 2011     Introduction

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Candidates for the next Palestinian PM
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
May 4, 2011 - 12:00am

With the Palestinian unity agreement signed and set to be sealed on Wednesday noon in Cairo, four candidates have emerged as the top contenders for the post of prime minister. The candidates have been identified as follows: Munib Al-Masri Billionaire philanthropist and unity activist from Nablus, who spearheaded a unity push with business owners and independent leaders in the West Bank, traveling more than once to Gaza to meet with figures there. He heads PEDECO, a Palestinian investment firm.

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Popular Palestinian premier could be on way out
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Mohammed Daraghmeh - May 3, 2011 - 12:00am

There are growing signs that the Palestinian prime minister, Salam Fayyad, could be on his way out, as the rival Fatah and Hamas movements prepare to sign a reconciliation deal this week and form a new "unity government." An ouster of the internationally respected economist could cost the Palestinians hundreds of millions of dollars in Western aid, spell the end of critical U.S. training for Palestinian security forces and endanger an effort to win support for Palestinian statehood at the United Nations.

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Palestinian presidency calls for keeping calm with Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
May 3, 2011 - 12:00am

The Palestinian presidency called on factions Fatah and Hamas movements to maintain calm with Israel, saying this is only way to face it. "Israel is trying to make excuses in order not to break the siege on the Gaza Strip or to withdraw from the Palestinian lands, " presidency spokesman Nabil Abu Rdineh said. "We do not want to give Israel pretexts by violating the state of calm."

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Analysis: How to deftly play the ‘reconciliation’ card
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Herb Keinon - (Opinion) April 29, 2011 - 12:00am

Finally, the purple elephant in the room stood up Wednesday and started to snort. Ever since Hamas’s takeover of Gaza in 2007, all parties occupied with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have pretended that Hamas’s control of Gaza did not exist; that it was possible to talk about reaching a peace agreement with the Palestinian Authority – you could even talk about a Palestinian state – and somehow turn a blind eye to the fact Hamas was ensconced in Gaza and was not just going to sit back and quietly let it all happen.

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Fatah denies Fayyad will not continue as PM
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
April 29, 2011 - 12:00am

The chief of a Fatah delegation to truce talks with Hamas, Azzam al-Ahmed, denied in an interview the New York Times that Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad would not be continuing in office. He said the Cairo talks regarding the truce agreement had not focused at all on members of the transition government.


Senior Hamas leader: Interim Palestinian government not able to work on peace with Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
April 28, 2011 - 12:00am

Mahmoud Zahar, a senior Hamas leader who participated in the reconciliation talks between Fatah and Hamas, said on Wednesday that the interim Palestinian government would not be able to work on peace negotiations with Israel. The rival Palestinian movements Fatah and Hamas came to a historic agreement on Wednesday, when they announced a decision to reconcile and form an interim government ahead of elections, after a four-year feud. Both sides hailed the agreement as a chance to start a fresh page in their national history.

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Why the Israeli-Palestinian conflict refuses to be resolved
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by A.B. Yehoshua - (Opinion) April 26, 2011 - 12:00am

The question in the headline should ostensibly be directed to a Middle East expert, a political scientist, or even a foreign historian, not a writer whose expertise is his imagination. But because the question is a real one that is painful to everyone in the region regardless of his nationality, I will try to propose an answer.

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