What have Obama and Netanyahu wrought?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Policy
by Henry Siegman - (Opinion) June 8, 2011 - 12:00am

What conclusions are to be drawn about the state of Middle East peacemaking from the extraordinary spectacle of the adversarial encounter between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and their several major adversarial addresses in the second half of May?

»

UN’s 193rd member: Palestine?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ronen Medzini - (Opinion) June 5, 2011 - 12:00am

The United Nations has 192 member states at this time. For Israel, the most pessimistic scenario is to discover one morning that the Palestinians got the 193rd seat, via a unilateral move that circumvents negotiations. However the Ramallah leadership’s path to the sought-after seat at the General Assembly in Manhattan is not an easy one at all. First and foremost, the Palestinians are facing the American obstacle. US President Barack Obama declared last week on no less than three separate occasions his objection to the Palestinian intention to seek UN recognition of statehood.

»

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.

»

Palestinians plan to approach UN Security Council about statehood in July
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Barak Ravid - May 31, 2011 - 12:00am

The Palestinian Authority plans to approach the United Nations Security Council in July to begin the process of getting Palestine recognized as a full member of the United Nations and to assure a vote on the matter by the General Assembly in September, Haaretz has learned.

»

Abbas in Egypt for talks with military leader
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
May 30, 2011 - 12:00am

President Mahmoud Abbas was in Egypt on Monday for talks with the country's de facto head of state on efforts to seek UN recognition for a Palestinian state, a military source said. Abbas briefed Field Marshall Hussein Tantawi -- who heads the military council in power since president Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February -- on his recent trip to Doha.

»

Gaza activists warn Israel not to block new convoy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Alertnet
May 30, 2011 - 12:00am

Pro-Palestinian activists told Israel on Monday not to interfere in a planned aid flotilla to Gaza in late June, barely a year after Israeli commandos boarded an aid ship killing eight Turks and one Turkish-American. Holding a news conference on the deck of the Mavi Marmara where the May 31 2010 confrontation occurred, a coalition of 22 activist groups called on governments to ensure there was no re-run of the incident.

»

Encountering Peace: Off to the UN we go
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) May 30, 2011 - 12:00am

It is now quite evident that there can be no end to our conflict with the Palestinians, and no peace without a negotiated agreement. Yet without a fundamental change in relations between the parties, the option of a two-state solution will soon be off the table. That is my assessment with regard to the Palestinian side. Once the current Palestinian leaders in Palestine come to believe that they can no longer advance the cause of peace and end the occupation, they will resign and turn the issue over to the next generation.

»

Palestinian UN bid: Israel's battle for Europe
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ronen Medzini - May 26, 2011 - 12:00am

The Foreign Ministry is focusing efforts on trying to block the Palestinian plan to win UN recognition for an independent state in September. Israel's chance of winning a majority among the 192 UN members state is miniscule, as the 116 states comprising the Non-Aligned movement tend to vote together and are likely to vote in favor of a Palestinian state. It is estimated that the large majority of non-Western nations among the remaining 76 states will also vote in favor of the Palestinian bid, which leaves Israel with a little over 40 states whose vote is still open.

»

Officials fear 'Palestine' declaration will bring boycott
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Yaakov Katz - May 26, 2011 - 12:00am

Concern growing in defense establishment that following unilateral statehood announcement, countries will ban Israeli military products. Concern is growing in Israel over the possibility that following a unilateral declaration of statehood by the Palestinians later this year, countries around the world will boycott Israeli military products. The concern, voiced by leading officials in the defense establishment, comes ahead of the Paris Air Show next month, where Israeli hardware will be on display in pursuit of new sales.

»

Obama to Palestinians: Seeking statehood in UN a 'mistake'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
May 25, 2011 - 12:00am

US President Barack Obama said on Wednesday that a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was "more urgent than ever." And while expressing confidence that a two-state solution was achievable, the US president made it clear that seeking Palestinian statehood in the United Nations would be "a mistake." Speaking alongside UK Prime Minister David Cameron at a press conference in London after the two met privately, Obama stated that the Palestinians must understand "they have obligations as well." RELATED: Cameron, Obama claim unity in support of Israeli security

»


American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017