International Community | The American Task Force on Palestine

UK to upgrade Palestinian diplomatic status
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
March 7, 2011 - 1:00am

Britain will upgrade the status of the Palestinian delegation to London to the level of a mission in line with a number of other EU countries, Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Monday. "Given the extent of our aid to the Palestinian Authority and our work with them, we will join many other countries in upgrading the status of the Palestinian delegation to London to the level of a mission," he told parliament. The decision puts Britain in line with fellow European Union members France, Ireland, Portugal and Spain.

New Egypt foreign minister likely to be tougher on Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Muhammed Mansour, Liz Sly - March 6, 2011 - 1:00am

Egypt on Sunday got its second new government in less than six weeks, including a new foreign minister who is expected to take a tougher line with Israel than the government of the ousted president Hosni Mubarak did. The newly appointed prime minister, Essam Sharaf, announced his new cabinet as tensions soared between pro-democracy protesters and the army in downtown Cairo, with troops firing live ammunition and civilians armed with knives and sticks dispersing demonstrators who wanted to storm a key security building.

Israeli PM: World conditioned to back Palestinians
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
March 6, 2011 - 1:00am

Israel's leader has accused the international community of automatically siding with the Palestinians. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the Palestinians are refusing to make peace overtures, "instead preferring to take advantage of the international community's Pavlovian reflex in their favor." Peace talks broke down in September. The Palestinians blame Israel for the stalemate, saying continued Israeli settlement building in the West Bank and east Jerusalem is preventing the resumption of talks.

Norway may recognize Palestinian state if peace process remains stalled
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Barak Ravid - March 3, 2011 - 1:00am

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store told Haaretz Wednesday that his country would reevaluate its position on recognizing a Palestinian state if no progress is made in the peace process by September 2011. Speaking from Jerusalem, where he is on a state visit, Gahr said Israel runs the risk of being seen internationally as a "permanent occupier" if the stalemate in the peace process continues. He said he was worried such a view would lead to a further delegitimization of Israel and would harm its security.

PA: 150 states to recognize Palestine by Sept.
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Elior Levy - March 3, 2011 - 1:00am

Palestinians expect broad global support: Some 150 countries will recognize a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders by September of this year, Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki said Wednesday. Maliki claimed that 10 more states in the Caribbean region will be declaring their recognition of Palestine this month. In an interview with The Media Line last week, the PA foreign minister said the Palestinians were on track to declaring an independent state by September.

Swedish FM: We won’t unilaterally recognize PA state
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Herb Keinon - March 3, 2011 - 1:00am

Sweden is not considering going the way of a number of South American countries and unilaterally recognizing a Palestinians state within the 1967 lines, Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt told The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday. Bildt’s words come amid consistent reports of concern in Jerusalem that a number of European nations might follow the lead of Brazil, Argentina, Chile and other South American states and recognize a Palestinian state.

Mideast turmoil may boost Israeli-Syrian negotiations
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
by Adam Gonn - (Editorial) March 2, 2011 - 1:00am

The prospect of restarting the suspended peace negotiations between Israel and Syria may be advanced by the current unrest in the Middle East. Earlier this week, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is willing to reach out to Israel, he will find a willing partner for negotiations. Barak's remarks came a few days after it was revealed that the United States Senator John Kerry had been working with Assad over the last couple of months on a plan to renew the negotiations.

Not a clear enough incentive
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Yossi Alpher - March 2, 2011 - 1:00am

According to the Arab Peace Initiative of 2002 and 2007, once Israel has made peace with all its neighbors in accordance with a specific list of conditions (1967 borders, a just and agreed solution to the refugee issue, the Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem), "the Arab countries . . . consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel." This, together with "security for all the states of the region" (an important issue that warrants a separate discussion), is the Arab "payoff" to Israel in return for peace.

Swedish FM, in rare move, to spend night in Nablus
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Herb Keinon - March 1, 2011 - 1:00am

Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt arrived in Israel Monday for a four day visit that includes a couple out of the ordinary agenda items: sleeping overnight in Nablus, and touring Israel's northern border. Bildt, considered among the most critical foreign ministers of Israeli policy inside the EU, has not been in the country for some two years, having canceled a visit here in the Fall of 2009 because of Israeli anger over his refusal to condemn an article in the Aftonbladet newspaper accusing Israel of killing Palestinians and harvesting their organs.

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