International Community | The American Task Force on Palestine

Egypt and Israel's armies will only grow more powerful
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Jonathan Cook - February 22, 2011 - 1:00am

has been indulging in a sustained bout of fear-mongering since the Egyptian dictator Hosni Mubarak was toppled earlier this month. The ostensible aim has been to warn the international community that the lengthy "cold peace" between the two countries is on the verge of collapse. In reality, the peace treaty signed three decades ago is in no danger for the forseeable future. The Egyptian and Israeli armies have too much of a vested interest in its continuation, whatever political reforms occur in Egypt.

Peres tells Spanish officials: Palestinian talks urgent
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Greer Fay Cashman - February 22, 2011 - 1:00am

There has been a dramatic change in the Middle East of late, President Shimon Peres told Spain’s Congress of Delegates on Tuesday. Events that no one could have anticipated have created a new agenda, he said. Peres, in Madrid to celebrate the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties with Spain, urged the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table immediately and to end the conflict.

Analysis: PA is using US veto to bolster its image
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Khaled Abu Toameh - (Analysis) February 22, 2011 - 1:00am

In an attempt to bolster its credibility among Palestinians, the Palestinian Authority has decided to take advantage of last Friday’s US veto of a UN Security Council resolution that would have condemned construction in the settlements, and depict President Mahmoud Abbas as a powerful leader who dared to say no to the US president. Since Friday, Palestinian officials in Ramallah have been briefing reporters about the details of a 50-minute phone conversation between Abbas and US President Barack Obama.

Gazans hope new Egypt regime will end blockade
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Ibrahim Barzak - February 22, 2011 - 1:00am

A rare euphoric mood is sweeping through the Gaza Strip, where people are hoping the downfall of Hosni Mubarak will give the coastal territory a chance to get out from under an Israeli-Egyptian blockade that has stifled the economy. Throughout the Middle East, the Egyptian president's ouster Feb. 11 has been greeted as a sign of hope — mostly by pro-democracy activists trying to topple their authoritarian rulers. But in Gaza it's seen as a chance to ease the widespread unemployment and international isolation residents believe is caused by the blockade that began in 2007.

Israel isolated and under threat
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
by Linda Heard - (Editorial) February 21, 2011 - 1:00am

A country that was considered all-powerful a mere month ago now finds itself out in the cold for a variety of reasons at a time when it is governed by, arguably, the most intransigent and short-sighted prime minister in its history; a man who puts right-wing ideology before real politic.

Is Libya the nightmare version of the dream that began in Tunis and Cairo?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ibishblog
by Hussein Ibish - (Blog) February 21, 2011 - 1:00am

Last Saturday morning I blogged that I thought that the epicenter of the Arab revolt was now in Libya and that it was the place to watch in the immediate term, and that Yemen probably would be the most volatile and significant in the medium term. This was as opposed to the obsessive and misguided focus on Bahrain that was largely the consequence of the physical presence of international media in that relatively open society and a lack of understanding about the differences between the rather unique political mix in the "Island Kingdom" and the generalized pattern in the broader Arab world.

Will Egypt Be a Partner in Peace?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Michael B. Oren - (Editorial) February 19, 2011 - 1:00am

FOLLOWING an uprising in Cairo, Israel’s prime minister told the Knesset that he “wishes to see a free, independent and progressive Egypt,” and that “the stormy developments there may contain positive trends for progress.” The prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, spoke on Aug. 18, 1952, shortly after a young and seemingly moderate officer, Gamal Abdel Nasser, came to power.

West Bank youth watch Egypt and wonder: could it happen here?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian
by Harriet Sherwood - (Blog) February 18, 2011 - 1:00am

I went to Nablus in the West Bank this week to try to find out whether young people there were in revolutionary mood similar to their counterparts across the Middle East. But before I even spoke to anyone, I was struck by the bustling and relaxed atmosphere in the city, famous not so long ago for its suicide bombers and nightly incursions by the Israeli military to round up militants and demolish the homes of their families.

Israel sees benefits from Mideast turmoil
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
by Adam Gonn, Yuan Zhenyu - February 18, 2011 - 1:00am

After the overthrow of the presidents of Tunisia and Egypt, mass anti-government protests erupted across the Middle East. Analysts told Xinhua that the recent turmoil in the region seems to be bad news for Israel at first glance, but in the long term the situation could work to its advantage. NEW REALITY The single most important event from an Israeli point of view over the last month was the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, who was viewed as a strong ally during his 30-year rule.

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