Rice Pushes Israelis, Palestinians Toward Middle
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Arshad Mohammed - October 15, 2007 - 2:47pm

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice tried on Monday to push Palestinians and Israelis toward a middle ground in drafting a joint document seen as key to the success of a U.S.-hosted peace conference this year. After meeting Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Rice said the document should "seriously and substantively" address the core issues of the conflict -- a sharp contrast with Israeli hopes to keep it as vague as possible.

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Obstacles Stall Rice's Mideast Diplomacy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Matthew Lee - October 15, 2007 - 2:39pm

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice opened an intense round of Mideast shuttle diplomacy Sunday, struggling to bring Israelis and Palestinians close enough to make a planned U.S.-hosted peace conference worthwhile. The two sides are at bitter odds over an outline of a peace agreement that would be presented at next month's conference, and Rice sought to lower expectations her mission would finalize preparations for the gathering.

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The American Task Force on Palestine: Setting The Record Straight
Issue Paper by Hussein Ibish - October 15, 2007 - 12:00am

1: What ATFP does and why it does it

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A Welcome Right-wing Leverage
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Aluf Benn - October 12, 2007 - 2:19pm

To his aides, Ariel Sharon would praise Uzi Landau, the leader of the Likud "rebels," who opposed the disengagement plan. Uzi has a historic role, Sharon explained: If the plan is implemented without encountering any resistance, the world will think such a move is easy and that Israel did not make enough concessions. For this reason internal opponents are important - they strengthen you outwardly.

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Forecast Poor
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Ghassan Khatib - (Opinion) October 12, 2007 - 2:16pm

As the Annapolis meeting approaches, Palestinians grow less enthusiastic over its prospects. One can think of a number of good reasons for this pessimism, primary among them the bitter experience Palestinians have had with such summits in the past, especially when sponsored by the US. The last such meeting, lest we forget, was the Camp David summit in 2000.

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On The Road To Annapolis
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Israel Policy Forum
by M.J. Rosenberg - (Opinion) October 12, 2007 - 1:02pm

It’s still looking like the international Middle East conference will take place in November at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It’s a good venue, providing Camp David-like security and easy and fast access to Washington, DC. Should peace break out, Mahmoud Abbas and Ehud Olmert will be able to get to the White House within an hour to announce it with the President at their side. You shouldn’t hold your breath.

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Olmert, Abbas Narrow Land Gap, Other Snags Remain
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Adam Entous - October 12, 2007 - 12:58pm

The gap is narrowing between Israeli and Palestinian leaders over the amount of territory Israel would hand over to a Palestinian state, people close to the talks said a month ahead of a U.S.-sponsored conference. But Israeli, Palestinian and Western officials say sketching the boundaries of a future state may be the easy part -- real progress, they say, depends on narrowing differences over the fate of Jerusalem and Palestinian refugees, on which little progress can be discerned so far after closed-door meetings.

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The International Inversion Towards The Two State Solution
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Reut Institute
October 11, 2007 - 3:06pm

The International Inversion towards the Two State Solution refers to the danger that leading actors among the international community will abandon their support for the 'Two State Solution' and instead support the 'The One State Solution' on the basis of 'one man one vote'. Definition The concept 'The International Inversion towards the Two State Solution' refers to the danger that leading actors among the international community will abandon their support for the 'Two State Solution' (or any other option establishing the principle of separation between Israel and the Palestin

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A Guide To A Successful November International Conference
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Israel Policy Forum
by Frederic C. Hof - (Special Report) October 11, 2007 - 2:35pm

President Bush has announced an international meeting devoted to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to be held in the fall, presumably mid-November, and likely in Washington, D.C. This is a potentially important step in moving the stalled peace process forward, especially given the recent appointment of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair as the Quartet’s Middle East envoy.

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What Israel Wants, Israel Gets
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Miftah
by Joharah Baker - (Opinion) October 10, 2007 - 2:06pm

There is a consistent thread, a pattern, which designs Israel’s policies in the Palestinian territories. Any scrutinizing observer will notice how Israel first pitches an idea to the public – however preposterous – then allows the Palestinians and the international community to absorb it before putting it into action. This way, policies and measures are less shocking and seem more acceptable once the dust has been allowed to settle.

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