PNA says Israel may thwart talks before starting
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
May 6, 2010 - 12:00am

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat accused on Thursday Israel of working to thwart the U.S.- sponsored proximity talks before they begin. "Nobody expects the failure of the negotiations before they begin except those who want it to fail," Erekat said, responding to Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Dan Meridor who on Wednesday said that the proximity talks "won't work" and "won't yield results."

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PNA to test U.S. credibility in proximity talks among criticism from opposition groups
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
by Saud Abu Ramadan, Fares Akram - May 6, 2010 - 12:00am

A senior Palestinian National Authority (PNA) official said on Wednesday that the upcoming few weeks will show the U.S. administration's seriousness and credibility in pushing forward the four-month proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinians. "The coming weeks will be a test for the ability and credibility of the U.S. administration to push forward real and serious negotiations that lead to tangible results and not only negotiations without outcomes," Nabil Abu Rdineh, spokesman of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, told reporters.

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Not taking listener requests
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
(Editorial) May 6, 2010 - 12:00am

After an exhausting odyssey, it seems that the Obama administration has finally managed to get the peace process going again. Although the dispute over the construction freeze in East Jerusalem has precluded direct bilateral talks, the proximity talks will break the ice that has been clogging up the Israeli-Palestinian track for over a year. Regrettably, the good news was received in Jerusalem with a demonstrative chill and a lowering of the already modest expectations that the talks will bring peace any closer.

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Voice of Israel: Settlers plan action against talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
May 6, 2010 - 12:00am

Voice of Israel radio hosted a program Thursday morning about a settler plan to "distract" indirect Israeli-Palestinian negotiations "as soon as they start." The program's military guests and settler researchers said West Bank settler-leaders had formed a committee and distributed thousands of leaflets with details on planned protest action as meetings between officials continue.

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US envoy sees indirect Mideast peace talks in days
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Allyn Fisher-Ilan - May 6, 2010 - 12:00am

The United States expects to reconvene Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in an indirect format in the coming days, a U.S. spokesman said on Wednesday after the U.S. envoy met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "We hope and expect formally to move forward with proximity talks before Senator (George) Mitchell leaves the region on Sunday," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said in Washington after Mitchell's three hours of talks with Netanyahu.

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U.S. envoy meets Netanyahu ahead of peace talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
May 6, 2010 - 12:00am

U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday for the second time in two days before the expected start of indirect Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. The United States hopes the two sides will embark on negotiations in an indirect format in the coming days, a U.S. spokesman said on Wednesday, after the first, three-hour meeting between Netanyahu and Mitchell. Neither side commented on the details of Thursday's meeting.

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Israelis and Palestinians are ready to begin talking -- sort of
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
(Editorial) May 5, 2010 - 12:00am

INDIRECT TALKS between Israelis and Palestinians appear finally set to begin, after a two-month delay that showed the Obama administration's diplomacy at its worst. The trouble started with an errant announcement by Israel of new housing construction in East Jerusalem; President Obama chose to escalate what could have been a blip into a public quarrel, in the apparent hope of extracting a series of concessions from Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

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Proximity talks doomed to fail
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Giora Eiland - (Opinion) May 5, 2010 - 12:00am

We were recently told about the expected renewal of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations on the future of a final-status agreement. Even though we are only dealing with proximity talks – a sort of indirect dialogue with US assistance – there is seemingly reason for optimism: After 18 months, the sides are again talking. However, if we perform in-depth analysis of the interests of the three involved parties, we would reach the conclusion that there aren’t many reasons for celebration.

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Ten reasons why we shouldn't dismiss proximity talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star
by Rami Khouri - (Opinion) May 5, 2010 - 12:00am

The broad agreement to launch “proximity talks” between Israelis and Palestinians this week has been widely dismissed as a gesture without much hope or substance. That may be too pessimistic and too early a conclusion. The talks, in which George Mitchell will shuttle between Israeli and Palestinian leaders, may include some intriguing elements that are worth watching, especially vis-à-vis the US and its views on a permanent peace settlement.

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Road to a one-state solution is paved with good intentions
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Emile Hokayem - May 4, 2010 - 12:00am

An idea is gaining ground in the Arab world and beyond that the Palestinians are better off opting out of a frustrating peace process and that they should embrace the vision of a one-state solution. The emotional and intellectual appeal of a binational state of both Israelis and Palestinians is undeniable, especially for well-intentioned but distant academic and cultural elites. The argument speaks to a higher sense of justice and human dignity – that peoples can transcend their suffering and narratives to live side by side, forging a new identity.

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