Palestinians set terms for talks as violence flares
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Allyn Fisher-Ilan - February 8, 2010 - 1:00am

More than a dozen people were injured when Israeli police confronted Palestinian protesters in a refugee camp at the edge of Jerusalem on Monday, violence stoked by rising tensions over a stalemate in peace talks. The Palestinian cabinet "strongly condemned" what it called an Israeli incursion and its senior officials said negotiations with Israel could resume only if they focused on borders and other core conflict issues and set out a clear deadline.

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The Visionary of the Palestinian State
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Yedioth Ahronoth
by Dov Weissglas - (Opinion) February 7, 2010 - 1:00am

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad addressed the 2010 Herzliya Conference. He addressed the conference, with characteristic courage, despite criticism from Hamas and Al-Jazeera, because he believed that it was important, specifically at this current juncture in time in which the two governments are unable to communicate, to speak directly to the Israelis. In his speech, Fayyad promised that a Palestinian state would be established by the end of 2012-a state that he has been toiling to organize and prepare for the past number of years.

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Jordan's king: US credibility under question
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Yitzhak Benhorin - February 7, 2010 - 1:00am

Jordan's King Abdullah believes time is running out for negotiations. In a CNN interview CNN aired Sunday, Abdullah estimated that there was no more than a month to move the peace process forward. He warned of what may take place in the Arab League summit, criticized the American administration and noted that "the credibility of the US is under question."

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Palestinians question US on reviving peace talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Maamoun Youssef - February 6, 2010 - 1:00am

The Palestinians have asked the Obama administration to clarify a U.S. envoy's proposal to restart long-stalled peace talks with Israel indirectly by shuttling between the two sides, the Palestinian president said Saturday. The talks collapsed a year ago during Israel's war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Efforts by President Barack Obama since then to revive them have failed in large part over the issue of Israel's settlement construction in areas the Palestinians want for a future state.

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Silver lining?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
(Editorial) February 5, 2010 - 1:00am

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak seems to have suddenly had the revelation that unless there is peace with Syria, war with it could easily happen, with the potential of escalating into a wider armed conflict. What Barak has just come to realise has been common knowledge in the region for the past four or five decades, including the time when he was prime minister of his country. Maybe he can also remember that it was he who scuppered the peace accord with Syria during the term in office of US president Bill Clinton.

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At Burlesconi meeting, Abbas says peace plans in works
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
February 4, 2010 - 1:00am

While Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi displayed mixed political messages during his visit to Israel and the West Bank on Wednesday, host President Mahmoud Abbas announced his determination to move forward with peace talks. Palestinian leaders must move ahead with the peace process, Abbas told reporters at a news conference with Berlusconi, noting steps were being made with "Arab brothers and friends." He told the conference Palestinians should expect an official announcement in the coming weeks.

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A Fresh Attempt at Negotiations
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat
by Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed - (Opinion) February 4, 2010 - 1:00am

It was not accidental that US President Barack Obama ignored the Middle East issue in his annual speech known as the State of the Union address. He did not refer to the issue at all as part of his administration’s activities, which is worrying, as last year following his presidential victory, he began his speeches by speaking optimistically about the peace process.

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Bit of a Stir as Clinton Strays From Script on Mideast Peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Mark Landler - February 4, 2010 - 1:00am

With an inadvertent bit of shorthand, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton set off a buzz in diplomatic circles on Wednesday, and may have offered a glimpse into how the Obama administration hopes to revive the stalled peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Answering a question at a news conference about how the talks might be revived, Mrs. Clinton said, “Of course, we believe that the 1967 borders, with swaps, should be the focus of the negotiations over borders.”

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Bit of a Stir as Clinton Strays From Script on Mideast Peace
Media Mention of Ziad Asali In The New York Times - February 4, 2010 - 1:00am

With an inadvertent bit of shorthand, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton set off a buzz in diplomatic circles on Wednesday, and may have offered a glimpse into how the Obama administration hopes to revive the stalled peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Answering a question at a news conference about how the talks might be revived, Mrs. Clinton said, “Of course, we believe that the 1967 borders, with swaps, should be the focus of the negotiations over borders.”

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All factions meet in Gaza for talks on unity
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
February 4, 2010 - 1:00am

Representatives of all Palestinian factions met in Gaza City late Wednesday at the headquarters of the independents, Yasser Al-Wadiyeh said Thursday morning. The announcement came hours after the arrival of Fatah leader Nabil Sha'ath to Gaza, where he was welcomed by several of the independent personalities. Al-Wadiyeh said political leaders sat and discussed recent developments in the Palestinian arena, mainly internal reconciliation and efforts around achieving unity. All partners agreed that the current status of talks must be overcome and unity achieved.

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