Concept of ‘partner’ revisited
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Hassan Barari - August 11, 2009 - 12:00am

It is clear that Israel has succeeded casting doubt on the existence of a Palestinian partner with whom it can make peace. Implicit in Israel’s argument is the fact that it has been anxiously awaiting for a Palestinian leader who would lead the people on the road to peace. Yet the irony is that Israel has failed miserably to elect leaders who can effectively lead Israel down the road of historical reconciliation with the Palestinians and with the Arab world, even while genuine peace initiatives have been presented - to which Israel failed to respond.

»

Concrete Steps Forward
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Middle East Progress
(Interview) August 11, 2009 - 12:00am

What do you think administration officials are referring to when they say that Arab states have responsibility toward the Palestinian Authority, toward improving relations with Israel and for preparing their publics for peace?

»

Concrete Steps Forward
Interview with Ghaith al-Omari - Middle East Progress - August 11, 2009 - 12:00am

What do you think administration officials are referring to when they say that Arab states have responsibility toward the Palestinian Authority, toward improving relations with Israel and for preparing their publics for peace?

»

Israel continues to oppose peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by Adel Safty - (Opinion) August 10, 2009 - 12:00am

The Obama administration continues to pursue a settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "actively and aggressively", as Obama himself vowed in the first days of his mandate. Central to this pursuit is the issue of a total freeze on Israeli colony construction - an obligation mandated by the road map for peace, which Israeli leaders refuse to honour.

»

PA officials: U.S. wants borders to top peace talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Avi Issacharoff - August 7, 2009 - 12:00am

The U.S. administration will demand that Israel and the Palestinians address the issue of borders as the first step in the Middle East peace plan, senior Palestinian officials said Thursday. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Wednesday that Washington will present its new plan for a comprehensive Middle East peace soon. The Americans will also outline proposals for an Israeli peace with Syria and Lebanon, the Palestinian officials said Thursday.

»

'No talks unless Israel frees prisoners'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Khaled Abu Toameh - August 7, 2009 - 12:00am

Fatah delegates meeting here Thursday resolved not to renew peace negotiations with Israel until all Palestinian prisoners are released from Israeli jails, all settlement-building is frozen and the Gaza blockade is lifted. Nabil Sha'ath, a Fatah Central Committee said these were some of 14 preconditions for a resumption of peace talks. Analysts noted that the conditions are not binding on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, but also that they broadly accorded with the positions had Abbas had himself set out in an address to the gathering on Tuesday.

»

No normalisation without withdrawal
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Michael Jansen - (Opinion) August 6, 2009 - 12:00am

The Jerusalem Post reported on Monday that the Obama administration would be tabling its Middle East peace plan “in a matter of weeks,” quoting State Department spokesman Philip Crowley. The paper said the US is “seeking a complete freeze on Israeli settlements in exchange for Palestinian security reforms and Arab [normalisation] gestures towards Israel.” Once these items have been agreed, Washington will convene an international peace conference.

»

Take the colonialism out of Zionism
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star
by Rami Khouri - (Opinion) August 5, 2009 - 12:00am

A juxtaposition of several simultaneous events this week indicates just how difficult it is going to be to achieve any meaningful progress in Arab-Israeli peace talks, when the heart of the conflict is land that Israelis and Palestinians both claim as their ancestral patrimony.

»

'Economic peace no replacement for a political solution'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Ron Friedman - August 5, 2009 - 12:00am

A new study published by the Peres Center for Peace argues that economic peace, though a helpful tool, cannot replace a political solution with the Palestinians. The study was released last week at a special conference on the topic at Tel Aviv University, following a meeting between Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom and Palestinian National Economy Minister Bassim Khoury.

»

US Mideast plan anticipated 'in matter of weeks'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Hilary Leila Krieger - August 3, 2009 - 12:00am

Despite recent Arab statements opposing US demands for confidence-building steps towards Israel, the US anticipates it will have the pieces in place to formally re-launch the Arab-Israel peace process in the coming weeks.

»


American Task Force on Palestine - 1634 Eye St. NW, Suite 725, Washington DC 20006 - Telephone: 202-262-0017