Israeli moves give Blair hope of rebuilding political trust
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent
by Donald MacIntyre - September 3, 2009 - 12:00am

Tony Blair expressed optimism yesterday that Israel and the US would agree on a settlement moratorium sufficient to pave the way for the first political negotiations between Benjamin Netanyahu's government and the moderate Palestinian leadership. The international community's Middle East envoy was speaking after three days of talks with Israeli leaders including Prime Minister Netanyahu.

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Beware Palestinian plot
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Gadi Taub - (Opinion) September 3, 2009 - 12:00am

The “two-state vision” is no longer only endorsed by the Left or Center, but rather, it is backed by the Zionist consensus – ranging from Meretz to Likud.

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US officials: Netanyahu at pivotal moment
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Yitzhak Benhorin - September 3, 2009 - 12:00am

WASHINGTON – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's envoys to US talks on the freezing of construction in settlements, Attorney Yitzhak Molcho and Brig. Gen. Mike Herzog, met US special envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, on Wednesday. The US State Department reported that it was a "good meeting," and that Mitchell will visit the region in the second half of next week.

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Blair: Israel thinks its time for talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Roni Sofer - September 3, 2009 - 12:00am

Mideast Quartet envoy Tony Blair expressed optimism on a settlement freeze agreement in the near future, that will pave the way for renewed regional peace talks. Followings talks with Israeli officials in recent days, Blair told the British Independent: "I hope and believe... we can get a political negotiation launched on satisfactory terms."

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Moment of truth for Obama
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
by Osama Al-Sharif - September 2, 2009 - 12:00am

The moment of truth is approaching for President Barack Obama’s much hyped initiative to re-launch the Middle East peace talks with the objective of creating an independent Palestinian entity based on the two-state solution. He is expected to present the outline of his plan at the UN’s General Assembly meetings in New York this September.

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Why I Wrote "What's Wrong with the One-State Agenda?"
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Israel Policy Forum
by Hussein Ibish - (Blog) September 2, 2009 - 12:00am

Israel Policy Forum has very kindly asked me to contribute a blog posting about my new book, published by the American Task Force on Palestine, "What's Wrong with the One-State Agenda? Why Ending the Occupation and Peace with Israel is Still the Palestinian National Goal." It is now available for free download or hardcopy purchase from the ATFP website.

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Mitchell, Israelis to meet on settlement deal: diplomat
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP)
September 2, 2009 - 12:00am

Israeli officials were to meet Wednesday with US envoy George Mitchell as an Israeli diplomat said both sides moved toward an understanding on the future of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. US State Department spokesman Ian Kelly told reporters Tuesday that Mitchell would meet in New York on Wednesday with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak's chief of staff Michael Herzog. He expected a statement to be issued afterward.

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Mitchell, Israelis to meet Wednesday in New York
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
September 2, 2009 - 12:00am

The U.S. special envoy for Middle East peace will meet two Israeli officials in New York late on Wednesday as part of his push to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, U.S. officials said. The envoy, George Mitchell, is due to see Yitzhak Molcho and Mike Herzog to follow up on his talks in London last week with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on bringing about a freeze on Israeli building of Jewish settlements.

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Israel PM vowed not to freeze settlements: minister
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP)
September 2, 2009 - 12:00am

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to freeze settlement construction in the West Bank, according to one of his ministers quoted on Wednesday. "I heard the prime minister say with my own ears that he has no intention of freezing construction in the settlements or in Jerusalem," the English-language Jerusalem Post quoted minister without portfolio Yossi Peled as saying. "He said there is no agreement to freeze construction in the settlements. I am telling you this first-hand," he told members of Netanyahu's hawkish Likud party on Tuesday evening.

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Settler burden weighs on Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Age
by Jason Koutsoukis - September 2, 2009 - 12:00am

ON ITS website, the Shomron Liaison Office makes an earnest pitch for would-be settlers to join the movement. ''Have you heard about the growth of hilltop communities in Judea and Samaria?'' reads a flyer. ''Do you want to be part of the action? Become a pioneer and claim your stake in Jewish history.'' Promoting a six-day volunteer program at the outpost of El Matan that is home to about 11 families, the flyer promises room, board and other activities including building and planting.

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