French indignant with Netanyahu over freeze: report
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
November 1, 2010 - 12:00am

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is outraged at Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for withdrawing his participation in a Paris summit with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Ha'aretz daily reported Sunday. The two leaders held a telephone conversation 10 days ago, during which Sarkouzy had asked Netanyahu to extend the construction moratorium in West Bank settlements in a bid to resume peace talks with the Palestinians, the report said.

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PM: Settlement freeze issue on hold
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Attila Somfalvi - November 1, 2010 - 12:00am

There is no concrete American proposal regarding the renewal of a settlement construction freeze in the West Bank and the issue is on hold for the time being, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a Likud faction meeting on Monday. Asked by Knesset Member Tzipi Hotovely about the possibility that the Palestinian Authority would declare statehood without Israel's consent, Netanyahu said such a unilateral measure would "exact a price from both sides" and would not advance a solution to the conflict.

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Erekat: Arabs to bring Palestinian issue to UN
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
November 1, 2010 - 12:00am

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- Egypt has proposed a joint Arab initiative to bring Palestinian demands for statehood to the United Nations, Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) chief negotiator Saeb Erekat has told Ma'an. He told Ma'an Radio that one aim of this plan, which he said is close to being finalized, would be to force Israel to stop expanding West Bank settlements before resuming negotiations. Erekat said the idea of approaching the UN stemmed from the US government's failure to stop Israel from expanding settlements.

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PA economy minister: Settlement removal is priority
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
November 1, 2010 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH (Ma’an) -- Eliminating settlements from occupied Palestinian territory is the national objective and the basis for the government-led settlement boycott, Palestinian Authority National Economy Minister Hassan Abu Libdeh said Saturday. Since taking office a year ago, Libdeh has led a campaign to end the sale of settlement produce in the West Bank. Prime Minister Salam Fayyad announced the boycott in January 2010, and it was implemented across the West Bank in May.

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Let Palestinian police control Area C
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian
by Kieron Monks - November 1, 2010 - 12:00am

When Israeli officials say security is their highest priority, they do not mean in Area C. The 60% of the West Bank placed under their military control since the 1993 Oslo Accords has descended into lawlessness on their watch. Israel could stabilise areas plagued by violence and crime, and further its own interests, by conceding security responsibilities in these areas to the Palestinian Authority.

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Israeli PM to visit US next week
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman
by Josef Federman - October 31, 2010 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM — Israel's prime minister said Sunday he will head to the U.S. next week to discuss Mideast peace talks with Vice President Joe Biden, in a possible sign of movement for the troubled diplomatic process. Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians broke down in late September over renewed Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank, and U.S. and Israeli officials have been working feverishly since then in hopes of finding a formula to revive the negotiations.

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Settler numbers rise at almost 3 times nat’l average
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Tovah Lazaroff - October 29, 2010 - 12:00am

The growth of the settler population slowed slightly in the first five months of 2010, but the numbers still rose at almost three times the national average, according to Central Bureau of Statistics data released this week. This despite the government’s efforts to dramatically curb construction in settlements.

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PM lacks majority in any cabinet forum to renew freeze
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Gil Hoffman - October 29, 2010 - 12:00am

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu lacks a majority to pass a new moratorium on housing starts in Judea and Samaria in any possible forum of ministers, The Jerusalem Post has established. Netanyahu has been making an effort to gauge what kind of support he would have if he wanted to renew the freeze in order to satisfy US President Barack Obama and bring the Palestinian Authority back to the negotiating table.

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Obama can let Palestinians seek state recognition at the UN
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
(Editorial) October 29, 2010 - 12:00am

President Obama may soon have an unusual chance to serve the cause of Middle East peace by remaining silent. He could quietly acquiesce to a move being considered by Palestinian leaders to ask the United Nations to recognize a state of Palestine. Such a request would only be necessary in one case: if Israel effectively ends any hope of renewed peace negotiations by continuing to build Jewish settlements on Palestinian territory in the West Bank.

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Enough Game-Playing
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
(Editorial) October 29, 2010 - 12:00am

Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have been suspended for four weeks, about as long as they were on. The more protracted the impasse, the harder it will be for the parties to get back to the negotiating table. More delay only plays into the hands of extremists. Both sides are at fault. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel has refused President Obama’s request to extend a moratorium on construction in the Jewish settlements for a modest 60 days. The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, has refused to negotiate until building in the settlements stops.

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