When Israelis degrade Israel by humiliating Joe Biden
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Bradley Burston - (Opinion) March 10, 2010 - 1:00am

Why would Israeli officials degrade Israel by humiliating the vice-president of the United States? What conceivable advantage is there in the Interior Ministry choosing the occasion of a high-profile visit by Joseph R. Biden, Jr., a mission aimed at soothing strained relations between Israel and the Obama administration, to announce the approval of 1,600 new homes for Israelis in East Jerusalem? Or to add, in insult to injury, that construction on the new homes could begin as soon as early May.

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Palestinian leader joins Biden in condemning Israeli housing decision
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Janine Zacharia - March 10, 2010 - 1:00am

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, meeting with Vice President Biden on Wednesday, said Israel's decision to approve 1,600 housing units in east Jerusalem would undercut U.S. efforts to revive a dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace process. "It's damaging for sure," Fayyad said in his office in Ramallah after greeting Biden. "This is a moment of great challenge to the effort led by the United States to get the political process going again."

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Biden's Israel visit takes a rocky turn
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Paul Richter - March 9, 2010 - 1:00am

Reporting from Jerusalem - In the midst of a high-profile trip by Vice President Joe Biden, Israel unveiled plans for new housing in disputed Jerusalem on Tuesday, a surprise step that embarrassed and angered the highest ranking Obama administration official yet to visit the country. Biden, who had come to try to smooth relations with a longtime ally and promote new peace talks, denounced Israel's plans to build 1,600 housing units in traditionally Arab East Jerusalem as a threat to the search for peace.

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Biden Arrives in Israel on Trip to Restart Peace Talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Ethan Bronner - March 8, 2010 - 1:00am

JERUSALEM — Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. arrived in Israel on Monday, culminating a two-month procession of high-ranking Americans seeking to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and persuade Israel to help efforts to impose sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program rather than pursue military action. Mr. Biden is due to stay through Friday, meeting Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian leaders and giving a speech at Tel Aviv University aimed at expressing American solidarity with Israel.

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Vice President Biden on goodwill trip to Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Edmund Sanders - March 8, 2010 - 1:00am

Vice President Biden on goodwill trip to Israel Biden is set to arrive Monday, with a goal of mending relations between U.S. and Israel after a tough first year in which Obama's demands in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict alienated many in Israel. By Edmund Sanders March 8, 2010 Reporting from Jerusalem - Vice President Joe Biden was due to arrive Monday in Israel on a mission to mend relations after a rocky first year for new administrations in both countries.

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Mitchell: Israel, PLO accept talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
March 8, 2010 - 1:00am

Chicago – Ma’an – US envoy George Mitchell formally announced on Monday that both Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization have agreed to begin indirect peace negotiations. "I’m pleased that the Israeli and Palestinian leadership have accepted indirect talks," he in a statement. "We've begun to discuss the structure and scope of these talks and I will return to the region next week to continue our discussions," he also said. "As we've said many times, we hope that these will lead to direct negotiations as soon as possible."

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Biden to Al-Hayat: Bold Steps Required to Advance the Peace Process
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Joyce Karam - (Interview) March 8, 2010 - 1:00am

On the eve of his highly anticipated trip to the Middle East, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden emphasized in an interview with Al-Hayat the need for “bold steps” from Palestinians and Israelis to make progress on the Peace Process, and promised a “sustained and active” American role in the upcoming proximity negotiations. Mr. Biden talked about the lack of trust for the Iranian leadership and expected from China, a member of the P5+1, to “fulfill its responsibilities” on the issue of sanctions.

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US slams new east Jerusalem homes
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP)
March 2, 2010 - 1:00am

The United States criticized Israel on Monday for authorizing 600 new housing units in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Pisgat Ze'ev, describing the move as "counter-productive." "We've relayed our strong concerns to the government of Israel, that this kind of activity, particularly as we try to relaunch meaningful negotiations is counter-productive and undermines trust between the parties," said State Department spokesman Philip Crowley.

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GOP Senate race grows heated over Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Seema Mehta - February 25, 2010 - 1:00am

In a dispute that commingles foreign policy and a quest for political advantage, U.S.-Israel relations have taken an unexpectedly central role in the California race for Senate. Rivals in the race for the Republican nomination are questioning whether former Rep. Tom Campbell is sufficiently supportive of Israel. They base their criticisms on his voting record, statements about a Palestinian homeland and capital, and some of his past associates.

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US slams Israel over designating heritage sites
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
February 25, 2010 - 1:00am

The Obama administration criticized Israel for designating two shrines on Palestinian territory as Israeli national heritage sites. The criticism came as Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday she hopes long-stalled peace talks between Israelis and the Palestinians will resume. Clinton told a congressional committee that groundwork is being laid to restart the talks with the help of US envoy George Mitchell. She did not say exactly when the negotiations might resume, but her remarks come amid a flurry of US diplomatic activity in the region.

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