The one-state solution
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Yigal Sarna - (Opinion) July 2, 2009 - 12:00am

One of these days, an American president will tell us: One state. After three more premiership terms, during which Netanyahu will return to power time and again in the wake of resounding failures, President Eduardo S. Gonzales will arrive here from Washington. The son of Cuban immigrants, Gonzales will stand up on top of the Masada, and with Elie Wiesel and China’s president by his side declare his unequivocal support for one state. Yet Bibi, boasting great experience and shaking because of his age, concerns, and anxiety, will insist: Only two states.

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Growing Gulf Between U.S. And Israeli Jews on Obama
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Nathan Jeffay - July 2, 2009 - 12:00am

He swept to power with the support of 78% of American Jews. But has Barack Obama become the bane of Israeli Jews? A gulf between American and Israeli Jews was evident even before Obama moved into the White House. Just a third of Israelis would have endorsed him had they been allowed to vote, polling indicated, while almost half would have chosen John McCain.

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Settlers hope PM won't yield to US
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Tovah Lazaroff - July 1, 2009 - 12:00am

Settlers leaders on Wednesday promised to lobby against any concessions that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu might consider making to the Americans on the issue of settlement construction, when he meets with US Mideast envoy George Mitchell in the next few weeks. "We have two weeks to work with," said Dani Dayan, who heads the Council of Jewish Communities of Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip. He added that the council was seeking a meeting with Netanyahu.

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Israel downplays settlement rift
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC World News
July 1, 2009 - 12:00am

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak has denied any impasse with the US over Jewish settlement activity in the West Bank as talks ended without agreement. Mr Barak met US envoy George Mitchell as the two allies are struggling to end a rare public rift over the issue. The US wants Israel to stop all settlement activity in the occupied territory, but Israel wants to continue what it calls "natural growth". The Palestinians refuse to restart talks without a settlement freeze. "I don't think we are stuck," Mr Barak said after the meeting with Mr Mitchell on Tuesday.

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Barak, Mitchell remain disputed on settlements
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Yitzhak Benhorin - July 1, 2009 - 12:00am

Defense Minister Ehud Barak and US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell failed to reach an agreement regarding the Israeli construction in the settlements during their meeting in Washington Monday. Mitchell is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netnayahu in about two weeks. A joint statement published following the meeting said that Barak and Mitchell "discussed the full range of issues related to Middle East peace and security and the contributions Israelis, Palestinians, their neighbors and the international community should make to this effort.

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Barak: US, Israel close on settlements
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
July 1, 2009 - 12:00am

Before heading back to Israel from New York following his meeting with US Mideast envoy George Mitchell, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Wednesday morning that Israel was close to an understanding with the US on settlements, which he stressed were part of a regional comprehensive peace effort. "We focused mainly on the need for a comprehensive regional agreement," he told Israel Radio. "That includes other Arab states which have something to give to Israel, not just to take"

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'No commitment to settlement freeze'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Herb Keinon, Hilary Leila Krieger - July 1, 2009 - 12:00am

Israel is considering what it can do to enable a full-fledged Mideast peace process and Palestinian-Israeli negotiations to take off, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Tuesday after talks with US Mideast envoy George Mitchell in New York. But after the four-hour meeting, Barak would not commit to a temporary settlement freeze. Asked whether Israel would agree to a freeze of perhaps three to six months, Barak replied: "I think it's a little bit too early to predict."

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Barak, U.S. Envoy Discuss Settlements
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Glenn Kessler - July 1, 2009 - 12:00am

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak huddled for four hours yesterday with former senator George J. Mitchell, the Obama administration's special envoy for Middle East peace, seeking to resolve an impasse between their two governments over the expansion of Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank.

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Israel and US hold settlement discussions
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Vita Bekker - June 30, 2009 - 12:00am

Ehud Barak, Israel’s defence minister, will meet with George Mitchell, the top US Middle East envoy, in New York today for talks aimed at bridging a growing rift between the two countries on the expansion of Jewish settlements in occupied territory that Palestinians want as part of their future state.

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US 'optimistic' ahead of Barak-Mitchell meeting
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Yitzhak Benhorin - June 30, 2009 - 12:00am

Will the Barak-Mitchell meeting manage to relieve some of the tension between Israel and the United States? The White House has expressed its optimism over the chances of making progress during Tuesday's meeting between Defense Minister Ehud Barak and special US envoy George Mitchell, which will be held in New York. Barak was sent by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet with Mitchell in a bid to reach an understanding with the Obama administration about continuing construction in West Bank settlement for natural growth purposes.

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