Mideast peace is bigger than a lone mediator
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
(Editorial) May 15, 2011 - 12:00am

Five years after the Arab League chief Amr Moussa announced that the Middle East peace process was "dead", another blow has befallen the long-vexing struggle between Israel and the Palestinians. George Mitchell, the skilled US diplomat and veteran negotiator, tendered his resignation on Friday, becoming the latest victim in this intractable conflict.

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Flying to his country's defense
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Yossi Verter - May 13, 2011 - 12:00am

Some 500 journalists have signed up to cover the speech by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the annual conference of the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC in Washington, according to the Prime Minister's Bureau. Netanyahu's remarks to the American Jews, in about 10 days' time, are not expected to generate banner headlines. The real headlines will come from the address he will deliver a day or two later before a joint session of Congress.

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Can Obama convince Netanyahu?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) May 12, 2011 - 12:00am

Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad announced last Monday that Palestinian civil servants, numbering about 150,000, were not paid their salaries "on time". The reason: Israel has failed to transfer some $100 million (Dh367 million) it collects in customs and other taxes on behalf of the Palestinian National Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas.

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Israeli PM's speech in U.S. will not offer concessions: Likud sources
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
May 12, 2011 - 12:00am

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to a joint session of the United States Congress later this month will not include Israeli concessions to the Palestinians, local news website Ynet reported Thursday. The report quoted anonymous Likud Party sources "close to Netanyahu" as saying that the premier, who is scheduled to give the speech on May 24, will announce that Israel is not willing to withdraw from the West Bank territory, nor offer any other concessions.

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Court may rule on US stand on Jerusalem
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
by Barbara Ferguson, Tim Kennedy - May 12, 2011 - 12:00am

The case, involving a young Israeli-American, could serve as a landmark in Israeli-Palestinian relations. Eight-year-old Menachem Binyamin Zivotofsky has dual American and Israeli citizenship, yet carries an American passport that designates “Jerusalem” as the country of his birth. The State Department — bowing to ongoing negotiations between Israel and Palestinians over the status of the once-divided city — has resisted all appeals by young Zivotofsky’s parents (and their persistent lawyers) to have the passport designation of “country of birth” changed to “Israel.”

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Netanyahu's US speech raises speculations
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Attila Somfalvi - May 12, 2011 - 12:00am

Likud sources close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu estimated Thursday that he will not announce Israeli concessions or a withdrawal from West Bank territories during his speech in Congress later this month. The sources, nevertheless said that should Netanyahu receive significant strategic guarantees from US President Barack Obama he may tone down his Congress address.

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All Netanyahu needs is to say one magic number: 1967
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Ari Shavit - (Opinion) May 12, 2011 - 12:00am

The international community is tensely waiting to hear Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's words to the U.S. Congress in 12 days' time. Yet it will not be words that determine how the speech is received, but rather a number. If Netanyahu does not specifically mention the number 1967, the world will reject his speech from the outset. Israel's future hangs today on the prime minister's ability to utter the four digits he has not yet uttered - one, nine, six, seven: 1967.

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Obama sends Israel Independence Day greetings
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Yitzhak Benhorin - May 10, 2011 - 12:00am

United States President Barack Obama sent his greetings Tuesday to the people of Israel as they celebrate their 63rd Independence Day. Obama congratulated the State of Israel on its "remarkable achievements over the past six decades." "Our two nations share a unique and unbreakable bond of friendship that is anchored in common interests and shared values, and the United States’ unwavering commitment to Israel’s security," he reaffirmed the American support of Israel.

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Netanyahu to address US Congress May 24 - House speaker
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
May 10, 2011 - 12:00am

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress on May 24, U.S. House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner announced on Tuesday. "It will be an honor to welcome Prime Minister Netanyahu to the Capitol on May 24 as part of his official visit to the United States," Boehner said in a statement. His office last month extended the invitation to Netanyahu, but a date had not been previously announced.


U.S.: Israel's decision to withhold PA funds 'premature'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Natasha Mozgovaya - May 9, 2011 - 12:00am

The United States slammed Monday Israel’s decision to withhold Palestinian Authority funds saying "any decision following the Hamas-Fatah agreement is premature.” U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Mark Toner admitted that the Israelis “have their concerns,” but stressed that that the U.S. government's position is that “we believe that we need to wait and see. We believe it's premature to make any decisions. What's important now is that the Palestinians ensure implementation in a way that advances the prospects of peace."

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