Middle East News: World Press Roundup

Reuters reports on the new Palestinian security drive in the occupied territories starting with the town of Nablus (1.) In Israel Policy Forum, MJ Rosenberg is critical of Palestinian rocket attacks out of Gaza into southern Israel, yet takes issue with Israel's strategy in preventing them (4.) A Forward opinion by Leonard Fein rejects the proposition that addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict necessitates choosing sides (6.) A Daily Star opinion by Israeli professor Moshe Amirav, published in collaboration with Common Ground News Service, draws lessons from the failed 2000 Camp David summit for the upcoming Annapolis meeting (9.) In Miftah (Palestine) Caelum Moffatt analyzes the latest signs of disunity within the ranks of Hamas over their military takeover of Gaza and their current policies (10.) A Jerusalem Post (Israel) opinion by David Kimche takes Israelis to task for their growing apathy and inwardness (12.)

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Abbas Holds Rare Meeting With Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Dalia Nammari - November 2, 2007 - 4:42pm Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with members of Hamas on Friday for the first time since the militant group ousted his forces and took over the Gaza Strip in June. Abbas' aides described the meeting with four West Bank-based Hamas members as an informal gathering after Friday prayers at Abbas' presidential compound, saying it was not an official contact between the two movements. Abbas has repeatedly said he would have no contact with Hamas until it cedes power in Gaza. But one of the Hamas men, Hussein Abu Quaik, said Abbas invited them to prayers. » Read more

Sderot & Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Israel Policy Forum by M.J. Rosenberg - (Opinion) November 2, 2007 - 4:46pm The terrorist shelling of Sderot and other towns and villages neighboring Gaza has to stop, but the policies Israel has adopted to achieve that goal will not do the job.  The most significant thing to know about the shelling is that Sderot is in Israel itself—not in the occupied territories. Accordingly, it is ridiculous to refer to the attacks as representing “resistance” unless, of course, the resistance is to the existence of Israel and not the occupation. In the case of Sderot, and neighboring towns, it clearly is. » Read more

Saudis Signal Doubts Over Middle East Peace Talks Called By Us ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Ian Black - November 2, 2007 - 4:54pm Saudi Arabia has signalled that it will not attend the Middle East peace conference scheduled by the US for this month unless there is significant agreement in advance on the core issues that divide Israelis and Palestinians. But Prince Saud al-Faisal, the foreign minister, also held out a vision of normalisation between the Arab world and Israel - "not just the absence of war" - if the conflict could be resolved. » Read more

Us Hopes Iran Fears Will Prod Progress At Mideast Peace Meet ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) November 2, 2007 - 4:56pm The United States hopes it can translate mounting concerns about Iran’s strength into progress in peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, officials and observers say. Publicly, State Department officials strain to downplay expectations for the conference expected before year’s end in scenic Annapolis, Maryland, near Washington. Privately, they are aglow with an optimism that clashes head-on with the pessimism many Arab leaders have voiced. » Read more

Lessons From The Failed Peace Talks At Camp David ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Moshe Amirav - (Opinion) November 2, 2007 - 5:05pm This month US President George W. Bush proposes to host an international conference in Annapolis, near Washington, in the hope of advancing a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians. The failures of previous attempts - in Madrid in 1991, in Oslo in 1993 and at Camp David in 2000 - highlight the difficulties. What have we learned from these failures to suggest that the same errors in judgment will recur? » Read more

The Enemy Within ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by David Kimche - (Opinion) November 2, 2007 - 5:20pm Our worst enemies do not live in Ramallah, nor even in Gaza. No, they can be found in Tel Aviv, in Jerusalem, in Haifa. They live in our midst. They are motivated by greed, by avarice. They wear expensive suits, don the latest in ties. The high cost lawyer with, oh, such refined cultural taste who swindled tens of millions of dollars from Holocaust survivors without batting an eyelid, is one of them. In my book he rates high up, at the top of the list of the worst of the worst. » Read more

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