Middle East News: World Press Roundup

In an Hareetz opinon, Uzi Benziman petitions Shas to leave the coalition (1). The Middle East Times reports on Arab League chief Amr Moussa’s dissatisfaction with the lack of progress in Isareli-Palestinian negotiations (3). Osama Al Sharif wonders when Hamas will decide whether it is a militant group or a functional government in an Arab News opinion (5). Israeli writer Amos Oz warns against an invasion of Gaza in a Ynetnews opinion (7). Reuters reports that Israel is seeking international backing for a Gaza campaign (11).

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Palestinian President Leaves Bahrain ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Kuwait News Agency (kuna) February 13, 2008 - 4:55pm Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas left Manama on Wednesday following a two-day official visit that came as part of his tour of Arab countries. He was bid farewell by Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Mubarak al Khalifa, ministers, senior military officers, the Muharraq governor and Palestinian ambassador to Bahrain. During his visit, Abbas held talks with the kingdom's leadership on bilateral ties, the latest developments in Palestine and Arab and international issues of mutual concern. » Read more

'no Progress' In Mideast Peace Process: Arab League, Eu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Middle East Times by John Inguanez - February 13, 2008 - 4:56pm Arab League chief Amr Moussa on Tuesday slammed a lack of progress in the Middle East peace process as EU and Arab foreign ministers wrapped up two days of talks in Malta. "We see no progress. We want to send a message, a message of concern," he said following the talks, the first between the two blocs at the level of foreign minister. He added: "We all supported the process with the hope that it will bring peace in 2008. We are now asking what happened, why no progress?" » Read more

Israelis, Palestinians Up War Of Words ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line February 13, 2008 - 4:57pm Israeli threats to invade Gaza and target Hamas leaders in retaliation for rocket firing have elicited sharp responses from both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas.   P.A. Chairman Mahmoud 'Abbas threatened on Tuesday to announce the failure of the ongoing peace negotiations in protest at what he calls Israeli 'stubbornness', which is impeding progress in the talks, sources at his office said.   Final talks between Israel and the P.A. resumed last December following the U.S. sponsored Annapolis conference.   Meanwhile, P.A. » Read more

Hamas Must Stand Down ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Osama Al-sharif - (Opinion) February 13, 2008 - 5:00pm Hamas, the staunchly anti-Israel Islamist movement, which has been governing Gaza ever since its bloody showdown last June with the PNA, is looking increasingly like a spent force. It is not that the Palestinian National Authority has scored any meaningful gains in its peace negotiations with Israel since these talks were resumed in Annapolis last November. Nor is it a result of Israeli sanctions against the enclave that has left more than 1.5 million Palestinians without access to basic needs such as gasoline, food and medicine. » Read more

Israel Plans To Build 1,100 Homes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Matti Friedman - February 13, 2008 - 5:01pm Israel is planning to build 1,100 new apartments for Israelis in East Jerusalem, a Cabinet minister said yesterday, angering Palestinians and further straining troubled peace talks. Housing Minister Zeev Boim told Israel Radio that plans were under way to build 370 apartments in Har Homa and an additional 750 in Pisgat Zeev, two Jewish neighborhoods in east Jerusalem. An Israeli plan to build an additional 307 apartments in Har Homa two months ago soured the latest round of peace talks just as they were resuming after a seven-year pause. » Read more

Don’t March Into Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Amos Oz - (Opinion) February 13, 2008 - 5:03pm The fury, frustration, and inflamed emotions are impairing our judgment. Israel must not fall into the trap that Hamas has laid for it by marching into Gaza. Because the casualty figure in a land invasion into Gaza will be much greater than the number of Qassam casualties in the past seven years. And because in five out of the seven Qassam years we controlled the entire Gaza Strip, and still, hundreds of rockets were fired from it at Sderot, in addition to the repeated bloody attacks against the settlers. Apparently, we forgot that. » Read more

'no Change' From Israel, Fayyad Says ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Glenn Kessler - February 13, 2008 - 5:04pm Nearly three months after the Middle East peace conference in Annapolis was supposed to usher in new cooperation between Palestinians and Israelis, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad yesterday accused Israel of having "not done a thing materially on the ground to help my government." » Read more

Olmert: Significant Progress Possible On Borders Of Palestinian State ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid Shmuel Rosner - February 13, 2008 - 5:06pm Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says it is possible to advance significantly the resolution of the issue of borders in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, in spite of a shared concern by officials of both sides, and the United States, as to their ability to realistically achieve a detailed agreement by the end of 2008. » Read more

Israeli Minister Plans Arab City ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News February 13, 2008 - 5:07pm Israel's Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit says he wants to build a new Arab city in the north of Israel. It would be the first city built for Israel's Arabs - who make up nearly 20% of the population - since the country was founded in 1948. Mr Sheetrit said he wanted the plans to be completed and submitted for government approval by the year's end. Meanwhile, Israel announced plans for 1,100 new homes in East Jerusalem - a decision condemned by Palestinians. » Read more

Israel Seeks International Backing For Gaza Campaign ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Adam Entous - February 13, 2008 - 5:09pm Israel took nearly 70 foreign ambassadors to its border with the Gaza Strip on Wednesday as part of a diplomatic campaign to enlist international support for tougher action against the enclave's Hamas Islamist rulers. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told the envoys at the Erez crossing with Gaza that cross-border rocket fire by militants had created an "unbearable" situation that would only get worse. "Israel must act in order to reduce these threats," she said. » Read more

Hezbollah Leader Killed In Syria, Group Blames Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) February 13, 2008 - 5:10pm A senior Hezbollah commander on America's most wanted list was killed in a car bombing in Syria that the Shiite militant group blamed on Israel on Wednesday, an accusation the Jewish state denied. Imad Mughnieh, who headed Hezbollah's special operations unit, died in car bombing in a residential neighbourhood of the Syrian capital late on Tuesday, Hezbollah officials said. Syrian state television reported only that one person had died in the bombing without identifying the victim but Hezbollah confirmed that it was Mughnieh who had died and accused Israel of killing him. » Read more

Palestinian Prime Minister Voices Doubts ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Nathan Guttman - February 15, 2008 - 2:09pm As the situation in Gaza deteriorates, Palestinian and Israeli leaders alike are voicing doubts about the feasibility of realizing President Bush’s goal of a peace agreement by the end the year. Not much optimism was heard this week from Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad during a visit to Washington. Fayyad, who is seen by the Bush administration as an agent of reform in the Palestinian government, stressed to his hosts the lack of progress since the peace process was relaunched last November in Annapolis, Md. » Read more

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