Middle East News: World Press Roundup

ATFP President Ziad Asali discusses how to keep the peace process on track (1). Ynet news covers Mahmoud Abbas¹ upcoming visit to the U.S. (2). In the Independent, Donald Macintyre provides a glimpse into the lives of young Israeli soldiers serving in Hebron(4). Former President Jimmy Carter speaks in Jerusalem about his meetings with HAMAS (5) while a Presidential candidate argues for focus on the region (6). Al-Jazeera (8), Ynet news (10) and the Arab News (9) highlight three different developments negatively affecting life for Palestinians.

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We Can Accept Israel As Neighbour, Says Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Rory Mccarthy - April 21, 2008 - 6:01pm Hamas said today it would accept a Palestinian state on land occupied in the 1967 war, but it would not explicitly recognise Israel. Khaled Meshaal, the leader of Hamas, said the group would "respect Palestinian national will even if it was against our convictions", an apparent reference to a referendum on a peace deal. His comments came at a news conference in Damascus, Syria, after a rare series of meetings between the former US president Jimmy Carter and Hamas Islamists in the West Bank, Cairo and Damascus. » Read more

Carter: U.s. Would Not Stand In Way Of Israel-syria Peace Deal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - April 21, 2008 - 6:06pm Former U.S. president Carter clarified in a meeting last week with Syrian president Bashar Assad that the U.S. would not stand in the way of serious peace negotiations between Syria and Israel. Carter also said the U.S. would even support any agreement that is reached. He told Meretz chairman Yossi Beilin at a meeting in Jerusalem on Monday that he had made these statements to Assad. » Read more

Israel Mulls Gaza Crossing Curbs ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al Jazeera English April 21, 2008 - 6:07pm Israel is planning to tighten controls even further over goods allowed into the Gaza Strip, Haaretz, a leading Israeli newspaper, reports.   After a series of Hamas attacks on border crossings, some of the crossings will remain shut on Monday, and may remain so for several days, the paper reported.  » Read more

Editorial: Continuing Land Grab ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News (Editorial) April 21, 2008 - 6:07pm In case a comprehensive Palestinian-Israeli accord is reached by the end of this year, as espoused by US President George Bush, Israel is taking no chances. It is seeking whatever it can get its hands on should a peace deal that includes a Palestinian state be reached. Hence, the announcement that 100 new houses will be built in a West Bank settlement. » Read more

More Palestinian Patients Being Denied Entry To Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Meital Yasur-beit Or - April 21, 2008 - 6:09pm   The Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) organization asserted on Monday that there has been a significant rise in the number of rejections issued to Palestinian applicants seeking entry into Israel on medical grounds. The group said that since early April Shin Bet authorities have been rejecting a significantly larger number » Read more

Hamas Ready To Accept 1967 Borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al Jazeera English April 28, 2008 - 6:05pm Hamas has said it is ready to accept a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders but "will not recognise Israel".   Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Khaled Meshaal, the exiled Hamas political leader, reaffirmed Hamas's stance towards Israel and clarified his comments as relayed earlier by Jimmy Carter, the former US president. » Read more

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