Middle East News: World Press Roundup

Israeli police close a Palestinian media center that had been set up in East Jerusalem for the Pope's visit (1). In The Nation, Robert Dreyfuss reports on a recent address given by U.S. security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton (4). The Pope's visit continues, as he attempts to maneuver through the complicated politics of the Middle East (2) (5) (10) (13) (15). The UN Security Council calls for "urgent efforts" to establish a Palestinian state (6). Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu meets with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak (7). An op-ed in the Daily Star discusses the potential of convening Fatah's General Congress (12).

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Israel Closes Media Center, Upsetting Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - May 11, 2009 - 12:00am The Israeli police on Monday closed down an official Palestinian media center that had been set up in East Jerusalem for the visit of Pope Benedict XVI, as Israel and the Palestinians competed to exercise authority in the contested part of the city. As the pope arrived in Jerusalem, each side accused the other of exploiting his visit for political gain. Though the pope’s movements have been carefully choreographed to avoid obvious political minefields, every step and word was bound to be closely scrutinized. » Read more

On His Tour, Pope Runs Into Politics of Middle East and Holocaust ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Rachel Donadio - May 12, 2009 - 12:00am Pope Benedict XVI said he came to the Middle East as “a pilgrim of peace,” but on Monday, his first day in Israel seemed to underscore the tensions in the region rather than ease them. After the pope visited the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and offered the “deep compassion” of the Roman Catholic Church for Hitler’s victims, Jewish leaders expressed disappointment that the pontiff, who is German, had not mentioned Germany or the Nazis. » Read more

An Agenda for Mr. Netanyahu ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times (Editorial) May 11, 2009 - 12:00am President Obama has set clear and appropriate priorities ahead of the visit to Washington on May 18 by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel. Speaking to Jewish-American activists last week, Vice President Joseph Biden conceded, “You’re not going to like my saying this,” and then he laid out the administration’s list. » Read more

US General Builds A Palestinian Army ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Nation by Robert Dreyfuss - (Blog) May 10, 2009 - 12:00am Last Thursday, in what was billed as his very first on-the-record address, Lt. Gen. Keith Dayton, U.S. security coordinator for Israel and the Palestinian Authority, spoke to the 2009 Soref Symposium organized by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. WINEP, of course, is the chief thinktank for the Washington-based Israel lobby. And in his talk, Gen. Dayton delivered an important warning. » Read more

Pope visits Jerusalem holy sites ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News May 12, 2009 - 12:00am Pope Benedict XVI has been visiting sites in Jerusalem holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians on the second day of his visit to the Holy Land. He visited the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, becoming the first pontiff to see the site, and then the Western Wall, one of Judaism's holiest places. He said Mass in the Josaphat Valley and is later to pray at the reputed site of Christ's Last Supper. A row has broken out over the German-born Pope's time in the Hitler Youth. The Pope is meeting both Israeli and Palestinian leaders during his tour. » Read more

UN Security Council calls for a Palestinian state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Edith M. Lederer - May 12, 2009 - 12:00am UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council on Monday called for "urgent efforts" to create a separate Palestinian state and achieve an overall Mideast peace settlement. In a statement by all 15 members read at the end of an open ministerial meeting, the council stressed that "vigorous diplomatic" action was needed to reach an overall settlement and a two-state solution. It encouraged the Quartet of Mideast peacemakers — the U.N., the U.S., Russia and the European Union — to continue their efforts to promote a comprehensive Mideast settlement. » Read more

The Prime Minister’s statement at the press conference with the President of Egypt, Hosni Mubarak, at Sharm el-Sheikh ATFP World Press Roundup Article from May 11, 2009 - 12:00am Thank you very much Mr. President. I am delighted to see you again. I brought with me an old friend of yours and of Egypt, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Labor, Benjamin Ben-Eliezer. » Read more

No Amendment to the Arab Peace Initiative ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed - (Opinion) May 12, 2009 - 12:00am The Arab [peace] initiative was born as a political miracle amid unusually favorable circumstances at a time when there was a short-lived inter-Arab agreement that enabled all Arabs to accept it. After being signed by all Arab and Islamic states, it is unreasonable for this initiative to be reproduced. It is a miracle because the Arabs rarely agree on a political plan dealing with any issue, namely the conflict with Israel. » Read more

Obama Speech and Mubarak Visit Signal Improvement in US-Egypt Relations ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat by Joyce Karam - (Opinion) May 12, 2009 - 12:00am President Barack Obama's speech to the Muslim world from Egypt on June 4, and the upcoming visit of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to Washington signal a desire from both leaders to strengthen relations and increase cooperation on regional issues. » Read more

Pope talks of justice in Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Omar Karmi - May 12, 2009 - 12:00am Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Jerusalem yesterday for the start of a five-day tour of Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. He was officially received with a lavish reception at the residence of Shimon Peres, the Israeli president, where a children’s choir sang in English, Hebrew and Arabic. In front of 300 invited diplomats, Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious dignitaries and senior Israeli officials, the pontiff urged “peace and security through justice for everyone”. » Read more

Contest to win Obama’s ear ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Matt Bradley - May 12, 2009 - 12:00am On his first trip to Egypt since his re-election as Israel’s prime minister in March, Benjamin Netanyahu said his new, far right government was committed to peace between Israel and the Palestinian people. But in the press conference that followed yesterday’s summit between Mr Netanyahu and Hosni Mubarak, the president of Egypt, neither mentioned what many observers here see as the central conflict in yesterday’s meeting: which Middle Eastern leader will win the ear of new US president Barack Obama. » Read more

Fatah's congress could breathe new life into the movement ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Hossam Ezzedine - (Opinion) May 12, 2009 - 12:00am Fatah leaders and outside observers believe that holding the movement's sixth General Congress could breathe new life into the party by electing new, young leaders and adopting a political platform better suited to the current Palestinian situation. This in turn would strengthen its stance in confronting Hamas, which has dealt two painful blows to Fatah: winning legislative elections (74 seats versus Fatah's 45) in 2006 and taking control of Gaza after fierce fighting in 2007. » Read more

Pope walks out after Muslim cleric accuses Israel of 'slaughter' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz May 12, 2009 - 12:00am The head of the Palestinian Sharia court, Sheikh Taysir al-Tamimi, fiercely denounced Israeli policy in the presence of Pope Benedict on Monday and appealed to the pope to help end what he called the "crimes of the Jewish state." Speaking at an interfaith conference held at the Notre Dame Church in East Jerusalem, al-Tamimi accused Israel of slaughtering women, children and senior citizens. The speech was delivered in Arabic, without simultaneous translation, but after the pope was informed of the political nature of al-Tamimi's speech, he left the conference. » Read more

Will Netanyahu lead or be dragged in Washington? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Gidi Grinstein - (Opinion) May 12, 2009 - 12:00am On October 23, 1998, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed the Wye River Memorandum, thus bringing about the end of his first government. He did this with his own mouth: After being perceived as undermining the Oslo Accords, and after declared that any withdrawal from more than nine percent of the West Bank would harm Israel's security, he ratified the acccords and sought a 13-percent withdrawal. His term was rife with conflicts with the United States president, and he made both the right and left heartily sick of him. A decade later, Netanyahu is at a similar juncture. » Read more

Peres to pope: We may achieve peace this year ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ronen Medzini - May 11, 2009 - 12:00am "This year, the year of your visit here, may reveal an opportunity for us and our neighbors to attain peace," President Shimon Peres said as he welcomed Pope Benedict XVI at his official residence in Jerusalem Monday afternoon. "While many political clouds still darken the horizon, and the voices of incitement obscure the sound of peace, and much violence converged on the crossroads of our lives, most peoples in this region yearn for peace," the president said. » Read more

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