Obama committed to two-state solution in ME, says aide
Media Mention of ATFP In Arab News - October 20, 2009 - 12:00am

Barbara Ferguson I Arab News WASHINGTON: The Obama administration is committed to creating a Palestinian state and determined to move forward with peace talks, said National Security Adviser Gen. James L. Jones, at the fourth annual gala of the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP). "We are clear, unambiguous and consistent. The time has come to relaunch negotiations without preconditions to reach a final status agreement on two states," said Gen. Jones, adding that he was proud to represent President Barack Obama at the ATFP event, held this weekend.

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Obama committed to two-state solution in ME, says aide
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
by Barbara Ferguson - October 20, 2009 - 12:00am

The Obama administration is committed to creating a Palestinian state and determined to move forward with peace talks, said National Security Adviser Gen. James L. Jones, at the fourth annual gala of the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP). "We are clear, unambiguous and consistent. The time has come to relaunch negotiations without preconditions to reach a final status agreement on two states," said Gen. Jones, adding that he was proud to represent President Barack Obama at the ATFP event, held this weekend.

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The Israeli Cabinet will consider an investigation into allegations in the Goldstone report. A Palestinian cooperative trades olive oil for foreign cash in an effort to sustain a wider Palestinian economy as violent attacks by extremist settlers increase. Al-Jazeera airs an offensive parody of the Palestinian national anthem, angering Palestinians. A Palestinian poll says President Abbas could regain lost support before scheduled elections in 2010. Commentaries in Gulf News, Arab News and Al Hayat evaluate Pres. Obama’s positions on peace and the Goldstone report. In the Nation, Adam Horowitz and Phillip Weiss evaluate shifting attitudes among Jewish Americans regarding Israel.

The conventional route will not bring us peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Ghassan Khatib - (Opinion) October 19, 2009 - 12:00am

The most recent public opinion poll conducted in the Palestinian territories by the Jerusalem Media and Communications Center has shown a dramatic decline in the Palestinian public's evaluation of the Obama administration's role in promoting peace in the Middle East.

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Obama's Mistakes
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Yossi Alpher - (Opinion) October 19, 2009 - 12:00am

There are plenty of reasons why the Israeli-Palestinian peace process has not yet been restarted through American mediation. Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu's manipulations and his coalition are one; the weakness of the Palestinian Authority and PLO under Mahmoud Abbas are another. The moderate Arab states have done precious little to help. But right now US President Barack Obama's mistakes are the most glaring.

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American Jews Rethink Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Nation
by Philip Weiss - October 14, 2009 - 12:00am

This year has seen a dramatic shift in American Jews' attitudes toward Israel. In January many liberal Jews were shocked by the Gaza war, in which Israel used overwhelming force against a mostly defenseless civilian population unable to flee. Then came the rise to power of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, whose explicitly anti-Arab platform was at odds with an American Jewish electorate that had just voted 4 to 1 for a minority president.

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Tide is turning against Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
by Linda Heard - (Opinion) October 20, 2009 - 12:00am

Now even the United Nations Human Rights Council is “anti-Semitic.” Well, that’s the view of Israel’s Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, who is outraged that the body rubber-stamped the Goldstone Report on war crimes committed in Gaza. Some years ago, that accusation would have had enormous shock-value, whereas, nowadays, the label has been so propagandized the only thing it elicits is a yawn.

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Time and again, US backs Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by Linda Heard - October 20, 2009 - 12:00am

Imagine that heavily-armed neighbourhood thieves break into your house, steal your property and shoot a family member. Naturally, you would call law enforcement. You know the names of the criminals and expect the police to arrest them. But what if the police hear the murderers' names, look embarrassed, shrug their shoulders, say ‘sorry, can't help you,' and simply walk away?

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Israel’s Fear of the Goldstone Report
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat
by Bilal Hassen - October 20, 2009 - 12:00am

The Palestinian and Arab public campaign against the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) withdrawal of the request to discuss Judge Richard Goldstone’s report and to transfer it to the UN Security Council or the International Court of Justice in The Hague had a number of various outcomes. A negative outcome is that it weakened the PA’s reputation and status, and even destabilized its internal status, especially after it was heavily criticised by its own apparatuses and cadres.

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Goldstone Tests Obama
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Husam Itani - October 20, 2009 - 12:00am

It may be inferred from the statements given by the spokesman for the U.S State Department that Washington will not allow the Goldstone report to be presented before the UN Security Council, and that in case this report made its way there, the United States will use its veto power to nix any possible resolution endorsing the report’s recommendations.

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