November 5th

One-state solution
Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In Arab News - November 5, 2009 - 1:00am

This first critical study of the “one-state” agenda comes at a time when Palestine has witnessed no real progress on the ground and an atmosphere of hopelessness and pessimism is spreading in the region.

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U.S. Eases Pressure on Israel, Leans On Palestinians
Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In The Jewish Daily Forward - November 5, 2009 - 1:00am

Washington — Relations between Washington and Jerusalem are warming, as months-long tensions over West Bank settlements and other issues have gradually eased.

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Secretary of State Clinton renews her calls for a resumption of Palestinian-Israeli negotiations, amid analysis of the fallout from her Middle East trip. The UN General Assembly is set to approve the Goldstone report on the Gaza war. On the anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, Israel moves to contain right-wing extremists. Palestinians fear further evictions in occupied East Jerusalem. Hamas reiterates its opposition to Palestinian elections, with a new poll showing that 52% of Palestinians say they would vote for Pres. Abbas as opposed to 15% who would vote for Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat says that Palestinians may have to consider abandoning the two-state solution.The Arab News profiles ATFP's new book on the one-state agenda. Palestinian political scientist Said Zeidani says that there is no obvious successor to Pres. Abbas. Hussein Ibish summarizes the state of the peace process following the Clinton trip.

Administration missteps hamper Mideast efforts
Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In The Washington Post - November 5, 2009 - 1:00am

President Obama came into office insisting that his administration would press hard and fast to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But after nine months, analysts and diplomats say, the administration's efforts have faltered in part because of its own missteps. As Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made clear during her Middle East trip, which ended Wednesday, U.S. officials are now promoting new tactics -- what they called the "baby steps" of lower-level talks -- to bring the Israeli and Palestinian leaders together for direct talks.

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Where things stand in the Middle East after Sec. Clinton's not-so-excellent adventure
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ibishblog
by Hussein Ibish - (Blog) November 3, 2009 - 1:00am

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton went to the Middle East and inadvertently created yet another crisis for the Obama peace initiative. It's not so much that she badly mishandled everything -- although that argument could certainly be made -- it's more that I think her difficulties demonstrate how complicated and in some practical senses almost impossible the American diplomatic task at hand really is.

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No obvious successor: An interview with Said Zeidani
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
(Interview) November 5, 2009 - 1:00am

bitterlemons: In the past week we've twice heard reports that Mahmoud Abbas is considering not running for re-election. How serious do you think this is? Zeidani: As far as Abu Mazen [Abbas] personally is concerned, I don't think he is interested in another term. He has expressed his desire to step down and I think he is sincere. The question is whether he will be allowed by his own Fateh faction to do so. I think there will be pressure on him to stay and run for another term. bitterlemons: Why?

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One-state solution
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
by Lisa Kaaki - (Book Review) November 5, 2009 - 1:00am

This first critical study of the “one-state” agenda comes at a time when Palestine has witnessed no real progress on the ground and an atmosphere of hopelessness and pessimism is spreading in the region.

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PA: Netanyahu promised US settlement freeze
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ali Waked - November 4, 2009 - 1:00am

The Palestinians are optimistic about comments made by American officials in recent days. Palestinians sources told Ynet on Wednesday that the Americans said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has committed to halt construction in settlements.   The sources said that despite the Palestinians' dissatisfaction with US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton's public support of Israel on settlement construction, Netanyahu has officially committed to a freeze.  

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'Totally divorced from reality'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Michael Jansen - (Opinion) November 5, 2009 - 1:00am

The most outrageous thing about US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s statement that Israel is making an “unprecedented” commitment to restrict colonisation activity in the West Bank is its total divorce from reality.

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Erekat: Two-state solution may have to be abandoned
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
November 5, 2009 - 1:00am

Bethlehem – Ma’an/Agencies – The continued expansion of Israeli settlements could force Palestinians to abandon the notion of a state in the West Bank and Gaza, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said on Wednesday. It may be time for President Mahmoud Abbas to "tell his people the truth, that with the continuation of settlement activities, the two-state solution is no longer an option," Erekat told a Ramallah news conference, according to Reuters.

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