February 25th

Create Jobs Or Create Extremists, Says Arab Minister ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Financial Times by Krishna Guha - September 28, 2007 - 12:00am Business and social entrepreneurs need to take urgent action to create 80m jobs for young people in the Middle East and north Africa over the next decade to stop them falling prey to extremists, Mohammed Al Gergawi, minister of state for cabinet affairs in the United Arab Emirates, said on Friday. Mr Al Gergawi told the final day of the Clinton Global Initiative “either we have in the next ten years 80m productive young people…or we have 80m radical extremists in the Middle East.” » Read more

Palestinians Relaunch Soccer League In West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian August 22, 2008 - 12:00am Palestinian soccer saw the start of a revival in the West Bank on Thursday with the relaunch of a league suspended after an uprising against Israeli occupation erupted in 2000. Twenty-two teams across the territory will compete in a seven-month-long tournament, but teams from the Hamas-run Gaza Strip will not take part. Israel sharply restricts travel and trade to and from the coastal enclave. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's authority has been restricted to the Israeli-occupied West Bank since Hamas Islamists took over the Gaza Strip by force a year ago. » Read more

Israeli Press Review ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Americans For Peace Now (Editorial) October 1, 2007 - 12:00am ANNAPOLIS UPDATE: The Mideast peace meeting announced by President George W. Bush is expected to be held on November 15th in Annapolis, MD. The list of prospective invitees is expected to include representatives of Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Syria, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the Quartet – Russia, the EU and the UN. » Read more

Israel Declares Navy Drills To Deny Activists Passage To Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Michael Jansen - August 22, 2008 - 12:00am The Free Gaza movement announced yesterday that the admiral of the Israeli navy has warned the 47 passengers and crew aboard the SS Free Gaza and Liberty that they should not sail to the Gaza Strip because Israel is conducting naval exercises off Gaza and in nearby international waters. Speaking to the media at quayside on behalf of the campaign, Paul Larudee, said that the boat people had been told that "all traffic has to stop" in the sea. But Larudee declared that this would not deter the activists' mission of breaking the siege and blockade of Gaza and its 1.5 million citizens. » Read more

Israel Re-opens Gaza''s Commercial Crossings ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) August 22, 2008 - 12:00am Israel announced Friday the re-opening of its three commercial crossings with the Gaza Strip, which it closed down two days ago. A spokesman for the Israeli Army, speaking to local radio, said the decision came after deliberations between Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barrak and top ministry officials at a meeting yesterday to evaluate the situation in the Gaza Strip. The army had closed the crossings after Palestinians launched a missile on Wednesday from northern Gaza at southern Israel, causing no casualties or damages. » Read more

No More Separate Bathing In Jaffa Pool ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Omer Ori - August 22, 2008 - 12:00am The Jewish residents' committees in the city of Jaffa has decided to stop renting out the local Neveh Golan swimming poll to Jews only for one day every fortnight, following a Yedioth Tel Aviv report last week. "It was supposed to take place once again next week, but since the report, the organization of the event has been halted," said a neighborhood activist. "The exposure of this issue has simply caused everyone to back down from the idea." » Read more

Mofaz: As Pm I'll Work To Return Shalit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Amnon Meranda - August 22, 2008 - 12:00am Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz slammed on Thursday the cabinet's recent decision to release 199 Palestinian prisoners as a gesture to President Mahmoud Abbas while IDF soldier Gilad Shalit remains in captivity. "Noam and Aviva Shalit (Gilad's parents) are still awaiting their son's release," said Mofaz, a leading candidate for the Kadima party chairmanship along with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. "As prime minister I'll work tirelessly to bring him back to his family." » Read more

In The Business Of Peace - U.s. Billionaire Pursues His Dream Of Mideast Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - August 22, 2008 - 12:00am Between meeting in the Knesset with Deputy Prime Minister Haim Ramon and visiting his friend, President Shimon Peres, S. Daniel Abraham felt like pouring his heart out. The 84-year-old billionaire, who visited Israel earlier this month, says that for the last seven years, since meeting Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Saud - who has since been crowned king - he has not known peace. Abrams' eyes become dewy as he talks about the meeting in Riyadh. » Read more

Israel Frees Palestinian Prisoners ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Myra Noveck, Tom Rachman - August 25, 2008 - 12:00am Israel released almost 200 Palestinian prisoners Monday in a good-will gesture aimed at reinvigorating the faltering peace process. Hours later, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in the country to make her own push for a deal between the two sides. With President Bush leaving office in January, his administration has been seeking a peace agreement before the end of the year, but the efforts have brought little progress so far. Ms. Rice arrived Monday for two days of talks with top Israeli and Palestinian officials, her seventh trip to the region since November. » Read more

February 24th

Remarks by ATFP President Ziad Asali at ATFP Inaugural Gala Speech by Ziad Asali at ATFP Inaugural Gala 2006 - October 11, 2006 - 12:00am Back to Gala 2006: Towards Peace and Prosperity Tonight's speaker is a woman of substance. Her accomplishments and interests straddle the worlds of diplomacy, academia, classical music, sports and corporate stewardship. She has brought focus and a global vision to all her endeavors. Her association with Stanford University » Read more