July 22nd

Israel's barrier to progress ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Seth Freedman - (Opinion) July 22, 2009 - 12:00am In many parts of the West Bank, Israel's much-vaunted separation wall is conspicuous by its absence; Ha'aretz reports that only around 60% of the barrier has been completed will come as no surprise to those who spend time in the area around the project's proposed route. » Read more

Anti-colonialism, the Barack Obama way ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Rami Khouri - (Opinion) July 22, 2009 - 12:00am One of the most important political dynamics in the Middle East these days is the escalating war of words between the United States and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the international demand to freeze Jewish settlements and colonies in Arab lands occupied in 1967. It is surprising yet heartening that the Obama team has come out strongly demanding that Israel freeze the expansion of all settlements, with no exceptions for natural growth, pre-approved projects or anything else. » Read more

Israel cuts Palestinian tragedy from textbooks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Matti Friedman - July 22, 2009 - 12:00am The Israeli government will remove references to what the Palestinians call the "catastrophe" of Israel's creation from textbooks for Arab schoolchildren, the country's education minister said Wednesday. The reference to "al-naqba" or catastrophe, what the Palestinian's call their defeat and exile in the war over Israel's 1948 creation, was controversially inserted by a dovish education minister for the first time in 2007. The phrase remains contentious six decades after Israel was founded. » Read more

Arrogant defiance ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times July 22, 2009 - 12:00am Israel’s arrogant defiance of the US, its main ally and supporter, over the construction of yet another Israeli settlement in East Jerusalem has no easy or immediate answers. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rejection of Washington’s demands that it cease and desist from building yet another housing project in the heart of East Jerusalem is unprecedented and provocative. Never before has the Jewish state provoked its closest ally to such an extent and gotten away with it. » Read more

Netanyahu calls for Jewish investment in Palestinian economy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) July 22, 2009 - 12:00am Diaspora Jews should join Arabs in investing in the Palestinian economy, Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. Jewish leaders. The Israeli prime minister listed prosperity for the Palestinians among six conditions for lasting Israeli-Palestinian peace in a call Tuesday with members of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Netanyahu outlined steps he was taking to facilitate commerce in the West Bank and spur the Palestinian economy, which he said could flourish with the cooperation of the Palestinian Authority and with the help of Jews and Arabs overseas. » Read more

Jerusalem ‘crisis’ reveals U.S.-Israel communications breakdown ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Ron Kampeas - July 22, 2009 - 12:00am The summoning of an ambassador usually signifies a crisis. So what does it mean when the ambassador isn't summoned? That's the question that had U.S. officials scratching their heads after last week's mixed signals over whether the State Department had summoned Michael Oren, Israel's new ambassador, for a dressing-down over a Jewish plan to build 20 apartments in Sheik Jarrah, a Palestinian neighborhood in eastern Jerusalem. Israeli officials had leaked the reports of a "summons" to the media -- except Oren was never summoned, JTA has confirmed. » Read more

EXCLUSIVE: U.S., Israel at odds over 2003 settlements accord Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In The Washington Times - July 22, 2009 - 12:00am Israeli officials Tuesday accused the Obama administration of failing to abide by an agreement allowing settlement construction, but a key Israeli negotiator said the deal was never implemented. The unfinished negotiation between the administrations of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and President George W. Bush has contributed to rising tensions between the two allies since the Obama administration took office. » Read more

Gaza blast shakes Dahlan wedding ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News July 22, 2009 - 12:00am An explosion in southern Gaza has torn through a party attended by relatives of the West Bank-based Fatah strongman Muhammad Dahlan, injuring 50 people. The blast happened on Tuesday at a wedding reception in Khan Younis. The groom, who is Mr Dahlan's nephew, as well as women and children, were injured. The Hamas authorities said three suspects were in custody. The device was reported to have been placed under a street stage erected so the wedding guests could dance. » Read more

Mitchell, Gates, Jones to visit Jerusalem next week ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yitzhak Benhorin - July 22, 2009 - 12:00am The American administration has decided to send an "airlift" of senior officials to Israel for talks with the Netanyahu government – Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, special Mideast envoy George Mitchell and National Security Advisor James Jones. The first to visit will be US President Barack Obama's special envoy to the region, who will hold a series of meetings in Jerusalem and Ramallah. Mitchell will land in Israel on Sunday as part of another effort to advance a resumption of the direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. » Read more

US: Too soon to discuss Israel sanctions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) July 22, 2009 - 12:00am Washington believes it is too early to talk about imposing sanctions on Israel to force it to freeze settlement building in east Jerusalem, a State Department spokesman said Tuesday. "It's premature to talk about that," spokesman Robert Wood said when asked about the possibility of US financial sanctions. "What we are trying to do, as I said right now, is to create an environment which makes it conducive for talks to go forward," he added. "And you know, as I said, Senator Mitchell is working very hard on this." » Read more