May 7th

Arabs work for unified approach
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News
May 7, 2009 - 12:00am

Arab foreign ministers are meeting in Cairo to formulate a united approach on the Middle East peace process. The meeting is the first since the election of the right-wing Israeli government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It comes ahead of a flurry of diplomatic activity in the coming weeks, focussing on the Middle East. The ministers are also to discuss a report on alleged crimes committed by Israel in the Gaza strip last January. The Arab foreign ministers will be discussing how to restart "serious and direct negotiations" between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

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AIPAC Confronts A New Reality as Obama’s Agenda Becomes Clear
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by Nathan Guttman - May 6, 2009 - 12:00am

Washington — “You’re not going to like my saying this,” Vice President Joe Biden told 6,000 delegates from the podium of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s annual policy conference — a spot that politicians usually vie over vigorously for the privilege of telling the crowd what they want to hear.

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Federal Government May Revise Voluntary Guidelines for Giving Overseas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Chronicle of Philanthropy
by Ian Wilhelm - May 6, 2009 - 12:00am

The U.S. Treasury Department wants to work with grant makers to revise its voluntary guidelines that seek to prevent charitable dollars from inadvertently flowing to terrorists, a department official said at the Council on Foundations meeting. Michael Rosen, a policy adviser in the department’s Office of Terrorist Financing and Financial Crimes, said the office wants to work with foundations “to better refine the guidance.”

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The West Bank Archipelago
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Robert Mackey - (Blog) May 7, 2009 - 12:00am

This week, leading Israeli, Palestinian and American officials have agreed that the creation of a Palestinian state on territory in the West Bank and Gaza is essential to peace in the Middle East. But spend any time looking at a map of the West Bank as it is today, or with any of the many different proposals for how that map might be redrawn to accommodate the aspirations of both Israelis and Palestinians, and it becomes clear why any sensible mapmaker might choose to steer well clear of the challenge of drawing up that state.

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May 6th

Partnering for peace Zionist, Arab groups share interns for summer
Media Mention of Alison Becker In Washington Jewish Week - August 20, 2008 - 12:00am

Every June, countless young people descend on Washington, D.C., and immerse themselves in the traditional internship experience: attending think tank briefings, conducting research at the office and, of course, networking at happy hours. This summer, Ben Schildkraut, Dana Montalto and Dana Pozza took part in this ritual, though it differed in some respects from the average internship program: They spent their time working to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and they did it on behalf of organizations on "each side" of the conflict.

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President Barack Obama meets with Israeli President Shimon Peres in Washington (1). Vice-President Joe Biden addresses the AIPAC conference, urging Israel to work towards the creation of a Palestinian state and calling for a freeze on settlement activity (2) (7) (15). The United Nations says it will seek reparations from Israel for damages to their facilities caused by attacks during the Gaza war (4) (10). Quartet Mideast Envoy Tony Blair announces that a new plan for Mideast peace will be unveiled within six weeks (6), while revisions may also be made to the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative (12). Concern mounts over the potential demolition of Palestinian homes in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem (14).

Netanyahu, listen to Obama
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
(Editorial) May 6, 2009 - 12:00am

As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares for his meeting in Washington with U.S. President Barack Obama, the White House is sending tough messages to Israel about its expectations. In his speech at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference, White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel said this was a moment of truth for Israel. The United States is committed to the principle of two states for two peoples, he said, and this is the only solution, so all the parties must meet their obligations, no matter how difficult.

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Biden: Israel must back two states
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Hilary Leila Krieger - May 5, 2009 - 12:00am

US Vice President Joseph Biden said Tuesday that Israel must accept a two-state solution with the Palestinians, urging Jerusalem to stop settlement growth. "Israel has to work toward a two-state solution," Biden told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee annual conference. "You're not going to like my saying this, but not build more settlements, dismantle existing outposts and allow the Palestinians freedom of movement."

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PA fears for Jerusalem's Silwan residents
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ali Waked - May 6, 2009 - 12:00am

The Palestinian Authority is concerned that dozens of families from the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Silwan may be evicted from their homes in the near future. Concerns arose following the Justice Ministry's demand to stop the process of issuing building permits in the area, under the claim that the families do not own the land they live on. The issue was raised about two weeks ago, during a Jerusalem District Planning and Construction Committee hearing aimed at settling a dispute over a Silwan resident's building permits.

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Lieberman: 'Peace industry' nothing but a waste of money
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Barak Ravid - May 6, 2009 - 12:00am

On his first trip to Europe since entering office, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman continues to lay out his diplomatic philosophy, arguing that a break from Israel's past policies is necessary to stabilize the region. "Nothing has come from this whole 'peace industry' except for conferences in five-star hotels and a waste of money," Lieberman told his Italian counterpart, Franco Frattini, during their meeting in Rome on Monday. Lieberman told Frattini that between five and seven years are needed to reach a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Israeli foreign minister w

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