February 9th

What’s in a hand shake ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Hassan Barari - (Opinion) February 9, 2010 - 1:00am Over the last few years, Israel has been working hard to lure Saudi Arabia to open communication channels and political contacts. Despite the continuous American demand that Saudi Arabia consider the Israeli demand, the Saudi declared position remained unchanged: no contacts whatsoever with Israel until the latter responds positively to the Arabs’ quest for peace. » Read more

Officials: Jewish bid for East Jerusalem home likely to fail ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson - February 9, 2010 - 1:00am Interior Minister Eli Yishai resolved Monday to use his powers to thwart a court-ordered evacuation of an illegally built home erected by nationalist Jews in a predominantly Arab neighborhood of East Jerusalem. The Shas chairman said he plans to raise the matter of legalizing the structure, known as "Beit Yonatan," during the next meeting of the ministry's district planning commission in Jerusalem. Yishai believes he will be able to void the evacuation orders which the municipality intends to distribute to the building's residents. » Read more

Abbas: Any decision on peace talks with Israel to wait ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 9, 2010 - 1:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on a visit to Tokyo on Tuesday that any decision on returning to the negotiating table with Israel would not be made until clarification of certain points had been made by Washington. The leader, speaking at a Tokyo seminar, made the comments a day after his foreign minister Riyad al-Milki had said that any talks to take place with Israel should focus on border issues and have a time limit of three or four months. » Read more

Palestinian force makes gains in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Josef Federman - February 9, 2010 - 1:00am The security men brandished their weapons and ordered the suspicious car to halt, forcing the occupants to get out and put their hands in their air. The suspects were quickly handcuffed, frisked and made to kneel on the ground as the vehicle was swept for explosives. » Read more

Palestinians set terms for talks as violence flares ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Allyn Fisher-Ilan - February 8, 2010 - 1:00am More than a dozen people were injured when Israeli police confronted Palestinian protesters in a refugee camp at the edge of Jerusalem on Monday, violence stoked by rising tensions over a stalemate in peace talks. The Palestinian cabinet "strongly condemned" what it called an Israeli incursion and its senior officials said negotiations with Israel could resume only if they focused on borders and other core conflict issues and set out a clear deadline. » Read more

Hamas leader says U.S. blocking Palestinian unity ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Steve Gutterman - February 8, 2010 - 1:00am Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal on Monday accused the United States of undermining Palestinian unity efforts and said he saw no chance for peace in the Middle East under Israel's current leadership. Shunned in the West because his Islamist group refuses to recognise Israel -- a position he said stands -- Meshaal used a hospitable Russia as a platform to blame Washington and Israel's hardline government for a lack of progress. His remarks underscored barriers on the road to Palestinian reconciliation and to renewing Middle East peace talks. » Read more

PA cabinet calls municipal, local elections ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 9, 2010 - 1:00am The cabinet of the Ramallah-based government decided on Monday to hold municipal and local elections in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip on 17 July 2010. Directives were given to the Palestinian Central Elections Committee to begin preparations. » Read more

Sha`ath: Fatah HQ to reopen in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 9, 2010 - 1:00am Hamas will instruct its government in the Gaza Strip to release detainees held on political grounds and reopen the Fatah party headquarters within the next two days, a top Fatah official said on Monday. Speaking days after his first trip since 2007 to the besieged coastal enclave, Central Committee member Nabil Sha'ath said Fatah officials were already permitted to visit without any special permit. » Read more

Fayyad: West Bank raids, settlement construction must end ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 9, 2010 - 1:00am Greeting the Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Political Affairs Oscar Fernandes on Monday, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad stressed the importance of the UN’s role in compelling Israel to abide by its roadmap obligations. » Read more

Land of landmines ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Batsheva Sobelman - (Blog) February 8, 2010 - 1:00am All Israelis know the iron rule: never stray off the main roads in the Golan Heights, and never ever cross cattle fences. The cows aren't dangerous, but the mines are. There are said to be around 2,000 minefields in the Golan Heights alone, its landscape concealing hundreds of thousands of anti-tank mines and anti-personnel mines. Some are Syrian; many others Israeli, planted around army bases and other places. There are countless other minefields throughout the country, mostly the Jordan Valley and the desert plains of the Arava. » Read more