August 24th

Where these negotiations could be useful ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Yossi Alpher - August 23, 2010 - 12:00am The resumption of direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations that is projected for September 2 in Washington serves a number of useful purposes. Sadly, none of them is directly connected to the effort to "resolve all final status issues" trumpeted last Friday in statements by the Quartet and US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. » Read more

Negotiations lack clear terms of reference ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Ghassan Khatib - August 23, 2010 - 12:00am The recent US-led efforts to resume direct talks, that ended with the two sides agreeing to renew direct negotiations, reminded many observers of US efforts to establish a peace process and Palestinian-Israeli negotiations in the early 1990s, then described as "constructive ambiguity". » Read more

When America Forsakes its Palestinian Ally ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Bilal Hassen - August 24, 2010 - 12:00am US planning, European pressure, Arab complacency, and fragility of the Palestinian negotiator; these are the four factors that have made the racist right-wing government, led by Benjamin Netanyahu, seem as if it is the victorious power that can impose everything it wants in the farce of the Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. » Read more

UN official criticises Israel over flotilla probe ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press August 24, 2010 - 12:00am Israel is not co-operating with the UN Human Rights Council's probe of May's deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, a UN official said today. Juan Carlos Monge said the fact-finding mission is speaking to witnesses and government officials in Turkey and Jordan. But Mr Monge said Israel has not granted the team an invitation. Israel's UN mission said today it was not commenting on the investigation. Israeli commandos killed nine pro-Palestinian activists trying to break the Jewish state's blockade of Gaza. Israel says the soldiers acted in self-defence. » Read more

Coalition rhetoric heats up as W. Bank freeze nears end ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Rebecca Anna Stoil - August 24, 2010 - 12:00am A month before the end of the West Bank new-construction moratorium and on the eve of direct peace talks in Washington, tensions rose Monday among government ministers regarding building in settlements on the day that the freeze expires. “Building will continue as usual, as normal,” promised National Infrastructures Minister Uzi Landau (Israel Beiteinu) during a midday interview on Radio Kol Chai. “Everyone will build as he wants to and needs to.” » Read more

Hope for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Aziz Abu Sarah - August 23, 2010 - 12:00am There many reasons to be pessimistic and at times to despair about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Yet even when things look hopeless, hope has a way of appearing, offering a vision of what can be rather than what is. Recently, I caught a glimpse of this hope in an unlikely place – the Israeli health care system. » Read more

US, Israel seek 'creative' solution for settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews August 24, 2010 - 12:00am Israeli officials confirmed Monday that the government is in quiet talks with the United States in search of a "creative" solution that will allow at least some limited construction to take place after Israel's 10-month moratorium ends on Sept. 26. "Many options are being discussed. It's not that simple," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor. In Washington, a US official confirmed the dialogue with Israel and said no decisions have been taken. » Read more

Mideast peace talks: Are Israel, Palestine just going through the motions? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Matthew Rusling - August 24, 2010 - 12:00am Friday's announcement of a new round of Middle East peace talks has stirred skepticism over whether the negotiations will amount to any meaningful progress. Moreover, some experts said both the Israelis and Palestinians are simply going through the motions in a bid to placate Washington. "In effect you have both sides just doing this to please the United States," said Michele Dunne, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Neither side believes that a negotiated solution can result from the talks, nor are they prepared to make major concessions, she said. » Read more

Israelis, Palestinians feud ahead of direct talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters August 23, 2010 - 12:00am Israeli and Palestinian leaders sparred on Monday over Jewish settlements and Israeli calls for security guarantees before the launch of Quartet-sponsored direct peace talks in Washington next week. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement he would demand any Palestinian state established under a peace deal be demilitarised. But he said he was not laying down any terms for the talks set to convene on Sept. 2. » Read more

Palestinian Authority slashes spending on vehicles ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Mohammed Assadi - August 23, 2010 - 12:00am The Palestinian Authority said on Monday it would implement measures to save on fuel and maintenance for its fleet of 2,000 vehicles, as part of spending cuts spurred by a decline in funding from Arab countries. Transport Minister Saadi al-Kronz told Reuters the cuts taking effect on Oct. 1 would restrict the use of government vehicles to working hours, and seek efficiency measures for further savings on fuel and licensing. Kronz hoped the measures would save millions of dollars each year and minimise a need to purchase new vehicles at an annual cost of about $10 million. » Read more