August 25th

Discrimination from within and without ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Bassem Eid - (Opinion) August 24, 2010 - 12:00am Nathan Brown, a professor of political science and international affairs at George Washington University, wrote a timely report last month entitled “Are the Palestinians Building A State?” His paper discussed the Palestinian Authority under Salam Fayyad and his claims to be building the institutional apparatus necessary for a Palestinian state. The report acknowledged that he is “unmistakably doing so in an authoritarian context.” » Read more

US official: We want full peace deal in 1 year ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roni Sofer - August 24, 2010 - 12:00am A partial peace deal between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, even if achieved within a year, will not satisfy Washington, a US official said Tuesday. The American official told reporters in Jerusalem that the upcoming peace summit in Washington aims to strike a full peace agreement between the parties. The official rejected the possibility of "only" a partial or interim peace deal within the timeframe set for the peace talks. » Read more

Likud hawks convene against freeze ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Atilla Somfalvi - August 24, 2010 - 12:00am With the Washington peace summit a mere week away, Likud members who are right off the party's political line are gearing for several protests meant to ensure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knows his party will not abide the continuous suspension of settlement activity. Members of the Likud's "right wing" have decided to hold a protest rally while Netanyahu is in Washington. Several senior Likud and Knesset members are expected to take part in it. » Read more

U.S. warns Israel, Palestinians: Refrain from harming peace talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - August 24, 2010 - 12:00am The Obama administration expects Israel to refrain from making any move that could potentially damage peace talks with the Palestinians once they begin, United States Middle East envoy George Mitchell has told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mitchell conveyed the same message to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. In recent days, Abbas has made clear that if Israel renews building in West Bank settlements, after a 10-month freeze on settlement construction on September 27, the Palestinian Authority will abandon the direct peace talks. » Read more

Iraq pullout makes Israeli-Palestinian peace crucial for U.S. ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - August 25, 2010 - 12:00am Despite the fact that they occurred almost simultaneously, any connection between the withdrawal of American combat troops from Iraq and Washington's invitation of the leaders of Jordan and Egypt to a summit inaugurating direct Israel-Palestinian talks might appear to be entirely coincidental. » Read more

In response to vague talks, Jewish groups deliver vague message ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Ron Kampeas - August 23, 2010 - 12:00am Two weeks before their launch, the promised renewal of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks has already engendered a first: a joint statement of welcome by mainstream U.S. Jewish and Palestinian groups. "We congratulate the Obama administration on succeeding in getting direct negotiations back on track," said a statement issued jointly on Friday by the Jewish Council for Public Affairs and the American Task Force on Palestine. "Both parties must now show courage, flexibility and persistence in order to move towards a negotiated end of conflict agreement." » Read more

August 2011 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Aluf Benn - (Opinion) August 25, 2010 - 12:00am The immediate result of the announced resumption of direct Israeli-Palestinian talks was the setting of a new target date on the Middle Eastern calendar: August 2011. That is when talks on all permanent-status issues, as well as Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's project of building a Palestinian state-in-the-making, are both due to conclude. » Read more

Top U.S. negotiators in Israel to soothe tensions ahead of Washington peace talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - August 25, 2010 - 12:00am Two top U.S. officials were scheduled to arrive in Israel Wednesday to begin preliminary negotiations ahead of next week's diplomatic summit in Washington, the first direct Israeli-Palestinian talks in 20 months. The two officials are Daniel Shapiro, a top National Security Council staffer handling Israel and neighboring countries, and David Hale, deputy to special Mideast envoy George Mitchell. Each official will meet separately with Isaac Molho - an adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and head of the Israeli negotiating team - and chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat. » Read more

Demonstrators challenge Israel's Gaza restricted area ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua August 25, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian and international activists on Tuesday removed parts of a security fence the Israeli army has installed along its borders with the Gaza Strip, witnesses said. The incident took place during a demonstration organized by humanitarian and social activists against the enforcement of a 300- meter wide buffer zone along Gaza's northern and eastern borders with Israel. Tens of people, including some international campaigners and farmers, participated in the rally which started from the border town of Beit Hanoun and headed towards the Israeli fence, waving Palestinian flags. » Read more

PNA-Israeli direct talks illegal: Syria-based Hamas leader ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua August 25, 2010 - 12:00am Damascus-based Hamas leader Khalid Mashaal said Tuesday that the direct talks between the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and Israel are illegal and under U.S. coercion. "The direct negotiations lack for the Palestinian and Arab approval, which means they lack for the legitimacy," Mashaal said during an Iftar (the meal after fast over) on Tuesday. "Palestinian negotiators are isolated as they bet on the United States instead of the Palestinian people," he said. » Read more