March 9th

As Biden Visits, Israel Unveils Plan for New Settlements
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Ethan Bronner - March 9, 2010 - 1:00am

JERUSALEM — Hours after Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. vowed unyielding American support for Israel’s security here on Tuesday, Israel’s interior ministry announced 1,600 new housing units for Jews in East Jerusalem, prompting Mr. Biden to condemn the move as “precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now.” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was clearly embarrassed at the move by his interior minister, Eli Yishai, head of the right-wing Shas party who has made Jewish settlement in East Jerusalem one of his central causes.

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Statement by Vice President Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from
March 9, 2010 - 1:00am

"I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem. The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I’ve had here in Israel. We must build an atmosphere to support negotiations, not complicate them. This announcement underscores the need to get negotiations under way that can resolve all the outstanding issues of the conflict.

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New talks may be Mitchell's moment
Media Mention of Hussein Ibish In Politico - March 8, 2010 - 1:00am

For much of the past year as he has shuttled dozens of times to the Middle East and Europe quietly trying to persuade Israelis and Palestinians back to the peace table, U.S. Special Envoy George Mitchell has borne the brunt of criticism of both those offended by the Obama administration’s early pressure on Israel to halt new settlements on the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and others disappointed that Obama failed to follow through when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu refused to stop the new construction as a precondition for negotiations.

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From proximity to peace?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
(Editorial) March 9, 2010 - 1:00am

THE OBAMA administration appears near to a diplomatic achievement it expected long ago: the relaunch of negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. It will be a modest start -- not a big conference or a convocation to Camp David but "proximity talks," in which envoy George J. Mitchell will shuttle between the two camps. This is, in one sense, a step backward for Israeli-Palestinian relations, since the two sides have been talking directly to each other, off and on, since 1991. But Mr.

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VP Biden arrives in Israel, reiterates US security guarantees, urges the parties to take risks for peace and is interviewed by al-Hayat. The Washington Post looks at the occupation in Hebron. The PA condemns Israel's announcement of 112 new settlement units near Bethlehem. Israel agrees to allow UNSG Ban and other international officials into Gaza, and will resume issuing visas to international NGO workers. Palestinian opposition groups predict the failure of proximity talks. Israel is accused of mistreating young Palestinian protesters. Alex Fishman says the PA is seeking a large victory in July municipal elections. The BBC profiles Israel's law banning Palestinian spouses from entering the country. Israel's deputy mayor in Jerusalem is considering opening an office in Sheikh Jarrah to help Jewish settlers, and the IPS says the controversy has awakened the Israeli left. The occupation complicates Israel's bid for OECD membership and Seth Freedman says the OECD is falling short of its responsibilities. The JTA profiles PM Fayyad. Osama Al Sharif warns of the dangers of another intifada.

Israeli Left Emerges From Coma Amid Atrocities
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS)
by Mel Frykberg - March 9, 2010 - 1:00am

On Saturday night over 3,000 Palestinian, Israeli and foreign peace activists, waving Palestinian flags and shouting "Free Sheikh Jarrah", gathered in the East Jerusalem suburb in support of Palestinians threatened with home demolitions and evictions. Progressive members of the Israeli Knesset, or parliament, called for the removal of illegal Israeli settlers in East Jerusalem and for the rights of Palestinian residents to be respected.

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The perils of a new intifada
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by Osama Al-Sharif - (Opinion) March 8, 2010 - 1:00am

If last Friday's incident at the Al Haram Al Sharif compound means anything it is this: Israel's right-wing government is out of control and is bent on executing a malicious scheme to undermine Palestinian rights.

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Biden to Al-Hayat: Bold Steps Required to Advance the Peace Process
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Joyce Karam - (Interview) March 8, 2010 - 1:00am

On the eve of his highly anticipated trip to the Middle East, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden emphasized in an interview with Al-Hayat the need for “bold steps” from Palestinians and Israelis to make progress on the Peace Process, and promised a “sustained and active” American role in the upcoming proximity negotiations. Mr. Biden talked about the lack of trust for the Iranian leadership and expected from China, a member of the P5+1, to “fulfill its responsibilities” on the issue of sanctions.

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Israel given one year to tell truth about settlers
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Jonathan Cook - March 7, 2010 - 1:00am

Israel has been told that its accession to an exclusive club of the world’s most developed economies is all but assured when the 30 member states meet in May. But a draft report of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), seen by The National, concedes that Israel has breached one of the organisation’s key requirements on providing accurate and transparent data on its economic activity.

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Salam Fayyad: The Palestinian with a plan for statehood
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
by Leslie Susser - (Analysis) March 8, 2010 - 1:00am

Pundits and politicians have taken recently to comparing Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to Israel's founding father, David Ben-Gurion. No less a figure than President Shimon Peres, one of Ben-Gurion's foremost disciples, is the latest Israeli leader to offer the accolade. The reason is simple: Like Ben-Gurion, Fayyad is building institutions of statehood.

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