October 3rd

Israelis and Palestinians embrace only parts of peace initiative
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Edmund Sanders - October 2, 2011 - 12:00am

Reporting from Jerusalem— Israelis and Palestinians are struggling to respond to the latest international peace initiative, with each side embracing parts they liked and dismissing those they didn't. More than a week after the group known as the Mideast quartet launched its effort to get the two sides back to the bargaining table, neither Israel nor the Palestinian Authority has formally accepted or rejected the initiative as a whole, reflecting an apparent desire to avoid alienating the body, which is composed of the U.S., European Union, United Nations and Russia.

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Two Weeks at the United Nations: a New Regional Order Taking Shape
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Raghida Dergham - (Opinion) September 30, 2011 - 12:00am

Over the past two weeks, the UN General Assembly witnessed a historic event that soon became the focus of diplomats and the media equally. The event was none other than the address by the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the international community, demanding full membership for Palestine at the United Nations, in what has proven to be a stand for pride and one that has changed the balance of power at numerous levels, both regionally and internationally. Yet the Palestinian episode did not alone engross the heads of state and ministers.

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Palestinian Authority risks funding squeeze
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Vita Bekker - October 2, 2011 - 12:00am

TEL AVIV // The Palestinian Authority faces possible financial ruin for defying Israeli and American opposition to its quest to seek statehood recognition from the United Nations. Israel's finance minister, Yuval Steinitz, has repeatedly threatened in recent weeks that Israel would stop transferring the customs and tax revenue that it collects on the Palestinian Authority's behalf. That US$1.3 billion (Dh4.8bn) in annual fees is critical to the Palestinian Authority, accounting for about two thirds of its revenue.

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Mahmoud Abbas: 'Of whom should I be afraid?'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
by Raghida Dergham - (Interview) September 30, 2011 - 12:00am

Raghida Dergham, a columnist for the pan-Arab newspaper Al-Hayat, is a contributing correspondent to the Global Viewpoint Network. She met with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in New York earlier this week. It was the first interview with Abbas following his historic Sept. 23 speech before the UN General Assembly. Raghida Dergham: Mr. President, how did you feel at the moment you stood before the General Assembly? At that historic moment as you stood there, how did you feel personally?

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Panetta: Congress decision to freeze PA aid a mistake
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Yoav Zitun - October 3, 2011 - 12:00am

US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Monday that Congress's decision to freeze $200 million in aid to the Palestinians was a mistake. Panetta, who is visiting Israel for the first time since he assumed the role of US defense secretary, also noted that any Israeli strike on Iran must be coordinated with countries in the region.

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Panetta Says Israel Is Risking Isolation
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
October 3, 2011 - 12:00am

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta warned on Sunday that Israel was becoming increasingly isolated in the Middle East, and said Israeli leaders must restart negotiations with the Palestinians and work to restore relations with Egypt and Turkey.

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The raison d'être of the American Task Force on Palestine
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from American Task Force on Palestine
by Ziad Asali - September 30, 2011 - 12:00am

The raison d'être of the American Task Force on Palestine

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Mosque Set on Fire in Northern Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Isabel Kershner - October 3, 2011 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM — A mosque in an Arab village in the Galilee, northern Israel, was set on fire in the early hours of Monday morning in what police said was an arson attack, and its walls were defaced with Hebrew graffiti. The perpetrators were widely suspected of being Jewish extremists. The fire caused “serious damage” to the mosque in the village of Tuba-Zangariya, according to Micky Rosenfeld, a police spokesman.

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September 30th

NEWS: The PLO welcomes the Quartet statement and repeats its commitment to negotiations, but reiterates its call for a settlement freeze. International condemnation of Israel's new settlement plans grows. The corruption trial of a PA minister is again postponed. Palestinians continue to seek Security Council support, focusing on Portugal, Colombia and Bosnia. The European Parliament calls Palestinian statehood initiatives “legitimate.” A new report suggests the occupation is costing Palestinians about $7 billion a year. COMMENTARY: Charles Krauthammer claims the absence of peace is all the fault of the Palestinians. Barbara F. Walter and Andrew Kydd say the Palestinians are finally pursuing an intelligent foreign policy and have created a win-win scenario for themselves. Aijaz Zaka Syed says the debate over Palestinian membership shows that the UN is fundamentally undemocratic. Khalaf Al Habtoor says it's time for Arabs to wholeheartedly support the Palestinian statehood initiative. George Hishmeh says now that Israel has its new settlement announcements, maybe Pres. Obama can understand Pres. Abbas' perspective better. Shira Hetzog says the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is too volatile to wait for the next US election for progress. Lara Friedman says the new Israeli settlement expansion in occupied East Jerusalem was entirely predictable. Steve Spiegel says poor Israeli, Palestinian and American strategies led to the UN imbroglio.

Another (Predictable) Jerusalem Settlement Announcement
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Americans For Peace Now
by Lara Friedman - (Opinion) September 30, 2011 - 12:00am

As the entire world now knows, yesterday an Israeli planning committee approved Plan 13261, Mordot Gilo - South (aka "Gilo Slopes") - a plan for large-scale settlement construction in East Jerusalem, adjacent to the settlement of Gilo (map, courtesy of Daniel Seidemann). This development was predictable (and predicted). Which is really the theme here.

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