May 23rd

Israel approves 294 new W. Bank homes in Betar Illit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post May 22, 2011 - 12:00am The Defense Ministry has approved the construction of 294 new homes in Betar Illit, the second largest West Bank Jewish city, located near the Gush Etzion settlement bloc. Although the approval was granted at the end of April, it was first publicized in the last few days – including by Peace Now on Sunday – as part of an overall report on settlement activity. News of the Betar Illit units came as Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon traveled to another settlement bloc, Ma’aleh Adumim, and called for more building there, particularly in an area known as E-1. » Read more

When peace met partisanship ATFP World Press Roundup Article from by David Halperin, Peter Joseph - (Opinion) May 22, 2011 - 12:00am The criticism of President Obama’s speech this week, in particular the reaction to the statement that “the borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps,” underscores the lamentable, polarized discourse in our nation – and in the Jewish community – when it comes to Israel and the pursuit of a lasting two-state solution. » Read more

Let’s sit and do nothing ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ahmad Tibi - (Opinion) May 23, 2011 - 12:00am Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished Congress members. Again we meet, while the world remains the same. Israel faces threats of extermination; we are being persecuted and are getting no rest. As your ally, I came here to draw encouragement for the “sit and do nothing” policy I’ve been leading with great skill. » Read more

The Israeli reality that Obama doesn't understand ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Merav Michaeli - (Opinion) May 23, 2011 - 12:00am "President Obama doesn't understand the reality," according to "associates" of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who spoke after the meeting between the two leaders. And when that is the headline of the daily Yisrael Hayom, it is clearly Netanyahu's headline: "President Obama doesn't understand the reality." » Read more

Netanyahu caught unprepared by Obama's stern message ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Adam Gonn - May 22, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried on Sunday to smooth over speculation of a personal falling out with United States President Barack Obama. It was during a televised meeting between the two at the White House on Friday that Netanyahu, in unusually blunt words, criticized Obama for his Middle East policy speech delivered the previous day. » Read more

Obama's speeches lay basis for peace process: PLO official ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua May 23, 2011 - 12:00am U.S. President Barack Obama's recent speeches have laid the basis for starting a serious peace process between the Palestinians and Israel, an official of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) said Monday. Yasser Abed Rabbo of the PLO added that it is possible for the Palestinians to resume negotiations with Israel in line with Obama 's vision that the borders between Israel and the future Palestinian state should be the pre-1967 lines with mutually agreed land swaps. However, Abed Rabbo stressed that Israel must accept Obama's calls first. » Read more

Obama eases Israeli anger on Mideast peace vision ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Caren Bohan, Matt Spetalnick - May 22, 2011 - 12:00am President Barack Obama on Sunday eased Israeli anger over his new Middle East peace proposals when he made clear that the Jewish state would likely be able to negotiate keeping some settlements in any final deal with the Palestinians. Obama repeated his view that long-stalled peace talks should start on the basis of Israel's 1967 borders, an assertion that had infuriated Israeli leaders, exposed a rift between the two allies and raised further doubts about peace prospects. » Read more

Palestinians more skeptical about Mideast talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Karin Laub - May 21, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian officials said Saturday that Israel's dismissive response to President Barack Obama's new Mideast peace proposal proves there's not enough common ground for meaningful negotiations. Despite such skepticism, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas seemed in no hurry to announce his next move. He instructed his advisers to avoid public comment, presumably to keep attention focused on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who appears to be set on a collision course with Obama. » Read more

Mideast peace talks would face huge obstacles ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Dan Perry - May 22, 2011 - 12:00am President Barack Obama wants Israelis and Palestinians to return to the bargaining table, and he repeated the call Sunday in a speech to Israel supporters. But it seems unlikely this will happen anytime soon — and even if it did, the sides would find a formidable array of obstacles to agreement. Obama is clearly aware of this, telling the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that "no matter how hard it may be to start meaningful negotiations under the current circumstances, we must acknowledge that a failure to try is not an option." » Read more

Obama's 'Jewish state' reference jars Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Josef Federman - May 23, 2011 - 12:00am U.S.-Israel tension over Barack Obama's endorsement of Israel's pre-1967 borders is obscuring a flip side of the Middle East coin: The past days' speeches by the U.S. president contained difficult challenges for the Palestinians as well. » Read more