January 8th

Ahead Of Visit, Bush Talks Israel Ties -- And Pressure ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) by Ron Kampeas - January 8, 2008 - 6:09pm The message from the White House on the eve of President Bush's first presidential visit to Israel is that his staunch support for the Jewish state has set the stage for peace -- and given him room to exert some pressure on Jerusalem. Bush launches an eight-day tour of the region on Wednesday, beginning with three days in Israel and the West Bank and continuing to Persian Gulf states, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. » Read more

Baby Steps ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New Republic by Dennis Ross - (Commentary) January 8, 2008 - 6:08pm To: President George W. Bush From: Dennis Ross Subject: This week's visit with the Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority Mr. President, no doubt you have received many briefings on this topic, but having negotiated with everybody you will be seeing this week and having just returned from the area, I would like to convey a few impressions that I hope will be of use to you. » Read more

Politics & Policies: Mideast More Unstable ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Middle East Times by Claude Salhani - (Opinion) January 8, 2008 - 6:07pm It is under a cloud of heavy pessimism that U.S. President George W. Bush leaves for the Middle East, a region that one former administration official described as today being more dangerous, unstable and problematical for the United States than since before the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the former high-ranking member of the Bush administration said that most of the trends are bad and are not likely to get better anytime soon. "That's the context under which the president departs," he said. » Read more

Bush To Visit An Ambivalent Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Richard Bourdreaux - January 8, 2008 - 6:06pm For seven years, President Bush has been a distant defender of Israel, working from Washington to tilt America's policies in the Middle East more firmly behind its longtime ally. When he arrives here Wednesday on his first presidential visit, however, Bush will find an ambivalent Israeli public. It is appreciative of his efforts, yet critical of U.S. setbacks that have made the region feel more threatening. » Read more

On First Trip To Israel, Bush Hopes To Inject Vigor Into Peace Talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Michael Abramowitz, Jonathan Finer - (Opinion) January 8, 2008 - 6:05pm In the six weeks since Israeli and Palestinian leaders left Annapolis, Md., pledging to end "bloodshed, suffering and decades of conflict between our peoples," violence has escalated over long-standing territorial disputes and security concerns, leaving little optimism here on the eve of President Bush's visit that the fledgling dialogue will bring peace. » Read more

January 7, 2008 - Vol. 9, Issue 18 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Americans For Peace Now by Middle East Peace Report - January 8, 2008 - 6:04pm NO OUTPOST CRACKDOWN, PART I: On the eve of President George W. Bush’s visit to Israel, Peace Now held a demonstration at the site of the largest unauthorized West Bank settlement outpost. This outpost, known as Migron, was constructed on privately-owned Palestinian land and the Israeli government has repeatedly expressed to the High Court of Justice its intention to remove it. At the rally, former Knesset Member and Peace Now leader Mossi Raz said that all illegal outposts “must be evacuated now, and the settlements as well. » Read more

Bush Takes Altered Goals To Mideast ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Howard Lafranchi - January 8, 2008 - 6:04pm Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, President Bush has vowed to transform the Middle East for the sake of American security. This week, Mr. Bush sets off on a nine-day tour of a region that, if anything, has transformed him. » Read more

Drawing A New Map For Journalism In The Mideast ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Robert Worth - January 8, 2008 - 6:01pm IT has been almost four years since Abdul Rahman al-Rashed set out to cure Arab television of its penchant for radical politics and violence. It was never an easy task. But as the director of one of the leading satellite channels in the Middle East, he thinks he has made a difference. » Read more

January 7th

Peace And The Nation-state ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Eyal Chowers - (Opinion) January 7, 2008 - 6:25pm » Read more

Outposts / Status Quo Is Just Fine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Aluf Benn - (Opinion) January 7, 2008 - 6:24pm The archives of newspapers and Internet sites are filled with hundreds of reports from recent years along the following lines: "The government will soon remove the illegal outposts. The evacuation will be done gradually. Defense officials are worried about violent resistance by settlers and the hilltop youth." All these reports were belied: the Sharon and Olmert governments did not want to remove the West Bank outposts. They preferred to risk political and legal contempt, to be seen to have violated repeated promises to U.S. President George W. » Read more