March 10th

Paradigm shift on Gaza needed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Husam Zomlot - (Opinion) March 9, 2009 - 12:00am Last week's donor conference at Sharm Al Shaikh for the reconstruction of Gaza produced no great news. The pledged $5 billion (Dh18.35 billion) for a two-year recovery and reconstruction package will help to rebuild houses and infrastructure; only for Israel to destroy them again at the earliest opportunity. This has been a recurring theme in Palestine for the past 15 years. » Read more

Israel offers amnesty to 20 Fatah militants: sources ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 10, 2009 - 12:00am Israel has given amnesty to 20 wanted militants of President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement in the West Bank city of Nablus, senior Palestinian security sources said Tuesday. Israel has officially informed the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) that its security apparatus decided to offer amnesty to 20 wanted militants, who are members of al-Aqsa MartyrsBrigades, Fatah's armed wing, said the sources who declined to give their names. » Read more

Israeli Settlers Terrorize Palestinian Villagers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Mel Frykberg - March 10, 2009 - 12:00am "I couldn't run. My pregnancy was too far advanced and there was nowhere to hide," said Amna Salman Rabaye, 31, as she recalled the terrifying incident several months ago. Rabaye from the Palestinian Bedouin village of At Tuwani in the southern West Bank was grazing her sheep when she was assaulted by a security guard from the adjacent illegal Israeli settlement of Ma'on. "We saw a group of masked Israeli settlers armed with sticks and chains heading towards us. The younger shepherds ran and managed to escape, leaving me with the flock of sheep," Rabaye told IPS. » Read more

Palestinians meet in Egypt to agree on unity gov't ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Alaa Shahine - March 10, 2009 - 12:00am Rival Palestinian groups began crucial talks on Tuesday in Egypt to agree on the formation of a unity government that would prepare for presidential and legislative elections and oversee the reconstruction of Gaza. Diplomats and analysts see the success of the Egyptian-sponsored talks as key to reunite Palestinians after 18 months of schism between Hamas-ruled Gaza and the West Bank, where the Fatah group of President Mahmoud Abbas hold sway. » Read more

'Special regime' touted as solution for Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) March 10, 2009 - 12:00am A solution to Jerusalem could be a "special regime" that administers the Old City without dividing it, leaving the thorny issue of sovereignty for a future date, two former diplomats wrote. In the March/April issue of Foreign Affairs, professors Michael Bell of Canada and Daniel Kurtzer of the United States, both former ambassadors in the Middle East, propose a way to deal with Jerusalem in Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. They suggest creating an impartial, Old City Special Regime (OCSR) chosen by Israelis and Palestinians together, that would appoint a chief administrator. » Read more

Israeli West Bank mines 'illegal' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News March 9, 2009 - 12:00am An Israeli human rights group has filed a petition at the High Court demanding an immediate halt to Israeli mining operations in the West Bank. The group, Yesh Din, accuses Israel of breaking international law by exploiting the occupied territory's resources for its own gain. It says Israel has never conducted a thorough review of the practice. But Israel says the procedures are in line with both international law and agreements with the Palestinians. » Read more

March 9th

U.S. turns up heat on Israel over settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - March 9, 2009 - 12:00am Israel is under increased pressure from the United States over settlement construction. In the past month, since Barack Obama was sworn in as U.S. president, Israel has received four official complaints from members of the new administration regarding various issues linked to West Bank settlements. » Read more

Bibi has a partner ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) March 9, 2009 - 12:00am Shortly after the Annapolis Summit, Nabil Fahmy, former Egyptian ambassador to the U.S., was invited to a farewell meeting at the White House. President George W. Bush was in a jovial mood. "Condi [former secretary of state Condoleezza Rice] and I are very optimistic about the peace process," the president said, "but Elliot [Abrams] is quite pessimistic." The veteran Egyptian diplomat turned to look at Abrams, at the time charged with the Middle East portfolio at the National Security Council. » Read more

World takes dim view of Lieberman in FM post ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yoav Stern - March 9, 2009 - 12:00am American and European officials have thus far declined to comment publicly on the expected appointment of Yisrael Beiteinu chairman Avigdor Lieberman as foreign minister. Behind the scenes, however, many officials are asking whether this appointment is really necessary - and newspapers on both continents are criticizing the move openly. The official position in Washington is that Barack Obama's administration will work with whatever Israeli government is ultimately established. Beyond that, American officials are keeping mum. » Read more

The New Contenders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Tariq Alhomayed - (Opinion) March 9, 2009 - 12:00am The first comment we heard from Hezbollah with regards to its opening of channels of communication with the British Foreign Office is that this is "a step in the right direction." However Westminster has said that this step is nothing more than floating a trial balloon, yet Hezbollah Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qasim welcomed the new language! » Read more