Netanyahu's speech: Yes to road map, no to settlement freeze ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Aluf Benn, Barak Ravid - June 11, 2009 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will announce in his foreign policy speech scheduled for Sunday the adoption of the road map and the "two-state solution" for settling the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, according to sources close to the prime minister. The sources said the speech will "revolve around the road map." Netanyahu will present a few conditions for the implementation of the road map, above all a Palestinian recognition of Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people. He will also demand that the future Palestinian state be demilitarized. » Read more

Peres calls for Palestinian state with provisional borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz December 31, 1969 - 8:00pm Israel and the Palestinians should move onto the second stage of the road map peace plan, which stipulates the establishment of a Palestinian state with provisional borders, President Shimon Peres said on Thursday. Peres made the comments during a meeting with the European Union's chief foreign policy official, Javier Solana, with whom he discussed the latest developments in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. » Read more

US envoy backs 'Palestinian aspirations' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News June 10, 2009 - 12:00am The US is seeking a "early conclusion" of peace talks leading to Palestinian statehood, its special Mid-East envoy said after talks in Ramallah. Former Senator George Mitchell was speaking to reporters after meeting Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank town. The US is experiencing unusual tension in relations with Israel over its opposition to Palestinian independence. He said meeting both sides' aspirations was the "only viable solution". » Read more

More than Hamas’s rhetoric must change ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Opinion) June 10, 2009 - 12:00am Just over a month ago, Khaled Meshaal, the Damascus-based leader of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, referring to Barack Obama’s commitment to Israeli-Palestinian peace, declared: “I promise the American administration and the international community that we will be part of the solution, period.” Reading between the lines of the New York Times interview where he delivered this remark, Meshaal’s position was far less flexible than his statement of intent. Still, there is something interesting about Hamas’s recent rhetoric. » Read more

Mitchell calls for ‘peace’ with Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press June 11, 2009 - 12:00am The US envoy George Mitchell called today for Arab states to take “meaningful steps and important actions” to make peace with Israel, after talks with the Egyptian foreign minister Ahmed Abul Gheit. Mr Mitchell arrived in Cairo from Israel and the Palestinian territories, reiterating Washington’s position that a Palestinian state was the only viable answer to the Middle East conflict. “We are working hard to achieve our objective, a comprehensive peace in the Middle East, including a Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel,” Mr Mitchell told reporters. » Read more

Real hope for peace process ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) June 10, 2009 - 12:00am Whatever one may think of Barack Hussain Obama's speech in Cairo last week, there was no doubt it was historic and unprecedented for an American president. By any measure he was eloquent and charismatic and sounded genuinely eager for a new beginning with the Arab and Muslim world. » Read more

Obama proving true to his word ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Francis Matthew - June 10, 2009 - 12:00am Very few expected US President Barack Obama's speech to Muslims to lead to action on the Middle East so quickly. Only a week after Obama set out a whole new philosophy on how America would like to approach Muslims, George Mitchell, his special envoy to the Middle East, is already travelling in the region and looking at how to find a way forward in the Palestinian peace process. » Read more