September 29th

Real reform in Israel is a distant prospect ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Ben White - September 27, 2009 - 12:00am Once again, issues like the settlement "freeze" are dominating the official peace process, ignoring not only core questions like Israel's "matrix of control", but also the status of Palestinian citizens of Israel. While the increasingly overt racism of Knesset members has got its fair share of headlines, other important developments have escaped scrutiny outside the region. » Read more

Palestinians 'close to agreement' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Christian Fraser - September 28, 2009 - 12:00am Exiled Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal says all Palestinian factions are drawing close to agreement on Egypt's proposals for Palestinian reconciliation. Mr Meshaal has met the head of Egyptian intelligence, Omar Suleiman, to give his answer to the proposals. He said Hamas have given some thoughts on how the draft might be adjusted - but in principle will return by the end of October to sign a final draft. Fatah and Hamas have been divided since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. » Read more

UN scrutinises Gaza 'war crimes' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News September 29, 2009 - 12:00am The UN's main human rights watchdog has begun a debate on a damning report into Israel's military operation against Gaza eight months ago. It is seen as a test of US engagement with the Human Rights Council, which was shunned by President George W Bush. The US, which is Israel's main ally, has criticised elements of the report. The report, widely lauded by human rights groups, accuses both Israel and its militant Palestinian adversary Hamas of war crimes in the campaign. » Read more

PM's emissaries to meet Mitchell in DC ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roni Sofer - September 29, 2009 - 12:00am Mike Herzog and Attorney Yitzhak Molcho, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's emissaries on the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, will leave for Washington Tuesday, to meet with the US' special envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell. The three are expected to discuss ways to reignite the stalled peace process . The meeting follows Netanyahu's meeting with US President Barack Obama and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during the UN General Assembly in New York last week. Obama demanded Israel and the Palestinian Authority make some serious headway by mid October. » Read more

Israel envoys head to U.S. for talks on relaunching peace talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - September 29, 2009 - 12:00am Israel and the U.S. will continue their talks in Washington on Wednesday on bridging the open issues between Israel and the Palestinian Authority that are delaying the relaunching of peace negotiations. Formulating the framework for the negotiations and the "terms of reference," or the opening conditions, are the focus of the talks in Washington. At the same time the sides will continue negotiating the terms of the settlement construction freeze. » Read more

Israel ramps up efforts to block Hamas fund-raising network ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Anshel Pfeffer - September 29, 2009 - 12:00am The defense establishment recently relaunched its campaign with its Western partners to block Hamas' fund-raising network, Haaretz has learned. The government, meanwhile, is considering launching an awareness campaign to highlight the link between fund-raising for Palestinian causes and terror funding. Israeli efforts have had some success in recent years, when Western governments forced certain charity organizations to reveal their records and sever ties with the Charity Coalition, the umbrella organization for groups that raise funds for Hamas abroad. » Read more

Israel, U.S. working on bridging issues to restart PA talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - September 29, 2009 - 12:00am Israel and the U.S. will continue their talks in Washington tomorrow on bridging the open issues between Israel and the Palestinian Authority that are delaying the reopening of peace negotiations. Formulating the framework for the negotiations and the "terms of reference" are the focus of the talks in Washington. At the same time the sides will continuing negotiating over the length of the settlement construction freeze. » Read more

Report: Abbas drops demand for settlement freeze under US pressure ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 29, 2009 - 12:00am Two key Israeli officials are headed to Washington on Wednesday for continued talks leading up to renewed peace negotiations with the Palestinian Authority. An aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attorney Yitzhak Molcho, and Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak's chief of staff, Michael Herzog will attend the talks with US Middle East envoy George Mitchell and senior White House officials, according to the newspaper Haaretz. » Read more

Report: Israel threatening to block cell provider over war crimes case ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 29, 2009 - 12:00am Israel is threatening to withhold permission for a second Palestinian cellular phone network if the Palestinian Authority (PA) does not withdraw its call for the International Criminal Court (ICC) to look into allegations of Israeli war crimes in Gaza, a leading Israeli newspaper said on Sunday. Tel Aviv-based Haaretz quoted Israeli security sources saying that the PA’s appeal to the ICC in The Hague has incensed military leaders. Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi is reportedly withholding his approval for mobile provider Wataniya because of the legal petition. » Read more

Yearning for the Golan Heights: why Syria wants it back ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Julien Barnes-Dacey - September 28, 2009 - 12:00am The US demonstrated its commitment to reengage Syria as a partner for Middle East peace Monday, advancing a process that some Arab countries had declared dead in recent weeks. At Washington's invitation – the first one extended to a high-ranking Syrian official in five years – Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal Mekdad came to town to meet US officials. » Read more