Israeli official: Moroccan king won't meet Peres ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Amy Teibel - October 18, 2010 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — The king of Morocco has rejected a request to meet with Israel's president because of the impasse in Mideast peacemaking, an aide to the Israeli statesman said Monday in a new diplomatic fallout from the deadlocked peace talks. President Shimon Peres had asked to meet with King Mohammed VI on the sidelines of an upcoming international conference in Marrakech. But the monarch — citing the stalled talks — said the timing wasn't right, the aide said. » Read more

A devious plan ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News (Editorial) October 17, 2010 - 12:00am With the Palestinians already threatening to walk away from the Middle East peace talks unless Israel renews its partial ban on West Bank settlements, the unveiling of 238 new homes for Jewish settlers in East Jerusalem could well kill off the negotiations. » Read more

Israeli soldier jailed for stealing from raid ship ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters October 18, 2010 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, Oct 18 (Reuters) - An Israeli military court sentenced a soldier to five months in jail on Monday for stealing from a ship where nine pro-Palestinian Turkish activists were killed in an Israeli commando raid. The soldier, who did not take part in the May 31 assault, admitted he stole a laptop and camera lenses from the Mavi Marmara after the Turkish-flagged ship, which had been trying to run an Israeli blockade of Gaza, was seized and brought to an Israeli port. » Read more

Abbas: Netanyahu fears govt collapse ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 18, 2010 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- President Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday that Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu told him he could not extend the settlement moratorium "because he fears his government might collapse." In an interview with Israel's Channel 1, Abbas further said "the government isn't more valuable than peace, neither is it more valuable than the future of both peoples." » Read more

Israeli settlement building surges as US pushes for a new freeze ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - October 15, 2010 - 12:00am Beitar Illit, West Bank — In the two and a half weeks since Israel's settlement freeze expired, there's been a surge in construction on new West Bank homes, dimming prospect the Palestinians will agree to resume peace talks. "The resumption at this scale makes it more complicated to make arrangement that will allow a resumption of talks," says Palestinian government spokesman Ghassan Khatib. "They are putting more sticks in the wheels.'' » Read more

Israel Renews Bid to Free Soldier Held by Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - October 17, 2010 - 12:00am JERUSALEM —Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel had recently renewed contacts with a German mediator to negotiate the release of a captured Israeli soldier, Staff Sgt. Gilad Shalit, who is being held by Hamas. Related “We are working all the time and in various ways to try to bring Gilad back,” Mr. Netanyahu told Israel’s Army Radio. “One of those ways, even the main way, is through negotiations, which indeed resumed a few weeks ago.” » Read more

Israel Renews Bid to Free Soldier Held by Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - October 17, 2010 - 12:00am JERUSALEM —Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel had recently renewed contacts with a German mediator to negotiate the release of a captured Israeli soldier, Staff Sgt. Gilad Shalit, who is being held by Hamas. Related “We are working all the time and in various ways to try to bring Gilad back,” Mr. Netanyahu told Israel’s Army Radio. “One of those ways, even the main way, is through negotiations, which indeed resumed a few weeks ago.” » Read more