January 21st

Peres to Abbas: Resume talks or face new intifada ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff, Barak Ravid - January 21, 2010 - 1:00am President Shimon Peres recently warned Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that continuing the deadlock in negotiations with Israel could lead to a third intifada and that in delaying, Abbas was "playing with fire." On Wednesday, U.S. special envoy George Mitchell came to the region in another attempt to jump-start talks between Israel and the Palestinians. At a meeting at the President's Residence on Sunday, Peres told Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store about his discussions with Abbas. » Read more

Erekat: Netanyahu is sabotaging two-state solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jack Khoury - January 21, 2010 - 1:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to end the possibility of a two-state solution by insisting on a continued Israeli presence along a future Palestinian state's borders, chief Palestinian Authority negotiator Saeb Erekat told Israel Radio on Thursday. Erekat was responding to Netanyahu's Wednesday statement, according to which Israel would demand a continued military presence along the future Palestinian state's border with Jordan. » Read more

Mitchell in Israel Thursday, Palestine Friday ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 21, 2010 - 1:00am Bethlehem – Ma’an – Middle East Envoy for the United States George Mitchell announced his arrival in the region Thursday, where he will meet with Israeli officials and resume efforts to kickstart peace talks between Israel and Palestinians. Mitchell will meet with President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday, alongside members of the Palestinian leadership. In Israel Mitchell will meet the country's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shemon Peres, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, and leader of the opposition Tzipi Livni. » Read more

Israel removes American employed by Palestinian news agency ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Howard Schneider, Samuel Sockol - January 21, 2010 - 1:00am JERUSALEM -- The American editor of a Palestinian news agency was removed from Israel on Wednesday after being questioned by authorities about his "anti-Israeli" views. The case highlights what some nonprofit organizations say is a tightened Israeli policy toward foreign nationals who live or work in the occupied West Bank. It comes amid an intensifying feud over foreign government funding for organizations seen to promote Palestinian interests even as Israeli politicians and nongovernmental organizations try to curb the flow of money from outside. » Read more

January 20th

Staking claim underneath east Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Jane Corbin - (Analysis) January 18, 2010 - 1:00am It has been called the 'volcanic core' of the conflict and if there is ever to be peace between Palestinians and Israelis it will have to be made in the alleyways of this ancient city - holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Jerusalem was first divided into east and west in 1948 when the state of Israel was created and then the east of the city was annexed by the Israelis in 1967 following war with its Arab neighbours. » Read more

UN warns Israeli blockade puts Gazans' health at risk ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News January 20, 2010 - 1:00am The blockade of the Gaza Strip is putting residents' health at risk, the UN and aid groups have warned. Medical facilities and equipment are in disrepair, many damaged in Israel's military operation a year ago have not been rebuilt, they said. Some 27 patients died last year waiting to be referred out of Gaza, they said. Israel and Egypt deny entry to all but basic humanitarian supplies, in order to prevent Gaza's Hamas rulers firing rockets at Israel, they say. » Read more

Why Has Israel's Press Freedom Ranking Taken a Crash Dive? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Benjamin Joffe-Walt - (Opinion) January 18, 2010 - 1:00am For decades it has been a source of honor and dignity for Israel's defenders: the nascent democracy has consistently been ranked well above all other Middle Eastern nations in its level of press freedom. Israel's free press status, confirmed each year by a number of international organizations from the US-based Freedom House to Reporters Without Borders, has withstood a number of wars, political revolts and Palestinian Intifadas. » Read more

Futile Missions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Faisal Al Rfouh - (Opinion) January 20, 2010 - 1:00am The upcoming visit of US Middle East envoy George Mitchell, to meet with Israeli and Palestinian leaders, is unlikely to yield fruitful results because of the differing attitudes of the concerned parties. The Mitchell mission was set up by President Barack Obama just two days after his inauguration in January last year, to facilitate negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The US concern for the Middle East crisis seemingly became serious in the aftermath of September 11, as can be witnessed from the number of “special envoys” appointed since then. » Read more

Obama's year-one: low marks for all ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Rami Khouri - (Opinion) January 20, 2010 - 1:00am The first anniversary of Barack Obama’s presidency is a good time to review his performance in the Middle East, and the Middle East’s performance vis-à-vis the United States. The exercise is depressing, but useful, especially when it comes to the Arab-Israeli conflict that remains the central destabilizing factor in the wider region. It is unfair only to measure Obama’s performance, and ignore the Israeli and Arab principal players in this prolonged drama of stalemate and stagnation. » Read more

Encountering Peace: Israel - a leader among the community of nations ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - (Opinion) January 18, 2010 - 1:00am Humanitarian disasters around the world bring out the best in Israel and in Israelis. The horrific devastation caused by the earthquake in Haiti and the scenes of unbearable human suffering brought about an immediate enlistment of both civilian and public efforts to come to the aid of the poorest nation in the Western hemisphere. » Read more