Thirsty Gaza residents battle salt, sewage
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
by Erin Cunningham - March 22, 2010 - 12:00am


Activists around the world are marking World Water Day today with school campaigns, films, and concerts – all designed to draw attention to the fact that access to safe drinking water is something 1 in 5 people don't enjoy, while 40 percent of the world's population doesn't have adequate sanitation.


PA cabinet: No return to violence
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
March 23, 2010 - 12:00am


Ramallah – Ma'an - During its weekly cabinet meeting on Monday, the Palestinian government in Ramallah condemned the killing of four Palestinians in Nablus in less than 24 hours by Israel forces. The cabinet also condemned Israeli military strikes on the Gaza Strip.


Frankly, Clinton's right
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
(Editorial) March 22, 2010 - 12:00am


Friends tell friends when they're wrong, even when they don't want to hear it. That's what Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton did Monday when she told the American pro-Israel lobby that perpetuating the status quo with the Palestinians does not serve Israel's long-term security or U.S. strategic interests, and that "unilateral statements and actions" such as announcing new settlement construction undermine prospects for peace. It's not easy for a U.S. administration to stand up to powerful lobbies, so Clinton deserves credit for her frank remarks.


International Quartet Statement
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
March 20, 2010 - 12:00am


The Quartet -- United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, United States Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, United States Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell, and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union Catherine Ashton -- met in Moscow on 19 March 2010. They were joined by Quartet Representative Tony Blair.


Interview - Jewish settler leader sees building boom
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Allyn Fisher-Ilan - (Interview) March 23, 2010 - 12:00am


Source: Reuters * Settlers leader says it's all Jewish land * Sees no prospect of West Bank withdrawal * Predicts tripling of settlement population By Allyn Fisher-Ilan JERUSALEM, March 23 (Reuters) - Jewish settlement of the West Bank could triple to one million people despite Western pressure to curb the growth of enclaves in occupied land, says a leader of the Israeli settlers' council.


Hillary Clinton stands firm on Israel construction
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Paul Richter - March 23, 2010 - 12:00am


Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton gave no ground Monday on U.S. opposition to Israeli construction in disputed areas, signaling that Washington would continue pressing Israel during two days of high-profile events. Clinton told a powerful, pro-Israel lobbying organization that U.S.-Israeli ties were "rock solid." But she did not retreat from the Obama administration's condemnation this month of Israel's plans for 1,600 new housing units in disputed East Jerusalem.


U.S. to convey Israeli responses to Palestinians this week: official
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
March 23, 2010 - 12:00am


RAMALLAH, March 23 (Xinhua) -- The Palestinian leadership will on Thursday receive Israeli explanations through Washington over a U.S. offer to lead indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians, a Palestinian official said Tuesday. The offer was approved earlier this month, but Israeli plans to expand a Jewish settlement in disputed East Jerusalem shed more doubts on the success of the proximity negotiations before they started.


Settlements strain Israel's relationships with U.S. and Hillary Clinton
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Dana Milbank - (Opinion) March 23, 2010 - 12:00am


As members of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee entered the Washington Convention Center on Monday for their annual conference, a man stood outside, handing out copies of what he called "today's statement." On AIPAC letterhead, the statement trumpeted: "AIPAC Calls on the Israeli Government to Immediately Defuse Tensions with United States; Urges Israel to Freeze All Settlements."


A strong Obama is good for Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Akiva Eldar - March 23, 2010 - 12:00am


Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet a U.S. president Tuesday who is full of vigor and satisfaction. Barack Obama managed, albeit partially, where many other capable people, including his secretary of state, failed completely. The passage of the health reform bill became a true test of the president's strength. It would not be an exaggeration to say that leaders around the world watched the vote in Congress, and while some feared for the future of the president, others hoped that he would stumble and fall.


Anti-corruption campaigner is headache for Abbas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Karin Laub, Dalia Nammari - March 22, 2010 - 12:00am


After getting a top Palestinian official suspended over an embarrassing sex tape, self-styled anti-corruption campaigner Fahmi Shabaneh feels unstoppable. The former Palestinian intelligence agent is already zooming in on his next targets, including his former boss and a top Islamic court judge. He also set up a Web site so ordinary Palestinians can send him evidence of official misconduct, thievery and nepotism. "I'm going to the end," he said of his unprecedented crusade.



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