Netanyahu's 'no freeze in Jerusalem' declarations are hollow ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - April 23, 2010 - 12:00am The prime minister's response Thursday on Channel 2 that "there will be no freeze [in construction] in Jerusalem," is like Bill Clinton's "I did not have sex with that woman." Benjamin Netanyahu did not insist this time that he will continue construction in Ramat Shlomo, Gilo and Har Homa - something he is leaving for Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to do. Based on the speeches the two gave on Independence Day, Jerusalem Day came early this year. » Read more

Netanyahu amenable to Palestinian state within temporary borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Aluf Benn - April 23, 2010 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is amenable to an interim agreement in the West Bank that would include the establishment of a Palestinian state within temporary borders. Netanyahu considers such an interim step a possible way to unfreeze the stalled political process that was created because of the Palestinian leadership's refusal to resume talks on a final settlement. However, the prime minister insists on delaying discussion on the final status of Jerusalem to the end of the process, and refuses to agree to a freeze on Jewish construction in East Jerusalem. » Read more

Obama administration is playing good cop, bad cop with Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yossi Verter - (Opinion) April 23, 2010 - 12:00am Our leaders celebrated Independence Day by singing and giving speeches. But the morning after, they awoke to discover that not a single problem had disappeared amid the smoke of the ubiquitous barbecues. » Read more

Easing of Gaza blockade shows more can be done-UN ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Patrick Worsnip - April 22, 2010 - 12:00am Israel's recent easing of its blockade of Gaza is inadequate but shows restrictions could be lifted further without compromising the Jewish state's security, the top U.N. official in Gaza said on Thursday. Israel tightened controls on the Palestinian territory three years ago after Hamas Islamists seized control there, but in recent weeks has allowed in some goods it used to ban, such as clothes and shoes, wood and aluminum. » Read more

Israel PM seeks new plan as US envoy visits-report ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Allyn Fisher-Ilan - April 23, 2010 - 12:00am Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed Palestinian statehood with temporary borders, to sidestep a deadlock over settlements ahead of talks on Friday with a U.S. envoy, a newspaper said. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has rejected past Israeli suggestions for a state with provisional borders, but the Haaretz newspaper said Netanyahu was proposing a new interim deal to try and entice him back to the negotiating table. » Read more

U.S. envoy Mitchell meets Israeli leaders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Douglas Hamilton - April 23, 2010 - 12:00am U.S. envoy George Mitchell told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday Washington was committed to Israel's security and wanted a peace settlement that would give the Palestinians a state. "That has been American policy. That is American policy. That will be American policy," Mitchell told Netanyahu, repeating President Barack Obama's pledge of strong and enduring ties to Israel on its 62nd anniversary earlier this week. » Read more

Settler rally during Mitchel visit a deliberate provocation, Fatah ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency April 23, 2010 - 12:00am Fatah's Revolutionary Council member Dimitri Diliani called the Israeli government's decision to grant permission for a protest by "extreme right wing Israeli colonial Settlers" to rally in Silwan a provocation as US officials are in the region. Fatah's Jerusalem Affairs chief, Hatem Abdul Qader, announced that the Israeli government had given the go-ahead for the rally on Thursday. Commenting on the issue Dilani called the move "state sponsored provocation of instability to undermine the visit of Special US envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell to Israel and Palestine." » Read more

Deportation orders will not proceed, Haniyeh ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency April 23, 2010 - 12:00am The de facto government in Gaza will erect a tent at the Erez crossing to receive Palestinians deported to Gaza under the new Israeli military orders, Hamas government Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Thursday. The deportees will not be permitted to enter Gaza, but will rather be housed at the tent while international rights groups insist that they be permitted to travel to the West Bank, where their families are, the de facto prime minister explained. » Read more

Gov't source: Israeli gestures ahead of proximity talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roni Sofer - April 23, 2010 - 12:00am Israeli, PA sources optimistic US Mideast envoy's visit will end in declaration of launch of proximity talks. Sources say Israel will make number of gestures to Palestinians, including release of prisoners, removal of checkpoints, transfer of authority over West Bank territories. Palestinian source says US gave Israel 'encouraging' list of demands » Read more

Coalition may back PM on J'lem freeze ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Rebecca Anna Stoil - April 23, 2010 - 12:00am Israel Beiteinu, however, threatens crisis over other demands. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s key coalition partners seemed to give a tacit nod Thursday to the possibility of a building freeze within Jerusalem itself, despite a reiteration by Netanyahu that no such freeze would be enacted. But while that potential source of coalition friction seemed to turn in the prime minister’s favor, other challenges to coalition unity arose during the day from Israel Beiteinu. » Read more