The War to Save Israel and Iran from their Isolation
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Raghida Dergham - July 16, 2010 - 12:00am


Whatever feelings one might harbor towards international individual and group stances on Arab problems, it would be useful for everyone to carefully analyze these stances. Indeed, such stances are adapted to the nature of relations between international players, most prominently the five nuclear countries that are permanent members of the Security Council: the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France. Arab concerns during this period are focused on what is going through the mind of Israel and Iran, as well as Turkey to a lesser extent.


Israel continues Jordan Valley demolitions
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
July 19, 2010 - 12:00am


Israel's Civil Administration began demolishing over 20 farmer's sheds in the Al-Farisiya area in the northern Jordan Valley on Monday morning, officials said. Director of the Save the Jordan Valley campaign Fathi Khdeirat described the demolitions as an "Israeli policy of collective displacement, aimed at expanding settlement outposts in the northern Jordan Valley."


The deceptive promise of direct talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star
by Rami Khouri - July 17, 2010 - 12:00am


I am not privy to the discussions that took place privately between US President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this month in the White House. From the noise and chatter that has followed this meeting, I believe we should start pondering the consequences of the likelihood that there will be no resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict during this generation. I base this pessimistic short-term outlook on several premises:


Egypt's Mubarak urges Israel, Palestinians to move toward direct talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
July 19, 2010 - 12:00am


Pressure intensified on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to agree to direct talks with Israel as Egypt held separate, back-to-back meetings with the two sides Sunday in search of a compromise. Abbas says he will not negotiate directly with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu unless Israel agrees to recognize its 1967 frontier as a basis for the borders of a future Palestinian state and accepts the deployment of an international force to guard them. Netanyahu has refused to be pinned down on a framework for negotiations.


Hamas Moves to Enforce Water Pipe Ban in Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Fares Akram - July 19, 2010 - 12:00am


In its latest attempt to try to impose a conservative Islamic way of life on Gaza, Hamas started this weekend to enforce a ban on smoking water pipes in public. Palestinians smoked water pipes, a long-standing pastime, at a cafe in Gaza recently while watching a World Cup match. A spokesman for the Hamas police, Ayman al-Batniji, said that the ban applied only to women and that it was in line with “the Palestinian people’s customs and traditions.” But many cafe owners said they had been ordered to ban water pipes for both men and women.


Foundation of peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
July 18, 2010 - 12:00am


It might seem Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas forgot something when he recently put forth only one condition to resume direct peace talks: That Israel accept its 1967 frontier as a baseline for the borders of a Palestinian state. Abbas did not state the usual prerequisites — the halt of Jewish settlements, that Jerusalem be the capital of the future Palestinian state, the right of return or the return of Palestinian prisoners.


Ibish, why do you keep talking about what the Israelis will accept?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ibishblog
by Hussein Ibish - July 19, 2010 - 12:00am


It is frequently asked, although rarely directly to my face, “why does Ibish always talk/only seem to care (some version of that) about what Jewish Israelis will accept rather than what Palestinians want?” This question was recently repeated in a tweet, although not, as usual, directly addressed to me. Nonetheless, I do want to answer it because this confusion lies at the heart of a gulf of misunderstanding between the analyses I have been developing in recent years and much conventional wisdom among Arab-Americans and other pro-Palestinian groups.


House-by-house struggle for East Jerusalem
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News
by Jeremy Bowen - July 19, 2010 - 12:00am


Sometimes you can see just why it is so difficult to make peace in Jerusalem. This city excites strong passions. Not only is it holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians. It is also a national symbol for Israelis and Palestinians. No piece of ground on the planet is more contested. It has changed hands violently many times. On a dusty, narrow and steep street on the Israeli occupied eastern side of the city stands a battered seven-storey building. Scorch marks smudge the stonework around some of the windows.


The Fayyad difference
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Alon Ben-meir - July 19, 2010 - 12:00am


When the Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister Salam Fayyad first introduced his plans to build the infrastructure for a future Palestinian state, many Israelis and Palestinians thought of it as nothing more than another Middle Eastern mirage that will leave no lasting impression. A little more than a year later, the plan is showing not only tremendous promise, but has become indispensable to the emergence of a democratic Palestinian state – one living alongside Israel in peace and security.



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