Netanyahu: I'm willing to take political risks for peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - July 21, 2010 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told the European Union's foreign policy chief that he is ready to take a political risk to reach an agreement with the Palestinians, but only if he does not have to take a security risk, sources say. During talks with Catherine Ashton, Netanyahu reiterated that he seeks to move forward quickly if direct negotiations with the Palestinians begin. He believes it would be possible to reach an agreement with the Palestinians within a year. A deal would then be implemented gradually over a number of years. » Read more

Palestinian official denies Abbas' secret letter to Obama ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua July 20, 2010 - 12:00am A Palestinian official on Tuesday denied reports that President Mahmoud Abbas had sent a secret document to the U.S. administration stating the Palestinian view of a final solution with Israel. "The Palestinian side did not offer any secret papers different than our known and declared position," said Yasser Abed Rabbo, member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). » Read more

Palestinians warn of executing Israeli "absentee property" law in Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Emad Drimly - July 20, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian officials on Tuesday warned of the Israeli government's decision to expand the implementation of the Israeli law of seizing the "absentee property" in Jerusalem. They told Xinhua in separate interviews that the Israeli law aims at escalating the Israeli measures against the Palestinians in the holy city "in order to seize their properties and push them towards the permanent emigration from the city." » Read more

What exactly did Netanyahu promise Obama? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel, Avi Issacharoff - (Blog) July 21, 2010 - 12:00am A talk given by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Andrew J. Shapiro at the Brookings Saban Center for Middle East Policy in Washington D.C. last weekend did not gain sufficient attention in Israel. Most of the Israeli newspapers focused on his argument that more American aid, which would fund the manufacture of missile defense systems, would help Israel make "tough" decisions in the peace negotiations with the Palestinians. (In other words – the financial assistance and defense systems would minimize the risk posed by rocket attacks thus facilitating future Israeli territorial withdrawals.) » Read more

Poll: 71.5% Israelis favor peace talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Lahav Harkov - July 21, 2010 - 12:00am The Israeli Democracy Institute and Tel Aviv University released the 2010 Peace Index on Wednesday, revealing Israelis' positions on peace talks, captive soldier Gilad Schalit, US President Barack Obama and other current events and issues. » Read more

With blockade's easing, some Gaza factories revive ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Karin Laub - July 21, 2010 - 12:00am Some of the hundreds of Gaza factories idled by Israel's blockade are cranking up rusty machines to can tomatoes, mix concrete and press pills again now that Israel is allowing in raw materials for the first time in three years. But Israel's recent easing of the closure appears unlikely to get Gaza's battered economy back on its feet. » Read more

Envoy: Israel threatened by efforts to delegitimize it ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Times by Eli Lake - July 21, 2010 - 12:00am Israel's outgoing ambassador to the United Nations said Monday that the most significant threat to the Jewish state is not Iran, but efforts to delegitimize Israel and its leaders. "Israel is the most isolated, lonely country in the world," Gabriela Shalev told reporters in Washington at a luncheon sponsored by the Israel project. » Read more

Abbas: Specific US assurances on borders needed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Mohammed Daraghmeh - July 21, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told his Fatah movement he wants a more specific U.S. commitment on the borders of a future Palestinian state before agreeing to direct talks with Israel, an adviser said Wednesday. Abbas told Fatah leaders in a closed-door meeting late Tuesday that President Barack Obama's assurances so far aren't clear enough. Obama has urged Abbas to resume direct talks that broke off in December 2008. » Read more

Israel gives Gaza banks NIS 100M ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roni Sofer - July 21, 2010 - 12:00am The Political-Security Cabinet convened Wednesday to discuss Israel's blockade policy in the Gaza Strip. It was stated during the meeting that Israel had transferred NIS 50 million ($12.96 million) to Gaza banks for the payment of salaries on Monday and that an additional NIS 50 million will be transferred in the coming days. Banks in the Gaza Strip have suffered a cash shortage following an increase in trade stemming from blockade easements. » Read more

Israel wants fewer civilian deaths in future wars ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Louis Charbonneau - July 21, 2010 - 12:00am A new Israeli report on the 2008-2009 war in the Gaza Strip says that Israel's army is taking steps to reduce the number of civilian casualties in future wars and will restrict the use of white phosphorous. The 37-page report, which was posted on the Israeli Foreign Ministry's website, was delivered to the office of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday in compliance with a General Assembly resolution, U.N. officials said. » Read more