July 8th

Focus U.S.A. / Netanyahu-Obama meeting continues the Israel-U.S. soap opera ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Natasha Mozgovaya - (Opinion) July 8, 2010 - 12:00am Professional cynics should have no doubt that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama had an “excellent” meeting at the White House on Tuesday. After all, Obama used the adjective three times, seemingly compensating for the previous episode of the unfolding Israel-U.S. soap opera, in which Obama snubbed the prime minister. Other superlatives describing the two countries’ relationship were “extraordinary," “unbreakable," “strategic," “closer and closer," as well as the declaration that “our relationship is continuing to improve." » Read more

Hamas chief wants Egypt to host meeting with Fatah leaders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua July 8, 2010 - 12:00am The Damascus-based Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal wrote a letter to Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, telling him he is ready to meet leaders from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party in Cairo, a Hamas official said Thursday. Mashaal sent his letter with an Egyptian lawmaker Mustafa Bakri when he met him in Damascus Tuesday, Yousef Rizka, an adviser to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haneya, told Xinhua. » Read more

Netanyahu to CNN: I'm prepared to discuss future of settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews July 8, 2010 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday he was prepared to discuss "right away" the future of Jewish settlements if Palestinians entered direct peace talks with Israel. Asked on CNN's "Larry King Live" if he would extend beyond September a 10-month moratorium on housing starts in settlements in the occupied West Bank, Netanyahu said it was time for the "Let's just get into the talks and one of the things we'll discuss right away is this issue of settlements and that's what I propose doing," he said. » Read more

ANALYSIS-In Gaza, Hamas may have weathered worst of storm ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Tom Perry - (Analysis) July 8, 2010 - 12:00am The worst could be over for Hamas whose rule in Gaza has survived three years of economic blockade and a full-scale Israeli military onslaught. The Islamist group is starting to see cracks in Israeli and Western policies that have made governing Gaza no easy task. Hamas still faces Israeli hostility and international sanctions, and is hated by its Palestinian opponents, foremost among them the Fatah movement which controls the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. For Hamas, the feeling is mutual. » Read more

Netanyahu to US Jews: Direct talks with PA soon ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press July 8, 2010 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he thinks direct talks with the Palestinians will begin very soon and he predicted they will be "very, very tough." Before flying to Washington for a meeting with President Barack Obama, Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday that the "time has come" for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to get ready to meet directly with the Israelis "because there is no other way to advance peace." » Read more

Israel's list of banned goods into Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency July 8, 2010 - 12:00am Below is the official statement issued by Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories on 6 July 2010 and a list of goods barred from entry into Gaza. Israel and the PA established joint-teams, as a part of the expansion of the land crossings' operation, and immediate steps were carried out in order to improve the efficiency of their operation. These include modifications of the infrastructure on both sides of the crossing, extending the operating hours of the crossings and augmenting the manpower. » Read more

Political theatre masks US-Israel tensions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Jeremy Bowen - July 8, 2010 - 12:00am After their meeting at the White House, President Barack Obama walked his guest, the Prime Minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, to his limousine. The solicitous host waited, slightly awkwardly, as Mr Netanyahu settled himself into the back seat. Immaculately uniformed servicemen stood rigidly to attention on either side of the vehicle. And then the video ended, before you could see whether Mr Obama waved until his new pal was out of sight. Actually he was only staying a few minutes walk away, at the official guest quarters, Blair House. » Read more

Economy minister wants standards for local products ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency July 8, 2010 - 12:00am National Economy Minister Hassan Abu Libdeh asked the government to work harder on Tuesday, in developing national consumer standards, to protect Palestinians and improve the marketability of products globally. Speaking in Nablus at the first conference for Palestinian consumer protection, Abu Libdeh accused the interior ministry and his own ministry of impeding a new project aimed at improving the labeling on Palestinian produce. » Read more

President Obama's new Middle East course has promise ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post (Editorial) July 8, 2010 - 12:00am FOR MUCH of the past 15 months, President Obama sought to advance his goal of a Middle East peace settlement through public pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. The results were mixed. Mr. Netanyahu made significant concessions to the White House, including announcing for the first time his acceptance of Palestinian statehood and imposing a 10-month freeze on new construction in West Bank settlements. But Mr. » Read more

ATFP President on MSNBC ATFP World Press Roundup Article from MSNBC (Interview) July 8, 2010 - 12:00am Dr. Ziad Asali appears on MSNBC to comment on President Obama's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. » Read more