January 14th

Asharq Al-Awsat Talks to Hamas's Musa Abu Marzuq ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Ali El-saleh - (Interview) January 13, 2010 - 1:00am London, Asharq Al-Awsat- In a telephone interview with Asharq Al-Awsat from his headquarters in Damascus, Abu Marzuq Deputy Chairman of the Hamas politburo talks about Khaled Mishal’s recent visit to Riyadh, the issue of reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah and Egyptian mediation, the Arab role in the reconciliation process, the deal to release Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. [Asharq Al-Awsat] Was Khaled Mishal’s visit to Saudi Arabia not the first of its kind by a Hamas official since the Mecca Agreement was concluded in March 2006? » Read more

More Like “Tunnel Supervisor” ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Ali Ibrahim - (Opinion) January 14, 2010 - 1:00am No level-headed politician, who wants to gain regional and international legitimacy, can justify illegitimate or illegal activity without risking his credibility. Therefore, it was very odd that the head of the Hamas politburo Khaled Mishal said that smuggling goods via the tunnels between the Gaza Strip and Rafah in Egypt is a legitimate trade that benefits both sides. » Read more

West Bank land sales by Church spur uproar ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Omar Karmi - January 13, 2010 - 1:00am RAMALLAH // The Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem is once again being rocked by controversy over alleged land sales to Israeli investors in the West Bank. So incensed is the local Palestinian orthodox community that Theophilos III, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch, had to be accompanied by security guards in full riot gear when he arrived in Bethlehem last week to celebrate Christmas. » Read more

Why the Mistrust Between U.S. and Israel? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward by Nathan Guttman - (Opinion) January 13, 2010 - 1:00am Washington — Like a couple that just can’t get along, even when they agree, Washington and Jerusalem have spent early January locked in squabbles. Beneath the media radar, the America-Israel strategic relationship is flourishing after running into problems at the end of President George W. Bush’s tenure, according to Israel’s Washington ambassador, Michael Oren. Yet, relations between Jerusalem and Washington are still marred with problems of miscommunication fed by mutual suspicion. » Read more

Focus on West Bank, Not Negotiating ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Council On Foreign Relations (Interview) January 13, 2010 - 1:00am Elliott Abrams, a CFR expert who served as a senior Middle East adviser in the George W. Bush administration, says he questions the chances for a breakthrough in efforts to negotiate a settlement to the Israeli-Palestinian crisis. » Read more

Analysis: Saudis seek illusory 'third way' in regional diplomacy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Jonathan Spyer - (Opinion) January 13, 2010 - 1:00am Syrian President Bashar Assad is reportedly scheduled to visit the Saudi capital Riyadh, where he is to meet with Saudi King Abdullah. The meeting is rumored to be a prelude to a three way summit also to involve Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. The current round of talks is the latest stage in Syria's return from the cold in terms of its reintegration - on its own terms and with no concessions made - into the mainstream of Arab diplomacy. This process, in turn, is testimony to the current weakness of Saudi Arabia's position. » Read more

'PMO, Foreign Ministry failed at hasbara' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Yaakov Katz - January 14, 2010 - 1:00am Citing a major failure, State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss slammed the Prime Minister's Office and the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday for not creating an effective Arab-language public diplomacy team. In a report released Wednesday, the comptroller said that the lack of Arabic speakers to address the relevant media was a "national failure" that was demonstrated during Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip last year. The government also failed to set up proper radio stations that could be used to transmit Israel's message to the Gaza Strip, West Bank, Lebanon and Syria. » Read more

The first Hebrew ghetto ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Aviad Kleinberg - January 14, 2010 - 1:00am “Eventually, there will be no choice but to fence Israel in on all directions,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a closed-door session (which was immediately reported, as is common in Israel.) “The country will have to be fully fenced on all directions." “On all directions.” “Fully.” A fortified island, armed to the teeth, surrounded by minefields and fences, high cement walls, and suspicion. » Read more

Fatah fears Israel to renounce security agreements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked - January 13, 2010 - 1:00am Fatah activists fear Israel will renounce security agreements signed with the Palestinian Authority, as part of which many Palestinian gunmen were granted amnesty. The concern was raised following the assassination of three organization members involved in the shooting attack that killed Rabbi Avshalom Meir Hai near the West Bank settlement of Shavei Shomron. Two of those killed were gunmen pardoned by the Jewish state. » Read more

No entry for Arabs ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avirama Golan - (Opinion) January 14, 2010 - 1:00am Anyone observing Israel these days - and the hazing to which the Turkish ambassador was subjected is only the latest example - sees the neighborhood bully. Anyone who cares about self-preservation will stay away from this hard-hearted, dull-witted madman whose sole guiding principle is "national honor" - or in other words, sowing strife and dissension that undermines the state's interests. » Read more