February 4th

Analysis: The Quartet’s changing perspective ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - February 4, 2011 - 1:00am The Middle East that the Quartet representatives will be discussing Saturday in Munich is a vastly different region than the one they discussed at their last meeting in September in New York. Then, the major issue facing the Quartet officials – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and UN Secretary-General Ban Kimoon – was whether or not Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu would renew the 10-month settlement moratorium. » Read more

Suddenly, Israel sees peace asset? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Gideon Levy - February 3, 2011 - 1:00am Suddenly peace has become an asset for Israel, and suddenly Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has become Israel's best friend. Like a man about to lose the woman he abused for years, and only then recognizes her value - far too late - Israel is now hunkering down, frightened of what the future will bring. What if the new government in Egypt revokes the peace treaty? » Read more

Israel Police brace for possible Temple Mount unrest amid Egypt turmoil ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson - February 4, 2011 - 1:00am Jerusalem police said on Friday that they were increasing the state of preparedness surrounding the Temple Mount in the Old City due to a fear of riots that they suspect may occur as a result of the uprising in Egypt. Police said that entrance to the Temple Mount will be open on Friday only to men 50 years of age and older who have a blue identity card, signifying that they are Israeli citizens, and to women of all ages. » Read more

Netanyahu to offer gestures to Palestinians in effort to deflect Quartet criticism ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - February 4, 2011 - 1:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with Quartet of Mideast peace mediators' envoy Tony Blair on Friday, ahead of the Quartet meet in Munich on Saturday. At the end of the meeting Netanyahu is expected to present Blair with a package of confidence-building measures that Israel will propose to the Palestinian Authority in a bid to moderate a Quartet statement castigating Israel. » Read more

Palestinians argue over elections as reconciliation efforts stuck ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Saud Abu Ramadan, Emad Drimly - February 3, 2011 - 1:00am Leaders of various Palestinian political factions argued on Thursday over when to hold new presidential and legislative elections on the Palestinian territories, as efforts to achieve a reconciliation between rival Fatah and Hamas had been stalled for more than three years. » Read more

Rights group: PA banning freedom of expression ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 4, 2011 - 1:00am A Palestinian rights group on Thursday warned of deteriorating freedom of expression in the West Bank, as the PA banned "unlicensed assembly" in response to rallies in solidarity with Egyptians. In a statement, the Palestinian Commission for Human Rights condemned the PA's closure of the demonstrations. On Wednesday, PA security forces shut down a rally in Ramallah, using batons to push demonstrators back and detaining at least two protesters. PCHR said a number of journalists were also detained at the event. » Read more

Fayyad: Occupation factor in regional instability ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 4, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Thursday said the failure to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict had contributed to unrest across the Middle East. Fayyad said protests across the region reflected people's desire for political reform and their legitimate aspirations for democracy. But while internal conditions sparked the wave of demonstrations across the Arab world, the PA premier said the ongoing occupation of Palestine was a source of growing despair for Arab people. » Read more

What Egypt's unrest could mean for Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - February 3, 2011 - 1:00am As Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's grip on power slipped this week, Israelis and Palestinians are sizing up what a change in government in Cairo may mean for the Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Both Israel and the Palestinian Authority officials fear the empowerment of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt might prompt Cairo to ease access to Gaza, and help Hamas consolidate its rule there. » Read more

Ministers: Paris to host new Palestinian donor conference ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 4, 2011 - 1:00am Paris will host a new international donor conference for a Palestinian state in June, ministers from donor countries and the so-called Quartet on the Middle East said following talks Thursday. "At the request of the PA, a new international donors? conference for the Palestinian State will be held in Paris in June 2011," a statement released after the talks said, referring to the Palestinian Authority. The group also "call on Israel to take more ambitious, structural measures to continue to ease access and movement" of Palestinians. » Read more

February 3rd

PA: Elections will go forward, date to be set ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 3, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority Minister of Local Governance Khaled Al-Qawasmeh confirmed Wednesday that the West Bank government would make a decision on the date of municipal elections in the coming session of the Central Election Committee. The elections would likely come in May, the official said, at least two weeks earlier than the likely date an official from Fatah estimated speaking with Ma'an on Tuesday. Fatah Central Committee member Muhammad Al-Madani had said the PA was "adamant" that elections be held on July 17, 2011, one year after they were supposed to have taken place. » Read more