Netanyahu must accept French peace initiative ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) June 6, 2011 - 12:00am France has placed an offer on the desk of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Begin direct negotiations with the Palestinians in September, on the basis of the Obama plan. The proposal does not define Israel's borders, draw a map of Jerusalem or determine which settlements Israel must remove. It even helps the Israeli position in that it speaks of "two states for two peoples," in other words it acknowledges that Israel is a Jewish state. » Read more

Palestinians are people, too ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Hill by Mustafa Barghouthi - (Blog) June 3, 2011 - 12:00am Every June 5 for the past 44 years of my life has brought back memories of being a 13-year-old facing life under Israeli occupation. Forty-four years ago I saw Israelis for the first time. It took my generation a very long and difficult time to come to terms with accepting the need for peace and compromise with our occupier. That compromise was the two-state solution. Our goal was to end occupation and achieve freedom, dignity, and self-determination. » Read more

Killing Them Softly? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Arieh O'Sullivan - (Opinion) June 2, 2011 - 12:00am “Here’s what they did,” says the commander of an Israeli reserve combat company deployed in the northern West Bank. “They dumped on us thousands of rounds of rubber bullets, cases of stun grenades and tear gas and that’s it. That’s the great Israeli army doctrine on how to cope with this Naksa.” “God help us if [the Palestinians] start staging a non-violent march our way,” the officer told The Media Line, on condition he not be identified. » Read more

IDF: Protesters caused their own deaths ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Hanan Greenberg - June 6, 2011 - 12:00am The IDF said Monday morning that many of the Syrian protesters who stormed the border fence and Quneitra crossing in honor of 'Naksa Day' were responsible for their own deaths by igniting mine fields on the border. Meanwhile the army also announced at around 11:30 am that although the border demonstration had ended by late Sunday night, many were gathering once again in an area nearby. No violence was reported. » Read more

Violence on Syria border leaves Israel in a no-win situation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel, Avi Issacharoff - (Opinion) June 6, 2011 - 12:00am There's a major difference between what happened yesterday, on what the Arabs call Naksa Day, the anniversary of the beginning of the Six-Day War, and Nakba Day last month, marking the displacement of Arabs when the State of Israel was established. Most significantly, this time the Israel Defense Forces was prepared for clashes at the Syrian border and in the Golan Heights. » Read more

Israel to consider French Mideast peace bid: PM ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua June 5, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israel would consider a new initiative raised by France to relaunch the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. "I heard the proposal brought by French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe," Netanyahu told ministers at the weekly cabinet session. "We very much appreciate our French friends and I will respond to them after we have considered the matters," he said, according to a statement sent to Xinhua. Netanyahu said Israel, while studying the French proposal, would bring up the option with the American interlocutors as well. » Read more

New Egyptian gov't's influence may facilitate Shalit deal: analysts ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Adam Gonn - (Analysis) June 6, 2011 - 12:00am Over the weekend local and regional newspapers were once again filled with reports suggesting that the captive Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, may soon be released. According to the reports, Egypt has recently given Israel new offer to which Israel has responded. The Hamas Al-Resalah newspaper, based in the Gaza Strip, reported Sunday that Hamas Damascus-based politburo deputy chief Moussa Abu Marzouq was planning to give the Egyptians a final response on the release of Shalit. » Read more

Palestinians close Gaza border in protest ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 6, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian officials closed the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip on Sunday, the terminal's director Ayyoub Abu Sha'ar said. Closed out of frustration, Abu Sha'ar said the Egyptian authority's 'mechanism' at the terminal was unclear, citing Egypt's decision to close the crossing on Saturday without coordinating with Palestinian officials. He said said operations had been halted after disagreements about capacity and coordination, and would not resume until officials on both sides came to an agreement on its operation. » Read more

Abbas agrees to peace talks based on 1967 borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 6, 2011 - 12:00am President Mahmoud Abbas has told France he is ready to attend a Paris peace conference if Israel accepts talks based on the 1967 borders, an aide told AFP Sunday. Nimr Hammad, a political adviser to Abbas, said the president had told French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe that he agreed officially to a French proposal to host a peace conference in Paris before July. Juppe raised the possibility of the conference during a visit to Israel and the West Bank this week. » Read more

Abbas agrees to peace talks based on 1967 borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from December 31, 1969 - 8:00pm President Mahmoud Abbas has told France he is ready to attend a Paris peace conference if Israel accepts talks based on the 1967 borders, an aide told AFP Sunday. Nimr Hammad, a political adviser to Abbas, said the president had told French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe that he agreed officially to a French proposal to host a peace conference in Paris before July. Juppe raised the possibility of the conference during a visit to Israel and the West Bank this week. » Read more