To Achieve Mideast Peace, Suspend Disbelief ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Dennis Ross - (Opinion) March 2, 2013 - 1:00am THESE are hard times for trying to promote, much less make, peace between Palestinians and Israelis. The rise of political Islam, Syria’s civil war and looming implosion, and the Iranian nuclear imbroglio not only dominate the environment, but they also render it forbidding for peacemaking. And while all these factors make Israelis and Palestinians reluctant to take risks for peace, they do not represent the biggest hurdle for ending the conflict. The most fundamental problem between Israelis and Palestinians is the problem of disbelief. » Read more

Biden and Netanyahu Stress Points of Unity in Speeches to Pro-Israel Group ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Mark Landler - March 4, 2013 - 1:00am The thundering ovations, slickly produced videos and legions of lawmakers were the same as ever. But something was missing as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee convened here this week for its annual conference: tension. » Read more

'Abbas to Kerry: Push Israel for settlement freeze' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh - March 4, 2013 - 1:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met in Saudi Arabia Monday with US Secretary of State John Kerry and discussed the latest regional developments, Palestinian officials in Ramallah said. This was the first meeting of its kind since Kerry replaced Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. “The meeting focused on efforts to revive the peace process,” said a Palestinian official. “They also discussed [US] President Barack Obama’s planned visit to the region later this month.” » Read more

Israelis Divided Over Separate Bus Lines for Arabs and Jews in Occupied West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Robert Mackey - March 4, 2013 - 1:00am Israel’s transportation ministry introduced Monday what it billed as improved service for nearly 30,000 Palestinians who live under Israeli military occupation in the West Bank and commute to work daily in Israel: two new bus lines “designated” for their use. » Read more

Gaza Gas Can't Help Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Monitor by Omar Shaban - March 4, 2013 - 1:00am Despite their geographical distance, Gaza and Nigeria are similar on many levels. Nigeria is one of the largest oil exporters in the world, but one of the poorest countries. Hundreds of Nigerians die while trying to obtain a few liters of their own oil, even as it flows right in front of their eyes. Gazans also suffer from severe poverty, high unemployment and deaths due to continuous power cuts, despite large gas fields in the Mediterranean Sea, right before their eyes. » Read more

UN agency cancels Gaza marathon over ban on women ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Ian Deitch - March 5, 2013 - 1:00am JERUSALEM — A U.N aid agency canceled the Gaza marathon on Tuesday after the Palestinian territory's militant Hamas rulers banned women from participating in the annual sporting event.UNWRA, which assists Palestinian refugees and also sponsors and organizes the event, announced that plans for the race next month have been scrapped because of the Hamas demand that women be barred. » Read more

Israel takes heat for de facto segregation on new West Bank buses ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - March 4, 2013 - 1:00am Kfar Saba, Israel The Afikim Bus No. 210 pulled up to a stop outside the main shopping mall in this Tel Aviv suburb on its maiden run from Israel to the West Bank on Monday, but for unsuspecting Israelis who tried to board the driver had a swift interdict. » Read more