July 17th, 2008

Olmert's Lawyers Attempt To Discredit Key Witness ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Amy Teibel - July 17, 2008 - 3:15pm Lawyers representing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert cross-examined an American businessman Thursday, hoping to undermine his allegations that Olmert illicitly accepted cash-stuffed envelopes from him to help fund a luxurious lifestyle. The businessman, 75-year-old Morris Talansky, appeared nervous in the Israeli court room, drumming his fingers on the table, fidgeting with a plastic cup and at one point asking for a break. He insisted he told the truth in previous testimony. » Read more

Peace In The Middle East Still Needs The Americans ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Der Spiegel by Gerhard Sporl - (Opinion) July 17, 2008 - 3:13pm The French president has thrown parties for mortal enemies in the Middle East, and toasted himself as peacemaker. But as bodies and prisoners are exchanged this week it's clear just how hopeless the region has become. The process is waiting on Washington. » Read more

Blair Says Peace Deal Is Being Undermined By Doubts Over Ehud Olmert ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times by James Hider - July 17, 2008 - 3:12pm A day after he was prevented from visiting Gaza by an assassination threat, Tony Blair raised doubts for the first time yesterday that a peace deal could be concluded between Israel and the Palestinians by the end of the year. Mr Blair, the international community’s envoy to the Middle East, said that the uncertain political future of Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, was undermining efforts to conclude a deal, which President Bush had said would be signed in 2008. » Read more

Obama To Kick Off 5-nation Tour ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Usa Today by Kathy Kiely - July 17, 2008 - 3:10pm For Barack Obama, the road to the White House is about to take a 12,000-mile detour. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee will try to boost his résumé next week with a five-country European and Middle East tour that threatens to turn into Obamapalooza. » Read more

July 16th

Lakers' Jordan Farmar To Go On Peace Mission To Middle East ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Chris Hine - July 16, 2008 - 3:23pm Like other NBA players, Jordan Farmar will head overseas this summer, only with a different mission -- to facilitate peace in the Middle East. The Lakers' guard, who is Jewish, will travel to Israel to run basketball camps for Israeli and Palestinian children in association with the Peres Peace Center. The goal of the camps, which take place Aug. 4 to 11, is to bring Israeli and Palestinian children together through basketball and create a foundation for peaceful relations between them in years to come. » Read more

Hamas Representatives Delay Talks On Swap For Shalit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - July 16, 2008 - 3:22pm Hamas representatives postponed negotiations with Israel Monday over Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, held captive in the Gaza Strip. The talks were expected to begin this week in Cairo. Israel believes Hamas is trying to force Egypt to open the Rafah crossing before beginning talks. A senior Hamas delegation from Gaza and Damascus was expected to arrive Monday in Cairo to meet with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman. Ofer Dekel, an envoy of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, was also due in Cairo. » Read more

Why Does Israel Keep Agreeing To Prisoner Swaps? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shmuel Rosner - July 16, 2008 - 3:20pm An 80-page report reportedly detailing everything Hezbollah knows about Arad's fate was received along with the new photos. But the report didn't answer the fundamental questions: Where is he now, and what has happened to him in the years since the photos were taken, not long after he was captured? A sense of disappointment, even bitterness, started to creep into the daily coverage of the coming deal. » Read more

Blair Nixes Gaza Visit On Security Concerns ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News July 16, 2008 - 3:20pm RAMALLAH: Tony Blair, the Mideast envoy, yesterday decided not to visit Gaza on the advice of Israel’s Shin Bet Intelligence agency. The visit would have been the first by a top Western diplomat to the Hamas-ruled territory. » Read more

Blair: Mideast Peace Deal Unlikely This Year ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press July 16, 2008 - 3:19pm RAMALLAH, West Bank—Mideast envoy Tony Blair says he is pessimistic that Israel and the Palestinians will complete a final peace agreement by year's end. The former prime minister tells the Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds that questions surrounding Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's political fate have complicated the peace effort. Blair says "the political situation in Israel makes it difficult to continue being optimistic about reaching a peace treaty between the Israelis and Palestinians by the end of the year." » Read more

A Look At Previous Israeli-lebanese Prisoner Swaps ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press July 16, 2008 - 3:18pm A look at previous Israeli-Lebanese prisoner swaps: -- 2004: Israel and Hezbollah exchange an Israeli civilian and the bodies of three Israeli soldiers for 436 Arab prisoners and the bodies of 59 Lebanese fighters. -- 1996: Israel frees 65 Lebanese prisoners for the bodies of two soldiers captured in fighting in Lebanon. -- 1991: Israel trades 51 Lebanese prisoners for proof that one of its soldiers held in Lebanon is dead. » Read more