Rights groups accuse Israel of ducking pledge to ease Gaza blockade
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
November 30, 2010 - 1:00am

Israel has only marginally eased its three-year-old blockade of the Gaza Strip, leaving business and construction largely frozen in the impoverished and war-damaged Palestinian territory, a report by several aid groups said Tuesday. The groups accused Israel of ducking promises to ease the blockade's effects on civilians, a pledge it made under pressure after a deadly Israeli commando raid in May on an international flotilla protesting the restrictions.

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Blair: Israel must do more to ease Gaza blockade
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman
by Karin Laub - November 28, 2010 - 1:00am

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK — Israel needs to do more to ease its blockade of Gaza and allow exports from the Hamas-ruled territory, international Mideast envoy Tony Blair said in an interview Sunday, after meeting with the Israeli prime minister. The former British prime minister told the Associated Press that he hopes to see progress soon, noting that exports are crucial for reviving Gaza's battered economy. "There has been significant change in Gaza, but not nearly as much as we need," he said.

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Politics Over Peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
(Editorial) November 12, 2010 - 1:00am

Early in his most recent tenure, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, spent a lot of time trying to persuade President Obama and others that he was serious about making peace with the Palestinians. Only a hard-liner, like him, could pull it off. If only. With the peace process crumbling, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met with Mr. Netanyahu for seven hours on Thursday. She went in insisting that she still believes that Mr. Netanyahu and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, are “very committed to a two-state solution.” There was no sign of a breakthrough.

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Politics Over Peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
(Editorial) November 12, 2010 - 1:00am

Early in his most recent tenure, Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, spent a lot of time trying to persuade President Obama and others that he was serious about making peace with the Palestinians. Only a hard-liner, like him, could pull it off. If only. With the peace process crumbling, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met with Mr. Netanyahu for seven hours on Thursday. She went in insisting that she still believes that Mr. Netanyahu and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, are “very committed to a two-state solution.” There was no sign of a breakthrough.

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New US aid for Palestinians as peace talks stall
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News
by Kim Ghattas - November 10, 2010 - 1:00am

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced new aid of $150m (£93m) for the Palestinian Authority on Wednesday - part sweetener, part vital support for Palestinian institution-building, a track running parallel to the negotiations. "We have to move forward together, simultaneously and mutually reinforcing on two tracks, the hard work of negotiations and the hard work of building institutions and capacities," said Mrs Clinton, speaking at the state department.

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Britain backs PNA's budget with 55 million dollars
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
October 28, 2010 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The British government announced Wednesday that it will offer the Palestinian National Authority ( PNA) 35 million pounds (55 million U.S. dollars) in aid to back its budget.

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Saudi Arabia pledges $100 million to PA
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 25, 2010 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Saudi Arabia pledged $100 million to the Palestinian Authority on Sunday, PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said. Fayyad said President Mahmoud Abbas was notified that the donation would arrive within three days. The money was intended to ease the PA's financial difficulties, Fayyad said in a statement. The prime minister expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the king, government and people of Saudi Arabia for their constant support of Palestinian efforts to establish a state on 1967 borders with Jerusalem as its capital.

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Abu Libdeh: Rawabi can absorb settlement workers
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 24, 2010 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- PA National Economy Minister Hassan Abu Libdeh said Saturday that the first planned Palestinian city in Ramallah could be "a real opportunity to absorb Palestinian workers employed in settlements," a statement read. The Rawabi City project, he said, could provide between 8,000 to 10,000 jobs during the construction period and up to 3,000 jobs in the city itself once complete.

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Halt to Palestinian peace talks could become permanent
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Glenn Kessler, Janine Zacharia - October 23, 2010 - 12:00am

In perhaps the shortest round of peace negotiations in the history of their conflict, talks between the Israelis and Palestinians have ground to a halt and show little sign of resuming.

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Please give generously, but not to armies
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian
by Khaled Diab - (Opinion) October 19, 2010 - 12:00am

Ideally, there would be no need for charity. But in a world of inequality and vulnerability, private donations can mean the difference between life and death, dignity and humiliation, or subsistence and sustainability. But even when it comes to charity, not all causes are created equal. Contrast, for instance, the global generosity following the 2004 Asian tsunami with the trickle of funds in the wake of the recent floods in Pakistan.

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