Israel Ever-Present at US-Iranian Negotiations
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Raghida Dergham - (Opinion) October 26, 2009 - 12:00am

The strategy of the two parallel tracks, based on incentives and threats, which has been adopted by the Barack Obama Administration is raising debate and discussion, as well as finding those who would challenge it, those who believe in its roots, those who fear for it and those who are wary of it falling like a gift onto the lap of the seasoned experts of procrastination, obstruction and maneuvers.

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US: Israel discriminates against non-Jews
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 26, 2009 - 12:00am

Israel continues to discriminate against its religious minorities legally, financially and culturally, according to a US State Department review on worldwide religious freedom released on Monday. In its 2009 International Religious Freedom Report, the foreign service said that despite past documentation of prejudice against minorities, the status of respect for religious freedoms by Israel "was unchanged during the reporting period."

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Israel’s failure to investigate war only hurts itself
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
(Editorial) October 22, 2009 - 12:00am

The first Israeli inquiry into Gaza war crimes was concluded after just a few days and completely exonerated the military of wrongdoing. It was a whitewash so glaring, conducted so quickly and with such an obvious and predetermined agenda, that it cast an even more negative light on the country. It also squandered an opportunity to deal with these serious allegations before they got out of control.

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Kouchner and his Postponed Visit to Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Randa Takieddine - (Opinion) October 22, 2009 - 12:00am

The French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, deserves to be congratulated, because he canceled his visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories. He did not submit to the will of Israel, which wants to prevent him from heading to Gaza. This minister, who enjoys great popularity in France and the world for his humanity and sympathy for tragedies, was in fact late in visiting Gaza, which witnessed a humanitarian catastrophe and Israeli war that were unprecedented in their destructiveness.

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Netanyahu needs to explain his intentions
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) October 22, 2009 - 12:00am

Slowly but surely, Israel, especially under its extremist leaders, as is the case nowadays, is driving itself into a defenceless corner even if it still hopes its sometimes fickle allies in the West may come to its defence.

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Goldstone doubts Security Council to debate war report
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Israel News
by Ali Waked - October 22, 2009 - 12:00am

Richard Goldstone said he believes Russia, France and China will oppose having the report on Operation Cast Lead in Gaza debated in the UN Security Council. In an interview to Aljazeera television, he said that while he is not an expert on the political power ties in the UN, he believes these three nations will refuse to move forward with the report. He said the report could still be brought before the UN General Assembly, and added that if the UN refuses to discuss this report, it would be the end of UN involvement in international crises.

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Gaza Report Author Asks U.S. to Clarify Concerns
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Sharon Otterman - October 22, 2009 - 12:00am

Richard Goldstone, the lead author of a United Nations report that found evidence of war crimes committed by Israel and Hamas during last winter’s Gaza war, challenged the Obama administration in an interview broadcast Thursday to explain what it has called serious concerns about his report.

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US in fresh bid on Palestine stalemate
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Vita Bekker - October 22, 2009 - 12:00am

Susan Rice, Washington’s ambassador to the United Nations, held talks yesterday with senior Israeli officials in what appeared to be the latest bid by the Obama administration to end a months-long deadlock in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Ms Rice is also likely to have reiterated the US’s call for Israel to adopt a key recommendation of the UN-mandated Goldstone report to carry out a credible probe into possible war crimes committed by its troops in the attack in the Gaza Strip in December and January.

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Israel hardens stance on U.N. Gaza report
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
October 21, 2009 - 12:00am

Israel hardened its opposition Tuesday to international calls for an independent inquiry into its offensive in the Gaza Strip last winter, saying it would urge the United States to stop the issue from advancing at the United Nations. The decision came at a cabinet meeting called to discuss a U.N. report that has accused both sides of committing war crimes during the three-week operation. The report, which was adopted by the U.N. Human Rights Council last week, recommends war crimes proceedings if Israel and the Palestinians do not conduct credible internal investigations.

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Netanyahu seeks change in laws of war
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 21, 2009 - 12:00am

Facing mounting international pressure for an investigation into charges of war crimes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered his government on Tuesday to find ways of changing the world’s laws that govern warfare. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the professional bodies within the relevant government ministries to examine the facilitating of an international initiative to change the laws of war in keeping with the spread of terrorism throughout the world,” said a statement from Netanyahu’s office.

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