U.S., Israel Diverge on Palestinian Plan
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Wall Street Journal
by Jay Solomon - May 5, 2009 - 12:00am

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Monday to pursue "without any delay" a peace process with Palestinians based on a new strategy of addressing political, economic and security issues concurrently. But Mr. Netanyahu's overture came as members of his government voiced skepticism toward President Barack Obama's call for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, particularly when the Palestinian Authority's security forces remain weak and its political leadership divided.

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Israel's Peres omits mention of Palestinian state
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
May 4, 2009 - 12:00am

Israeli President Shimon Peres said on Monday Israel's new government wants peace with all Arabs but made no explicit mention of establishing a Palestinian state, a top U.S. and Arab priority. "Israel stands, with her arms outstretched, her hands held open to peace with all nations, with all Arab states, with all Arab people," Peres said in a speech to the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee, the leading U.S. pro-Israel lobby. Peres holds a largely ceremonial post but has great personal prestige as an elder statesman.

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Israel Faces a Hard Sell in Bid to Shift Policy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Ethan Bronner - (Analysis) May 3, 2009 - 12:00am

The new government of Israel is seeking to reorient the country’s foreign policy, arguing that to rely purely on the formulas of trading land for peace and promising a Palestinian state fails to grasp what it views as the deeper issues: Muslim rejection of a Jewish state and the rising hegemonic appetite of Iran.

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Amman, Riyadh seek peace within regional context
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
April 30, 2009 - 12:00am

DAMMAM (Petra) - His Majesty King Abdullah held talks with King Abdullah Ben Abdul Aziz of Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on efforts to launch serious and effective negotiations to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the two-state solution within a regional context. His Majesty briefed the Saudi leader on his talks with US President Barack Obama in Washington last week, which tackled the need for immediate action to launch negotiations in accordance with the agreed-on terms of reference, especially the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.

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PA: Olmert received an offer, then bombed Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ali Waked - April 28, 2009 - 12:00am

Palestinian Authority representatives accused former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of blocking the peace process between Israel and the PA, despite the latter's claims that he had put an offer to the Palestinians on the table that was too good to refuse. According to chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, and as reported by the Palestinian journal al-Ayyam, not only had the prime minister avoided responding to an excellent peace offer, but shortly afterward had bombed Gaza.

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Fatah is turning into a footnote
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian
by Ben White - (Opinion) April 28, 2009 - 12:00am

The future of Fatah is up in the air. Internal divisions and a confused political programme – problems that arguably date back decades – have led this historic Palestinian party to a moment of truth. It is no exaggeration to say that the crisis is of sufficient proportions that Fatah's continued existence as a political force to be reckoned with is under threat.

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Abbas won't be pressured into talks with Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Dalia Nammari - April 27, 2009 - 12:00am

Palestinians won't be pressured into resuming peace talks with Israel as long as construction in Jewish settlements continues, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday. Abbas said a complete construction freeze is a prerequisite for resuming talks. Israel's new prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, supports settlement construction and has not committed to the idea of Palestinian statehood. In his speech Monday, Abbas said he would not give in to possible Israeli or international pressure on the Palestinians to resume negotiations even if settlement construction continues.

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No such thing as a free lunch
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
(Editorial) April 27, 2009 - 12:00am

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is busy developing his policy proposals before his upcoming White House meeting with United States President Barack Obama. From statements that the Israeli premier has made, it is apparent that he is seeking to bring to a halt the peace process that his predecessors pursued, which aimed at the establishment of a Palestinian state in the territories and reaching a peace agreement with Syria.

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Numerous Odds against a Lebanese Model for Palestinian Unity Government
Media Mention of Ghaith al-Omari In Dar Al-Hayat - April 26, 2009 - 12:00am

The Lebanese Model that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton referred to last week as a possible mechanism to work with a Palestinian unity government is becoming less likely due to the numerous odds against Hamas and Fatah in reaching an agreement.

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Keeping the Palestinian Solution Separate from the Nuclear Dispute with Iran
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Raghida Dergham - (Opinion) April 24, 2009 - 12:00am

The most important test for US President Barack Obama in his efforts to reach peace in the Middle East will not be the test of intentions, resolve and belief in the ability to achieve the two-state solution, i.e. to establish the state of Palestine alongside a secure Israel.

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