Diplomacy: Talking the talk
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Herb Keinon - (Analysis) September 8, 2010 - 12:00am

Politicians and pundits both here and abroad were left scratching their heads following last week’s talks in Washington. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, in two tightly and carefully written statements, did not come across in a way in which he could be easily pigeonholed. The pundits could not cast him, as they generally love to, as that “hard-line,” right-wing leader who misses no opportunity to torpedo any chance for peace, because his rhetoric did not fit that characterization.

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Sadat's Shadow
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat
by Adel Al Toraifi - (Opinion) September 7, 2010 - 12:00am

For more than two decades, the United States has tried to conclude a peace agreement between the PLO and Israel. In the beginning there were the 1993 Oslo accords, which was a difficult breakthrough. However, this was the agreement that allowed the opportunity to form much-needed state institutions on the Palestinian territories. Yet this did not happen both as a result of the influence of religious parties on both sides, and as a result of dozens of suicide attacks carried out by the Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements, which disrupted all guarantees of security and reconciliation.

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Palestinian Spokesman Abu-Rudaynah Talks to Asharq Al-Awsat
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat
by Mina Al-Oraibi - (Interview) September 7, 2010 - 12:00am



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Saudi Time
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Thomas L. Friedman - (Opinion) September 7, 2010 - 12:00am

It’s been a week and the newly minted Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have not broken down yet! Surely that is a good sign. It is a measure of how low expectations are for these talks that they have to be celebrated by the week. Now that they have begun, though, both sides will try to avoid being the one that scuttles them — and not only to avoid the wrath of the United States.

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ARAB WORLD: Opinions grim about new peace talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
(Blog) September 7, 2010 - 12:00am

When Middle East peace talks began this month in Washington, there were glimmers of optimism and excitement over the renewed discourse between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which hadn't engaged in direct talks in almost two years.  But since then, Arab opinion makers have spoken. And the outlook is grim. 

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Even if peace talks fail, Palestine's independence is inevitable
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Daoud Kuttab - (Opinion) September 7, 2010 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK A Palestinian state is coming -- it's just not clear whether it will result from the current peace talks. It is easy to be pessimistic, or even apathetic, about the latest round of Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. History is a witness to the lack of Palestinian accomplishments in incremental negotiations. All successful efforts to date have stemmed from secret talks made public only once a package agreement was reached.

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Abbas: No peace without Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
(Analysis) September 7, 2010 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian Authority would "not leave Gaza or the West Bank to Hamas or others,” President Mahmoud Abbas told the Kuwait-based daily newspaper Ar-Ray on Tuesday. The interview followed one in the Ramallah-based Al-Ayyam newspaper on Monday, where Abbas said that if he was forced to concede on key issues such as refugees or borders during the next round of direct negotiations with Israel, he would "pack my bags and leave."

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Abbas asks US to intervene in dispute with Israel over settlement restrictions
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Mohammed Daraghmeh - September 7, 2010 - 12:00am

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he has asked the U.S. to settle a dispute with Israel over settlement expansion that is threatening to derail Mideast peace talks. Israel's 10-month partial freeze on new construction in West Bank settlements ends Sept. 26, and Israeli officials have indicated they will not extend the freeze as is. Abbas has said he'll quit peace talks with Israel unless the restrictions remain in place. Abbas said late Monday that he has asked the U.S. "to intervene in the settlement issue."

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The peace talks—and their obstacles
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
by Ron Kampeas - September 7, 2010 - 12:00am

Direct talks between Palestinians and Israelis have barely begun and already the sides are facing their first major hurdle -- the end of Israel's partial moratorium on settlement building. Several issues might beset the sides as they aim to meet the yearlong deadline suggested by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and endorsed (with considerable enthusiasm) by President Obama and (with less enthusiasm) by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

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Palestinian Spokesman Abu-Rudaynah Talks to Asharq Al-Awsat
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat
by Mina Al-Oraibi - (Interview) September 7, 2010 - 12:00am

Palestinian Presidency Spokesman Nabil Abu-Rudaynah has affirmed that the negotiations between President Mahmud Abbas (Abu-Mazin) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not deal with the core issues of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Their meeting was "to explore the positions." He added that all the core issues would be raised during the coming two weeks with a view to defining the position of each side before they start the negotiations. This would be a complex and critical process.

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