The Paris Conference Can Foster Mideast Peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Wall Street Journal
by Gerard Errera - (Opinion) June 29, 2011 - 12:00am

The United Nations General Assembly is currently on track to endorse the unilateral proclamation of a Palestinian state in September. The United States will oppose the measure, while a majority of Europeans nations will approve it and the Israel-Palestinian conflict will only deepen. This is why French Foreign Minister Alain Juppé announced recently that France will convene an international conference in Paris to try to resolve the issue.

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What does Abbas really want?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Douglas Bloomfield - (Opinion) June 29, 2011 - 12:00am

Mahmoud Abbas inspired great hope that peace was finally possible when he succeeded Yasser Arafat as president of the Palestinian Authority. Because the gap between those expectations and his performance keeps growing, along with his penchant for finding excuses instead of opportunities, he is arguably an even bigger disappointment than the unrepentant old terrorist. Few expected Arafat would ever make a real peace, but not so Abbas, who earned respect as the only PLO leader to stand up to Arafat and oppose violence as a negotiating tool.

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'Hamas will not work with German mediator again'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
June 27, 2011 - 12:00am

The deputy chairman of Hamas' political bureau, Moussa Abu Marzouk, told London-based al-Hayat on Monday that his organization would not work with German mediator Gerhard Konrad again after he failed to secure a prisoner exchange agreement between Hamas and Israel in negotiations for the release of captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit. The last time talks broke down with the German mediator, Abu Marzouk said that while Konrad's role in the negotiations had ended, Hamas would "not oppose his return if the Israeli government wants it."

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Peres's Conference, Netanyahu's Challenge
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by J.J. Goldberg - (Opinion) June 27, 2011 - 12:00am

Tel Aviv — When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rose to address the 4,000 delegates at the close of Shimon Peres’s Israeli Presidential Conference in Jerusalem on June 23, he beamed like a film student accepting an Oscar.

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Getting on board with peace in Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Hagit Borer - (Opinion) June 26, 2011 - 12:00am

Later this month an American ship, the Audacity of Hope, will leave Greece on a journey to the Gaza Strip to attempt to break Israel's blockade. It will join an expected nine other ships flying numerous flags and carrying hundreds of passengers from around the world. I will be one of those passengers.

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Israel PM agrees to 1967 borders
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
June 24, 2011 - 12:00am

TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma’an) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly agreed to peace talks based on 1967 borders on the condition that the Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state and solve the Palestinian refugee issue outside of Israel's borders. Netanyahu announced the position to US presidential Middle East adviser Dennis Ross, and acting envoy for the Middle East David Hale, both of whom Netanyahu met with last week, the Israeli daily Maariv reported Thursday.

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AP Exclusive: Palestinians ready to ease demands
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Mohammed Daraghmeh - June 23, 2011 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Palestinians are ready to ease their demand for a freeze on Israeli settlement construction to get peace talks back on track, a top official told The Associated Press on Thursday. The softened position reflects the Palestinians' growing realization that their alternative strategies to talks — reconciling with the Hamas militant group and seeking unilateral recognition at the United Nations — are both in trouble.

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Israel's deputy FM says ready to sit for talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
June 22, 2011 - 12:00am

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Israel's deputy foreign minister said Wednesday that "Israel has recognized a Palestinian state and is ready to sit with the Palestinians to reach an understanding on the condition that there will be no outside intervention by the UN." "The Israeli government is ready to discuss all of the details with the Palestinians as long as they don't go to the UN; this is a path that leads toward disaster and will put an end to Oslo Accords," Danny Ayalon said in an interview with Ma'an television.

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Ross: In changing ME, waiting things out is no option
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Herb Keinon - June 22, 2011 - 12:00am

The greatest risk at a time of sweeping change in the Middle East is to think that this is the time to sit still and “do nothing," Dennis Ross, the White House's chief Middle East advisor said Wednesday. Ross, speaking at the Presidential Conference in Jerusalem, said that while he understands the impulse to “stand pat" and avoid taking risks, certain realities -- such as demographic trends that will present Israel with the dilemma of being either a Jewish or a democratic state - cannot be “wished away.”

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Amos Oz slams West Bank 'occupation'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ronen Medzini - June 21, 2011 - 12:00am

Author Amos Oz spoke Tuesday at the Presidential Conference in Jerusalem and criticized the peace process with the Palestinians. Oz said he believes the "ongoing occupation" of the Palestinian people in the West Bank and the construction in settlements is in general immoral, as well as bad for Israel's interests. The author, who received intermittent applause as well as a good deal of booing, added that the "expulsion of Palestinians" from their homes in Jerusalem and their "replacement" with settlers is also bad for Israel. "I am saying this as a man who loves the state," he added.

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