Palestinian Public Opinion Poll No. 25
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Palestinian Center For Policy And Survey Research
October 19, 2007 - 8:37pm


PRESS RELEASE Palestinian Public Opinion Poll No. (25) While Three Quarters of the Palestinians Reject Hamas’s Military Action in the Gaza Strip and While Fateh and President Mahmud Abbas Gain Popular Support as a Result of Hamas’s Step, and While a Majority Supports the Presidential Decree Regarding Election Law and Supports Early Elections, 40% Want the Government of Ismail Haniyeh to Stay in Power and Half of Gazans Feel They and Their Families are Secure and Safe in Their Homes


Riyadh Gives Talks With Israel Cautious Welcome
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian
by Mark Tran - October 19, 2007 - 8:35pm


Saudi Arabia would sit down with Israel at a US-proposed Middle East peace conference, provided it dealt with matters of substance, Saudi officials said today. The Saudi foreign minister, Saud al-Faisal, said Riyadh welcomed the American initiative after he emerged from talks with the US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, who was in the region with the secretary of defence, Robert Gates, to bolster support for Mr Bush's effort to kick-start Middle East peace talks.


Us Launches Broad Strategy In Middle East
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News
by Paul Reynolds - October 19, 2007 - 8:34pm


The United States has embarked on a diplomatic strategy in the Middle East in which it hopes to rally support for Iraq, arm its allies, isolate Iran and launch a new conference for peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. The strategy is being launched in visits to the region by the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Defence Secretary Robert Gates.


Us Offer To Arm Arab States Wins Lukewarm Response From Leaders
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times
by Sonia Verma Verma - October 19, 2007 - 8:31pm


Condoleezza Rice arrives in Israel today hoping to breathe new life into the stalled peace process after offering Arab leaders $20 billion (£10 billion) in arms in return for promises to help to stabilise Iraq and counter the growing influence in the region of Iran.


Teams To Take Up Issues Of Palestinian Statehood
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Scott Wilson - October 19, 2007 - 8:24pm


Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed Monday to form negotiating teams that would begin resolving issues central to the creation of a Palestinian state in advance of a U.S.-sponsored peace conference proposed for later this year.


Progress Eludes Condoleezza Rice In Middle East Talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times
by Richard Beeston - (Editorial) October 19, 2007 - 4:41pm


After five days of shuttle diplomacy, Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, returned home empty-handed yesterday, having failed to pin down participants, an agenda or a firm date for a planned Middle East peace conference. At the end of a punishing round of talks with Israeli, Palestinian and Arab leaders, Dr Rice said that she was “encouraged” by her mission, but admitted that serious obstacles remained.


Palestinians Pessimistic On Peace Talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Financial Times
by Sharmila Devi - October 19, 2007 - 4:40pm


As a series of high-profile international visitors, including Condoleezza Rice and Tony Blair, traipse through the Holy Land, Palestinians are looking on with a mixture of indifference and despair. The US secretary of state and former British prime minister are spear-heading efforts to prod Israel and the Palestinians towards meaningful peace talks and reform of Palestinian institutions and economy.


Gaza Absent In Conference Build-up
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News
by Martin Patience - October 19, 2007 - 4:38pm


US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has been in the Middle East working to try and bring the Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams closer together ahead of a planned Middle East conference in the US next month. Her current trip includes meetings with the Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, as well as trips to Egypt and a meeting in with Jordan's King Abdullah in London.


Burns Echoes Rice: Time Is Right For Palestinian State
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Middle East Times
by Claude Salhani - October 19, 2007 - 4:31pm


"Establishing a Palestinian State is the "right thing to do," said U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns. "The time for a Palestinian state," said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, "is now." "Israel should halt the settlements' expansion, and reduce its footprint in the West Bank," said Burns, the keynote speaker at the second annual gala of the American Task Force on Palestine in Washington Wednesday night.


The Roadblocks To Another Mideast Summit
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
by Joshua Mitnick, Dan Murphy - October 19, 2007 - 4:29pm


Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spent four days in the Middle East this week to drum up support for an international summit that the US hopes will push the moribund Israeli-Palestinian peace process forward.



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