Palestine is a reality
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) July 14, 2011 - 12:00am

Poor Michele Bachmann! The US Republican representative and presidential hopeful has been the target of merciless criticism and ridicule for her slip-up in explaining her sponsorship of a controversial pro-Israel Congressional resolution. The slip-up, a seemingly ‘pro-Palestinian tweet’, was caught by Salon.com, the popular news website, when Bachmann wrote explaining her adoption of the House measure, saying, “I’m proud to co-sponsor HRes 268, coming to the floor [last Thursday] night,’ stressing, “The resolution supports peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine [italics added].”

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The U.S. may be heading toward talks with Hamas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Zvi Barel - (Opinion) July 3, 2011 - 12:00am

How would Israel respond if a "senior American official" were to declare that the United States was prepared to speak with Hamas leadership?

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Palestinians slam U.S. resolution threatening aid suspension
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
June 30, 2011 - 12:00am

Palestinian officials on Thursday slammed a U.S. Senate resolution threatening to cut American aid if the Palestinian leadership continued to seek recognition of state from the United Nations. "This is a shameful decision," said Nabil Shaath, a Palestinian peace negotiator, such decision should not have come from a country that plays "an important role" in mediating between the Palestinians and Israel for peace. Resolution 185, passed Wednesday, called on the U.S. President Barack Obama to veto the UN vote on the Palestinian request for recognition of their state in September.

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Israel tries to strike deal with Europe, US
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Attila Somfalvi - June 30, 2011 - 12:00am

Government sources on Wednesday confirmed that Israeli and American officials are continuing their efforts to jump-start negotiations with the Palestinians, while Jerusalem is hoping to secure France and Britain's objection at a United Nations vote on the declaration of a Palestinian state. Germany and Italy have already announced that they will object to a unilateral declaration of statehood, while France and Britain are eager to push Israel and the Palestinians back to the negotiations table.

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Obama: U.S., Israel Must Assess Mideast With 'Fresh Eyes' Read more: http://forward.com/articles/138918/#ixzz1Q15JCYRh
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
June 21, 2011 - 12:00am

President Obama told Jewish donors to his reelection campaign that Israel and the United States must assess the new Middle East with “fresh eyes.” “Both the United States and Israel are going to have to look at this new landscape with fresh eyes,” Obama said Monday night at an event in Washington that charged a minimum $25,000 a couple. “It’s not going to be sufficient for us just to keep on doing the same things we’ve been doing and expect somehow that things are going to work themselves out. We’re going to have to be creative and we’re going to have to be engaged.”

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‘Declaration of war’?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) June 17, 2011 - 12:00am

Saudi Arabia has apparently dropped the gauntlet in its loud tiff with the Obama administration’s “misguided policies” towards the Middle East, and particularly its stance on the Palestinian debacle, now in its 64th year, whereby Barack Obama recently reiterated the “unshakeable” US support for Israel.

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Jordan’s King Abdullah II warns Mideast peace prospects are dim
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Joby Warrick - June 16, 2011 - 12:00am

The failure of U.S. and international efforts to rekindle Middle East peace talks last month has all but doomed chances for a breakthrough in the near future, Jordan’s King Abdullah II said in an interview in which he warned that the failure may cause the outbreak of a new armed uprising in the Palestinian territories.

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Saudis throw down the gauntlet
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) June 16, 2011 - 12:00am

Saudi Arabia has apparently thrown down the gauntlet in its loud tiff with the Obama administration's "misguided policies" toward the Middle East and particularly its stance on the Palestinian issue, now in its 64th year, on which President Barack Obama recently reiterated the "unshakeable" US support of Israel.

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The Steve Simon call
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
by Ron Kampeas - (Blog) June 16, 2011 - 12:00am

The Washington Post's left and right columnists are having a grand old time mixing it up over a call that Steve Simon, the White House go-to guy on Israel, had last Friday with the Jewish leadership. I heard the call. To put it gently, Greg Sargent, the Plum Line, or "left" columnist, has it right. And I don't know where Jennifer Rubin, the "Right Turn" columnist, is getting her info. The short story I put out Friday did not quote Simon at length, but I did not expect his remarks would be misreported.

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Banning an artist to keep the ambassador happy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat
(Opinion) June 15, 2011 - 12:00am

In an art exhibit held the Arab World Institute in Paris, the then Iraqi ambassador to France Abdul-Razzak al-Hashimi was seen shaking with rage outside of the gallery and angrily proclaiming that one of the exhibits within the gallery insulted the well-loved President Saddam Hussein. Al-Hashimi was talking about a cartoon by famous Arab cartoonist Ali Farzat which depicts a huge army general pouring military decoration into an empty plate being held by a poor and starving man. Al-Hashimi screamed that he would not move until this cartoon was removed from the art exhibit.

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