The newlywed game
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Aluf Benn - (Opinion) May 20, 2009 - 12:00am

WASHINGTON - Those who attended Monday's meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and United States President Barack Obama at the White House formed the impression that while there was no lovefest: The conference was a businesslike encounter between two people whose lives have compelled them to work together.

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Obama and the Israeli Rejection
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Randa Takieddine - (Opinion) May 20, 2009 - 12:00am

The talks between US President Barack Obama and his guest, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, clearly show the deep difference in their stances on the Palestinians and Iran; this difference will continue to dominate the relationship between the White House and the current Israeli government.

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Clock ticking on peace process
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by Francis Matthew - (Opinion) May 20, 2009 - 12:00am

The leaders of the Arab world have become very clear in the past few months that there is a deadline for the Arab peace initiative, and they are not willing to let Israel continue stalling them for decades without any consequence as it refuses to withdraw from the West Bank, continues to expropriate land, and expands its colonies.

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Determined Obama is key to resolution
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) May 20, 2009 - 12:00am

The Arab world was generally anxious that President Barack Obama would retreat from his view, reiterated recently by several of his key officials, that a Palestinian-Israel settlement merits top and immediate attention, especially from Israel. But the fact that he did not in his talks last Monday with the hawkish Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and had actually stressed the need for several more positive steps, was generally well-received in the Arab world.

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Israel's prime minister tells Obama he wants to restart peace talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Paul Richter - May 19, 2009 - 12:00am

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told President Obama at a White House meeting Monday that he wanted to resume peace negotiations with the Palestinians, but he stopped short of embracing the U.S. view of a fully sovereign Palestinian state. The Israeli leader said he wanted Palestinians to govern themselves, but without "a handful of powers that could endanger the state of Israel." Netanyahu has long insisted that any Palestinian state forgo the common trappings of statehood, including its own military, control over its borders and authority over electronic communications.

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Bibi gets his first date thrill, but what about the relationship?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
by Ron Kampeas - (Analysis) May 19, 2009 - 12:00am

With a presidential pledge to hang tough on Iran under his belt, Benjamin Netanyahu could be forgiven for thinking Barack Obama was an easy first date. Wait until he hears about what happens when the relationship gets serious. The Israeli prime minister walked away from his first leader's summit with the U.S. president with a tangible prize: a commitment to a timetable on Obama’s bid to use diplomacy to persuade Iran to end its nuclear weapons program.

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Kerry tells Netanyahu: Mideast peace is not a one-way street
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Aluf Benn, Natasha Mozgovaya, Mazal Mualem, Barak Ravid - May 19, 2009 - 12:00am

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ending a three-day trip, met Tuesday with U.S. lawmakers who were expected to question him on his refusal to endorse the cornerstone of international Mideast policy, the creation of an independent Palestinian state. U.S. Senator John Kerry, a Democrat and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman, said following talks with Netanyahu that he was encouraged by a number of things the Israeli leader said. Kerry said he had stressed to Netanyahu the importance of Israel moving

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The slapdown that was heard round the world
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
(Editorial) May 19, 2009 - 12:00am

In the wake of Benjamin Netanyahu’s first meeting with Barack Obama, his allies were quick to declare victory. When the US president announced something resembling a finite timetable for diplomatic efforts to halt Iran’s nuclear programme, their reading goes, Israel recorded a triumph. Those observers must have been watching a different press conference from the rest of us. What was strikingly apparent is how far apart the two men are in their plans to achieve both Middle East peace and a conclusion to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

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Netanyahu Arrives in Washington for First Meeting With Obama
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Amy Teibel - May 18, 2009 - 12:00am

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, worried by U.S. overtures to Iran and Syria and under pressure to support a Palestinian state, arrived in Washington yesterday for his first visit with President Obama. The two leaders, set to meet today at the White House, bring divergent policies on how to approach the Middle East conflict. The Obama administration is trying to promote dialogue with Iran and Syria, Israel's arch foes. Israel fears such efforts could lead to tolerance for Iran's nuclear ambitions, which Netanyahu regards as the greatest threat to his country.

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Obama to Discuss Possible Settlement Freeze and Iran Strategy with Netanyahu
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat
by Joyce Karam - May 18, 2009 - 12:00am

President Barack Obama is meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday to discuss the prospect of an Israeli settlement freeze and ease Israeli concerns on the US strategy towards Iran.

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