Middle East Update - March 9, 2010

Haaretz / Biden: East Jerusalem plan undermines peace talks By Nir Hasson, Avi Issacharoff and Natash Mozgovaya - 23:51 09/03/2010     "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem," Biden said. Read More. AP / Israel OKs 1,600 new homes in east Jerusalem - 3:00 pm March 9, 2010 Israel approved the construction of 1,600 new homes for Jews in disputed east Jerusalem on Tuesday — a move that immediately clouded a visit by Vice President Joe Biden aimed at repairing strained ties and kickstarting Mideast peace talks. Read More. New York Times / Biden Visits Mideast to Push Peace Talks By Ethan Bronner - March 8, 2010 Jerusalem — Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. began a five-day visit to the Middle East on Monday, part of a concerted American effort to restart Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and keep Israel focused on relying on sanctions against Iran’s nuclear program rather than on unilateral military action. Read More. Washington Post / Biden assures Israel of U.S. security commitment By Janine Zachariam - March 9, 2010; 8:32 AM Jerusalem -- Vice President Biden met with top Israeli officials Tuesday and stressed his personal love for the Jewish state as well as the "unshakeable'' commitment of the United States to Israel's security.  Pledging that the Obama administration would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, Biden expressed hope that indirect Israeli-Palestinian talks could soon lead to a meaningful negotiation of Palestinian statehood.  Read More. The Times (London) / ‘Last chance’ Middle East talks at risk as settlers ignore calls for freeze on building by James Hilder - March 9, 2010 Jerusalem - A senior Palestinian leader warned yesterday that Washington faced its last chance to broker an enduring peace in the Middle East as Joe Biden, the US Vice-President, flew in to try to jump-start indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians.  Read More. Haaretz / Israel and U.S. launch indirect peace talks By Natasha Mozgavaya - March 8, 2010 The United States has already begun to mediate indirect peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, the Israeli Embassy in the U.S. confirmed on Monday. All three parties were cautious however whether the current round of talks, which effectively ended 14 months of suspended contacts, would yield any significant developments in the Middle East peace process.   Read More. FARS News Agency (Iran) / Afghanistan Confirms Ahmadinejad's Visit to Kabul - March 8, 2010 TEHRAN (FNA)- Afghan sources on Monday dismissed some media reports alleging that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has cancelled his upcoming visit to Kabul, and assured that the trip would take place on schedule.  "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will visit Afghanistan in coming days and at the invitation of (Afghan President) Hamid Karzai," Afghan President's Spokesman Siamak Heravi told FNA on Monday.   Read More. Jerusalem Post / '4-8 weeks left for diplomacy on Iran' By YAAKOV LAPPIN - 09/03/2010 Four to eight weeks remain to test the option of diplomatic engagement as means of stopping Iran’s nuclear program before sanctions will likely be imposed, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon told an audience of foreign military officers and government officials in Herzliya on Monday.  Read More. The Nation / Exit Strategies for Afghanistan and Iraq by TOM HAYDEN - March 8, 2010 It's been a long winter for the peace movement. Waiting for Obama has proved fruitless. The Great Recession has strengthened Wall Street and diverted attention from the wars. The debate over healthcare still won't go away and has demoralized progressive advocates. Given a chance to exit from Afghanistan when the Karzai election proved to be stolen, President Obama escalated anyway, but also promised to "begin" exiting almost before an opposition could mobilize at home.  Representative Dennis Kucinich will step into the crosswinds this week and force the House of Representatives to wake up, pay attention, and vote up or down on the Afghanistan war.   Read More. The Daily Star (Lebanon) / Israel weighing construction of nuclear power plant - Tuesday, March 09, 2010 OCCUPIED JERUSALEM/ PARIS: Israel will this week unveil plans to produce nuclear-generated electricity, officials said on Monday, a move that could draw fresh international attention toward its assumed atomic arsenal.  Read More.