A regular feature of news and opinion pieces from the Israeli and Palestinian press.

1.) General James Jones, a high-level American envoy to Israel-Palestine, is preparing to release a report that is extremely critical of Israel’s activities in the West Bank. According to Haaretz, Jones was appointed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice after the Annapolis Conference in order to “draft a strategic plan to facilitate stabilization of the security situation, as a necessary accompaniment to Israeli-Palestinian final-status negotiations.” But after recent meetings with top Israeli officials and several visits to the region, Jones has few positive things to say. His report is thought to be a “scathing” indictment of Israel, lambasting the government for its “broad definition of its security interests in the West Bank” and its attitude toward the Palestinian security services. The overall picture, said one official, is “very harsh, and [will] make Israel look very bad.” Fearing the response, Bush administration officials are apparently trying to squash Jones’s report from going public.

2.) In the Israeli press, questions are increasingly being asked about the effect that the recent prisoner swap with Hezbollah will have on the negotiations over the captured IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Many analysts have concluded that Hamas negotiators have been emboldened by the deal and will stick to their tough demands of trading Shalit for a thousand Palestinian prisoners. As Housing Minister Zeev Biome has said: “I’m afraid Hamas, drawing a lesson from this deal, will harden its position.” Confirming this worry, Abu Mujahid, a spokesman for the Popular Resistance Committees, noted recently that Israel’s “decision to release Samir Kantar will pave the way for the release of Palestinian prisoners who are serving lengthy sentences.”

3.) According to columnist Gershon Baskin in The Jerusalem Post, Hamas is demanding that as part of a prisoner swap involving Gilad Shalit, Israel must release the popular Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti. Weighing in on the debate, Baskin argues in favor of releasing Barghouti. But he cautions that Hamas must not be allowed to receive the credit.

It is quite clear that Hamas will not remove Marwan Barghouti from its list. Barghouti is known to be the most significant leader of Fatah in Palestine today, and he supports the peace process and the two-state solution….The question is: Why give Barghouti as a gift to Hamas? The release of Barghouti not as part of the [Shalit] deal will immediately strengthen the Palestinian Authority and not Hamas. His release will also immediately turn the wheels of reform and reorganization that is so overdue and badly needed within Fatah and crucial for building public support in favor of a possible agreement.

Presumably, the territories will return to new elections for both president and parliament at some time in the coming period. Reaching a negotiated agreement will strengthen the good chances of a victory of the supporters of peace in Palestine in those elections. A free Marwan Barghouti would significantly empower the peace camp and ensure victory for the agreement. Even without agreement, his release would significantly weaken the chances of a Hamas takeover of the West Bank like that in Gaza. Barghouti would not be the first terrorist leader released from prison for the purpose of making peace. The most well known similar case is Nelson Mandela, who led South Africa from the brink of destruction to a peace settlement that has given the African continent a new chance.

4.) The State Department is more frequently calling upon Israel to address minor, day-to-day Palestinian concerns. Examples include the decision of American officials to get involved on behalf of Gaza Fulbright students, and the recent intervention by Assistant Secretary of State David Welch to secure a visa for the daughter of a well-connected Palestinian parliamentarian. These regular interventions, although not unjustified, are putting a strain on relations. Via Haaretz:

Yet another case involved an eviction order issued to an East Jerusalem family over nonpayment of rent. Officials from the U.S. consulate visited the family and sent a telegram to Washington, and the State Department demanded that Israel prevent the eviction. The stunned Israelis responded that the eviction had been upheld by the High Court of Justice. Moreover, they said, this was an internal affair. A senior Israeli official said that the person behind this growing American criticism is the U.S. consul in Jerusalem, Jacob Wallace. “Every week, he receives dozens of complaints from Palestinians and transfers them to Washington without examination,” the official said. “He’s really inflaming the atmosphere, causing public relations damage to Israel and even may damage our relations with the U.S.”

5.) Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad threatened yesterday to remove Palestinian forces from West Bank towns if Israel did not cease its incursions into Palestinian territory. Ma’an News Agency reports that “Israel has invaded Nablus several times over the last two weeks, seeking to shut down charities, religious institutions, and businesses it says are linked to Hamas.” Such raids have undercut the authority of the Palestinian leadership and delegitimized the security efforts of Fayyad’s administration.