Israel Wants To Cut Gaza Links After Border Breach
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Adam Entous, Rebecca Harrison - January 24, 2008 - 5:58pm

Israel wants to cut its links with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip after militants blasted open the territory's border with Egypt in defiance of an Israeli blockade, Israel's deputy defense minister said on Thursday. Israel, which occupied the Gaza Strip in 1967, pulled troops and settlers out in 2005 but still controls its northern and eastern borders, airspace and coastal waters, and has imposed a blockade it says is meant to counter militant rocket fire.

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Breach In Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
(Editorial) January 24, 2008 - 5:57pm

THE HAMAS movement provided a dramatic illustration yesterday of its ability to disrupt any movement toward peace between Israelis and Palestinians. As tens of thousands of residents of the Gaza Strip surged across the border into Egypt, Hamas security forces directed traffic; earlier, they stood by as organized groups of militants blew up the fence along the previously sealed border.

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Trapped In Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
(Editorial) January 24, 2008 - 5:56pm

The neglect and mistreatment of the 1.5 million Palestinians trapped in the Gaza Strip is a disgrace, and a very dangerous one. They are pawns in the struggle among Hamas, which controls Gaza and uses the territory to bombard Israel daily; its rivals in the Fatah movement that run the Palestinian Authority and the West Bank; and Israel. If something isn’t done quickly to address the Gazans’ plight, President Bush’s Annapolis peace process could implode.

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As Gazans Pour Across, A Region Alters
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Rushdi Abu Alouf, Richard Bourdreaux - January 24, 2008 - 5:55pm

The collapse of Egypt's border with the Gaza Strip on Wednesday altered the region's political and security landscape as suddenly as it changed the fortunes of Palestinians who poured out of the enclave to stock up on goods made scarce by an Israeli blockade. After masked gunmen used land mines to blast through a 7-mile-long border wall, tens of thousands of jubilant Gazans went on an Egyptian spree, buying gasoline, heating oil, rice, sugar, milk, cheese, cigarettes, tires, cement, television sets and cellphones.

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Gaza Busts Out Of Its Blockade
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
by Dan Murphy, Ilene Prusher - January 24, 2008 - 5:54pm

In a coordinated effort using explosives and bulldozers, militants in the Gaza Strip pulled down much of a seven-mile border fence with Egypt Wednesday, allowing tens of thousands of Gazans to cross into Egypt to buy everything from fuel to baby formula.

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The Los Angeles Times examines how the opening of the Gaza-Egypt border has altered the political and security landscape (2.) A New York Times editorial is critical of all parties to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict for using the civilian population of Gaza as pawns in their political struggle (3.) Reuters looks at how Israel is considering responding to the Gaza border breach (5.) A Baltimore Sun opinion by former Fatah militant and co-founder of Combatants for Peace Bassam Aramin urges an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories if peace based on justice is to be established (6.) The Times (UK) looks at how Hamas planned its breach of the Gaza border wall for months leading up to the action (11.) A Daily Star (Lebanon) editorial cautions of the detrimental effect of the Gaza situation on any prospects for peace and U.S. credibility in the Middle East (12.) A Haaretz (Israel) editorial urges using the Gaza border issue as an opportunity to turn over border crossings to the Palestinian government and international organizations (15.)

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