June 16th

Egypt: Iran Has 'negative Effect' On Palestinians
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
June 16, 2008 - 5:05pm

Egypt sees Iran "on a surge" in the Arab world, playing many political and diplomatic cards regardless of Arab interests, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said in an interview.  Aboul Gheit said that in response to its dispute with the United States and Europe over its nuclear program Iran was seeking bargaining leverage abroad and the only region it could find leverage was in the Arab world. "This has a negative effect on the Palestinian question, definitely, and in Lebanon to some extent," he added.

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Rice Warns On Israel Settlements
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News
June 16, 2008 - 5:03pm

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warned Jewish settlement building was having a "negative effect" on efforts to forge a Middle East peace deal. Ms Rice was referring to Israeli plans to build 1,300 new homes in Ramat Shlomo, an area of the West Bank that Israel considers part of Jerusalem. She also said militants must stop firing rockets at Israel from Gaza. She spoke after meeting Israeli PM Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank.

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Hamas And Gaza Emerge Reshaped After Takeover
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from International Herald Tribune
by Ethan Bronner - June 16, 2008 - 5:02pm

GAZA: Cursing God in public here — a fairly common event in this benighted and besieged strip of Palestinian land — can now lead to prison. So can kissing in public. A judge ruled last week that a bank could not collect its contracted interest on a 10-year-old loan because Islam forbids charging interest.

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'three Dead' In Fresh Gaza Clash
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News
June 16, 2008 - 5:01pm

The Israeli military says it has killed three Palestinian militants in fighting in the southern Gaza Strip, near the town of Khan Younis. Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad said three fighters were missing and another three were injured. They had been on a mission to plant explosives along the border fence with Israel, the group says. Militants frequently target the border fence, part of the Israeli defences used to impose its closure on Gaza.

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A Trip Down Gaza's Deadly Tunnels
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News
by Paul Martin - June 16, 2008 - 5:00pm

Again and again the Gaza Strip is described as a prison. Israel controls access, and thanks to its long-running confrontation with groups like Hamas, it has made it near impossible for Gazans to come and go from the tiny strip of territory. But there is a very unofficial and well-known way in and out - the tunnels.   Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play. The network is dug deep into the soft sand and runs under the border with Egypt.

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Life In Gaza Today
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Middle East Progress
by Taghreed El-Khodary - (Interview) June 16, 2008 - 4:59pm

What is the situation in Gaza like a year after Hamas’ violent take over? This is the worst time that Gaza has ever gone through. The situation is deteriorating on a daily basis because of the harsh effects of the closure. It touches every element of daily life in Gaza.

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June 15th

Middle East Progress features an interview with Taghreed El-Khodary, a New York Times reporter in Gaza (1). The International Herald Tribune looks at the change in Gaza since the takeover by Hamas (4). Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice warns Israel that continued settlement construction is threatening the Middle East peace process (5). The Jerusalem Post reports that negotiations between Israel and Hamas are closing in on a ceasefire deal (10).

June 13th

Hamas: Explosion In Beit Lahiya Preparation For ‘quality’ Attack
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ali Waked - June 13, 2008 - 5:10pm

Hamas’ Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades confirmed Friday that the operatives who died in Thursday's explosion in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahiya were making last-minute preparations for a “special mission”, a Hamas codename for a “high-quality” attack. According to the statement, the dead were operatives of a special Hamas unit. The organization promised that its people will “continue following in the path of those killed.”

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Idf Removes 10 Roadblocks In Mount Hebron Vicinity
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Erfat Weiss - June 13, 2008 - 5:08pm

The IDF decided Friday to remove 10 road blocks near southern Mount Hebron, as way of easing the restrictions placed on Palestinians in the West Bank. The decision was made after a security assessment held by the defense establishment. Ninety road blocks have been removed across the west back in recent months.


Haniyeh: Israel Refuses To Reopen Rafah In Truce
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
June 13, 2008 - 5:07pm

Israel has refused to include the reopening of the Rafah border crossing in a possible Gaza truce agreement, Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Thursday. Haniyeh told reporters in the Strip that the opening of the crossing was an essential component of any agreement. "Any agreement must include a timetable for the opening of the Gaza crossings and a list of goods that can be transferred through them," he said.

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