July 10th

Israel Sees Mediterranean Union As Way To Boost Arab Ties ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) by Marius Schattner - July 10, 2008 - 3:06pm JERUSALEM (AFP) Israel hopes the new Mediterranean Union will help improve relations with the Arab world, but Arabs warn against any attempt to bring normalisation in through the back door. "Israel has always considered that it is in the interest of all the peoples of the Mediterranean to reinforce their cooperation, which is why we are happy to participate in the Mediterranean Union," Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev said of the entity that will be launched at a Paris summit on Sunday. » Read more

Israeli Troops Kill Palestinian On Gaza Border ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Nidal Al-mughrabi - July 10, 2008 - 3:04pm GAZA (Reuters) - Hamas arrested three Palestinians who fired rockets into Israel from the Gaza Strip on Thursday, a militant faction said, in the first such detentions since the Islamist group and Israel agreed a truce last month. Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a group linked to President Mahmoud Abbas\'s Fatah group, said Hamas men pursued its members after the attack and "abducted them" in Jabalya refugee camp. No one was hurt in the strike with two rockets on southern Israel. "We demand their immediate release," said Abu Qusai, a brigades spokesman. » Read more

The Grim Logic Of Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Bernard Avishai - July 10, 2008 - 3:02pm The little supermarket in the German colony of Jerusalem has a famously good meat counter; the man who has run it for the last 10 years or so is named Abed. He is a Jerusalem-born Arab, a Muslim, about 40 years old, the father of three (or is it now four?) children, whose pictures hang behind the counter. The store is a place residents of the neighborhood wander into several times a week, looking for blueberries or chestnuts. I almost always wound up speaking to Abed about this or that and eventually started coming in to talk, even if I needed nothing. » Read more

July 9th

Israel Approves New Homes In East Jerusalem Settlement ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) July 9, 2008 - 5:00pm An Israeli commission has approved the building of 920 new homes in occupied east Jerusalem, the municipality said on Wednesday, in a new blow to shaky peace talks with the Palestinians. "The district commission has approved for construction 920 housing units in Har Homa," a statement said, referring to a neighbourhood in east Jerusalem, known in Arabic as Jabel Abu Ghneim, that has more than 10,000 residents. » Read more

B’tselem: Israel Failed To Dismantle Part Of Separation Fence Despite Court Order ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked - July 9, 2008 - 4:50pm The B'Tselem human rights organization says Israel has failed to dismantle a part of the separation fence in the Alfei Menashe area cancelled by the High Court of Justice. A statement released by the organization claims that a court decision from September 2005 on the fence route around the town of Alfei Menashe has not been implemented by Israel.

Aid Pledged To Strengthen West Bank Police ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Julio Godoy - July 9, 2008 - 4:47pm International donors have promised to channel more aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA), particularly to strengthen the police and the judiciary. » Read more

Palestinian Premier Criticizes Israeli Raids ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press July 9, 2008 - 4:43pm The Palestinian prime minister charged Wednesday that Israeli military operations in the West Bank are hindering his administration's campaign to improve security in the territory. Such operations "undermine grossly our efforts aimed at rebuilding our capacity and re-establishing law and order," Falam Fayyad said at a news conference he held in the West Bank city of Ramallah with visiting Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini. » Read more

Most Attacks On Palestinians Go Unpunished: Israeli Group ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) July 9, 2008 - 4:37pm Nine out of 10 investigations into attacks against Palestinians in the West Bank are closed without anyone being indicted, the Israeli Yesh Din human rights group said on Wednesday. It said that of 163 such completed investigations it monitored in recent years, only 13 led to indictments being filed, 149 files were closed without indictments and one file was lost and never investigated. » Read more

Ever Divided ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Economist July 9, 2008 - 4:35pm The oldest Palestinian party tries to heal its divisions, but new ones fast emerge » Read more

Special Focus On West Bank Barrier ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Jon Dennis - July 9, 2008 - 4:33pm The barrier in the West Bank and East Jerusalem that separates Israelis from Palestinians continues to divide them – and not just in a physical sense. Israelis believe it is vital to their security, while Palestinians say it is a land-grab that cuts them off from their livelihoods. The Guardian's Rory McCarthy reports from Jayyus, a Palestinian village, and from Alfe Menashe, an Israeli settlement. » Read more