October 29th

Forcing the neighbors into play
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Ghassan Khatib - September 2, 2008 - 12:00am

The Israeli strategy for dealing with the Palestinians has changed significantly since the first agreement was reached between the two sides in 1993. This change is forcing Jordan and Egypt, unwillingly, to adapt.

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Olmert Grasps at Straws as Kadima Primary Heats Up
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Middle East Times
by Mel Frykberg - September 2, 2008 - 8:00pm

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is trying desperately to salvage what remains of his tattered reputation in a last ditch bid to achieve some success on the Palestinian-Israeli front before he steps down as premier in the next couple of weeks. Last week he underwent his seventh interrogation in the last few months by Israeli police on allegations of fraud and accepting bribes.

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Palestinians study options if peace talks fail
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Wafa Amr - September 2, 2008 - 8:00pm

Support among Palestinians for a binational state with Israel will grow should U.S.-brokered talks on creating an independent Palestine fail, a Palestinian think tank forecast in a new report released on Wednesday. Israel has long rejected the idea of becoming a binational country, in which Jews would lose their majority. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has said he remains committed to a two-state solution despite slow-moving negotiations.

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Hamas: Talks to free Shalit frozen
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from
September 2, 2008 - 8:00pm

Hamas's senior leader in the Gaza Strip says talks on exchanging captured soldier Gilad Shalit for Palestinian prisoners have frozen. Mahmoud al-Zahar says the Egyptian-mediated negotiations have broken down because Israel won't meet Hamas demands to release prisoners convicted of murdering Israelis. Zahar also said Wednesday that the talks have stalled because Israel and Egypt won't open their border crossings with Gaza. Both countries sealed the border after Hamas seized power in Gaza in June 2007.

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Israeli troops shoot Palestinian
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News
September 2, 2008 - 8:00pm

Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank have shot and wounded a mentally disabled Palestinian man during a raid on his house, medical officials say. The incident happened late on Sunday in the village of Nilin. Awad Srur, 41, was hit in the face with three rubber-coated bullets, causing him to lose an eye, medics said. The Israeli military says Mr Srur attacked soldiers who were arresting his brother and tried to grab one of their rifles before he was shot. Mr Srur's son Muhammad said he tried to persuade the soldiers not to open fire because of his father's mental condition.

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Israel to discuss relocating West Bank settlers
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
September 2, 2008 - 8:00pm

The Israeli government will discuss for the first time a plan to compensate Jewish settlers who agree to voluntarily leave their homes in the occupied West Bank, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said on Wednesday. The settlement issue has clouded U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians launched in November with the aim of reaching a statehood deal by early 2009.

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Palestinian Public Opinion Poll #29
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Palestinian Center For Policy And Survey Research
September 2, 2008 - 8:00pm

While the gap between Mahmud Abbas and Ismail Haniyeh widens in favor of the former, and while the overwhelming majority opposes Hamas’s military action in Shijaiah in the Gaza Strip, almost two-thirds believe that Abbas’s term in office expires in January 2009 rather than January 2010 28-30 August 2008

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Time Magazine examines the challenges facing Palestinian Security Forces in the West Bank of town Hebron (1) where they were active this weekend (3). The chief Palestinian negotiator announces that there will be no peace agreement this year (2). Britain urges Israel to freeze settlement activity (4). Palestine takes steps to reduce their energy dependence on Israel (5). Israel’s Knesset tentatively agrees on February 10th elections (6). Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak says he favors restricting right-wing extremists from the West Bank (9).

October 28th

Barak wants to ban violent extremists from West Bank
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amos Harel, Nadav Shragai - October 27, 2008 - 8:00pm

Defense Minister Ehud Barak favors barring right-wing extremists who attack soldiers or policemen from entering the West Bank, and in extreme cases, even putting them in administrative detention. On Tuesday, he plans to discuss the issue of law enforcement in the West Bank with senior army, police and legal officials, Attorney General Menachem Mazuz said.

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Bimkom: Israel strangles Area C development
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Dan Izenberg - October 26, 2008 - 8:00pm

The Civil Administration in the West Bank is using a deliberately restrictive planning policy to strangle Palestinian development in Area C and preserve as much land as possible for settlements, the human rights organization Bimkom charged in a new report due to be released this morning. The report, entitled "The Forbidden Zone," accuses the military authorities in the West Bank of severely violating Palestinian human rights.

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