Israel Reopens Gaza Crossings After Two-day Closure ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Nidal Al-Mughrabi - August 28, 2008 - 12:00am Israel on Thursday reopened its border crossings with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, two days after they were shut in response to rocket attacks. Palestinian officials said three of the main commercial crossings were opened but a fourth remained closed. Israel tightened its borders with the Gaza Strip after Hamas Islamists seized the enclave more than a year ago. A June ceasefire has largely ended border violence, but Gaza militants occasionally fire rockets into Israel. Israel usually responds by shutting the crossings the following day.

Palestinians: Idf Detained Pardoned Fatah Member ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked - August 28, 2008 - 12:00am Palestinian sources said an IDF force operating in the West Bank town of Nablus during the early hours of Thursday morning apprehended Mahmoud Lubada, a member of Fatah's Al-Aqsa Brigades who was pardoned by Israel as part of the recent Amnesty deal with the Palestinian Authority. » Read more

12-year-old Hit By Rubber Bullet During Naalin Riot ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked, Erfat Weiss - August 28, 2008 - 12:00am A 12-year-old Palestinian boy was mildly wounded on Thursday afternoon after a rubber bullet hit his head during an anti-security fence riot in the West Bank town of Naalin. Four Border Guard officers were lightly wounded from rocks thrown at them during a violent riot. Two of those wounded were taken to a Jerusalem hospital for medical attention and two others were treated at the scene » Read more

Saudis Urge Hamas And Fatah To Form New Coalition ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Donald MacIntyre - September 28, 2007 - 12:00am Saudi Arabia – potentially a key player in current diplomatic moves on the Middle East – has warned that Fatah and Hamas will have to form a new coalition if any peace accord between Israel and the Palestinians is going to work. At the same time it has expressed cautious optimism about the international Middle East conference called by George Bush for November – without yet committing itself to attend, as Israel and the United States would like it to. » Read more

Blockade-busting Boats Leave Gaza Strip For Cyprus ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press August 28, 2008 - 12:00am After five days on the Gaza Strip's coastline, two boats carrying humanitarian aid in efforts to break an Israeli-imposed economic blockade on the Strip set sail for Cyprus on Thursday, carrying seven Palestinians who had been confined to the Strip. Israel's navy made no effort to stop the vessels. » Read more

Abbas To Hold Further Talks With Israel's Olmert ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters August 29, 2008 - 12:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet again with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday, Israeli and Palestinian officials said. The next round of talks in Jerusalem will come days after a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that made little progress toward a goal of a limited peace accord before President George W. Bush leaves office in January. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Reuters on Friday Abbas and Olmert would meet to "review the negotiations and the final status issues". » Read more

A Biblical Tragedy In Galilee ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Kim Sengupta - August 29, 2008 - 12:00am The 2,000-year-old fishing boat of Galilee in which, the story goes, Jesus may have sailed, is one of the most precious ancient treasures in Israel. The vessel, which draws thousands of tourists to a kibbutz in Ginosar, was discovered by chance in 1986 when the sea level dropped dramatically because of a severe drought. » Read more

A Mideast Real Estate Deal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Boston Globe (Editorial) September 28, 2007 - 12:00am A TINY, disputed parcel of land called Shebaa Farms, located where Israel, Syria, and Lebanon converge, has long been used as a pretext for armed confrontation. But Israel may now have a chance to remove this sliver of real estate as a source of conflict. This is an opportunity that should not be missed. » Read more

Palestinians: Explosive Device Kills Farmer ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press August 29, 2008 - 12:00am A West Bank farmer was killed early Friday when he triggered an explosive device on his way to work in his fields, a Palestinian police official said. » Read more

Exclusive-money Trail To Hamas Begins With Israeli Banks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Adam Entous - September 28, 2007 - 12:00am Israeli authorities tracking Hamas's funds said they made an unexpected discovery last month -- cash from one of Israel's biggest banks had found its way to a security force loyal to the Palestinian Islamists in Gaza. Officials, speaking to Reuters this week on condition of anonymity, said the incident sparked a inquiry by the Justice Ministry's anti-money laundering authority and fuelled debate within the Israeli government and banking community over whether to cut financial links to Palestinian banks in the Gaza Strip. » Read more