February 19th

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

Seafaring Activists, Palestinians Leave Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters August 28, 2008 - 12:00am Two boats carrying foreign peace activists who had defied an Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip left the Hamas-ruled territory on Thursday for Cyprus, taking with them seven Palestinians. An Israeli official said the Israeli navy would not intercept the boats. Thousands of cheering Palestinians had welcomed the boats, carrying 44 peace activists from 17 nations, when they docked in the Gaza Strip on Saturday. A Hamas official said nine activists decided to stay in the territory in a show of solidarity with its 1.5 million inhabitants. » Read more

With Legacy In Mind, Bush Reassesses His Agenda ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Peter Baker - September 28, 2007 - 12:00am As he addresses a conference on climate change this morning, President Bush will face not only a crowd of skeptics but the press of time. For nearly seven years, he invested little personal energy in the challenge of global warming. Now, with the end in sight, he has called the biggest nations of the world together to press for a plan by the end of next year. » Read more

Changing The West Bank Status Quo: A Conversation With Brigadier General (ret.) Baruch Spiegel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Israel Policy Forum August 27, 2008 - 12:00am On Thursday, August 21, IPF National Scholar Steven L. Spiegel moderated a discussion with Israeli Brigadier General (ret.), Baruch Spiegel, who currently serves President Shimon Peres as advisor on regional affairs, economic development, and special projects. The following is a summary of his remarks. » Read more