Israeli plans to construct 104 new housing units in the Palestinian East Jerusalem area Ras al-Amud draw swift reactions. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu heads to London for talks with U.S. Special Mideast Envoy George Mitchell and European heads of government. Reports from Gaza say that Hamas is enforcing a conservative religious dress code on all school girls. Controversy continues over the publication of an article in Swedish paper Aftonbladet accusing the Israeli army of "harvesting" organs from Palestinians during the Gaza war. An op-ed in The Wall Street Journal by Sam Bahour urges Israel to allow more Palestinian economic development in the West Bank.

Dr Erakat on plans to construct a new Israeli settlement in occupied East Jerusalem
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Palestine Liberation Organization
by Negotiations Affairs Department - August 24, 2009 - 12:00am

Chief Palestinian Negotiator, Dr Saeb Erakat, today said that plans to construct a new Israeli settlement in the Palestinian neighborhood of Ras al-Amud in occupied East Jerusalem provided yet another example of the obstacles Israel continues to place in the way of international efforts to restart negotiations. Submitted for approval to Israeli authorities, and reportedly to be called ‘Ma’aleh David’, plans for the new settlement include the construction of 104 new settlement units.

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Israel Still Strangles the Palestinian Economy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Wall Street Journal
by Sam Bahour - (Opinion) August 21, 2009 - 12:00am

Palestinians are as eager as anyone to see positive economic development for their tormented country. But they know full well that real economic progress awaits their release from Israeli military occupation (West Bank, East Jerusalem) and siege (Gaza Strip).

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Religious fundamentalism in Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Ahram
by Stephen Lendman - August 24, 2009 - 12:00am

In the book Jewish History, Jewish Religion, by Israel Shahak (1933-2001), it is argued that while Islamic fundamentalism is vilified in the West, comparable Jewish extremism is largely ignored. In the book's foreword, Edward Said wrote: "... Shahak's mode of telling the truth has always been rigorous and uncompromising. There is nothing seductive about it, no attempt made to put it 'nicely,' no effort expended on making the truth palatable... For Shahak killing is murder is killing is murder: his manner is to repeat.

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Hamas branded 'too secular'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Ahram
by Saleh Al-Naami - August 24, 2009 - 12:00am

In the biggest confrontation yet between the dismissed government of Ismail Haniyeh and an Islamic group, more than 30 people were killed last week, including 12 civilians and several policemen. The bloody confrontation came after Abdel-Latif Moussa -- also known as Abul-Nur Al-Maqdisi, leader of Jund Ansar Allah, or Soldiers of the Followers of God, and among the killed -- declared an Islamic emirate, or mini-state, in Rafah. Moussa, who promised to implement Islamic law, accused Hamas of being too "secular".

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US must choose between the two voices of Hamas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National
by Amr Hamzawy - (Opinion) August 24, 2009 - 12:00am

When will President Obama abandon the Bush doctrine of isolating Hamas? During a press conference in Gaza City a few weeks ago, Ismail Haniya, the Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, declared: “If there is a real project that aims at resolving the Palestinian cause on establishing a Palestinian state on 1967 borders, under full Palestinian sovereignty, we will support it.” And in an interview shortly after, Khaled Meshaal, the exiled leader of Hamas’s political bureau, welcomed the “new language towards the region” from President Obama.

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West Bank settlements: an impassable obstacle on the road to peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian
by Ian Black - (Opinion) August 24, 2009 - 12:00am

On a ridge high above the West Bank town of Nablus, a cluster of red roofs and neat white concrete homes mark the Israeli settlement of Elon Moreh, its security patrols on alert for attackers like the lone Palestinian gunman who mowed down four residents during the second intifada.

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Boycotts only harden Israeli opinion
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian
by Benjamin Pogrund - (Opinion) August 24, 2009 - 12:00am

The most inaccurate way to describe Israel today is as an apartheid state. That's the exact opposite of what Neve Gordon said on Cif last week. Level whatever criticisms you want against Israel – start with West Bank occupation and oppression of Palestinians, and go on to the domestic discrimination suffered by the Arab minority – but the simple fact is that none of it is the apartheid of the old South Africa. Abundant evidence of this is readily available, in the Guardian and elsewhere.

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Mixed reactions to plan for new e. J'lem homes
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Abe Selig - August 24, 2009 - 12:00am

News that the Jerusalem Municipality was reviewing plans for the construction of 104 housing units in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras al-Amud was met with mixed reaction by residents there on Sunday, as the streets of the predominately Palestinian neighborhood were quiet due to the onset of Ramadan.

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Group says Left 'distorting' east Jerusalem construction plan
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ronen Medzini - August 23, 2009 - 12:00am

Claims that the Jerusalem Municipality has approved the construction of 104 housing units for Jews in the eastern neighborhood of Ras al-Amud continue to make waves. The Jerusalem Municipality has denied the claims made by the Ir Amim association, which says that the new project will be connected by a bridge to the Jewish neighborhood of Ma'aleh Hazeitim.

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