February 11th

Israel rerouting barrier near West Bank village ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Mohammed Daraghmeh - February 11, 2010 - 1:00am Israel began work on Thursday to reroute a section of its West Bank separation barrier to restore land to a village that has become a flashpoint of Palestinian opposition to the enclosure. The move comes 2 1/2 years after Israel's Supreme Court ruled that the barrier must be moved to ease the hardship of Palestinians in the village of Bilin. Some Palestinians welcomed the development but stressed it fell far short of their demand to dismantle the entire enclosure. » Read more

Palestinian killer had personal problems - Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Jeffrey Heller - February 11, 2010 - 1:00am A Palestinian policeman who stabbed to death an Israeli soldier in the West Bank said he was "tired of living", an Israeli general said on Thursday, indicating a suicidal motive for the attack. Mahmoud Khatib, 34, killed Ihab Chattib, a career non-commissioned officer from Israel's Druze Arab minority and not related to the attacker, at a road junction in the occupied territory on Wednesday. The assailant was then run down by an Israeli motorist and arrested. » Read more

Israeli fire kills 1 in central Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 11, 2010 - 1:00am An Israeli airstrike at midday killed one and injured a second, hours after Israeli artillery fire injured three children on Thursday in Johur Ad-Dik, central Gaza. An Israeli military spokesman confirmed the strike, saying it was in retaliation against militants who had fired on Israeli patrol jeeps earlier that morning. He said the Israeli patrol had been operating on the east side of the Gaza border, and that soldiers returned fire in the direction of the attack. » Read more

Museum Creates New Jerusalem Divide ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - February 10, 2010 - 1:00am In a dispute that reflects the religious and political divides in this contested city, representatives of long-established Palestinian families petitioned the United Nations on Wednesday for help in trying to stop Israel and the Simon Wiesenthal Center from constructing a museum on part of a centuries-old Muslim cemetery. » Read more

Poll findings favour Arab moderation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) February 10, 2010 - 1:00am Arab citizens, we are often told, overwhelmingly support resistance movements and radical leaders because they stand up for the dignity of Arab nations and defend their interests and values. In doing so, the reasoning goes, they look down on moderate leaders because they fail to give paramount priority to Arab causes like Palestine and Iraq. » Read more

Perhaps step backward will move peace forward ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Douglas Bloomfield - (Opinion) February 10, 2010 - 1:00am Israelis and Palestinians are about to take a giant step backward that just might help them move toward peace. » Read more

Counsel-General attends J Street event ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - February 11, 2010 - 1:00am Three months after Ambassador to the US Michael Oren pointedly turned down an invitation to attend J Street’s first annual convention in Washington, Israel’s consul-general attended one of the group’s functions last week in Boston. The Jerusalem Post has learned that the consul-general, Nadav Tamir, went to the event only after seeking, and getting, a green light from the Foreign Ministry. The Post learned that Tamir was told by the ministry that he could attend the event, but not be one of its speakers. » Read more

PA detains 6 al-Qaeda men ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) by Ali Waked - February 10, 2010 - 1:00am For the first time, Palestinian security forces have arrested six al-Qaeda supporters in the West Bank, a Palestinian security official said Wednesday. Brigadier General Ibrahim Ramadan said that six people were arrested last week near the town of Jenin in the northern West Bank. He said they were receiving military training but had not yet selected targets to attack. "They consider themselves part of al-Qaeda but had no contact with the leaders of al-Qaeda abroad," he said. » Read more

Israel: Gaza crossing to stay shut as long as Hamas in power ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel - February 10, 2010 - 1:00am The Israel Defense Forces has sharply cut back its activity around the Karni border crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip, and defense officials told Haaretz that the crossing, which was closed after Hamas took over the Strip in June 2007, is not slated to reopen in the future. Due to the structure of the crossing, it is at high risk for terror attacks, said an official. This, combined with the inability to coordinate operations with Hamas, led to its abandonment. "The Karni crossing won't resume operating," said one. "At least not as long as Hamas controls the Strip." » Read more

Israel needs Goldstone ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Bradley Burston - (Opinion) February 11, 2010 - 1:00am Shock (noun): a major medical emergency, often seen after serious injury. Among its signs and symptoms are mental changes including a sense of great anxiety and foreboding, confusion and, sometimes, combativeness. This is about fear of the dark. Of the monstrous. In this case, the terror of finally uncovering what we ourselves are really made of. » Read more