The family of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit campaigns for his release. The New York Times interviews Israeli opposition leader Tzipi Livni. Israeli Amb. Oren says that he did speak of a tectonic shift in US Israel relations, but not a “rift.” Palestinian feminists say women's rights are being eroded by Hamas rule in Gaza, and human rights agencies warn of a generalized assault on civil liberties. Pres. Abbas says Palestinians are waiting for diplomatic answers. Gaza banks are closing following another daylight raid by Hamas gunmen. Palestinian extremists again attack a UN summer camp in Gaza. Israel's official inquiry into the flotilla attack begins, but The Arab News says it has something to hide. Palestinian women in the West Bank take up motor racing. Turkey closes its airspace to Israel. An Israeli committee is considering major settlement expansion in Arab areas of occupied East Jerusalem, and construction has reportedly begun in Sheikh Jarrah. Akiva Eldar says Israel refuses to recognize the importance of the Arab Peace Initiative. The UN says squabbling between Hamas and the PA led to the shutdown of Gaza's only power plant. Seth Freeman looks at the difficulties of Palestinians traveling in Israel. Palestinian refugees rally for their rights in Lebanon. The National says Israel must recognize peace requires actual compromises. Diana Mukkaled says the politics of the flotillas are often not what they appear.

The danger of an Islamized Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
June 28, 2010 - 12:00am

The slim owner of Gaza City's Gallery cafe has sharp eyes and a sharp tongue. It's easy to imagine him conversing with artists and actors — he is also a theater director — far into the night. But he crossed a line. He allowed female patrons at his cafe to smoke hookah pipes and to talk with men. He ignored demands by plainclothes police to rein in "immoral" behavior. In early May, police interrogated and accused him of having extramarital affairs.

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Israeli inquiry into Gaza flotilla raid opens
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Joseph Nasr - June 28, 2010 - 12:00am

Israel's prime minister and defence chief will be called to testify in an investigation into a deadly raid on a Gaza aid flotilla, the leader of an Israeli commission of inquiry said in an opening statement on Monday. An international observer on the commission said everyone involved was determined it would be rigorous. Turkey, angered by the killing by Israeli commandos of nine Turkish pro-Palestinian activists in a melee on a Gaza blockade-running vessel intercepted on May 31, has said the Israeli probe would be biased.

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Militants set fire to U.N. summer camp in Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Mohammed Assadi - June 28, 2010 - 12:00am

Masked Palestinian gunmen set fire to a U.N.-run summer camp in Gaza on Monday, officials and witnesses said, the second time in recent weeks that militants have attacked a United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) children's camp in the Hamas-controlled territory. About 25 militants stormed the recreation facility and assaulted security guards before setting the building on fire, U.N. spokesman Adnan Abu Hasna said. In May, gunmen set a building on fire after accusing the United Nations of promoting immorality in the Islamist-ruled enclave.

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Racing Palestinian girls speed into record books
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Diaa Hadid - June 28, 2010 - 12:00am

Palestinian women are speeding into the record books by competing on an all-female car racing team — the Speed Sisters. Along the way, they're crashing through another gender barrier in this conservative Muslim society. The eight women have entered a popular race called "Speed Test." Souped-up cars race around a track, weaving their way around obstacles and spinning circles around others. The all-female team is a first for the event.

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Report: Turkey closes airspace to Israel military following Gaza flotilla raid
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
June 28, 2010 - 12:00am

Turkey has closed its airspace to Israeli military flights following a deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid ship, the Turkish prime minister and officials said Monday. Recep Tayyip Erdogan told reporters in Toronto that Turkey imposed the ban after the May 31 raid on a Turkish ship that was part of a six-vessel international aid flotilla, according to the state-run Anatolia news agency. The prime minister, who is in Canada to attend a summit of the Group of 20 major industrial and developing nations, did not elaborate.

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Palestinian says women's rights forgotten in Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Edmund Sanders - (Interview) June 28, 2010 - 12:00am

Naila Ayesh's path to becoming a Muslim activist for women's rights began when she miscarried in an Israeli detention center in 1987 after being arrested for belonging to a Palestinian student union. Today Ayesh, 49, founder of the Gaza Strip-based Women's Affairs Center, has become one of the only feminist voices in the seaside territory that was seized three years ago by Hamas, an armed Palestinian group that aspires to impose Islamic law.

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Gaza banks to close following forced cash withdrawal
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
June 28, 2010 - 12:00am

The Palestinian Monetary Authority and the Banking Association in Gaza made a joint call to close all financial institutions at 11am on Monday, in anger over a forced withdrawal by Hamas police the day before. The statement said Gaza government police had stolen cash from the Bank of Palestine, though Gaza leaders said the withdrawal was based on a local court ruling, overturning the PMA decision to freeze the accounts of a local charity.

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We won't relinquish the enemy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) June 28, 2010 - 12:00am

The Americans are once again disturbing our peace with their "peace process," and are already talking about continuing the settlement construction freeze. Everything was so simple with the three "no"s of Khartoum from September 1967: No peace with Israel, no recognition of Israel and no negotiations with Israel. The Palestine Liberation Organization's armed conflict did cost us lives, but there's need to talk peace with terrorists. When the Arabs refused to recognize us it was 10 times more convenient to settle, to annex and to assassinate.

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Abbas 'waiting for answers' on Israel talks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
June 28, 2010 - 12:00am

Positive answers from Israel "will encourage us to go into direct talks," President Mahmud Abbas said Monday, describing the status of proximity discussions with Israel under US mediation. Government-run news service WAFA said Abbas made the comment during ceremony opening a PA construction project in Ramallah. He said PLO officials had made their demands clear over borders and responded to Israeli concerns over security, and await the Israeli response from Middle East Peace envoy for the United States George Mitchell.

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