August 16th

Citizens, but not equal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - August 16, 2010 - 12:00am It sure was considerate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to wish a "Ramadan karim" to our Muslim brothers for their holy month. As they do every year, the radio broadcasts will include reports of how the president hosted "respected Arabs" for an iftar feast at the end of one of Ramadan's daily fasts. It's a lot easier to extend holiday greetings than it is to put a stop to the whims of a group of American Jews who decided to build a Museum of Tolerance on the site of what was once a Muslim cemetery in central Jerusalem. » Read more

IDF trying something new in West Bank: politeness ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Anshel Pfeffer - August 16, 2010 - 12:00am Generations of Israel Defense Forces soldiers have learned a limited lexicon of Arabic expressions while working West Bank checkpoints, patrols, arrests and searches of Palestinian homes. The expressions are designed to order civilians to stop, open the door, identify themselves and present identification papers. For most troops, these are the only words of spoken Arabic that they knew. For Palestinians, this was the soundtrack to the occupation. » Read more

Gaza future vague five years after unilateral Israeli disengagement ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Osama Radi - August 16, 2010 - 12:00am Although five years have passed since the Israeli unilateral disengagement plan was implemented and Israel completely pulled out from the Gaza Strip, Palestinian analysts believe that Israel is still keeping its grip on the densely populated costal enclave. SITUATION IN GAZA DETERIORATED Palestinian observers said that the Gaza Strip has witnesses several eras of changes over the past five years following the Israeli withdrawal. These changes, mainly the Hamas movement's takeover of the enclave, have served Israel's interests in blocking the establishment of the independent state. » Read more

Hamas, Palestinian groups say no to direct talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews August 15, 2010 - 12:00am Hamas and 10 Damascus-based Palestinian organizations declared they oppose the resumption of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority on Sunday. The Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front – General Command and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine were among the groups represented in the statement. » Read more

Palestinians reiterate demand for settlement freeze before direct talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua August 16, 2010 - 12:00am The Palestinian leadership Sunday stressed anew that Israel must stop all forms of settlement activities before launching direct negotiations with the Palestinians. The demand, long held by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), was a focal point when President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad held separate meetings with Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store in Ramallah late last night. » Read more

PA reports year's achievements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked - August 15, 2010 - 12:00am The Palestinian government on Sunday published a report outlining its activity in the past year. According to the document, in the past 12 months the Palestinian Authority's government, headed by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, marked significant achievements in the construction of government institutions and other infrastructure. » Read more

Israel's Barak approves U.S. F-35 fighters purchase ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Ori Lewis - August 15, 2010 - 12:00am Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak approved in principle on Sunday the purchase of 20 U.S.-built radar-evading stealth fighters in a deal worth $2.75 billion, defence ministry officials said. The F-35 warplanes are expected to be delivered between 2015 to 2017, an Israeli defence official said. Israeli leaders have spoken of arch-foe Iran potentially developing a nuclear weapon by mid-decade, suggesting that the F-35s would not be used for any preventive action, but rather to bolster the country's deterrence. » Read more

Palestinian Health Ministry Moves to Self-Reliance ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by David Miller - August 15, 2010 - 12:00am Transfer of Palestinian patients to Israel for medical treatment will soon come to an end in order to keep funding inside the Palestinian Authority, according to the Palestinian Minister of Health. Minister Fathi Abu-Moghli said that funds previously used to cover medical treatment for Palestinians abroad would now be channeled into developing the Palestinian health sector. » Read more

INTERVIEW-Cash for Palestinians needed to support peace-Norway ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Tom Perry - August 16, 2010 - 12:00am The Palestinian Authority's budget is in the red and donors should make good on pledges to fill the gap, said Norway's foreign minister, who chairs a donor group that backs the Palestinian government. Jonas Gahr Stoere also said he was optimistic face-to-face Palestinian-Israeli talks would resume soon, restarting the peace process his country helped to launch 17 years ago. » Read more

Inside Israel's commando unit which raided Gaza flotilla ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Jane Corbin - August 15, 2010 - 12:00am Some of the Israeli special forces took off their balaclavas to talk to me and show me the wounds they received the night nine people were killed and 50 were wounded on board the Turkish ship the MV Mavi Marmara. "I saw a knife in my abdomen and pulled it out," Captain R said. "The beating was continuous - and the cries of Allah Akbar." Israeli footage shows Captain R, a member of Naval Commando 13 being beaten with bars by activists, stabbed and then thrown to the deck below. Who started the violence that ended in death on the boat, has been fiercely contested. » Read more