March 25th

Escalation approaching ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel, Avi Issacharoff - March 25, 2011 - 12:00am The first terrorist attack in Jerusalem in three years; a home invasion and murder in a settlement for the first time in six years; more Palestinians killed in one single day than since Operation Cast Lead. It's strange how quickly Israel and the Palestinians reverted to the routine of mutual aggression that destroyed the last decade. » Read more

Israel struggling to avoid head-on clash with Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amos Harel - March 24, 2011 - 12:00am Israel's response to the rocket fire from the Gaza Strip remained limited on Thursday. One reason could be that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is abroad and the Israel Defense Forces will escalate its attacks when he returns. Another could be that Israel understands that it currently has little to gain from an escalation with Hamas. The air force's attacks on Thursday seemed symbolic. Gaza residents told Haaretz that among the targets was the old intelligence building, abandoned years ago, and a Hamas post no longer in use that had been bombed five times before. » Read more

The Palestinian narrative has won ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Oudeh Basharat - (Opinion) March 24, 2011 - 12:00am When the teacher asked us first-graders in Kfar Yafia what we do on Independence Day - it's "day" in the uninspired Jewish term, "holiday" in the imaginative Arab language - I answered excitedly: We go to Ma'alul. Ma'alul is my parents' village, whose residents were uprooted in 1948. Indeed, it was a holiday, when the military administration, in its generosity, loosened its grip a little and turned a blind eye to the crowds "celebrating" Independence Day on the ruins of the villages from which they had been uprooted. » Read more

Netanyahu: Israel's reaction to rocket attacks will be measured ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jonathan Lis - March 25, 2011 - 12:00am Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that if Hamas chooses to escalate cross-border tensions, Israel's reaction to the attacks will be measured. Netanyahu spoke during his visit in Moscow, and sources close to the prime minister said that he was not eager to launch a comprehensive operation in the Gaza Strip. » Read more

Israel destroys West Bank road ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 24, 2011 - 12:00am Israeli bulldozers destroyed a Palestinian road in the West Bank Thursday and delivered orders to demolish two houses, witnesses and local sources said. It is the second time Israel destroys the two-kilometer " Freedom" street, which the Palestinian National Authority opened two months ago with a fund of 400,000 U.S. dollars, the sources said. Meanwhile, the Israeli authorities handed down demolition orders to two houses in Salfeet city, saying they were built without license. The houses are located in Careas, in which Israel have security and administrative control. » Read more

Dan Rather aide: Crew harassed by Israeli security ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Amy Teibel - March 24, 2011 - 12:00am A crew for Dan Rather was harassed and humiliated by Israeli security officials, a producer for his show has said, accusing them of forcing the staffers to drop their pants for a strip search before seeing a Cabinet minister. The allegations, made in a letter to Israeli officials that was obtained by The Associated Press, add to growing complaints about how Israeli security officials treat foreign media. » Read more

Gaza militants fire rockets deep into Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Aron Heller - March 24, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian militants in Gaza fired a new wave of rockets that landed deep inside Israel Thursday, defying Israeli retaliatory attacks and threats. As the violence threatened to escalate the day after a deadly Jerusalem bombing, Israel got a boost from the visiting U.S. defense chief, who said no country could tolerate the "repugnant" attacks on its soil. » Read more

ANALYSIS-Surge in violence "arose from Hamas internal row" ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Douglas Hamilton - March 24, 2011 - 12:00am An ill-fated attempt to smooth over a dispute in Gaza's Palestinian Islamist movement was the real reason behind the salvo of mortars Hamas fired at Israel four-days-ago, triggering a flare-up of fighting, observers say. If it was a ploy, it went badly wrong. Ten people have been killed in the cycle of violence, and some on both sides fear a new war could erupt unless it is contained. On Thursday, Palestinian militants fired more rockets and Israel directed more air strikes at the enclave, as the spiral of armed exchanges showed no sign of abating. » Read more

US urges Israel-Palestinian peace as rockets fall ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Phil Stewart, Dan Williams - March 24, 2011 - 12:00am U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates urged Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Thursday to advance stalled peace efforts, as rockets exploded near Israel's heavily populated coastal area south of Tel Aviv. Gates' visit to Israel came as surging violence raised fears of a new war, with Palestinian rockets striking deep inside Israel on Thursday and Israeli aircraft pounding targets in Gaza. » Read more

Poll: Mideast change positive for Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency March 24, 2011 - 12:00am The results of a public opinion poll from mid-March showed broad support for protests across the Middle East, and a decline in popularity for both the West Bank and Gaza governments, responding to documentary series run by Al-Jazeera and regional upheaval. The Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research released the poll findings on Wednesday, which showed 67 percent of Gaza residents, compared to 32 percent of West Bankers, believe protests should be held to change their respective governments. » Read more