Senior PA minister suspected of sexually harassing employee ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff - September 24, 2012 - 12:00am Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has ordered an investigation into a senior minister suspected of sexually harassing an employee in his office, Haaretz has learned. The minister is considered an Abbas appointee. » Read more

Press group condemns PA arrest of journalist ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency September 24, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- A Palestinian press freedom group on Sunday condemned the arrest of a journalist last week by Palestinian Authority security forces.Walid Khalid, office director of the "Felesteen" newspaper, was arrested by PA security forces on Sept. » Read more

Hamas leader in exile Khaled Meshal says intends to step down ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters September 23, 2012 - 12:00am Hamas' leader in exile, Khaled Meshal, is tired of policy challenges from the Islamist group's Gaza-based leadership and is not seeking re-election in a vote now underway, political and diplomatic sources said on Sunday. » Read more

PNA forces discover secretive West Bank detention facility for Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua September 23, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian security forces discovered Sunday a detention facility in the West Bank and said it was prepared by elements affiliated with Islamic Hamas movement. The "prison" was found under a restaurant in Nablus, said the governor of the city, Gabreen Al-Bakri. » Read more

Hamas extortion ring uncovered in Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua September 24, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, Sept. 23 (Xinhua) -- Israeli police arrested Sunday four Jewish men accused of cooperating in the kidnapping of an Eritrean migrant in an extortion ring which leads to Hamas and Sinai-based militants. » Read more

Sinai raids may force Israel-Egypt accord changes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Josef Federman - September 23, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — Israeli officials said Sunday they would resist any Egyptian attempts to reopen the military arrangements under the countries' historic peace deal, despite the rapidly deteriorating security situation in Egypt's Sinai peninsula. » Read more

Sinai Group Claims Role in Attack on Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by David Kirkpatrick - September 23, 2012 - 12:00am CAIRO — An obscure militant group based in Egypt’s North Sinai region claimed responsibility over the weekend for a cross-border attack that killed an Israeli soldier last week. The claim called fresh attention to the uphill struggle the newly formed Egyptian government is facing to control the restive Sinai region » Read more

Israeli defense chief proposes West Bank pullout ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Josef Federman - September 24, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — Israel's defense minister called for a unilateral pullout from much of the West Bank in published comments Monday, saying Israel must take "practical steps" if peace efforts with the Palestinians remain stalled. » Read more

Ayalon calls on donor states to cut off Palestinian Authority funding ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Times of Israel by Gabe Fisher - September 23, 2012 - 12:00am Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon called for international donors to halt funding to the Palestinian Authority, alleging that much of the money is ultimately used to support terrorism. » Read more

Israel Wants to Strengthen the Palestinian Economy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Linda Gradstein - September 23, 2012 - 12:00am Palestinians say Measures Fall Short of What is Needed » Read more