November 26th

Palestinians in Syria forced to pick sides ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Babak Dehghanpisheh - November 25, 2012 - 1:00am BEIRUT — For decades, the Palestinians who fled to Syria after the Arab-Israeli wars were seen as loyal supporters of the ruling Assad family, which provided a safe and stable haven to them and their representatives. » Read more

Hamas leader sets date for debut visit to Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff - November 25, 2012 - 1:00am Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshal will visit the Gaza Strip for the first time on December 5, Palestinian officials said Sunday. Meshal's planned visit was announced a month ago, before a final date had been set. Meshal lives in exile in Damascus. » Read more

Hamas chief voices support for Palestinian UN bid ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua November 26, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal said Monday that he supports Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his upcoming bid for an upgraded Palestinian status in the United Nations. » Read more

Israel says successfully tested new missile defense system ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua November 26, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- Israel has successfully tested a new missilbe defense system, which can intercept targets with a longer range than those downed by Iron Dome in the recent Israel- Gaza conflict, the Defense Ministry said Sunday. » Read more

Hezbollah says could hit all of Israel in future war ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Dominic Evans - November 25, 2012 - 1:00am BEIRUT, Nov 25 (Reuters) - Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned Israel on Sunday that thousands of rockets would rain down on Tel Aviv and cities across the Jewish state if it attacked Lebanon. » Read more

Gaza losses total 300 mln USD after Israeli airstrikes: report ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua November 24, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The Gaza Strip must be declared an economically-disastrous area, Palestinian Chamber of Commerce said Saturday. In a report assessing the damage following an eight-day Israeli air raids, the study said that the economic losses in Gaza reached 300 million U.S. dollars. » Read more

Gaza cease-fire raises hopes for reconstruction ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Sarah El Deeb - November 25, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Mohammed Falah Azzam has been through this before. » Read more

Israel, militants begin talks on truce details ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Josef Federman - November 26, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM — Israel and Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip began indirect talks Monday in Egypt aimed at forging a new era of relations between the bitter enemies following a cease-fire that ended the heaviest fighting in nearly four years. » Read more

On This, 2 Sides Agree: Fighting Hardened Positions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner, Jodi Rudoren - November 24, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA — The eight days of fighting between Hamas and Israel left more than 160 Palestinians and six Israelis dead, but there may be another casualty from the sudden burst of violence: whatever small chance there was for reviving a long-moribund peace process. » Read more

Hamas Claim Complicates Talk of Truce With Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Jodi Rudoren - November 24, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA — Confusion continued Saturday over the status of cease-fire talks Egypt is conducting between Hamas and Israel, as the Hamas prime minister announced progress regarding restrictions on the movements of fishermen and farmers in the border area, which the Israeli prime minister’s office denied. » Read more