February 19th

Hamas official confirms indirect talks with Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 17, 2013 - 1:00am Senior Hamas official Khalil al-Hayya on Sunday confirmed that the movement is holding indirect talks with Israel over the implementation of a ceasefire deal, but insisted that they did not amount to political negotiations. Al-Hayya was commenting on a report on Israel's Channel 2 TV on Friday, which said Israeli and Hamas representatives had been negotiating for weeks. » Read more

Uproar Over Netanyahu’s Ice Cream Is Welcome in One Parlor ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - February 18, 2013 - 1:00am Israel over the weekend: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands accused of dipping into state coffers for an ice cream budget of $2,700 a year. » Read more

PNA criticizes Hamas delegation's visit to Bulgaria ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 17, 2013 - 1:00am The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Sunday criticized the visit by Hamas lawmakers to Bulgaria, which was ended Friday with Bulgarian security forces kicking out the delegation. The Hamas officials, who arrived in Sofia Wednesday, did not coordinate for their visit with the PNA or the "official sides in Bulgaria," said Riad Al-Maliki, Palestinian minister of foreign affairs, "This has harmed the Palestinian-Bulgarian relations as well as our relations with Europe." » Read more

Palestinian voter registration extended for two days ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 18, 2013 - 1:00am The Palestinian Elections Commission (CEC) on Monday extended the registration of new voters in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank for two more days. The updating of voter registration records was supposed to end Monday, but as more people are going to the registration centers, Palestinian groups recommended the CEC to extend the period of registration, said Hisham Kuhail, the CEC executive director. » Read more

Prisoner in Israeli isolation for 2 years 'forgets speech' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 17, 2013 - 1:00am A Palestinian man held in solitary confinement by Israel for two years is losing his ability to recall language and has speech impairments, a lawyer who visited him in jail said Sunday. The lawyer for the Palestinian prisoners society said Dirar Abu Sisi, an engineer from Gaza, is suffering from a number of health problems in his isolation cell. Abu Sisi disappeared in February 2011 while traveling on a train in Ukraine and Israel later announced that it was holding him in a southern Israeli jail. » Read more

Israel arrests brother of Palestinian hunger-striker Issawi ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Ahram February 17, 2013 - 1:00am Israeli authorities arrested Shady Issawi, brother of Palestinian hunger-striker Samer Issawi, at dawn from his home, The Free Samer Issawi Campaign's Facebook page reported on Sunday. » Read more

Feature: Palestinian prisoner continues longest-ever hunger strike for freedom ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 18, 2013 - 1:00am Samer Essawi, a 34-year-old Palestinian prisoner who has been imprisoned by Israel since July 2012, went on a longest-ever hunger strike as he thinks it is the only way to struggle for his freedom. Living only on water and salt for 209 days and suffering from chronic health problems, the Palestinian from the village of Essaweyeh near east Jerusalem said in a public letter that he had never thought of giving up the hunger strike. » Read more

Jordan denies reports over importing gas from Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 18, 2013 - 1:00am Jordanian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources dismissed on Sunday reports alleging that it imports natural gas from Israel, the state-run Petra news agency reported. "There are no secret talks between Jordan and Israel to import natural gas," said the ministry in a statement. The ministry added that the Arab Potash Company in Jordan is in talks with its Israeli counterpart to discuss the possibility to import natural gas from Israel as a cheaper alternative for fuel. » Read more

Israel treats five Syrians wounded in civil war ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Oliver Holmes, Ari Rabinovitch - February 16, 2013 - 1:00am Israeli soldiers treated five Syrians who had been wounded in fighting between Syrian government forces and rebels near Israel's security fence on the Golan Heights, the Israeli military said on Saturday. The victims were taken to a hospital in Israel. The military did not say if they were combatants or civilians, or in what circumstances they crossed over to the Israeli side of the fence, although Israeli media said the wounded had approached the area near the fence and soldiers let them in. » Read more

Israel to hold urgent hearing for Palestinian hunger-striker Issawi ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ahram Online February 19, 2013 - 1:00am Israel's Magistrate Court calls for an urgent court hearing on Tuesday for Palestinian prisoner Samer Al-Issawi, who has been on a hunger strike for 210 days. Al-Issawi was released from Israeli detention in October 2011 as part of the prisoner swap deal between Hamas and Israeli authorities. However, the Israeli authorities rearrested Al-Issawi on 7 July, 2012 for allegedly breaking the terms of conditions of his release. » Read more