February 29th, 2008

Far From Glow Of Annapolis, Rice Heads To Mideast
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Sue Pleming - February 29, 2008 - 6:02pm

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice travels to Israel and the Palestinian territories next week, with U.S. credibility at stake and peace talks stymied by escalating violence in Hamas-run Gaza. Three months ago, Israelis and Palestinians pledged at a peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, that they would seek a deal by the end of the Bush administration in January 2009.

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Killed While They Played Football, The Child Victims Of Israel's Revenge On Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent
by Donald Macintyre - February 29, 2008 - 6:01pm

Four boys playing football have been killed in Gaza by Israeli air strikes, according to Palestinian officials, as Israel responded to the death of a man from a barrage of rocket attacks with a bloody escalation of violence. At least 16 Palestinians – including the four children – were killed yesterday as Israel responded to the deadly attacks the previous day.

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Amid Lull In Gaza Violence, Palestinians Protest, And Israel Threatens Invasion
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from International Herald Tribune
by Steven Erlanger - February 29, 2008 - 6:00pm

JERUSALEM: Friday was a day of threats, protest and rhetoric in Israel's conflict with Hamas, with considerably less violence and death than over the previous two days, when some 33 Palestinians died, five of them children, and one Israeli died in the border town of Sderot.

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Second Day Of Violence May Trigger Israel-hamas Escalation
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
by Arthur Bright - February 29, 2008 - 5:59pm

The latest in a series of Israeli airstrikes left at least 20 Palestinians dead Thursday, as Israel considers a new invasion of Gaza to confront Hamas. Reuters reports that Israeli air strikes in Gaza Thursday killed at least 11 militants believed to be involved in rocket attacks against Israeli towns and cities, as well as several civilians, including several children.

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Israeli Minister Warns Palestinians Of ' Holocaust '
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
February 29, 2008 - 5:59pm

 Deputy Israeli Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said on Friday the Palestinians would bring on themselves what he called a "bigger holocaust" by stepping up rocket attacks on Israel from the Gaza Strip.

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February 28th

Reuters reports on the comments made by the Israeli Deputy Defense minister about a “bigger Holocaust” being visited upon Gaza by Israel due to the increased rocket attacks (1.) Steven Erlanger reports on the threats, protest and rhetoric in Israel's conflict with Hamas (3.) The spate of attacks and counterattacks that have been carried out by both Palestine and Israel in recent days is detailed in the Independent (4.) The Arab News details the events of the past decade in the peace process, and calls on the International community to intervene in order to ensure that peace becomes a reality (8.) A Haaretz editorial urges Prime Minister Olmert to immerse himself completely in the peace process (9.)

Abbas: I Oppose Armed Struggle, But Won't Rule Out Option For Future
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Yoav Stern - February 28, 2008 - 4:50pm

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday that while he opposes taking up armed struggle against Israel at the present time, he would not rule out the option for the future. "I do not support a return to armed struggle at this point in time. But, at a later date, this could be an option for the Palestinian people," Abbas said on Thursday during an interview with the Jordanian newspaper Al-Duster.

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On The Edge In The South
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
(Editorial) February 28, 2008 - 4:49pm

Yesterday, when he eulogized Dan Shomron, the 13th chief of staff who was his immediate predecessor and his friend, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that Shomron was "one of the Israel Defense Forces more daring architects, and at the same time one of its more level-headed ones." Israel is now in need of such a combination of daring action and good judgment, in light of the escalation in the attacks on its communities from Sderot to Ashkelon.

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The Israeli Intransigence
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al Hayat
by Randa Takieddine - (Opinion) February 28, 2008 - 4:48pm

Every time the Israeli army or its leadership loses a certain battle, it treats its investigation into the causes behind this fiasco as some form of repentance. Many reports and investigations followed the war on Lebanon in 2006 as well as the horrible massacres in Qana and before that Sabra and Shatilla. But nothing really changed in the perspective of an Israeli leadership that fails to see that its policies will backfire and haunt its fate in the future.

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Hope Still Alive
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
(Editorial) February 28, 2008 - 4:46pm

Today His Majesty King Abdullah starts a working visit to the US, with a schedule of talks and meetings intended to enhance bilateral relations and tackle a host of other issues. It is not strange that the Palestinian question will be one of the top issues to be discussed during His Majesty’s talks with US President George W. Bush and other key US administration officials, as well as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

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