February 4th, 2008

Hamas Claims Dimona Attack, Says Bombers Came From Hebron ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amoss Harel - February 4, 2008 - 8:01pm Hamas' armed wing claimed responsibility for a Palestinian suicide bombing that killed a woman in Dimona on Monday, the first such attack inside Israel claimed by Hamas since 2004, a Hamas source told Reuters. Both the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Bridgade and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed responsibility for the attack earlier in the day. » Read more

Gov't Considers Ban On Exporting Gaza Farm Produce Via Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amiram Cohen - February 4, 2008 - 8:00pm Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon said on Sunday that Israel considers imposing a complete ban on exporting Gaza agricultural produce via Israel. Israel suspects large quantities of agricultural produce have been smuggled into Gaza from Egypt, after Hamas tore down the Gaza-Egypt border wall, sending hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into Egypt, effectively ending the Israeli blockade of the Strip. » Read more

The Israei Factor: Ranking The Presidential Candidates ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shmuel Rosner - February 4, 2008 - 7:59pm Republican John McCain   The Arizona Senator believes America must give Israel whatever equipment and technology it needs for defense. » Read more

Writing Responsibly On The Middle East ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Quarterly by Azriel Bermant - (Opinion) February 4, 2008 - 7:57pm In the last few years, the international media has devoted an unprecedented amount of attention to the Arab–Israeli conflict. Although those following the turbulent events in the Middle East have no shortage of news resources to choose from, the journalism available isn’t always of » Read more

Editorial: Uneasy Calm ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News (Editorial) February 4, 2008 - 7:53pm After close to two weeks of unchecked inundation into Rafah by an estimated 700,000 of the 1.5 million inhabitants of Gaza, quiet once again reigns after Egyptian troops have closed the border. But for how long the calm will prevail and how long the border will be sealed is still undetermined. Because of the continuing Israeli siege of Gaza, another breach is bound to occur sooner or later. » Read more

The Fate Of The Two-state Solution Hangs On Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Mousa Qous - (Opinion) February 4, 2008 - 7:53pm Immediately after last November's Annapolis conference, Israel declared its intention to construct 307 new housing units in the Har Homa settlement in occupied East Jerusalem, in addition to building new settlements in the Almatar and Sheikh Jarrah areas of the city. Thus, Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert--who announced before the conference that he had ordered a freeze on all construction in West Bank settlements--started a battle even before negotiations had got under way. » Read more

An Oppurtunity For An Arab Role To Restore The Lost Balance In The Region ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Raghidadergham.com by Raghida Dergham - (Opinion) February 4, 2008 - 7:52pm The opportunity is ripe now for a distinguished Arab role in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon and with both the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. There is also an urgent need to formulate and develop this role both for defensive and offensive purposes. Arabs have no more excuses to be absent or to abstain from assuming this role because hiding behind pretexts, such as weakness, helplessness or impatience today will earn them nothing but deep regrets in the future. » Read more

Trust Obama On Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Martin Peretz - (Opinion) February 4, 2008 - 7:50pm Florida, of course, was a different story, but back in Iowa there was no need for Barack Obama or any other candidate to worry about the Jewish vote. There are 7,000 Jews in the entire state, including 100 hassidim, who work a kosher meat-packing plant in Pottsville. » Read more

Obama's Israel Shuffle ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Mother Jones by Justin Elliott - (Opinion) February 4, 2008 - 7:49pm Last week, when Barack Obama became the first major candidate to break the silence on the situation in Gaza, he didn't criticize Israel, whose blockade of a civilian population has been roundly condemned by human rights organizations, nor did he call for restraint from the United States' top ally in the Mideast. Instead, he fired off a letter to U.N. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad with a resounding message—one that could have been mistaken for words straight from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's (AIPAC) website. » Read more

Hamas Continues To Breach Gaza Border ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press February 4, 2008 - 7:46pm Rafah: Hamas breached the Gaza-Egypt border again, despite attempts by Egyptian troops to seal it, and said they would not allow the border to be closed again. Hundreds of Hamas supporters protested on the breached Gaza-Egypt border yesterday, demanding that it remain open, while Egyptian troops poured cement and laid down metal spikes in a new attempt to halt the influx of Gazans. » Read more