Israel Oks Gaza Electricity Cutoffs ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times October 26, 2007 - 5:43pm Israel approved Thursday a plan to start punitive disruptions of the Gaza Strip's scarce supplies of electricity in response to rocket attacks from the Palestinian territory. Israeli officials, noting that Palestinian militants fire rockets across the border almost daily, said the sanctions could start anytime. The plan calls for initial power cutoffs of 15 minutes, followed by increasingly longer ones each time more rockets fall. » Read more

Realizing God's Dream For The Holy Land ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Boston Globe by Desmond Tutu - (Opinion) October 26, 2007 - 5:42pm WHENEVER I am asked if I am optimistic about an end to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, I say that I am not. Optimism requires clear signs that things are changing - meaningful words and unambiguous actions that point to real progress. I do not yet hear enough meaningful words, nor do I yet see enough unambiguous deeds to justify optimism. » Read more

‘israel Lobby’ Writers Miss The Real Jewish Conflict ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward (Opinion) October 26, 2007 - 5:40pm Among the (many) things that John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt get wrong in their controversial book, “The Israel Lobby,” is their characterization of the American Jewish community. According to their understanding, there’s a substantial contrast between the policies “the lobby” espouses and the more dovish views of the community at large. For the most part, as they see it, the lobby opposes a two-state solution to the chronic conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, while most American Jews very much favor such a solution. » Read more

Olmert Pledges Gaza Won't Face Crisis ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press October 26, 2007 - 5:36pm Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert promised the Palestinian president Friday that Israel would not cause a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip despite his government's intention to cut power to the territory in hopes of curbing rocket attacks He made the pledge during a working lunch with Mahmoud Abbas at the Israeli leader's Jerusalem residence, responding to Abbas' concern that electricity stoppages could hit hospitals and other essential services, Israeli and Palestinian officials said. » Read more

Chaotic Nablus: Testing Ground For Abbas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press October 26, 2007 - 5:35pm The Palestinian president has chosen the West Bank's most chaotic city to show he's in control, winning U.S. praise Thursday for beefing up his security forces here as part of an attempt to reassure Israel that he can implement a future peace deal. However, Mahmoud Abbas' campaign to disarm hundreds of militants in Nablus has had mixed results. » Read more