Israel: Prisoners to Be Released ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press August 17, 2008 - 8:00pm Israel said on Monday that it would free two prominent Palestinian prisoners — Said al-Atba, who has served 32 years of a life sentence, and Mohammed Abu Ali, who was elected to the Palestinian Parliament while behind bars — among 199 inmates to be released as a good-will gesture to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president. The move drew fierce criticism from some Israeli politicians, who said it could undermine attempts to free a captured Israeli soldier, Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who was being held in the Gaza Strip, which is ruled by the militant Palestinian organization Hamas.

Israel to treat Gaza peace boats 'like pirates' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Telegraph by Carolynne Wheeler - December 31, 1969 - 8:00pm The SS Free Gaza and the SS Liberty, which are sailing from Crete to Cyprus and then on to Gaza after being delayed by a storm, will carry about 40 protesters campaigning against Israel's economic sanctions on the Palestinian territory, including an 84-year-old Holocaust survivor and Lauren Booth, sister-in-law of Tony Blair, who is the international special envoy to the Middle East. The boats, which will also carry a cargo of balloons, musical instruments and thousands of hearing aids, are expected to approach Gaza early next week. » Read more

Anticipating truce breakdown, Gaza women training as suicide bombers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz August 19, 2008 - 8:00pm The cease-fire agreement struck between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip has brought a semblance of calm to the region, but neither side has stopped preparing for the possible renewal of violence. In Gaza, Islamic Jihad members recently offered TV cameras a rare glimpse into training undergone by women who are prepared to carry out suicide attacks should the Israel Defense Forces reinvade the coastal territory. The women take as an example Fatma Al-Najar, a 57-year-old grandmother who blew herself up in Gaza in 2006, wounding three soldiers.

Hamas rejects Arab deployment plan ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh - August 18, 2008 - 8:00pm Hamas has rejected a proposal to deploy Arab troops in the Gaza Strip, saying such a move would only deepen divisions among the Palestinians. The proposal, which was presented to Hamas by Egypt and Jordan in recent days, has won the full backing of the Palestinian Authority leadership in Ramallah. The initiative has also won the backing of the Saudis, who told visiting PA President Mahmoud Abbas that they would do their utmost to persuade Hamas to accept it, a senior PA official said Tuesday. » Read more

Hamas upset by Fatah prisoner release ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post August 18, 2008 - 8:00pm Israel's plan to release 200 Fatah prisoners as a goodwill gesture to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has angered Hamas and could result in a policy change regarding any future prisoner exchange deal with Israel to secure the release of captured IDF soldier Gilad Schalit. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar was quoted Tuesday by the London-based Arab daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi as saying that if only Fatah prisoners are released it will convince Hamas to demand the release of prisoners that "would fit" its agenda. » Read more

Israel closes Gaza crossings over rocket fire ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Shumlik Hadad - December 31, 1969 - 8:00pm Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered the commercial crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip closed as of Wednesday morning following the launching of a Qassam rocket towards southern Israel earlier on Tuesday. The crossings are to remain closed over the next two days. On Thursday Barak will conduct a revaluation of the situation Palestinian gunmen launched a Qassam rocket from northern Gaza towards Israel on Tuesday evening. The rocket landed in an open area in a kibbutz belonging to the Sha'ar Hanegev Regional Council. » Read more

Evacuated settlement 'reestablished' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Erfat Weiss - August 19, 2008 - 8:00pm The Samaria Regional Council and the Homesh First organization decided to mark the third anniversary of the evacuation of the northern West Bank in a special way Tuesday evening. A number of Knesset members, including Yuli Edelstein (Likud), pressured Defense Minister Ehud Barak to let them hold a council meeting at the location of the evacuated settlement of Homesh, and end the event with a wedding. » Read more

Hamas: Abbas thwarting Shalit deal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked - August 19, 2008 - 8:00pm Hamas' military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, held a wide-scale exercise Tuesday evening on the ruins of the former settlement of Netzarim. During the exercise, group spokesman Abu Ubaida said that if Israel carries on with its policy regarding a future prisoner exchange deal, kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit's fate will be similar to that of missing IDF navigator Ron Arad. Ubaida accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad of thwarting the deal. » Read more

IDF to prosecute officer who shot Palestinian teen ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Hanan Greenberg - August 19, 2008 - 8:00pm The Judge Advocate General decided Wednesday to file aggravated assault and exceeding military orders charges against Lieutenant A., for his involvement in a shooting incident which caused the severe injury of a Palestinian teenager three years ago. According to the indictment, on December 19, 2005, a riot took place in a Palestinian village near the northern West Bank settlement of Tekoa. During the riot, several teens began stoning the IDF troops present at the scene, among whom was A. » Read more

Israel groups call for indictment of officer, soldier ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Mohammed Mar’i - August 19, 2008 - 8:00pm The Palestinian peace activist, Ashref Abu Rahmeh, and several Israeli human rights organizations yesterday submitted a petition to Israeli High Court of Justice demanding a harsher indictment be presented against an Israeli army’s commander and soldier who were involved in shooting unarmed and bound Abu Rahmeh in the West Bank village of Nilin in early July. The petition was filed by B’Tselem, Yesh Din, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, and Abu-Rahmeh. » Read more