November 10th

Hamas: Gilad Schalit may become Ron Arad 2 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post August 19, 2008 - 8:00pm "If the enemy continues with its stubborn attitude, Gilad Schalit will become a second Ron Arad," a spokesman for Izzadin Kassam, Hamas's armed wing, said Wednesday, after the group held a large-scale drill on the site of the ruins of the former Gaza settlement of Netzarim. Schalit has been held captive in Gaza for over two years. Arad is an IAF navigator who parachuted into Lebanon in the 1980s and was captured by the Amal Shi'ite group, but went missing some years later. His fate is unknown. » Read more

‘Talks with Hamas focused on security’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Hani Hazaimeh - August 20, 2008 - 8:00pm The government on Wednesday said recent talks with Hamas mainly focused on security-related issues but their scope could be expanded once these issues are aptly addressed, a senior official said. "The meetings between Director General of the Jordanian Intelligence Department [Lt. General Mohammad Dahabi] and the Hamas movement aimed to address outstanding issues," between the two sides, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Nasser Judeh said. » Read more

Jordan acknowledges meetings with Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press August 19, 2008 - 8:00pm Jordan acknowledged Wednesday that it held clandestine meetings with the militant Palestinian Hamas - the kingdom's first public confirmation of the recent talks. Nasser Judeh, Jordan's minister of information, told reporters that the meetings, which were headed by Jordanian intelligence chief Mohammed al-Dahabi, were held in an effort to "solve pending security issues." He declined to elaborate. » Read more

The Jordanian Position on Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Akhbar by Hamada Faraneh - December 31, 1969 - 8:00pm In light of the Jordanian, Palestinian, and Arab concerns that forced decision makers to respond and agree to Hamas’s repetitive calls and strong interest in holding an official meeting and having talks with the Jordanian state, a meeting took place between the head of intelligence and a delegation of the political arm of Hamas. » Read more

Partnering for peace Zionist, Arab groups share interns for summer ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Washington Jewish Week by Ben Weyl - August 19, 2008 - 8:00pm Every June, countless young people descend on Washington, D.C., and immerse themselves in the traditional internship experience: attending think tank briefings, conducting research at the office and, of course, networking at happy hours. This summer, Ben Schildkraut, Dana Montalto and Dana Pozza took part in this ritual, though it differed in some respects from the average internship program: They spent their time working to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and they did it on behalf of organizations on "each side" of the conflict. » Read more

November 7th

IDF asks police, Shin Bet for info on left-wing figures active in W. Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Uri Blau - November 6, 2008 - 8:00pm The Israel Defense Forces has asked the Shin Bet security service and the police to provide it with information on left-wing figures active in the West Bank so it will be easier to issue restraining orders against them, Haaretz has learned. Since the IDF does not gather intelligence on Israeli citizens, the GOC Central Command depends on evaluations by the Shin Bet prior to signing restraining orders. » Read more

IDF troops film themselves humiliating bound Palestinian ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz November 6, 2008 - 8:00pm Channel 10 on Thursday released footage taken by Israel Defense Forces soldiers of themselves humiliating a bound and blindfolded Palestinian man at a West Bank checkpoint. The footage shows the Palestinian kneeling and repeating sentences given to him to say by the soldiers, who belong to the Golani infantry brigade. One of the lines is: "Golani will bring you a log to stick up your ass." As the detainee repeats the words, the soldiers are heard laughing raucously in the background. Later Thursday, the army issued a harsh condemnation of the troops' actions. » Read more

Ramon: Hundreds of extremists rebelling against State ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roni Sofer - November 6, 2008 - 8:00pm Hundreds of people have declared a revolt against the State of Israel's legitimate government and refuse to accept decisions made by the government and Knesset, Vice Premier Haim Ramon said Sunday in response to West Bank settlers' acts of violence against the security forces. "If the government really wants to deal with this, it's very easy," Ramon said during the weekly cabinet meeting. If 20 Palestinians had been bothering the Central Command chief, they would have been in jail a long time ago. » Read more

Rice insists peace attainable, despite deadline miss ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA) November 6, 2008 - 8:00pm Faced with the failure of Israelis and Palestinians to meet an end of year deadline for a peace deal, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice nonetheless insisted Friday that a final settlement of the dispute between the sides was attainable. President George W Bush's vision of a Palestinian state living alongside Israel 'will not come in a single dramatic moment, but it will come,' she told a news conference in Ramallah. » Read more

Gaza militants fire more rockets ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News November 6, 2008 - 8:00pm Palestinian militants in Gaza have fired missiles into Israel for the third day running. The Israeli army said three missiles had been fired. No injuries or damage have been reported. Islamic Jihad said it was behind the attack. Despite the recent clashes, including Israeli army raids in which seven militants were killed, both sides say they are committed to a truce. This has largely held since June, greatly reducing the level of violence. Both sides have sought to contain the fallout from recent fighting while accusing each other of breaching the truce. » Read more