Officials: Hamas Seizes Control Of Gaza Water Agency Working With Blair ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters June 5, 2008 - 6:27pm Hamas has seized control of the Palestinian water agency that is spearheading Middle East envoy Tony Blair's signature project in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian and Western officials said on Thursday. Hamas's takeover of the Palestinian Water Authority in Gaza cements the group's control over the territory and could cast doubt on the future of the North Gaza Sewage Treatment Works project - a centrepiece of an economic package touted by Blair to try to bolster the chances of a peace deal this year. » Read more

Gaza Students To Leave For Us ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al Jazeera English June 5, 2008 - 6:27pm Students from Gaza who were awarded scholarships to study in the US but prevented from travelling by Israeli authorities, have now been allowed to leave Gaza to begin their study programme.   The US consulate in Jerusalem said on Monday that the scholarships - earlier "redirected" by the Fulbright student programme - will be reinstated. bodyVariable350="Htmlphcontrol1_lblError";   » Read more

Hamas Calls On Palestinians To March To Rafah Crossing ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Kuwait News Agency (kuna) June 5, 2008 - 6:26pm Palestinian Islamic resistance movement Hamas called on Thursday on people in Gaza Strip to launch a demonostration on Friday from the strip to Egypt's Rafah crossing. The movement said in a statement the demonstration would be part of its ongoing efforts to lift the siege on the Gaza Strip. Hamas' public activities spokesman Ashraf Abu-Diyah urged people in the Gaza Strip to flock to the crossing main gate to mount pressure on Egypt to re-open the only exit to the Palestinian people after the Friday prayers. » Read more

Palestinians: Man Killed By Idf Fire Near Hebron ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked - June 5, 2008 - 6:25pm Palestinian sources said a man was shot dead Thursday by IDF soldiers who intervened in clashes between rival clans near the West Bank city of Hebron. The IDF said soldiers came upon a group of armed Palestinians in the Jabel Juar area, opened fire in their direction and identified a hit. According to the Palestinians, during clashes that erupted between members of the Rajabi and Ajlouni clans, Israeli soldiers that arrived at the scene opened fire at an armed Palestinian from the Ajlouni clan and killed him on the spot. » Read more

One Killed In Gaza Rocket Attack On Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) June 5, 2008 - 6:22pm One person was killed on Thursday when a rocket fired from the Gaza Strip hit a kibbutz in southern Israel, the army and medics said, in an attack claimed by the armed wing of Hamas. The home-made Qassam-style rocket hit a factory in the Nir Oz kibbutz which lies east of the southern Gaza Strip, an army spokeswoman said. The Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas which has ruled Gaza for almost a year, claimed responsibility for the attack. Medics said three people were also wounded, one of them seriously. » Read more

Treat Israel Like Other States ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by George S. Hishmeh - June 5, 2008 - 6:21pm One obvious sign of the influence of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee or AIPAC was once again demonstrated this week as the three US presidential candidates and top government leaders including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice were all scheduled to address the pro-Israel lobby group three-day conference in Washington. An unannounced latecomer was the beleaguered Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, who is facing criminal charges at home and his days in leading Israel may be numbered. » Read more

Syria-israel Talks To Be Held On 'regular' Basis ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - June 5, 2008 - 6:20pm The indirect Israeli-Syrian talks, which are expected to resume next week in Turkey, will be held on a regular basis, a Turkish official said Wednesday, without spelling out what the frequency of the talks would be. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's chief of staff, Yoram Turbowicz, and his foreign policy adviser, Shalom Turgeman, are expected to go to Turkey next week to resume the indirect negotiations with the Syrians, with the Turkish team shuttling between the two delegations. » Read more

Abbas Aides Say Hamas Talks Depend On Ceding Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters June 5, 2008 - 6:19pm Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has not softened his position on reconciliation with Hamas and dialogue still depends on the Islamists ceding the Gaza Strip, his aides said on Thursday. Abbas called on Wednesday for reconciliation talks with Hamas leaders without explicitly repeating previous demands they first give up the Gaza Strip, fuelling speculation the two sides could be ready to repair ties. » Read more

Palestinian Girl, Israeli Killed In Gaza Border Fire ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Nidal Al-mughrabi - June 5, 2008 - 6:18pm An Israeli air strike killed a young Palestinian girl in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on Thursday after an Israeli died in a militant cross-border mortar attack on a kibbutz. Palestinian medics said a girl of about eight was killed and two women were injured outside their house near Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. The army said it carried out an air strike in the area, saying it was targeting a militant. The attack in Gaza came after Palestinian militants shelled an Israeli kibbutz, killing one person and wounding three. » Read more

Palestinian Leader Urges Talks With Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - June 5, 2008 - 6:09pm The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, called unexpectedly late Wednesday for a resumption of dialogue with the Islamic militant group Hamas, a move that could herald a breakdown of his peace talks with Israel. In a short televised speech, Mr. Abbas, who is based in the West Bank, expressed his desire to restore national unity. Hamas took control of Gaza in June 2007. Mr. Abbas said that if talks with Hamas succeeded, he would call for legislative and presidential elections. His term is supposed to end in January. » Read more