July 25th

Settlers Threaten To Exact 'price' In Response To Evacuations ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Erfat Weiss - July 25, 2008 - 2:28pm Settlers had uncommonly harsh words for the IDF's conduct on Thursday following a day of violent clashes in the West Bank. The most scathing criticism, however, was directed not towards the army's behavior during the evacuation of the Adi-Ad outpost, but rather its portrayal of the settlers in the media. "We're not the IDF's punching bag," they proclaimed, pointing towards several instances throughout the day when the army accused settlers of violently attacking soldiers. The settlers vehemently denied troops were assaulted, and threatened to sue the army for libel. » Read more

Us Still Hopes For Palestinian-israeli Peace Deal By Yearend ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News July 25, 2008 - 2:21pm US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Friday there was still time to reach a peace deal between Palestinians and Israelis by the end of 2008. Rice plans to host peace talks between chief Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurie and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Washington on July 30. Rice said the latest round of talks, which began in the United States in November 2007 had laid a "firm foundation on which these two parties can finally end their conflict". » Read more

Israeli Police To Quiz Olmert Next Week ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News July 25, 2008 - 2:19pm Occupied Jerusalem: Israeli police plan to question Prime Minister Ehud Olmert next week as part of an investigation that could force the Israeli leader out of office, officials said on Friday. A government official said Olmert's office has agreed to allot two hours for the August 2 session, less time than police had requested. It would be the fourth round of questioning in a case probing allegations Olmert took bribes from a US businessman and whether he made duplicate claims for travel expenses. » Read more

Livni Advantage Narrows In Israel Party Leadership Race: Poll ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) July 25, 2008 - 2:17pm Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's advantage as front-runner in the leadership race for her centrist Kadima party has narrowed, according to a public opinion poll published on Friday. Kadima, currently headed by Ehud Olmert, will hold a September primary that could lead to the embattled prime minister's replacement. It is unclear whether Olmert, facing several corruption investigations, will choose to stand. » Read more

Israelis, Palestinians: Mixed Feelings About Obama ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Mark Lavie - July 25, 2008 - 2:15pm Both Israelis and Palestinians came away from Barack Obama's visit to the Holy Land with the feeling he would do more for Mideast peace than President Bush has. But neither side seemed fully convinced that Obama would have their interests at heart. Israelis fear that an Obama administration would be too soft on Iran and too hard on them, and his visit didn't seem to fully dispel those concerns. And Palestinians spoke of a clear bias toward Israel. » Read more

Bombings Hit Gaza Strip Targets ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News July 25, 2008 - 2:13pm A bombing outside a cafe in Gaza City has killed one person and injured four others, Palestinian police reported. The blast, just after midnight local time, caused extensive damage. It is unclear why the area was bombed, but there have been attacks on internet cafes, music shops and Christian institutions in Gaza in recent months. Police also reported a bombing near the home of Marwan Abu Ras, a Hamas official who issues fatwas, religious edicts, in Gaza. No-one was injured. » Read more

Barack Who? Arabs Weigh In. ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Caryle Murphy - July 25, 2008 - 2:12pm Several copies of Barack Obama's "The Audacity of Hope" are prominently displayed in Jarir Bookstore here. They have not moved in weeks. Browser Najla Khaled doesn't change that. Standing before the same shelf and lifting her full-face black veil to survey her choices, she grabs novelist Jeffrey Archer's latest release and walks away. » Read more

Museum Offers Gray Gaza A View Of Its Dazzling Past ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Ethan Bronner - July 25, 2008 - 1:55pm It may sound like the indulgence of a well-fed man fleeing the misery around him. But when Jawdat N. Khoudary opens the first museum of archaeology in Gaza this summer it will be a form of Palestinian patriotism, showing how this increasingly poor and isolated coastal strip ruled by the Islamists of Hamas was once a thriving multicultural crossroad. The exhibition is in a stunning hall made partly of stones from old houses, discarded wood ties of a former railroad and bronze lamps and marble columns uncovered by Gazan fishermen and construction workers. » Read more

July 24th

Bereaved Families File Class Action Suit Against Barghouti ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Aviad Glickman - July 24, 2008 - 4:47pm  Two families who have lost loved ones in terror attacks have filed a class-action suit against the Palestinian Authority, former Fatah Secretary-General in the West Bank Marwan Barghouti, and seven other terrorists held in Israel. Barghouti, who was arrested by the Israeli Defense Forces in 2002, was convicted of the murder of five Israelis and was sentences to five consecutive life terms and 40 years – a total of 165 years. The other seven, who were all convicted of various terror offenses, are also serving long-term prison sentences. » Read more

‘egypt To Host Israel-hamas Separate Talks Next Week’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Abd Al-karim Shweiki - July 24, 2008 - 4:37pm Sources in Egypt have told The Media Line news agency that Israeli and Hamas delegations are expected to hold separate talks next week with the Egyptian intelligence officials brokering negotiations between the parties. The planned talks are described as an attempt to initiate an "intensive" dialogue that will result in a prisoner exchange. » Read more