July 22nd

Roadblocks Cripple West Bank Economy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Mel Frykberg - July 22, 2008 - 4:54pm The Israeli military has erected three additional roadblocks, further blocking vehicular access on the road between the south Hebron village of At-Tuwani and the commercial hub of Yatta in the southern West Bank. The West Bank is the Palestinian area west of the Jordan river, much of it under Israeli control. Besides being the main economic hub for the region, Yatta is also the principal provider of critical services such as hospitals, secondary schools and public administration offices. » Read more

Hamas Member Killed In Explosion ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bbc News July 22, 2008 - 4:51pm Hamas says one of its members has been killed in an explosion at a house near Gaza City. The militant group said the man died while on "a holy mission" - a term often used when a member dies accidentally while handling explosives. Two teenage boys were wounded in the blast at the militant's home. In the West Bank, Palestinian officials say Israeli troops have arrested a Hamas member of parliament from the city of Nablus. Mona Mansour and 19 other people were detained. » Read more

Palestinian Bulldozer Driver Shot Dead In Jerusalem Copycat Attack ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) July 22, 2008 - 4:50pm A Palestinian man was shot dead after going on a bulldozer rampage in Jerusalem on Tuesday, wounding at least 16 people as he ploughed into cars in the second such attack this month. Jerusalem police chief Aharon Franco said the assailant, identified as a man from occupied east Jerusalem, rammed his vehicle into a bus near the King David Hotel, failing to overturn it, but smashing its windows. "The bulldozer then rammed five cars and damaged them. A civilian tried to stop him when a border guard arrived and neutralised him." » Read more

Arabs Are Not Always The Victims! ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-ayyam July 22, 2008 - 4:36pm  Have the Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the Israelis in the West Bank and Gaza, committed crimes that are punishable under international law? Yes. And does the lack of indictments against American and Israeli officials for their war crimes by the International Criminal Court detract from its right to indict Sudanese officials for committing war crimes in Darfur? No. » Read more

July 21st

Obama To Land Here Tuesday For Meetings With Israeli And Palestinian Leaders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - July 21, 2008 - 4:12pm U.S. Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama is scheduled to land in Israel tomorrow for a visit, which will include meetings with Israeli and Palestinian officials in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Obama is scheduled to dine with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert tomorrow, and will later visit the Western Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem. Over dinner, the prime minister plans to discuss Israel's military intelligence on the Iranian nuclear program and stress the importance of maintaining diplomatic pressure on Tehran. » Read more

Report: Israel Willing To Free Marwan Barghouti For Shalit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amoss Harel, Barak Ravid - July 21, 2008 - 4:10pm A Gulf newspaper reported Monday that Israel is willing to include jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti in a list of 300 Palestinian prisoners to be freed in exchange for abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. » Read more

What What Will Obama Look For In Jerusalem (and Ramallah)? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shmuel Rosner - (Blog) July 21, 2008 - 4:07pm It's hard to really know what Senator Barack Obama wanted to achieve when he spoke last month at the America Israel Public Affairs Committee annual conference. » Read more

Israel To Free Barguit For Shalit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roee Nahmias - July 21, 2008 - 4:03pm  Israel has agreed in principle to release Marwan Barguti and a number of prominent Hamas leaders from prison – diplomatic sources were quoted as saying in Monday's 'Al-Bayan' newspaper, based in the United Arab Emirates. According to the report, Israel will free Barguti, Fatah's former secretary-general in the West Bank, and the Hamas officials as part of the burgeoning exchange deal with the Islamist Hamas group in return for captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. » Read more

Abbas Blasts Israel Over Annapolis ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Kuwait News Agency (kuna) July 21, 2008 - 3:53pm BETHLEHEM, July 20 (KUNA) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday voiced concern over Israeli failure to meet the principles of the US Annapolis peace conference, mainly settlement suspension. Abbas was speaking at a joint news conference with visiting Prime Minister Gordon Brown in Bethlehem. He added that Israel had not yet responded to the Arab peace initiative, which envisions just and total peace between Israel and the Arab world and a viable Palestinian state. » Read more

Israel Army Arrests 30 Palestinians In Nablus ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Kuwait News Agency (kuna) July 21, 2008 - 3:50pm RAMALLAH, July 21 (KUNA) -- The Israeli Army arrested, Sunday, around twenty Palestinians in Nablus City and its refugee camps. Security sources in the city said Hamas movement MP Mona Mansour was arrested after her house was besieged in Balatah Camp, east Nablus. A number of businessmen, owners of currency exchange shops, and workers at commercial establishments were also arrested, along with 8 university students who were arrested after their dorms at Al Najah University were raided. » Read more