August 6th

A Trojan Horse In The Jordan Valley ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Lara Friedman And Hagit Ofran - August 6, 2008 - 2:22pm Is Israel serious about wanting peace? Plans approved last week by Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak for a new settlement in the Jordan Valley provide ammunition for those who argue that the answer is no. » Read more

Abbas Mulls Gaza As ‘rebel-held Territory’; Halting Funding ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Abd Al-karim Shweiki - August 6, 2008 - 2:21pm Under pressure from Palestinian Authority officials, P.A. » Read more

Hamas Warns Of Uprising Against Fatah ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Mohammed Mar’i - August 6, 2008 - 2:19pm RAMALLAH/GAZA CITY: A senior Hamas official in Gaza City warned yesterday that his Islamic group could overrun the West Bank, just as it took over Gaza, if provoked by its rivals in Fatah. The official, Sami Abu Zuhri, spoke as tensions between the two groups remained high following a bombing that killed five Hamas members in Gaza and a Hamas sweep that ended with 11 dead and dozens wounded, most of them from Fatah. » Read more

Middle East Rhetoric Obstructing Us Interests ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Common Ground News Service by Richard Murphy And Ethan Chorin - August 6, 2008 - 2:18pm Washington, DC - It would be naive to assume that Undersecretary of State William Burns' presence at the recent EU-Iran nuclear talks has opened the door to a rapid improvement in US-Iranian relations, or that the US administration has abandoned its military option. But this recent tilt towards diplomacy offers a pause in which to take note of the unsung economic and political costs of hyped-up rhetoric. » Read more

Jordan Resumes Talks With Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press August 6, 2008 - 2:17pm A Jordanian Islamist says Jordan has renewed dialogue with the terrorist Hamas group after two years of icy relations.  Senior Hamas leader, Moussa Abu Marzouk, confirmed the contacts, saying only that they were in "very early stages" and that he hoped they will be a "good start." Jordanian officials did not comment. » Read more

Barak Vows Israeli Operations In Gaza Strip Will Resume ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) August 6, 2008 - 2:16pm OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel will go back to carrying out military strikes on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip despite a month-old truce, army radio reported Tuesday. "Those who miss the operations in the Gaza Strip, don't worry, they will come," Barak told a Labor party event in Occupied Jerusalem. » Read more

Israeli Authorities Arrest Policeman In Connection With Palestinian Death ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press August 6, 2008 - 2:15pm JERUSALEM: Israeli police said Tuesday that they have arrested a policeman in connection with the death of a Palestinian boy at a protest in the West Bank. The 10-year old boy was killed by gunfire last week during clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinians in the West Bank village of Naalin. Micky Rosenfeld, a police spokesman, said authorities detained a member of the paramilitary Border Police and put him under house arrest while the investigation continued. » Read more

Us Revokes Visas To Palestinian Fulbright Scholars ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) August 6, 2008 - 2:14pm WASHINGTON (AFP) The US government as a "safety precaution" revoked visas it had issued to four Palestinian recipients of prestigious Fulbright fellowships, the State Department said Tuesday. "We had interviewed four scholars. We had issued visas," said State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos. » Read more

Opinion Poll: Abbas And Fatah's Popularity Overtakes Haniah And Hamas' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-ghad Daily August 6, 2008 - 2:12pm An opinion poll published yesterday showed an increase in the popularity of President Mahmoud Abbas, who heads the Fatah movement, compared to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniah. 68% of those polled by the Near East Consulting company expressed confidence in President Abbas while 32% expressed confidence in Haniah. 77% of Palestinians support unconditional dialogue between Hamas and Fatah, with 12% supporting conditional dialogue and 11% opposing any dialogue. » Read more

August 5th

Barak: If You Miss Gaza Raids, Don't Worry - They'll Come ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz August 5, 2008 - 3:08pm Defense Minister and Labor Party leader Ehud Barak criticized his political rivals on Monday, equating them with hosts of reality television shows, and told his constituents that a military operation in the Gaza Strip was still very much on the agenda. Speaking at a Labor Party event in Jerusalem on Monday evening, Barak said "anyone who misses the military operations in Gaza mustn't worry, they will come." » Read more