February 29th

Far From Glow Of Annapolis, Rice Heads To Mideast ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Sue Pleming - February 29, 2008 - 6:02pm Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice travels to Israel and the Palestinian territories next week, with U.S. credibility at stake and peace talks stymied by escalating violence in Hamas-run Gaza. Three months ago, Israelis and Palestinians pledged at a peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, that they would seek a deal by the end of the Bush administration in January 2009. » Read more

Killed While They Played Football, The Child Victims Of Israel's Revenge On Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Donald Macintyre - February 29, 2008 - 6:01pm Four boys playing football have been killed in Gaza by Israeli air strikes, according to Palestinian officials, as Israel responded to the death of a man from a barrage of rocket attacks with a bloody escalation of violence. At least 16 Palestinians – including the four children – were killed yesterday as Israel responded to the deadly attacks the previous day. » Read more

Amid Lull In Gaza Violence, Palestinians Protest, And Israel Threatens Invasion ATFP World Press Roundup Article from International Herald Tribune by Steven Erlanger - February 29, 2008 - 6:00pm JERUSALEM: Friday was a day of threats, protest and rhetoric in Israel's conflict with Hamas, with considerably less violence and death than over the previous two days, when some 33 Palestinians died, five of them children, and one Israeli died in the border town of Sderot. » Read more

Second Day Of Violence May Trigger Israel-hamas Escalation ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Arthur Bright - February 29, 2008 - 5:59pm The latest in a series of Israeli airstrikes left at least 20 Palestinians dead Thursday, as Israel considers a new invasion of Gaza to confront Hamas. Reuters reports that Israeli air strikes in Gaza Thursday killed at least 11 militants believed to be involved in rocket attacks against Israeli towns and cities, as well as several civilians, including several children. » Read more

Israeli Minister Warns Palestinians Of ' Holocaust ' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters February 29, 2008 - 5:59pm  Deputy Israeli Defense Minister Matan Vilnai said on Friday the Palestinians would bring on themselves what he called a "bigger holocaust" by stepping up rocket attacks on Israel from the Gaza Strip. » Read more

February 28th

Abbas: I Oppose Armed Struggle, But Won't Rule Out Option For Future ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yoav Stern - February 28, 2008 - 4:50pm Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday that while he opposes taking up armed struggle against Israel at the present time, he would not rule out the option for the future. "I do not support a return to armed struggle at this point in time. But, at a later date, this could be an option for the Palestinian people," Abbas said on Thursday during an interview with the Jordanian newspaper Al-Duster. » Read more

On The Edge In The South ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) February 28, 2008 - 4:49pm Yesterday, when he eulogized Dan Shomron, the 13th chief of staff who was his immediate predecessor and his friend, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that Shomron was "one of the Israel Defense Forces more daring architects, and at the same time one of its more level-headed ones." Israel is now in need of such a combination of daring action and good judgment, in light of the escalation in the attacks on its communities from Sderot to Ashkelon. » Read more

The Israeli Intransigence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al Hayat by Randa Takieddine - (Opinion) February 28, 2008 - 4:48pm Every time the Israeli army or its leadership loses a certain battle, it treats its investigation into the causes behind this fiasco as some form of repentance. Many reports and investigations followed the war on Lebanon in 2006 as well as the horrible massacres in Qana and before that Sabra and Shatilla. But nothing really changed in the perspective of an Israeli leadership that fails to see that its policies will backfire and haunt its fate in the future. » Read more

Hope Still Alive ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times (Editorial) February 28, 2008 - 4:46pm Today His Majesty King Abdullah starts a working visit to the US, with a schedule of talks and meetings intended to enhance bilateral relations and tackle a host of other issues. It is not strange that the Palestinian question will be one of the top issues to be discussed during His Majesty’s talks with US President George W. Bush and other key US administration officials, as well as UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. » Read more

Israel Must Learn From Mistakes Of Others ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by George S. Hishmeh - (Opinion) February 28, 2008 - 4:45pm Why doesn't Israel learn from the mistakes of other nations, including its arch-supporter, the United States, in conducting its policies, which have been directly responsible for the state of malaise in the Middle East. For a start, all Israel has to do is to closely examine US foreign policy especially the blunders committed during the administration of George W. Bush. » Read more