February 5th

'the Palestinian Dream Is Over' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News by Khalil Al Assali - February 5, 2008 - 7:20pm Occupied Jerusalem: Dr Mustafa Al Barghouthi, a member of the Legislative Council and a prominent Palestinian activist, could not find a better word than "disaster" to express his anger at the announcement made by Hamas officials regarding a study that aims to separate the economy from Israel and connect with Egypt. "These declarations are very risky and briefly mean the separation of the West Bank from the Gaza Strip and the end of the Palestinian dream," Dr Barghouthi told Gulf News. » Read more

Suicide Bombing Revives Israeli Push To Finish Its Wall ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Ilene Prusher - February 5, 2008 - 7:19pm In the aftermath of the first Palestinian suicide bombing in more than a year, many Israelis have returned to an old conclusion: build a barrier. Some politicians said that the answer to Monday's attack on the southern town of Dimona was to resurrect an existing, but never-implemented, plan to build some combination of a wall and fence between Egypt and Israel. The barrier would be similar to the West Bank wall that Israel started erecting more than six years ago, at a time when there was an almost nonstop cycle of violence between Israelis and Palestinians. » Read more

Suicide Attack In Israel Kills One ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - February 5, 2008 - 7:18pm A Palestinian suicide bomber who may have sneaked into Israel from the Egyptian Sinai blew himself up at a shopping center in this southern desert town on Monday, killing an Israeli woman and wounding 11 other Israelis, emergency services officials said. A second attacker with him failed to detonate his explosives belt and was shot dead by a police officer at the scene. » Read more

February 4th

Hamas Claims Dimona Attack, Says Bombers Came From Hebron ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amoss Harel - February 4, 2008 - 8:01pm Hamas' armed wing claimed responsibility for a Palestinian suicide bombing that killed a woman in Dimona on Monday, the first such attack inside Israel claimed by Hamas since 2004, a Hamas source told Reuters. Both the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Bridgade and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed responsibility for the attack earlier in the day. » Read more

Gov't Considers Ban On Exporting Gaza Farm Produce Via Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amiram Cohen - February 4, 2008 - 8:00pm Agriculture Minister Shalom Simhon said on Sunday that Israel considers imposing a complete ban on exporting Gaza agricultural produce via Israel. Israel suspects large quantities of agricultural produce have been smuggled into Gaza from Egypt, after Hamas tore down the Gaza-Egypt border wall, sending hundreds of thousands of Palestinians into Egypt, effectively ending the Israeli blockade of the Strip. » Read more

The Israei Factor: Ranking The Presidential Candidates ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Shmuel Rosner - February 4, 2008 - 7:59pm Republican John McCain   The Arizona Senator believes America must give Israel whatever equipment and technology it needs for defense. » Read more

Writing Responsibly On The Middle East ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Quarterly by Azriel Bermant - (Opinion) February 4, 2008 - 7:57pm In the last few years, the international media has devoted an unprecedented amount of attention to the Arab–Israeli conflict. Although those following the turbulent events in the Middle East have no shortage of news resources to choose from, the journalism available isn’t always of » Read more

Editorial: Uneasy Calm ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News (Editorial) February 4, 2008 - 7:53pm After close to two weeks of unchecked inundation into Rafah by an estimated 700,000 of the 1.5 million inhabitants of Gaza, quiet once again reigns after Egyptian troops have closed the border. But for how long the calm will prevail and how long the border will be sealed is still undetermined. Because of the continuing Israeli siege of Gaza, another breach is bound to occur sooner or later. » Read more

The Fate Of The Two-state Solution Hangs On Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Mousa Qous - (Opinion) February 4, 2008 - 7:53pm Immediately after last November's Annapolis conference, Israel declared its intention to construct 307 new housing units in the Har Homa settlement in occupied East Jerusalem, in addition to building new settlements in the Almatar and Sheikh Jarrah areas of the city. Thus, Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert--who announced before the conference that he had ordered a freeze on all construction in West Bank settlements--started a battle even before negotiations had got under way. » Read more

An Oppurtunity For An Arab Role To Restore The Lost Balance In The Region ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Raghidadergham.com by Raghida Dergham - (Opinion) February 4, 2008 - 7:52pm The opportunity is ripe now for a distinguished Arab role in Iraq, Palestine and Lebanon and with both the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran. There is also an urgent need to formulate and develop this role both for defensive and offensive purposes. Arabs have no more excuses to be absent or to abstain from assuming this role because hiding behind pretexts, such as weakness, helplessness or impatience today will earn them nothing but deep regrets in the future. » Read more