West Bank land belongs to Jews, says Israeli army judge ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Meron Rapoport - October 26, 2009 - 12:00am Major Adrian Agassi did not make the connection between the Bible, the land and the Jews when, fresh out of university, he left England for Israel in search of his roots. He was not even a practising Jew. But over the past quarter of a century, the Israeli army lawyer and then military judge at the forefront of arguably the most significant battle in the occupied West Bank – the confiscation of Palestinian land for the construction of Jewish settlements – has come to see himself as in service of a higher duty. » Read more

Gridlock in the Mideast ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Alastair MacDonald - (Blog) October 26, 2009 - 12:00am Want to know how it feels to be George Mitchell, President Obama’s special envoy to the Middle East? Try getting from Jerusalem to Ramallah on a typical weekday at the rush hour. And experience stalemate, frustration, competitive selfishness, blind fury and an absence of movement that even the most stubborn and blinkered of West Bank bus drivers might see as a metaphor for the peace process that is going nowhere fast right now. » Read more

The disabled Palestinian standup helping refugees find their funny side ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Rachel Shabi - October 27, 2009 - 12:00am "I am officially the most oppressed person in the world," Maysoon Zayid recently told an audience in California. "I'm a Palestinian Muslim with cerebral palsy." Zayid, the first female standup ever to perform in Palestine and Jordan, added that her shaking often caught the eye of airport security staff, who think: "That chick's nervous!" It's a situation not helped by the fact her dad likes to drop her off – and he looks like Saddam Hussein. » Read more

EU lawyers draw up list of IDF officers suspected of Gaza war crimes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Anshel Pfeffer - October 27, 2009 - 12:00am Human rights lawyers and pro-Palestinian activists in a number of European countries hold lists with names of Israel Defense Forces soldiers allegedly linked to war crimes committed during Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip. Existing legislation enables arrest warrants to be issued against these officers if they enter those countries. » Read more

PA negotiator: Israel painting us as 'untrustworthy bastards' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - October 27, 2009 - 12:00am The chief Palestinian negotiator lashed out at Israel's stance toward peace talks on Tuesday, after a report that his president, Mahmoud Abbas, had threatened to step down due to the lack of progress in the peace process. "You're presenting us as 'untrustworthy bastards,' while the fact of the matter is that you're the ones foot-dragging and refusing to end the occupation," Saeb Erekat told Army Radio. » Read more

Settlers clash with Palestinian 'security threat' olive growers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff, Anshel Pfeffer - October 27, 2009 - 12:00am Residents of the settlement of Shvut Rachel clashed with Palestinians picking olives in the northern West Bank on Tuesday, after the settlers held a march to protest the "security threat" posed by the harvest. The settlers, who were joined by residents of nearby illegal outposts, said the Palestinian harvesters were a threat because could gather intelligence and launch attacks from the olive groves. "If they harvest near us, then we'll be near them," one of the settlers said as they headed out for the march. » Read more

PA seeks to reverse Gaza fuel terminal closure ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 24, 2009 - 12:00am Nathmi Mhanna, the Palestinian Authority's head of borders and crossings, said he and others were working hard to thwart Israel's recently announced plan to shut down Gaza's main fuel terminal. Israel's military said on Thursday is planned to close the Nahal Oz crossing, which is the only border terminal staffed jointly by Israelis and Palestinians as per previously signed agreements with the PA. In an interview, Mhanna said Israel was seeking to shut down the crossing due to unspecified security concerns voiced by individual soldiers. » Read more

Soldiers injured as Israeli forces demolish Jerusalem homes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency October 27, 2009 - 12:00am Two Israeli soldiers were injured in a rock-throwing incident as they participated in a home demolition on Tuesday morning in occupied East Jerusalem. According to local sources, Israeli military forces and a demolition crew from the Jerusalem Municipality entered the East Jerusalem village of Sur Bahir, south of the Old City, and destroyed the two-story house of Nimir Ali Nimir. The 300 square meter house was home to 11 people. Outraged at the destruction of the house, stone-throwing Palestinian demonstrators confronted the Israeli officers, mildly injuring two. » Read more

Amnesty: Israel withholds water from Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press October 27, 2009 - 12:00am Amnesty International is accusing Israel of pumping disproportionate amounts of drinking water from an aquifer it controls in the West Bank, depriving local Palestinians of their fair share. The London-based human rights group also said in a report released Tuesday, that Israel has blocked infrastructure projects that would improve existing water supplies to Palestinians, both in the West Bank and those living in the Gaza Strip. » Read more

Gaza: Hamas tightens, then backs off, Islamic social strictures ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Erin Cunningham - October 25, 2009 - 12:00am Like many high-schoolers in Gaza City, Diana Hawajiri often favors trendy jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, and a head scarf. But when she showed up after the summer break, signs posted at her government-run school announced that it was mandatory for all female students to wear the jalibab – a loose dress designed to shroud the female figure. Diana complied. And though the decision was later rescinded, she still wears the garment to avoid criticism both at school and in public, she says. » Read more