Israel To Treat Gaza Peace Boats 'like Pirates' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Telegraph by Carolynne Wheeler - August 19, 2008 - 12:00am The SS Free Gaza and the SS Liberty, which are sailing from Crete to Cyprus and then on to Gaza after being delayed by a storm, will carry about 40 protesters campaigning against Israel's economic sanctions on the Palestinian territory, including an 84-year-old Holocaust survivor and Lauren Booth, sister-in-law of Tony Blair, who is the international special envoy to the Middle East. The boats, which will also carry a cargo of balloons, musical instruments and thousands of hearing aids, are expected to approach Gaza early next week. » Read more

Israel: Prisoners To Be Released ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times August 19, 2008 - 12:00am Israel said on Monday that it would free two prominent Palestinian prisoners — Said al-Atba, who has served 32 years of a life sentence, and Mohammed Abu Ali, who was elected to the Palestinian Parliament while behind bars — among 199 inmates to be released as a good-will gesture to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president. The move drew fierce criticism from some Israeli politicians, who said it could undermine attempts to free a captured Israeli soldier, Cpl. Gilad Shalit, who was being held in the Gaza Strip, which is ruled by the militant Palestinian organization Hamas.

Israeli Court To Review Palestinian Abuse Case ATFP World Press Roundup Article from International Herald Tribune August 19, 2008 - 12:00am Israel's Supreme Court will review the army's proposed punishment for two soldiers who were filmed abusing a Palestinian. The court said it would look at the case Tuesday in response to a request from a human rights group that thinks the army's indictment is too lenient. The video was released by Israeli rights group B'Tselem last month. It shows a soldier firing a rubber bullet toward the foot of a West Bank man whose hands were bound and eyes were blindfolded. The bullet bruised the 27-year-old man's toe. » Read more

Olmert To Face Additional Round Of Police Questioning On Friday ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz August 19, 2008 - 12:00am Israel Police spokespman officer says investigators are to quiz Prime Minister Ehud Olmert again on corruption allegations in what will be the sixth round of questioning so far. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said detectives would interview Olmert at his official residence in Jerusalem on Friday morning. Olmert is suspected of improperly accepting funds from U.S. businessman Morris Talanksy and of violations in funding trips abroad. Talansky previously testified that he gave Olmert $150 thousand, mostly in cash, for political campaigns and travel expenses. » Read more

Pa Welcomes Hamas-jordan Rapprochement ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Mohammed Mar’i - August 19, 2008 - 12:00am The Palestinian Authority yesterday welcomed the improving relations between Jordan and Hamas movement saying that the Jordanian move “was another Arab attempt to end the unnatural situation in Gaza.” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ media adviser, Nimer Hammad, said that “we (Palestinian Authority) don’t fear the dialogue between Jordan and Hamas, instead, we welcome any effort that could persuade Hamas to step back.” » Read more

Analysis: Prisoner Release Does Nothing For Abbas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh - (Analysis) August 19, 2008 - 12:00am It's hard these days to find one Palestinian who regards Israel's decision to release some 200 Palestinian prisoners as a "goodwill gesture." It's also hard to see how the release of the prisoners would "boost" the popularity of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas among his people. The argument that the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails strengthens the "moderates" has never proven to be correct. » Read more

This Land Isn’t Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yair Lapid - (Opinion) August 19, 2008 - 12:00am Last week, we marked three years to the disengagement . An overwhelming majority of Israelis has an ambivalent attitude towards it to this day: On the one hand, feeling that the experiment has failed; on the other hand, glad that we are no longer in Gaza. But also ashamed of the disgraceful treatment of the evacuees; yet proud of the fact that it turned out that the State is still able to implement something once it decides to do it. There are other views in addition to that, depending on who you talk to. » Read more

Court Orders Idf To Explain Soft Indictment Against Naalin Commander ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Aviad Glickman - August 19, 2008 - 12:00am Several human rights groups petition the High Court Tuesday asking that it order the Military Advocate General, Brigadier-General Avi Mandelblit and the IDF's Chief Prosecutor, Colonel Liron Lieberman, to explain their reluctance to amend the indictment filed against Lt. Col. Omri Burberg and Staff Sergeant L. for their involvement in the Naalin shooting incident. The petition was filed by B'Tselem, Yesh Din, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, and the Palestinian who was shot, Ashraf Abu-Rahma. » Read more

Palestinians Slam Israel's 'revolving Door Policy' On Prisoners ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked - August 19, 2008 - 12:00am Officials in the Palestinian Authority do not appear overly enthused by the Israeli cabinet's recent decision to release 199 prisoners, including detainees with 'blood on their hands', as a gesture to President Mahmoud Abbas. According to data provided by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, the IDF has arrested 1,751 Palestinians in the West Bank since the beginning of the year, including 500 who have been detained since last month's Mediterranean summit in Paris, during which Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged to free more prisoners. » Read more

Israel Reopens Key Gaza Crossing For First Time Since April Suicide Bombing ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz August 19, 2008 - 12:00am Israel has allowed food and other supplies to enter the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip through a key commercial crossing that had been closed for months, Israeli and Palestinian officials said on Tuesday. Defense Ministry official Peter Lerner said about 80 trucks would pass through the Kerem Shalom crossing in a trial run before it is officially reopened in accordance with an Egyptian-mediated truce between Israel and Hamas. » Read more