Challenger I passengers: Commandos shot first ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency by Mya Guarnieri - June 8, 2010 - 12:00am Alex Harrison, a British activist who participated in the Freedom Flotilla, was on the neighboring Challenger I when the Israeli army overtook the Mavi Marmara, leaving at least nine activists dead and dozens injured. An eyewitness to the takeover, Harrison told Ma'an what she saw in the moments before the Israeli army boarded the Mavi Marmara. "I was on the Challenger I, on the upper deck," Harrison said. "We were very close to the Marmara. We actually thought [the Israeli navy] was coming for us first." » Read more

PA welcomes international positions for ending siege ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 8, 2010 - 12:00am The Palestinian ministers cabinet officially welcomed several international moves to lift the siege on Gaza during its weekly cabinet meeting Monday, calling for action to ensure recent moves to aid Gaza continue. » Read more

Didn't We Tell You? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Tariq Alhomayed - (Opinion) June 8, 2010 - 12:00am Didn't we tell you yesterday that Hassan Nasrallah wants to take back his role after the rug was pulled from underneath him by Turkey following what happened on the Freedom Flotilla off the coast of Gaza? Didn't we also tell you yesterday that "the game has been the same game, but the ability of the players is in decline" with regards to the Palestinian Cause? Didn't we tell you, days ago, not to save Israel [from itself] this time? So what happened? » Read more

Israeli raid on Gaza Freedom Flotilla killed US citizen Furkan Dogan ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Scott Peterson - June 3, 2010 - 12:00am An American-Turkish dual citizen killed during an Israeli commando raid on a humanitarian aid flotilla was among activists buried in Turkey on Thursday. Furkan Dogan was struck by five bullets shortly before dawn on Monday while atop the Turkish-flagged Mavi Marmara ship, according to friends who were on board at the time of the Israeli raid and attended the funeral for eight of the nine Turks who died. » Read more

Bin Laden, Nasrallah, Ahmadinejad and Now Erdogan! ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Abdul Rahman Al-Rashed - (Opinion) June 8, 2010 - 12:00am It goes without saying that Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan aimed to break the Israeli blockade of Gaza, however – and perhaps without meaning to – he managed to break Iran's blockade of the Arabs. » Read more

Biden says US looking at 'new ways' to address Israel's Gaza blockade ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Kristen Chick - June 7, 2010 - 12:00am After meeting President Hosni Mubarak in Egypt Monday, Vice President Joe Biden said the US is looking for “new ways” to handle the situation in Gaza. “We are consulting closely with Egypt, as well as our other partners, on new ways to address the humanitarian, economic, security, and political aspects of the situation in Gaza,” Mr. Biden said after the meeting, according to a statement released by the White House. » Read more

Enough ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons by Ghassan Khatib - (Opinion) June 8, 2010 - 12:00am When is the world going to say to Israel, enough? When will the international community make clear that the situation in this part of the world is too dangerous to allow the Israeli government to act like a rogue state? The moment is now. The world must insist that Israel cease to behave as if it is the one country that can act with impunity, above the law, with no regard for consequences. » Read more

Lt. Col. Wafa’a Ayyad, The Director of the Family Protection Unit Urges Palestinian Women to get more involved in Police Work ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Quds by Zaki Abu Halawe - June 8, 2010 - 12:00am The director of the Family Protection Unit, Lt. Col. Wafa’a Ayyad, urges Palestinian women to take part in the Police service because of their ability in understanding domestic cases. The Lt. Col. (the highest ranking Palestinian female officer) assured the Al-Quds newspaper that the Palestinian Police are working on developing the services provided to citizens and their families - because they are the main pillars in building a strong legal structure. She noted that the strength of Palestinian families is in their ability to argue and discuss problems and difficulties. » Read more

Israel's Gaza blockade: It works ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times by Jonah Goldberg - (Opinion) June 8, 2010 - 12:00am The L.A. City Council wants to boycott the Grand Canyon State. When will the United Nations condemn Los Angeles for its callous pursuit of collective punishment against Arizona in retaliation for its immigration policies? To be sure, the boycott is mainly symbolic, but at least in principle the measure is aimed at hurting all Arizonans regardless of whether they support the "regime" in Phoenix. That's collective punishment. » Read more

Managing the Gaza blockade ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post (Editorial) June 8, 2010 - 12:00am ISRAEL'S BLOCKADE of Gaza is crumbling. In the wake of last week's clash between Israelis commandos and militants on a relief flotilla, the world at large has condemned it; the Obama administration has called it "unsustainable." Egypt reopened its crossing into Gaza for humanitarian aid and some travel. But the solution is not as simple as simply ending the checks on sea and land traffic by Israel. What's needed is a new regime that addresses the legitimate needs of Palestinians in Gaza without further empowering Hamas and its patron, Iran. » Read more