December 1st

Israel: Easing of Gaza Blockade Did Little, Report Says ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Ethan Bronner - December 1, 2010 - 1:00am A group of 22 international human-rights and aid groups issued a report on Tuesday asserting that Israel’s easing of its blockade of Gaza five months ago had made little difference to the people living there. The groups, including Amnesty International and Save the Children, said that construction material was still trickling in and that exports remained banned, meaning that the Palestinian coastal strip could not recover from Israel’s three-week war there two years ago. Israel responded that the report was distorted. » Read more

November 30th

Gaza farmers satisfied as products exported ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Ahmed al-Dabba - November 30, 2010 - 1:00am GAZA, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Gaza flower grower Hamdan Hejazi could not hide his happiness as his roses now can be exported to Europe despite an Israeli ban on export. Hejazi, who inherited the business from his ancestors, hopes to export more than 7 million roses to Holland if the borders remain open. Looking at the trucks carrying his flowers, he sighed with relief, hoping this season would compensate the losses he suffered during the past years of the Israeli blockade that started in 2006. » Read more

We don't need WikiLeaks to know Netanyahu is unreliable ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Akiva Eldar - (Opinion) November 30, 2010 - 1:00am So Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is elegant and charming but doesn't keep promises. That Netanyahu is elegant and charming is a matter of personal taste. As for the prime minister not keeping his promises, it's possible to ask: "What else is new, WikiLeaks?" Now if Mubarak had said Netanyahu did tend to keep his promises, that would have deserved a front-page headline - though more because of the doubt it would arouse about the Egyptian president's judgment than by virtue of its contents. » Read more

Rights groups accuse Israel of ducking pledge to ease Gaza blockade ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz November 30, 2010 - 1:00am Israel has only marginally eased its three-year-old blockade of the Gaza Strip, leaving business and construction largely frozen in the impoverished and war-damaged Palestinian territory, a report by several aid groups said Tuesday. The groups accused Israel of ducking promises to ease the blockade's effects on civilians, a pledge it made under pressure after a deadly Israeli commando raid in May on an international flotilla protesting the restrictions. » Read more

Rights groups accuse Israel of ducking pledge to ease Gaza blockade ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz November 30, 2010 - 1:00am Israel has only marginally eased its three-year-old blockade of the Gaza Strip, leaving business and construction largely frozen in the impoverished and war-damaged Palestinian territory, a report by several aid groups said Tuesday. The groups accused Israel of ducking promises to ease the blockade's effects on civilians, a pledge it made under pressure after a deadly Israeli commando raid in May on an international flotilla protesting the restrictions. A Palestinian girl stands by sacks of humanitarian aid in Shatie refugee camp, in Gaza City on June 6, 2010. Photo by: AP » Read more

Hummus ignites Mideast conflict in U.S. Ivy League college ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz November 29, 2010 - 1:00am Princeton University students voted Monday in a referendum by a pro-Palestine student group on whether to expand the school's hummus offerings. The student group Princeton Committee for Palestine wants university-run stores to offer alternative brands of the Middle Eastern chickpea dip because they say the only brand available is linked to human rights violations. The brand, Sabra, is owned by PepsiCo and Strauss Group, and Strauss' website says it supports members of the Israeli military. » Read more

Abbas warns of settlement 'time bomb' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews November 30, 2010 - 1:00am Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas warned Monday that Israel's settlement enterprise has become "a time bomb" that could destroy peace hopes at any moment. Abbas made the statement on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People which is marked each year since 1977 on November 29. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said in a message to mark an international day for Palestinians that there was little sign of optimism by Palestinians or Israelis that a peace accord could be achieved soon. » Read more

Likud MKs: PM doing what he fancies ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yair Altman - November 29, 2010 - 1:00am As talks between Israel and the United States on a new settlement construction freeze continue, the Likud party's hawkish camp clarified Monday that it was not going to make life easy for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Some 200 Central Committee members and heads of the party's offices across the country took part in the conference at the Knesset, calling on the prime minister not to resume the building freeze. » Read more

Palestinians mark 63rd anniversary of UN partition plan ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Emad Drimly - November 30, 2010 - 1:00am The Palestinians Monday marked the 63rd anniversary of the UN partition plan, calling for the implementation of international resolutions that lead to the establishment of their independent state. The Ramallah-based Palestinian Ministry of Information said in a statement sent to reporters that the decision (partition plan) " was a dangerous turning point that kept the Palestinians paying heavy prices." » Read more

Non-Aligned Movement reiterates call for end to Israeli settlement building ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua November 30, 2010 - 1:00am Maged Abdelaziz, the permanent representative of Egypt to the UN, said here Monday that Israel must stop infringing on the Occupied Palestinian Territories in order to allow a two-state solution to be negotiated in the Middle East. The Egyptian ambassador made the statement when he was speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) at a UN meeting to mark the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. » Read more