Digging completed on tunnel under Old City walls in East Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson - January 25, 2011 - 1:00am The Israel Antiquities Authority has completed an archaeological dig of a tunnel that will enable visitors to cross under the walls of Jerusalem's Old City, not far from the Temple Mount. The tunnel, which was uncovered during excavations conducted over the past few months, was formerly used for drainage and dates back to the Second Temple. It links the City of David in Silwan with the Archaeological Park & Davidson Center, which is located near the Western Wall. » Read more

Israel still has a partner for peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) January 25, 2011 - 1:00am On Sunday, Haaretz reported on Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's proposal to promote a long-term interim arrangement with the Palestinians. A few hours later, Al Jazeera and the Guardian published documents detailing the negotiations over the final-status arrangement held between the previous government and the Palestinian leadership headed by Mahmoud Abbas. The documentation, conducted by the Palestinian team heads, illustrates the serious and down-to-business approach of the Palestinians with regards to the central core issues - borders, Jerusalem and holy places. » Read more

Gaza's Hamas rulers ban 2 'anti-Islamic' books ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press January 24, 2011 - 1:00am The Hamas government in the Gaza Strip has banned the sale of two books by Arab writers that it said "contradict" Islam. It was the latest step by the militant group to impose its strict version of Islam in Gaza. Since seizing power in 2007, Hamas has also banned women from smoking water pipes or riding motorbikes. Culture Ministry spokesman Ehab Senwar said Monday that the books were banned after residents complained about their contents. He said the books won't be sold until a committee checks their contents. » Read more

Israeli ministry calls for sanctioning local firms over joining Palestinian boycott ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua January 24, 2011 - 1:00am Israel's Ministry of National Infrastructures on Sunday called for sanctioning local firms that boycott Israeli companies located in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights, as a stipulation of tenders to take part in building the Palestinian city of Rawabi, near Ramallah. Minister Uzi Landau said his office would not "tolerate discrimination between different groups of citizens that is contrary to the basic values of the State of Israel." » Read more

Turkish president: Israeli report has no credibility ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua January 25, 2011 - 1:00am Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Monday that the report prepared by Israel on its attack on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla had no international credibility. Gul made the statement at Ataturk Airport in Istanbul prior to his departure for the winter session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) in Strasbourg. Replying to questions on the Israeli report, Gul said, "what Israel did has nothing to do with the international law. The report issued by Israel does not have credibility and legitimacy." » Read more

Encountering Peace: What does Netanyahu want? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - January 24, 2011 - 1:00am Understanding what has been leaked, the PM should move forward with current Palestinian leadership as soon as possible. » Read more

News Analysis: Turkey-Israel relations to remain strained after Israeli flotilla report ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Adam Gonn - January 24, 2011 - 1:00am After the Israeli Turkel Commission cleared the Israeli soldiers of wrongdoings during last year's deadly raid on a Turkish flotilla bound for Gaza, the relations between Turkey and Israel are expected to remain strained. The Commission, appointed by the Israeli government and headed by a retired supreme court judge to investigate the Israeli commando raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara in Mediterranean last year which killed nine Turkish citizens, reported its finding that the soldiers acted in accordance with international law. » Read more

No Partial Solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post (Editorial) January 23, 2011 - 1:00am The two-state solution remains viable. That is the message sent out this weekend by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Nodding to Palestinian demands to use the pre-1967 lines as a basis while at the same time ensuring that a strong majority of the 327,000 Jewish settlers presently living in Judea and Samaria would stay put, David Makovsky, a former Jerusalem Post editor and senior fellow at the institute, presented options for resolving the territorial aspects of a two-state scenario, complete with maps and statistical data. » Read more

Defiant Abbas says he's on 'right path' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Mohammed Daraghmeh - January 25, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas returned to a hero's welcome in the West Bank on Tuesday, making his first public appearance at home since Al-Jazeera published embarrassing documents showing him making broad concessions to Israel in peace talks. » Read more

Peru recognizes 'free and sovereign' Palestine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency January 25, 2011 - 1:00am Peru recognized a "free and sovereign" Palestinian state Monday, joining a wave of Latin American countries. "Today the government communicated to the ambassador of Palestine in Lima recognition of the Palestinian state as free and sovereign," said Peruvian Foreign Minister Jose Antonio Belaunde. The Peruvian foreign minister contacted the Palestinian ambassador to Peru, Walid Abdul-Rahim, to inform him that his country decided to recognize a Palestinian state. » Read more