February 8th

Fayyad demands intervention to stop settler violence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 8, 2011 - 1:00am International pressure must be brought to bear on Israeli settlers in the West Bank to halt their use of violence and constant harassment of Palestinians, premier Salam Fayyad said Monday. Speaking with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Navi Pillary, who is on an official visit to Palestine, Fayyad blamed the Israeli government for "terrorist acts" committed by settlers, and cited the shooting deaths of two teens in January. » Read more

PA cabinet calls elections for July 9 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 8, 2011 - 1:00am The Palestinian Authority cabinet decided on Tuesday to hold local elections on July 9, in what will be the first time voters have gone to the polls since 2006. It will mark the second attempt to hold a municipal vote, after July 17, 2010 elections were called off only weeks before they were scheduled to take place. "The cabinet decided during its meeting today to hold local elections on Saturday, July 9, and charged the elections committee with making the necessary preparations," PA spokesman Ghassan Khatib said, reading from an official statement. » Read more

PA cabinet calls elections for July 9 ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 8, 2011 - 1:00am The Palestinian Authority cabinet decided on Tuesday to hold local elections on July 9, in what will be the first time voters have gone to the polls since 2006. It will mark the second attempt to hold a municipal vote, after July 17, 2010 elections were called off only weeks before they were scheduled to take place. "The cabinet decided during its meeting today to hold local elections on Saturday, July 9, and charged the elections committee with making the necessary preparations," PA spokesman Ghassan Khatib said, reading from an official statement. » Read more

February 7th

Huckabee of Judea ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Glenn Kessler - February 7, 2011 - 1:00am "There are vast amounts of territory that are in the hands of Muslims, in the hands of Arabs. Maybe the international community can come together and accommodate" the Palestinians » Read more

Hamas militant escapes from Egypt prison, arrives in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 7, 2011 - 1:00am Islamic Hamas movement, which rules the Gaza Strip, announced on Saturday that one of its militants managed to escape from an Egyptian prison and arrived at his home in Gaza. The movement said in a leaflet emailed to reporters that Ayman Noofal, who has been in an Egyptian prison for three years had managed to flee and had arrived at his home in Gaza on Saturday evening. "Ayman Noofal kissed the soil of Gaza after being kidnapped in the Egyptian prisons for three years," said Hamas statement. » Read more

Jerusalem council set to approve Jewish housing in Arab neighborhood ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson - February 7, 2011 - 1:00am Several Palestinian families in East Jerusalem's Sheikh Jarrah will be evicted to pave way for two new buildings meant to comprise 13 apartments. The Jerusalem Municipal Committee for Planning and Building is expected to approve Monday the construction of two buildings that will include 13 apartments for Jewish residents in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of East Jerusalem. » Read more

Palestinians welcome Mideast Quartet's role in peace process ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 6, 2011 - 1:00am The Palestinian leadership on Sunday welcomed the Quartet of Middle East negotiators to engage in reviving Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. The Quartet's call for separate discussions between its members and the concerned parties in the Middle East "is an unprecedented development that cannot be bypassed," said Saeb Erekat, the top Palestinian negotiator. The Quartet, which comprises the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and Russia, made the call following its meeting in Munich, Germany, on Saturday. » Read more

Peres: Israeli-Palestinian peace urgent in light of Egypt crisis ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - February 6, 2011 - 1:00am President tells 11th annual Herzliya conference that the sluggish pace of the peace process means that the conflict is being 'exploited to the detriment of all sides'. President Shimon Peres urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to move quickly toward a solution in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process in light of the crisis that has wracked Egypt over the last two weeks. » Read more

Ex-official: Direct Israel-Syria talks were close ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Amy Teibel - February 6, 2011 - 1:00am A high-ranking official in the previous Israeli government said Sunday that Israel and Syria were close to resuming direct peace talks in late 2008, and that the Syrians signaled readiness to ease past demands for a full Israeli withdrawal from captured lands. Turkish-mediated talks between the two sides were to have progressed to direct talks in December 2008. But Israel launched a war against Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip that month, and the talks were derailed, said the former official in the government of Ehud Olmert. » Read more

Palestinian security suppressing West Bank fervor over Egypt protests ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - February 7, 2011 - 1:00am The European-trained Palestinian Special Police Force has become a leading security apparatus in the West Bank. » Read more