December 6th

What exactly is Palestine? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Hugh Naylor - December 6, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH // Mahmoud Abbas declared that Palestine had a state on his triumphant return from the United Nations, but many Palestinians are asking: what do we have and what do we call it? The Palestinian Authority (PA) president on Sunday lauded Palestine's "historic achievement" of being recognised as a non-member state at the UN. » Read more

Hitmen on hold, Israelis might talk to Meshaal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Crispian Balmer - December 6, 2012 - 1:00am (Reuters) - Israel once tried to kill Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal in a botched assassination attempt on the streets of the Jordanian capital, Amman. Fifteen years later, it is starting to view him in a slightly different light and Israeli analysts say he might yet prove the man who can open a dialogue between the Palestinian Islamist movement and the Jewish state.   » Read more

Palestinians warn Israel must be held accountable over settlements ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency December 4, 2012 - 1:00am UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) -- The Palestinians accused Israel in a letter to the United Nations of planning to commit further "war crimes" by expanding Jewish settlements after the Palestinians won de facto UN recognition of statehood and warned that Israel must be held accountable. » Read more

Israel prevents Tunisian charge d'affaires in Ramallah from regaining his post ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua December 6, 2012 - 1:00am TUNIS, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Israel prevented the Tunisian charge d'affaires in the West Bank city Ramallah from regaining his post on Wednesday, the official TAP press agency reported. » Read more

Hitmen on hold, Israelis might talk to Meshaal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Crispian Balmer - December 6, 2012 - 1:00am Fifteen years later, it is starting to view him in a slightly different light and Israeli analysts say he might yet prove the man who can open a dialogue between the Palestinian Islamist movement and the Jewish state. » Read more

Hamas chief to make first visit to Gaza on Friday ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Nidal al-Mughrabi - December 5, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal will make his first visit to the Gaza Strip on Friday to attend the Palestinian Islamist group's 25th anniversary rally, Hamas sources said on Wednesday. The two-day visit comes in the wake of last month's air offensive by Israel against Hamas and other armed Islamist factions to stop them firing rockets from the enclave at southern Israeli towns. » Read more

Hamas chief to make first visit to Gaza on Friday ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Nidal al-Mughrabi - December 5, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal will make his first visit to the Gaza Strip on Friday to attend the Palestinian Islamist group's 25th anniversary rally, Hamas sources said on Wednesday. » Read more

Israel, Palestinians escalate settlement showdown ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Amy Teibel - December 5, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM — Palestinians and Israelis hardened their positions Wednesday over a contentious new settlement push around Jerusalem, with Israel going full throttle on plans to develop the area and the Palestinians trying to block it through an appeal to the U.N. Security Council. » Read more

Israel, Palestinians escalate settlement showdown ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Amy Teibel - December 5, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM —Palestinians and Israelis hardened their positions Wednesday over a contentious new settlement push around Jerusalem, with Israel going full throttle on plans to develop the area and the Palestinians trying to block it through an appeal to the U.N. Security Council. » Read more

Jordan king in West Bank to support Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Dalia Nammari - December 6, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank — Jordan's King Abdullah II paid a rare visit to the West Bank on Thursday in a show of support for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' successful bid for U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state. » Read more