March 8th

Israel's "tunnel rats" brace for new guerrilla war ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Lianne Gross - March 8, 2012 - 1:00am SIRKIN SPECIAL FORCES BASE, Israel, March 8 (Reuters) - Fearing a surge in tunnel and bunker construction by Lebanon's Hezbollah and Palestinian militants, Israel is training its troops to hunt below ground with robot probes and sniffer dogs. Such preparations reflect concerns that should Israel or the United States carry out attacks on Iran's disputed nuclear programme, Tehran may retaliate through its allies on the Jewish state's borders. "You can see a growing threat," said a major from the Israeli engineering corps' Yahalom ("Diamond") commando unit. » Read more

Israeli troops, Palestinians clash in protest calling for release of hunger-striking prisoner ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press March 8, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank — Several dozen Palestinians demanding the release of a hunger-striking detainee clashed with Israeli troops Thursday, part of growing protests against the practice of holding Palestinians without formal charges. Soldiers fired tear gas and aimed a water cannon at about 50 women marching in support of Hana Shalabi, a 30-year-old West Bank woman who has gone without food for 22 days. The stream of water knocked down one of the women, while Palestinian teens threw rocks at the soldiers from behind the women’s march. » Read more

Hamas ties to Syria and Iran in flux as region shifts ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Karin Brulliard - March 7, 2012 - 1:00am GAZA CITY — Political expression in this seaside strip is firmly regulated by the ruling Islamist militant group Hamas, and the authorities recently approved a robust street rally against an unlikely target: the government in Syria, long Hamas’s benefactor and host. The demonstration, as well as Hamas leaders’ statements in support of Syrian protesters and the abandonment of their Damascus offices, was an indicator of the Gaza-based movement’s stark break with Syria — and of the rapidly shifting partnerships of a changing Middle East. » Read more

Mideast Din Drowns Out Palestinians ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Ethan Bronner - March 7, 2012 - 1:00am RAMALLAH, West Bank — In the 14 months since revolution has spread across the Middle East and tension has soared over Iran’s nuclear program, the Palestinian leadership has found itself orphaned. Politically divided, its peace talks with Israel collapsed and its foreign support waning, the Palestinian Authority is sidelined, confused and worried that its people may return to violence. » Read more

IDF soldier moderately hurt after stabbed during West Bank arrest ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Gili Cohen - March 8, 2012 - 1:00am A Palestinian man was shot and thought to have been killed by Israel Defense Forces on Thursday after stabbing a soldier in a West Bank village near Hebron. The incident took place in the village of Yatta during an operation carried out by soldiers belonging to the Kfir infantry brigade, geared at arresting Khaled Mahmara, who was released as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange swap. » Read more

March 7th

Israel investing more, but not enough, in Arab sector ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 7, 2012 - 1:00am JERUSALEM, March 7 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli-Arab lobbying group led a Knesset parliament discussion this week on the socioeconomic status of the country's million and a half Arab residents, who make up more than 20 percent of the population. The Haifa-based Mossawa advocacy group presented it's comprehensive findings at a ministerial-level conference organized by lawmaker Talab al-Sana of the United Arab List-Ta'al, who sits on the Knesset Finance Committee. » Read more

Iran and U.S. Election-Year Politics ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Aaron David Miller - March 7, 2012 - 1:00am Myths and facts conflate all too easily in our opinion-driven politics. One of the most dangerous these days is that President Obama’s Iran policy has been taken hostage by election year pandering to Israel and the pro-Israel community in America. It’s a pernicious trope that runs counter to reality. If anything, election year uncertainties will work far more to make Obama a cautious warrior when it comes to green lighting an Israeli attack against Iran or launching one of his own. » Read more

NGO asks Israel's AG to probe alleged Shin Bet abuse of Palestinian women ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Chaim Levinson - March 7, 2012 - 1:00am The Public Committee Against Torture In Israel submitted affidavits by Palestinian women to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein on Monday describing their treatment during interrogation by the Shin Bet security service. The watchdog group asked Weinstein to direct interrogators to maintain the women's dignity during questioning. Nine individual complaints were sent to the division of the Justice Ministry that investigates the police, and eight complaints were filed with the Military Advocate General. » Read more

Rabbis warn Jews against going to Temple Mount ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Jeremy Sharon - March 6, 2012 - 1:00am Sephardi Chief Rabbi Shlomo Amar, along with several other senior rabbis, issued a public statement on Tuesday warning the public that visiting the Temple Mount is forbidden by Jewish law. According to the statement, the warning is being issued at this time because of increased organized attempts to go up to the holy site. The Temple Mount is Judaism’s holiest site, but Jewish law requires those going up to certain sections of the mount to be ritually pure – a status only obtainable through a ceremony that cannot be performed today. » Read more

Profile: Nasser al-Kidwa ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat March 6, 2012 - 1:00am London, Asharq Al-Awsat – Nasser al-Kidwa has been appointed as deputy to Kofi Annan, the joint UN-Arab League special envoy to Syria. For the first time since being entrusted with the post last month, Annan will visit Damascus on 10 March in an effort to promote a political solution to the Syrian crisis, with al-Kidwa expected to accompany him. » Read more