Jordan's prime minister resigns: senior official ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) April 26, 2012 - 12:00am AMMAN — Jordan's Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh submitted his resignation on Thursday to King Abdullah II, barely six months after forming a government to bring in much-needed reforms, a senior official said. "His Majesty, the king, accepted Khasawneh's resignation Thursday morning," he told AFP without elaborating. It was unclear why Khasawneh quit, but news reports quoted sources as saying that he was unhappy after the king extended parliament's ordinary session until June 25. » Read more

Ramallah is booming, but residents wait for the bubble to burst ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Hugh Naylor - April 25, 2012 - 12:00am The Palestinian Authority's capital on the West Bank has had a persuasive veneer of prosperity for the past five years, but there are fears that the economic boom may soon turn to a very painful bust. Hugh Naylor, Foreign Correspondent, reports RAMALLAH // Sari Sakakini is under no illusions. He admits his restaurant sits on over-priced land, serving gourmet food to heavily indebted customers in a place still reeling under the harsh reality of Israel's occupation. » Read more

Hamas denies Haniyeh was secretly voted in to head Gaza bureau ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Hugh Naylor - April 26, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM // A Hamas official denied a published report yesterday that Ismail Haniyeh, the Islamist group's prime minister, had been elected to head the Gaza political bureau, the territory's most powerful political institution. The secret vote of the 15-member bureau was held in the past two weeks, the report in the Israeli daily Haaretz said, quoting unnamed Hamas officials. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum yesterday challenged the report but said he could not comment further, citing the group's strict policy of secrecy on internal matters. » Read more

More Palestinian prisoners join hunger strike ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - April 26, 2012 - 12:00am The number of Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli jails has grown to 2,000, with more preparing to join the protest next week, according to human rights groups in the West Bank. The Israeli prison service is taking punitive measures against hunger strikers, including solitary confinement, the confiscation of personal belongings, transfers and denial of family visits, say Palestinian organisations. » Read more

PalTel: No choice in Web censorship orders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency by George Hale - April 26, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The largest telecommunications company in the occupied territories has no choice but to enforce orders issued by the Palestinian Authority, its chief executive said Wednesday. Ammar Aker says PalTel conducts its operations in compliance with regulatory and legal instructions, but has no further involvement in decisions imposed by the government. "Our role is to implement those orders and instructions and not to enter into such matters that the company cannot deal with or accept to be part of," Aker said in an emailed statement. » Read more

US concerned by Palestinian Web blocking ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency April 25, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The United States said Wednesday it was concerned by efforts to restrict Palestinian access to information on the Internet and would raise the issue with the Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian Authority recently began blocking access to as many as eight opposition news websites, according to Palestinian officials who oppose the decision. » Read more

Settlers attack village, block Nablus road ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency April 26, 2012 - 12:00am NABLUS (Ma'an) -- Settlers in the northern West Bank set up a roadblock and attacked a Nablus village on Thursday, a PA official said. Ghassan Daghlas, who monitors settler activity in the northern West Bank, said that settlers blocked a main road that links the West Bank town of Huwwara to Tulkarem and Qalqiliya. Settlers prevented Palestinian vehicles from passing through, causing a large traffic jam. Around 12 settlers also attacked the village of Urif in Nablus, clashing with local villagers. » Read more

Abbas renews calls on Arabs, Muslims to visit Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua April 25, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, April 25 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday renewed his calls on Arabs and Muslims all over the world to visit Jerusalem. Abbas' earlier call to visit the city was opposed by the some Islamic Palestinian groups which considered the visits of Arabs and Muslims as a sign of normalization with Israel. State-run Wafa news agency quoted Abbas as saying that "we called and we are still calling our Arab, Muslim and Christian brothers to visit Palestine and Jerusalem." » Read more

West Bank settler post faces demolition deadline ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Amy Teibel - April 25, 2012 - 12:00am ULPANA OUTPOST, West Bank — A fast-approaching deadline to demolish the homes of 30 families in an unauthorized West Bank settlement outpost is deepening fractures in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, with some hard-liners warning the ruling coalition will fall if the buildings come down. As he enters his fourth year in office, Netanyahu is walking a fraying tightrope, declaring himself committed to making peace with the Palestinians while making concessions to settlers who have illegally staked claim to territory Palestinians want for a future state. » Read more

Israel army chief: Other nations could strike Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Diaa Hadid - April 26, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — Israel's military chief said Thursday that other countries have readied their armed forces for a potential strike against Iran's nuclear sites to keep Tehran from acquiring atomic weapons. Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz did not specify which nations might be willing to support or take direct action against Iran. Still, his comments were one of the strongest hints yet that Israel may have the backing of other countries to strike the Islamic Republic to prevent it from developing nuclear arms. "The military force is ready," Gantz said. "Not only our forces, but other forces as well." » Read more