Gaza residents 'stranded abroad' as Egypt denies visas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency August 14, 2012 - 12:00am A number of Palestinians say they are stranded abroad because Egypt has denied them transit visas to return to Gaza. Palestinians in Lebanon, Turkey, Libya and Kenya have contacted Ma'an, saying they were refused Egyptian visas. Gaza residents can only enter or leave the enclave via the Rafah crossing on Egypt's border due to Israel's blockade of Gaza's other borders and sea port. Salim, who is in Istanbul, told Ma'an the Egyptian consulate said it had been instructed by the Egyptian government to stop issuing visas to Palestinians. » Read more

Gaza: Egypt opening border ahead of Muslim holiday ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press by Ibrahim Barzak - August 14, 2012 - 12:00am Egypt on Tuesday opened its border with Hamas-ruled Gaza for a three-day period ahead of a major Muslim holiday this weekend, but imposed tight restrictions on who can travel and did not say whether it would resume normal border operations. The government in Cairo closed the border Aug. 5, shutting down the Rafah passenger terminal and — according to Egyptian security officials — sealing more than 100 cross-border smuggling tunnels. The move came after Islamic militants in Egypt's Sinai desert near Gaza killed 16 Egyptian troops at a border post. » Read more

Gazans hope Egypt will ease clampdown on smuggling tunnels ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Avi Issacharoff - (Opinion) August 14, 2012 - 12:00am Last week's terror attack in Sinai, which claimed the lives of 16 Egyptian soldiers, prompted the authorities in Cairo to clamp down on the smuggling tunnels connecting Egyptian Rafah and the Gaza Strip. Dozens of bulldozers arrived at the Egyptian side of the Philadelphi Route and began demolishing tunnels. On the other side, Hamas closed the tunnel entrances, at least for the time being. For around 70,000 Palestinians whose livelihoods depend on the tunnels, it is a severe blow. » Read more

Israel and Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times (Editorial) August 13, 2012 - 12:00am Israeli leaders are again talking about possible military action against Iran. This is, at best, mischievous and, at worst, irresponsible, especially when diplomacy has time to run. » Read more

Palestinian Seeks Diplomatic Allies ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Jodi Rudoren - (Opinion) August 13, 2012 - 12:00am Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization’s executive committee, asked diplomats from two dozen countries on Monday to support the Palestinian Authority’s renewed bid for observer-state status at the United Nations, calling it “a test of the whole rule of law.” Speaking in East Jerusalem to envoys from countries in Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East, Ms. » Read more

Palestinian culture is not about failure ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Ziad Asali - (Opinion) August 14, 2012 - 12:00am Given the current conversation about issue of Palestinian culture and its relationship to politics and economics, I feel it is appropriate for me to add my own Palestinian-American perspective. » Read more