Israel Bans Even Marriage Ties Between West Bank and Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Hayat
by Mohammad Younes - October 22, 2012 - 12:00am

Ali Batha — from the West Bank — met Rihab Abu Hashish — from the Gaza Strip — while studying at Birzeit University in the West Bank in 2000, and lived a love story that led them to marriage. However, at the time, this young couple didn't know that Israeli policy is aimed at completely separating the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, and prevents any contact between the two sides, including even marriage.

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Civic Duty and Economic Worries Drive Palestinian Voters in Parts of West Bank
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Jodi Rudoren - October 21, 2012 - 12:00am

AL BIREH, West Bank — More than half the Palestinians who participated in municipal elections on Saturday said they did so because they saw voting as a civic duty, twice the portion giving the next most popular reason.

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Mixed Results for Fatah Amid Low Turnout in Municipal Elections in West Bank
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Jodi Rudoren - October 20, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH, West Bank — The dominant Fatah faction of the Palestinian Authority posted mixed results in municipal elections across the West Bank on Saturday, winning in some key cities and losing in others, but with the whole exercise appearing compromised by a relatively low turnout.

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Israeli DM denies reported meeting with Abbas in Jordan
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
October 16, 2012 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM, Oct. 16 (Xinhua) -- Israel's Defense Ministry on Tuesday denied a Palestinian report alleging that Minister Ehud Barak recently met with Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan.

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Salafis say Hamas security preventing new political party
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 15, 2012 - 12:00am

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- The founders of a new Salafi political party said Monday that their official launch is being obstructed by Hamas security forces, not legal regulations as the government in Gaza has claimed. Last week, Salafis announced the Al-Nur party, or 'party of the light', would start officially operating in the coming days. It said it would work on similar lines to an Egyptian party of the same name, which follows an ultra-conservative Islamic ideology.

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Arafat aide: Israel reaching out to Abbas successors
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 15, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH (Ma’an) -- A former adviser to President Yasser Arafat on Saturday accused Israel of working to replace the current president behind the scenes. Bassam Abu Sharif said Israeli officials were making calls to Palestinian figures in Israeli jail to scope out a successor to President Mahmoud Abbas, as well as to people close to the president.

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Abbas says Olmert was "two months" from peace deal
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
October 14, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH, West Bank, Oct 14 (Reuters) - In comments that may stir Israel's election campaign, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Sunday that he and Ehud Olmert were "two months" away from a peace deal before Olmert had to resign as Israeli prime minister.

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Abbas says Olmert was "two months" from peace deal
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
October 14, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH, West Bank, Oct 14 (Reuters) - In comments that may stir Israel's election campaign, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Sunday that he and Ehud Olmert were "two months" away from a peace deal before Olmert had to resign as Israeli prime minister.

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PA: No date set for payment of September salaries
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 9, 2012 - 12:00am

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- The Palestinian Authority has not set a date for the payment of government employees' September salaries, PA spokeswoman Nour Odeh said Monday. The Ministry of Finance will release a statement when the salaries are available to employees, Odeh told Ma'an. On Wednesday, the PA paid part of employees' August salaries. Their full salaries had been put on hold to pay lower wage earners.

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Hamas in transition
In Print by Hussein Ibish - NOW Lebanon (Opinion) - October 9, 2012 - 12:00am

The recent exchange of attacks between Israel and militants in the Gaza Strip is unlikely to lead to a broader conflict, but it helps illuminate some of the dramatic changes happening within Hamas. It is yet another indication of the increasing willingness of Hamas factions in Gaza to resume not only countenancing but participating in rocket attacks against Israel. This, in turn, reflects the increasing influence and independence of more militant elements within the organization and their strategy for trying to wrest control of Hamas away from externally-based leaders. 

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