Low-profile, influential Hamas founder Shama dies
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Ibrahim Barzak - June 10, 2011 - 12:00am

A founder of Hamas in the Gaza Strip died Friday of a stroke after decades as an influential yet little-known figure at the helm of the Palestinian militant organization. He was 76. Muhammad Hassan Shama, revered by Hamas loyalists but nearly anonymous outside Gaza, was one of the eight founders of the Islamist group in the 1980s. After his death, Hamas publicly announced Friday for the first time that Shama had been the leader of the secretive Shura Council, its top governing body.

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Palestinian youth long for freedom and unity in Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News
by Tim Whewell - June 9, 2011 - 12:00am

In the front room of a house in the tightly-packed concrete slum that is Gaza's Jabaliya refugee camp, they are learning to dance. A group of young teenage girls are stepping high in the air, hands on hips, as they practice the debka. Traditionally, it was performed by boys and girls together. But since the Islamist movement Hamas took over Gaza in 2007, mixed dancing has been stopped.

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Hamas: Netanyahu responsible for swap deal delay
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
June 9, 2011 - 12:00am

Hamas leader Moussa Abu Marzouq blamed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, for what he said was a delay in the release of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners in a swap deal. Citing Netanyahu's "intransigence," the official said the leader bore "full responsibility" for the continued confinement of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit as well as thousands of Palestinians considered prisoners of war.

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New Egyptian gov't's influence may facilitate Shalit deal: analysts
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
by Adam Gonn - (Analysis) June 6, 2011 - 12:00am

Over the weekend local and regional newspapers were once again filled with reports suggesting that the captive Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, may soon be released. According to the reports, Egypt has recently given Israel new offer to which Israel has responded. The Hamas Al-Resalah newspaper, based in the Gaza Strip, reported Sunday that Hamas Damascus-based politburo deputy chief Moussa Abu Marzouq was planning to give the Egyptians a final response on the release of Shalit.

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Weakening the chances for peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Ephraim Sneh - (Blog) June 6, 2011 - 12:00am

Applying the term "blockade" to the Gaza Strip involves not a little hypocrisy. It ignores both the nature of the regime there and what that regime has done in Gaza in its four years in power.

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Time to try a new option
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Bitterlemons
by Yossi Alpher - (Editorial) June 6, 2011 - 12:00am

The partial opening of the Rafah crossing by Egypt's military rulers, coupled with the anticipation of another Turkish-led naval flotilla seeking to breach the Gaza blockade, provide a timely opportunity to review the logic of Israel's restrictions on movement into and out of the Strip. The Egyptian move also raises the issue of Gaza's future relationship with Egypt, Israel and the West Bank.

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Hamas, Fatah leaders detained in West Bank
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
June 2, 2011 - 12:00am

Israeli forces detained two members of the Palestinian Legislative Council from the Hamas and Fatah blocs overnight on Wednesday, following raids on their homes in Nablus and Tulkarem, official sources told Ma'an. Fatah lawmaker Hussam Khader, a long-time proponent of reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, was taken from his home at 2 a.m., officials said. Witnesses said 50 Israeli military jeeps had arrived in the Balata refugee camp, surrounded the home and searched its contents before taking Khader to an unknown location.

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Hamas strongman accuses Abbas of breaching reconciliation pact
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
by Emad Drimly, Osama Radi - June 2, 2011 - 12:00am

A high-ranking Islamic Hamas movement official on Wednesday accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of breaching the reconciliation agreement, which was signed in Cairo and sponsored by Egypt on May 4 between the movement and Fatah party. Mahmoud al-Zahar, Hamas strongman in Gaza, said in an exclusive interview with Xinhua that President Abbas has made a mistake " when he tried to make the new government, which should be formed after signing the agreement, as his own government, instead of a government of national accordance."

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Scores at Rafah spark tension with Egypt
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
June 1, 2011 - 12:00am

An escalated crisis between Egypt and the Hamas government of the Gaza Strip was dampened Tuesday night, as officials met over ways to handle the flood of Palestinians seeking to cross the Rafah border terminal. Following the May 28 opening of the Gaza-Egypt border, for almost unfettered access to Palestinians except men between 18-40, floods of would-be travelers arrived prepared to cross, overwhelming the terminal.

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Open Border at Gaza Is Not So Open, Palestinians Find
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Fares Akram - June 1, 2011 - 12:00am

Days after Egypt, with great fanfare, opened its border permanently with Gaza, new restrictions have been imposed on Palestinians who want to cross, and the area’s Hamas rulers spoke on Wednesday with frustration and anger. Only three buses, carrying a total of 150 passengers, entered the Egyptian hall at the Rafah crossing on Wednesday, while five others remained stuck on the Palestinian side, Hamas officials said two hours before closing.

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