European MPs to Israel: Lift Gaza blockade completely
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA)
June 24, 2010 - 12:00am

The Council of Europe parliamentarians Thursday called on Israel to completely end its siege of the Gaza Strip, days after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered an ease of the land blockade. Israel should allow goods to be delivered to the coastal enclave by land and sea, "without prejudice to its own security," so Palestinians can enjoy "normal living conditions," said the resolution adopted by a large majority of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

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Balkan summit condemns Israeli raid on Gaza flotilla
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
June 23, 2010 - 12:00am

Turkey and 12 other southeastern European countries on Wednesday denounced the recent Israeli raid on an aid flotilla headed to Gaza, which left eight Turks and one Turkish American dead. The countries said in a joint declaration at the end of a Balkan summit that they want an impartial, independent and internationally credible investigation on this matter. They also stressed the urgent need to improve the humanitarian situation in Gaza.

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Israel asks UN to shelve aid ship raid inquiry
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News
June 23, 2010 - 12:00am

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said any inquiry should be shelved because new attempts to breach the blockade were still being organised. Nine pro-Palestinian activists died when Israeli soldiers stormed a Turkish aid ship in May. The UN has called for an impartial and credible inquiry into the raid. Israel has announced its own inquiry but some governments have expressed scepticism about its credibility. Mr Barak spoke after talks with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who has been trying to organise the international inquiry called for by the Security Council.

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Blackout crisis in Gaza intensifies due to fuel shortage: officials
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
by Saud Abu Ramadan, Emad Drimly - June 23, 2010 - 12:00am

The crisis of electricity cutoff in the blockaded Gaza Strip, ruled by Islamic Hamas movement, has recently mounted, where hours of blackout increased due to a severe shortage of industrial fuels used to operate the sole power plant in the salient, Gaza officials said on Tuesday. The mounting crisis would endanger the daily life of the 1.7 million people living in the impoverished territory that has been under a tight Israeli blockade since Hamas seized control of the enclave by force in June 2007, said Suhail Skaik, director of Gaza Electricity Company.

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Lebanon warns Israel against attacking ships
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
June 23, 2010 - 12:00am

Lebanon says it will hold Israel responsible for any attack against blockade-busting aid ships planning to sail to Gaza in coming days. Two ships carrying aid are planning to make the trip to Gaza. Lebanese authorities have so far granted one of them permission to sail first to Cyprus and not directly to Gaza because Lebanon and Israel are technically at war. A Lebanese official says Lebanon has sent a letter to the U.N. holding Israel responsible for any attack on the ships and that it cannot stop ships from leaving its ports if they comply with its law.

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Leader of the Opposition
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Deborah Solomon - June 22, 2010 - 12:00am

The Israeli security cabinet just voted to ease the three-year blockade on Gaza, in the wake of the tragic naval attack on the Mavi Marmara by Israeli commandos. What does that mean in practical terms?

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Lebanon grants permit for blockade-busting ship bound for Gaza to sail to Cyprus
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Zeina Karam - June 21, 2010 - 12:00am

Another blockade-busting ship with activists and aid on board could embark within days on a new attempt to reach Gaza after Lebanese authorities granted permission Monday for it to sail first to Cyprus. Israeli navy commandos raided a blockade-busting international flotilla bound for Gaza on May 31, killing nine pro-Palestinian activists. An international outcry over the raid pressured Israel to ease its three-year-old blockade of the Palestinian territory.

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Middle East monitors welcome Israel's shift on Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
June 21, 2010 - 12:00am

The Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators on Monday welcomed Israel's decision to ease its blockade of Gaza but said the situation in the territory remained "unsustainable and unacceptable". In a statement agreed during a conference call, the Quartet -- the United States, European Union, Russia and the United Nations -- said Israel's change of policy towards Gaza was encouraging but said much more needed to be done to alleviate pressure on the Palestinian territory's population.

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Noam Shalit slams Netanyahu over ease of Gaza blockade
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Jonathan Lis - June 21, 2010 - 12:00am

Noam Shalit, father of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, lashed out Monday at the government over its decision to ease the land siege on the Gaza Strip and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of surrendering to international pressure. "Yesterday, in a confident voice and without compromise Netanyahu announced the change in policy on the Gaza siege," said Noam Shalit. "In other words, he announced, 'I surrendered to international pressure that was applied to us' and we are asking where Gilad stands in this equation. We are asking where is Gilad, our son?"

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Abbas asks int'l community to press Israel to end Gaza siege
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
June 21, 2010 - 12:00am

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday called for international pressure on Israel to lift its three-year blockade on the Gaza Strip, a statement by his office said. Abbas made his call during a meeting with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair who is serving as an envoy to the Quartet committee of Middle East peace players. "Mr. Abbas requested obliging Israel to lift the Gaza siege completely according to international resolutions," the statement said.

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