Israel Shuts Gaza Crossings After Rocket Attack
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Allyn Fisher-Ilan - August 25, 2008 - 8:00pm

Israel shut its border crossings with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, a day after two rockets were fired into the Jewish state, an Israeli official said. The official said Defence Minister Ehud Barak had "ordered the closure of crossings with Gaza" without saying for how long. The Israeli military said two rockets were fired from Gaza at Israel on Monday, causing no damage or casualties. The measure came as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited the region to press ahead with efforts to achieve an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal in the coming months.

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Mohammed Deif back in spotlight
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ali Waked - August 25, 2008 - 8:00pm

The notorious leader of Hamas' military wing, Mohammad Deif, is alive and kicking. And, apparently, writing as well. The shadowy leader has broken his two-year silence in the forward to a new book issued by Hamas in honor of group members killed in Gaza. Deif vowed Hamas would continue it fight.

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Israeli Settlers Look for Compensation to Leave
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Der Spiegel
by Christoph Schult - August 24, 2008 - 8:00pm

When Benny Raz comes home in the evening and gets out of his car, his neighbors turn their backs on him and disappear into their houses. Ras is wearing a short black jacket and jeans. His head looks like a coarsely modeled sculpture, with his protruding cheekbones and eyes set deeply in their sockets. He is 55, and he says: "I have lost all of my friends here."

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To carry a camera in Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat
by Diana Mukkaled - August 22, 2008 - 8:00pm

Anybody carrying a camera in the Gaza Strip is a potential target. This is the simple conclusion that can be reached following the Israeli military prosecutor’s report that was issued a few days ago. The report cleared Israeli soldiers who shot dead Palestinian cameraman Fadel Shana who died on April 16, 2008 along with eight unarmed youths under 16 years of age. Why did Israeli soldiers venture upon launching two missiles towards a group of unarmed youths and the Reuters cameraman who was holding his camera and whose clothes and equipment were clearly marked ‘press’?

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Israel Declares Navy Drills To Deny Activists Passage To Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Michael Jansen - August 22, 2008 - 12:00am

The Free Gaza movement announced yesterday that the admiral of the Israeli navy has warned the 47 passengers and crew aboard the SS Free Gaza and Liberty that they should not sail to the Gaza Strip because Israel is conducting naval exercises off Gaza and in nearby international waters. Speaking to the media at quayside on behalf of the campaign, Paul Larudee, said that the boat people had been told that "all traffic has to stop" in the sea. But Larudee declared that this would not deter the activists' mission of breaking the siege and blockade of Gaza and its 1.5 million citizens.

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Palestine Central Bank's Tricky Path
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Wall Street Journal
by Bob Davis - August 22, 2008 - 12:00am

Ben Bernanke worries about being held hostage to the global economy. The central banker for the Palestinian territories frets about hostage-taking of a different kind. "Sometimes people take a gun to the head of a branch manager," says Jihad al-Wazir, governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority. "Then I get a phone call."

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Israel declares navy drills to deny activists passage to Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by Michael Jansen - August 21, 2008 - 8:00pm

The Free Gaza movement announced yesterday that the admiral of the Israeli navy has warned the 47 passengers and crew aboard the SS Free Gaza and Liberty that they should not sail to the Gaza Strip because Israel is conducting naval exercises off Gaza and in nearby international waters. Speaking to the media at quayside on behalf of the campaign, Paul Larudee, said that the boat people had been told that "all traffic has to stop" in the sea. But Larudee declared that this would not deter the activists' mission of breaking the siege and blockade of Gaza and its 1.5 million citizens.

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Livni: Time Is Running Out For Peace Talks With Palestinians
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Barak Ravid - August 21, 2008 - 12:00am

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Thursday called for a unity coalition to pursue the creation of Palestinian state living peacefully alongside Israel, saying "time is against the moderates" looking to reach a peace agreement. Livni, a front-runner to replace Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said she would try to form such a government if she wins next month's primary election of the ruling Kadima Party, as polls indicate she is likely to do.

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Moot Argument
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Meron Benvenisti - (Opinion) August 21, 2008 - 12:00am

It's hard to tell whether the reports that more and more Palestinians are now leaning toward a one-state solution are genuinely due to an increase in supporters of the idea, or to Israeli sensitivity. The binational bogeyman is so off-putting to Israelis that any Palestinian expression on the issue gives rise to speculation and conspiracy theories.

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Report: Cairo Warns Hamas Of Israeli Attacks
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Roee Nahmias - August 21, 2008 - 12:00am

Egypt has warned Hamas leaders that Israel may target them if the organization refuses to compromise on its inflexible stance in the negotiations to secure the release of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit – Hamas officials are quoted as telling the London-based 'Al-Quds Al-Arabi' newspaper.

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