Gaza-Israel clashes: The view from each side
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News
by Rupert Wingfield-Hayes - March 13, 2012 - 12:00am

Sitting in the centre of Gaza City this mini-conflict has an almost surreal quality. With the windows open, a distant rumble very like thunder rolled across the city each time an Israeli strike hit home. But down below on the streets the cars kept passing, the shops stayed open, pedestrians kept walking home with their groceries. After years of blockade and repeated rounds of air strikes Gazans appear almost inured to the endless conflict. Further out of the city, closer to the Israeli border, the atmosphere is different. The streets are quieter.

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The reasons behind Islamic Jihad’s incessant rocket fire at Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Avi Issacharoff - (Opinion) March 13, 2012 - 12:00am

There's no doubt that one reason Islamic Jihad is continuing its rocket fire on southern Israel is its glaring lack of success. After firing more than 200 rockets at the Negev, they still haven't killed any Israelis. What's more, the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system, which has shot down many of the rockets, is proving to be a formidable obstacle, one the terror group has not been able to overcome, even by firing a barrage of rockets at the same time.

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Behind the scenes, both Israel and Hamas want violence to end
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amos Harel - (Opinion) March 13, 2012 - 12:00am

Israel and Hamas are delivering quite similar messages behind the scenes, in contrast to their public statements. Both powers in the Gaza conflict want to see the end of the current round of violence, which started Friday. A cease-fire is being stymied right now by two factors: heavy rocket fire by Islamic Jihad, taking full advantage of the weapons it received from Iran; and the lack of an effective way to end the face-off.

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Unannounced Truce Calms Violence in Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Fares Akram, Isabel Kershner - March 13, 2012 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM — Both Israel and the Islamic Jihad militant group in Gaza indicated Tuesday that they would abide by an Egyptian-brokered truce ending four days of cross-border fighting, but each warned that maintaining the calm would depend on the actions of the other side. Bary Mike cleaned up his store in the port city of Ashdod on Tuesday. A rocket fired from Gaza had landed near his business.

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Israel-Gaza truce mostly observed
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Nidal Al-Mughrabi - March 13, 2012 - 12:00am

GAZA, March 13 (Reuters) - An Egyptian-brokered truce between Israel and militant groups in the Gaza Strip was largely observed on Tuesday after four days of violence in which 25 Palestinians were killed and 200 rockets were fired at Israel. The number of Palestinian rocket attacks dropped sharply after the deal took effect overnight, with less than 10 rockets reportedly fired since then. In a further sign of a return to normality, towns and cities in southern Israel announced plans to reopen schools that had been kept shut for the past three days.

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This round will likely go to Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amos Harel, Avi Issacharoff - (Analysis) March 12, 2012 - 12:00am

Fewer rockets were fired at Israel on Sunday, but the fact that Katyushas did nonetheless fall in Be'er Sheva spurred tough talk from Israel, which threatened to continue attacking the Gaza Strip. Still, if there are fewer launches Monday, Israel will likely reduce its attacks, and this round of hostilities will wind down by midweek, much as last year's periodic flare-ups did.

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As Rockets Fly, New Conditions Shape Fight in Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Fares Akram, Isabel Kershner - March 12, 2012 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM — Cross-border fighting between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in Gaza continued for a fourth day on Monday, with the Palestinian death toll rising from Israeli airstrikes and the militants’ rockets reaching farther into Israel.

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Toll rises in Israel-Gaza Strip crossfire
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Los Angeles Times
by Edmund Sanders - March 12, 2012 - 12:00am

Reporting from Jerusalem— The toll on civilians from violence between the Israeli military and militants based in the Gaza Strip rose Monday as three Palestinians — a 15-year-old boy on his way to school and a father and daughter walking in the street — were killed by Israeli airstrikes, Palestinian officials said.

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Fighting between Israel, Gaza continues for 3rd day
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Karin Laub - March 12, 2012 - 12:00am

GAZA CITY — Cross-border fighting between Gaza and Israel, touched off by Israel’s killing of a top Palestinian militant leader, showed no signs of letting up after three days Sunday. Gaza militants fired dozens of rockets at Israeli towns, hitting an empty school, and Israeli airstrikes killed three Gazans, including a boy and a farm guard. Egypt tried to mediate but failed to end the violence, the worst in more than a year. The fighting has killed 18 Gazans, all but two of them militants, and disrupted the lives of about 1 million Israelis living within range of rocket fire from Gaza.

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Gaza-Israel clashes: The view from each side
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News
by Rupert Wingfield-Hayes - March 12, 2012 - 12:00am

Sitting in the centre of Gaza City this mini-conflict has an almost surreal quality. With the windows open, a distant rumble very like thunder rolled across the city each time an Israeli strike hit home. But down below on the streets the cars kept passing, the shops stayed open, pedestrians kept walking home with their groceries. After years of blockade and repeated rounds of air strikes Gazans appear almost inured to the endless conflict. Further out of the city, closer to the Israeli border, the atmosphere is different. The streets are quieter.

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