Aharonovitch: Israelis, Palestinians on a collision course
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
April 5, 2011 - 12:00am

Public Security Minister Yitzhak Aharonovitch on Tuesday said that Israel is on a collision course with the Palestinians and cannot allow the threat to expand to the point that it is at Tel Aviv's doorstep, Israel Radio reported. Speaking while on a tour of Sderot, Aharonovitch added that Israel can not quietly accept rocket and mortar fire and that the Palestinians need to be hit hard. Aharonovitch advised Sderot residents to prepare for another round of violent conflict.

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Israel Indicts Gaza Man on Terror-Linked Counts
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Isabel Kershner - April 4, 2011 - 12:00am

Israel on Monday handed down an indictment against Dirar Abu Sisi, the Gaza engineer who vanished from a train in Ukraine in mid-February, then surfaced in an Israeli prison. He stands accused of developing rockets and missiles on behalf of Hamas, the Islamic militant group that controls Gaza, for use against Israeli civilians and soldiers. In a rare public appearance in court last week, Mr. Sisi, 42, told reporters that he had been kidnapped “for no reason.” His relatives, who said they believed that he had been snatched by Mossad agents, insisted that his arrest was a mistake.

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Israel government unveils counter-cyberterrorism unit
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
April 3, 2011 - 12:00am

Israeli officials have said they are set to implement a new strategy aimed at foiling the growing wave of cyberterrorism and cybertheft attacks perpetrated against its government ministries, military agencies, and major banking and commercial entities.

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Israeli tells citizens to leave Sinai immediately
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Ian Deitch - April 2, 2011 - 12:00am

Israel warned its citizens in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula to evacuate immediately Saturday, hours after launching an airstrike that killed three Hamas militants accused of planning to abduct Israelis over the upcoming Jewish festival of Passover. The government warned its citizens to "leave Sinai immediately and return to Israel," and quoted intelligence sources about "terrorist plans to kidnap Israelis and use them as bargaining chips."

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Seized Gazan's lawyer says Israeli charges "farce"
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Dan Williams - March 30, 2011 - 12:00am

The lawyer for a Gazan engineer held under secrecy in Israel accused authorities on Wednesday of concocting charges against him after seizing the Palestinian overseas. Relatives of Dirar Abu Sisi, a manager of the Gaza Strip's main power plant, say he was abducted from a train in Ukraine last month. Israeli officials have confirmed he is in custody but declined further comment, citing court-issued gag orders.

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Dan Rather aide: Crew harassed by Israeli security
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
by Amy Teibel - March 24, 2011 - 12:00am

A crew for Dan Rather was harassed and humiliated by Israeli security officials, a producer for his show has said, accusing them of forcing the staffers to drop their pants for a strip search before seeing a Cabinet minister. The allegations, made in a letter to Israeli officials that was obtained by The Associated Press, add to growing complaints about how Israeli security officials treat foreign media.

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Israel destroys West Bank road
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
March 24, 2011 - 12:00am

Israeli bulldozers destroyed a Palestinian road in the West Bank Thursday and delivered orders to demolish two houses, witnesses and local sources said. It is the second time Israel destroys the two-kilometer " Freedom" street, which the Palestinian National Authority opened two months ago with a fund of 400,000 U.S. dollars, the sources said. Meanwhile, the Israeli authorities handed down demolition orders to two houses in Salfeet city, saying they were built without license. The houses are located in Careas, in which Israel have security and administrative control.

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U.S. praises PA security progress
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
March 22, 2011 - 12:00am

The Obama administration lauded the progress of Palestinian security services. "The program has witnessed increased coordination of activities amongst international donors, and is achieving notable progress on security, justice, corrections, and other new fronts," the U.S. State Department said in a statement issued Sunday. The statement marked last weekend's visit to the region by William Brownfield, the assistant secretary of state who is responsible for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, which runs the training program for Palestinian Authority police.

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4 mortar shells fired from Gaza hit western Negev
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
March 18, 2011 - 12:00am

Four mortar shells fired from the Gaza Strip landed in the western Negev early Friday afternoon. The projectiles landed in open areas, causing no casualties or damage.


Killings in Itamar not acceptable
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
by Daoud Kuttab - (Opinion) March 17, 2011 - 12:00am

The brutal and inhumane killings of the Fogel family in Itamar is unacceptable and indefensible. No matter what anyone might say about the illegality of Jewish settlements in the occupied territories, murder is murder and murder of civilians irrespective of the circumstances must be denounced and rejected at all levels. Palestinians do want an independent state in the West Bank and Gaza. Jewish settlement activity is a major hurdle to Palestinian national aspirations. But all Palestinians fighting for freedom and independence should denounce this barbaric act against an Israeli family.

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