Middle East News: World Press Roundup

New York Times columnist Tom Friedman argues that Israel is here to stay (1). More violence takes place between Israeli and Palestinians in Gaza (2,10). Speculation continues to grow about a large Israeli operation in Gaza (3, 5,6, 8, 11). Palestinians complain about missing tax revenues (12). Y Net reports that Likud may move to dissolve the Knesset next week (7).

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Israel Strike Kills 3 Gaza Militants Firing Mortar ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Matti Friedman - June 10, 2008 - 4:49pm An Israeli airstrike killed three Palestinians firing mortars at southern Israel on Tuesday, while Israel's leaders debated whether to pursue a truce with Gaza's Hamas rulers or launch a broad military offensive against militants in the coastal strip. In a related development, the father of an Israeli soldier held captive in Gaza by Hamas said his son pleaded for his life and appealed to the government not to abandon him in a newly received letter. » Read more

Cabinet Ministers: Large-scale Gaza Op Needed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Roni Sofer - June 10, 2008 - 5:00pm   "Israel must launch a large-scale operation in Gaza against Hamas and the rest of the terror organizations," Housing Minister Ze'ev Boim said prior to Tuesday's cabinet meeting, "everyone understands that any ceasefire would only be temporary. Hamas is under pressure. The blockade did its job." According to Boim , any truce agreement would only serve Hamas' interests and give it time to regroup. » Read more

Likud To Bring Motion To Dissolve Knesset Before House Next Week ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Amnon Meranda - June 10, 2008 - 5:04pm The Likud Party has openly announced Tuesday it would bring a bill calling for the disollusion of the current Knesset before the House within a week. MK Silvan Shalom informed the faction that "on June 18 we will bring forth a motion calling for the dissolution of the Knesset in order to hurry the coming election in the most dignified way possible… The decision has been made. Olmert's government has reached the end of the road. All it cares about now is political survival." » Read more

Gaza Groups Unfazed By Possible Idf Op ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked - June 10, 2008 - 5:07pm Israel's security cabinet is expected to make the pivotal decision of when – and more importantly if – the Gaza will see a wide-scale military operation meant to crush militant infrastructure; but the various armed groups in the Strip seem unfazed by the prospect. Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) all believe that the political state of mind in Israel will not allow such an operation to materialize. » Read more

Egypt Demands More Flexibility From Hamas On Prisoner Exchange Deal ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked - June 10, 2008 - 5:13pm Senior Palestinian sources in Gaza claimed on Tuesday that Egypt has increased its pressure on Hamas to submit a new list of prisoners it wants released as part of a comprehensive ceasefire agreement with Israel that would include the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Hamas' original list of 300 prisoners was, for the most part, rejected by Israel. According to Palestinian sources, Israel has agreed to release 71 prisoners "with blood on their hands". » Read more

18 Mortars Hit Negev; 3 Hamas Men Killed In Iaf Strike ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Shumlik Hadad - June 10, 2008 - 5:20pm Eighteen mortar shells were fired from Gaza toward the Nahal Oz area noon Tuesday, as the "Kitchen Cabinet" - consisting of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni - was expected to reach a decision on whether or not to launch a military operation against Palestinian terror groups in the coastal enclave. » Read more

Top Mi Officer: Hama Fears Broad Idf Gaza Op ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amoss Harel, Avi Issacharoff, Barak Ravid - June 10, 2008 - 5:27pm A senior Israel Defense Forces military intelligence officer told Tuesday's cabinet session that Hamas both fears a broad IDF operation in the Gaza Strip, and is expediting its preparations for such an incursion. Brigadier General Yossi Baidatz, the head of the research division of Military Intelligence, added that the militant Palestinian group was currently most interested in achieving calm in the Gaza Strip, which it controls, but was simultaneously continuing to smuggle weapons from Egypt. » Read more

Palestinians: Israel Transfers Delayed Tax Money, But Millions Missing ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - June 10, 2008 - 5:28pm Israel transfered vital tax funds to the Palestinian Authority Tuesday, after holding up the money for a week, a Palestinian offical said. The transfer was delayed after Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad called on the European Union and OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) not to upgrade their relations with Israel. » Read more

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