October 17, 2008 | The American Task Force on Palestine

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October 17, 2008

Hamas calls the financial troubles looming over America "God's punishment" (5). Israeli Prize laureate Zeev Sternhell makes a cogent and persuasive argument for ending West Bank settlement (6). A cache of weapons and explosives is discovered in a tunnel near Hebron (7). M.J. Rosenberg sums up encouraging signs of progress in both Palestine and Washington (9). The radical elements of the settler movement increase the scope of their attacks on IDF soldiers and Palestinians (10). ATFP Board Member George Hishmeh weighs in on the racial dynamics of the ongoing presidential election in today's Jordan Times (11).

Hamas likely to extend truce with Israel, say Gaza sources
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Avi Issacharoff - October 16, 2008 - 8:00pm

Hamas is likely to seek to extend its truce with Israel for another six months, Palestinian sources in the Gaza Strip predicted Thursday. The current six-month truce, brokered by Egypt, expires in December. A senior Hamas official told Haaretz that the Islamic group has not yet made a decision on extending the truce.

Palestinian youth shot dead by Israeli forces
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP)
October 16, 2008 - 8:00pm

Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian and wounded another early on Thursday near the West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestinian emergency services reported. Abdul Aziz Beerat, 20, was killed when Israeli soldiers in a jeep opened fire in the village of Kafr Malik, northeast of Ramallah, the sources said. Another man, who was not identified, was shot in the back and taken to hospital, where his condition was listed as serious.

When settlers strike, Palestinians point and shoot video
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor
by Ilene Prusher - October 16, 2008 - 8:00pm

Nahla Mohammed says that it happens almost every weekend. Right-wing Israeli settlers from nearby Yitzhar come to vandalize houses such as hers, which are on the edge of the Palestinian village of Asira il-Qabliya. When she hears them coming, she makes sure her children are inside, locks up, and waits with a small video camera that she was given by Btselem, a human rights group. She tries to capture them cutting water mains, breaking windows, or scrawling graffiti on the sides of the Arab houses.

3 Akko residents arrested on suspicion of damaging cars
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Hagai Einav - October 16, 2008 - 8:00pm

Three Jewish Akko residents were arrested Friday morning on suspicion of vandalizing a number of vehicles during the clashes which broke out between Jews and Arabs in the northern city on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur. The Akko Magistrates' Court decided to place one of the suspects under house arrest and to extend the remand of the other two. Although calm was restored in the city six days ago, the police continue to search for inciters and residents involved in the damaging of property.

Financial crisis is divine punishment for US - Hamas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Nidal Al-Mughrabi - October 16, 2008 - 8:00pm

The leader of the Palestinian Islamic group Hamas said on Friday that the global financial meltdown was God's way of punishing the United States for its support of Israel and its occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. "We see it as God's punishment for the criminals (U.S. and its Western allies). Nothing is more unjust than occupying an Islamic state. Nothing is more unjust than keeping the Palestinian people under occupation for over 60 years," Ismail Haniyeh told worshippers before Friday prayers in the Gaza Strip.

Colonial Zionism
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Zeev Sternhell - October 16, 2008 - 8:00pm

For the past 30 years I have considered the settlements a destructive phenomenon that raises a large question mark over Israel's future. In fact, the settlement enterprise is an ideological, political and social phenomenon that has succeeded in creating an original androgynous creation: colonial Zionism.

Hebron tunnel was loaded with arms
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Yaakov Katz - October 16, 2008 - 8:00pm

Several hundred kilograms of explosives and weaponry were found in a tunnel that the IDF blew up in Hebron on Tuesday, The Jerusalem Post learned on Thursday. The 150-meter-long tunnel was discovered by Palestinian Authority security forces on Monday and was immediately reported to the IDF, which sent an Engineering Corps force to destroy the structure. IDF sources and defense officials said Tuesday that the tunnel had been found empty and that it was unclear what its purpose was.

The price of peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian
by Petra Marquardt-Bigman - October 16, 2008 - 8:00pm

With the potential repercussions of the global financial crisis still hard to imagine, Middle East commentators have begun to wonder how the economic turmoil will affect the region and particularly the chances to achieve success in the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, or Israel and Syria.

Some Good News for a Change
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Israel Policy Forum
by M.J. Rosenberg - October 16, 2008 - 8:00pm

In Sherlock Holmes stories, the dog that didn't bark is considered significant. That is not true when it comes to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict where only bad news is considered news. It is now four months since the Egyptian-brokered Israeli-Hamas cease-fire went into effect. According to Alex Fishman, the security-minded Yediot Achronot military correspondent, the "agreement has resulted in an almost complete cessation of Kassam rocket fire" on Sderot and other Israeli towns.

The New Jewish Terrorism
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Israel Policy Forum
by Sadie Goldman - October 15, 2008 - 8:00pm

One of the settlers pulled out a knife, pressed it to the neck of the company commander and said: ‘well, what will you do now, Nazi?’”

Arab oil and slurs
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times
by George S. Hishmeh - October 16, 2008 - 8:00pm

Senator John McCain appeared desperate in the final debate Wednesday night with his Democratic rival in the upcoming presidential election, Senator Barack Obama, whose lead in the polls has been growing and his self-confidence is radiant.

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