Qatar to mediate between Hamas, Fatah
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA)
August 15, 2008 - 8:00pm


Qatar has entered the mediation efforts between rival Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas in a new bid to achieve reconciliation between the two sides, Palestinian sources said on Saturday. "Qatar, as a state of strategic weight in the region, seeks to sponsor the mediation between Hamas and Fatah to end the internal split and reunite the two wings of Palestine," the sources said.


Rice set for another Mideast visit
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
August 17, 2008 - 8:00pm


U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit the Middle East next week in another attempt to achieve progress towards an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, officials said on Monday. The United States has said it hopes to conclude a framework peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians before President George W. Bush leaves office in January. But the talks have stumbled over disputes over Israeli settlement building and the future of Jerusalem.


Hamas meets Jordanian official, says frozen ties starting to thaw
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
August 14, 2008 - 8:00pm


Officials from Hamas have met with a top Jordanian security official to try to patch up ties soured since 2006 by charges that the Islamist Palestinian group was planning to carry out attacks in Jordan. Hamas' leader in the Gaza Strip Ismail Haniyeh said on Friday that the contacts, involving two Hamas officials and Jordan's intelligence chief, Mohammed al-Thahabi, could help reconcile Hamas with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' secular Fatah faction.


Israel sends truckfuls of money to replace worn out currency in Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
August 18, 2008 - 8:00pm


Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket into Israel Tuesday, in violation of the two-month old truce between Israel the coastal territory. The rocket landed in an open area in the Sha'ar HaNegev regional council area. No injuries or damage were reported. Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered the border crossings with Gaza closed between Wednesday morning and Thursday afternoon in response to the rocket attack.


Palestinians slam Israel's 'revolving door policy' on prisoners
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Ali Waked - August 18, 2008 - 8:00pm


Officials in the Palestinian Authority do not appear overly enthused by the Israeli cabinet's recent decision to release 199 prisoners, including detainees with 'blood on their hands', as a gesture to President Mahmoud Abbas. According to data provided by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, the IDF has arrested 1,751 Palestinians in the West Bank since the beginning of the year, including 500 who have been detained since last month's Mediterranean summit in Paris, during which Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged to free more prisoners.


Court orders IDF to explain soft indictment against Naalin commander
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Aviad Glickman - August 18, 2008 - 8:00pm


Several human rights groups petition the High Court Tuesday asking that it order the Military Advocate General, Brigadier-General Avi Mandelblit and the IDF's Chief Prosecutor, Colonel Liron Lieberman, to explain their reluctance to amend the indictment filed against Lt. Col. Omri Burberg and Staff Sergeant L. for their involvement in the Naalin shooting incident. The petition was filed by B'Tselem, Yesh Din, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, and the Palestinian who was shot, Ashraf Abu-Rahma.


This land isn’t Israel
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Yair Lapid - (Opinion) August 18, 2008 - 8:00pm


Last week, we marked three years to the disengagement. An overwhelming majority of Israelis has an ambivalent attitude towards it to this day: On the one hand, feeling that the experiment has failed; on the other hand, glad that we are no longer in Gaza. But also ashamed of the disgraceful treatment of the evacuees; yet proud of the fact that it turned out that the State is still able to implement something once it decides to do it. There are other views in addition to that, depending on who you talk to.


Analysis: Prisoner release does nothing for Abbas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Khaled Abu Toameh - August 17, 2008 - 8:00pm


It's hard these days to find one Palestinian who regards Israel's decision to release some 200 Palestinian prisoners as a "goodwill gesture." It's also hard to see how the release of the prisoners would "boost" the popularity of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas among his people. The argument that the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails strengthens the "moderates" has never proven to be correct.


PA welcomes Hamas-Jordan rapprochement
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News
by Mohammed Mar’i - August 18, 2008 - 8:00pm


The Palestinian Authority yesterday welcomed the improving relations between Jordan and Hamas movement saying that the Jordanian move “was another Arab attempt to end the unnatural situation in Gaza.” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ media adviser, Nimer Hammad, said that “we (Palestinian Authority) don’t fear the dialogue between Jordan and Hamas, instead, we welcome any effort that could persuade Hamas to step back.”


Olmert to face additional round of police questioning on Friday
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
December 31, 1969 - 8:00pm


Israel Police spokespman officer says investigators are to quiz Prime Minister Ehud Olmert again on corruption allegations in what will be the sixth round of questioning so far. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said detectives would interview Olmert at his official residence in Jerusalem on Friday morning. Olmert is suspected of improperly accepting funds from U.S. businessman Morris Talanksy and of violations in funding trips abroad. Talansky previously testified that he gave Olmert $150 thousand, mostly in cash, for political campaigns and travel expenses.



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