Date
Type

August 6th

Jordan Resumes Talks With Hamas
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
August 6, 2008 - 2:17pm

A Jordanian Islamist says Jordan has renewed dialogue with the terrorist Hamas group after two years of icy relations.  Senior Hamas leader, Moussa Abu Marzouk, confirmed the contacts, saying only that they were in "very early stages" and that he hoped they will be a "good start." Jordanian officials did not comment.

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Barak Vows Israeli Operations In Gaza Strip Will Resume
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP)
August 6, 2008 - 2:16pm

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Israel will go back to carrying out military strikes on the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip despite a month-old truce, army radio reported Tuesday. "Those who miss the operations in the Gaza Strip, don't worry, they will come," Barak told a Labor party event in Occupied Jerusalem.

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Israeli Authorities Arrest Policeman In Connection With Palestinian Death
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
August 6, 2008 - 2:15pm

JERUSALEM: Israeli police said Tuesday that they have arrested a policeman in connection with the death of a Palestinian boy at a protest in the West Bank. The 10-year old boy was killed by gunfire last week during clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinians in the West Bank village of Naalin. Micky Rosenfeld, a police spokesman, said authorities detained a member of the paramilitary Border Police and put him under house arrest while the investigation continued.

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Us Revokes Visas To Palestinian Fulbright Scholars
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP)
August 6, 2008 - 2:14pm

WASHINGTON (AFP) The US government as a "safety precaution" revoked visas it had issued to four Palestinian recipients of prestigious Fulbright fellowships, the State Department said Tuesday. "We had interviewed four scholars. We had issued visas," said State Department spokesman Gonzalo Gallegos.

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Opinion Poll: Abbas And Fatah's Popularity Overtakes Haniah And Hamas'
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-ghad Daily
August 6, 2008 - 2:12pm

An opinion poll published yesterday showed an increase in the popularity of President Mahmoud Abbas, who heads the Fatah movement, compared to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniah. 68% of those polled by the Near East Consulting company expressed confidence in President Abbas while 32% expressed confidence in Haniah. 77% of Palestinians support unconditional dialogue between Hamas and Fatah, with 12% supporting conditional dialogue and 11% opposing any dialogue.

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August 5th

An opinion poll published in Al-Ghad Daily, and translated by ATFP, shows an increase in the popularity of Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah party among Palestinians (1). Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak vows to continue military strikes against Gaza, despite the truce that has been holding tenuously for the past month (4). Jordan renews their talks with Hamas, after a two year freeze (5). Tensions continue to increase between Hamas and Fatah as both sides apply public pressure on the other (7) (8).

Barak: If You Miss Gaza Raids, Don't Worry - They'll Come
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
August 5, 2008 - 3:08pm

Defense Minister and Labor Party leader Ehud Barak criticized his political rivals on Monday, equating them with hosts of reality television shows, and told his constituents that a military operation in the Gaza Strip was still very much on the agenda. Speaking at a Labor Party event in Jerusalem on Monday evening, Barak said "anyone who misses the military operations in Gaza mustn't worry, they will come."

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Mk Vilnai: Shalit's Release Prerequisite For Opening Rafah Crossing
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews
by Roni Sofer - August 5, 2008 - 3:07pm

  The release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit is a prerequisite for the reopening of the Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt, said Deputy Defense Minister MK Matan Vilnai (Labor-Meimad) Tuesday. The deputy defense minister was asked about IDF Chief of Staff Lieutenant-General Gabi Ashkenazi's recent comment which suggested that the IDF had precise information as to Gilad Shalit's whereabouts, and said that Ashkenazi's words were "completely blown out of proportion.  

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Rafah Smuggling Tunnels: Life-nerve For Gaza (ii)
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Palestine Chronicle
by Hiyam Noir - August 5, 2008 - 3:04pm

A Palestinian man receives goods from Egypt through a tunnel, which is digged 35 meters underneath the border in Rafah. The tunnels under Gaza's border to the Egyptian side are used to bring in a range of items, from weapons to medicine, medical equipment, auto parts, electronic items, cement, cigarettes, shoes and clothing. The operators of the tunnels charge around $200 for a smuggled sack containing assorted items. Smuggling a person each way costs $2.000.

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Currency Shortage In Gaza Threatens Palestinians' Salaries
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News
August 5, 2008 - 3:03pm

Ramallah: Banks in the Gaza Strip are facing a currency shortage that may prevent Palestinian public workers from getting their salaries, officials said on Tuesday. Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad plans to pay salaries on Thursday, but officials said Israel has yet to allow banks to bring $28 million into the Gaza Strip. Officials said that without a cash infusion, banks in the territory may not have enough cash to cover workers’ withdrawals from ATM machines.

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