July 8th

Israel to extend hours of key Jordan crossing ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) July 8, 2009 - 12:00am Israel on Wednesday said it would increase the operating hours of the key Allenby border crossing with Jordan in a move aimed at boosting the Palestinian economy. At a cabinet committee charged with improving the West Bank economy, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the extension of hours of operation of Allenby for the transport of goods, his office said in a statement. "Until now the crossing was open until eight in the evening," a spokesman for the prime minister said. "It will now be open until midnight, with the option to extend operations to 24 hours according to need." » Read more

Arab steps U.S. seeks in Israeli settlement dispute ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters (Analysis) July 7, 2009 - 12:00am U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell is pressing for a halt to Israeli settlement activity, holding out the prospect of reciprocal steps by Arab states towards normalising relations with Israel. Talks in London on Monday between Mitchell and Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak on a package that could include a settlement freeze and normalisation ended inconclusively. Further discussions are planned between Mitchell and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as early as next week. » Read more

Jerusalem streets marked by signs of conflict ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Erika Soloman - July 8, 2009 - 12:00am Ilana Sichel held a ladder steady for her Israeli boyfriend Romy Achituv while he slapped a white sticker over the defaced Arabic script on a battered yellow sign in a Jewish neighborhood of Jerusalem. The sticker, typed out by Sichel in Arabic, says, "Danger of Death," as does the English and Hebrew alongside it. "It could seem like we're vandalizing," Sichel mused as Achituv stepped away from the electric pole. "Well, I guess technically we are." » Read more

Hamas bends to pressure in Gaza and abroad ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Rafael Frankel - July 7, 2009 - 12:00am By one calculus of Middle Eastern politics, Israel could say that its month-long offensive against Hamas and heightened economic blockade of Gaza have succeeded. Rockets no longer fly into Israel from the Gaza Strip. And Gaza's Islamist rulers saw their support base drop below 20 percent as a direct result of a war that exacted a high price: 1,400 dead, 50,000 homes destroyed or damaged, and 1.5 million of Israel's neighbors more embittered than ever. » Read more

US, Israel looking for a way to resolve settlements dispute ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - July 6, 2009 - 12:00am A new round of Israel-US talks in London failed to defuse the standoff over Jewish settlement expansion in the West Bank, though analysts and aides say the two sides are looking for a face-saving compromise for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to yield on continued growth. After a three-hour meeting with Middle East Envoy George Mitchell, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak reported progress but added, "there's still a way to go," Ha'aretz reported on its website. » Read more

The left went to the beach ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Aluf Benn - (Opinion) July 8, 2009 - 12:00am A huge omission lies in the American demand that Israel freeze construction in the settlements. President Barack Obama and his aides failed to stir an internal Israeli debate on the settlements and did not pose a political or public challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regarding his insistence that "natural growth" be allowed beyond the Green Line. » Read more

Livni: Netanyahu support for two-state solution is hypocrisy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz July 8, 2009 - 12:00am Kadima Party chair Tzipi Livni on Wednesday criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's performance in his first 100 days in office, calling his new-found support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "the height of hypocrisy." Speaking in an interview to Army Radio, the opposition leader accused Likud members of continuing to attack Kadima over its support for a two-state solution, but said that the government changed its position due to pressure from the United States. » Read more

Obama will not give in ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Mickey Bergman - (Opinion) July 8, 2009 - 12:00am President Obama will not give in to Israel when it comes to settlements. Both he, Secretary Clinton and Special Envoy Mitchell have made it abundantly clear: “not one more brick.” Israel’s refusal of this demand could potentially lead to a level of tensions between Washington and Jerusalem that we have not seen in a long while. Israel should propose an alternative that will not only make the administration happy, but will also make real progress toward ending the Israeli-Arab conflict. » Read more

UN Gaza inquiry wraps up hearings ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News July 8, 2009 - 12:00am A UN war crimes investigator has said testimonies about the recent conflict in Gaza have been "difficult to hear" as four days of public hearings ended. Richard Goldstone said his four member team had been shaken by the extent of the destruction in Gaza. Witnesses from Gaza, Israel and the West Bank gave testimony in public hearings in Gaza and Geneva. Israel has refused to co-operate, accusing the UN Human Rights Council of bias against it. » Read more

'Law must thwart' Israeli barrier ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News July 8, 2009 - 12:00am The campaign marks five years since an International Court of Justice advisory opinion found its construction was illegal and it should be dismantled. Since then, Oxfam says, the view of the "most distinguished international legal body has been met by inaction". Israel says the barrier for security; Palestinians view it as a land grab. In the report, entitled Five Years of Illegality, Oxfam details the situations of 13 Palestinian communities affected by the barrier and its associated security system of gates, buffer zones and passes. » Read more