May 25th

Bring in the third parties ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Gershon Baskin - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am Israeli-Palestinian negotiations have finally been renewed. Even though the current round of talks is not direct, the parties are dealing with the core issues with the goal of reaching a permanent status agreement at some point. According to news reports, the first topics on the agenda are borders and security arrangements, both of which will rapidly lead to negotiations on Jerusalem and refugees. » Read more

Makhoul to be indicted this week ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Yaakov Lappin - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am Amir Makhoul and Omar Said, who are suspected of spying for Hizbullah and conspiring with enemy agents, will be indicted this week, Army Radio reported Tuesday. Makhoul's brother, former MK Issam Makhoul requested the gag order on the case be lifted, as he believes the investigation itself to be illegal. Makhoul's remand has been extended until Friday. Amir Makhoul was arrested on May 6 and Omar Said was taken into custody on April 24, security services said. » Read more

Minister Shalom: Gov't may sanction PA over boycott ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Atilla Somfalvi - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am Vice Prime Minister and Minister for the Development of the Negev and the Galilee Silvan Shalom threatened Tuesday to impose sanctions on the Palestinian Authority for its organized boycott of Israeli products, which consists of a ban on all products made in settlements and a prohibition against working in Israeli factories in the West Bank. » Read more

Officer accused of killing Naalin boy ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Eli Senyor - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am The Ramla Magistrates' Court was handed an indictment against a former Border Guard officer Tuesday, accusing him of causing death of an 11-year old boy during an anti-fence protest in Naalin in 2008. The indictment charges the officer, Omri Abu, with causing death by negligence. It says he shot live fire in the direction of the boy, Ahmed Moussa, and a group of protestors without justification and in total violation of IDF guidelines. » Read more

Zionists are not settlers. Zionists are not racists ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Eldad Yaniv - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am Israel Harel unsheathed the doomsday weapon that the right wing reserves for use when it feels threatened, in his article "Zionists are not tattletales" on this page on May 20. When Israeli patriots stand up and seek to end the occupation, with or without an agreement, and to establish an exemplary society here, that is when the right attacks. » Read more

It's not too late for Israel to make peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Yoel Marcus - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am Maybe it's a coincidence, but the day on which the massive Home Front drill began marked the 10th anniversary of Israel's hasty retreat from Lebanon, after 1,216 fatalities and a bitter taste of failure. That wretched war had many names, but most of all it was called "the war of deceit," because the cabinet was led astray. Those who led us to war promised a 48-hour operation but ended up going all the way to Beirut. The war, in its different phases, lasted 18 years. » Read more

Court rejects settlers appeal to stay in East Jerusalem building ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Nir Hasson - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am The Jerusalem District Court on Tuesday rejected an appeal to overturn an order to seal off a building in the heart of East Jerusalem in which a handful of Jewish families have settled. The Jerusalem municipality ordered the contentious Beit Yehonatan building, named for convicted spy Jonathan Pollard, to be sealed off and evacuated as it was constructed without a legal permit. » Read more

UN chief urges Israel to restrain in East Jerusalem ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua May 25, 2010 - 12:00am United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Israel here on Tuesday to exercise particular restraint in East Jerusalem and halt demolishment and settlement expansion. The UN chief made the appeal in his message at the opening session of the United Nations International Meeting in Support for the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process. The secretary-general said in his message: "The parties must avoid provocations or breaches of the Roadmap or international law, which will only create new crisis of confidence." » Read more

Hamas faces dilemma on way to reconciliation, talks with Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Fares Akram - May 25, 2010 - 12:00am Unlike its Islamic rivals who control Gaza, the West Bank-based Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has settled on the U.S.-proposed indirect peace negotiations with Israel in parallel with adopting non-violent resistance against Jewish settlement activities. In Gaza, Hamas, which took over the coastal enclave by force in 2007, has been maintaining a ceasefire with Israel since the end of Gaza war last year; neither allowing other factions to fire rockets into Israel nor encouraging peaceful demonstrations against Israel's attempts to enforce a buffer zone along its borders with Gaza. » Read more

Suspects of torching UN summer camp detained: Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua May 25, 2010 - 12:00am Hamas authorities arrested a number of people suspected of torching a UN-run summer camp in Gaza City earlier this week, the interior ministry of deposed Hamas government announced Tuesday. The suspects are being interrogated, a statement sent to reporters by the ministry said. There has been no more information about the number of the detainees or the group they are affiliated to. Ihab Al-Ghussein, the ministry's spokesman, told Xinhua that he can't reveal more before the questioning is over. » Read more