August 27th

Sources: Iran was forced to withdraw Khamenei invite to Haniyeh
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
August 27, 2012 - 12:00am

Informed sources told Ma'an on Monday that Iran's Supreme Leader had asked Gaza premier Ismail Haniyeh to the Non-Aligned summit in Tehran, but Iran was later forced to withdraw the invitation. Haniyeh announced the invitation on Friday, drawing ire from West Bank officials who said President Mahmoud Abbas would pull out if the Hamas premier attended. An Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman later said only Abbas had been invited to represent Palestine. Haniyeh then insisted he had declined the invitation, citing Palestinian unity.

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Gaza Hamas premier drops plan to go to Iran summit
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
August 26, 2012 - 12:00am

A Hamas official says Gaza's Hamas prime minister has dropped plans to attend this week's summit of Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran. The prospect of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh attending the summit elicited an angry response from the rival Palestinian government in the West Bank. Its foreign minister, Riad Malki, warned he would pull out of the summit and urge other nations to do the same if Haniyeh showed up.

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Egypt: 76 convicted for attack on Israeli Embassy
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
August 26, 2012 - 12:00am

A Cairo court has convicted 76 Egyptians on charges linked to last year's attack by protesters on the Israeli Embassy. Seventy-five of the defendants received suspended one-year sentences Sunday, while one defendant tried in absentia was given a five-year prison term. The court listed eight charges, including "an assault against diplomatic missions" and "sabotage."

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Israeli police arrest suspects in firebomb attack
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
August 26, 2012 - 12:00am

Israeli police say they have arrested three Jewish youths from a West Bank settlement as suspects in firebomb attack that wounded six Palestinians in a taxi. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Sunday the three suspects were minors, aged 12-13. They will appear in a Jerusalem court to face charges. The attack 10 days ago targeted a taxi driving in the West Bank. A firebomb struck the vehicle, injuring the six people inside, one seriously. The military suspected Jewish extremists. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders condemned the firebombing.

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Egypt reopens Gaza border crossing for passengers
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Ashraf Sweilam - August 26, 2012 - 12:00am

An Egyptian security official says Egypt has reopened its passenger terminal with the Gaza Strip and resumed normal operations there after nearly three weeks of disruption following a deadly attack on Egyptian soldiers by Islamic militants. The official said from inside the Rafah crossing that it will be open six days a week, with normal security measures. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.

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Israel stops activists from entering West Bank
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Dale Gavlak - August 26, 2012 - 12:00am

Israeli authorities refused entry on Sunday to about 100 pro-Palestinian activists, including three Americans, attempting to cross overland to the West Bank from Jordan, according to their leader. French organizer Olivia Zemor of the "Welcome to Palestine" campaign said Israeli authorities asked no questions and stamped "entry denied" into the passports without an explanation. Israel's Defense Ministry denounced the protesters as "provocateurs and known troublemakers."

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Family of slain US activist awaits verdict
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Diaa Hadid - August 27, 2012 - 12:00am

Almost a decade after their daughter was crushed to death by an Israeli army bulldozer as she tried to block its path in a Gaza Strip conflict zone, Rachel Corrie's parents are preparing for a judge's ruling in their high-profile civil lawsuit against the military. They hope Tuesday's court decision will conclude a case that's turned their daughter into a rallying cry for pro-Palestinian activists, taken years of their life and drained their savings.

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August 24th

NEWS: Clerics in Gaza complain that their counterparts in the West Bank did not consult them over changes, designed to protect women from violence, in the Palestinian divorce code. Hamas says three extremists in Gaza were involved in the recent attack on Egyptian forces in the Sinai Peninsula. A Palestinian man in occupied East Jerusalem says he was unjustly and repeatedly tasered by Israeli police in front of his children. Former IDF Chief of Staff Ashkenazi comes out strongly against an Israeli attack against Iran. A Swiss laboratory reportedly agrees to analyze the remains of the late Pres. Arafat. Egypt's Defense Minister reaffirms the country's commitment to its peace treaty with Israel. US Amb. Schapiro says Israel's investigation into the death of Rachel Corrie is not credible. A senior Hamas official reportedly calls for the killing of Jews and Americans. Palestinians say Egypt has destroyed about a quarter of the smuggling tunnels between Egypt and Gaza. FM Lieberman intensifies his attacks on Pres. Abbas, accusing him of “political terrorism.” COMMENTARY: The New York Times hosts a debate on whether support for Israel has hurt US credibility in the Middle East. Charles Krauthammer says Anthony Cordesman has provided the best roadmap for US policy towards Iran. Yossi Verter says PM Netanyahu can probably get a majority in the Israeli cabinet for attacking Iran if he wants one. Bradley Burston says South Africa is right to demand accurate labeling of settlement products. Yehudit Oppenheimer says the recent attempted lynching of a Palestinian by young Jewish Israelis in Jerusalem is the inevitable consequence of Israeli government policies. Hirsh Goodman says Israel should seize the opportunity to work with Pres. Morsy to secure the peace treaty with Egypt. Uri Savir says a second-term Pres. Obama may try to move forward on Palestinian statehood. Ephraim Sneh suggests ways of bridging differences between the United States and Israel over Iran. Felice Friedson denounces bullies in Jerusalem. Marwan Kabalan says the US doesn't have the stomach for world domination anymore. Roni Shaked says Israel needs to do more to combat settler terrorism. Oren Kessler says criticism is focusing on Netanyahu, but it's really DM Barak who is driving the push towards war with Iran.

On Iran: How to Repair the Widening American-Israeli Rift
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Israel Policy Forum
by Ephraim Sneh - (Opinion) August 24, 2012 - 12:00am

The Islamist takeover in the Middle East and North Africa has created perilous strategic turbulence in the region. Consequently, it is now critically important that the United States and its few allies cooperate closely. Unfortunately, this has not been the case in recent weeks for US-Israel relations regarding Iran’s nuclear program. The disagreement about attacking Iran’s nuclear facilities has turned into ugly bickering, much of it disguised. This is harmful for both Israel and the United States.

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The Decider
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Foreign Policy
by Oren Kessler - (Opinion) August 23, 2012 - 12:00am

Twenty years have passed since Israel first raised the alarm over Iran's nuclear program, 10 years since Iranian dissidents revealed the enrichment plant at Natanz, and roughly two since pundits started predicting an Israeli attack against the Islamic Republic. Today, never have so many Israelis from across the political spectrum agreed that a military strike on Iran's nuclear facilities could arrive within months.

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