October 6th

Israeli group is Breaking the Silence over Hebron ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star by Cherrie Heywood - October 3, 2008 - 8:00pm An Israeli police commander has called them "provocateurs," "militants," and "lawbreakers." Earlier in the year the Israeli Army decided that their presence in the flashpoint city of Hebron, 30 kilometers south of Occupied Jerusalem in the Occupied West Bank, constituted a security threat and banned them from the city, stating that any member of the organization caught there would be expelled forthwith. » Read more

Palestinians: Divided We Fall ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Le Monde Diplomatique by Amira Hass - December 31, 1969 - 8:00pm At the beginning of July, people in the West Bank and Gaza were relieved to hear that high-school graduation results in both of the occupied territories were to be made public at the same time – there had been a rumour that Gaza’s ministry of education would publish its own results a day early. That shows the anxiety that has existed since June 2007 when Palestinian self-rule became dual – with one administration run by Fatah in Ramallah in the West Bank, and another by Hamas in Gaza. » Read more

Time running out on Israel-Palestinian Deal : Livni ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Mark Lavie - December 31, 1969 - 8:00pm Israeli Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni warned Sunday that time is running out for a peace agreement with the Palestinians, with extremists gaining strength as negotiations stumble. In her first foreign policy speech since her appointment to form a new government, Livni said Israel must press ahead with peace talks because 'doing nothing has its own price.' » Read more

October 3rd

Ehud Olmert’s Parting Words Dared To Offer Painful Truth ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward (Editorial) October 1, 2008 - 8:00pm It is a rule of thumb in democracies that lame duck leaders should steer clear of bold new initiatives and sharp turns of policy. They’re supposed to sit tight until their elected successors can settle in and take the wheel. A decent respect for the opinions of the electorate demands that the voters’ decisions be honored, including the decision to repudiate an incumbent. Ehud Olmert, Israel’s outgoing prime minister, broke that rule September 29. And rightly so. » Read more

Olmert’s belated wisdom ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by B. Michael - October 2, 2008 - 8:00pm Even though Prime Minister Olmert had been ridiculed on more than one occasion for his delayed grasp of reality, it is very difficult not to feel great anger in the wake of his Rosh Hashana interview with Yedioth Ahronoth. » Read more

Settler leader charged with assaulting police officers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Raanan Ben-Zur - October 2, 2008 - 8:00pm Daniela Weiss, the former head of the northern West Bank settlement of Kedumim, was charged Friday with assaulting a police officer, obstruction of justice and obstructing police actions. The charges, filed with the Kfar Saba Magistrate's Court, also named a second defendant, Kedumim resident Shoshana Shilo. The two were indicted for a clash they had with police officers on Thursday. According to the indictment, three policemen dispatched to a Palestinian olive grove which was set on fire near Kedumim, spotted three suspects fleeing the scene in a vehicle. » Read more

Image makers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Larry Derfner - October 1, 2008 - 8:00pm The settlers from Yitzhar had left their mark on the "Suleiman" house: Stars of David spray-painted in black on the walls. They'd come down the hill into the Suleimans' village, Asira al-Kibliyeh, on Saturday morning, September 13, after a Palestinian burned down an empty Yitzhar bungalow, stabbed a nine-year-old boy and fled into the village. (The young victim, Tuvia Shtatman, suffered two superficial wounds, one of which required stitches, and spent a day in the hospital.) » Read more

Egypt to host ME summit in November ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Mohammed Mar’i - October 2, 2008 - 8:00pm Israel, the Palestinians and the Middle East Quartet will meet in November to review progress in US-backed peace talks launched nearly a year ago, according to a senior Israeli official. The official told the Israeli daily Haaretz that the Israeli and Palestine Authority participants would brief the Quartet over progress made in the ongoing peace talks. » Read more

Israeli settlers, anti-occupation activists, clashes near Hebron ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Deutsche Presse Agentur (DPA) October 2, 2008 - 8:00pm Israeli settlers clashed Friday at an olive grove near Hebron with activists protesting the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, police said. According to settlers, the fracas broke out when one of the activists pushed the wife of settler leader Itamar Ben-Gvir. The activists, however, said the settlers attacked them first. One anti-occupation activist was detained by police, a police spokesman, Chief Inspector Mickey Rosenfeld, said. » Read more

Breaking the Silence ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Cherrie Heywood - October 2, 2008 - 8:00pm An Israeli police commander has called them "provocateurs", "militants", and, "lawbreakers". Earlier in the year the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) decided that their presence in the city of Hebron, 30km south of Jerusalem in the Palestinian West Bank, constituted a security threat and banned them from the city, stating that any member of the organisation caught there would be expelled forthwith. » Read more