Rice set for another Mideast visit ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters August 17, 2008 - 8:00pm U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will visit the Middle East next week in another attempt to achieve progress towards an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, officials said on Monday. The United States has said it hopes to conclude a framework peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians before President George W. Bush leaves office in January. But the talks have stumbled over disputes over Israeli settlement building and the future of Jerusalem. » Read more

Hamas meets Jordanian official, says frozen ties starting to thaw ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters August 14, 2008 - 8:00pm Officials from Hamas have met with a top Jordanian security official to try to patch up ties soured since 2006 by charges that the Islamist Palestinian group was planning to carry out attacks in Jordan. Hamas' leader in the Gaza Strip Ismail Haniyeh said on Friday that the contacts, involving two Hamas officials and Jordan's intelligence chief, Mohammed al-Thahabi, could help reconcile Hamas with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' secular Fatah faction. » Read more

Israel sends truckfuls of money to replace worn out currency in Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz August 18, 2008 - 8:00pm Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired a Qassam rocket into Israel Tuesday, in violation of the two-month old truce between Israel the coastal territory. The rocket landed in an open area in the Sha'ar HaNegev regional council area. No injuries or damage were reported. Defense Minister Ehud Barak ordered the border crossings with Gaza closed between Wednesday morning and Thursday afternoon in response to the rocket attack. » Read more

Palestinians slam Israel's 'revolving door policy' on prisoners ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked - August 18, 2008 - 8:00pm Officials in the Palestinian Authority do not appear overly enthused by the Israeli cabinet's recent decision to release 199 prisoners, including detainees with 'blood on their hands', as a gesture to President Mahmoud Abbas. According to data provided by the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, the IDF has arrested 1,751 Palestinians in the West Bank since the beginning of the year, including 500 who have been detained since last month's Mediterranean summit in Paris, during which Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged to free more prisoners. » Read more

Court orders IDF to explain soft indictment against Naalin commander ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Aviad Glickman - August 18, 2008 - 8:00pm Several human rights groups petition the High Court Tuesday asking that it order the Military Advocate General, Brigadier-General Avi Mandelblit and the IDF's Chief Prosecutor, Colonel Liron Lieberman, to explain their reluctance to amend the indictment filed against Lt. Col. Omri Burberg and Staff Sergeant L. for their involvement in the Naalin shooting incident. The petition was filed by B'Tselem, Yesh Din, the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, and the Palestinian who was shot, Ashraf Abu-Rahma. » Read more

This land isn’t Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Yair Lapid - (Opinion) August 18, 2008 - 8:00pm Last week, we marked three years to the disengagement. An overwhelming majority of Israelis has an ambivalent attitude towards it to this day: On the one hand, feeling that the experiment has failed; on the other hand, glad that we are no longer in Gaza. But also ashamed of the disgraceful treatment of the evacuees; yet proud of the fact that it turned out that the State is still able to implement something once it decides to do it. There are other views in addition to that, depending on who you talk to. » Read more

Analysis: Prisoner release does nothing for Abbas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh - August 17, 2008 - 8:00pm It's hard these days to find one Palestinian who regards Israel's decision to release some 200 Palestinian prisoners as a "goodwill gesture." It's also hard to see how the release of the prisoners would "boost" the popularity of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas among his people. The argument that the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails strengthens the "moderates" has never proven to be correct. » Read more

PA welcomes Hamas-Jordan rapprochement ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Mohammed Mar’i - August 18, 2008 - 8:00pm The Palestinian Authority yesterday welcomed the improving relations between Jordan and Hamas movement saying that the Jordanian move “was another Arab attempt to end the unnatural situation in Gaza.” Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ media adviser, Nimer Hammad, said that “we (Palestinian Authority) don’t fear the dialogue between Jordan and Hamas, instead, we welcome any effort that could persuade Hamas to step back.” » Read more

Olmert to face additional round of police questioning on Friday ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press December 31, 1969 - 8:00pm Israel Police spokespman officer says investigators are to quiz Prime Minister Ehud Olmert again on corruption allegations in what will be the sixth round of questioning so far. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said detectives would interview Olmert at his official residence in Jerusalem on Friday morning. Olmert is suspected of improperly accepting funds from U.S. businessman Morris Talanksy and of violations in funding trips abroad. Talansky previously testified that he gave Olmert $150 thousand, mostly in cash, for political campaigns and travel expenses. » Read more

Israeli court to review Palestinian abuse case ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press August 18, 2008 - 8:00pm Israel's Supreme Court will review the army's proposed punishment for two soldiers who were filmed abusing a Palestinian. The court said it would look at the case Tuesday in response to a request from a human rights group that thinks the army's indictment is too lenient. The video was released by Israeli rights group B'Tselem last month. It shows a soldier firing a rubber bullet toward the foot of a West Bank man whose hands were bound and eyes were blindfolded. The bullet bruised the 27-year-old man's toe. » Read more