July 8th

Nearly Billion Dollars In Direct Aid Disbursed To Palestinians In Six Months ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) July 8, 2008 - 3:33pm The international community has paid out nearly a billion dollars in direct aid to the Palestinians in six months, officials of the International Donors' Conference for the Palestinian State said here late Monday, while hitting out at Israeli restrictions on movement by Palestinians. The chair and the co-chairs of the Paris conference, which last December came up with pledges of donations totalling 7.7 billion dollars over three years, "strongly welcomed" the process of disbursing the funds. » Read more

Israel, Hezbollah To Swap Prisoners ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press by Mark Lavie - July 8, 2008 - 3:32pm Israel's military said it began digging up the bodies of Lebanese fighters yesterday after the government struck a deal with Hezbollah guerrillas to swap five living prisoners and dozens of bodies for two Israeli soldiers captured in 2006. Israel said in a statement that the swap agreement was signed "in the presence of a U.N. representative." Implementing the deal depends on carrying out further steps, the statement said without providing specifics. Hezbollah officials would not comment. » Read more

An End To Conflict ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Times by Andrea Barron - (Opinion) July 8, 2008 - 3:30pm There was Ehud Olmert, prime minister of Israel, promising to freeze all Jewish settlements in the West Bank and remove 300 roadblocks to make it easier for Palestinians to get to work, attend school and farm their land. Then Mr. Olmert said he would dismantle over 100 settlements and unauthorized outposts to show Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that Israel was serious about concluding a peace agreement before the end of the year. » Read more

Israel Opens Gaza Crossings Despite Palestinian Mortar Fire (10:00am Est) ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press July 8, 2008 - 3:28pm Israel agreed to an Egyptian request and opened its border crossings with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday despite Palestinian mortar fire that violated a three-week-old truce. The request from Egypt was an attempt to prod forward the cease-fire, which was designed in part to ease Israel's crushing blockade of the coastal strip. In so doing, Israel suggested it might stop automatically closing the crossings in response to every truce violation, like the mortar shell Palestinian militants fired Monday. » Read more

Israel Closes Gaza Crossings After Mortar Attack (1:00am Est) ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters July 8, 2008 - 3:26pm Israel closed all but one of its border crossings with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday in response to a mortar attack 24 hours earlier, Israeli officials said. The Jewish state said one mortar shell was fired from Gaza on Monday and landed in southern Israel, causing no casualties or damage. "All crossings, except for the Erez terminal, will be closed today because of the mortar fired yesterday," said defense official Peter Lerner. » Read more

July 7th

'why Did They Treat Me Like That?' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Gideon Levy - July 7, 2008 - 4:42pm He has already seen everything. At 24, he has already been documenting the horrors of his city, Rafah, for six years. He photographs and writes, seeking to be a voice for those who are voiceless, as he puts it. On his Web site Rafah Today (www.rafahtoday.org) - like that of USA Today or Israel Today, only from Rafah - he paints a picture for readers around the world of the horrors of his city, the most afflicted of all cities in the anguished Gaza Strip, in strong and shocking colors. You will see there demolished houses and crushed bodies, tanks shelling people's homes and lost children. » Read more

Gaza Militants Fire Mortar Shells At Karni Border Crossing ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Fadi Eyadat - July 7, 2008 - 4:39pm Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday called for Gaza Strip border crossings to close starting on Tuesday, hours after Palestinian militants fired two mortar shells into Israel, which struck an open space between the Karni crossing and Nahal Oz causing neither casualties nor property damage. Since the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas went into effect in the Gaza Strip June 19, militants have fired several Qassam rockets into Israel, including one last week that fell in the western Negev region. » Read more

Jerusalem Attack Highlights Discrimatory Israeli Policies [june 29 – July 5] ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Miftah July 7, 2008 - 4:37pm Jerusalem was back in the spotlight this week after three Israelis were killed and more than 50 others injured when 30-year old Hussam Duweiyat plowed into them with a bulldozer on a busy west Jerusalem street. On July 2, Duweiyat, a construction worker in the city, went on a rampage on Jaffa Street in the western sector of Jerusalem, overturning an Israeli bus filled with passengers, ramming into it again before hitting another bus and several cars. Duweiyat was shot and killed by a nearby policeman. » Read more

New System To Intercept Rockets Tested In Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Gulf News July 7, 2008 - 4:35pm Occupied Jerusalem: Israel has successfully tested a new defence system designed to intercept rockets fired from southern Lebanon and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, public radio reported on Sunday. The "Iron Dome" system is expected to be fully operational within a year and will be able to intercept the military-grade Katyusha rockets used by Lebanon's Hezbollah fighters and the cruder Qassam rockets favoured by Hamas. Citing Israeli security officials, public radio said the system would also be effective against mortar fire.

Hamas Tries To Play Keeper Of The Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Star-telegram by Dion Nissenbaum - July 7, 2008 - 4:33pm Like a Gettysburg battlefield tour guide, Ali Kafarna pointed out the scars of war as he walked through the fields between his home and the Israeli border. "Here’s where the tanks used to stop," said Ali, 14, as he passed a dirt berm dug into dry grass littered with shrapnel and animal bones. "Here’s where they used to fire rockets," Ali said of the charred square of earth that Palestinians used as a launching pad to attack Israel. » Read more