Settlers suspected of setting Palestinian fields ablaze ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Ali Waked - September 17, 2008 - 8:00pm Judea and Samaria Police detained two settlers from Yitzhar on Thursday for allegedly setting Palestinian farmlands on fire. According to the Palestinians, the settlers torched lands belonging to the Palestinian villages of Ma'adama and Burin, located near Yitzhar, as well as fields that belong to the village of Kfar Sara, located near the Havat Gilad settlement southeast of Kedumim. » Read more

Court halts outpost evacuation moments after IDF tears down buildings ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Aviad Glickman - September 17, 2008 - 8:00pm Residents of Yad Yair petition High Court to stop illegal West Bank outpost's evacuation. Court grants plea, order arrives shortly after IDF, Civil Administration conclude demolition Aviad Glickman The High Court of Justice issued a temporary restraining order Thursday against the IDF's intent to tear down structures in the illegal West Bank outpost of Yad Yair. » Read more

Children Play with Death and Dispossession ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Inter Press Service (IPS) by Mel Frykberg - September 17, 2008 - 8:00pm Palestinian children continue to be victims of disproportionate and indiscriminate violence from the both the Israeli occupation and internal Palestinian infighting in the occupied Palestinian territories. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in its August report expressed concern for the inadequate protection afforded Palestinian children. » Read more

Water shortage cripples Palestinian farming ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Mohammed Assadi - September 17, 2008 - 8:00pm In the plains around the village of Bardala, the Israeli-Palestinian tug-of-war over land and water plays itself out in vivid colour -- largely brown Palestinian farms border green fields owned by Jewish settlers. Israel and the occupied West Bank have both been hit hard by drought, but Palestinian farmers say Israeli restrictions on their water supplies have made conditions far worse for them than for farmers in nearby Jewish settlements. » Read more

Israelis and Egyptians meet on Hamas prisoner swap ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press September 17, 2008 - 8:00pm Israeli defense officials say senior negotiator Ofer Dekel has met Egyptian officials in Cairo in an effort to achieve movement on a proposed prisoner swap with Hamas. Dekel is the Israeli official in charge of efforts to free Israeli soldier Gilad Schalit, who was captured by Gaza militants two years ago. Hamas wants Israel to release hundreds of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for Schalit. The Israeli officials would not say who Dekel met during his trip to Cairo Wednesday or what was the outcome of the meeting. » Read more

Condoleezza Rice, Hillary Clinton congratulate Livni on Kadima victory ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - September 17, 2008 - 8:00pm A day after Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni won the Kadima Party leadership primary, the foreign ministry was bombarded with congratulatory phone calls and letters from around the globe. One of the first to congratulate the newly elected chairwoman of the ruling party was U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, with whom Livni had developed a close relationship in recent joint diplomatic efforts with the Palestinians. Another prominent politician to call Livni was U.S. Senator Hillary Clinton, who also offered her congratulations. » Read more

Israel's forgotten hero: The assassination of Count Bernadotte - and the death of peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent by Donald MacIntyre - September 17, 2008 - 8:00pm Sitting in the back seat, the blue-blooded Swedish aristocrat and the decorated French hero of two world wars had begun to relax from the tension of the journey as the big Chrysler, the last of a three-car convoy, started its final ascent up the narrow road through the now Jewish-occupied district of Katamon, towards Rehavia and the house of the Jerusalem military governor. » Read more

Q&A: Israeli leadership change ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News September 17, 2008 - 8:00pm srael may have a new prime minister within weeks. Scandal-hit PM Ehud Olmert is due to step down after his Kadima party elected a new leader, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, and a general election is possible in the coming months. BBC News looks at the political process, likely scenarios, and the potential new leaders. Why is Mr Olmert stepping down as prime minister? » Read more

Tough road ahead for Livni ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Jeremy Bowen - September 17, 2008 - 8:00pm In the end, only a few hundred votes separated Tzipi Livni and Shaul Mofaz. But Ms Livni has won, and now she gets the chance to form a government. The day before the vote, one of her strategists, full of confidence, sat back and predicted that if it was going to be a big victory, he would know by 1730 on the afternoon of polling day. But the winning margin was narrow, and Ms Livni's camp had to wait until the middle of the night to be sure they had it. » Read more

Livni begins new government talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News September 17, 2008 - 8:00pm Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni is beginning the task of putting together a new government after her election as leader of the ruling Kadima party. She has 42 days to form a coalition and replace Ehud Olmert as prime minister. The leadership vote was called after Mr Olmert, who will remain as caretaker prime minister, announced he would step down to fight corruption allegations. Ms Livni narrowly beat Transport Minister Shaul Mofaz by just 431 votes, or 1.1%, in Wednesday's primary. » Read more