Arabs fear rise of hard-right in Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press February 11, 2009 - 1:00am Arabs on Wednesday saw little hope for peace from whatever government emerges from Israel's inconclusive elections, and they expressed fears over the rising power of Israel's far right. With the prospect of a hard-line Israeli government, some in the region said any progress in Arab-Israeli negotiations will now rely even more on pressure from President Barack Obama, who has said his administration will take an active role in pursuing a Mideast peace. » Read more

Gaza mortar shells strike western Negev; no casualties ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Anshel Pfeffer - February 11, 2009 - 1:00am Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired four mortar shells at the western Negev during the course of the day Wednesday, a day after Israel held general elections, the results of which are likely to influence any future peace deal in the region. A Qassam rocket fired by Gaza militants exploded late Tuesday evening in an open field near the western Negev city of Sderot, just half an hour before the polls were to close. » Read more

With 99% of votes counted, Kadima leads Likud 28 to 27 seats ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz February 11, 2009 - 1:00am With 99 percent of the votes counted, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's Kadima Party is in first place with 28 of the Knesset's 120 seats, with Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party following closely behind with 27 seats. As the vote progresses, Labor stands at 13 seats, while Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beitenu party is expected to garner 15 seats. Exit polls by Israel's three main television stations on Tuesday night came to the same conclusion with Kadima as the leader and Likud coming a narrow second. » Read more

The American Task Force on Palestine Blogs ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Israel Policy Forum by Ziad Asali - (Blog) February 11, 2009 - 1:00am I am delighted to be among the early contributors to the first blog postings on this new part of the Israel Policy Forum (IPF) website. The close relationship that my colleagues and I at the American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) have built with IPF is fundamental to what we, at ATFP, are working towards. » Read more