Hamas Rejects Arab Deployment Plan ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh - August 20, 2008 - 12:00am Hamas has rejected a proposal to deploy Arab troops in the Gaza Strip, saying such a move would only deepen divisions among the Palestinians. The proposal, which was presented to Hamas by Egypt and Jordan in recent days, has won the full backing of the Palestinian Authority leadership in Ramallah. The initiative has also won the backing of the Saudis, who told visiting PA President Mahmoud Abbas that they would do their utmost to persuade Hamas to accept it, a senior PA official said Tuesday. » Read more

Anticipating Truce Breakdown, Gaza Women Training As Suicide Bombers ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz August 20, 2008 - 12:00am The cease-fire agreement struck between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip has brought a semblance of calm to the region, but neither side has stopped preparing for the possible renewal of violence. In Gaza, Islamic Jihad members recently offered TV cameras a rare glimpse into training undergone by women who are prepared to carry out suicide attacks should the Israel Defense Forces reinvade the coastal territory. The women take as an example Fatma Al-Najar, a 57-year-old grandmother who blew herself up in Gaza in 2006, wounding three soldiers.

Partnering For Peace Zionist, Arab Groups Share Interns For Summer ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Washington Jewish Week by Ben Weyl - August 21, 2008 - 12:00am Every June, countless young people descend on Washington, D.C., and immerse themselves in the traditional internship experience: attending think tank briefings, conducting research at the office and, of course, networking at happy hours. This summer, Ben Schildkraut, Dana Montalto and Dana Pozza took part in this ritual, though it differed in some respects from the average internship program: They spent their time working to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and they did it on behalf of organizations on "each side" of the conflict. » Read more

Democracy Is More Than Going To The Polls ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - (Opinion) October 2, 2007 - 12:00am "The protest wave has calmed down," some Israeli journalists said Friday of the Burmese military junta's success in driving thousands of demonstrators off the streets, using excessive violence. Despite the natural sympathy for the uprisers, several editors chose the word "calm," which embodies the rulers' point of view: The norm is "calm," even if it means constant government violence. The mass protest against the oppression is a disruption of order and calm. » Read more

The Jordanian Position On Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Akhbar by Hamada Faraneh - (Opinion) August 21, 2008 - 12:00am In light of the Jordanian, Palestinian, and Arab concerns that forced decision makers to respond and agree to Hamas’s repetitive calls and strong interest in holding an official meeting and having talks with the Jordanian state, a meeting took place between the head of intelligence and a delegation of the political arm of Hamas. » Read more

Jordan Acknowledges Meetings With Hamas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews August 21, 2008 - 12:00am Jordan acknowledged Wednesday that it held clandestine meetings with the militant Palestinian Hamas - the kingdom's first public confirmation of the recent talks. Nasser Judeh, Jordan's minister of information, told reporters that the meetings, which were headed by Jordanian intelligencechief Mohammed al - Dahabi, were held in an effort to "solve pending security issues." He declined to elaborate. » Read more

More Flexibility Required ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) October 2, 2007 - 12:00am Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is scheduled to host Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas at his sukkah in Jerusalem tomorrow. Next month, senior representatives from both sides are expected to participate in a conference at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland. The frequency with which Olmert and Abbas meet and their seriousness in preparing for the meeting in the United States are raising expectations of significant progress in negotiations. However, the degree to which these expectations correspond to reality is still unknown. » Read more

Gaza Travellers Hit By Passport Shortage ATFP World Press Roundup Article from All Around Philly by Ibrahim Barzak - August 21, 2008 - 12:00am Gaza's 1.4 million Palestinians, already largely confined to their narrow strip of land by Israeli and Egyptian border closures, face a new travel restriction: The Hamas administration has run out of passports. » Read more

Only A First Step To Peace ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Independent (Editorial) October 2, 2007 - 12:00am It would be easy to be cynical about Israel's release of 57 Palestinian prisoners yesterday in an attempt to bolster the authority of the man they see as the moderate Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas. The number released is fewer than the average number of Arab militants detained by Israeli forces each month, joining 11,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails, many imprisoned without trial. » Read more

Talks With Hamas Focused On Security’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jordan Times by Hani Hazaimeh - August 21, 2008 - 12:00am The government on Wednesday said recent talks with Hamas mainly focused on security-related issues but their scope could be expanded once these issues are aptly addressed, a senior official said. "The meetings between Director General of the Jordanian Intelligence Department [Lt. General Mohammad Dahabi] and the Hamas movement aimed to address outstanding issues," between the two sides, Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Nasser Judeh said. » Read more