February 24th

Peace With Syria Could Catalyze Middle East Process ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Middle East Times by Cesar Chelala - February 24, 2009 - 1:00am Benjamin Netanyahu plants trees in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights with his family and friends from his political party such as Moshe Bugi Yealon (Former IDF Chief of Staff-pictured L). ... (Rapport via Newscom) » Read more

Obama's goad to Damascus ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor February 24, 2009 - 1:00am As a Middle East way station for terrorists, Syria can't be ignored. Candidate Barack Obama pledged during the campaign to engage Syria in contrast to President Bush's attempt to isolate it. Now a limited engagement has begun and it's time to ask what President Obama will give up as he tiptoes toward the likelihood of bazaar-like haggling with Damascus. » Read more

Hasty Interpretations of Developments...and of US Dialogue with Iran and Syria ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Dar Al-Hayat by Raghida Dergham - February 20, 2009 - 1:00am There is an urgent need for redefining priorities and for profound thinking about the choices available to issues that pertain to the fate of the Middle East and of its relations with the outside world, with the aim of setting a comprehensive and lucid framework to prevent the shower of rumors, claims, predictions and impressions, as well as their harmful results. Among the issues that require responsible focus are the following: » Read more

February 23rd

Al Qaeda's Zawahri tells Hamas don't accept truce ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Inal Ersan - February 23, 2009 - 1:00am Al Qaeda's second-in-command urged Palestinians in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip not to succumb to Arab pressure for a truce with Israel and vowed to support fighting against the Jewish state. The militant leader, in a recording posted on the Internet on Monday, also called on Muslims in Yemen, Afghanistan and Somalia to press ahead with fighting "crusaders" -- a term used to denote the West -- and their agents. » Read more

Four Palestinians dead in tunnel collapse at Egyptian border ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) February 23, 2009 - 1:00am Four Palestinians were killed on Sunday when a tunnel used for smuggling between the Gaza Strip and Egypt collapsed on top of them, medics said. The victims were between the ages of 17 and 25, they said. The tunnels were thought to have collapsed after torrential downpours that hit the region over the last several days. Smuggling tunnels have mushroomed along the Gaza-Egypt border since 2006, when Israel turned the screws on the impoverished territory in response to the electoral victory of Hamas in legislative polls. » Read more

Israel-Hamas arms embargo urged ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News February 23, 2009 - 1:00am Amnesty International has called for a freeze on arms sales to Israel and Palestinian groups such as Hamas following the recent Gaza conflict. The human rights group said it had evidence both Israel and Hamas had used weapons sourced from overseas to carry out attacks on civilians. It called for the UN Security Council to impose the embargo on all parties. Both Israel and Hamas have rejected the conclusions of the report, in which Amnesty accuses each of war crimes. » Read more

Hundreds of Gazans head to Egypt as crossing opens ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Agence France Presse (AFP) February 23, 2009 - 1:00am Hundreds of people went into and out of the Gaza Strip on Sunday after Egypt opened the Rafah crossing, the enclave's sole crossing that bypasses the Jewish state, a Hamas official told AFP. The Rafah crossing opened at around 9 a.m. and was expected to remain open for three days, said Adel Zurub. After seven hours, some 420 people had left Gaza and 230 entered the Palestinian coastal territory, he added. » Read more

Abbas urges Hamas to form new unity government ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press February 23, 2009 - 1:00am Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas says Hamas should be part of the new government and honour international commitments in the peace process. Abbas says a new cabinet including Hamas should continue the peace process on the basis of previous agreements such as "the existence of two states and no more building of settlements in Gaza". Abbas spoke on Monday after meeting Czech President Vaclav Klaus. Efforts to form a unity government have failed in the past. Reconciliation talks are scheduled to begin in Egypt later this week. » Read more

The Palestinian Perspective: Prime Minister Faya'd in Conversation with TML's Felice Friedson ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Felice Friedson - (Interview) February 23, 2009 - 1:00am The Media Line’s Felice Friedson conducted an exclusive interview with Prime Minister Faya’d in his Ramallah office on February 19, 2009. Among the issues they discussed were the current state of the Palestinian Authority, the crisis in Gaza, Fatah vs. Hamas, and the future of relations with Israel. TML: Mr. Prime Minister, what is the most serious problem caused by the division of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank: in effect the creation of two Palestinian states? » Read more

Israel replaces envoy to Egypt talks, Hamas angry ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Dan Williams - February 23, 2009 - 1:00am Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will replace Israel's lead envoy to Egyptian-brokered truce talks with Hamas after he publicly criticized the government's negotiating strategy, officials said on Monday. Amos Gilad, an adviser to Defense Minister Ehud Barak, has shuttled to Cairo to try to consolidate the January 18 ceasefire that ended a three-week Israeli assault in Hamas-ruled Gaza. » Read more