UN envoy: Gaza op seems to be war crime of greatest magnitude ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz March 19, 2009 - 12:00am A United Nations human rights investigator said on Thursday that Israel's offensive against Hamas in densely populated Gaza appeared to constitute a war crime of the "greatest magnitude." Richard Falk, UN special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories, said the Geneva Conventions required warring forces to distinguish between military targets and surrounding civilians. "If it is not possible to do so, then launching the attacks is inherently unlawful and would seem to constitute a war crime of the greatest magnitude under international law," Falk said. » Read more

Israeli Coalition Appears Fated to Clash With U.S. ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Howard Schneider - March 20, 2009 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, March 19 -- The foreign minister of Israel's incoming government lives in a West Bank settlement and will begin life as a diplomat battling the perception that he is anti-Arab. » Read more

Soldiers’ Accounts of Gaza Killings Raise Furor in Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Ethan Bronner - March 20, 2009 - 12:00am JERUSALEM — In the two months since Israel ended its military assault on Gaza, Palestinians and international rights groups have accused it of excessive force and wanton killing in that operation, but the Israeli military has said it followed high ethical standards and took great care to avoid civilian casualties. » Read more

An Israeli foreign minister who won’t wear velvet gloves ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Alan Philps - March 20, 2009 - 12:00am Next week marks the 30th anniversary of the peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. For a generation this document has guaranteed that Israel will not come under attack from Arab armies. So it is surprising that the next foreign minister of Israel – barring some upset in the still incomplete coalition negotiations – will be Avigdor Lieberman, the man who used the podium of the Israeli parliament last year to tell President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt to “go to Hell”. » Read more

In NY synagogue, Israeli settler leader calls for assassination of Abbas-- and tax-deductible contributions ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Mondoweiss by Philip Weiss - March 19, 2009 - 12:00am Exclusive report from Mondoweiss: In a speech at a New York synagogue Wednesday night, Nadia Matar, a leader of the Israeli settlers' group "Women in Green," called for the assassination of Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, as a way of bringing peace to Israel. » Read more