Israel's proposed loyalty oath raises new question: What, exactly, is a Jewish state?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
October 26, 2010 - 12:00am


If Israel had Words of the Month, October’s would be “Jewish,” as in “a Jewish and democratic state,” or medina yehudit ve’demokratit, in Hebrew. This is what — if a controversial cabinet decision is adopted as law by the Knesset — anyone becoming an Israeli citizen will have to swear loyalty to.


Want to weaken Hamas? Open Gaza's gates
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amira Hass - (Opinion) October 27, 2010 - 12:00am


Do you really want to weaken Hamas? Surprise it. Go back and open Gaza's gates - to ordinary human movement, not just to cherries, shavers and a handful of pious Muslims who manage to wend their way past the Egyptian bureaucracy. Open the Erez checkpoint. Then you'll see how Gazans yearn for life.


Resolving Palestinian issue key to ending terrorism, extremism: Jordanian PM
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
October 27, 2010 - 12:00am


Jordanian Prime Minister Samir Rifai stressed on Tuesday that ending the problems of terrorism and extremism necessitates serious efforts to resolve the Palestinian issue, the state-run Petra news agency reported. In a lecture at the Royal Jordanian National Defense College ( RJNDC) Tuesday, Rifai said Israel's refusal to accept a fundamental political solution to the Palestinian issue means more conflicts and tensions and "lost hopes" to resolve the conflicts in the region.


Senior Egyptian officials to visit West Bank
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
October 27, 2010 - 12:00am


Senior Egyptian officials will visit the West Bank on Thursday to discuss stalled peace negotiations, a Palestinian official said Wednesday. Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman would be leading the Egyptian delegation, said Yasser Abed Rabbo, a Palestinian negotiator. The Egyptian officials will meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as the peace talks reached "total impasse," Abed Rabbo told Voice of Palestine Radio.


Blast kills Gaza militant
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
October 27, 2010 - 12:00am


An Israeli strike has killed a Palestinian militant at noon Wednesday in northeast Gaza Strip, residents and medical sources said. Adham Abu Selmia, spokesman for the medical services, said that Jihad Afana, 20, was killed in the attack. Abu Selmia told Xinhua that Israeli troops fired a tank shell near Erez crossing point and killed Afana. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement said Afana was a member of its armed wing. In a statement posted on its website, the Al- Quds Brigades of the Islamic Jihad revealed that Afana was conducting "a holy mission."


Israeli police, Arabs clash over rightist march
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Douglas Hamilton - October 27, 2010 - 12:00am


Israeli police on Wednesday fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse Arabs who were protesting against a rally by ultranationalist Jews in an Israeli-Arab town. Riot police, some on horesback, charged about 200 Arabs who threw stones at them before retreating, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said. Ten masked Arabs were arrested. About 30 Jewish demonstrators had travelled from Jerusalem to Umm el-Fahm in northern Israel, the seat of an Islamic movement whose leader, Sheikh Raed Salah, says Israel endangers Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem.


Israel expands West Bank settlement
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
October 27, 2010 - 12:00am


Israel is expanding a settlement in the northern West Bank district of Nablus, Ma'an has learned. Shvut Rachel Alt. 804, part of the Mateh Binyamin Regional Council, was built on Palestinian land in the Jalud village. The village's total area is some 16,000 dunums. Settlers have confiscated about 80 percent of the land to expand six settlements, residents say.



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