Gaza still off limits to dignitaries ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Herb Keinon - June 21, 2010 - 12:00am Despite Sunday’s government decision to significantly increase the goods and materials to be allowed into the Gaza Strip, Israel’s policy of not opening the door to foreign politicians is still in place. Jerusalem recently turned down a request by Dirk Niebel, Germany’s minister of economic cooperation and development, to go to Gaza from Israel. Niebel, who has asked permission on numerous occasions, both before and since the Mavi Marmara incident, is scheduled to meet Monday with Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon. » Read more

Hizbullah, Hamas, Iran to meet in Damascus ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 21, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian opposition factions, Hizbullah officials and a delegation of Iranians, will soon meet in Damascus, the Kuwaiti Al-Anba daily newspaper reported on Monday. The meeting, according to the anonymous source quoted in the paper, will take place in late June, under official Syrian patronage, in an effort to activate resistance in the region in light of an expected Israeli offensive against Iran or against Hizbullah in Lebanon. » Read more

Clipped wings ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Ze'ev Segal - (Opinion) June 21, 2010 - 12:00am The Turkel Committee that is investigating the handling of last month's Gaza-bound flotilla - otherwise known as the "independent public committee" - convened last week for a preparatory meeting. The committee is a kind of Israeli council of sages whose purposes are to examine whether the naval blockade and the way it was enforced were compatible with international law, and to placate the world, especially the United States. » Read more

Ground broken for 600 J'lem settler homes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency June 21, 2010 - 12:00am Israeli construction vehicles and bulldozers began digging in Jerusalem on Monday morning, in what is believed to be ground work for the building of some 600 new settlement units. The homes were announced in late February, and are set to be built near the illegal Pisgat Ze'ev settlement and the Palestinian neighborhood of Shu'fat. The number was reduced from 1,100 to 600, when it was revealed that much of the land was owned privately by Palestinians, the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz reported at the time. » Read more

Abbas asks int'l community to press Israel to end Gaza siege ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua June 21, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday called for international pressure on Israel to lift its three-year blockade on the Gaza Strip, a statement by his office said. Abbas made his call during a meeting with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair who is serving as an envoy to the Quartet committee of Middle East peace players. "Mr. Abbas requested obliging Israel to lift the Gaza siege completely according to international resolutions," the statement said. » Read more

Noam Shalit slams Netanyahu over ease of Gaza blockade ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Jonathan Lis - June 21, 2010 - 12:00am Noam Shalit, father of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit, lashed out Monday at the government over its decision to ease the land siege on the Gaza Strip and accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of surrendering to international pressure. "Yesterday, in a confident voice and without compromise Netanyahu announced the change in policy on the Gaza siege," said Noam Shalit. "In other words, he announced, 'I surrendered to international pressure that was applied to us' and we are asking where Gilad stands in this equation. We are asking where is Gilad, our son?" » Read more

Israel drafting new list of goods banned from Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Mark Lavie - June 20, 2010 - 12:00am Israel pledged Sunday it will immediately allow all goods into Gaza except weapons and items deemed to have a military use under its decision to ease its three-year-old blockade of the Palestinian territory. The list of banned goods replaces an old list of allowed items that permitted only basic humanitarian supplies for the 1.5 million Gazans. Under the new system, the government said practically all non-military items can enter Gaza freely. » Read more

The challenges of a one-state solution ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Carlo Strenger - (Opinion) June 21, 2010 - 12:00am In a recent op-ed ("Is there another option?" June 2 ), Moshe Arens suggested that the option of one state west of the Jordan with full citizenship for all Palestinians should be given serious consideration. » Read more

Jerusalem revives plan to raze Palestinian homes ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman by Amy Teibel - June 21, 2010 - 12:00am A Jerusalem planning body on Monday approved a plan to raze 22 Palestinian homes in east Jerusalem to make room for an Israeli tourist center, a decision that could raise tensions in the divided city and deepen the conflict with the Obama adminstration. Back in March, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had pressured Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat to hold up the plan so authorities could consult with Palestinians who would lose their homes — a delay that appeared to be aimed at fending off criticism from the U.S. » Read more

And what of all the other deaths? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Amira Hass - (Opinion) June 21, 2010 - 12:00am Why was Staff Sgt. S., out of all the Israel Defense Forces' soldiers and officers, chosen to stand trial for killing two women in the Gaza Strip on January 4, 2009, the first day of Israel's ground incursion there? The IDF killed 34 armed men that same day. Was S. chosen because he was the only one who killed civilians? » Read more