August 2nd

Rocket attacks on Israel: Why Hamas has an interest in keeping Gaza quiet ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Joshua Mitnick - August 2, 2010 - 12:00am The most significant volley of Gaza attacks and Israeli reprisals since last year's Operation Cast Lead raised concern over the weekend that tensions could escalate between Israel and Hamas. Meanwhile, additional rocket attacks on Monday apparently aimed toward the southern Israeli resort city of Eilat raised speculation of Hamas involvement there as well. » Read more

Hamas attacks: A bid to scuttle direct talks? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Liam Stack - August 2, 2010 - 12:00am Israel and forces loyal to the militant Hamas government that controls Gaza exchanged fire this weekend, with Palestinian rockets hitting southern Israel and Israel responding with multiple airstrikes across the territory. On Friday, Palestinian rockets damaged a building in the Israeli city of Ashkelon. Israel retaliated with airstrikes against densely populated areas of Gaza City and Rafah, injuring scores and killing Hamas military commander Eissa al Batran. » Read more

The Palestinians, Alone ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Efraim Karsh - (Opinion) August 2, 2010 - 12:00am It has long been conventional wisdom that the resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a prerequisite to peace and stability in the Middle East. Since Arabs and Muslims are so passionate about the Palestine problem, this argument runs, the Israeli-Palestinian stalemate feeds regional anger and despair, gives a larger rationale to terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and to the insurgency in Iraq and obstructs the formation of a regional coalition that will help block Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons. » Read more

Rocket, Probably Aimed at Israel, Hits Jordan ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Stephen Farrell, Isabel Kershner - August 2, 2010 - 12:00am A rocket that was probably aimed at the southern Israeli resort of Eilat slammed into the neighboring Jordanian resort of Aqaba on Monday, Jordanian and Israeli officials said. Israeli police inspected the site where a rocket landed on the outskirts of the Red Sea resort Eilat. Jordan’s information minister, Ali Ayed, said one rocket struck a main street in Aqaba, killing one person and injuring four, all of whom were Jordanian. » Read more

Palestinian Prime Minister: Unilateral Declaration of Statehood a Pipedream ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Media Line by Felice Friedson, Benjamin Joffe-Walt - August 2, 2010 - 12:00am Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Faya’d has ruled out any unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood. “There is not going to be a unilateral declaration of statehood,” Faya’d told The Media Line during a private meeting in his office. “What’s the point? We did that in 1988, and what did it get us?” The statement was a public rejection of increasing calls from minority Palestinian factions to recalibrate the Palestinian struggle away from a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and towards a shared, bi-national, secular and democratic state. » Read more

Ramallah building boom symbolizes West Bank growth ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz August 2, 2010 - 12:00am The din of earth-movers leveling the hilly terrain of Ramallah for construction is unremitting as modern buildings shoot up all over the West Bank city. Once a mere village on the outskirts of Jerusalem, Ramallah has seen its population double in the last 10 years and land prices surge, in part due to the fact it falls within the 40 percent of the West Bank where Palestinians can build without Israeli permission. » Read more

Abbas wants a trilateral meeting between aides before direct talks ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Barak Ravid - August 2, 2010 - 12:00am The Obama administration is attempting to win Israel's agreement to a Palestinian effort to hold a trilateral meeting next week to set the terms of reference, agenda and timetable for direct negotiations with the Palestinians. The Palestinians also want to discuss the future of Israel's freeze on settlement construction, which is scheduled to expire on September 26. If Israel agrees to the meeting, it will be the first significant direct talks with the Palestinian Authority since Benjamin Netanyahu became prime minister last year. » Read more

July 30th

Playing politics: summer camp for Gaza's children ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - July 30, 2010 - 12:00am The boys sitting in the shade of an awning erected on a Gaza beach are only half listening to the man addressing them through a megaphone. After all, school's out for the summer and there is football to be played and the sea to be swum in. Some of the 100 or so boys whisper among themselves, others are busy burying their own or a friend's legs in the hot sand. But when the man asks, "What is our slogan?" they snap to attention, responding in unison: "Resistance!" » Read more

Israeli settlers evict Palestinian family from their home of 70 years ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - July 30, 2010 - 12:00am Israeli settlers took over a Palestinian home in the Muslim quarter of Jerusalem's Old City today, evicting about 45 members of an extended family which has occupied the building for more than 70 years. The settlers claimed to have documentation to prove they had purchased the building from the owners. The Palestinian tenants, who have been fighting attempts to evict them for many years, were challenging the takeover in court. A police spokesman said the Israelis had entered the home "based on documents claiming that they owned the property". » Read more

'Abbas to give negotiations green light by September' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews July 30, 2010 - 12:00am Even though the Arab League agreed in principle to direct negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas continues to insist on conditions and guarantees before concluding the phase of indirect proximity talks. However, Western diplomats estimate that he will change his stance by the beginning of September. Western diplomatic sources quoted by British Telegraph newspaper on Thursday said Abbas would not withstand the pressure for a very long time, and "is preparing the ground for what could be the gamble of his political career." » Read more