February 3rd

Israel mulls freeing Hamas 'underwear bomber' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Erin Cunningham - February 2, 2010 - 1:00am In a bedroom overlooking Jabaliya refugee camp's narrow, potholed streets, an array of new cosmetics and a hairbrush are lined up neatly in anticipation of a daughter's early release from prison. Next to a portrait of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, a framed photo of Wafa al-Biss looks out into the room she has not seen since being arrested at the Israeli border with 20 pounds of explosives sewn into her underwear in 2005. She was 21 years old. In the photo, Wafa is dressed in bluejeans, heavy makeup, and a lace head scarf. She is unsmiling, almost defiant. » Read more

Hamas threatens to take fight against Israel beyond Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Christian Science Monitor by Erin Cunningham - February 2, 2010 - 1:00am In the wake of a Hamas claim on Friday that Israeli agents assassinated one of its operatives in Dubai last week, the Islamist movement is vowing to take revenge against the Jewish state for the militant’s death – even if it means going abroad. Hamas officials from Damascus, Syria, and the Gaza Strip are threatening to match what they say is Israel's expansion of the conflict to foreign countries. » Read more

Palestinian premier speaks at Israeli conference ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Howard Schneider - February 3, 2010 - 1:00am Before Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad stepped on stage here Tuesday before a gathering of Israeli intellectuals and policymakers, he had already been likened to Israel's founder, David Ben-Gurion, vilified as the leader of a movement bent on undermining the peace process and dismissed as a technocrat without popular support. But his presence here -- at a packed conference in the heart of Israel, in a town named after the founder of modern Zionism -- perhaps said as much as any comment about the role he has played as the Palestinians' chief go-between with Israel and the West. » Read more

Paving the Way for Palestinian Statehood ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Middle East Progress (Interview) February 2, 2010 - 1:00am Ziad Asali, president & founder, American Task Force on Palestine. Interview with Middle East Bulletin. Can you tell us a little bit about the newly released report, “Palestine: Moving Forward, Priority Interventions for 2010”? What are the core principles behind it? How to does it relate to the original August cabinet document? » Read more

February 2nd

A real plan to build Palestine ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) February 2, 2010 - 1:00am Two weeks ago the Palestinian Authority issued a detailed budget for the state and institution-building programme it adopted last August. The programme calls for Palestinians to unilaterally build the administrative, economic and institutional framework of an independent state in spite of the Israeli occupation and as a peaceful, constructive means of countering it. » Read more

Hamas is Threatening Who? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat by Tariq Alhomayed - (Opinion) February 1, 2010 - 1:00am Following the assassination of Qassam Brigades leading figure Mahmoud al Mabhouh in his [hotel] room in Dubai, the leaders of Hamas came out threatening and promising to avenge his death. This is understandable and only expected due to the nature of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict; however what was not clear was whether Hamas was threatening revenge on Israel or was threatening to violate the land of Arab countries. » Read more

A dismal and serious view from Mr Abbas ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National (Editorial) February 1, 2010 - 1:00am It would be easy to dismiss the recent warning by the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, that the peace agenda he advocates risks irrelevance if the relentless Israeli colonisation of Palestinian land does not cease. After all, Mr Abbas has repeatedly raised alarm bells and threatened to leave his position over the stalemated peace process with Israel, only to stay in place. But as the beleaguered leader of an occupied people and a man who has rejected armed struggle in favour of negotiation, Mr Abbas deserves a hearing. » Read more

Arab politicians 'facing increased persecution’ in Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The National by Jonathan Cook - February 2, 2010 - 1:00am Leaders of the Arab minority in Israel warned this week that they were facing an unprecedented campaign of persecution, backed by the right-wing government of Benjamin Netanyahu, designed to stop their political activities. The warning came after Said Nafaa, a Druze member of the Israeli parliament was stripped of his immunity last week, clearing the way for him to be tried for a visit to Syria three years ago. » Read more

UN find challenges Israeli version of attack on civilian building in Gaza war ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Rory McCarthy - February 1, 2010 - 1:00am A new Israeli report defending the military's conduct in the Gaza war was challenged tonight after evidence emerged apparently contradicting one of its key findings. Israel submitted a 46-page report to the UN on Friday saying its forces abided by international law throughout the three-week war last year. It was meant to avert the threat of international prosecutions and to challenge a highly critical UN inquiry by South African judge Richard Goldstone, which accused both Israel and Hamas of "grave breaches" of the fourth Geneva convention, war crimes and possible crimes against humanity. » Read more

Helping Abbas climb down the high tree ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post by Khaled Abu Toameh - (Analysis) February 2, 2010 - 1:00am If anyone sought proof that President Mahmoud Abbas was planning to return to the negotiating table with Israel in the near future, it was provided by the results of “public opinion” polls published in the past few days by a number of Fatah-controlled media outlets and an interview he gave to Britain’s Guardian newspaper. The polls are seen by many Palestinians as an attempt to prepare local public opinion for the possibility that the Palestinian Authority will soon resume the stalled peace talks with Israel. » Read more