February 8th

Egypt unrest cuts fuel lifeline to Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Guardian by Harriet Sherwood - February 8, 2011 - 1:00am Gaza is facing acute fuel shortages as a result of the unrest in neighbouring Egypt, which has caused supplies of petrol and diesel smuggled through tunnels to almost dry up. Although some fuel is imported into the Gaza Strip from Israel, it costs three times as much as diesel and petrol smuggled in from Egypt. Gazans depend on diesel for generators during power cuts of about eight hours a day. Long queues of cars, motorcycles and people on foot carrying containers have formed at gas stations. Smuggled construction materials and Egyptian cigarettes are also in short supply. » Read more

Settlers in Hebron receive Spanish FM with calls of 'Nazi, anti-Semite' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Chaim Levinson - February 8, 2011 - 1:00am Settlers in Hebron received visiting Spanish foreign minister on Tuesday morning with derogatory cries, calling her a "Nazi" and "anti-Semite" because of her initial refusal to meet with settler leaders of the city. » Read more

Netanyahu must advance peace if he wants a stable Mideast ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Opinion) February 8, 2011 - 1:00am The upheaval in Egypt is sowing anxiety in Israel. President Hosni Mubarak's government adhered strictly to the peace treaty, functioned as a stabilizing force in the region and supported expanding the circle of peace agreements to the Palestinians and neighboring states. The eight Israeli prime ministers who served over the course of Mubarak's 30-year reign could depend on him for strategic support, even when they waged wars on other fronts and deepened the occupation and the settlement enterprise. » Read more

An Israeli conspiracy that never existed ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Arab News by Abdulateef Al-Mulhim - (Editorial) February 7, 2011 - 1:00am I have, since childhood, been hearing about an invisible thing called the Israeli conspiracy. » Read more

Israeli troops wound Palestinian worker near borders ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 7, 2011 - 1:00am A Palestinian worker was moderately injured on Monday after being shot by Israeli soldiers near the borders between northern Gaza Strip and Israel, witnesses and medics said. A Gaza worker in his mid twenties was shot by Israeli soldiers as he was collecting gravels with other workers, Adham Abu Selmeya, spokesman of emergency and ambulance service in the health ministry of the deposed Hamas government, told Xinhua. The worker was sent to Shifa Hospital in Gaza City for medical treatment, said Abu Selmeya, adding that the worker is in moderate health condition. » Read more

On peace process: Time not to act ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Politico by Aaron David Miller - (Editorial) February 8, 2011 - 1:00am The pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace didn’t need another nail in the coffin. But in the wake of political changes sweeping through Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and perhaps elsewhere, you can almost hear the hammer. » Read more

A search for common ground, against the odds ATFP World Press Roundup Article from NOW Lebanon by Hussein Ibish - (Blog) February 8, 2011 - 1:00am Since its inception in 2003, the American Task Force on Palestine, where I am a senior research fellow, has been trying to help lay the groundwork for an American alliance for a two-state solution. Such an alliance would bring Jewish-American supporters of Israel and their allies, and Arab-American supporters of Palestine and their allies, together to pursue the mutual interests of both peoples – and of course of the United States itself – in a stable peace agreement. » Read more

Hamas rejects holding local elections under division ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 8, 2011 - 1:00am The Islamic Hamas movement Tuesday rejected the Palestinian government's decision to hold municipal elections in the territories in July. "Hamas rejects any decision from the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to hold the elections under the current circumstances," Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, told Xinhua, referring to political split between Gaza and the West Bank. On Tuesday, the Palestinian government led by Salam Fayyad announced the decision to hold municipal elections in the Palestinian territories in July, including the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip. » Read more

Spanish FM visits Palestinian construction project in Hebron ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua February 8, 2011 - 1:00am Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Trinidad Jimenez visited Hebron on Tuesday as part of a two-day tour of Israel and the Palestinian territories. In Hebron, Jimenez met with representatives of the divided city 's Palestinian and Israeli residents. It is Jimenez' first visit to Israel and Palestinian territories since taking office two months ago. Spain and Germany are backing a housing project for Palestinians being constructed near the Tomb of the Patriarchs. » Read more

Israeli prime minister says peace can come apart ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press February 7, 2011 - 1:00am Israel's prime minister is warning that peace treaties can be canceled, hinting at his concern over the turmoil in Egypt over anti-government protests. Benjamin Netanyahu said peace is not necessarily permanent. He said, "It can be unraveled from without; it can be unraveled from within." He did not mention Egypt by name in a speech Monday before European Parliament members, but he has expressed concern about a takeover by Islamic radicals who might cancel the Israel-Egypt peace treaty signed in 1979. » Read more