March 25th

Hopes and Struggles in a Difficult Land ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by A.O. Scott - (Film Review) March 24, 2011 - 12:00am “Miral,” Julian Schnabel’s fourth feature film, based on an autobiographical novel by Rula Jebreal (who wrote the screenplay), recounts the linked and partial life stories of four Palestinian women, beginning in the last days of the British mandate and ending in the 1990s, when it looked as if peace between Israelis and Palestinians might finally be on the horizon. That the film, an international co-production involving France, India, Israel and Italy, has been greeted with a flurry of controversy may show just how far that horizon has receded. » Read more

U.S. Group Stirs Debate on Being ‘Pro-Israel’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Ethan Bronner - March 24, 2011 - 12:00am On one side were members of the Israeli Parliament and advocates who argued that there was only one legitimate way to support Israel from abroad — unconditionally. On the other were those who insisted that love and devotion did not mean withholding criticism. » Read more

In Israel, Gates Condemns Recent Attacks From Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner, Tom Shanker - March 24, 2011 - 12:00am A rocket fired by militants from Gaza overshot the Israeli port city of Ashdod on Thursday afternoon, landing in an open area to the north, as Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates was meeting with Israel’s defense minister, Ehud Barak, less than 20 miles up the coast in Tel Aviv. » Read more

In Israel, Gates Condemns Recent Attacks From Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner, Tom Shanker - March 24, 2011 - 12:00am A rocket fired by militants from Gaza overshot the Israeli port city of Ashdod on Thursday afternoon, landing in an open area to the north, as Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates was meeting with Israel’s defense minister, Ehud Barak, less than 20 miles up the coast in Tel Aviv. » Read more

In Israel, Gates Condemns Recent Attacks From Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner, Tom Shanker - March 24, 2011 - 12:00am A rocket fired by militants from Gaza overshot the Israeli port city of Ashdod on Thursday afternoon, landing in an open area to the north, as Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates was meeting with Israel’s defense minister, Ehud Barak, less than 20 miles up the coast in Tel Aviv. » Read more

Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad: 'An Independent Palestine Is in Israel's Interest' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Huffington Post by Elisabeth Braw - (Interview) March 23, 2011 - 12:00am "On August 26 there will be a Palestinian state, and it will be open to all," says Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in exclusive Metro interview. He's the Prime Minister of the Palestine National Authority. But traveling between his office in Ramallah and his Jerusalem home, Salam Fayyad must nonetheless pass Israeli military checkpoints. » Read more

March 24th

Thousands of Palestinians bury eight Gazans killed in Israeli air raids ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua by Saud Abu Ramadan, Emad Drimly - March 23, 2011 - 12:00am Thousands of mourners on Wednesday buried eight Palestinians, including three children and an old man, who were killed in two Israeli airstrikes on Tuesday in eastern Gaza city, calling for taking revenge on Israel. The mourners carried the bodies on their shoulders from Shiffa Hospital in the city and marched along Gaza city's main street. They prayed on the bodies at al-Omari Mosque, then headed to Gaza cemetery to bury the victims. Militants fired into the air vowing for revenge. » Read more

Abbas to visit Egypt soon: official ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 24, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is soon to pay his first visit to Egypt since the resignation of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, a senior Palestinian official said Wednesday. Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of Fatah party's central committee, told Palestinian radio Voice of Palestine that he was informed by Egyptian officials that Egypt welcomes the visit of Abbas to the country, which is due in days. » Read more

Hamas seeks calm, stability in Gaza: spokesman ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua March 23, 2011 - 12:00am The deposed Hamas government that rules the Gaza Strip announced Wednesday that it is seeking to calm the growing violence in the enclave. Taher al-Nouno, spokesman of the Hamas government, said in a press statement sent to Xinhua that "we reiterate that our position is to firmly restore stability and work on calming down the situation in the field." » Read more

War won't stop rocket fire from Gaza ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz (Editorial) March 24, 2011 - 12:00am The relative quiet on the security front that Israel has enjoyed over the past two years has come to an end. The exchanges of fire between Hamas and the Israel Defense Forces along the Gaza border have escalated over the past 10 days, while in Jerusalem, a bomb exploded near a bus yesterday. And the investigation of the murders in Itamar earlier this month is still underway. » Read more