Palestinian, Jew give both sides on joint Jerusalem tours ATFP World Press Roundup Article from CNN by Catriona Davies - August 26, 2011 - 12:00am As a soldier in the Israeli Defense Forces, Kobi Skolnick once fired shots at Aziz Abu Sarah's aunt's house in the West Bank town of Hebron. Ten years later, Skolnick, a former Israeli settler, who grew up in an ultra-orthodox household, and Abu Sarah, once a Palestinian militant, work together explaining both sides of the Middle East conflict to tourists. They discovered the uncomfortable coincidence during a tour in Hebron for Mejdi, a "dual-narrative" tour company co-owned by Abu Sarah, where every tour is jointly led by Jewish and Palestinian guides. » Read more

Q+A-Can Palestine become a United Nations member state? ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Alertnet by Louis Charbonneau - August 26, 2011 - 12:00am The Palestinians have vowed to seek full U.N. membership for a Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, with East Jerusalem as its capital, ignoring opposition from Washington and Israel. But there appears to be little chance it could succeed at present because the United States would veto it in the Security Council. » Read more

Ashrawi: UN statehood bid no threat to PLO ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency August 26, 2011 - 12:00am Palestinian lawmaker Hanan Ashrawi said Thursday that the plan to join the United Nations as a state would not threaten the PLO's rights in the world body. Ashrawi, a senior PLO member, disputed arguments by international law expert Guy Goodwin-Gill, who has informed the Palestinian team that the initiative could terminate the legal status held by the PLO in the UN. Ashrawi said that "this step will not eliminate the role of the PLO," and Palestinian refugees have nothing to fear from the bid to join the UN, which is expected to be submitted in September. » Read more

Gaza PM: We will not recognize Israel ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency August 26, 2011 - 12:00am Prime Minister of the Hamas-run Gaza government Ismail Haniyeh restated Friday his party's position that they will not recognize Israel. In an address to worshipers gathered at An-Nour mosque in Gaza City for the last Friday of Ramadan, Haniyeh said "we will not leave any centimeter of Palestine, and we will not recognize Israel and the occupation." The Hamas chief called the revolutions sweeping the Arab world, "the introduction for Palestinian liberation." » Read more

Israel OK's expansion of building in Hebron ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Statesman August 26, 2011 - 12:00am Israel is allowing Jewish settlers to expand a building in Hebron, one of the West Bank's most volatile cities. Palestinians object to Jewish construction in areas they envision for their future state. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak's office said Friday he gave the building permit to house a kindergarten in Beit Romano, a structure built in the late 1800s by a Jewish merchant. Today it houses a religious seminary. Hagit Ofran of settlement watchdog Peace Now says Barak has become a "tool of the most radical settlers." » Read more

Israeli Strikes in Retaliation Kill 9 Gazans ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Fares Akram - August 25, 2011 - 12:00am Nine Gazans have been killed in Israeli strikes since Wednesday night, with Israel’s southern communities withstanding 20 rockets from Gaza over the same 24-hour period. Warning sirens repeatedly sent Israelis across the south into bomb shelters, but most of the rockets landed in empty fields near the Israeli cities of Ofakim, Ashkelon and Beersheba. However, a 9-month-old baby was slightly hurt in Ashkelon when a car was hit with shrapnel. » Read more