February 25th

Thousands rally for change in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 25, 2011 - 1:00am Palestinians rallied Thursday in the center of Ramallah protesting against both the state of internal political disunity and the Oslo Accords with Israel, leading to brief skirmishes between the sides. About 1,500 protesters took to the main streets of the city carrying flags and banners and calling for unity and liberation. Protesters represented every faction, among them Hamas, Fatah, and the leftist parties. Khalida Jarrar, a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine lawmaker, said it was time to "wipe this page from our history." » Read more

Palestinians injured in Gaza airstrike ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency February 24, 2011 - 1:00am An Israeli airstrike targeted southern Gaza late Thursday, moderately injuring two Palestinians in an attack on a vehicle in the city of Rafah. The injured were taken by ambulance to the Abu Najjar hospital, said Adham Abu Salmiya, a spokesman for the Gaza medical services. At least one of the victims was still in the vehicle, which was on fire after sustaining four direct strikes, witnesses said. Residents of Khan Younis confirmed hearing four distinct explosions around the time of the attack. Witnesses said the vehicle belonged to the government in Gaza. » Read more

AYALON: The death of ‘linkage’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Times by Danny Ayalon - (Editorial) February 24, 2011 - 1:00am The last few weeks and months have finally proven the fallacy of one of the most mistaken theories about development and peace in the Middle East. For a number of years, foreign officials, experts and commentators have claimed that if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was solved, then there would be peace in the Middle East. This was coined “linkage.” » Read more

AYALON: The death of ‘linkage’ ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Times by Danny Ayalon - (Editorial) February 24, 2011 - 1:00am The last few weeks and months have finally proven the fallacy of one of the most mistaken theories about development and peace in the Middle East. For a number of years, foreign officials, experts and commentators have claimed that if the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was solved, then there would be peace in the Middle East. This was coined “linkage.” » Read more

Young Seek to End West Bank and Gaza Schism ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times by Isabel Kershner - February 24, 2011 - 1:00am Young Palestinians watching the revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere in the region have no shortage of their own protest-worthy causes. Palestinian youths took to the streets of Ramallah in the West Bank to call for unity between Hamas and Fatah. » Read more

Young Seek to End West Bank and Gaza Schism ATFP World Press Roundup Article from December 31, 1969 - 8:00pm Young Palestinians watching the revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere in the region have no shortage of their own protest-worthy causes. Palestinian youths took to the streets of Ramallah in the West Bank to call for unity between Hamas and Fatah. » Read more

Young Seek to End West Bank and Gaza Schism ATFP World Press Roundup Article from by Isabel Kershner - February 24, 2011 - 1:00am Young Palestinians watching the revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia and elsewhere in the region have no shortage of their own protest-worthy causes. Palestinian youths took to the streets of Ramallah in the West Bank to call for unity between Hamas and Fatah. » Read more

February 24th

In the Middle East protests, a seismic shift ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post by Fareed Zakaria - (Editorial) February 24, 2011 - 1:00am We are in the midst of a revolution in the Middle East, one that has unleashed long-suppressed forces that will continue to send shock waves across an arc of countries from Morocco to Iran. We are all looking at each crisis individually as it breaks out. But if we step back we can see that this is really a seismic shift and that it will in time reverberate throughout the region. » Read more

U.S. judge dismisses defamation lawsuit by former AIPAC official ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Natasha Mozgovaya - February 24, 2011 - 1:00am A Washington D.C. Superior Court judge dismissed a lawsuit against AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, on Wednesday, for allegedly defaming its former foreign policy boss when they publicly attributed their firing of him to what they described as his sub-standard performance. Judge Erik Christian determined that the comments about Steve Rosen made by an AIPAC spokesperson and published in the New York Times did not constitute grounds for a defamation lawsuit. » Read more

Hamas growing stronger, without firing a shot ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters by Crispian Balmer - (Editorial) February 23, 2011 - 1:00am Hamas is having a good revolution. The unrest that has transformed the Arab world outside the tiny coastal enclave has boosted the standing of the Islamist group within Gaza and strengthened its position against the rival Palestinian Authority, which holds sway in the West Bank. Hamas greeted the downfall of Egyptian former President Hosni Mubarak with euphoria, sensing that his departure would weaken Israel's stranglehold on the impoverished territory that has crippled its economy and confined its inhabitants. » Read more