War talks fails to dampen spirits in Tel Aviv ATFP World Press Roundup Article from BBC News by Hugh Sykes - August 29, 2012 - 12:00am The beaches in this coastal city are heaving with holidaymakers. Restaurants, clubs and bars are packed with happy diners, drinkers and dancers. In one cafe, couples were tapping their feet to Leonard Cohen's Dance Me to the End of Love. They were not wearing flak jackets. Or carrying gas masks. But some are taking precautions. Israelis fearful that an attack on Iran might bring revenge rockets from Hezbollah have collected gas masks from distribution centres. » Read more

UN investigator condemns Corrie court ruling ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters August 31, 2012 - 12:00am A UN investigator condemned an Israeli court on Thursday for clearing the military of blame for the death of American activist crushed by an army bulldozer, calling it a "victory for impunity". The ruling handed down on Tuesday on the civil suit brought by the family of Rachel Corrie was part of a pattern of decisions exonerating Israeli military actions and political leaders, said Richard Falk, United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the Palestinian territories. » Read more

Ya'alon: US undermining military threat against Iran ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters August 31, 2012 - 12:00am Vice Premier Moshe Ya'alon said on Friday he feared Iran did not believe it faced a real military threat from the outside world because of mixed messages from foreign powers, including the United States. "We have an exchange of views, including with our friends in the United States, who in our opinion, are in part responsible for this feeling in Iran," he told Israel's 100FM radio station. » Read more

Lieberman compares Palestinian FM to Goebbels ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ynetnews by Attila Somfalvi - August 31, 2012 - 12:00am Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman compared his Palestinian counterpart to infamous Nazi Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels. Lieberman made the harsh statements following Riyad Al-Maliki's speech at the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Tehran earlier this week. » Read more

Visit Israel at your own risk, warn many Western countries ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz by Ilan Lior - August 31, 2012 - 12:00am Israel has long starred in other countries' travel advisories, and reading these warnings isn't particularly flattering. The warnings about terror attacks are predictable: Most countries urge their citizens to stay alert while visiting Israel and to avoid certain areas, such as Gaza, the Lebanese and Egyptian borders, and sometimes the West Bank - though no country has yet included a warning about the Iranian threat. » Read more

Gaza authorities plan to block online pornography ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency August 31, 2012 - 12:00am GAZA CITY (Ma’an) -- The Gaza government's ministry of communications announced on Thursday it would block access to pornographic websites starting in September. Ministry licensing head Kamal al-Masr said they the authorities had asked the 10 main Internet providers operating in Gaza to block the sites from Sept. 1, after a government decision a week earlier. Any violations of the decision will be punished under Palestinian communications and penal law, he added. » Read more

Settlers stone Palestinian bus near Ramallah, 5 hurt ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency August 31, 2012 - 12:00am NABLUS (Ma’an) -- Five Palestinians were wounded on Friday morning after a group of settlers threw stones at their bus near Ramallah, witnesses said. The bus was traveling from Nablus, when it was attacked by the settlers from a hill near Burqa village, one of those injured, Raed Ewais, said. Settlers threw stones, damaging the bus and injuring passengers, witnesses said. The incident came after settlers gathered on the same road on Thursday night near Sinjil, throwing stones at passing vehicles. » Read more

Ahmadinejad 'supports Palestinian reconciliation' ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency August 31, 2012 - 12:00am BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) -- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has stressed his country's commitment to reconciliation between estranged Palestinian factions, his office said Friday, days after invitations to Iran strengthened a rift between Hamas and Fatah parties. Ahmedinejad told President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday: "We love Palestine, and we are committed to achieve Palestinian national reconciliation as it will contribute to the Palestinian resistance." » Read more

Palestinians slam Israeli attempt to confiscate lands in West Bank ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua August 31, 2012 - 12:00am RAMALLAH, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- A 3,500-dunum of land devoted for future economic and industrial investment in the West Bank, is facing a serious threat of an Israeli confiscation, although it is owned by the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), officials revealed on Thursday. » Read more

Israeli defense minister says Egypt bent on controlling Sinai ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua August 31, 2012 - 12:00am JERUSALEM, Aug. 30 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Thursday complimented Egypt's new leadership for working to restore law and order in the Sinai Peninsula, saying that Israel should grant the Egyptian military time necessary to root out militant groups operating in the area. "Egypt is certainly trying to gain control (in Sinai), and we must respect and allow them this experience," Barak told Army Radio. » Read more