Israeli official: Militant Hamas ?like cancer?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Associated Press
by Steven Gutkin - September 9, 2008 - 8:00pm

Israel's point man in indirect, Egyptian-mediated talks with Hamas said Wednesday the Islamic militant group is more powerful than the Western-backed Palestinian government and is "like cancer." Senior Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad said talks with Hamas designed to secure the release of a captured Israeli soldier have gone better since a truce went into effect in June, but he added that a deal is "not close." "Since the truce we are discussing more seriously, but I am impressed only by results," he said.

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Israeli official: Militant Hamas ?like cancer?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Steven Gutkin - September 9, 2008 - 8:00pm

Israel's point man in indirect, Egyptian-mediated talks with Hamas said Wednesday the Islamic militant group is more powerful than the Western-backed Palestinian government and is "like cancer." Senior Defense Ministry official Amos Gilad said talks with Hamas designed to secure the release of a captured Israeli soldier have gone better since a truce went into effect in June, but he added that a deal is "not close." "Since the truce we are discussing more seriously, but I am impressed only by results," he said.

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Hamas: Talks to free Shalit frozen
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from
September 2, 2008 - 8:00pm

Hamas's senior leader in the Gaza Strip says talks on exchanging captured soldier Gilad Shalit for Palestinian prisoners have frozen. Mahmoud al-Zahar says the Egyptian-mediated negotiations have broken down because Israel won't meet Hamas demands to release prisoners convicted of murdering Israelis. Zahar also said Wednesday that the talks have stalled because Israel and Egypt won't open their border crossings with Gaza. Both countries sealed the border after Hamas seized power in Gaza in June 2007.

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Israel Reopens Gaza Crossings After Two-day Closure
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Nidal Al-Mughrabi - August 28, 2008 - 12:00am

Israel on Thursday reopened its border crossings with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, two days after they were shut in response to rocket attacks. Palestinian officials said three of the main commercial crossings were opened but a fourth remained closed. Israel tightened its borders with the Gaza Strip after Hamas Islamists seized the enclave more than a year ago. A June ceasefire has largely ended border violence, but Gaza militants occasionally fire rockets into Israel. Israel usually responds by shutting the crossings the following day.


Israel reopens Gaza crossings after two-day closure
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
August 27, 2008 - 8:00pm

Israel on Thursday reopened its border crossings with the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, two days after they were shut in response to rocket attacks. Palestinian officials said three of the main commercial crossings were opened but a fourth remained closed. Israel tightened its borders with the Gaza Strip after Hamas Islamists seized the enclave more than a year ago. A June ceasefire has largely ended border violence, but Gaza militants occasionally fire rockets into Israel. Israel usually responds by shutting the crossings the following day.


Barak To Mubarak: Egypt Is Central Factor In Return Of Shalit
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amos Harel - (Analysis) August 26, 2008 - 12:00am

Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Egyptian President Husni Mubarak on Tuesday that Israel views Egypt as a central factor in the return of kidnapped Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit. Shalit was abducted by Gaza militants in a cross-border raid in 2006. Egyptian-mediated talks with Hamas for his release have apparently reached a standstill.

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Israel Shuts Gaza Crossings After Rocket Attack
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
August 26, 2008 - 12:00am

Israel shut its border crossings with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, a day after two rockets were fired into the Jewish state, an Israeli official said. The official said Defence Minister Ehud Barak had "ordered the closure of crossings with Gaza" without saying for how long. The Israeli military said two rockets were fired from Gaza at Israel on Monday, causing no damage or casualties. The measure came as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited the region to press ahead with efforts to achieve an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal in the coming months.

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Barak holds meeting with Mubarak in Egypt on talks to free Shalit
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Amos Harel - August 25, 2008 - 8:00pm

Defense Minister Ehud Barak told Egyptian President Husni Mubarak on Tuesday that Israel views Egypt as a central factor in the return of kidnapped Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit. Shalit was abducted by Gaza militants in a cross-border raid in 2006. Egyptian-mediated talks with Hamas for his release have apparently reached a standstill.

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Israel Shuts Gaza Crossings After Rocket Attack
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
by Allyn Fisher-Ilan - August 25, 2008 - 8:00pm

Israel shut its border crossings with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, a day after two rockets were fired into the Jewish state, an Israeli official said. The official said Defence Minister Ehud Barak had "ordered the closure of crossings with Gaza" without saying for how long. The Israeli military said two rockets were fired from Gaza at Israel on Monday, causing no damage or casualties. The measure came as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited the region to press ahead with efforts to achieve an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal in the coming months.

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Officials: Cairo Talks Unlikely To Reconcile Hamas And Fatah
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Reuters
August 25, 2008 - 12:00am

A new round of Egyptian mediation starting on Monday and aimed at reconciling the rival Hamas and Fatah factions is unlikely to produce a breakthrough, officials familiar with the talks told Reuters. Sharp differences between Egypt and Hamas on two key issues will make it even harder for Cairo to broker a deal between the Islamic militant group that now rules the Gaza Strip and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement, they said.

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