European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 25, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pages stars and stripes wednesday april 25 2007 in the world Hatem palestinian militants from islamic jihad take part in a training session tuesday in the evacuated jewish settlement of Netz Arim South of Gaza City Hamas militants fired a barrage of rockets and mortar shells toward Israel on tuesday and said they considered a five month truce with Israel Over Hamas resumes attacks on Israel by Ibrahim Barzak the associated press Gaza City Gaza militants in Gaza fired rockets and mortar shells at Israel for the first time in five months tuesday retaliating for deadly israeli raids in the pales Tinian territories and leaving a largely Success Ful Gaza truce in serious doubt the barrage which came on israels 59th in dependence Day did not cause any damage or injury but it marked the first time Hamas acknowledged firing shells toward Israel since agreeing to the ceasefire Hamas is tightly organized and Israel says attacks from Gaza have the tacit approval of the militant groups political leaders Hamas gave conflicting predictions about the future of the truce some officials said it was Over while others said everything de pends on israeli actions the ceasefire announced by palestinian presiden Mahmoud Abbas and israeli prime minister Ehud Al Cert in november declared an end to palestinian rocket fire and israeli at tacks including airstrikes at Gaza militants and punishing invasions of towns in Northern Gaza Israel stopped most of its military activity but kept Gaza in a stranglehold by closing vital Crossings citing Security threats and while Hamas rocket squads stayed on the sidelines other groups like Mamie jihad kept up fire of homemade rockets almost daily at israeli towns and villages just outside Gaza israeli raids in the Northern West Bank Over the weekend and a israeli missile strike in Gaza killed nine palestinians including two civilians and Hamas called for attacks against Israel in retaliation tuesdays rocket barrage was the first sign the new Hamas line might spell the end of me truce the ceasefire has been Over for a Long time Vand Israel is responsible for mat Hamas spokesman Abu Obeida told the voice of Palestine radio station we Are ready to Kidnap More and More and kill More and More of your soldiers Abu Obeida added referring to a Soldier captured in a Cross order raid by Hama linked Mili Tants in june palestinian prime minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas appeared to defend the attack we made great efforts at keeping the truce and there was a positive palestinian position but unfortunately this position was met by expanding israeli aggression and escalating it against the palestinian people he said Olmert and israeli defense minister Amir Peretz spoke by phone to discuss a possible response More Security consultations were planned for wednesday government officials said clashes rage for seventh Day in Somalia by salad Uhul the associated press Mogadishu Somalia car bombs exploded in Somalia Capi Tal tuesday and righting raged for a seventh straight Day with ethiopian and somali govern ment troops making a final push to wipe out an insurgency ahead of a peace conference several Large shipments of food for the tens of thousands of peo ple who have fled Mogadishu have been turned Back because there was no clearance from the somali government Aid workers and diplomats said the government has demanded to inspect ail Aid deliveries de spite the worst humanitarian Cri Sis in the country recent history islamic insurgents clashed with ethiopian troops backing so Mali government forces using mortars and rocket propelled Gre Nades against tanks and artillery positions in the North of the Bat to scarred coastal City a car bomb exploded outside the ambassador hotel which is a Man accused of being a spy is guarded by an insurgent holding an ak47 tuesday in Mogadishu Somalia used by government lawmakers said somali presidential spokes Man Hussein Mohamoud Hus Sein seven people were killed said eyewitness Abdikadir Mohamud the last seven Days of clashes have killed 358 people including at least 29 civilians and 36 insurgents who died tuesday Accord ing to Somalia Elman human rights organization Khalil Zad takes Over Asun ambassador by Edith m Lederer the associated press United nations Zalma Khalil Zad started his new Job Mon Day As the us ambassador to the United nations with one ambassador on the Security Council saying he has to be better than his controversial predecessor John Bolt on Khalil Zad was confirmed by the Senate on March 29 by unanimous voice vote to replace Bolton whose nomination by president Bush sparked a bruising Senate de Bate Bolton resigned in Decem Ber weeks before his recess appointment was to expire when asked about Khalil Zad As he headed into a Security Council meeting monday South Africa in ambassador Dumisani Kun Malo said with a smile he cant be As bad As Bolton Britain in ambassador Emyr Jones Parry the current Security Council president said he never talks about colleagues add ing Only in looking Forward to working with him Bolton arrived at the United nations in August 2005 after being appointed by Bush during a congressional recess because he twice failed to be confirmed by the sen ate during his time in the Post he was admired for trying to promote us foreign policy and for being a skilled not for Bis often aggressive and abrasive style the afghan born Khalil Zad by contrast has a reputation As a Gregari Ous glad hand ing Diplomat he is a favor Ite at the White House where he is known As Zal and a confidant of Secretary of state Condo Legezza Rice with whom he worked in the administration of Bush father Khalil Zad who Speaks several languages served As the us ambassador to Ira from june 2005 until last month and As us Ambas Sador to Afghanistan from 2003 to 2005 Richard Grenell spokesman for the us Mission to the in said that because Khalil Zad is an Iraq expert it will be a very big priority for him to get the United nations More involved in Iraq Khalil Zad British Navy resumes boarding ships in Gulf London Britain Royal Navy will resume boarding ships in the persian Gulf after suspend ing the operations when 15 sail ors and marines were taken Pris Oner by Iran the defense Secre tary said tuesday in his statement to the House of commons defence Secretary Des Brown said inquiries into the detention of the British Crew were continuing but that the Mili tary had taken measures in line with the findings of the initial re views of procedures to ensure the risk to boarding operations is minimized 22 killed in Philippines Campaign violence Manila Philippines at least 22 people have been killed in violence linked to frenzied campaigning for the Philippines May 14 local congressional elections and toll could Rise As polling Day nears police said tuesday although the 22 deaths and 80 violent election related Inci dents recorded by police so far Are fewer than the 41 deaths and 249 cases of election related Vio Lence in the 2004 presidential elections the figures Are Likely to Rise because of political tension in Many areas police director Wil Fredo Garcia said Gates visits Poland for Missil defense talks Warsaw Poland defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Poland for talks tuesday with polish leaders Over american plans to build a missile defense shield in the Eastern european country a Day after failing to move rus Sia from it stiff opposition to us missile defense bases in Europe during a visit to Moscow Gates faces a warmer reception in War saw from polish president Lech Kaczynski and defense minister Aleksander Szczygla us pushing for Sudan peacekeeping Resolution United nations the United states sought to use a in Resolution that would extend the in peacekeeping Mission in Southern Sudan to press for the deployment of 20000 in troops i i Darfur but the strategy is Likely to face difficulties from Security Council members who want to keep two operations separate mourners Honor Yeltsin during Moscow viewing Moscow hundreds of mourners some weeping Many clutching Flowers filed through a soaring Gold domed Moscow Cathedral tuesday past the open casket for Boris Yeltsin paying tribute to a Man who brought epochal changes to rus Sia but left behind a tarnished leg Acy As Public viewing began of the body of the first president of pos soviet Russia it was unclear How russians would Mark the passing of the Man who trans formed their lives for better or worse Yeltsin died of heart fail ure on monday at age 76 from the associated press