Despite Palestinian media reports blaming Israel for the suspected outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Palestinian areas, Israeli authorities handed over to Palestinian Authority officials 220,000 vaccines to inoculate their herds against the virus on Sunday morning.
In yet another example of Arab leaders advocating terrorism and violence to settle disagreements, Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri said Lebanon has the right to fight for and “liberate by all means available” the disputed Sheba Farms area, including cross-border attacks by Hizb’Allah.
Israel’s new Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has arrived in Washington for his first official visit with the Bush Administration, leaving behind the traditional “shopping list” of Israeli defense needs and yet another surge of Palestinian terrorism.
Tensions remain high throughout Israel, as Palestinians staged violent riots and shooting attacks on Thursday and into Friday, when Israeli Arabs were more subdued in their annual “Land Day” protests.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon found lots of common ground on Tuesday with US President George W. Bush regarding his guarded approach to peace with the Palestinians, but Bush left it unclear whether PLO chief Yasser Arafat would get his own invite to the White House soon.
Even as US Secretary of State Colin Powell met with PLO chief Yasser Arafat in Ramallah on Sunday to urge an end to Palestinian violence, two Israelis were shot nearby in an ambush by members of Arafat’s elite bodyguard unit, Force 17.
Palestinian gunmen and rioters rampaged in the Ramallah area after a rare visit by PLO chief Yasser Arafat and the arrest of the brother of a senior Fatah commander.
While world leaders met today in an attempt to hammer out an agreement between two leaders who failed to sit down one with the other, violent clashes continued in Judea, Samaria, Gaza and in Jerusalem itself. Live fire from PA-ruled areas near Bethlehem was directed into the southern Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo with Israeli casualties. The tanks that have been in Gilo for the past week returned fire with their machine guns.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s “accidental” reference to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel in a hearing before Congress last Thursday made waves among Arab states, who called the statement a “dangerous” and “antagonistic” violation of international agreements.
A new poll of Americans indicates overwhelming support for Israel’s targeting of terrorists before they strike again.
By better than a 4 -1 ratio, Americans support Israel’s tough anti-terrorism strategy according to a new, bipartisan poll released this weekened by the America Middle East Information Network (AMEIN). “It’s clear from this survey that the overwhelming majority of Americans share the Israeli view that terrorism is never justified and should be combated aggressively,” said pollster Frank Luntz.
US Secretary of State Colin Powell will not attend the upcoming anti-racism conference in Durban, forcing Israel to reassess the level of its own representation at the UN forum where Arab/Islamic elements plan to bash the Jewish State and people.
The Palestinian war against Israel has heated up again, as eight Israelis have been killed in commando raids and terrorist ambushes from Saturday through Monday, prompting IDF strikes at numerous Palestinian police positions. PLO chief Yasser Arafat and other Arab leaders were already livid at the Israeli responses and American verbal and material support for them, even before an IDF hit on the head of a militant PLO faction in Ramallah today ratcheted regional tensions to new levels.
Upon hearing of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s sudden resignation over the weekend, Palestinian officials gloated that the renewed intifada had brought him down, but also lamented over the resulting delay caused by new elections.
Ever since the heavy death toll in the Palestinian uprising on Friday, there have been several incidents of foiled bombings and narrowly averted disasters over the weekend, including one involving Israel’s Chief Rabbi.
After Lebanese reports of an impending deal between Israel and Hizb’Allah terrorists to exchange captives and detainees, Israeli security sources have confirmed that Jerusalem is continuing to try various channels in an effort to find a solution.
A Palestinian womens’ group has demanded that the Palestinian Authority stop using children as cannon fodder in its intifada against Israel.
Not even heavy rains were able to dampen the Palestinian uprising, as Tuesday saw widespread terrorist shootings against Israeli targets and today was marked by an intense nine-hour gun battle in southern Gaza.
With Israel now definitely heading into a campaign season, rumors are flying again that Prime Minister Ehud Barak is conducting secret negotiations with the Palestinian Authority in hopes of reaching an election-eve peace deal that will save his political career.
IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Shaul Mofaz confirmed Tuesday that “significant” indirect contacts have been made with Hizb’Allah through German mediators over a prisoner exchange for three kidnapped Israeli soldiers, but played down reports of an imminent deal.
As the international community scrambles to develop plans for inserting an observer force in the disputed territories, the US-led fact-finding committee came and went with little fanfare, leading many in Israel to wonder if the committee will really help reduce the Palestinian violence.