2007 ISRAEL, THE MIDDLE EAST & NORTH AFRICA ARCHIVE :

Please note : Most publications move older stories into their archives which may require a fee to view the full story. Some stories listed below may no longer be available online.

See also archives for Iraq, Iran, and Afghanistan/Pakistan.

International Herald Tribune, 31 Dec 07, by Steven Erlanger
Israeli army faces new challenges in training officers
'Israel's defense forces are considered among the world's best, a people's army that combines professionalism and informality, and serves as a melting pot for a complicated society with real enemies. Yet it also faces challenges, including an effort to recover from a poorly run war, a rise in the number of young people dodging military service and an increase in religious Israelis, many of them settlers, who serve.'

Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec 07, by Raed Rafei
Blast sets Lebanon on edge
'Army official's slaying is a new twist in a series of assassinations. Militants may be trying to exploit a political standoff.'

Washington Post, 13 Dec 07, by Craig Whitlock
Algiers Attacks Show Maturing of Al-Qaeda Unit
'Until last year, al-Qaeda's affiliate in North Africa was an isolated bunch of desert and mountain guerrillas, struggling to attract recruits, money and attention. Tuesday's bombings in the heart of Algeria's capital are the latest sign that the network has improved on all three fronts since swearing allegiance to Osama bin Laden.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Dec 07, by Joshua Mitnick
Key players in Mideast talks may remain unseen
'Back channels are expected to be instrumental in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations starting Wednesday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 06 Dec 07, by Joshua Mitnick
More Gazans turn away from Hamas as Fatah heads toward peace talks
'Israel's army chief said Wednesday that the military is poised for a broad offensive in the Gaza Strip to further degrade the Islamic militants.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Dec 07, by Jill Carroll
In Algeria, Sarkozy condemns colonialism, pushes Mediterranean Union
'The French president called the colonial system 'unjust' and pitched a regional community for Mediterranean states.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Dec 07, by Steven Erlanger
Israel parts with U.S. on Iran assessment
'Israeli officials Tuesday took a darker view of Iran's nuclear ambitions than the U.S. intelligence assessment released Monday, saying that they were convinced that Iran was pursuing nuclear weapons and that it has probably resumed the weaponization program the Americans said was stopped in autumn 2003.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Nov 07, by Howard LaFranchi
In Mideast peace process, how big a role will Bush play?
'Bush appears to be playing down the importance of the US in the process, but some experts see a need for an active outside arbiter.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Nov 07, by Brian Knowlton
Russia seeking Syrian-Israeli talks
'Russia, with at least tacit American support, hopes to host a follow-up Middle East peace conference sometime in early 2008, with a goal of establishing direct Israeli-Syrian negotiations to resolve the longstanding Golan Heights dispute.'

Asia Times, 20 Nov 07, by Gareth Porter
A warning shot for Iran, via Syria
'The September Israeli air attack on a supposed nuclear facility in Syria - said by US officials to have been developed with assistance from North Korea - was all along intended as a warning to Iran. The message to Tehran, according to evidence now emerging, is that the US and Israel are capable of identifying its nuclear targets and penetrating air defenses to destroy them.'

Time Magazine, 19 Nov 07, by Nicholas Blanford
Trying to Hold Lebanon Together
'A country constantly on the verge of civil war and invasion does not need two contending governments. But that is the dangerous scenario facing Lebanon this week.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Nov 07, by Steven Erlanger
With 'final status' push, U.S. aims to lure more Arab states to Mideast talks
'By pushing Israel to accept immediate negotiations with the Palestinians on the thorny "final status" issues, with the aim to conclude a peace settlement within a year, the Bush administration is trying to attract a significant Arab presence at the peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland.'

BBC News, 20 Nov 07, by Heba Saleh
Israel seeks Arab peace support
'The Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, is holding talks in Egypt with President Hosni Mubarak ahead of a Middle East peace conference in the US.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Nov 07, by Steven Erlanger
Outlook gets murkier for Mideast talks
'The American-sponsored Middle East peace conference expected by the end of the month looks to be thin on content, mostly serving as a stage to begin formal negotiations on a peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas.'

Christian Science Monitor, 08 Nov 07, by Sam Dagher
Will 'armloads' of US cash buy tribal loyalty?
'The US policy of paying Sunni Arab sheikhs for their allegiance could be risky.'

International Herald Tribune and agencies, 09 Nov 07
U.K.-Saudi arms deal gets renewed scrutiny
'The British High Court on Friday ordered a full judicial review of the government's decision to stop an investigation into alleged corruption by BAE Systems in an arms deal with Saudi Arabia.'

International Herald Tribune, 11 Nov 07, by Thanassis Cambanis
Rise of radicals in region slows democratization in Jordan
'Hamas's rise to power in the Palestinian Authority and its violent takeover in Gaza has caused the government in Jordan to discard plans for a political overhaul that would have allowed for more candidates and fair elections.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Nov 07, by Ilene R. Prusher
Once hawkish, Olmert pushes peace
'Israel's prime minister is pressing for an agreement with Palestinians ahead of a US-hosted summit.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Nov 07, by Nicholas Blanford
Lebanon's militias rearm before vote
'Weeks ahead of presidential elections, black market weapons sales are soaring as factions prepare for street battles.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Nov 07, by Helene Cooper
Timetable set for Mideast peace process
'Israeli and Palestinian officials hope to reach a comprehensive peace agreement before the end of President George W. Bush's term, Israeli, Palestinian and American officials said Monday.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters, 04 Nov 07
Israel's security seen as key to deal for Palestinian state
'Israel and the Palestinians are still at odds over a joint document for the conference, which would serve as a starting point for negotiations on core issues ranging from borders to the fate of Jerusalem to millions of Palestinian refugees.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 30 Oct 07
Barak says large-scale operation in Gaza approaching
'Barak has made the threat before, but this is the first time he's repeated it since Israel started reducing fuel supplies to Gaza this week in another tactic to pressure militants to halt their rocket fire into southern Israel.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Oct 07, by Scott Peterson
Why Turkey is wary of Kurdish rebel trap
'Turks broadly support a strike into Iraq, but that could play into the hands of the PKK.'

Washington Post, 24 Oct 07, by Robin Wright and Joby Warrick
Photographs Said to Show Israeli Target Inside Syria
'Independent experts have pinpointed what they believe to be the Euphrates River site in Syria that was bombed by Israel last month, and satellite imagery of the area shows buildings under construction roughly similar in design to a North Korean reactor capable of producing nuclear material for one bomb a year, the experts say.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Oct 07, by Julien Barnes-Dacey
In raid's wake, Syria turns defensive
'President Bashar al-Assad met with North Korean officials this week as Damascus hardens against the West after a September Israeli airstrike.'

Christian Science Monitor, 23 Oct 07, by Joshua Mitnick and Dan Murphy
The roadblocks to another Mideast summit
'US Secretary of State Rice spent four days in the region trying to iron out differences between Israeli and Palestinian leaders ahead of November peace talks.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Oct 07, by Alissa J. Rubin
Turkey moves closer to an incursion into Iraq
'Tensions mounted along the Iraqi-Turkish border as the Turkish government sought parliamentary approval for military raids into northern Iraq.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Oct 07, by Steven Erlanger
Israel silent on reports of bombing within Syria
'Neither American nor Israeli officials would confirm or deny a New York Times report that Israel had hit a Syrian nuclear site in a Sept. 6 airstrike.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Oct 07, by David E. Sanger
Pre-emptive caution: The case of Syria
'... dealing with nations that may have nuclear weapons ambitions — but are also staying within the letter of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty — looks a lot more complicated than it once did.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Oct 07, by Steven Lee Myers
Rice pushes U.S. resolve on Mideast
'It has, officially, been a secret of American diplomacy, if not a particularly well-kept one: the time and place of the international conference called by President George W. Bush to begin negotiating peace between the Israelis and the Palestinians.'

Washington Post/AP, 15 Oct 07, by Mohammed Daraghmeh, AP
Rice: Now Is Time for Palestinian State
'The time has come for establishing a Palestinian state and it is in the interest of the U.S. to do so, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Monday in one of her most forceful statements yet on the issue.'

Washington Post, 15 Oct 07, by Molly Moore
Turkish General Sees U.S. Ties at Risk
'The commander of Turkey's armed forces warned that U.S.-Turkish military relations will be irreparably damaged if the U.S. House of Representatives approves a resolution accusing his country of genocide in the mass killings of Armenians nearly a century ago, according to an interview published Sunday.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Oct 07, by Mark Mazzetti and Helene Cooper
Israeli strike on Syria kindles debate in U.S.
'At issue is whether intelligence presented by Israel showing ties between Syria and North Korea was conclusive enough to justify military action and a possible rethinking of U.S. policy.'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Oct 07, by Howard LaFranchi
As Mideast realigns, US leans Sunni
'The White House is reembracing Sunni authoritarian regimes to counter the rise of Shiite Iran.'

Christian Science Monitor, 10 Oct 07, by Dan Murphy
As Egypt cracks down, charges of wide abuse
'Regular reports of torture and police abuse are fueling protests across the country.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Oct 07, by Steven Erlanger and Isabel Kershner
Olmert and Abbas hold talks on peace process
'The Israeli and Palestinian leaders met again Wednesday with their negotiating teams, which are supposed to start work next week to draft a joint statement describing a future peace settlement.'

Reuters, 05 Oct 07
Hamas pays Gaza security forces in cash
'Islamist group Hamas paid thousands of Gaza security officials on Friday by dishing out cash from suitcases rather than using banks, as Israel tightened a financial clampdown on the Palestinian territory. ... Israel and Western powers have tried to block funds from reaching Hamas through the Palestinian and international banking system as part of a policy to shore up Abbas and isolate the Islamist group.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 02 Oct 07
Israeli army begins to release details on Syrian air raid
'Israel on Tuesday eased a strict news blackout on an airstrike in Syria last month, allowing the first publication of reports it struck an unspecified "military target" deep inside Syrian territory.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Sep 07, by Sebnem Arsu
Iraq and Turkey sign pact to combat Kurdish rebels
'Iraq and Turkey agreed Friday to cooperate in fighting terrorism, but Iraq rejected Turkey's demand to allow crossborder pursuit of separatist Kurdish rebels.'

Washington Post, 21 Sep 07, by Glenn Kessler and Robin Wright
Israel, U.S. Shared Data On Suspected Nuclear Site
'Israel's decision to attack Syria on Sept. 6, bombing a suspected nuclear site set up in apparent collaboration with North Korea, came after Israel shared intelligence with President Bush this summer indicating that North Korean nuclear personnel were in Syria, U.S. government sources said.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Sep 07, by Isabel Kershner
In show of cooperation, Palestinians transfer rockets to Israeli Army
'Palestinian Authority security officials found two Qassam rockets in the Bethlehem area of the West Bank and transferred their find to the Israeli Army.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Sep 07, by Helene Cooper
Saudi asks Israel to halt work on security barrier
'Saudi Arabia's foreign minister says that Israel should stop work on a security barrier in and along the West Bank and halt settlement activity there as a good-will gesture to assure Arab states that it is serious about comprehensive peace talks.'

Washington Post, 18 Sep 07, by Robin Wright and Glenn Kessler
U.S. Faces a Middle East Hungry for Peace Specifics
'Officials afraid diplomatic efforts will fall short.'

Jerusalem Post, 11 Sep 07, by Yaakov Katz
Security and Defense: 'Always ask about the goals'
'... as [Israel's] deputy defense minister under Ehud Barak, [Matan] Vilna'i's outlook on life is not much different from what it was during his days as a general. Whether in regard to the Palestinian conflict, a large-scale operation in Gaza or the Iranian nuclear threat, Vilna'i always asks himself the same question: "What are my goals?"'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Sep 07, by Isabel Kershner
Israel and Syria seek to calm tensions over alleged border incursion
'Israel and Syria appeared to be trying to scale down tensions Thursday after Damascus said Israeli warplanes had violated its airspace and been chased away by its air defenses.'

Chicago Tribune, 06 Sep 07, by Joel Greenberg
Report on war rips Israelis
'Public debate here in the year since the war has focused on faulty decision-making, questionable tactics and logistical shortcomings that critics say led to the deaths of 119 Israeli soldiers and 39 civilians in the conflict. There has been little discussion of the huge cost in Lebanese civilian lives and whether Israeli forces violated the laws of war in their attacks -- a charge made in a new report by Human Rights Watch to be released Thursday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Sep 07, by Nicholas Blanford
Lebanon's rising jihadi threat
'Even after the Lebanese Army defeated Islamic militants Sunday, Al Qaeda's credo is spreading in Palestinian camps.'

Washington Post, 03 Sep 07, by Alia Ibrahim
Lebanese Army Seizes Refugee Compound
'The Lebanese army seized control Sunday of a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon after a fierce firefight with members of an al-Qaeda-inspired group, ending a siege that lasted more than three months.'

International Herald Tribune, 03 Sep 07, by Isabel Kershner
Olmert issues warning after rockets are fired at Israeli border town
'Olmert warned that Israeli retaliation had "exacted a very heavy price" in the past, and would continue to do so in the future.'

Christian Science Monitor, 28 Aug 07, by Nicholas Blanford
In Lebanon, soldiers win new respect
'Nearly 150 Lebanese soldiers have died recently in clashes with Al Qaeda-linked militants, but growing public support has lifted the Army's morale.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Aug 07, by Steven Erlanger
Israeli says Hamas is training hundreds abroad
'Hamas has sent hundreds of its fighters abroad for military training, most of them to Iran, the Israeli Army's deputy chief of staff says, and Israel has the names of more than 100 of them. Israel is watching as Hamas, in control of Gaza, is building an army there on the model of Hezbollah in southern Lebanon ...'

International Herald Tribune, 17 Aug 07, by Steven Erlanger
Events prod U.S. to make new push for Mideast deal
'... recent events here — the victory of the radical Islamic movement Hamas in Gaza and Fatah's rapid collapse there — have focused the diplomatic mind and shaken Israel, the United States and the secular Sunni Arab states, like Egypt and Saudi Arabia, already nervous about a rising Iran.'

International Herald Tribune, 16 Aug 07, by Steven Erlanger
Seeking to buttress Israel, U.S. signs military aid deal
'Israel and the United States signed a deal Thursday giving Israel $30 billion in military aid over the next decade in what officials called a long-term investment in peace. The officials insisted that the deal was not dependent on a simultaneous American plan for $20 billion in sales of sophisticated arms to its Arab allies in the region, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia. But Israeli officials acknowledged that the aid to Israel would make it easier for the Bush administration to win congressional approval of the arms sales to Arab countries.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug 07, by Dan Murphy
Hamas optimism vs. Fatah despair
'In Hamas-controlled Gaza, Palestinian militants express a new enthusiasm for the coastal strip, while their Fatah counterparts face growing disillusionment.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Aug 07, by Joshua Mitnick
Israeli youths opt out of army service
'One in 4 eligible males is now exempt from compulsory military service, according to army figures.'

International Herald Tribune, 13 Aug 07, by Isabel Kershner
Nerves in Gaza grow rawer as Hamas breaks up rally
'Tensions rose Monday between the Hamas rulers in Gaza and the Fatah-led opposition there, with Hamas forcefully breaking up what opposition leaders insisted was a peaceful rally for the freedom of expression.'

Asia Times, 14 Aug 07, by Colin Hinshelwood
Israeli soldiers express pain of war
'An Israeli organization of demobilized soldiers called 'Breaking the Silence" is dedicated to bringing to ordinary Israelis the realities of occupation duties in the Occupied Territories and the dehumanizing impact they can have on Israel's citizen soldiers. Most Israelis are ignorant of the abuses and crimes inflicted in their name.'

Asia Times, 10 Aug 07, by M K Bhadrakumar
Turkey's Kurdish worries deepen
'If Turkey had its way, it would send its troops into northern Iraq without delay to deal once and for all with Kurdish militants based there. It's not as simple as that, however. The Kurdish autonomous region in Iraq has emerged as a power-broker in fractured Iraq and, more important, it has the backing of the United States, which opposes any form of Turkish intervention. Ankara will have to stay its hand for now.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 Aug 07, by Hassan M. Fattah
U.S. promotes free elections, only to see allies lose
'The paradox of American policy in the Middle East - promoting democracy on the assumption it will bring countries closer to the West - is that almost everywhere there are free elections, the American-backed side tends to lose.'

International Herald Tribune, 09 Aug 07, by Sabrina Tavernise
Jordan yields poverty and pain for the well-off fleeing Iraq
'The war has scattered hundreds of thousands of Iraqis throughout the Middle East, but those who came here tended to be the most affluent. Most lacked residency status and were not allowed to work, but as former bank managers, social club directors and business owners, they thought their money would last. It has not.'

The Times, 07 Aug 07, by James Hider
Talks lay the groundwork for a Palestinian state
'Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, said yesterday that he hoped to begin talks on creating a Palestinian state soon, dropping months of resistance to holding discussions on the core issue of statehood for the West Bank and Gaza.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Aug 07, by Nicholas Blanford
Concerns rise as arms flow to Lebanon
'... it is the alleged smuggling of weapons and the transit of militants from Syria into Lebanon that has drawn the attention of the United Nations and raised the prospect of deploying UN troops along the porous frontier.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 07 Aug 07
Turkey to warn Iraq's PM to act against Kurdish rebels or face Turkish incursion
'Kurdish guerrillas killed a Turkish lieutenant in the southeast on Tuesday, as the Iraqi prime minister arrived for a visit likely to be dominated by Turkish warnings to either crack down on rebel bases in northern Iraq or face a possible incursion.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Aug 07, by Brian Knowlton
Bush seeks to shore up Lebanon
'With Lebanon teetering in crisis, President George W. Bush has issued an emergency order to allow the seizure of assets of anyone found to be working to undermine its democratic government, a move that could increase pressure on Syria and Iran for supporting anti-government elements there.'

BBC News, 03 Aug 07
France and Libya sign arms deal
'Libya has signed contracts with France to buy anti-tank missiles and radio communications equipment worth $405m (£199m), Libyan officials have said. The arms agreement is Libya's first with a Western country since a European Union embargo was lifted in 2004.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Aug 07, by Ilene R. Prusher
Shifting politics bring Arabs and Israelis closer
'The possibility that Israel and Saudi Arabia may sit at the negotiating table together distinguishes this new chapter in peacemaking efforts from the failures of the past.'

Washington Post, 03 Aug 07, by Robin Wright
Another Tour Ends Without Solid Plans On Mideast Peace
'Many Arab governments want a full-blown conference that produces a broad and specific agreement, while the administration has talked instead of a meeting to explore options and ideas. The basic problem is one that has plagued the peace process for years: the wide gap on issues such as the status of Jerusalem, the fate of Palestinian refugees and the future of Jewish settlements -- and the tough negotiations required to resolve them.'

Christian Science Monitor, 03 Aug 07, by Dan Murphy
Meeting Rice, Palestinian president agrees to discuss 'declaration of principles' with Israel
'But despite the concession, it's unclear how much a US-promoted international conference this fall can accomplish.'

Christian Science Monitor, 02 Aug 07, by Dan Murphy and Rasheed Abou-Alsamh
Secretary Rice's Mideast mission: contain Iran
'US plans to give more than $20 billion in military aid to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and other Sunni Arab states.'

Washington Post, 03 Aug 07, by Michael Abramowitz
Threats to Lebanon Risk Fiscal Stress
'President Bush authorized the Treasury Department yesterday to freeze the financial assets of anyone undermining the fragile government of Lebanon -- the latest White House move to raise pressure on Syria and its Lebanese allies.'

International Herald Tribune, 31 Jul 07, by Mark Mazzetti and Helene Cooper
U.S. arms plan for Mideast aims to counter Iranian power
'The Bush administration said Monday that its plan to provide billions of dollars in advanced weapons to Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Israel over the next 10 years was intended in part to serve as a bulwark against Iran's growing influence in the Middle East.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 29 Jul 07, by
Israel declines to criticize U.S. weapons sales to Gulf Arab states
'In a significant departure from past Israeli policy, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert posed no objections Sunday to a new U.S. plan to sell state-of-the-art weaponry to Saudi Arabia and other moderate Arab states, saying Iran was the common enemy.'

Christian Science Monitor, 31 Jul 07, by Joshua Mitnick
West Bank scholars push for spiritual reply to Hamas extremism
'Some advocate a liberal brand of Islamic politics that would support territorial compromise, while those with a strict interpretation of the Koran are attacking Hamas for straying too far by mixing religion and politics. But most agree that any challenge to Hamas must include a new spiritual formula.'

BBC News, 31 Jul 07
Iran 'biggest threat to Mid-East'
'US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has warned that Iran poses the biggest threat to US Middle East interests, as she begins a major regional tour.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Jul 07, by Isabel Kershner
Israel to let some Palestinians from Iraq live in West Bank
'A number of Palestinians who have fled war-torn Iraq will be allowed to come to live in the West Bank, Israeli officials said Monday, presenting the decision as the latest in a series of gestures meant to bolster the moderate Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas.'

BBC News, 27 Jul 07
Israeli military suspends company
'The Israeli military has suspended from duty an entire army company following the shooting of an unarmed Palestinian man in the West Bank on Thursday.'

Los Angeles Times, 27 Jul 07, by Louise Roug
Israeli airstrikes kill 4 Palestinians
'A top Islamic Jihad commander is among the militants slain in Gaza, where the army has increased its efforts.'

Washington Post/AP, 27 Jul 07, by Dale Gavlak,AP
Jordan Appeals for Help in Dealing With Iraqi Refugees
'Jordan pleaded on Thursday for international help to deal with hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who have fled here to avoid violence at home, saying the refugees cost the kingdom $1 billion a year in basic services.'

NPR, 25 Jul 07
Arab League Presents Peace Plan to Israel
'The foreign ministers of Egypt and Jordan formally presented an Arab peace plan during a historic visit to Israel on Wednesday. ... The League's peace plan envisions full recognition of Israel in return for withdrawal from lands captured in during the 1967 Middle East war.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 23 Jul 07
Hezbollah leader claims his rockets can hit all corners of Israel
'Hezbollah guerrillas possess an arsenal of rockets that can reach "any corner" of the state of Israel, including Tel Aviv, the group's leader said Monday in a rare interview.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Jul 07, by Isabel Kershner
Fatah militants lay down arms to bolster Abbas
'Scores of West Bank Palestinian militants taken off Israel's wanted list as a gesture to President Mahmoud Abbas are handing in weapons and signing pledges to cease violence against Israel, saying they want to give Abbas a chance to consolidate his rule here.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 Jul 07, by Isabel Kershner
Tony Blair begins new role as mideast envoy
'There are many question marks about what the former British prime minister can achieve as special envoy.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 Jul 07, by Nicholas Blanford
In Lebanon, the UN and Hizbullah make unlikely bedfellows
'Faced with a new threat from Sunni militants, UN peacekeepers turn to Hizbullah for protection.'

Washington Post, 20 Jul 07, by Robin Wright
Quartet, Iran See Different Futures for Middle East
'The Quartet endorsed President Bush's July 16 initiative to jump-start the moribund peace process with a meeting this fall of Israel and Arab countries willing to consider recognizing Israel.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Jul 07, by Steven Erlanger
News Analysis: Palestinians split between two camps
'Five years ago, President George W. Bush said he expected to see an independent Palestinian state before he left office. On Monday, Bush ratcheted back expectations and said Palestinians face a stark choice between Hamas, which favors Israel's destruction, and Fatah, which supports a two-state solution with Israel.'

Asia Times, 20 Jul 07, by Kaveh L Afrasiabi
Iran-Syria alliance on uncertain ground
'Overwhelmed with Iraqi refugees, facing uncertainty in Lebanon and playing footsie with Israel and Turkey have Syrian President Bashar al-Assad under pressure to reconsider his country's previously strong alliance with Iran. Assad and Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad could find themselves rethinking, or perhaps remodeling, their bond.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 19 Jul 07
U.S. and EU continue to reject dealing with Hamas
'The United States and the European Union on Thursday held firm to their refusal to deal with the Palestinian movement Hamas as former Prime Minister Tony Blair of Britain prepared to start his new job as Middle East peace envoy.'

Washington Post, 20 Jul 07, by Ellen Knickmeyer
Turkey Taking Harder Line on Restive Kurds
'The reason for the Turkish military's tougher tone toward the country's Kurdish minority lies just a few more mountains south, across the border in northern Iraq. There, Iraqi Kurds under the protection of occupying U.S. troops are flourishing ...'

Asia Times, 20 Jul 07, by Kaveh L Afrasiabi
Iran-Syria alliance on uncertain ground
'Overwhelmed with Iraqi refugees, facing uncertainty in Lebanon and playing footsie with Israel and Turkey have Syrian President Bashar al-Assad under pressure to reconsider his country's previously strong alliance with Iran. Assad and Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad could find themselves rethinking, or perhaps remodeling, their bond.'

Houston Chronicle, 15 Jul 07, by Ned Parker, Los Angeles Times
Report: Saudis are primary Iraq jihadists
'Although Bush administration officials frequently have lashed out at Syria and Iran for helping the insurgents and militias who attack U.S. troops and civilians here, the largest number of foreign fighters and suicide bombers in Iraq come from a third next-door neighbor, Saudi Arabia, according to a senior U.S. military officer and Iraqi lawmakers.'

Asia Times, 17 Jul 07, by Jim Lobe
Bush's plan: 'Too little, too late, too risky'
'A major policy address on Monday by President George W Bush promoting a two-state solution for Israel and Palestine has been greeted with considerable skepticism by Middle East specialists here.'

Reuters, 17 Jul 07
Assad seeks Israeli guarantees before peace talks
'Syria will enter peace talks with Israel only if the Jewish state commits first to a complete withdrawal from the occupied Golan Heights, President Bashar al-Assad said on Tuesday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 17 Jul 07, by Dan Murphy and Joshua Mitnick
Israel offers amnesty to boost Fatah
'In a bid to strengthen Fatah against Islamic militant group Hamas, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert rewarded the Abbas government on Monday with amnesty to 178 fugitives.'

Christian Science Monitor, 17 Jul 07, by Yigal Schleifer
In southeastern Turkey, democracy feels the sway of ancient clan culture
'Political parties often tap clan leaders, knowing a host of loyal voters will follow. But some say such practices are a hindrance to democracy.'

BBC News, 10 Jul 07, by Martin Asser
One year on: Lebanon political paralysis
'Lebanon is much changed politically since it was thrust into the international spotlight with the capture of two Israeli soldiers by the Hezbollah movement one year ago. After the collapse of the unity government, there is paralysis in legislature and deadlock over fundamental issues.'

Washington Post/AP, 10 Jul 07, by Mohammed Daraghmeh, AP
Hamas Denies al-Qaida Infiltration
'Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas accused Gaza's Hamas rulers of allowing al-Qaida to infiltrate the coastal strip, and Hamas militants on Tuesday hotly denied the allegation.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Jul 07, by Hassan M. Fattah
Growing talk of a Jordanian role in Palestinian affairs
'Even a few months ago, talk of some kind of Palestinian union with Jordan would have sounded quaint or even conspiratorial, 40 years after Jordan lost control of the West Bank in the 1967 war and nearly two decades after King Abdullah's father, King Hussein, formally ceded administrative control of the territory to the Palestinians.'

International Herald Tribune, 08 Jul 07, by Isabel Kershner
Israel pledges to free 250 jailed Palestinians
'Israel announced Sunday that it would release 250 Palestinian prisoners, a move intended to bolster the administration of President Mahmoud Abbas, a government spokesman said.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Jul 07, by Isabel Kershner
Israeli offensive in central Gaza kills 11 militants
'At least 11 Palestinian militants were killed in airstrikes and armed clashes during an Israeli Army incursion into central Gaza on Thursday, Palestinian medical officials said. It was one of the bloodiest days for Hamas since it took control of the Gaza Strip three weeks ago.'

Los Angeles Times, 06 Jul 07, by Ken Ellingwood
Fatah on shaky ground in West Bank
'Many are looking to the fractured Palestinian party to curb Hamas' reach, but some wonder whether it will be able to hang on to its stronghold.'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Jul 07, by Scott Peterson
Turkey's Kurds still prepared to fight
'Attacks by Kurdish separatists have surged this year after several years of calm.'

Le Figaro, 05 Jul 07, by Patrick Saint-Paul
Hamas wants to exploit Johnston case
'By releasing the BBC journalist, the Islamists have succeeded where the Palestinian [National] Authority failed.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 03 Jul 07
Yemen security officials say they feared al-Qaida attack, but not against tourists
'Yemeni security officials had been warned about a possible al-Qaida attack, but said Tuesday they did not think it would include the suicide bombing that killed a group of Spanish tourists visiting a remote temple.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 02 Jul 07
U.S. accuses Hezbollah of aiding Iran in Iraq
'A U.S. general said Monday that Iran was using the Lebanese Shiite militia Hezbollah as a "proxy" to arm Shiite militants in Iraq, and that the elite Iranian Quds Force helped militants carry out a January attack in Karbala that killed five Americans.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 Jun 07, by Warren Hoge
Border regimen can't stop arms flow from Syria to Lebanon, UN team says
'The present state of border control is inadequate to prevent the smuggling of arms from Syria into Lebanon, according to a report from a UN assessment team delivered to the Security Council.'

Reuters, 27 Jun 07
Lebanon - ICRC Bulletin No. 05 / 2007
'The ongoing violence has hampered humanitarian operations carried out by the Palestine Red Crescent Society and the Lebanese Red Cross Society in cooperation with the ICRC.'

Christian Science Monitor, 29 Jun 07, by Scott Peterson
Why Turkey's Kurds are ever more edgy
'While Kurds are testing the limits of legal reforms that grant more freedoms, an uptick in attacks from separatists threaten to erode gains made by the ethnic minority.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 26 Jun 07
Mideast negotiators meet in Jerusalem for first time since Hamas took Gaza
'International Mideast negotiators met in Jerusalem on Tuesday, searching for ways to revive peace talks in the wake of Hamas' violent takeover of the Gaza Strip earlier this month. The gathering of the so-called Quartet of Mideast peace makers came a day after the Israeli, Palestinian, Egyptian and Jordanian leaders held a summit in a unified stance against Hamas.'

Forbes/Oxford Analytica, 26 Jun 07
Egypt Faces Policy Crisis Over Gaza
'Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak on Monday convened an emergency summit on Gaza ... The move signals Cairo's concern about the implications of the takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas.'

BBC News, 25 Jun 07
Hamas is 'ready to talk' to Fatah
'The former Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya of Hamas says his group is ready to talk to its Fatah rivals.'

Washington Post, 26 Jun 07, by Karen DeYoung
Al-Qaeda, Seeking New Sway, Urges Muslims to Aid Hamas
'Ayman al-Zawahiri, al-Qaeda's second in command, called on all Muslims yesterday to support the Islamic movement Hamas in the Gaza Strip by sending money and weapons to defend it against what he said are attacks planned by Western and Arab governments.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Jun 07, by Tom A. Peter
UN peacekeepers vow to stay in Lebanon
'An attack that killed six prompts Lebanon's government to appeal for outside help.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Jun 07, by Joshua Mitnick and Ilene R. Prusher
All eyes on Abbas in West Bank
'The Fatah leader has popular support, but faces lawlessness and other challenges.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Jun 07, by Steven Erlanger
Egypt backs Abbas by organizing a summit meeting
'In a gesture of support for the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah, Egypt organized a summit meeting for him with Jordanian and Israeli leaders to take place Monday, Israel announced Thursday.'

NPR 'All Things Considered', 21 Jun 07, by Linda Gradstein
Israel Grapples with Border Security Along Gaza
'The Hamas takeover of Gaza presents new challenges for Israel.'

International Herald Tribune, 20 Jun 07, by Michael Slackman
Arab leaders uneasy over Hamas victory in Gaza
'The fight over control of the Gaza Strip has frightened Arab leaders because it was characterized by the same dynamics that have been roiling the region. It pitted a Western-backed leadership in power for years against a newly empowered, radical Islamist group aligned with Syria and Iran.'

Christian Science Monitor, 21 Jun 07, by Joshua Mitnick and Jill Carroll
On Gaza's borders, anxiety mounts
'Israel relaxed travel restrictions Wednesday, allowing a few seriously ill Palestinians and all foreign nationals to leave Gaza.'

Christian Science Monitor, 19 Jun 07, by Ilene R. Prusher
Israel's sudden Gaza dilemma
Potential humanitarian crisis? The UN says food will run out in about 10 days if Gaza stays sealed. 'Unprepared for the Hamas coup last week that routed the Fatah faction from Gaza, Israel is now faced with the quandary of what to do with the sudden emergence of an Islamic militant ministate on its borders.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Jun 07, by Ian Fisher and Isabel Kershner
Shooting erupts at Israel-Gaza border as Fatah supporters try to flee
'... Gaza and its 1.5 million people have been cut off for four days now, and while aid officials say the situation there is not yet dire, a new complication may make it harder for the borders to re-open: Israel will not deal with Hamas, which now runs Gaza on its own, even to coordinate moving trucks through checkpoints.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Jun 07, by Michael Slackman
Egyptian smuggling is fueling crisis in Gaza
'The Hamas military takeover of Gaza last week was partly fueled by caches of weapons smuggled through tunnels below this gritty Sinai border town. Two days spent with smugglers here suggest that to stanch the flow of weapons, Egypt will ultimately have to address the economic and social concerns of the region, and not rely solely on its security forces.'

Washington Post, 19 Jun 07, by Glenn Kessler
U.S. Lifts Embargo To Help Abbas
'The United States yesterday lifted its embargo on direct aid to the Palestinian government, joining the European Union and other countries in a swift demonstration of support for embattled President Mahmoud Abbas in his struggle against the anti-Israeli militant group Hamas.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Jun 07, by Judy Dempsey
EU to release aid to Palestinian Authority
'European Union foreign ministers announced Monday in Luxembourg that they would resume direct aid to the Palestinian Authority amid warnings by analysts that the bloc's policy in the region continued to be dangerously inconsistent and damaging to the EU's credibility.'

The Guardian, 15 Jun 07, by Conal Urquhart and Ian Black
Hamas declares victory
'The Palestinian quest for an independent state was on the verge of collapse last night after Hamas militants took control of the Gaza Strip, banishing and executing their Fatah rivals and declaring Islamic rule on Israel's doorstep.'

Washington Post, 14 Jun 07, by Scott Wilson
Abbas Dissolves Palestinian Government
'Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas dissolved the Palestinian unity government Thursday and declared a state of emergency as the surging Islamic forces of the rival Hamas movement nearly completed their military conquest of the Gaza Strip.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 Jun 07, by Ilene R. Prusher
As Gaza unravels, Palestinians flee
'By the time the Islamic militant group Hamas declared victory in Gaza Thursday, thousands of Palestinians had already fled the coastal strip. Recent figures collected by European monitors at Rafah, the crossing into Egypt, show that some 14,000 Palestinians have left Gaza in the past year, driven by a combination of political insecurity and economic strain.'

The Guardian, 15 Jun 07, by Julian Borger and Ian Black
UN and Arab states search for solutions to end the bloodshed
'The UN was yesterday contemplating the deployment of an international peacekeeping force in Gaza as a possible last resort to prevent a Palestinian civil war. Egypt, which has brokered a series of shortlived ceasefires, requested an emergency meeting of Arab League foreign ministers who are expected to gather in Cairo tomorrow. But diplomats admitted that the league's options were limited.'

Christian Science Monitor, 06-07 Jun 07, by Scott Peterson
Shiites Rising
Part 1: Islam's minority reaches new prominence
Part 2: Sect leaders craft message for masses
'Shiite Muslims are leading an 'axis of resistance' that unnerves Sunnis and challenges the US and Israel. The leaders ... mix populism and Shiite theology to win broad support in a fight against America and its allies.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Jun 07, by staff
Portraits of Shiite resistance
'Three leaders in Iraq, Iran, and Lebanon are united in theology and a common fight against the West.'

Christian Science Monitor, 06 Jun 07, by staff
The origins of Shiite Islam
'A split between Muslims started with the battle over who should lead the faithful after the prophet Muhammad's death.'

Stratfor, 05 Jun 07
Egypt: Taking a Backseat in the Middle East
[subscription only] 'Egypt, once the leader in the Middle East, has been relegated to a supporting role in the region. While Egypt concerns itself with internal affairs and limited resources, Saudi Arabia has taken the wheel.'

BBC News, 07 Jun 07
Saudi prince 'received arms cash'
'A Saudi prince who negotiated a £40bn arms deal between Britain and Saudi Arabia received secret payments for over a decade ... The UK's biggest arms dealer, BAE Systems, paid hundreds of millions of pounds to the ex-Saudi ambassador to the US, Prince Bandar bin Sultan.'

Los Angeles Times/Reuters, 07 Jun 07
Turkey denies launching major incursion into northern Iraq
'Turkey denied that it had launched a major incursion Wednesday into northern Iraq to crush Kurdish rebels, but a military source said troops had conducted a limited raid across the border.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 06 Jun 07
Olmert says Israel seeks peace with Syria
'sraeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday the Jewish state has no intention of going to war against Syria, seeking to reduce tensions with Damascus amid Israeli intelligence warnings of a Syrian military buildup.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Jun 07, by Isabel Kershner
Abbas sees Palestinians on brink of civil war
'Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, says that Palestinians are on the brink of civil war and that their internal battles are as dangerous to their welfare as the Israeli occupation, if not more so.'

Chicago Tribune, 06 Jun 07, by Irit Pazner Garshowitz
Living memory: The 1967 Six-Day War
'In recent days, Israelis and Arabs have marked the 40th anniversary of the Six-Day War, in which the Israeli military defeated armies from Egypt, Jordan and Syria and captured the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, populated mostly by Palestinians. Here are excerpts of interviews with an Israeli and a Palestinian who were part of history in 1967 ...'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 05 Jun 07
Israel halts latest incursion into Gaza
'Israeli tanks and infantry pulled out of the southern Gaza Strip early Tuesday, halting the largest ground operation in the area in months.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 Jun 07, by Hassan M. Fattah
Lebanon Army keeps up siege of Palestinian camps
'In a series of skirmishes that began Sunday afternoon, militants with the Islamist group Jund al Sham opened fire on Lebanese Army soldiers, sparking a violent firefight that left numerous houses inside the camp ablaze and ultimately resulted in the death of the four men, military officials said.'

Washington Post, 05 Jun 07, by Anthony Shadid
As Crises Build, Lebanese Fearful of a Failed State
'Crisis usually defines Lebanon, but these days, the country is navigating threats that many describe in existential terms: a battle, entering its third week, between the Lebanese army and al-Qaeda-inspired fighters in a Palestinian refugee camp; a seemingly intractable and altogether separate confrontation between the government and opposition that has paralyzed the state and closed part of downtown Beirut for more than six months; and, as important, deadlock over the choice of the next president by November.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 Jun 07, by Nicholas Blanford
In fight against militants, Lebanon bolstered by US, Gulf countries
'The Lebanese army, carrying out a major offensive against Fatah al-Islam, has little combat experience and outdated equipment.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 05 Jun 07
Forty years on, agony of 1967 defeat lingers for Arabs
'Forty years after Israel's stunning victory over three Arab armies, the agony of defeat still lingers over the Arab world. But with tensions and divisions continuing to torment the Middle East, Arabs on the anniversay of the defeat have this week been focusing as much -- or more -- on the grim prospects for the future, as on the past.'

Washington Post/AP, 01 Jun 07, by Bassem Mroue, AP
Lebanese Army Masses Around Camp
'Under the cover of artillery barrages, dozens of Lebanese army tanks and armored carriers moved toward a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon Friday in pursuit of Islamic militants holed up inside.'

The Guardian/PA, 01 Jun 07
The shadowy power flexing its muscles in Gaza
'The Army of Islam is a shadowy but powerful group that is wielding increasing control in Gaza. Known as Jaish-e-al-Islam, it is thought to be influenced by, but not affiliated with, al-Qaida and seeks the liberation of Palestine and an Islamic state.'

Washington Post, 01 Jun 07, by Alia Ibrahim
Hezbollah Leads Criticism of U.N. Vote
'Hezbollah, the Shiite Muslim militia, and other opposition groups in Lebanon on Thursday denounced the U.N. creation of an international tribunal to prosecute suspects in the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafiq al-Hariri, calling it a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty.'

Globe and Mail/AFP, 01 Jun 07, by Mark MacKinnon, AFP
Is Syria working to foment civil war?
'Assassinations, Hezbollah protests, Fatah al-Islam fighting all linked to avoid justice in Hariri killing, son says'

International Herald Tribune, 30 May 07, by Steven Erlanger and Hassan M. Fattah
Jihadist groups fill a Palestinian power vacuum
'While a standoff between the Lebanese Army and Islamists at a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon has focused attention on a jihadist element taking root there, less noticed has been a radicalization in the Palestinian areas themselves.'

NPR 'Morning Edition', 31 May 07, by Peter Kenyon
Concern Grows over Terrorism in Morocco
[audio] 'A series of suicide bombings in the north African nation of Morocco, including one outside the U.S. Consulate in the capital Casablanca, has authorities on edge. They worry that severe poverty and the growing strength of Islamic political parties is breeding terrorism.'

International Herald Tribune/Reuters, 30 May 07
Britain and Libya unveil energy and arms deals
'British Prime Minister Tony Blair hailed what he called Britain's transformed relations with once-isolated Libya after meeting Muammar Gaddafi on Tuesday and the two countries unveiled major energy and defense deals.'

Christian Science Monitor, 25 May 07, by Tom A. Peter
US supplies Lebanese Army for fight against Fatah al-Islam
'The United States and its Arab allies have entered into the fray in northern Lebanon, sending several planeloads of supplies to the Lebanese Army, currently locked in a standoff with Islamic militants in a Palestinian refugee camp.'

Christian Science Monitor, 25 May 07, by Dan Murphy and Joshua Mitnick
Israel, US, and Egypt back Fatah's fight against Hamas
'The Bush administration has spent most of its $84 million in aid to Palestinians to train an elite corps of Fatah-loyal fighters.'

Washington Post/AP, 28 May 07, by Laurie Copans, AP
Israeli Army Can Broaden Ground Role
'Israel's army received approval Monday to broaden its ground operations against Gaza Strip militants who have been barraging Israeli border towns with deadly rocket fire, military officials said. The military, which has been primarily relying on intensified airstrikes in the past two weeks, will be able to increase the number of forces it sends into Gaza to carry out pinpointed raids, the officials said. But no widespread campaign is expected at this time, they added.'

International Herald Tribune, 27 May 07, by Steven Erlanger
Israel vows to continue attacks against Hamas
'... Prime Minister Ehud Olmert vowed to continue Israel's military assault on Hamas as an effort to stop the rocket fire, warning that "no one involved in terror is immune."'

San Francisco Chronicle, 28 May 07, by Christopher Allbritton
Foreign militants in Lebanon
'Many extremists in refugee camps battling army reportedly hail from elsewhere'

New York Times, 28 May 07, by Hassan M. Fattah
Militant Hints at Resolution in Lebanon
'As negotiations continued Sunday over the standoff between Lebanese troops and Fatah al Islam militants holed up in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon, a spokesman for the militant group signaled that a compromise could be possible to ease the two-week-old siege.'

Christian Science Monitor, 24 May 07, by Nicholas Blanford
Is Lebanon facing a 'new breed' of Al Qaeda?
'Little is known about Fatah al-Islam, but experts say it is similar to other militant groups inspired by Osama bin Laden.'

Toronto Star, 24 May 07, by Andrew Mills
Beirut issues an ultimatum
'Government says "terrorists" in camps will face death if they try to resist arrest'

BBC News, 23 May 07
Lebanese minister warns militants
'Lebanon's defence minister has said Islamist militants entrenched in a Palestinian refugee camp must surrender or face further military action.'

International Herald Tribune, 23 May 07, by Hassan M. Fattah and Nada Bakri
Offensive may be brewing in Lebanon
'The stream of Palestinians flowing out of the Nahr al Bared refugee camp continued Wednesday, as the Lebanese Army reinforced its positions and sent signals of an impending military offensive against the camp.'

Globe and Mail/AP, 22 May 07
Lebanon: Questions and Answers
'Lebanon still has about 400,000 Palestinians -- mostly refugees who fled after Israel was created in 1948, and their descendants. Many are crowded into 12 impoverished and often violent camps, banned from all but menial jobs and mostly living off UN aid.'

International Herald Tribune, 24 May 07, by Hassan M. Fattah
Assad grows into role of Syria's iron ruler
'Assad made three critical bets that proved successful, analysts here say. He bet that the U.S. occupation of Iraq would falter, hampered in part by Syria's funneling of militants to Iraq, and that Syria would become a critical part of any effort to stabilize the country.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 07, by Nicholas Blanford
New fight rips at a fragile Lebanon
'In the worst internal violence since the 1975-90 civil war, at least 71 people have been killed in a Lebanese Army battle with Islamic militants.'

Washington Post, 22 May 07, by Ellen Knickmeyer
Lebanon Confronts A Fierce Adversary
'A little-known Islamic militant group based in a Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon battled government troops Monday in some of the country's fiercest fighting since the civil war ended in 1990, surprising the Lebanese military with the scope of the group's weaponry and financing.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 May 07, by Hassan M. Fattah
Lebanese Army intensifies battle against militants in refugee camp
'Fierce fighting continued for a second day Monday between Lebanese soldiers and militants tied to Al Qaeda in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, as the army laid siege to a Palestinian refugee camp where the militants are holed up. The militants fought back, leaving the 40,000 residents in the camp caught in the cross-fire.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 May 07, by Taghreed El-Khodary and Steven Erlanger
Israeli air raids pound Gaza targets
'The Israeli Air Force continued its airstrikes in Gaza on Monday, killing four members of Islamic Jihad who were said by the Israeli Army to be on their way to launch rockets against Israel.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 May 07, by Joshua Mitnick
Israel weighs tactics toward Hamas
'Hamas's success in fighting a two-front war in Gaza against Israel and Fatah has given new urgency to calls in Israel for the military to retake large swaths of Gaza to clip the wings of the Islamic militants' recent ascendancy.'

Time, 21 May 07, by Nicholas Blanford
The Mystery Militia In Lebanon
'Fatah al-Islam has dominated security news in Lebanon since it first declared its existence late last year. The Sunni extremist group said it had split from Fatah al-Intifada, a pro-Syrian Palestinian faction which is headquartered in Damascus, and that its goal is to fight for the Palestinian cause. But divining the real identity of Fatah al-Islam has become mired in Lebanon's political crisis and the answer to what the group's real agenda is depends on whom you ask.'

NPR 'All Things Considered', 21 May 07, by Deborah Amos
Al-Qaida-Affiliated Groups on Rise in Lebanon
'The war in Iraq has accelerated recruitment to these groups. Some in Tripoli fought with Iraq's Sunni insurgents and came back to Lebanon to recruit others. Lebanese security sources say neighboring Syria is a big part of the problem, turning a blind eye to a smuggling route from Iraq, through Syria, to Tripoli. Syria denies any involvement. But al-Qaida is a new element in the radical mix, security sources say.'

Washington Post, 22 May 07, by Scott Wilson
Splinter Groups Rise in Refugee Camps
'The decline of traditional political institutions within Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon has allowed the rise of militant splinter groups ... The popularity of political Islam has risen in the camps over the past decade as the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians has fallen apart, experts said Monday.'

Wall Street Journal, 22 May 07, by Joseph Schuman
The Tug of Extremism Is Pulling Lebanon ...
'If you're looking for a fight in the Middle East you are likely to get one, which is why extremists along the regions' many fault lines have so often succeeded at stoking the flames of war when peace-minded locals and outsiders are trying to quench them.'

Washington Post, 18 May 07, by Scott Wilson
Fatah Troops Enter Gaza With Israeli Assent
'Israel this week allowed the Palestinian party Fatah to bring into the Gaza Strip as many as 500 fresh troops trained under a U.S.-coordinated program to counter Hamas, the radical Islamic movement that won Palestinian parliamentary elections last year.'

Los Angeles Times, 17 May 07, by Henry Chu
Factional fighting in Gaza imperils unity government
'This week's events underscore that the coalition was almost doomed from the start because Fatah and Hamas won't yield on who should control the weapons.'

Christian Science Monitor, 17 May 07, by Joshua Mitnick
Violence takes Gaza to the brink
'A series of deadly attacks this week could derail the fragile truce agreement between rival Palestinian factions and threatens to draw Israeli forces back in.'

Christian Science Monitor, 17 May 07, by Jill Carroll
In Algeria, a status quo vote
'Al Qaeda attacks last month have not altered the likely result of Thursday's parliamentary election.'

Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 07, by Ilene R. Prusher
Jerusalem: unified city, divided views
'... Palestinian and Israeli proponents of a two-state solution, long presumed to mean some kind of plan to award both peoples a capital seat in Jerusalem, worry that facts on the ground will preclude an equitable peace.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 May 07, by Hassan M. Fattah
Syria's Assad defiant toward Israel and U.S.
'Looking more confident than ever but no less defiant, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria said Thursday that efforts to make peace with Israel had faltered because Israel was too weak to make a deal.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 May 07, by Michael Slackman and Mona el-Naggar
Arab team to discuss peace in Israel
'President Hosni Mubarak met with Israel's foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, on Thursday and agreed that a team of Arab officials would soon visit Israel to discuss a peace proposal initiated by Saudi Arabia and endorsed by all members of the Arab League.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 May 07, by Steven Erlanger
Olmert disappointed by Israeli Army's performance
'Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel told the committee investigating the war against Hezbollah last summer that he was disappointed with the performance of the army, which was also disappointed with its own performance, according to testimony that was unexpectedly made public on Thursday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 May 07, by Howard LaFranchi
Iraq's neighbors weigh next steps after regional conference
'Participating countries – including Syria and Iran – now face the test of fulfilling promises of security and economic aid.'

Washington Post, 08 May 07, by Karen DeYoung
Turkish-Kurdish Dispute Tests U.S. Strategic Alliances
'While President Bush's new strategy in Iraq focuses on stopping the violence in Baghdad, trouble threatens to boil over in Iraq's Kurdish region to the north, which the administration frequently holds up as an island of stability and a model for the future.'

BBC News 07 May 07
Abbas urges support for US plan
'Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says a new US security plan includes "important steps" and has urged Israel to "respond favourably". Palestinian leaders have been debating the plan, which will allow greater freedom of movement in the West Bank. However, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya has already dismissed it, saying it will legitimise Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory. '

International Herald Tribune, 06 May 07, by Steven Erlanger
For Israeli leaders, Lebanon is quicksand
'In trying to attack its enemies within Lebanon, Israel has always come up against the difficulties of conventional warfare against nonstate actors taking refuge in a semi-state.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 06 May 07
Hamas denounces U.S. plan for Middle East accord
'Hamas, which leads the government of the Palestinian Authority and dominates its legislature, has poured scorn on American proposals to increase Palestinian movement and Israeli security.'

International Herald Tribune, 04 May 07, by Helene Cooper and Jon Elsen
U.S. and Iranian officials meet at session on Iraq
'American and Iranian officials spoke briefly Friday at a regional conference here on the Iraq situation, in a rare direct conversation between representatives of the two antagonistic nations.'

Christian Science Monitor, 04 May 07, by Howard LaFranchi
Iraq security drives US-Syria talks
'In a move signaling a significant change in US policy, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Thursday with her Syrian counterpart on the margins of an international meeting about Iraq. Though largely limited to a statement of US concerns about Syrian action with impact on Iraq, the meeting opens the door to further contact and signals a new Bush administration willingness to engage even its diplomatic foes to improve conditions in Iraq.'

Reuters, 04 May 07
U.S. timeline for Israeli, Palestinian moves
'The Bush administration has drawn up a timetable setting dates for when Israeli and Palestinian leaders would complete steps meant to bolster prospects for peace talks.'

Washington Post, 02 May 07, by Scott Wilson
Calls Mount for Olmert to Step Down
'Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is facing rising calls for his resignation, a defection from his coalition, and rumblings of insurrection within his own party after an official investigation found "serious failures" in his conduct of the war in Lebanon last summer. Olmert's aides and political allies acknowledged that the Winograd Committee's interim report was unusually harsh and would require political resilience to survive.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 May 07, by Jill Carroll
How did Al Qaeda emerge in North Africa?
'A briefing on the violent rise of a new-old jihadist group in Algeria.'

Christian Science Monitor, 30 Apr 07, by Dan Murphy
New Saudi tack on Al Qaeda
'The arrest of 172 suspected militants reveals a Saudi public that is helping in the fight against the terrorist group.'

Washington Post, 01 May 07, by Scott Wilson
Official Panel Accuses Israeli Leaders Of Multiple Failures in Lebanon War
'An official Israeli investigative committee on Monday accused Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of "a serious failure in exercising judgment, responsibility and prudence" in taking the country to war in Lebanon last summer.'

Washington Post/AP, 01 May 07, by Steven Gutkin, AP
War Report Calls Into Question Israeli Leader's Political Survival
'The report capped a six-month investigation into the war, which erupted July 12 when Hezbollah guerrillas killed three soldiers and captured two others in a cross-border raid. In 34 days of fighting, Israel failed to secure the return of the captured soldiers or to prevent Hezbollah from firing thousands of rockets into Israel.'

BBC News, 26 Apr 07, by Claire Bolderson
Israeli anxiety over 'enemy within'
'A series of events since last summer's war in Lebanon have reawakened fears in Israel of an enemy within. At the time, some Israeli Arabs were very critical of Israel's actions. And this week, one of the most outspoken critics has resigned his seat in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Apr 07, by Kirk Semple
Iran to attend regional talks on Iraq strife
'The government of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran announced Sunday that it would attend a regional conference on Iraq later this week, setting the stage for the first cabinet-level meeting between Iran and the United States since the end of 2004.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Apr 07, by David S. Cloud
U.S. warns of Mideast strife if Iraq fails
'Though Gates has spoken before about the consequences of failure in Iraq, his remarks were the Bush administration's starkest warning yet to Sunni-dominated regimes that they could face greater internal security threats if Iraq collapsed into anarchy.'

Reuters, 19 Apr 07
Gates allays Israeli fears over U.S. arms to Saudis
'U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates sought on Thursday to allay Israeli concerns about Washington's possible sale of advanced weaponry to Saudi Arabia, arguing that friendly Gulf states are a bulwark against Iran. Israeli officials have raised objection to the planned transfer by the Bush administration of a major arms package to Riyadh. The New York Times reported that the sale would include precision-guided bombs of the kind already in Israel's arsenal.'

Al-Ahram Weekly, 19 Apr 07
Peace before normalisation
'In a sign of solidarity, the Arab League committee of 13 foreign ministers met in Cairo this week to reiterate their support for the 2002 Arab peace initiative and set up several sub-committees to enhance it. The aim of the working groups or committees, as Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit put it earlier in the week, was to lay out the political formulations behind the Arab effort and explain the concept of land for peace.'

Washington Post, 17 Apr 07, by Ann Scott Tyson
In Mideast, Gates Pushes Support for Iraq
'Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates arrived Monday in Jordan on a Middle East trip aimed at bolstering regional support for the Iraqi government and countering Iranian "meddling," according to a senior defense official. Gates, who will stop in Egypt and Israel, also will focus on using potential U.S. arms sales and other military assistance to shape the forces of key American allies against "emerging threats" such as Iran and regional militant groups, said the official, who was not authorized to speak on the record.'

StrategyPage, 16 Apr 07
Israel Makes a SOCOM
'Israel is establishing a SOCOM (Special Operations Command), to coordinate the many different commando units it has in its armed forces. They did this after observing the success of the United States with their SOCOM.'

BBC News, 17 Apr 07
Algeria militants urged to disarm
'The founder of the Algerian militant group which said it was behind last week's bomb attacks, has called on its members to lay down their weapons.'

New York Times, 16 Apr 07, by Ian Fisher
U.S. Consulate Closes in Morocco Over Security Concerns
'The United States Consulate here said Sunday that it would close until further notice, a day after two brothers carried out puzzling suicide attacks near the consulate amid a spate of bombings in Morocco and Algeria.'

International Herald Tribune, 15 Apr 07, by William J. Broad and David E. Sanger
Fearing Iran, Arab states seek nuclear power
'Two years ago, the leaders of Saudi Arabia told international atomic regulators that they could foresee no need for the kingdom to develop nuclear power. Today, they are scrambling to hire atomic contractors, buy nuclear hardware and build support for a regional system of reactors.'

Washington Post, 12 Apr 07, by Craig Whitlock
Al-Qaeda Branch Claims Algeria Blasts
'Dozens Die in Strikes on Premier's Office, Police Post; 'New Front' Seen in N. Africa'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Apr 07, by Jill Carroll
How North African nations are dealing with Islamist resurgence
'Leaders must subdue the Islamist movement without empowering radicals or undercutting moderates, analysts say.'

International Herald Tribune, 10 Apr 07, by Isabel Kershner
Israeli security agency warns of new attacks by Hamas
'A recent wave of arrests of Hamas militants in the West Bank town of Qalqilya provided evidence that members of the Palestinian faction there are primed to resume attacks in Israel, the Israeli internal security service Shin Bet asserted Tuesday. It added that the Qalqilya network had already sent a truck packed with explosives on a failed suicide mission in the Tel Aviv area in March.'

Christian Science Monitor, 11 Apr 07, by Arthur Bright
US backing 'covert war' against Hizbullah in Lebanon?
'As reports indicate the militant Islamic groups Hizbullah and Hamas are rearming themselves in case of a conflict with Israel, a high-level Hizbullah official has accused the US of waging a "covert war" in Lebanon against the organization.'

Christian Science Monitor, 09 Apr 07, by Arthur Bright
Palestinian militants offer kidnapped Israeli soldier for prisoner swap
'Major disagreements remain over timetable, specifics of exchange, which could include high-profile captive Barghouti.'

International Herald Tribune, 05 Apr 07, by David S. Cloud And Helene Cooper
Israel's protests are said to stall Gulf arms sale
'A major arms-sale package that the Bush administration is planning to offer Saudi Arabia and other Gulf allies to deter Iran has been delayed because of objections from Israel, which says that the advanced weaponry would erode its military advantage over its regional rivals, according to senior United States officials.'

Christian Science Monitor, 06 Apr 07, by Nicholas Blanford
Syria, Hizbullah, Iran prepare in case of war
'Defensive measures taken amid US-Iran tensions spur concern about accidental conflict.'

BBC News, 02 Apr 07
Israel offers Arabs peace talks
'Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has proposed holding a regional peace conference following the revival of an Arab peace initiative.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Mar 07, by Michael R. Gordon
U.S. Navy flexes its muscles in the Gulf
'In a calculated show of force, the U.S. Navy has begun a major exercise in the Gulf, a move that Bush administration officials said was part of a broader strategy to contain Iranian power in the region. Two U.S. aircraft carriers - the John C. Stennis and the Dwight D. Eisenhower - participated in the exercise Tuesday along with more than a dozen other warships. It was the first time that two carriers had conducted joint operations in the Gulf since 2003, the year the United States invaded Iraq.'

International Herald Tribune, 28 Mar 07, by Isabel Kershner
Israeli Army strikes Gaza militants
'The Israeli Army fired artillery into the northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday, targeting Palestinian militants it said were preparing a rocket attack, an army spokeswoman said. It was the first time Israel had responded to rocket attacks since a cease-fire came into effect in November, but Israeli officials said that the action did not mark a change in policy or signal the beginning of an escalation.'

Washington Post, 29 Mar 07, by Faiza Saleh Ambah
Saudi King Finds Fault With Arab Leadership
'Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah told Arab leaders gathered here Wednesday that they were to blame for the civil strife and divisions plaguing the Arab world.'

International Herald Tribune, 29 Mar 07, by Hassan M. Fattah
U.S. role in Iraq is called illegal by Saudi king
'King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia told Arab leaders on Wednesday that the American occupation of Iraq was illegal and warned that unless Arab governments settled their differences, foreign powers like the United States would continue to dictate the region's politics.'

International Herald Tribune, 26 Mar 07, by Helene Cooper
Rice aims for delicate balance in Mideast shuttle
'American, Israeli and Arab officials continued their crawl toward Middle East peace negotiations on Sunday. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice prodded the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to agree, at least, to negotiating objectives, while Egyptian officials said that they were waiting for Israel to make the next move.'

Jerusalem Post, 26 Mar 07, by Herb Keinon
Israel open to Arab peace initiative
'Israel would "not dismiss" an Arab diplomatic initiative that talks about normalization of relations, Palestinian statehood within the pre-1967 lines and the right of refugee return as the opening of a negotiating process and not as a take-it-or-leave-it deal, senior Israeli officials said Sunday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Mar 07, by Dan Murphy
Egypt dials back political reform
'Constitutional amendments, expected to pass Monday, will bar the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's most popular opposition group.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Mar 07, by Helene Cooper
U.S. is to trim aid to Palestinian forces
'The Bush administration will reduce by about 40 percent the aid it is seeking from Congress for the security forces of the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, and set new conditions for monitoring the money because of concerns that some of it could end up with Hamas, the militant Islamist organization, administration officials said Wednesday.'

Christian Science Monitor, 22 Mar 07, by Joshua Mitnick
War drill fails to reassure Israelis
'A massive mock attack does little to deflect concern over a series of scandals that has severely weakened faith in government.'

International Herald Tribune, 18 Mar 07, by Isabel Kershner
U.S. and Israel split over new unity government
'Differences emerged Sunday in the Israeli and American approaches to the new Palestinian unity government, though the core policies of both remain fundamentally in tune.'

BBC News, 18 Mar 07
US 'ready' for non-Hamas contacts
'The US says it has decided that it will have contact with some of the new ministers in the Palestinian unity government, sworn in on Saturday.'

Washington Post, 19 Mar 07, by Anthony Shadid
Egypt Shuts Door on Dissent As U.S. Officials Back Away
'On June 20, 2005, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice stepped onto the arabesque campus of the American University in Cairo, built around a former pasha's palace, and delivered a call to action that overturned decades of American policy in the Arab world. ... Nearly two years later, the legacy of Rice's words is intimately tied to the fate of Egypt's democracy movement, divided and withering under unrelenting repression by a government that remains one of America's key allies in the region.'

Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar 07, by Ken Ellingwood
Deal reached on Palestinian government
'The main Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, agreed late Wednesday on the makeup of a unity government under a power-sharing agreement reached last month in Saudi Arabia.'

Christian Science Monitor, 14 Mar 07, by Joshua Mitnick
Israel now open to once-rejected Arab peace plan
'A five-year-old Saudi Arabian regional peace plan appears to be displacing the US's dormant "road map" as the initiative to get Arabs and Israelis back to the table. After initially rejecting the plan, which was adopted by the Arab League in 2002 and offers full Arab ties if Israel returns all territory occupied since 1967, Israel this week praised the proposal as a new starting point for talks.'

BBC News, 13 Mar 07
Saudis spurn Israeli talks stance
'Saudi Arabia has rejected calls by Israel for changes to be made to a Saudi-led plan for Middle East peace.'

Washington Post/AP, 15 Mar 07, by Zeina Karam and Albert Aji, AP
Syrian Isolation Apparently Easing
'After an undeclared two-year boycott, U.S. and European officials are talking to Syria again, signaling a possible easing of its international isolation.'

International Herald Tribune, 14 Mar 07, by Isabel Kershner
Israeli war probe expected to cast dark shadow
'A government-appointed committee examining Israel's failures during last summer's war in Lebanon is to publish an interim report in the second half of April apportioning personal responsibility to top officials, heightening uncertainty about the political future of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his government.'

IsraeliInsider, 11 Mar 07
Israeli navy fires on Palestinian boats suspected of smuggling
'The Israeli Navy fired on three Palestinian boats suspected of weapons smuggling Sunday morning as they attempted to enter Gaza from Egypt, injuring two.'

International Herald Tribune, 07 Mar 07, by Brian Knowlton
Jordanian urges U.S. Congress to seek Mideast peace
'In a rare appearance before a joint session of Congress, King Abdullah II of Jordan made an impassioned plea Wednesday for the United States to lead in the active pursuit of Israeli-Palestinian peace, saying that without its leadership none of the region's problems would be solved.'

International Herald Tribune, 06 Mar 07, by Steven Erlanger
Hamas sends Gazans for military training in Iran, Israeli security aide says
'The Islamic movement Hamas has sent "tens" of men from Gaza for weapons and military training in Iran, Yuval Diskin, head of Shin Bet, the internal Israeli security service, said. ... The training would last months, perhaps years, he said, adding: "I see this as the strategic danger more than any weapons smuggled into Gaza."'

Haaretz, 08 Mar 08, by Aluf Benn
PM says decided on response to abductions months before war
'Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the Winograd Commission that his decision to respond to the abduction of soldiers with a broad military operation was made as early as March 2006, four months before last summer's Lebanon war broke out.'

Christian Science Monitor, 05 Mar 07, by Scott Peterson
Saudi Arabia, Iran target Mideast's sectarian discord
'The pledge to calm tensions, as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made his first official visit to meet Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh on Saturday, illustrates the growing regional alarm over Shiite-Sunni violence. Sectarian bloodshed has soared in Iraq – often at the hands of allies and coreligionists of these rival nations – and is threatening stability in Lebanon.'

Jerusalem Post, 05 Mar 07, by Herb Keinon
Arab states weigh peace plan revision
'Jerusalem is receiving mixed messages regarding whether the Arab states will drop a clause calling for Palestinian refugees to return to Israel in the diplomatic initiative they are expected to relaunch at a summit in Saudi Arabia later this month, diplomatic officials said Sunday.'

International Herald Tribune, 02 Mar 07, by Michael Slackman
Qaddafi eases Libya's go-it-alone stance
'Qaddafi has begun to take steps that by all accounts were unthinkable just a few years ago. The discussion with him here, led by David Frost and including Western academics was one such event. Qaddafi has rarely agreed to sit in front of a group of Western journalists.'

BBC News, 06 Mar 07
First Israeli report on 2006 war
'Israel's public watchdog is releasing its first official report into last year's war with Hezbollah - on the home front's readiness for the conflict.'

BBC News, 01 Mar 07
Israelis in fresh West Bank raids
'Israeli troops in the occupied West Bank have pushed on with their search for militants, trading gunfire with armed Palestinians.'

Christian Science Monitor, 27 Feb 07, by Ginny Hill
Millions in aid linked to Yemeni reform
'... this fragile state on the tip of the Arabian Peninsula could gain hundreds of millions of dollars in aid, if it can sustain reform momentum. Yemen is the poorest Arab country – almost half the population is illiterate and 1 in 10 people live on less than $2 a day.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 26 Feb 07
Hamas' Mashaal promotes Palestinian power-sharing deal, calls for lifting of aid embargo
'Visiting one of the few nations with a stake in Middle East peace activity where he is welcome, Mashaal thanked Russia for its support on the aid issue, the reports said. The visit appeared to be part of a Palestinian effort to enlist more vocal backing from Moscow after failing to persuade the European Union to end the embargo.'

International Herald Tribune, 25 Feb 07, by Steven Erlanger
Israel puts Nablus under curfew to fight militants
'Nablus, one of the largest cities in the West Bank, is a center for Palestinian militants, and the Israeli Army regularly patrols there. But this operation, the army said, was set up to "trim back" militant groups that had been stockpiling materiel and to arrest wanted militants.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb 07, by Nicholas Blanford
Hizbullah builds new line of defense
'Shiite militants are rearming and supporters are amassing real estate along the UN buffer.'

Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb 07, by Sarah Gauch
Egypt canal fails to drain Sinai militancy
'An ambitious effort to create jobs and pull Egypt's Bedouin out of poverty is falling short.'

International Herald Tribune, 22 Feb 07, by Helene Cooper
Europe and U.S. show split over Palestinian unity government
'Fractures between the United States and Europe began to appear Wednesday over whether the new Palestinian unity government was likely to receive international economic support even as the Middle East peace negotiators officially continued their wait-and-see approach.'

International Herald Tribune, 21 Feb 07, by Helene Cooper
News Analysis: After the Mecca accord, clouded horizons
'Two weeks ago, the Saudis took a bold step, mediating an accord between warring Palestinian factions whose battles in Gaza had left more than 100 dead. But that agreement, signed in the holy city of Mecca, brought Hamas -- which the United States and Israel consider a terrorist organization -- into a unity government without requiring that it recognize Israel or forswear violence against it. And that added to the already formidable challenge the United States faces as it tries to accomplish another strategic goal: getting the Palestinians and Israelis back to the negotiating table for peace talks for the first time in six years.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 20 Feb 07
Israel threatens dealings if Palestinian president joins with Hamas
'Israel said Tuesday it would stop dealing with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, if he went ahead with plans to join Hamas in a new government, as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Arab allies sought a way to break the logjam and push forward the stalled peace process.'

International Herald Tribune, 19 Feb 07, by Craig S. Smith
North Africa feared as staging ground for terror
'... the most disturbing aspect of the violence in this normally placid, tourist-friendly nation is that it came from across the border in Algeria, where an Islamic terrorist organization has vowed to unite radical Islamic groups across North Africa.'

Christian Science Monitor, 20 Feb 07, by Joshua Mitnick
Slow start to new US bid for Israeli-Palestinian peace
'The talks between Rice, Olmert, and Abbas fell short of any significant progress on a "two-state solution."'

Washington Post/AP, 20 Feb 07, by Anne Gearan, AP
U.S., Sunnis Huddle Over Palestinian Pact
'Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas huddled separately Tuesday with Arab allies alarmed by Abbas' new power-sharing pact with Hamas militants. The planned Palestinian coalition government fell far short of what the United States and Israel wanted, and also disappointed Sunni Arab states that had hoped Hamas would soften anti-Israeli policies enough to satisfy the West and restart the flow of vital international aid.'

Washington Post/AP, 15 Feb 07, by Mohammed Daraghmeh, AP
Abbas, Haniyeh to Meet Over Crisis
'A dispute over control of powerful internal security forces is touching off a critical first challenge for the rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah's power-sharing agreement, officials said Thursday.'

The Scotsman/Reuters, 15 Feb 07, by Adam Entous, Reuters
U.S. to shun all members of Palestinian unity govt
'The United States will boycott all Palestinian unity government ministers, including non-Hamas members, unless international demands on policy towards Israel are met, a Palestinian official and diplomats said on Thursday.'

Washington Post/AP, 13 Feb 07, by Karin Laub, AP
Israel, Palestinians Disagree on Agenda
'Palestinian and Israeli officials disagreed sharply Tuesday over whether next week's Mideast summit with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice should help relaunch peace talks, dimming hopes the session will produce results.'

Reuters/IRIN, 14 Feb 07
Lebanon: Razor wire and soldiers keep factions apart
'On a day when tens of thousands of mainly young people thronged the central square of the Lebanese capital to mark the anniversary of the murder of their Sunni former prime minister, Beirut once again became a city divided by politics and sect.'

Washington Post, 12 Feb 07, by Anthony Shadid
Across Arab World, a Widening Rift
'The growing Sunni-Shiite divide is roiling an Arab world as unsettled as at any time in a generation. Fought in speeches, newspaper columns, rumors swirling through cafes and the Internet, and occasional bursts of strife, the conflict is predominantly shaped by politics: a disintegrating Iraq, an ascendant Iran, a sense of Arab powerlessness and a persistent suspicion of American intentions. But the division has begun to seep into the region's social fabric, too. The sectarian fault line has long existed and sometimes ruptured, but never, perhaps, has it been revealed in such a stark, disruptive fashion.'

Haaretz/AP, 12 Feb 07
Hamas gov't to step down in coming days, start coalition process
'Senior Palestinian officials said Monday they will start forming a new, national unity government in coming days, but acknowledged that previous dealbreakers, such as control over the security forces and the fate of Hamas' militia, have still not been resolved.'

Christian Science Monitor, 12 Feb 07, by Ilene R. Prusher
Palestinian deal faces global critique
'A power-sharing pact may end Gaza fighting, but will Israel and the US recognize its terms?'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 12 Feb 07
EU assesses Palestinian power-sharing pact; no word on resuming direct aid
'Last week's announcement that the militant Hamas and moderate Fatah movements would form a coalition government that would "respect" past agreements with Israel continued to cause concern that minimum conditions for a normalization of the EU's relations with the Palestinian leadership had remained unfulfilled.'

Reuters, 08 Feb 07
Israel says hopes to keep Lebanon border calm
'Israel said on Thursday it hoped to avoid further fighting along the Lebanon border following a clash with the Lebanese army but cautioned that it would not tolerate hostile activity against Israeli forces.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Feb 07, by Scott Peterson
Cluster bombs: a war's perilous aftermath
'UN figures estimate that 26 percent of south Lebanon's cultivatable land is affected by the ordinance.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Feb 07, by Dan Murphy
Saudis step up role in Mideast
'Their current bid to broker Palestinian peace is part of a larger effort to counter Iran's influence, analysts say.'

Christian Science Monitor, 07 Feb 07, by Nicholas Blanford
UN shifts toward aid projects in Lebanon
'With calm now prevailing in south Lebanon after the devastating summertime war between Hizbullah and Israel, the UN peacekeeping force here, known as UNIFIL, is beginning to emphasize its humanitarian side ...'

Reuters, 03 Feb 07
US to support up to 10,000 extra Abbas troops
'The United States will expand assistance to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to include about 8,500 members of his national security forces and possibly 1,000 Fatah fighters based in Jordan, U.S. documents show.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 04 Feb 07
In Gaza battle zone, even home is not safe
'Gazans have long been accustomed to violence. But until recently, the fighting was between local militants and Israeli forces, and the lines of battle were clear. The last few weeks of fighting between Hamas and Fatah gunmen have taken on a different feel. Gunfire can erupt at any time, poorly trained fighters shoot at random, and the target isn't always known.'

Christian Science Monitor, 01 Feb 07, by Howard LaFranchi
Is now the time to talk peace in the Mideast?
'The Quartet of powers seeking to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ends a hiatus in peacemaking efforts with a meeting in Washington on Friday. But it comes at what would seem to be a particularly unpromising moment.'

International Herald Tribune, 30 Jan 07, by Michael Slackman
Iran and Saudi Arabia mediating in Lebanon crisis
'In an unusual collaboration that could complicate American policy in the region, Iran and Saudi Arabia have been mediating an agreement to end Lebanon's violent political crisis.'

International Herald Tribune/AP, 01 Feb 07
Fatah vigilantes say they're vanguard in fight against Hamas, but cause angry backlash
'The kidnapping of the Hamas city council member, Fayad al-Aghbar, is part of the intensifying power struggle between the Islamic militant Hamas and Fatah,