03/31/2007

* Navy captives 'face legal action' Legal action is being taken against 15 Royal Navy personnel held captive by Iran for "entering Iranian waters", a senior Iranian diplomat has said.

* Iran fears strike by West's 'warmongers' Iran is blaming the US and Israel for its decision to withhold information from the outside world on its nuclear program, saying in a confidential letter that threats from the two "warmongers" led it to curtail cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

* EU to deal with non-Hamas ministers EU foreign ministers have voiced support for the Arab peace initiative, revived in Saudi Arabia last week, agreeing to engage with non-Hamas members of the new Palestinian unity government.

* Merkel commences visit to MidEast German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who has made the Middle East a top priority of her six-month EU presidency, sets off Saturday on a three-day visit to the region to add Europe's push to growing diplomatic efforts by the US and UN - and what are seen as hopeful signs from an Arab summit.

* Bloody battle rages in Somali capital Artillery fire and mortar shells rained down on Somalia's capital Saturday as government troops and their Ethiopian allies continued a major offensive to quash a growing insurgency by Islamic militants.

* Pelosi Going to Syria Despite Objections House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will visit Syria, a country President Bush has shunned as a sponsor of terrorism, despite being asked by the administration not to go.

* Olmert: 'Not one refugee can return' While the Prime Minister's Office had no formal reaction to the Arab League's land-and-refugees-for-peace initiative relaunched in Riyadh on Thursday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told The Jerusalem Post there is absolutely no wiggle room on the refugee issue.

* Olmert Dares Saudis To Talk; Arabs on Int'l Tour To Sell Plan Prime Minister Ehud Olmert welcomed the Arab League's endorsement of the 2002 Saudi Arabian peace plan and challenged its members to break their diplomatic boycott on Israel and to talk peace.

* Olmert calls Haniyeh a 'terrorist' Prime minister tells Time Magazine Palestinian prime minister Haniyeh transferred $1 million to gunmen to carry out attacks against Israel

* NGOs step up food distribution for Pessah holiday Distribution of food staples by NGOs to the country's 1.6 million people living below the poverty line went into high gear on Thursday.

03/30/07

* Olmert praises peace 'revolution' Israel's premier has lauded Arab peace moves as "revolutionary", but stressed he did not accept the entire Arab plan.

* 'Arrow can fully protect against Iran' Recent modifications made to the Arrow enable Israel's ballistic missile defense system to successfully intercept and destroy any ballistic missile in the Middle East.

* Iran airs second sailor 'apology' A second member of the Royal Navy crew captured in the Gulf has apologised for "trespassing" in Iranian waters, in a broadcast on Iranian television.

* Putin rejects call to serve longer Russia's upper house speaker called Friday for constitutional changes that would allow President Vladimir Putin to remain in office beyond 2008 -- a proposal that was quickly rejected by the Kremlin.

* EU meeting to discuss Iran crisis European Union foreign ministers are gathering in the German port of Bremen and are expected to express support for 15 British sailors detained in Iran.

* Germany Welcomes Arab Peace Offer; Merkel To Visit Mideast Germany said Friday that the outcome of the Arab League summit in Riyadh was "a positive signal".

* Arabs Who Sold Home to Hebron Jews Arrested, Face Death Penalty Two arabs involved in the sale of a Hebron building to the Jewish community have been placed under arrest.

* Risks grow of terrorists getting nukes There is a growing threat that terrorist groups such as Hizbullah will acquire nuclear or other WMD technology.

* Mossad Chief Calls Lebanon War 'National Catastrophe' Meir Dagan, head of intelligence (Mossad) advised Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to delay the war against Hizbullah last summer until the Home Front could prepare citizens against Katyusha rockets.

* 'Europe is increasingly fading away' The rest of the world will not wait for Europe while it bickers over institutional reform and external policy issues, says Joschka Fischer, ex-German foreign minister.

03/29/2007

* Arab leaders agree on appeal to Israel Arab leaders at their summit Thursday agreed on a call for Israel to accept their land-for-peace offer and open direct negotiations with the Arabs.

* Saudi: US Iraq presence illegal The Saudi monarch has made a forceful appeal for Arab unity, denouncing US policy in Iraq and the embargo imposed by western nations on the Palestinians.

* Iran delays female sailor's release An Iranian official says that Tehran will not yet release a female British sailor held with 14 male colleagues due to London's "incorrect attitude".

* EU foreign policy chief calls for debate on U.S. missile plans The European Union's foreign policy chief said Thursday that EU states should discuss Washington's plans to deploy elements of its missile defense system in Central Europe.

* Abbas warns of violence if 'peace' rejected Palestinian Authority president accuses Israel of evading peace by demanding Arab peace initiative be amended, says region could slide into violence if peace not achieved in near future

* EU wants Israel-Quartet meeting soon The Quartet of Mideast negotiators hopes to meet with Israel before the summer for the first time, EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said Thursday.

* Archaeologists find Ethiopia's lost Islamic kingdom French archaeologists said they have uncovered the remains of three large towns that may have been the heart of a legendary Islamic kingdom in Ethiopia.

* Poland to fight for 'square root' law in EU treaty Poland plans to propose a new voting system in the upcoming EU treaty talks that will be based on square roots of populations instead of simple populations.

* Russia Calls for Equal Partnership With U.S. Russia has warned the U.S. against unilateral behavior and urged an equal partnership between the two countries, underscoring a newly assertive foreign policy in Moscow.

* New U.S. envoy to Iraq: Security 'central issue' The new U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Ryan Crocker, was sworn in Thursday, as car bombs and bullets killed at least 11 people in two Iraqi cities.

03/28/07

* Saudi FM: If Israel refuses Arab offer, it means it doesn't want peace If Israel rejects the Arab peace initiative, it means it is not interested in reaching a peaceful solution with its neighbors, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal said.

* UK reveals Iran dispute evidence Satellite data proves 15 navy personnel being held in Iran were 1.7 nautical miles inside Iraqi waters when they were seized, UK defence officials say.

* First synagogue facing Temple Mount to be built The only synagogue in the world overlooking the Temple Mount will be built in the High Commissioner's Residence neighborhood in the southern part of Jerusalem.

* A-Zahar Reiterates Hamas Goal: World Domination Addressing a mass rally in memory of the founder of the Hamas terrorist organization, Ahmed Yassin, senior Hamas leader and former Palestinian Authority official Mahmoud A-Zahar reiterated a fundamental position espoused by Hamas.

* Saudi king slams 'illegitimate occupation' of Iraq Saudi King Abdullah, whose country is a close US ally, on Wednesday slammed the "illegitimate foreign occupation" of Iraq in an opening speech to the annual Arab summit in Riyadh.

* Pope says hell and damnation are real and eternal HELL is a place where sinners really do burn in an everlasting fire, and not just a religious symbol designed to galvanise the faithful, Pope Benedict XVI has said.

* 'Marriage to an Arab is national treason' Over half of the Jewish population in Israel believes the marriage of a Jewish woman to an Arab man is equal to national treason.

* Homesh Once Again Empty of Jews At 7:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, police began expelling the some 300 Jews who had stayed since Monday at the site of the destroyed northern Samarian hilltop community of Homesh.

* Oil and gold jump on Iran tensions Gold and oil were higher on Wednesday after spiking on rumors and heightened rhetoric in the West's standoff with Iran, which left markets on a razor's edge.

* Livni: No Final Settlement on the 'Political Horizon' Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni told party members at a ceremony opening a new Kadima office in Netanya that a final settlement with the Palestinian Authority is simply not in the cards.

03/27/07

* PM warns Iran over Navy captives Efforts to secure the release of 15 Royal Navy personnel held by Iran will enter a "different phase" if diplomatic moves fail, Tony Blair has said.

* US in Gulf show of force The US navy has begun its largest demonstration of force in the Gulf since the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

* Serbia convinced Russia will veto Kosovo plan Serbia is convinced Russia will knock down a plan giving supervised independence to the breakaway Kosovo province with a "historic veto" at the U.N. Security Council.

* Police prepare for Homesh evacuation Officials say should settlers fail to evacuate willingly, government would be inclined to give green light for forceful evacuation of several dozen teenage activists who vowed to put up tough resistance.

* EU envoy says up to 500 dead in DRC violence Clashes in the Democratic Republic of Congo capital last week left between 200 and 500 dead.

* Hamas prepares 'rocket war' in ex-settlement Palestinian terrorist groups on Monday used the former Jewish settlement of Neve Dekalim, which was evacuated by Israel in 2005, to test new explosives and rockets for use against the Jewish state.

* US and EU back Kosovo independence by May The US and EU have backed a UN plan for "supervised independence" in Kosovo despite Russian and Serb opposition.

* I'll consider summit with Arab leaders, PM tells UN chief UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will leave Israel on Tuesday for the Arab leaders' summit in Riyadh.

* Thousands Return to Destroyed Homesh Thousands who yearn for the rebuilding of Homesh, destroyed by Ariel Sharon in Israel's Disengagement Plan, voted with their feet Monday.

* Olmert and Abbas to meet biweekly, Rice says The Israeli and Palestinian leaders have agreed to meet every two weeks to discuss day-to-day issues, but also a "political horizon."

03/26/07

* EU leaders call for rapid reforms EU leaders have adopted a declaration calling for some of the reforms proposed in the bloc's ill-fated constitution to be carried out by 2009.

* Saudi FM: Arab peace plan could change Saudi Arabia's foreign minister suggested Monday that Arab leaders would be willing to consider changes in their 2002 peace offer to Israel.

* Seizure unjustified, Iran warned Iran's detention of 15 Royal Navy personnel is "unjustified and wrong", Prime Minister Tony Blair has said.

* 'Homesh is the first settlement to be reestablished' If, as planned, thousands of settler activists arrive at the site of the former northern Samaria settlement Homesh, security forces would find it "impossible" to evacuate them.

* Rice takes Mideast shuttle diplomacy to Jordan US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice took her latest shuttle diplomacy mission to Jordan Monday to raise Arab support for new efforts to revive the stalled Middle East peace process.

* China's Hu in Russian state visit China's President Hu Jintao is starting a three-day state visit to Russia aimed at promoting trade and energy ties.

* Olmert meets with Ban Ki-Moon in J'lem Prime Minister Ehud Olmert denied during a press conference Monday with visiting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon that there was a new peace initiative on the table.

* After Show of Unity, EU Rifts on Reform Re-Emerge Berlin is clearing up after a weekend of celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of the European Union.

* Terror Database Has Quadrupled In Four Years Each day, thousands of pieces of intelligence information from around the world -- field reports, captured documents, news from foreign allies and sometimes idle gossip -- arrive in a computer-filled office in McLean.

* Khalilzad: U.S. Patience 'Running Out' The departing U.S. ambassador said on Monday that he believes Iraq is heading in the right direction.

03/24/2007

* EU birthday to mark 'new phase' European Union leaders are due to meet in Berlin to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the bloc, which was founded by the 1957 Treaty of Rome.

* Syria rejects Israeli overtures Syria rejected Israeli overtures to engage in discreet negotiations regarding the Golan Heights.

* UFOs flew over Phoenix in '97, Symington says Former Gov. Fife Symington says now that those strange lights that appeared over Phoenix a decade ago were from another world and that he had a close encounter with an alien craft on March 13, 1997.

* Egypt: no talks until Israel accepts land-for-peace principle Egyptian Foreign Minister suggests Israel accept Arab peace initiative 'in principle', as basis for negotiation

* Seized sailors 'taken to Tehran' The 15 Royal Navy personnel seized at gunpoint in the Gulf by Iran are reportedly being questioned in Tehran.

* Pope: Europe Losing Faith in Its Future Europe seems to be losing faith in its future, Pope Benedict XVI said Saturday, citing the continent's population trends, which include generally low birth rates.

* Ahmadinejad cancels trip to New York Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has canceled his trip to New York to address the UN Security Council before a vote on whether to impose further sanctions against his country for refusing to stop enriching uranium.

* EU tells Iran to free UK troops The EU has told Iran to free fifteen British sailors who have been captured and taken to the Iranian capital after allegedly straying into Iranian waters near the Iraqi city of Basra.

* United Nations Security Council Set to OK Sanctions on Iran Major powers expect unanimous approval Saturday of new U.N. Security Council sanctions to pressure Iran into suspending uranium enrichment.

* MIT sponsoring contest to solve Israeli-Palestinian conflict University's 'Just Jerusalem' contest aimed to make region 'peaceful and sustainable' by 2050. $50,000 fellowship awarded to winners

03/23/07

* UK sailors captured at gunpoint Fifteen British Navy personnel have been captured at gunpoint by Iranian forces, the Ministry of Defence says.

* Israel to brand Arabs as peace spoilers Israel is gearing up for a diplomatic campaign that will paint the Arab world as the recalcitrant party if it does not drop the article in the Arab peace initiative.

* Iraq deputy PM injured in blast Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister Salam Zaubai has been injured in a double bombing in Baghdad in which nine people were killed, Iraqi police have said.

* China's Hu heads to Russia urgently seeking fuel Chinese President Hu Jintao goes to Moscow on Monday, confidently offering trade deals with an economy roaring back home.

* The EU: a model impossible to export? During its 50-year-long journey, the European Union – itself striving to become a key global player speaking with one voice – has been promoting the idea of regional integration to other parts of the world.

* France opens secret UFO files covering 50 years France became the first country to open its files on UFOs Thursday when the national space agency unveiled a website documenting more than 1,600 sightings spanning five decades.

* Hinode sees the dynamic and violent sun as sharply as never before Hinode, the newest solar observatory on the space scene, has obtained never-before-seen images showing that the sun's magnetic field is much more turbulent and dynamic than previously known.

* 'Political correctness is killing our freedoms' Europe's citizens must be on their guard against political correctness and moralising politicians.

* IDF, Police Warn Homesh Supporters Not to Attempt a Return Nationalist activists have announced plans to resettle the evacuated northern Samaria town of Homesh.

* Palestinian state legal basis in place say experts The just-installed Palestinian national unity government's "main goal is to establish an independent Palestinian state in the territories occupied in 1967."

03/22/07

* Palestinians reject Quartet demands Representatives of the new Palestinian unity government have said they will reject the Middle East Quartet's offer.

* PM: Israel ready for painful concessions Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Thursday that Israel was willing to make "sweeping, painful and tough concessions" to encourage dialogue with its enemies.

* Legal limbo in Kosovo could trigger chaos, EU warns The Balkans could plunge into chaos unless there is a prompt United Nations agreement on the final status of Serbia's breakaway province of Kosovo.

* Bolton: N. Korea, Iran will never give up nuke ambitions Former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton criticized the US government for releasing $25 million to North Korea.

* Freed Sadr aide meets Iraq's PM An Iraqi militia leader once branded a major security threat has appeared in public alongside Iraq's prime minister after being freed from US custody.

* Rice to press Olmert to continue talks US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to press Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to continue holding talks about a "political horizon" with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

* Kurds prosper in post-Saddam era Compared with most other parts of Iraq, the Kurds in the north of the country are doing very well for themselves, enjoying greater security and relative prosperity than most other places.

* Japan's FM: Japan doing what US can't Japan's outspoken foreign minister said "blue-eyed, blond" Westerners probably would not be as successful as the Japanese in Middle East diplomacy.

* Dubai becomes Iran's business hub "Dubai is the most Iranian of cities," said Mohammed Reza, an Iranian expatriate who has lived in the Gulf emirate across the waters from the Islamic republic since 1998.

* Solana urged to stand firm on PA More than half of the US House of Representatives sent a letter to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana.

03/21/07

* West meets Palestinian ministers In the first contact between the US and the recently formed Palestinian unity government, Jacob Walles, the US consul-general to Jerusalem, has met Salam Fayad, the Palestinian finance minister.

* 'Islamic world in cold war' The Islamic world is entering a cold war period as the divide between Shiites and Sunnis escalates.

* Russian pulling nuke experts from Iran Russia is pulling out its experts from the Iranian nuclear reactor site they were helping build.

* Details on EU birthday declaration emerge The highly symbolic Berlin Declaration to mark the EU's 50th birthday is slowly taking shape.

* Report: Palestinian aid rises to $1.2 b. International aid to the Palestinians grew from about $1 billion in 2005 to more than $1.2 billion in 2006.

* EU nervous and introspective at fifty years of age The EU sees itself as a force for good in the world; it practises soft power, promotes human rights and sets the global bar in environmental standards.

* Rival militants clash in Pakistan Nearly 50 people have been killed after rising tension between local and foreign militants in north-west Pakistan erupted into fierce fighting.

* Iraqi VP calls for talks with insurgents Iraqi Vice-President Tarek Al Hashemi called Wednesday for talks with the country's insurgent groups.

* Heavy fighting erupts in Somalia Heavy fighting has broken out in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, between government forces backed by Ethiopian troops and armed insurgents.

* Melchior: Alert Abbas to PA textbooks "You can't have agreements while this kind of hatred is inculcated in the children," Knesset Education Committee Chairman Michael Melchior (Labor-Meimad) said on Tuesday.

03/20/07

* Conflict with Iran inevitable, Ya'alon says "The question of who won the war in Lebanon has yet to be determined," former Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon said.

* Gulf Governments Plan Oil Pipelines Gulf governments are planning oil pipelines that would bypass the world's most vulnerable energy choke point, the Strait of Hormuz.

* Report: Russia gives Iran ultimatum Russia has warned Iran that it will not supply the Islamic country with fuel for its new nuclear reactor unless it agrees to suspend nuclear enrichment.

* Palestinian sanctions to remain The European Union and the United States have agreed to withhold recognition for the new Palestinian unity government, sworn in on Saturday.

* New Palestinian high-school textbooks reject existence of Israel, peace New textbooks for 12th-grade Palestinian students reject the existence of Israel and make no attempt to educate students about peace or coexistence.

* Former Iraq vice-president hanged Former Iraqi Vice-President Taha Yassin Ramadan has been hanged on the fourth anniversary of the US-led invasion which overthrew Saddam Hussein.

* EU begins countdown to 50th birthday carnival Member states are gearing themselves to varying degrees of festivity this week as the EU approaches its 50th birthday.

* Israel won't receive Norwegian envoy The Foreign Ministry canceled a planned Tuesday meeting with a top Norwegian government official in a sign of displeasure.

* Egypt backs constitutional change Egypt's parliament has approved a set of constitutional amendments despite a boycott by the opposition, which calls the changes a blow to democracy.

* Meshaal: Deal with whole government The political leader of Hamas has told Al Jazeera that foreign powers must deal with the whole Palestinian national unity government rather than individual officials.

03/19/07

* MK Sarsur - We must act together to "liberate" Jerusalem - At "Jerusalem First" Conference, MK Sarsur called on Muslims and Arabs to "liberate" Jerusalem.

* Pessism "growing among Iraqis" - Iraqis are increasingly pessimistic about the future of their country.

* Israels favor talks with new PA government - More than half of all Israelis disagree with their government's decision to boycott the new PA government.

* Protests Against Iraq War Continue - Demonstrations against the US-led war in Iraq continue.

* Netanyahu issues Call to World from Jerusalem Conference - Binyamin Netanyahu repeated his call for the world to prove that it can respond better this time and not like in the 1930's.

* Report: Iran plans to Kidnap Israelis - According to several media outlets, Iran is threatening to kidnap Israelis.

* Egyptian MP's in protest walkout - More than 100 mainly Muslim lawmakers have walked out of Egypt's parliament in protest of constitutional changes.

* Christian-Arab predicts World Islam takeover...unless - "When will you Westerners realize that half measures don't work with people who are willing to die by the thousands for Allah to achieve their goal?"

* Jews welcome Nissan, Hebrew month of Redemption - Tuesday is Rosh Chodesh, the first day of the Hebrew month of Nissan.

* Settlers plan to rebuild Homesh - Evacuees from Northern West Bank say they have the public's support to return to Homesh.

03/17/2007

* Abbas says the Palestinians are 'reaching out' to Israel The new Hamas-Fatah coalition was to set to clear a final formal hurdle Saturday, approval by the parliament.

* Iraq unveils reconstruction plan Iraq's vice-president has spelled out the details of a five-year reconstruction plan at a key UN conference on the country's future.

* U.S. Anti-missile Shield in Europe May Cause Arms Race — Russian General U.S. missile defense deployment in Europe could drag Russia into a new arms race.

* US, EU express willingness to deal with new PA coalition The US will maintain an unofficial communication channel with Salam Fayad, expected to be appointed to the position of finance minister in the new Palestinian Authority unity government.

* China, Russia seek to block UN report on Darfur China and Russia joined Arab and Muslim states on Friday in urging the U.N.'s human rights watchdog to ignore a report from a mission to Darfur that blamed Sudan for continuing war crimes against civilians there.

* Israel firm: No dealing with PA gov't As Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said that the Palestinians' hand was "extended" towards Israel, government spokeswoman Miri Eisen repeated Israel's refusal to deal with the PA.

* Bush talks with Saudi, Egyptian leaders on Mideast President George W. Bush thanked Saudi King Abdullah and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak for participating in a recent conference on Iraq and discussed Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.

* Caution urged on climate 'risks' Two leading UK climate researchers say some of their peers are "overplaying" the global warming message and risk confusing the public about the threat.

* Report: Syria spurns Solana's incentives Syria has spurned EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana's recent offer of an incentives package designed to sweeten relations between Syria and Europe.

* Worldwide protests mark Iraq war A series of anti-war demonstrations are under way, with protests scheduled in countries including the United States, Canada, Australia and Britain ahead of the fourth anniversary of the US-led war in Iraq.

03/16/07

* Israel sees rapid exit from Iraq endangering Jordanian regime Israel is worried a hasty American withdrawal from Iraq could topple the Hashemite regime in Jordan.

* Ahmadinejad says Iran will stick to atomic work Iran said on Friday no amount of U.N. pressure would deter it from its nuclear program.

* Palestinian PM unveils unity team Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya has unveiled a national unity cabinet after months of negotiations between his Hamas movement and Fatah.

* Analysis: Strategically crafted ambiguity The political program of the new Palestinian Authority unity government, which constitutes a compromise between the relatively pragmatist policies of Fatah and the radical ideology of Hamas.

* UN probes Lebanon-Israel border row Israel has accused Hezbollah of smuggling arms across the Lebanese-Syrian border.

* China: 'World should not fear military rise' The world should not fear China's military rise, premier Wen Jiabao said Friday.

* Report: Iraq Commander Wants More Troops he commander of U.S. forces in Iraq has asked for an additional 2,500 to 3,000 troops to be sent to Iraq.

* Rice: Arab League plan is a position, not a basis for talks Amid the reemergence of the 2002 Saudi peace initiative ahead of the Arab League meeting at the end of this month, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice characterized the document as putting forward the Arab position.

* Turkish entrepreneurs court Europe Turkey is a land of mosques and malls -- a unique blend of East and West.

* Critics: Olmert Unpopular Because He is a Failure Knesset Members pounced on Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's speech to Kadima leaders Thursday night.

03/15/07

* Iran defiant on nuclear plan as UN gears up for fresh sanctions Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday a United Nations Security Council resolution could not stop the Islamic state from obtaining nuclear technology.

* Ethiopians can look back in pride, says Olmert "The Ethiopian immigrants did not find a rose paradise here," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday.

* Palestinian PM unveils unity team Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya has unveiled a national unity cabinet after months of negotiations between his Hamas movement and Fatah.

* Hamas TV: Disengagement Key to Israel's Destruction Hamas-controlled television is broadcasting a statement by the group's late leader Ahmad Yassin several times a day.

* Israeli officials slam Solana remarks Israeli officials expressed disappointment Wednesday that EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana backed a full Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights.

* China to expand "Great Internet Firewall" China will tighten controls on Internet blogs and webcasts in a response to new technologies that have allowed cyber citizens to avoid government censorship efforts.

* Pope sets out 'non-negotiable values' in key document Pope Benedict XVI Tuesday set out "non-negotiable values" as he urged Catholic lawmakers to oppose laws favoring divorce, abortion, and euthanasia.

* The general and the sheikh - can they save Iraq? When the American general met the Arab sheikh for the first time they greeted each other with undisguised enthusiasm.

* Israel, PA agree on Japan-backed plan A recent Japan-backed agreement to promote economic cooperation and development in the Middle East must run parallel to concrete steps to stem violence there.

* Russia clinches Balkan oil deal Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a deal in Athens to ship Russian oil to the EU via a pipeline bypassing the busy Bosphorus.

03/14/07

* Hamas faces split over Mecca accords The national unity agreement that was reached last month in Mecca has triggered a behind-the-scenes power struggle in Hamas.

* 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.

* UNESCO: Dig not harming Temple Mt. The UNESCO report on the controversial Antiquities Authority excavation near the Temple Mount has concluded that it is not damaging the holy site.

* Top general: Remarks on gays were 'personal moral views' The top U.S. military officer, Gen. Peter Pace, said Tuesday he should have focused more on military policy and less on his own opinion.

* Rice to visit Saudis before Israel US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice may make a stopover in Saudi Arabia before the Arab League summit starts there on March 28.

* EU reopens dialogue with Syrians The European Union's foreign policy chief has held talks with Syrian leaders in Damascus - the last stop on his three-day tour of the region.

* Israel, Palestinians laud Japanese plan Senior Israeli and Palestinian officials applauded a Japanese plan to promote economic cooperation and development in their region Wednesday.

* World stocks tumble on US fears European stocks have joined a global sell-off, after concerns about the US economy and mortgage industry hurt markets in Asia and dented Wall Street.

* Lieberman slams European hesitation on Iran sanctions Strategic Affairs Minister Avigdor Lieberman lashed out at European leaders on Wednesday for refusing to impose economic sanctions on Iran.

* Shas Proposes Expanded Bill to Outlaw Missionary Activity A record number of Jews converting to Islam last year prompted the Shas Knesset faction Tuesday to propose a bill that would jail missionaries who proselytize to individuals in Israel.

03/13/07

* UN to open permanent probe on Israel The United Nation's Human Rights Council is expected to place Israel under permanent investigation for its "violations" of international law in the territories.

* Shin Bet chief warns of record Gaza arms build-up Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin on Tuesday warned of the dangers of an unprecedented arms build-up in the Gaza Strip.

* Iranian FM: 'Israel is a nuclear threat' Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki on Tuesday accused Israel and the United States of posing the main threats to the security of the Middle East.

* Catholic politicians must oppose gay marriage: Pope The Church's opposition to gay marriage is "non-negotiable" and Catholic politicians have a moral duty to oppose it, as well as laws on abortion and euthanasia, Pope Benedict said.

* Olmert urges US to stand firm on Iraq Prime Minister Ehud Olmert warned at an AIPAC gala dinner Monday night about the danger "premature" withdrawal from the country would pose for Israel.

* New poll shows 68.4% of Israeli Jews fear Israeli Arab uprising 68.4 percent of Israeli Jews fear a civil uprising on behalf of Israeli Arabs and 63.3 percent say they won't enter Arab towns in Israel.

* Putin in landmark Vatican visit Russian President Vladimir Putin is beginning an official visit to Rome, during which he will see both the Pope and the Italian prime minister.

* EU's blueprint for Kosovo takeover revealed The European Union is reportedly well-advanced in planning to replace the UN authority in Kosovo.

* Libya 'may sign US nuclear deal' A report coming out of Libya says a nuclear power agreement with the United States will be signed shortly.

* Pro-Kremlin Parties Set to Win in Russian Regional Polls Pro-Kremlin parties on Monday looked set to win all 14 regional elections contested Sunday.

03/12/07

* Gov't pushes Peres 'Peace Valley' plan The government on Sunday gave a bureaucratic push to a joint Israeli-Jordanian-Palestinian project.

* Syria, Iran discuss military links Syrian President Bashar Assad met Iranian Defense Minister Mostafa Najjar on Sunday.

* Israel urged to end nuclear ambiguity Israel should pursue a strategy of "open nuclear deterrence" towards Iran if international attempts to curtail Teheran's nuclear ambitions fail.

* Olmert asks Abbas to concede right of return Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed Sunday that the Saudi initiative could serve as a basis for promoting a diplomatic process.

* PM: Israel 'serious' about Saudi plan Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Sunday said he was ready to "treat seriously" a dormant Saudi initiative calling for a comprehensive peace agreement between Israel and the Arab world.

* Al-Zawahri slams Hamas for agreeing to unity gov't Al-Qaeda's number two leader criticized the Palestinian Hamas for agreeing to form a national unity government.

* Livni: Don't drop demands on Hamas Israel is hinting at stopping talks with Palestinian moderates over a "political horizon" if the European Union drops its insistence that the Palestinian Authority government recognize Israel.

* Chirac's departure marks end of EU era French president Jacques Chirac has confirmed he will not stand as a candidate in France's upcoming presidential elections.

* Analysis: The Saudi fig leaf Much has changed in the five years since the Saudi initiative first emerged.

* Report condemns Sudan over Darfur UN investigators have accused Sudan's government of "orchestrating and participating" in crimes in Darfur that include murder, mass rape, and kidnap.

3/10/07

* Iraq plea to help tackle violence Iraq's prime minister has appealed to neighbouring states to co-operate in tackling the insurgency which has left tens of thousands dead since 2003.

* Israeli Diplomat: "Abu Mazen Lied to Us Thrice" PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah has broken three explicit promises he made to Israel regarding diplomatic matters, and "cannot be depended upon."

* UN chief announces Middle East visit Ban Ki-moon says solving Israeli-Palestinian conflict would pave way for resolution of other issues in Middle East

* No deal on UN sanctions for Iran Russia and China have said they have reservations about some of the proposed UN Security Council sanctions to punish Iran for continuing to enrich uranium.

* Osama bin Laden turns 50 Osama Bin Laden, if he is alive, is turning 50 - most probably as a free man.

* UN panel tells Israel to stop settler violence Human rights watchdog group asks Israel to recalibrate security solutions to avoid discrimination against Palestinians, Arab Israelis.

* EU plans to restart high-level contacts with Syria The European Union plans to restart high-level contacts with Syria by sending foreign policy chief Javier Solana to Damascus for talks on Lebanon and Middle East peace.

* EU likely to affirm support for PA gov't Leaders of European Union nations were expected to adopt a summit declaration Friday expressing support for a Palestinian unity government

* Fatah and Hamas clash despite talks Fatah gunmen have shot at the convoy of a minister from the Hamas movement in the occupied West Bank, the first factional violence since Palestinian unity talks began a month ago.

* Final Kosovo talks end deadlocked A final round of talks between top Serbian and ethnic Albanian leaders on the future of Kosovo has ended without agreement in Vienna.

03/09/2007

* Hamas Builds Up War Machine in Gaza The IDF Southern Command Chief, speaking with foreign diplomats and reporters in Jerusalem on Wednesday, painted a grim picture of the war threats from Gaza.

* Hizbullah: Olmert confirmed what we knew "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert admitted that it was decided to open the July war four months before the operation to kidnap the two Israeli soldiers.

* UNIFIL wants ability to fight Hizbullah UNIFIL would like a more aggressive mandate for its forces to engage Hizbullah on their own.

* Egypt forbids 2,000 pilgrims from visiting Israel Some 2,000 Coptic and Greek Orthodox Christians in Egypt have been forbidden from making a pilgrimage to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in east Jerusalem this coming Easter.

* UNESCO Mughrabi report due in days A week after a group of UNESCO officials toured the contested Israeli archaeological dig under way outside Jerusalem's Temple Mount, the organization has still not published its findings.

* Olmert's political fortunes sink to new lows Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's political fortunes crashed to new lows Thursday.

* Shi'ite leaders squabble with Arabs over Baghdad conference The Iraqi government and Arab countries have broken into bitter squabbling ahead of a Baghdad conference on Saturday.

* Merkel tables outline for citizen-friendly EU birthday text Enlargement has emerged as a topic of controversy surrounding the EU's 50th anniversary declaration.

* Sudanese seek refuge in Israel from Darfur Collective farms that for decades formed the Zionist backbone of Israel today shelter scores of Muslim refugees from Sudan who walked into the Jewish state to flee persecution.

* Petraeus: Force will not solve Iraq The new US military commander in Iraq has admitted that military might alone cannot solve the ongoing violence in the country.

03/08/2007

* General says Iraq talks critical The top US general in Iraq says the military alone cannot provide a solution to the country's conflict.

* Iraq: Hopes High For Baghdad Security Conference Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki says he hopes an international conference hosted by Baghdad will help build a regional consensus on how to end violence in his country.

* Sudan 'paralyzing' aid to Darfur The Sudanese government is "paralyzing" the aid operation in its conflict-torn western region of Darfur, the US special envoy to Sudan has said.

* IAEA freezes nuclear technical aid programs to Iran Delegates to a 35-nation meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency on Thursday approved the suspension of nearly two dozen nuclear technical aid programs to Iran.

* New York State Assemblyman Purchases a Home in Samaria The Amanah Settlement Organization, helping to keep Israel's Biblical heartland Jewish, held a fair in a Teaneck synagogue recently.

* Abdullah: America's moral vision can be asserted by leadership in peace Jordan's King Abdullah came to the US Congress on Wednesday to stress that the "core issue" facing the Middle East is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

* Netanyahu calls for early elections Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu called for early elections on Wednesday.

* Millions of Shiite pilgrims pour into Iraq holy city Around 2.5 million Shiite pilgrims flooded the Iraqi holy city of Karbala Thursday.

* Hungary's Jewish leaders fear attacks Leaders of Hungary's Jewish community have called on the country's Jewish residents to raise their alert level.

* Serbian and Kosovar negotiators prepare for diplomatic showdown The embittered Belgrade and optimistic Pristina negotiators huddled in their respective headquarters Thursday ahead of what were to be their last talks.