09/02/09

* Israeli, PA ministers meet in J'lem to discuss economy Israeli and Palestinian Cabinet ministers shared ideas on Wednesday for shoring up the fledgling Palestinian economic recovery.

* Passage Found, May Have Been Used by Abraham A Jerusalem walkway from the times of the Patriarch Abraham, protected by a wall of large rocks, has been discovered, and will be displayed to the public on Thursday.

* Obama praises Islam at Ramadan meal US President Barack Obama on Tuesday praised American Muslims for enriching the nation's culture at a dinner to celebrate the Islamic holy month of Ramadan.

* EU official: Israel likely hijacked Mideast-bound ship Israel was likely behind the hijacking in July of an Russian-manned ship en route to Algeria.

* 'LAF set to receive Iranian weaponry' The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) has accepted an offer by Iran to provide it with weapons produced by the Iranian defense industries.

* Settler leaders: Netanyahu government 'humiliating' us Prominent local heads of West Bank settlements spelled out their dissatisfaction with the Netanyahu government.

* 'Jews who sell to Arabs are enemies' A Jew who sells land to an Arab in Israel should not be allowed to lead prayers in synagogue, should not be given the right to make a blessing during the Torah reading...

* Swedes plan big bang institutional summit in October Sweden is hoping to clear up the EU's distracting institutional issues in one grand summit next month in order to drag the union's focus back to pressing international issues.

* Egyptian Muslims: It Is a Sin to Build a Church The Egyptian Muslim Council has shocked Christians with a new religious edict (Fatwa) stating, "A Muslim who leaves a will for building a Church is committing a sin against God."

* Poland keen to shed anti-Russian image inside the EU Positive chemistry between Russia and Poland at a World War II remembrance event on Tuesday (1 September) could open a new chapter of realpolitik in bilateral ties, with implications for Poland's place in the EU.