Tuesday, October 23, 2012

10/23/12

* Israel, Iran issues top final US presidential debate During the final debate before the elections, both US presidential candidates say they will stand by Israel should it be attacked by Iran.

* Palestinian Street Begins to Sound Like Spring Since the beginning of the Arab Spring almost two years ago, the West Bank and Gaza Strip have been remarkably quiet.

* Blow to Fatah in West Bank local elections Palestinian voters in the West Bank have delivered an apparent blow to the Fatah movement in local elections.

* Beirut blast stirs fears of return to conflict Anti-Syrian politicians in Lebanon have accused Damascus of being behind a powerful car bomb that killed the intelligence chief of the Internal Security Forces, Brig-Gen Wissam al-Hassan.

* Settlers plan to lobby for passage of Levy Report Dani Dayan says "days of patient waiting" are over, hopes to push report on W. Bank settlements as part of deal with future coalition.

* Syrian violence spills into Jordan, Lebanon Jordanian soldier killed in clashes with armed militants attempting to cross border from Syria; four dead in Lebanon after overnight clashes.

* Abbas Pens Letter to Gazans: Pre-67 Land Also 'Occupied' PA President Mahmoud Abbas spoke about Israel's claim to land obtained before 1967 and touched on the PA's UN bid for statehood.

* EU Foreign Policy Chief Coming to Israel European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is in the Mideast, arriving in Israel midweek for meetings in Jerusalem and Ramallah.

* IDF Officer Wounded in Gaza An IDF officer suffered moderate wounds during an operation in central Gaza.

* Hamas PM welcomes Qatari ruler, hails breaking of Gaza's isolation The emir of Qatar received a hero's welcome in Gaza on Tuesday, becoming the first head of state to visit the Palestinian territory since the Islamist Hamas seized control of the coastal strip five years ago.