Middle Orient News

RAMALLAH — Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was due to meet exiled Hamas leader Khaled Mishaal in Damascus last night amid hopes that the months-long negotiations over a unity government might finally be nearing resolution.

CAIRO — Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a deal with Arab leaders this week: Washington will show an interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Arabs will say they support the new US strategy for Iraq.

BEIRUT (AFP) — The Lebanese opposition called Saturday for a one-day general strike, stepping up a protest campaign to bring down the Western-backed government that has paralysed the nation’s leadership for weeks.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) — US contingency planning for military action against Iran’s nuclear programme goes beyond limited strikes and would effectively unleash a war against the country, a former US intelligence analyst said on Friday.

BAGHDAD (Reuters) — Six car bombs killed at least 19 people across Baghdad on Thursday as Iraq’s prime minister urged the United States to give Iraqi forces more weapons and said he could bring security in three to six months if they did.

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel said it would free $100 million in frozen tax funds later Thursday to boost moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas — the first Israeli payment since Hamas won legislative elections and took office last year.

RABAT (Reuters) — A Moroccan man returned home to find his 11-year-old son hanging dead from the ceiling, a newspaper said on Thursday, the latest victim of a macabre game in which children mimic the death of Saddam Hussein.

ANKARA — From Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan down, Turkey’s politicians are threatening military intervention in northern Iraq to crush Turkish Kurdish rebels hiding there if, as seems sure, US forces fail to tackle them.

RAMALLAH — The Israeli government is reeling after Tuesday’s resignation of Israeli army chief Dan Halutz with calls growing for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defence Minister Amir Peretz also to step down.

BERLIN (AFP) — US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and current EU President Germany said Wednesday the international Quartet for Middle East peace would meet next month, calling the time ripe for a fresh initiative.