Middle Orient

GENEVA (Reuters) – Israeli restrictions have caused a humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank that is growing worse, leaving hospitals unable to treat the sick and keeping farmers off their land, the International Committee of the Red Cross said.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Plans to rein in Palestinian government spending and boost foreign aid will not be enough to revive the Palestinian economy if Israeli restrictions stay in place, the World Bank said on Thursday.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Two-thirds of Pakistanis want President Pervez Musharraf to resign and his allies will fare badly in parliamentary elections next month, according to the first major poll published since he declared emergency rule.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Already furious at President Pervez Musharraf over a crackdown on opponents and emergency rule, Pakistanis from middle class housewives to the poor have a new gripe just weeks ahead of an election — the price of bread.

QUETTA, Pakistan (Reuters) – Two suicide bombers attacked a military checkpost in Quetta, the capital of Pakistan’s Baluchistan province, on Thursday, killing three soldiers and four civilians, the military said.

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) – Prospects for a free and fair general election in Pakistan next month are poor and a rigged result could lead to more instability and play into the hands of Islamist militants, election watchdog groups said.

BEIRUT (Reuters) – Lebanese army investigators searched for clues on Thursday in the assassination of a top general who had been tipped to become the next army chief. Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj, killed by a 77 lb car bomb on Wednesday, was a leading contender to replace army chief General …

(Reuters) – Lebanese army investigators searched for clues on Thursday in the assassination of a top general who had been tipped to become the next army chief. Brigadier General Francois al-Hajj, killed by a 35 kg (77 lb) car bomb on Wednesday, was the first military officer to be killed, …

The Lebanese presidential election was postponed for the seventh time last Friday as the majority and minority faction leaders in the country’s parliament were again unable to reach a consensus. The election has become an intense football match in which each side is playing defensively in order to avoid losing.

The State Department says U.S. and Iranian officials will meet next week in Baghdad to discuss Iraq security issues. U.S. officials say attacks in Iraq thought to be Iranian-supported have declined in recent weeks.