Middle Orient

Fresh violence and rhetoric unlikely to torpedo momentum for Mideast peace

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — A lethal arrest raid, a suicide bombing, fresh land expropriations, a threatening Hamas video: So far, that’s the follow-up to Israel’s historic Gaza pullout. Rather than seize the moment to jump-start negotiations, Israelis and Palestinians appear to be falling into a familiar pattern of violence and rhetoric. …

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Election jolts politics, if not Mubarak rule

CAIRO — Five years ago, sociologist and activist Saadeddin Ibrahim broke a taboo by publicly criticising Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. Hours later, he was in jail. “Everybody said that was the red line I crossed,” said Ibrahim, who wrote in a magazine article that leaders of Arab republics, including Egypt, …

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Khalilzad suggests there may be further changes to constitution

US says `known terrorist’ killed as 45 die in fighting BAGHDAD (AP) — In a dramatic turn, the US ambassador opened the door Tuesday to further changes in Iraq’s draft constitution and signalled the Bush administration had not given up on a campaign to push through a charter that will …

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Egypt envoy holds truce talks with Palestinian factions

GAZA CITY (AFP) — A senior Egyptian envoy told the Palestinian parliament Tuesday that Cairo would work “hand in hand” with the Palestinians for an end to Israel’s occupation of all territory seized in 1967. “I have the pleasure of being with you to convey the congratulations of President (Hosni) …

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No 2nd stage of disengagement; roadmap talks next — Sharon

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM — Egyptian intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, yesterday met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss ways of shoring up the ceasefire and border controls between Gaza and Egypt. The visit came at the same time as EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana met Israeli officials to discuss how …

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Lebanese brace for results of investigation into Hariri’s murder

BEIRUT — After months of bombings, assassinations and political upheaval, many Lebanese fear the worst is yet to come as the United Nations wraps up its investigation into the killing of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri. Some prominent politicians and journalists have reportedly fled the country. Others stay cooped up …

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Mubarak’s vote triumph seen certain, but many look beyond incumbent

CAIRO — From deep in Egypt’s south to the nation’s Mediterranean shores hundreds of kilometres to the north, everyone knows that it’s all but a formality for Hosni Mubarak to win next month’s presidential election. Such apathy is routine given Egypt’s long record of electoral fraud. Yet surprisingly, many in …

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Sunnis mobilise to defeat charter

FALLUJAH — As the Sunni tribal chiefs file into the bullet-scarred headquarters of the US-led coalition in the centre of Fallujah, it is immediately clear what they came to talk about. “The constitution is weak and it casts the Sunnis aside,” says one. “We have to keep Iraq united from …

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