Bush Green Lights Unilateral Steps

Although Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert didn't come away from his White House meetings with an absolute green light for his proposed foray into unilateral acts, U.S. President George W. Bush did little to dispel any belief that approval won't be forthcoming. Speaking to reporters after their first of two meetings, Bush called Olmert's ideas "bold" and picking up on the spin that has been rife since the American and Israeli advance teams met last week said, "These ideas could lead to a two-state solution if a pathway to progress on the road map is not open in the period ahead." After adding a perfunctory reference what has until now been a fundamental principle of American Mideast policy and that of most western nations - ["….any final status agreement will be only achieved on the basis of mutually agreed changes, and no party should prejudice the outcome of negotiations on a final status agreement."] - Bush reiterated his implicit approval, adding that, "the Prime Minister's ideas could be an important step toward the peace we both support." President Bush also again warned Iran that the U.S. will come to Israel's aid if attacks the Jewish state.

An Iraqi Government at Last

Iraq's unity government was at last sworn in on Saturday after five months of intense negotiations and bickering over who would fill which government positions. Forty cabinet ministers took the oath of office, headed by Prime Minister Nouri Al-Maliki, a Shiite Muslim. The squabbling continued through the time set for the swearing-in ceremony to begin, necessitating a two-hour delay. Three cabinet posts remained unfilled and Al-Maliki is believed to be looking for non-aligned people to take those positions. U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair both praised the achievement of launching a unity government. In dire contrast to the celebrations, thirty-three Iraqis were killed in attacks throughout the country and the bodies of twenty-two victims murdered by anti-government forces were found on the same day.

Only One Sinai Suspect Remains

A suspect in all five of the terror attacks that took place in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula over the past two years was killed in a chase with Egyptian police on Friday. Arafa Auda Ali was being pursued near Rafah, along the Egyptian-Israeli border. Police say he died as he was trying to hurl explosive devices at them. Another wanted fugitive from Ali's group surrendered on Thursday, leaving only one at-large. The incident came as Egyptian security forces were securing one of the seaside resorts, Sharm A-Sheikh, for this weekend's meeting of the World Economic Forum.

Islamic Jihad Leader Killed

The leader of Islamic Jihad in Gaza City was killed on Saturday when two Israeli missiles struck his car. Mohammad Daduh was known to have been instrumental in the manufacturing of the Qassam rockets that are fired into Israeli daily, according to an Islamic Jihad spokesman. Daduh was returning from visiting his wife in a local hospital when the missiles struck. She had giving birth to a baby girl Palestinian sources claim that two women and a four-year old child who were traveling in a vehicle behind Daduh's car were also killed in the attack. Israeli Defense Minister Amir Peretz has ordered an investigation into the report of civilian deaths.

Jordan Diplomatic Employee Killed in Gaza

The driver assigned to Jordan's envoy in the Gaza Strip was killed by a bullet to the head on Monday. It is not known whether Khaled Radaida was a target or whether he was caught in the crossfire as Hamas and Fatah gunmen fought it out in the streets. But the Jordanian government is demanding that the Palestinian Authority investigate and provide answers. Eyewitnesses reported that three bullet holes were visible in the car's windshield, apparently fired at close range.

U.S. Rejects Israeli Nuke Plea

Israel reportedly tried and failed to dissuade the United States from submitting a draft of an international treaty for discussion before the United Nations disarmament commission in Geneva. The treaty, if passed, will prevent nations from producing plutonium or enriched uranium for nuclear weapons. Israel fears that the treaty could undermine its policy of nuclear ambiguity, which it considers a cornerstone of its defense posture. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which reported the American rebuff, also reported that the Americans have rejected a request by Israel to purchase the same nuclear technology from the U.S. that it has approved for sale to India, which like Israel, has not signed the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty.

Israel Unfreezes Med Money

Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert told the New York Times on Saturday that Israel will purchase necessary medical supplies for Palestinian hospitals in the Gaza Strip and pay for it out of tax money that Israel collects for the Palestinians but has withheld because Hamas controls the government. While promising to expedite delivery of the supplies to the Gaza hospitals, Olmert called talk of a humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip "total propaganda." He said the Palestinians "are the victims of their own extremist, fundamentalist, religious, inflexible and unyielding leadership, and we will do everything in our power to help these innocent people."

Rep. in Public Row with Lobbyist

An intense spat between a member of the House of Representatives and a pro-Israel lobbyist speaking on behalf of AIPAC - the American lobby for Israel - has gone public. In a letter she posted on the New York Review of Books website, Minnesota Democrat Betty McCollum said she was "maligned and smeared…by a representative of AIPAC" after voting in committee against a bill that would limit American aid to the Hamas-led Palestinian government. The bill passed and was sent on to the full House where it will be vote upon on Monday. Although not named in the letter, the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune says McCollum was referring to Amy Rotenberg, a Minneapolis activist associated with AIPAC, who vehemently denies McCollum's version of the events leading up to the letter. Nevertheless, McCollum called it a "hateful and vile attack" and wants an apology. She has also cut off all contacts with AIPAC. McCollum explains her vote by saying that the bill went beyond the criteria set by the Bush administration and the Quartet.