Olmert and Abu Mazen met this evening

Israel's Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Abu Mazen, met this evening in Jerusalem. The meeting lasted two hours and was considered "good" by the aides of both leaders. Abu Mazen's spokesman said that agreements were reached on several issues. The two discussed the possibility of a prisoners release in exchange for kidnapped Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, the ceasefire and the internal Palestinian situation.

Saib Arikat, a high ranking Palestinian official went further and announced that Israel will deliver 100 million dollars of frozen Palestinian funds to Abu Mazen and that additional meetings are due.

This meeting was long due, as both leaders expressed their desire for a meeting over the past few months. Why it took this long is anyone's guess. Recently, several figures in the international community urged both leaders to meet and talk.

This meeting was highly criticized by Hamas who does not recognize Israel.

Continued Riots in Gaza

Shots were fired on a Fatah demonstration in the North of Gaza. A few people were injured in what became a mass Fatah protest, numbering in the tens of thousands.

Earlier, 4,000 soldiers of the Presidential Guard and the al-akza brigades took control of the agriculture and transportation offices in Gaza in what the Hamas calls a military coup. Hamas appointed FM, Mahmoud al-Zahar declared in a press conference that if the offices are not vacated, the infiltrators will be disarmed and arrested.

In other skirmishes in Gaza at least 2 people were killed and a yet unclear number were injured.

Olmert: Not to respond to Abu Mazen's speech

Israel's PM, Ehud Olmert, directed his cabinet ministers to refrain from responding or expressing their view regarding Abu Mazen's speech in which he announced his desire to call for an early election. Olmert said that any such response will only weaken Abu Mazen in the Palestinian arena as he is already accused by Hamas as a collaborator of Israel. Israel hopes that this move by Abu Mazen will prove a step in the path to renewed negotiations.

In internal news: former FM and runner up in the Likud primary, Silvan Shalom, gave an interview today in which he said that the Likud should hold an early primary and elect a new leader to rehabilitate the party which took a heavy beating in the last general elections. Shalom who lost the former primary to Benjamen Netanyahu, plans to run again.

Fears of riots at Haniyeh's bodayguard's funeral

The funeral of Palestinian PM's, Ismail Haniyeh, bodyguard who was killed yesterday in a botched up assassination attempt on Haniyeh may become a riot catalyst. So it is reported and feared in Gaza. Haniyeh came into Gaza through the Rafah Pass yesteday after being detained in the Siani for 8 hours by Palestinian and Egyptian troops. As he came through, fire was opened on his motorcade and one of his bodyguards was killed and several others injured including Haniyeh's son.
Hamas blames Fatah for the shooting and promises retribution. Fatah officials deny any involvement in the shooting.
Tensions have already been running high in Gaza as several assassinations took place there during the past week; the last of a Hamas appointed judge just two days ago. Hamas and Fatah are in the midst of a power struggle in Gaza.

Assassination attempt on Hanieyh

After an 8 hour long delay, PM Ismail Haniyeh, crossed the Rafah Pass from the Siani into Gaza. While crossing, fire was opened on the motorcade in which he was riding.
In the crossifre which ensued, one of Haniyeh's bodyguards was killed and another was injured; A political aide was also hurt.
Another person who was wounded is the PM's 27 year old son, Abbed. According to Palestinian sources none of the injuries was grave.
The Hamas are blaming the Pesidential Guard of Abu Mazen, of the Fatah, for the attack, and demand of Abu Mazen to take immediate steps to bring those responsible to justice.
The shooting is another escalation in the struggle between Fatah and Hamas for domination in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority.

Two Palestinian dead in West Bank

In several incidents in the West Bank today, two Palestinians were killed and a few more injured.

In a refugee camp close to the city of Nablus, police special forces shot and killed Mohammad Ramaha, a commander in the Al-Akza brigades. Another militant was injured in the skirmish.

The Palestinians reported that IDF soldiers opened massive fire and that 10 people were injured though these reports are yet to be substantiated by the IDF.

The Al-Akza brigades swore vengeance and threatened to commit suicide bombings within Israel as a reprisal.

Earlier, a 27 year old Palestinian was killed close to the Israeli city, Ariel. IDF reported that in that incident several Palestinian threw rocks and blocks at the soldiers. The 27 year old was shot while flinging a stone block.

Palestinian terrorist killed in Gaza

Today, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a lone Palestinian terrorist who approached the fence seperating the Gaza Strip from Israel. The Palestinian was armed with a rifle and grenades. No Israeli casualties were reported.
This is the first Palestinian terrorist killed by IDF troops since the beginning of the ceasefire in Gaza, this despite repeated rocket launches by the Palestinians from Gaza at the Israeli Negev.
Israel took care not to respond to the rockets in order to sustain the ceasefire, but today, as it was decided that the soldiers were under immediate threat, they were given the authorization to fire.

Fears of Palestinian Civil War

Fears that the Palestinians are headed for civil war escalated this week when two judges and the three children of a high ranking intelligence officer were killed in the Gaza strip as part of the power struggle between Fatah and Hamas. This is not the first time the two organizations have been at odds with each other and they have managed to lay their differences aside in the past, but the blood toll and the rhetoric of the past week are both warlike in nature.
All over the Gaza Strip abduction is rampant. Fatah officials run around shooting as they demand to be paid by the Hamas government. The negotiations to establish a national unity government with the Hamas and Fatah have floundered. All this does not bode well for the future of the Palestinian's in Gaza

Israel finds it harder and harder not to respond

In an interview with German reporters in Berlin, Israel's Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert said that it was harder and harder not to respond to Palestinian breaches of the ceasefire.

Yesterday, five Qassam rockets were launched from the Gaza Strip aimed at the Israeli city of Sderot. The rockets landed in open territory and caused no harm or injuries. Since the beginning of the ceasefire 23 rockets were launched by Palestinian militants from Gaza at Israel.

When asked whether Israel will respond, Olmert replied that he was aware how easy it would be to silde into overall violence and that was why Israel was restraining herself.

Olmert is visiting Germany as part of an all European diplomatic tour.

Annan draws his vision of the Middle East

Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, related today his vision of the Arab-Israeli conflict:

Two states, Israel and Palestine living side by side in peace. The borders of the two countries will be based on the border of 1967 and the capital of the two states will be a divided Jerusalem.

The issue of Palestinian refugees will be solved within the boundaries of the Palestinian state and would not involve resettlement in Israel.

As to Syria and Lebanon: the two countries will have full diplomatic relations with Israel.

Annan claimed that both sides have a way to go in order to fulfill his vision and that each side must recognize the hardship it is causing the other. Only by accepting some of the other's view point can an agreement be made. Annan accepted Israel's position that terrorism did not equal unintentional harm which has befallen Palestinian citizens during IDF operations but did not absolve Israel of responsibility for it.

Lieberman adresses Saban Forum

Israel's minister of Strategic Affairs, Avigdor Lieberman, spoke today in Saban Forum in Washington. The right wing minister criticized the arab-israeli members of Knesset who traveled to Syrian and expressed support of Hezbollah. Lieberman likened their actions to an american senator's meeting with Bin-Laden.

Lieberman stated that Israel has a right to demand loyalty of its citizens and that any who do not accept Israel's Jewish-Zionist nature cannot be one of its citizens. Lieberman directed those words to arabs and certain sects of orthodox Judaism who do not recognize Israel.

Lieberman also attacked the accepted axioms of the conflict in the Middle East:

That the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is the crux of the instability in the region.

That the conflict is territorial and not ideological.

And that the establishment of a Palestinian state in the borders prior to the Six Days War will end the conflict.

Nevertheless, Lieberman said that any solution will have to improve the life and education of the Palestinians in order to have any chance of succeeding.

Olmert to meet with secretary Rice tomorrow

Israel's PM, Ehud Olmert, is scheduled to meet with American Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, tomorrow in Jerusalem. Rice is scheduled to meet with Palestinian president Abu Mazen (Mahmud Abas) earlier that same day.
Olmert and Rice are to discuss the way in which the Israeli-Palestinians negotiation may be restarted. Olmert's speech of two days ago in which he expressed that Israel would be willing to withdraw from large parts of the West Bank in return for a full and lasting peace is hoped to become the catalyst of a return to the table between the two sides.
The meeting between Olmert and Rice was not planned in advance as Olmert met with Rice during his visit to the United States two weeks ago.
A meeting between Olmert and Abu Mazen has yet to be scheduled while the ceasefire which was declared in the beginning of the week has already been broken a few times by Palestinian militants

Head of Egypt's intelligence service visits Israel

Gen. Omar Suliman, head of Egypt's intelligence service, met today with Israel's security minister, Amir Peretz. The talks dealt primarily with the situation in the Gaza strip and continuing efforts to secure the release of abducted israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit. Shalit was abducted by palestinian militants of the Hamas organization a few months ago. Haled Mashal, one of the leaders of Hamas, visited Egypt earlier this week. At the moment Hamas is demanding the release of many prisoners in exchange for Shalit, a price Israel is reluctant to pay. Suliman and Peretz also discussed the ongoing smuggling operations taking place between the Siani desert and the Gaza strip. Egyptian forces guarding the border have not been able to seal it and great quantites of weapons and explosives have been smuggled by palestinian militants since Israel's withdrawl from Gaza in the summer of 2005. Suliman is also scheduled to meet with Israel's PM, Ehud Olmert, and the head of Mossad, Meir Dagan. In Israel, many politicians have expressed outrage at Egypt's ineffective control of the border with Gaza and believe that Egypt can do a lot more.