Special Report | Israel and the Middle East

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Hezbollah: Halt Israeli aggression: Hezbollah pledged on Saturday to deny the United States and Israel any political gains from the war in Lebanon as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice flew to Jerusalem to discuss ways to end the 18-day-old conflict. Israel rejected as unnecessary a United Nations plea for a truce to aid civilians trapped by fighting.
Rival Palestinian factions agree to unity government: Rival Palestinian factions agreed on Monday to form a power-sharing government in the hope of ending a crippling international economic blockade. Ismail Haniyeh, a Hamas leader who heads the current government, will remain Prime Minister in the new Cabinet, according to officials.
Blair offers support for a Palestinian coalition: British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sunday offered a spur to the deadlocked Middle East peace process by offering to recognise a future Palestinian power-sharing government, even if it includes ministers from Hamas. Blair said the international community should support a government of national unity agreed between Hamas and Abbas's more dovish Fatah party.
Israel tests ceasefire with Lebanon arrests: Israeli troops in southern Lebanon detained four men on Friday for questioning in what appeared to be the first arrests since a ceasefire ended the war with Hezbollah. An Israeli patrol south of the village of Aita as-Shaab, the scene of heavy clashes during the 34-day conflict, detained the men on Friday afternoon, the Israeli military said.
Israel lifts naval blockade of Lebanon: Israel lifted its eight-week sea blockade of Lebanon on Friday after an interim maritime task force, led by an Italian admiral, deployed off the Lebanese coast, the commander of the United Nations peacekeepers said.
Israel begins lifting blockade of Lebanon: Israel began on Thursday to lift a blockade of Lebanon imposed when it went to war with Hezbollah guerrillas eight weeks ago, and a Lebanese airliner landed at Beirut's patched-up airport to mark the moment. The Middle East Airlines flight from Paris circled over Beirut to celebrate the demise of the air embargo after intense diplomacy led by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Children pay price of Summer Rain offensive: On a humid afternoon, an hour or two after lunch, Nadi al-Attar, 12, set off on a donkey-drawn cart with his grandmother Khariya and two of his young cousins to pick figs from a small orchard near their home in northern Gaza. Ahmed (17) one of the cousins, remembers the moment when the shell struck, but pauses as he tells his story to nervously rub the muscles at the top of his thighs.
Israel to lift Lebanon blockade: Israel said on Wednesday it would lift an eight-week-old air and sea blockade of Lebanon on Thursday, handing over control to international forces. It said Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had been told by United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan that "international forces are ready to take over control posts".
Annan expects Israel to lift Lebanon embargo soon: United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan said on Tuesday he hoped for word on the lifting of an Israeli blockade on Lebanon within two days as the shape of a carefully orchestrated deal involving France, Italy and Germany emerged. In Egypt Annan said he hoped the next 48 hours would bring "positive" news on the lifting of the Israeli embargo.
Hamas on the brink of deal to lead new coalition: Rival Palestinian factions are close to forming a new power-sharing government which the militant group Hamas expects to lead, the Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyeh, said on Monday. A national unity government is intended to lift the international freeze on funding to the Palestinian Authority, which has left it facing an economic crisis.