“We asked Peres to name what he thought were his greatest achievements. His response: relations with France, Operation Kadesh, Israel Aerospace Industries, the Dimona nuclear reactor, defense research, Entebbe, rehabilitation of the army after the Yom Kippur War, overcoming the inflation of the 1980s, peace with Jordan, Oslo, and the establishment of cities like Upper Nazareth.”

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By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent
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Senior U.S. administration officials stressed during meetings last week in Washington with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that President George Bush does not intend at this stage to present guidelines of his own for resolving the core issues of an Israeli-Palestinian permanent peace agreement.

An American official who met with Abbas in Washington said that the latter was deeply disappointed by the administration’s unwillingness to pressure Israel on this issue. Continue reading this post…

By Barak Ravid and Avi Issacharoff
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A senior Palestinian official told Haaretz on Tuesday that “as of now there is no Israeli partner for talks on a final status agreements in light of the continuing investigation against [Prime Minister Ehud] Olmert.” Continue reading this post…

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By Reuters

Israel on Monday agreed to remove a strategic roadblock near the West Bank city of Nablus, after Middle East envoy Tony Blair presented a list of travel and trade restrictions he wants removed to bolster peace talks with the Palestinians. Continue reading this post…

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United States President George W. Bush on Tuesday said the recent U.S. disclosure of details on Israel’s strike last September on a suspected nuclear facility in Syria was intended to send a tough message to Damascus and Pyongyang as well as Tehran over their nuclear ambitions. Continue reading this post…

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Israel Defense Forces troops shelled a house in the northern Gaza Strip on Monday, killing five Palestinians including four young siblings, medical officials and resident said.

Officials said a total of five people have died and a sixth is in critical condition following the blast in Beit Hanoun. Among the dead were four siblings who ranged in age from 6 down to 15 months. Continue reading this post…

By Akiva Eldar, Haaretz Correspondent

Based on an agreement signed with former police commissioner Moshe Karadi, right-wing settlers will take up residence in a group of buildings in Jerusalem’s predominantly Arab neighborhood Ras al-Amud in the next few days. The building had hitherto served as the Samaria and Judea District Police headquarters.

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By Nadav Shragai, Haaretz Correspondent and News Agencies

Housing and Construction Minister Ze’ev Boim on Friday dismissed Peace Now’s criticism of a plan to build 100 new housing units in West Bank settlements, noting that the plan was aimed at providing an answer to the settlements’ natural growth. Continue reading this post…