Israel calls off withdrawal talks
BBC, August 28, 2002
Israel has called off high-level talks with Palestinians aimed at implementing a plan for an Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian areas of the West Bank and Gaza.

Israeli operation on Gaza coast
Al-Bawaba, August 28, 2002
Israeli army and naval forces pushed up the Gaza Strip coast early on Wednesday. Palestinian witnesses said 11 tanks and armored personnel carriers swept into the coastal village of Sheikh Ajlun, just south of Gaza City.

Families threatened with house demolitions
Palestine Monitor, August 27, 2002
The Israeli army is continuing to demolish, and threaten to demolish the homes of Palestinians who the Israeli army claims has been, or might in the future be involved in attacks against Israelis. This is one of the latest and cruel developments in Israel’s policy of collectively punishing Palestinians for acts they have not committed.

Ya'alon attacks his media critics
Ha'aretz, August 28, 2002
Israel will "pay a price" for public criticism of Chief of Staff Moshe Ya'alon, the new army chief told Ha'aretz in the first interview he has given since taking office in July.

Calls for U.K. chief rabbi to quit for criticizing Israel
Ha'aretz, August 28, 2002 
British Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks set off a storm of controversy in mostly right-wing British Jewish circles Tuesday, after he told The Guardian newspaper that the Middle East conflict has forced Israel to adopt a stance that conflicts with the ideals of Judaism.

Palestinian killed in Gush Katif; IDF operates in Gaza
Ha'aretz, August 28, 2002 
A Palestinian man was killed Wednesday afternoon after approaching the IDF's Tel Katifa outpost in the Gaza Strip Gush Katif settlement bloc. It is not clear whether the man was killed by IDF soldiers or Palestinians, as gunfights were taking place there at the time.

Israel Considers Demolishing Homes of Palestinian Jerusalemites
Palestine Chronicle, August 28, 2002
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: The Israeli daily newspaper "Haaretz" revealed today that the Israeli Public Security Minister Uzi Landau is expected to ask the "defense" establishment for authorization to demolish the homes of two Israeli Arabs suspected of involvement in planning the Meron Junction bombing.

Ministry of Health Warns From Re-emerging of Infectious Diseases
Palestine Chronicle, August 27, 2002
RAMALLAH (PMC): Palestinian Ministry of Health (MOH) revealed in a report on the health situation in the Palestinian territories that malnutrition among children under 5 years old is increased by 125.6%, in comparison with 2000. Out of the total malnutrition cases, about 21%, are suffering from severe and moderate malnutrition.

2 Israeli Arabs arrested for aiding Umm al-Fahm bomber
Ha'aretz, August 28, 2002 
Two Israeli Arabs, residents of Nazareth, have been detained on suspicion of transporting a suicide bomber on August 5, it was released for publication Wednesday.

Palestinian Police Return to Gaza Checkpoints, Security Meet Postponed
Islam Online, Auigust 28, 2002
GAZA CITY, August 28 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Palestinian police on Wednesday returned to three Gaza Strip checkpoints destroyed by the Israeli army, as a first step under the security plan for Israel to hand over control in areas of the coastal strip, police and witnesses said.

IDF operating on Gaza coast in bid to thwart arms smuggling
Ha'aretz, August 28, 2002
IDF armored and naval forces thrust toward the Gaza coast overnight Tuesday, taking control of a stretch of beach, in what the army said was a bid to thwart an attempt to smuggle weapons into the Strip via the sea.

Israel, PA to hold high level security talks, two senior PFLP leaders arrested
Al-Bawaba, August 28, 2002 
Israel arrested two Palestinian political leaders, one day before Israeli Defence Minister, Binyamin Ben Eliezer meets with Palestinian interior minister Abdel Razaq al-Yahya.

ICRC activities in Israel, the occupied and autonomous territories, 19-28 August 
Alternative Information Center, August 28, 2002
In Israel, the Occupied and the Autonomous Territories (IL/OT/AT), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) works towards ensuring the faithful application of International humanitarian law (IHL), and above all the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the protection of civilians in times of war and occupation.

Reuters photographer injured in Ramallah shooting
Reporters Without Borders, August 27, 2002
Reporters Without Borders protested today about the injuring of Reuters photographer Ammar Awad in shooting by Israeli soldiers in Ramallah yesterday during a clash with Palestinian youths.

Ben-Eliezer and Yehiyeh to meet over 'Gaza First'
Ha'aretz, August 28, 2002
Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer is expected to tell Palestinian Interior Minister Abdel Razeq Yehiyeh at their meeting scheduled for Wednesday in Tel Aviv that the time is not yet ripe for an IDF redeployment in the West Bank city of Hebron, defense sources say.

UNESCO-related group offers to send expert to inspect Temple Mount
Ha'aretz, August 28, 2002 
A UNESCO-related group for the preservation of antiquities offered Wednesday to send an expert to Israel to assess the damage to the southern part of the Western Wall and the danger of it collapsing, Israel Radio reported.

Peres: PA parliament should be allowed to hold special session
Ha'aretz, August 28, 2002 
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said Wednesday that Israel should allow a special session of the Palestinian parliament to approve elections and reforms, as well as the new makeup of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's cabinet. "We should allow them to convene," Peres told Israel Radio.

Experts from Jordan and Egypt to train Palestinian police
Jerusalem Times, August 22, 2002
Interior Minister, Abdel Razak el Yahiya,  told reports in Ramallah last Tuesday that Jordanian and Egyptian officers will start training Palestinian police in Jericho starting  at the end of this month. Jericho was chosen because it is the only West Bank city not under occupation.

Palestinian journalists' union bans photos of armed children
Reporters Without Borders, August 27, 2002
Reporters Without Borders called today on the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate to immediately reverse its ban on local and foreign journalists taking pictures of children carrying weapons or wearing military uniforms.

Mubarak: U.S. attack on Iraq will bring chaos
Ha'aretz, August 28, 2002 
An American attack on Iraq would plunge the Middle East into chaos, and Israel's military campaign against the Palestinians could prolong the crisis for 50 years, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak warned yesterday.

Negev Beduin demand affirmative action in education 
Alternative Information Center, August 28, 2002
Negev Beduin are demanding the Education Ministry end what they see as a discriminatory policy and build additional classrooms and schools for them.

PM to convene forum over Temple Mount
Ha'aretz, August 28, 2002 
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will convene a restricted forum of ministers to discuss the danger of the southern wall of the Temple Mount compound collapsing.

PA presses on with January elections in defiance of the U.S.
Ha'aretz, August 28, 2002
Despite American objections, the Palestinian Authority cabinet yesterday decided to press on with general elections on January 15, 2003, an official statement said. The date was chosen as part of a reform package accepted by the PA under U.S.-European pressure in June. Israel would permit a special session of the Palestinian parliament to meet and approve elections and reforms, the Foreign Ministry said yesterday.

Map: Palestinian Bantustans in the West Bank
Palestine Monitor

Map: Gaza Governorates
Palestine Monitor

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This now threatens the Gaza-Bethlehem First security plan
BBC, August 28, 2002

video:
The meetings were all we had to go on in terms of moving this process forward
BBC, August 28, 2002

Arab leaders to terror groups: Stop recruiting Israeli Arabs
Ha'aretz, August 28, 2002 
The Arab National Council has called on all Palestinian terror organizations to stop recruiting Israeli Arabs for operations against Israeli targets.

Middle East News Online (MENO) to Shut Down
Palestine Chronicle, August 27, 2002 
To Our Clients, Partners and Participating Publishers: With the primary vision of becoming a global media service provider and syndicator of news and information about the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions to a world-wide audience Middle East News Service was born in 1997.

Release: IAP Says Plot to Bomb Florida Mosques Not Being Taken Seriously Enough
Palestine Chronicle, August 27, 2002  
CHICAGO (IAP): The Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP) views with grave concern the recent arrest of a man who apparently planned terrorist attacks on 50 mosques and Islamic educational centers in Florida.

LAW Demands Immediate Release of PFLP Leader
Palestine Chronicle, August 27, 2002   
RAMALLAH: Ahmad Sa'adat, general-secretary of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) has been on hungerstrike for the past 72 hours. He started the hungerstrike to protest his detention and the refusal of the Palestinian Authority to implement the decision of the High Court to release him.

EU president Denmark wants Palestinian state by 2005
Ha'aretz, August 28, 2002
COPENHAGEN - Denmark, the current holder of the EU presidency, suggested on Wednesday the creation of an independent Palestinian state in 2005 as a part of a plan aimed at reviving the shattered Middle East peace process.

Israel arrests PFLP chiefs   
Jordan Times, August 28, 2002   
RAMALLAH (AFP) — Israel nabbed two Palestinian political leaders Tuesday, pressing ahead with its policy of arrests in the West Bank even as Israeli Defence Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer prepared to hold fresh security talks with Palestinian Interior Minister Abdul Razaq Al Yahya.

Hurt but unbowed, the police chief between Israel and the militias
The Independent, August 28, 2002
Nothing about Colonel Mohammed Issa's appearance reveals the pressures and perils of his job. The gold badge on his chest proclaiming his status as deputy commander of Bethlehem district police glows impressively.

Jackie Mason takes Palestinian comic off the bill
ABC News, August 28, 2002
Chicago-AP -- A comedian scheduled to open for comic Jackie Mason tonight has been taken off the bill because he is of Palestinian descent.