U.N. Inspectors Can Return Unconditionally, Iraq Says
New York Times, September 17, 2002
UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 16 — Iraq, responding to worldwide pressure after President Bush demanded that it comply with United Nations resolutions, said today that it would allow international weapons inspectors to return "without conditions."

Iraqi move gets mixed reception
The Guardian, September 17, 2002
Russia and China today praised Saddam Hussein's offer last night to readmit weapons inspectors into Iraq, and the US faces the task today at a meeting of the UN security council to push home the force of its scepticism.

Explosion in Palestinian school near Hebron; Israeli forces arrest more than 20 Palestinians in Gaza Strip
Al-Bawaba, September 17, 2002
An explosion went off Tuesday morning in the courtyard of a Palestinian school in the West Bank village of Yatta, and five Palestinian students were injured, police and witnesses said.

Israel Abducts 23 Palestinians in Gaza, Destroys 2 Homes
Islam Online, September 17, 2002
GAZA CITY, September 17 (News Agencies) - Dozens of Israeli tanks, backed by helicopters, stormed  the southern Gaza Strip town of Khanun, destroying two houses, Palestinian security sources said Tuesday, September 17, while the Israeli army said it had kidnapped 23 Palestinians in Khan Yunis.

U.S. doubts Iraqi inspections offer; Peres: U.S. may still act
Ha'aretz, September 17, 2002
WASHINGTON - The White House on Monday dismissed Iraq's unconditional offer for the return of UN weapons inspectors, calling it a tactic that would fail and insisting a UN resolution requiring Iraq to disarm was still needed.

EU officials: Quartet divided on Mideast peace plan
Ha'aretz, September 17, 2002 
A European Union plan for establishing a Palestinian state within three years is meeting resistance from the United States, European officials said ahead of a key meeting of the so-called Quartet of Mideast mediators Tuesday.

Israel's new raid in Gaza
Mercury News, September 17, 2002
DOZENS of Israeli tanks, backed by helicopters, pushed into a town in the southern Gaza Strip and destroyed the houses of two Palestinian militants, while troops held at least eight Palestinians suspected of attacking Israel.

Peres, Powell to discuss water dispute; U.S. experts in Lebanon
Ha'aretz, September 17, 2002 
Foreign Minister Shimon Peres will meet U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and "Madrid Quartet" members Tuesday in New York to discuss the dispute between Israel and Lebanon over the diversion of water from the Hatzbani River, which also supplies water to Israel. They will also discuss the situation in the Palestinian Authority.

Lebanese FM: Syria, Lebanon to join Quartet consultations
Ha'aretz, September 17, 2002 
UNITED NATIONS - Syria and Lebanon will take part in consultations with the Middle East Quartet of international mediators, alongside Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, the Lebanese foreign minister said on Monday.

Israel kills one Palestinian, foreigners show solidarity to Palestinians
Arabic News, September 17, 2002
The Palestinian Khalil Ibrahim al-Khazouqi (22 year old) was shot on when the Israeli soldiers opened fire on him while he was inside a car inonits way between the two check points of Abu Haul in Deir al-Balah and al-Matahain ( the mills ) in Khan Younis and prevented the ambulance from arriving to the site to take the body of the killed Palestinian to his family.

IDF raids Khan Yunis, destroys weapon workshops
Jerusalem Post, September 17, 2002
In the Gaza Strip, Israeli troops raided a refugee camp and destroyed what the army said were machines for making weapons.

IDF lifts curfews on PA towns
Jerusalem Post, September 17, 2002
The IDF today lifted the Jenin and Tulkarm curfews for an undetermined period of time, Israel Radio reported.

Int'l security experts, including CIA, start training PA officers
Ha'aretz, September 17, 2002 
A training course for Palestinian Authority security officers, run by the Central Intelligence Agency and other international security experts, got underway Monday in Jericho.

Ben-Eliezer vows to make Rachel's Tomb accessible for Jews
Ha'aretz, September 17, 2002 
Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer said during a visit to Rachel's Tomb on Tuesday that he would do everything possible in order to enable Jews free passage to the site without any threat to their safety.

Saddam caves in on inspectors
The Guardian, September 17, 2002
UN confirms Iraq will allow return with no strings attached: Saddam Hussein last night caved in and agreed to the unconditional return of weapons inspectors to Iraq.

The struggle within
San Francisco Bay Guardian, September 17, 2002
An internal battle over tactics and control roils the venerable American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee: ON JUNE 21 , Michel Shehadeh, one of the nation's foremost Arab American civil rights leaders, received his walking papers from one of the nation's foremost civil rights groups, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC).

A Letter From Iraq to the Chief of the U.N.
New York Times, September 17, 2002
Following is the text of a letter that was sent yesterday by Naji Sabri, Iraq's minister of foreign affairs, to Secretary General Kofi Annan, allowing the return of United Nations weapons inspectors without conditions.

Under Arab states pressure Iraq agrees to return of U.N. inspectors; U.S., Britain dismiss offer
Al-Bawaba, September 17, 2002
Iraq agreed Monday to allow the unconditional return of U.N. weapons inspectors. The U.S. administration dismissed the offer as a tactical move.

American mission seeks to settle Lebanon-Israel water dispute
MENA Report,  September 17, 2002
A delegation of American hydraulics experts conducted a preliminary field survey Monday, September 16, at the South Lebanese site of the region’s latest water conflict. A fact-finding mission, headed by US State Department's emissary Richard Larsen, is scheduled to arrive in Lebanon Wednesday, in an attempt to mediate between Israel and Lebanon.

Palestinian-American Professor Victimized
Palestine Chronicle, September 16, 2002
FLORIDA - Pressured by the Bush administration and the Florida state government, headed by the president’s brother Governor Jeb Bush, the University of South Florida (USF) is moving to revoke the tenure of Dr. Sami Al-Arian and fire him for his pro-Palestinian views.

World Welcomes Iraq's Decision
The Guardian, September 17, 2002
TOKYO (AP) - Though quickly dismissed by Washington, Iraq's decision to allow the unconditional return of United Nations weapons inspectors was cautiously welcomed by many around the world Tuesday.

Peres, Powell to discuss water crisis; Hizbullah calls to stop U.S. interference in this issue
Al-Bawaba, September 17, 2002
Israel's Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres is due to meet U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell Tuesday in New York to discuss the dispute between Israel and Lebanon over the diversion of water from the Hasbani River, which also supplies water to Israel. They will also discuss the situation in the Palestinian Authority.

Extremist wanted by Lebanese authorities found dead in Ein Al Hilweh camp
Al-Bawaba, September 17, 2002
A member of a Muslim extremist group wanted by Lebanese authorities for theft and other charges was found dead Tuesday in the Palestinian refugee camp of Ein el-Hilweh, Lebanese and Palestinian officials said.

Nablus Resorts to 'Secret Schooling'
Palestine Chronicle, September 16, 2002 
NABLUS (PMC) - Since June 21, 2002 Israeli occupation forces have imposed a round-the-clock curfew on Nablus, the West Bank's largest city. With no sign of the curfew ending, parents and teachers say they do not want children to fall behind in their studies and have resorted to 'Secret Schools', AP reported on Sunday.

5 Palestinian students lightly hurt in blast at W. Bank school
Ha'aretz, September 17, 2002 
Five Palestinian students were lightly injured in an explosion Tuesday morning in the courtyard of a Palestinian school in the West Bank village of Yatta, police and witnesses said. A second explosive device was later found in the school and safely detonated.

UN divided over inspections offer
BBC, September 17, 2002
Annan said the Iraqi offer was unconditional: The United Nations Security Council has been thrown into disarray following Iraq's decision to allow weapons inspectors back into the country.

PM: Intifada caused by ignoring PA's violations of Oslo
Ha'aretz, September 17, 2002 
The violence between Israel and the Palestinians over the past two years might have been prevented had Israel responded promptly to the Palestinian Authority's violations of the Oslo Accords, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Tuesday.

Iraq's spanner in the works
BBC, September 17, 2002
US military build-up continues, but will they be needed?: Just as US President George W Bush thought he had Saddam cornered, the master tactician has suddenly and unexpectedly agreed to allow United Nations weapons inspectors back into Iraq.

`Mass immigration from U.S. unlikely'
Ha'aretz, September 17, 2002 
Mass immigration from the United States to Israel is not likely, no matter how hard people try to persuade Americans to come here, said sociology professor Chaim Waxman last week.

Israeli Army Kills Egyptian in Gaza Strip
Islam Online, September 17, 2002
GAZA CITY, September 17 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – Israeli forces shot dead an Egyptian man Monday, September 16, near a military roadblock in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian medical and security sources said.

Out of Africa to injustice in Israel
Ha'aretz, September 17, 2002 
Johnny, a refugee from Sierra Leone in West Africa, was released from prison three weeks ago. He spent three months behind bars after being convicted of a criminal offense, but was jailed for another five months just for being a refugee, an unwanted foreign worker. His attorney says he will sue the state for false imprisonment.

Peres warns: Lebanon is 'dangerously provoking Israel'
Jerusalem Post, September 17, 2002
Israel obtains 30 percent of its water from the North and will not tolerate Lebanon diverting water from the Hatzbani River, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres has told Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov.

Mideast quartet to meet today
Jordan Times, September 17, 2002   
NEW YORK (AFP) — The United States, United Nations, European Union and Russia will hold high-level meeting Tuesday in an attempt to jump-start the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, amid fears an Iraqi crisis could further destabilise the region.

Visa card transactions in Middle East surge 120 percent
MENA Report,  September 17, 2002
Visa International has launched a new brand strategy for the Central Europe Middle East and Africa (CEMEA) region focusing on the relevance of Visa in everyday life.

Sharon: Israel cannot trust its neighbors to carry out agreements
Jerusalem Post, September 17, 2002
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Tuesday that Israel cannot trust its neighbors to carry out agreements. He said the last two years of fighting may have been avoided if Israel had insisted from the start that the Palestinian Authority fulfil interim peace accords.

US team starts inquiry at site of Lebanon-Israel water dispute 
Jordan Times, September 17, 2002   
WAZZANI, Lebanon (AFP) — A US team began preliminary work Monday in a bid to resolve a dispute between Lebanon and Israel over water that the Jewish state has warned could spark a war.

Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon Protest Reduced UNRWA Services
Palestine Chronicle, September 16, 2002 
BEIRUT - For the past two weeks, Palestinian refugees in Lebanon have staged a sit-in in front of the central Beirut offices of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which runs their camps.

Palestinian School Children: 'We are Human Beings, Too'
Palestine Chronicle, September 16, 2002 
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (IAP) - Thousands of Nablus school children took to the streets of their town Sunday demanding an end to Israeli occupation and collective imprisonment of Palestinians in their own homes.

Canada PM Links Sept. 11 to 'Arrogant' West
Palestine Chronicle, September 16, 2002 
OTTAWA - Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien, going where few other leaders dare to tread, has linked the Sept. 11 suicide attacks to the perceived arrogance and selfishness of the United States and the West.

Independent media activists hope to tell a different story of refugees
The Daily Star, September 17, 2002
Italian film-maker enlists support of Indymedia Beirut to document camps from a fresh perspective.

Palestinians rally in Gaza
Middle East Times, September 13, 2002
Hundreds of Palestinians backing Iraq in its face-off with the United States demonstrated in Gaza City on Tuesday, celebrating a gift from the Iraqi regime to the families of Palestinians slain in the conflict with Israel, witness said.

U.S. Congress to discuss 4 Israelis held by Hezbollah in Lebanon
Ha'aretz, September 17, 2002 
The U.S. Congress is expected to hold a hearing in the beginning of October on the kidnapping of Israeli businessman Elhanan Tannenbaum and three IDF soldiers, Omar Souad, Benny Avraham and Adi Avitan, who were captured by Hezbollah in October 2000.

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