U.S. Delay on Proposal for Mideast Irks Allies
New York Times, December 13, 2002
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 — The Bush administration, deepening a rift with its allies on Middle East policy, has rebuffed appeals from President Jacques Chirac and other Europeans to adopt a plan next week establishing a Palestinian state in three years, administration officials said today.

Troops demolish five Palestinian homes in Hebron
Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2002   
According to Israel Radio, three of the destroyed houses were positioned across from where two soldiers were shot and killed Thursday night. The other two belonged to known Hebron-based terrorists.

Israeli Soldiers Ambushed in Hebron
Gainesville Sun, December 13, 2002
Israeli troops demolished three houses Friday after a Palestinian sniper inside one of them killed two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint in a dark Hebron street, including the first woman slain in combat in more than two years of fighting.

US cash for Middle East democracy
BBC, December 13, 2002
Washington is hoping to curb anti-US feelings -- The United States has launched a new initiative designed to spread democracy, education and open markets across the Middle East. US Secretary of State Colin Powell pledged $29m to the cause during a speech in Washington.

IDF preparing for long stay in Palestinian areas: magazine
Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2002 
The IDF has made plans for a lengthy stay in West Bank towns, according to the army's weekly magazine.

Israel Says No Troop Pullout from Bethlehem Before Xmas
Islam Online, December 13, 2002
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, December 13 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Contradicting remarks made Thursday, December 12, during a meeting between Israeli President Moshe Katsav and Pope John Paul II, a senior Israeli officer said that the army is not planning to withdraw forces from the West Bank city of Bethlehem prior to the Christmas holiday.

Iran dealing with Fatah via Lebanon
Ha'aretz, December 13, 2002 
Iran has deepened its influence in the territories, creating contact with the armed wings of the Fatah in the West Bank, and becoming involved in issuing instructions for attacks.

Two Palestinians wounded by IDF fire in West Bank refugee camp
Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2002 
The IDF entered the West Bank refugee camp of Nur al-Shams Friday afternoon, Palestinian eyewitnesses told Israel Radio. They said two Palestinians were wounded by the IDF during its operation there.

Another article omitted from Haaretz English edition: Converted to Islam? The Government Will Send You To A Psychiatrist
oznik-news, December 12, 2002
The Interior Ministry and the Ministry of Religious Affairs are doing all they can to prevent official recognition of Jews who convert or marry a Muslim.

Egyptian FM: US Middle East initiative a no go without end to Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2002
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher on Friday said the "United States Middle East Partnership Initiative," presented by Secretary of State Collin Powell Thursday and aimed at promoting the democratization of civil societies and economic growth in the Arab Middle East, does not take into account the central problem in the region, namely the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israel Radio reported.

Israeli troops killed 531 children, 162 women in two years
Islamic Republic News Agency,  December 13, 2002
Al-Khalil, Dec 12, IRNA -- A high-ranking Palestinian Authority official has blasted the world community for allowing the Israeli regime to indulge in "deliberate and wanton killing of Palestinian children and women."

Crime wave in West Bank as unpaid cops turn rogue
WorldTribune.com, December 12, 2002
JERUSALEM — Palestinians are undergoing a wave of crime and gang activity following the collapse of police services in the West Bank, according to Palestinian sources and local news reports.

Arafat unsure if permitted to attend Christmas festivities; troops remain in Bethlehem
Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2002   
Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat said Friday he asked an Israeli official to allow Yasser Arafat to attend Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem this year; enforcing a travel ban, Israel last year prevented the Palestinian leader from attending festivities.

Israel will not grant Arafat permission to attend Christmas mass in Bethlehem
Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2002   
Israel will not grant PA leader Yasser Arafat permission to leave his Ramallah compound to attend Christmas mass in Bethlehem, Israel Radio reported.

Two Palestinians hurt in IDF incursion in West Bank camp
Ha'aretz, December 13, 2002
Two Palestinians were wounded Friday as IDF troops carried out an incursion in the Nur A-Shams refugee camp, close to the West Bank town of Tul Karm, Palestinian sources said.

Likud worried investigation on corruption could repel voters
Ha'aretz, December 13, 2002 
The Likud is worried that the police investigation launched Thursday into allegations of vote buying in the party's central committee elections for its Knesset list will accompany the general election campaign and drive voters away from the party.

3 IDF officers to be dismissed following report on Hebron attack
Ha'aretz, December 13, 2002 
Three commanding officers who led Israeli forces during the November 15 battle in Hebron, during which 12 Israelis were killed, will be removed from their posts as a result of the findings of a military investigation.

Two soldiers shot dead in Hebron
Ha'aretz, December 13, 2002
Two Israel Defense Forces soldiers were killed last night at a roadblock near the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. The two soldiers, male and female, were part of a Military Police unit guarding the area.

Carter Unlikely to Join Mideast Talks
The Guardian, December 13, 2002
COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Former President Jimmy Carter said Friday that he doubts he will have another opportunity to mediate in the Middle East.

Hamas Threatens New Attacks at Rally
The Guardian, December 13, 2002
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip (AP) - Hamas marked the 15th anniversary of its founding Friday with threats to keep attacking Israel, delivered at a rally led by dozens of armed men and would-be suicide bombers in white robes.

Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories 04-11 December , 2002
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights
Continued Israeli War Crimes in the OPT and the International Community Remains Silent -- 20 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 3 women and 2 children, killed by Israeli forces / Israeli forces invade al-Boreij refugee camp, killing 10 Palestinians and destroying a house / 4 extra-judicial assassinations, and 4 Palestinians killed / Continued Israeli retaliatory campaign against families of wanted Palestinians and those who carried out armed attacks against Israeli targets / Large areas of agricultural land razed and 3 houses demolished in the Gaza Strip / Israeli forces use Palestinian civilians as human shields during military operations / A number of Palestinians arrested / Continued strict siege of the OPT

Hamas threatens new attacks in rally that draws tens of thousands
Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2002
KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip - Hamas on Friday marked the 15th anniversary of its founding with threats to keep attacking Israel _ delivered at a mass rally led by dozens of armed men and would-be suicide bombers in white robes.

Barghouti plans appeal after court rules that he can stand trial here
Ha'aretz, December 13, 2002 
The Tel Aviv District Court yesterday rejected Marwan Barghouti's petition claiming that the court had no right to try the Fatah leader, since he is a member of the Palestinian parliament and was illegally captured by Israeli forces.

Feith arrives with a new U.S. military liaison for the war on Iraq
Ha'aretz, December 13, 2002 
Douglas Feith, the No. 3 civilian in the Pentagon, met yesterday with the prime minister, the foreign minister, the defense minister and the heads of the defense establishment, including army officials. He was accompanied by the person who will serve as the new liaison officer to Israel from the U.S. armed services' joint chiefs of staff, in the event that there is a war in Iraq.

Israel Kills Five Unarmed Palestinians, Claims They Had Ladders
Palestine Chronicle, December 12, 2002
GAZA CITY - Israeli occupation soldiers shot and killed five unarmed Palestinians in the Gaza Strip Thursday in what Palestinian sources described as a cold-blooded murder. An Israeli army spokesman admitted the five were unarmed, but claimed they intended to climb an Israeli fence between the Gaza Strip and Palestinian territories occupied by Israel in 1948.

Sharon rejects Mofaz’s demands on defense budget
Globes, December 13, 2002
The 2003 defense budget cut will be NIS 3 billion. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz discussed the matter yesterday.

Powell unveils plan to reform 'autocratic' Middle East
The Independent, December 13, 2002
The US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, unveiled an American plan yesterday to bring reform and greater democracy to the Arab world – serving implicit notice that autocratic regimes in the Middle East must change, even if they are US allies.

Egypt Criticizes U.S. Democracy Initiative, Jordan, Qatar, Israel Welcome
Islam Online, December 13, 2002
The U.S. initiative "does not deal with the main problem which is at the root of all other problems in the region," said Maher -- CAIRO, December 13 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Arabs gave mixed reactions Friday, December 13, to Washington's 29-million-dollar initiative to foster democracy in the Middle East, with some asserting the key to the region's problems is the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

German President Calls for Halt to Israeli Settlement Building
Islam Online, December 13, 2002
BERLIN, December 13 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - German President Johannes Rau urged an end to the building of new Israeli settlements, in an interview Friday, December 13.

Carter willing to mediate peace talks between Israel, Palestinians if asked
San Francsico Chronicle, December 12, 2002  
UPPSALA, Sweden (AP) -- Former President Jimmy Carter said Thursday he was willing to mediate peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, but only if they and the U.S. government asked him to.

Robert Fisk: Did Saddam's army test poison gas on missing 5,000?
The Independent, December 13, 2002
Why didn't Tony Blair and George Bush mention Saddam Hussein's most terrible war crime? Why, in all their "dossiers", did they not refer to the 5,000 young men and women who were held at detention centres when their families – of Iranian origin – were hurled over the border to Iran just before President Saddam invaded Iran in 1980?

IAEA Chief: Most Data in Iraq Filing Old
The Guardian, December 13, 2002
VIENNA, Austria (AP) - Most of Iraq's nuclear weapons declaration to the United Nations is old material, and only 300 pages in Arabic are believed to contain any new information, the chief of the U.N. atomic energy agency said Friday.

U.S. to Use Iraqi Scientists’ Questioning to Attack: Report
Islam Online, December 13, 2002
WASHINGTON, December 13 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - The U.S. administration anticipates the process of questioning Iraqi scientists outside the country by the U.N. inspectors will spark a direct confrontation with Iraq.

Tehran Bars Iraqi Opposition From Using its Soil for Attacks
Palestine Chronicle, December 12, 2002
TEHRAN - Iran will not allow Iraqi opposition groups to attack Baghdad from Iranian soil and does not intend to attend a weekend London conference on regime change, a government spokesman said Wednesday, December 11.

Opposition groups map the post-Saddam landscape
The Guardian, December 13, 2002
Key opponents of Saddam Hussein begin a three-day meeting in London today to hammer out a common political platform for the future of a post-Saddam Iraq.

Iraqi dossier 'full of holes'
BBC, December 13, 2002
A preliminary report by the United States on Iraq's weapons dossier has found the declaration to be full of omissions, US media report.

Iraq Arms Report Has Big Omissions, U.S. Officials Say
New York Times, December 13, 2002
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12 — American intelligence agencies have reached a preliminary conclusion that Iraq's 12,000-page declaration of its weapons programs fails to account for chemical and biological agents missing when inspectors left Iraq four years ago, American officials and United Nations diplomats said today.

Assad warns of Iraq war fallout
BBC, December 13, 2002
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has warned that a US-led war on Iraq would create "fertile soil for terrorism" across the Middle East.

Iraq cancels Russian oil deal
BBC, December 12, 2002
Lukoil, the Russian oil giant, has received a letter from the Iraqi oil ministry cancelling a $3.7bn (£2.4bn) oilfield development deal.

Weapons of class destruction
The Guardian, December 13, 2002
12 years of UN sanctions have taken their toll on Iraq's "dispossessed" middle class -- Adnan Hadad keeps his memories in a creased brown envelope in a fridge in the corner of the shabby cafe he now runs in one of Baghdad's squalid industrial districts.

Landmines in Iraq: Questions and Answers
Human Rights Watch
Does Iraq have a problem with uncleared landmines? -- Iraq is severely affected by mines and unexploded ordnance (UXO) as a result of the 1991 Gulf War, the 1980-1988 Iraq-Iran War, two decades of internal conflict, and even World War Two. Landmines and UXO pose a problem in the north, along the Iran-Iraq border, and throughout the central and southern regions of the country. The number of mines planted in Iraq is not known.

Iraq invites UN envoy in charge of Kuwait captives
Jordan Times, December 13, 2002   
UNITED NATIONS (R) — Iraq for the first time has invited to Baghdad the UN envoy in charge accounting for stolen Kuwaiti property and prisoners of war during Iraq's 1990 occupation of its southern neighbour, a UN official said on Thursday.

Wargames test new US command post in Gulf
Jordan Times, December 13, 2002       
AL SAYLIYAH BASE — A long metal box structure inside a sand-coloured warehouse is the unlikely nerve centre for a wargame being played out by the US military in this Gulf state 600 km south of Iraq.

Haaretz and IDF Press Bureau: Who Inspires Whom?
oznik-news, December 10, 2002
IDF Reports in English Lack Parts Of Hebrew Versions, Reports Haaretz - In Its Hebrew Version Only -- The following article was published by Edo Amin, a journalist in Tel Aviv, Israel, in the 6 Dec.issue of his weekly newsletter, Doch Amin (The Amin Report). A similar version of the article was published the same day in Israeli daily Haaretz, but omitted from the English online edition.

Iran Women Begin Anti-Stoning Campaign
The Guardian, December 13, 2002
TEHRAN, Iran (AP) - Iran's female legislators are demanding an end to death by stoning as a punishment for adultery, saying it has harmed the country's image.

Nuclear inspectors to visit Iran sites
BBC, December 13, 2002
Iran is building a nuclear plant with Russian help -- United Nations inspectors are to visit two new nuclear facilities in Iran which America says could be used to develop nuclear weapons.

French accuse U.S. of meddling 
International Herald Tribune, December 13, 2002
PARIS A French cabinet minister who once served as president of the European Parliament accused President George W. Bush on Thursday of interfering in the European Union's business by lobbying hard with EU leaders for the admission of Turkey as a member.

$29m US plan for Arabs
Arab News, December 13, 2002
CAIRO, 13 December 2002 — The United States unveiled yesterday a program to help “modernize Arab society” with an initial contribution of $29 million and pledges to raise more from Congress and some Arab countries.

Let children be involved in decision making: Unicef
Arab News, December 13, 2002
DUBAI, 13 December 2002 — Officials of the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) have urged Arab countries to bring their children into a consultative and participation process that would help improve their status and bring them into the decision making process.

Hariri confers with Larsen on ME issues
Arabic News, December 13, 2002
Lebanese prime minister Rafic Hariri yesterday discussed with UN special coordinator Terry Rod Larsen developments of conditions on the Lebanese borders with Israel in light of the Israeli military escalations and continued Israeli violations of the Lebanese sovereignty.

Prof wants USF suit against him dismissed
Tallahassee Democrat, December 13, 2002
TAMPA - The lawyer for a tenured Palestinian professor with alleged terrorist ties argued Thursday that a federal judge should not determine the free-speech issues of his firing case, as the University of South Florida has requested.

Arab parties fail to find any national unity
Ha'aretz, December 13, 2002 
Even in the hours immediately after Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced early general elections, no-one seriously expected that lawmakers from the Arab parties would heed the routine calls for unity that came from the Arab street.

Dissent in the ranks as Labor unveils campaign slogans
Ha'aretz, December 13, 2002 
The Labor Party campaign for the January elections was launched yesterday at an extraordinary meeting of the faction in Tel Aviv, but has already drawn fire from several key party members.

Tehran Flatly Denies Any Nuclear Weapons Program
Islam Online, December 13, 2002
TEHRAN, December 13 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Tehran flatly denied Friday, December 13, U.S. reports that it has a nuclear weapons program, reaffirming its right to use nuclear technology for civil and "peaceful" means.

Palestinian man killed, another wounded, in apparent 'work accident'
Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2002 
A Palestinian man was killed and another wounded when an explosion rocked the house they were in, in the Gaza Strip refugee camp of al-Boureij Friday afternoon, Israel Radio reported.

Carter Center officials conjecture Palestinian elections will be postponed
Jerusalem Post, December 13, 2002 
Officials at the Carter Center in the United States believe the Palestinian elections previously scheduled for next month will be postponed.

Muasher discusses peace road map, situation in Palestinian territories with Erekat, Moratinos
Jordan Times, December 13, 2002       
AMMAN (Petra) — The “extremely critical” situation in the Palestinian territories requires serious and intensified Arab efforts to put the peace process back on track, Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher said Thursday.

European, Palestinian Youth to Rebuild Youth Center in Nablus
Palestine Chronicle, December 12, 2002
NABLUS, West Bank (PC) - In the summer of 2003, youth from Palestine, Germany and other prospective countries will come together with the common goal of rebuilding youth facilities in Nablus that were destroyed in April of 2002, in the historic Israeli invasion of the city.

A Statement Concerning Israeli Military Order # T/61/02 for the Confiscation and Demolition of Historic Buildings in the Old Town of Hebron
Palestine Media Center, December 9, 2002
On November 29th, 2002 the Israeli army issued military order T/61/02 which calls for the demolition of the homes of 110 families in Hebron’s Old City in order to create a road that will directly connect the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba with the Ibrahimi Mosque.