Noteworthy Headlines

7 Arrested in Sears Tower Plot

"MIAMI - Seven people were arrested Thursday in connection with the early stages of a plot to attack Chicago's Sears Tower and other buildings in the U.S., including the FBI office here, a federal law enforcement official said."

Two Kassams Land in West Negev; No Wounded, Damage

Kassam lands in Sderot; No Wounded, Damage Caused

Analysis / A Repeat of Gilo

The big question for Israel now is how to deal with Hamas. The IDF claims that Hamas is still involved in firing Qassams, mainly via other organizations. Sderot is becoming a new version of the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo, which, ... was targeted by Palestinian gunfire with the blessing of Yasser Arafat, but without his claiming responsibility or having to pay the price.

"For over a year," a senior IDF officer related, "the capital was fired upon and we told ourselves that it wasn't Jerusalem, but just Gilo, and not Gilo, but just Number 5 Anafa Street, and actually just the southern wall of that building."

What does the army recommend? Essentially, limited hits against the Hamas military wing only, provided that the Qassam toll remains relatively low.

Minister Ramon: Israel to Retreat - Mahmoud Abbas Unable to Control the Terrorists

'Kassams Aren't Meant to Kill'

Mohammad Kafarna is a sheikh, a Ph.D. professor of the Arabic language, and a member of Hamas's political wing.

Since February 2005 he is also the mayor of Beit Hanun, a job that has become practically mission impossible.

... He claimed, the Kassams were harmless. "These are very elementary rockets," he said. "They are not for killing. They are for rejecting the occupation."

Peretz: Gov't Must Pay Settlers to Evacuate

Peretz also said he wants to see towns and neighborhoods that agree to absorb settlers "twinned" with particular settlements in preparation for evacuation. This, he said, would enable entire settlements to move together and allow the destination communities to have housing, jobs and schools ready.

The defense minister does not rule out absorbing evacuees in the large settlement blocs that will remain in Israel's hands, but he said that Israel must offer the Palestinians an exchange of territory for these blocs.

Polls: 70 Percent Oppose Realignment

"The polls, conducted by Shvakim Panorama under the supervision of American strategist Arthur Finkelstein, also revealed that some 65-70 percent of those who backed last summer?s Gaza disengagement object to the West Bank withdrawal plan.

In addition, the survey showed that 70 percent of Israelis who backed the Gaza pullout would have been against it today."

Minister Ramon: Arab Rocket Attacks ?A War Crime?

Fischer: 'Debt Actually Double Gov't Figure'

US Embassy Expunges 'Jerusalem, Israel' From Death Certificate

American Nazi Group Growing