Olmert and Abbas to discuss diplomatic progress in Jerusalem tomorrow

In the UK and international media today, the Guardian carries feature pieces on Gaza that includes a video of a Qassam rocket launch and an interview with a Palestinian terrorist explaining how he uses Google Earth to assist with attacks against Israel. The paper also notes that Israeli officials have proposed to cut supply of electricity to Gaza in a new effort to halt Qassam and mortar rocket attacks. In other news, the paper carried an opinion piece by David Trimble on Northern Ireland as a model for resolving conflicts. The Daily Telegraph and BBC Online run pieces on journalist Alan Johnston who describes his 114 day hostage ordeal in Gaza. BBC Online interviews Israelis on whether they believe former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin could have achieved peace. The news agency also notes that Israeli minister without portfolio Ami Ayalon said that Israel must invite Hamas to the Annapolis Summit next month on condition that Hamas will accept any agreeement coming out of the summit. Reuters notes that early this morning two Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops as they approached the Israeli-Gaza border fence. Metro-London reports that Israeli opposition leader Benjamin Netanyau said yesterday that Jerusalem must remain in Israeli control forever. Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror reports that satellite images have revealed that the Syrian site Israel struck at last month could have been harbouring nuclear activity. Meanwhile, the Scotsman notes that arsonists late on Tuesday night set fire to a church in a Jewish neighbourhood of Jerusalem.

In the Israeli press, Haaretz reports that Keith Dayton, the US security coordinator in the Palestinian Authority, said recently that the Palestinian security forces are not yet capable of enforcing law and order in the West Bank. Haaretz and the Jerusalem Post report that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told the House of Representatives yesterday that a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was in jeopardy. Both papers also note that a UN report released yesterday revealed that Hezbollah had "rebuilt and even increased its military capacity" in southern Lebanon. The Jerusalem Post and Ynetnews notes that experts at the Washington-based Institute for Science and International Security revealed satellite images of the alleged Syrian nuclear site, which they say resembled a North Korea nuclear model. The Jerusalem Post notes that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is scheduled to meet with PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas tomorrow in Jerusalem. The paper also noted the ceremonies across Israel yesterday marking the 12^th anniversary since the assassination of former prime minister Yitzhak Rabin.

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