PM Olmert travels to Moscow to push for sanctions on Iran

The main item of Israel-related coverage in the UK media today is a statement made yesterday by US President George W. Bush noting Iran's leaders' desire to destroy Israel and warning of a possible ‘World War 3' should Iran acquire the knowledge to make nuclear weapons. In other stories, the Times, Reuters and BBC Online note the conclusion of  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to the region. The Times notes PA plans for a census of the Palestinian population, and reports on Condoleezza Rice's visit to Bethlehem.  The Independent, meanwhile, notes PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's claim that Israel is hampering progress toward a joint declaration. The Financial Times notes Palestinian public scepticism toward the current attempt to revive the negotiating process. BBC Online and Reuters report clashes between Hamas forces and Fatah supporters in the Gaza Strip yesterday. BBC Online also notes that no Russian-Iranian alliance was forged during President Vladimir Putin's visit to Teheran, and has a piece on an appeal for greater rights for Palestinian refugees in Lebanon.

In the Israeli media, all papers report the death of an IDF soldier in a clash in Gaza yesterday, and of 4 Palestinians in a separate incident between Fatah and Hamas supporters. Haaretz has an additional article on Egyptian failure to prevent arms smuggling into Gaza, and, together with Ynetnews, carries a piece on the negotiations for the release of captives in Lebanon, and Hezbollah's attempt to bypass the issue of Ron Arad. The Jerusalem Post notes Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's hopes for the success of the negotiations between Israel and the PA. Ynetnews sums up the visit by Secretary of State Rice to the region, and reports on an upcoming visit by PM Ehud Olmert to Russia.

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