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IDF: Gazans Building "Underground City"
 Palestinian militants are constructing an "underground city" in the Gaza Strip to store weapons and attack Israeli forces in the future, army chief of staff Dan Halutz has been quoted as saying. "The Palestinians are continuing digging an underground city in the Gaza Strip," said Halutz. "They are constructing tunnels in the urban parts in order to confront our forces," Halutz told a Knesset committee. (AFP/Yahoo)
French Foreign Minister Changes His Opinion on Israeli Separation Barrier
by Shirli Sitbon
 French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy declared last week he has changed his opinion on Israel's controversial separation barrier in light of its drastic effect on terror, forcing French authorities to clarify their position on the issue. But although the French government has been critical of it since the start of its construction four years ago, Douste-Blazy has now reversed the feeling. “I have significantly evolved on the matter of the separation fence” said Douste-Blazy on French Jewish television TFJ last week. “Although the wall was a moral and ethical problem for me, when I realised terror attacks were reduced by 80 percent in the areas where the wall was erected, I understood I didn’t have the right to think that way.” (European Jewish Press)
Immigrant Soldier Killed in Lebanon to Be Honored by Masa
by Matt Zalen
 Michael Levin, an American immigrant who died fighting in Lebanon, will be remembered on Thursday among other victims of this summer's war, as 2,000 overseas Jewish  students studying in Israel participate in a solidarity mission to the North. Sponsored by Masa, an initiative of the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Government of Israel, the event, called the "Train Journey to the North," will include a parade through the streets of Acre, a tour of Acre's old city and a concert which will be attended by VIPs and students from the Acre Naval Academy. (Jerusalem Post)
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Egypt Moves 5,000 Troops Near Gaza Border
 Egypt moved 5,000 more security forces near the Gaza Strip border on Saturday after an Israeli report said Israel may bomb tunnels used for smuggling weapons into Palestinian territories, an Egyptian official said. The 5,000 Egyptians were members of the police's central security force. They joined about 750 border guards already deployed along the area known as the Philadelphi Corridor. Egyptian police recently seized 195 crates of automatic weapons and ammunition meant to be smuggled across the border and the Israeli army said its troops discovered 15 tunnels along the border during the past week. (Reuters/New York Times)
Settlement Donates Medical Supplies to Palestinians
by Neta Sela
Last week, residents of the Modeiin Elite settlement donated NIS 30,000 worth of medical equipment to an ambulance from the neighboring Palestinian village of Naleen. The ambulance itself was purchased by village residents, but they didn't have enough money for equipment inside the ambulance. Resident Husseini Nafar said that they originally appealed to Palestinian Authority sources, who told them to "find another donor". (Ynet News)
Study Urges Arabs to Negotiate with Israel
 A study has suggested that Arabs take over direct negotiations with Israel on behalf of the Palestinians for a final settlement of the Middle East conflict. Egyptian researcher Abdel Moneim Saeed, head of al-Ahram Center for Strategic and Political Studies, was quoted as saying Wednesday in the Saudi ash-Sharq al-Awsat daily that Arab countries directly concerned with the conflict are at present better placed than the deeply-divided Palestinian Authority to negotiate peace with Israel. Saeed, whose center is closely-linked to decision making circles in Egypt, said the Palestinians are grounded by the fact that they have no complete vision or assessment of a comprehensive agreement with Israel in which the gains and concessions they have to make are clear. (United Press International)
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