I. Appropriations Update II. The UN & UNRWA Under Fire III. Ackerman on the Record

Peace Now Petitions For Outpost Action: The Israeli Peace Now movement petitioned the High Court of Justice to order the dismantling of two illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank.

Q. Do the attacks from and towards Gaza indicate the redeployment was a mistake? Q. How does the Israel High Court of Justice decision on the security fence compare with last year's advisory by the International Court of Justice in The Hague?

Q. What was significant about the content of Sharon & Abbas' speeches? Q. ...how is Israel's unilateralism now seen by Arabs and others?

The Aristocrats: Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef recently said Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment to President George W. Bush for supporting Israel's pullout from Gaza. But he is not alone. Evangelical Christians in the U.S. are making the same charges.

9/16/05 - The latest edition profiles the Elon Moreh Settlement

I. New Bills and Resolutions II. On the Hill III. Lantos on the Record

According to Friday's Dahaf/Yedioth Ahronoth survey of Israeli public opinion, given a choice between Ariel Sharon, Benjamin Netanyahu, and Uzi Landau in a Likud primary contest, 24% of registered Likud members would vote for Landau, 29% for Netanyahu, 31% for Sharon, and 16% undecided.

Q. Why did Abu Mazen claim Israel had not withdrawn from all of the Gaza Strip? Q. Is someone dealing with West Bank settlers who want to be evacuated?

Occupied Territories No Longer Have Security Significance, Says New Israeli Security Doctrine: A new Israeli national security doctrine being formulated says that there is no longer any security significance in Israel holding onto the West Bank and Golan Heights.

Q. What are the ramifications of the meeting last week in Istanbul between Pakistan's and Israel's foreign ministers? Q. If the new Iraqi constitution is approved by a referendum in October, Iraq will become a loose federation. How is this likely to affect Middle East stability and Israeli interests?

After the recent dismantling of four settlements in the northern part of the West Bank (Ganim, Kadim, Homesh, and Sanur), there are still 121 settlements in the West Bank (not including East Jerusalem).