David Bedein

Israel's military has determined that the new Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip is constructing tunnels into the Western Negev region of Israel.

IDF ground troops operated from Monday night through Tuesday night in the Khan Yunis area of the Gaza Strip. In the course of Operation Smell of Pines, at least eight Palestinians were killed and 14 were injured. One soldier from the Golani Brigade was injured.

Last week, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak made an unusual policy statement, ordering the Israel's military establishment was going to "take steps to reduce the level [of] draft-dodging" amongst healthy young men of draft age who are avoiding compulsory army service.

Early figures from the Likud primaries yesterday indicated that Benyamin Netanyahu, who graduated Cheltenham High School in June 1967, was re-elected as the Likud party head with 73 percent of the vote.

"There is reason for hope," said the delegation leader, Rep. Steny Hoyer, who went on to say that "the PA leadership is opposed to terrorism and will vigorously act against it."

The Jerusalem police released footage of the shooting incident on Friday near Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem's Old City in order to dispel allegations that Ahmed Mahmoud el-Khatib was shot to death for no reason.