David Bedein

In the wake of recent reports about plans to dig a canal linking the Red Sea on the Israeli side and the Dead Sea on its Jordanian side, a fiery argument broke out in Egypts parliament, with the members of parliament (MPs) speaking out against the "Israeli plot to choke the Suez Canal to death." In the course of the debate, which has been going on in parliament for the last two days, Abed el-Aziz Sayef a-Nasser, an aide to the Egyptian foreign minister, was called as an expert witness. A-Nasser is the director of the Egyptian Foreign Ministry's legal department.

Despite Iran's support of Hamas in principle, the relations between the Palestinian organization and the Persian Gulf country were chilly. Among other reasons, this is due to the fact that Hamas is a movement that belongs to the Sunni stream of Islam, while Iran is a Shiite country. However, according to information that has been building up in the security establishment, over the past weeks all the barriers have been removed, and the aid that Iran extends to Hamas is becoming almost as massive as the scale in which Iran funds Hezbollah's activity in Lebanon.

Jordanians bought the bonds from Korean company, Hyundai via James Baker's firm for USD 272 million, and sold them to the Iraqis for USD 450 million dollars' worth of oil. In Israeli businessman Nir Gouaz's estimation, Baker's law firm received USD 33 million in fees for services rendered. The deal was completed in July 2000.

The Bulletin asked the spokespeople of the government of Israel if they would also denounce the leader of the Palestinian Authority Machmud Abbas, also known as Abu Mazen, for the holocaust denial, which has been an integral part of his legacy. However, the government of Israel would issue no such denunciation of Abbas, who wrote his doctorate in 1982 in Moscow, at the Institute for Oriental Studies.

--Supreme Court, Judge Aharon Barak, wrote in his ruling that, in his view, each case has to be carefully examined individually, and it has to be ensured that the risk to innocent bystanders is not excessive. The end does not always justify the means, Barak concluded--Hezbollah Puts Medium-Range Rockets Across Litani--Second Madrid Conference To Be Held --Italian Guards Leave Posts At Jewish, Israeli Institutions In Rome

--The Iraqi commanders are concerned about their own capabilities," Maj. Gen. Carter Ham, commander of 1st Infantry Division, said. "They're concerned about whether or not they will be fully supported by their government."--U.S. Bolsters Naval Presence In Gulf--U.S. Military ApprovesAid To Egypt--Egypt: American Part Of Al-Qaida Network--Turkey IDs Al-Qaida Network Leader--Al-Qaida Sends Agents Into Lebanon--Kuwait Signs Intel Sharing Accord With Nato--GCC Wants To Match Iran's Nuke Program

--"If they didn't think what they were doing was important, then they wouldn't re-enlist," Maj. Gen. Richard Zilmer, commander of Multinational Force West, said.--Gulf Cooperation Council Mulls Dialogue With Iran--Iran Expands Nuke Enrichment Program