1. UNPRECEDENTED SECURITY FOR ISRAELI LAWMAKERS…Politicians of all political persuasions are under maximum security on Tuesday, ahead of tonight’s key vote on Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s Gaza-withdrawal plan. Opposition leader Shimon Peres addressed a peace rally on Monday night from behind bulletproof glass, something almost never seen in Israel. Security officials fear extremists from either end of the political spectrum may try to attack those planning to vote against their wishes.
2. ELECTIONS IN THE OFFING?…The number of politicians willing to back Ariel Sharon’s Gaza plan seems to be decreasing in the hours prior to the Gaza vote on Tuesday night. The United Torah Judaism party has joined Shas, the other religious list in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, in saying it will not vote in favor of Sharon’s plan. Sharon’s party colleagues Foreign Minister Sylvan Shalom and Finance Minister Binyamin Netanyahu are pressuring him to call a referendum, but the opposition Labor Party says it will bring about fresh elections if Sharon opts for the referendum.
3. THOUSANDS BACK GAZA PLAN…Some 10,000 pro-Gaza-withdrawal protesters demonstrated outside the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, on Monday night. They have been accused of doing too little too late in trying to gain grassroots support for Ariel Sharon’s plan. However, organizers say they are far less-well funded than the political right, and as a result have only just been able to launch their campaign.
4. MEDIA FRENZY SURROUNDS GAZA DEBATE…Dozens, if not hundreds of journalists camped around Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, on Monday and intend continuing their sojourn throughout Tuesday ahead of the vote on the Gaza plan, which is scheduled for 8pm local time. Thousands of demonstrators are expected to arrive at the compound in the hours before the ballot. Live broadcasts have not only dominated the local media, but also much of the international agenda over the last 24 hours.
5. ISRAEL PERMITS ARAFAT TO LEAVE COMPOUND FOR MEDICAL TESTS…Israel last night said it had given permission for Palestinian Authority Chairman Yassir Arafat to leave his office in Ramallah in order to receive medical treatment in the city. However, once the story was published, Arafat’s spokesman immediately denied he had requested any medical tests. The incident follows visits to Arafat by groups of doctors from Egypt and Tunisia. While he has reportedly been complaining of stomach pains, his spokespeople maintain he merely has a bout of flu.