1. ‘ABBAS FIRES 20 AFTER MORTAR ATTACKS…Palestinian leader Mahmoud ‘Abbas fired 20 officers including three senior figures in the Gaza Strip because of their failure to prevent attacks on Israeli targets. More than two dozen mortars were fired at Israeli homes in Gaza on Thursday. As a result ‘Abbas ordered the dismissals, including that of ‘Abd Al-Razzaq Al-Majaideh, the man who heads up Palestinian security forces in Gaza.
2. ‘ABBAS TO GAZA TO RESTORE CALM…Palestinian leader Mahmoud ‘Abbas is expected in Gaza on Friday in order to meet leaders of Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other groups. He said he is determined to ensure this week’s cease-fire agreement with Israel is observed by Palestinians. He reportedly has already told the terror organizations that they have no authority and cannot take the law into their own hands. Hamas said it launched the mortar strikes on Thursday because Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian in the early hours on Thursday. Israel maintains the dead Palestinian was one of four who had approached the perimeter fence of Atzmona, an Israeli village in Gaza.
3. U.N. RETURNS TO SYRIA, DEMANDS EXIT FROM LEBANON…The United Nations is once again insisting Syria remove all its estimated 14,000 troops from neighboring Lebanon. The demand was made during a meeting in Damascus on Thursday between U.N. envoy Terje Roed-Larsen and Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad. The U.N. Security Council has already passed a resolution calling for the withdrawal. While Syria pulled some troops out of Beirut, few have left Lebanon. As a result of this and Syria’s support of terrorism, the United States has already imposed sanctions on Damascus with a threat of more to come. The U.N. Security Council may meet as early as next month to discuss its next move against Syria.