1. JORDAN HOLDS POST-ATTACKS RESHUFFLE…Jordan’s King ‘Abdallah has begun appointing a new government, at the same time as lambasting his security chiefs for failing to prevent this month’s terror attacks in Amman. The monarch has told his new prime minister there must be a relentless war against terrorists. The new premier, Ma’rouf Al-Bakhit, was until recently Jordan’s ambassador to Israel.
2. PAKISTAN, INDONESIA PLEDGE TO FIGHT TERROR…Two Asian nations facing terrorism at home have agreed to cooperate in the fight against terrorists. The announcement was made on Thursday following a meeting of the Indonesian and Pakistani presidents in Islamabad. Indonesia has suffered attacks from the Al-Qa’ida-linked Al-Jama’a Al-Islamiyya, while Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf has personally been targeted on numerous occasions by Islamist terrorists.
3. LIKUD SETS LEADERSHIP TIMETABLE…Members of Israel’s Likud party will vote for their new leader on December 19, with a second round of voting likely a week later. Opinion polls are suggesting the party formerly headed by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will not do well in the March 28 general election. Early indicators point to Sharon’s new party, Qadima, and the new-look Labor Party as dominating the poll. Qadima is looking to recruit politicians from other parties before the national vote. Already several Likud members have defected, while senior Labor lawmaker Haim Ramon and one independent have also signed up with the new centrist party.