[Reported from Jerusalem]
1. ISRAEL’S RIGHT INTRODUCES LATEST PEACE PLAN…Some 14 right-wing Israeli lawmakers will unveil an alternative peace proposal in the next few days that denies the Palestinians the right to a state of their own. The proposal also has the backing of leaders of the Jewish communities in the post-1967 territories, according to Israel Radio. Under the plan Israel would offer citizenship to all Palestinian residents of the territories. The entire, enlarged Israel would then be split into cantons, with their representation in Israel’s parliament being predetermined to ensure a Jewish majority in voting. The Media Line analysts say the proposal is highly unlikely to gain sufficient support to be adopted as policy by Israel, and would be immediately rejected by the Palestinians and the wider Arab world. The plan seemingly comes as a response to at least three unofficial peace initiatives from Israeli and Palestinian doves.
2. LAST BID TO KEEP GUARANTEES WHOLE…A senior Israeli civil servant is in Washington on Tuesday in a final bid to prevent the U.S. from reducing its loan guarantees to Israel because of Israel’s construction of a security buffer. The U.S. says it intends cutting guarantees because Israel is building parts of the barrier in Palestinian areas. Prime Minister’s Office bureau head Dov Weisglass is meeting National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice before Israel tries to raise $1.4 billion on bonds markets next week. The Bush Administration has not published the sum it intends cutting in its guarantees.
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3. EGYPTIANS TRY TO BROKER CEASE-FIRE…Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and his intelligence chief ‘Umar Suleiman are expected to travel to Washington within the next few weeks to help advance the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. Representatives of the Palestinian Authority and radical Palestinian groups will meet in Cairo from December 2 for a week of negotiations. The authority is trying to persuade the factions to agree to a cease-fire. It is unclear at this stage whether any cessation in violence will be merely agreed among Palestinian organizations, or whether it will also include Israel.
4. BORROWING GETS CHEAPER IN ISRAEL…Israel’s central bank says it will cut the country’s key lending rate by 0.4 percent in December. That will take its borrowing rate down to 5.2%. The Bank of Israel has cut the rate by 3.9% over the last year. The latest cut comes after figures were published suggesting inflation will end the year around the -1% mark.
5. ISRAEL FREES JORDANIANS…Israel is releasing 10 Jordanian prisoners on Tuesday, to mark the Muslim holiday ‘Id Al-Fitr, which commences with the end of the month of Rama’dan. Four of the prisoners were serving terms for security-related crimes. The others had entered Israel illegally. Jerusalem says the releases have nothing to do with any upcoming prisoner exchange with Hizbullah.
6. THE FINAL TOUCHDOWN…Jordan has stopped the world’s only regular commercial flights into Iraq. The Royal Wings airline took the decision after a missile hit a DHL aircraft over Baghdad on Saturday. The plane made a successful emergency landing.