1. SYRIAN REDEPLOYMENT IN LEBANON TO BEGIN ON MONDAY… Syria’s troop redeployment in Lebanon is set to begin on Monday according to the Lebanese defense minister. The first stage of the withdrawal will see Syrian forces pull back to the Beqaa Valley in the eastern portion of the country. In a speech on Saturday night, Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad said that in the second phase, troops would pull back to the Syrian-Lebanese border, but left details vague. Both the United States and Israel have criticized the Syrian plan, saying it doesn’t go far enough and pointing out that the U.N. resolution demands a total pullout. The Hizbullah terror organization is calling for a mass pro-Syrian demonstration in Beirut. Israel has also brushed off reports that Syria has expelled the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist organizations from their respective Damascus offices. Israeli intelligence sources warn that it’s a ploy that has been used before.
2. SHOOTING AT TOMB OF PATRIARCHS… Palestinian gunmen fired on a group of Israelis standing at the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron Monday morning, and disappeared into the crowded casbah section of the city. Two Israelis were wounded in the attack. Soldiers began a manhunt, but at this writing, have made no arrests.
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3. PALESTINIANS EXPECT TURNOVER OF TUL KAREM THIS WEEK… The Palestinians expect Israel to turn over security control of the West Bank city of Tul Karem to the Palestinian Authority this week. Word came after Israeli and Palestinian commanders met on Sunday for the first time since a suicide bomber killed 5 Israelis in Tel Aviv on February 25th. The Palestinians had suggested that Tul Karem be the first city to be turned over after a series of disagreements prevented Jericho from being the first. Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz is also expected to meet with Palestinian Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas for the first time this week.
4. MONEY LAUNDERING SCANDAL ROCKS ISRAEL… Israel has been shaken by a money laundering scandal that has so far resulted in the arrest of 22 employees of a single bank branch and might target Israel’s ambassador to the United Kingdom. The arrests follow a year-long investigation into more than 80 accounts and 170 customers at Bank Hapoalim, the nation’s largest commercial bank. Officials said the probe involves hundreds of millions of dollars and that a number of countries are involved in the investigation. On Sunday, police raided the offices of Vladimir Gusinski, the owner of the newspaper Ma’ariv, one of the largest Hebrew-language dailies. The newspaper Haaretz reports that one target of the probe might be Israel’s Ambassador in London, Zvi Heifetz, who was a key Gusinski employee before accepting the diplomatic post.
5. NO CONJUGAL VISITS FOR RABIN ASSASSIN… Israel’s High Court of Justice has denied conjugal visits for Yigal Amir, the man convicted of killing former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. A district court had denied a petition by Amir and his fiancée nine months ago. Amir says the ruling denies him his basic human rights.