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An Israeli soldier was reported killed close to the border with the Gaza Strip in what Palestinians said appeared to have been an attack by gunmen in breach of ceasefire declarations made over a week ago.

The Israeli military, which maintains censorship on casualties until next of kin are informed, said a bomb went off close to forces on the Israeli side of the border fence near the Kissufim crossing in the central Gaza Strip.

It declined to comment on casualties but Al Arabiya television said one soldier was killed and three were wounded.

It would be the first Israeli death since Israel ended its 22-day offensive in the coastal enclave on January 18.

http://tvnz.co.nz/world-news/israeli-soldier-killed-2454604

Getting a peace deal in the Middle East is such a priority to President Obama that his first foreign calls on his first day in office were to Arab and Israeli leaders. And on day two, the president made former Senator George Mitchell his special envoy for Middle East peace. Mr. Obama wants to shore up the ceasefire in Gaza, but a lasting peace really depends on the West Bank where Palestinians had hoped to create their state. The problem is, even before Israel invaded Gaza, a growing number of Israelis and Palestinians had concluded that peace between them was no longer possible, that history had passed it by. For peace to have a chance, Israel would have to withdraw from the West Bank, which would then become the Palestinian state.

It’s known as the "two-state" solution. But, while negotiations have been going on for 15 years, hundreds of thousands of Jewish settlers have moved in to occupy the West Bank. Palestinians say they can't have a state with Israeli settlers all over it, which the settlers say is precisely the idea.

THERE IS MORE AT
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/23/60minutes/main4749723.shtml

LONDON - Emotional criticism of the BBC over its refusal to air a charity appeal for the people of Gaza has intensified as more legislators demanded the BBC change course.

More than 110 British politicians have endorsed motions criticising the BBC's decision to keep the Gaza appeal off the air, said MP Richard Burden.

Some 35 MPs met BBC director-general Mark Thompson but failed to convince him that the charity appeal must be broadcast, said MP Jeremy Corbyn.

"Thompson was very bullish and very repetitive, saying they couldn't broadcast the appeal and still be impartial, which I see as nonsense," Corbyn said. "He also said they couldn't be sure the aid would get through, which was contradicted by the United Nations."

There were signs that the controversial appeal is succeeding even though Britain's two major broadcasters - the publicly funded BBC and Rupert Murdoch's Sky News - have said they would not allow it to be shown on their networks.

The broadcasters say they cannot try to raise money for Palestinians in Gaza without compromising their journalistic impartiality.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10554017&ref=rss

Understandably - if they were to have a fundraising venture the money must be held by a reputable organisation and only goods and services provided, that way people can be ensured the money isnt going directly to arms, which I think is the biggest concern.

Zionists = warmongering kid killers