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Quartet Approves EU's Temporary Palestinian Aid Plan
 Meeting in New York on Tuesday, representatives of the Quartet, including U.S. Secretary of State Rice, discussed the situation in the Middle East. A statement issued after the meeting said: "The Quartet reiterated its support for assistance directed to help meet the basic human needs of the Palestinian people and promotion of Palestinian democracy and civil society." "The Quartet expressed its willingness to endorse a temporary international mechanism that is limited in scope and duration, operates with full transparency and accountability, and ensures direct delivery of assistance to the Palestinian people." (United Nations)
See also International Plan to Provide Aid in Critical Areas (Washington Post)
Israel to Join UN Economic and Social Council
 The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) approved last week Israel's acceptance to the council's committee on non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Membership in the ECOSOC committee is for four years, beginning in January 2007. This development is a further step in Israel's growing role at the UN, one that is unrelated to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Israel will serve on the committee alongside Western countries such as Britain, Turkey, and the United States, as well as countries from Asia, Africa, the Far East, and Latin America. (Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
Fulbright Celebrated in Israel
 Fulbright scholars gathered in Israel to mark the 50th anniversary of the program. Last week, Fulbright Israel and the United States-Israel Education Foundation hosted a symposium to mark the anniversary with writers and academics. Fulbright exchanges to Israel began in 1956. Since then, more than 2,500 Israelis and Americans have participated in exchanges, and alumni include some of the most influential people in the country, such as Supreme Court President Aharon Barak, Nobel Prize recipient Aaron Ciechanover and author A.B. Yehoshua. (JTA)
Iran Sought Advice in Pakistan on Attack
by Ktahy Gannon
 Pakistan's former army chief says Iranian officials came to him for advice on heading off an attack on their nuclear facilities, and he in effect advised them to take a hostage - Israel. Retired Gen. Mirza Aslam Beg said he suggested their government "make it clear that if anything happens to Iran, if anyone attacks it - it doesn't matter who it is or how it is attacked - that Iran's answer will be to hit Israel; the only target will be Israel." He said he also advised them to "attempt to degrade the defense systems of Israel," harass it through the Hamas government of the Palestinian Authority and the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon, and put second-strike nuclear weapons on submarines. (AP/Mercury News)
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Israel to Transfer $11 Million to Quartet Aid "Mechanism" for Palestinians
by Ronny Sofer
 Israel will transfer part of the tax revenues it has collected for the PA for humanitarian aid to the Palestinians, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni announced Wednesday. The funds will be channeled only through the special mechanism to be set up by the international Quartet. "We are willing to have these funds used for direct humanitarian purposes, such as medicines and healthcare needs. Israel will not allow for this money to go toward paying salaries," she stressed. "By the way," she added, PA Chairman Mahmoud "Abbas also has a lot of money in a Palestinian investment fund, which can be used to pay for all of the government workers' salaries. Abbas refuses to pass the money to the Authority." (Ynet News)
Powerhouse Lineup Vows to Keep Israel Safe
by Eric Fingerhut
 Three world leaders pledged their commitment to Israel's security last week, as they helped to mark the American Jewish Committee's 100th anniversary. President George W. Bush, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel shared the dais at the National Building Museum on Thursday in front of more than 2,000 people at the AJCommittee's annual dinner, the climax of a week of events celebrating the organization's centennial. (Washington Jewish Week)
U.S. General: Israel's Arrow Missile Useful
 Aspects of Israel's Arrow missile defense program were incorporated into U.S. systems, a top U.S. military officer said. "We've learned an awful lot collaboratively together working with the Israelis. We have a series of exercises that we execute with them on an annual basis that we learn even more from," Lt. Gen. Henry Trey Obering, director of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, said Wednesday in Senate testimony. (JTA)
India, Israel Sign Agricultural Pact
 India and Israel have signed a three-year pact for cooperation in the agricultural sector, leading to a breakthrough in bilateral ties, according to the Indian Agriculture Ministry. The agreement, the statement said, focused on the development of agri-business projects; collaborative research and development; academic and farmer-level exchanges; and cooperation in gene bank resources. (UPI)
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