Fatah and Hamas: Heading for a Showdown in Lebanon

Stacks of portraits of Mahmoud Abbas stand unused, gathering dust in the office of his Fatah movement in Beirut’s Shatila Palestinian refugee camp. Posters of Abbas — president of the Palestinian Authority, leader of Fatah and chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization — would normally hang in offices and on street corners throughout Lebanon’s 12 Palestinian refugee camps

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Amnesty seeks embargo against Israel, Palestinians

The human rights group Amnesty International is calling on the United Nations to impose an arms embargo on Israel and the Palestinians, saying both sides used weapons supplied from abroad to carry out attacks on civilians during their three-week conflict in Gaza. The London-based group issued a 38-page report Sunday night that detailed “evidence of war crimes and other serious violations of international law by all parties.” Israeli forces used white phosphorus and other weapons supplied by the United States, killing hundreds of civilians and destroying homes, the group said. The use of white phosphorus is restricted under international law

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Kadima, Likud claim mandate to govern

Israel’s two largest parties each claimed a mandate Wednesday after elections that saw a surprise first-place finish by the ruling Kadima party and dramatic gains by its conservative rivals, according to unofficial returns. Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni’s failure to assemble a ruling coalition for Kadima last year triggered Tuesday’s elections.

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