Free Republic

Senior Hamas politburo official Mahmoud al-Zahar reignited the war of words between his terrorist organization and Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction, which have long been bitter rivals. Hamas and Fatah have remained violently divided despite the unity deal sealed by Abbas in April 2014 when he torpedoed the US-led peace talks. In recent days - even as Egypt is leading talks in Cairo to try and unify the Palestinian factions - al-Zahar upped the ante on Hamas-Fatah tensions by slamming Fatah founder and arch-terrorist Yasser Arafat for being a "coward" and fleeing a battle with Israel, before...

BEIRUT (AFP) - Beleaguered Lebanese Prime Minister Omar Karameh said he was ready to quit in the face of intense pressure to end Syrian domination of his country and find the killers of ex-premier Rafiq Hariri. Karameh spoke as US President George W. Bush (news - web sites) kept up the heat, repeating a joint demand he and French President Jacques Chirac made earlier this week for Syria to withdraw its troops immediately. "I am ready for the resignation once we agree on a new government in order to avoid a vacuum," Karameh told AFP. The prime minister spoke before...

Beleaguered Lebanese Prime Minister Omar Karameh said on Wednesday he was ready to quit in the face of intense pressure to end Syrian domination of his country and find the killers of ex-premier Rafik Hariri. Karameh spoke as US President George Bush kept up the pressure, repeating a joint demand he and French President Jacques Chirac made earlier this week for Syria to withdraw its troops immediately. "I am ready for the resignation once we agree on a new government in order to avoid a vacuum," Karameh said. The prime minister spoke before the opposition announced it would put a...