Olmert Calls on Abbas for Negotiations

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Well, this is big news. The man who will be Israel’s next Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert has dropped his bid for unilaterally settling Israel’s borders and has called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to negoatiate the permanent borders of Israel. Last Wednesday, Abbas said he was ready for such negotiations.

Polls in Israel Show. . .

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Amir Peretz actually looks like one of the big winners — clearly surpassing expectations — if exit polls hold steady with vote count. Avigdor Lieberman of the Russian-immigrant supported Yisrael Beitanu party — a hard-right party — is also a big winner.

Signs of “Low Anxiety”: Israelis Not Turning Out to Vote

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Despite the anxiety many feel about the elections in Israel today, thus far the polls show the lowest turnout in Israel’s history. This is interesting and may mean that efforts to scare Israelis to the polls, whether the source of fear is Netanyahu or Hamas, are having little effect. More later.

Spring Cleaning: ANDY CARD RESIGNS

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Andrew “Andy” Card, one of the least publicly visible White House Chiefs of Staff in history but someone with a steady, careful management hand who must be given credit for much of Bush’s political success, has announced his resignation.

Another Close Race? Israel Polls Today

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I was one of many who was seduced by the early poll results showing a John Kerry win after the last presidential election — despite my having reported that Karl Rove’s spirits had buoyed in the final days of the election.

Beneath the Surface on Plame Investigation: Rove and Libby in Deadly Dog Fight

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This just hit the internet at Raw Story, and TWN has confirmed the essential points through a source close to Rove: According to several Pentagon sources close to Rove and others familiar with the inquiry, Bush’s senior adviser tipped off Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald to information that led to the recent “discovery” of 250 pages…