Israel accused the European Union of siding with Arabs in the Mideast conflict in harsh exchanges at a meeting in Dublin today intended to promote peace.

Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat named a new, smaller Cabinet today one which includes a new minister to oversee the security forces.

Tens of thousands of demonstrators, gathered in Washington to support Israel’s war on terrorism, shouted down a Bush administration official who suggested Palestinians have suffered too.

Israel and the Palestinians were tonight heading toward a ceasefire deal and it appeared Israel might withdraw its troops from the West Bank town of Bethlehem before midnight.