The top Hamas leader today told Mahmoud Abbas that the Islamic militant group was ready for a political partnership after trouncing the Palestinian leader’s Fatah Party in legislative elections – a shocking upset sure to throw Middle East peacemaking into turmoil.

Israel is blaming Iran and Syria for funding and planning the suicide bombing attack in Tel Aviv that wounded 20, Israeli officials said today.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s doctors today hoped to remove the prime minister from all remaining sedatives after he moved his left hand for the first time, but hospital officials cautioned against being overly optimistic about his chances for recovery from a massive stroke.

Doctors are to decide today when to begin bringing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon out of a medically-induced coma more than three days after he suffered a massive stroke – a key to assessing how much brain damage he has suffered.