Mahmoud Darwish, the world’s most recognised Palestinian poet, whose prose gave voice to the Palestinian experience of exile and infighting, died today in Houston, Texas. He was 67.

Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas told delegates from various factions today that efforts aimed at getting the Hamas government to implicitly recognise Israel have failed to produce agreement and he will now call a national referendum on the issue.

CAMPAIGNING began yesterday for a Palestinian legislative election clouded by speculation that President Mahmoud Abbas, mired in conflict with Israel and facing a challenge from rival Islamists, could delay voting.

HUNDREDS of angry Jordanians rallied last night outside one of three hotels attacked by suicide bombers, shouting “Burn in hell, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi!”.

THE 19-year-old who killed four Israeli Arabs on a bus had deserted the army to protest at Israel’s upcoming withdrawal from Gaza, taking refuge in a militant Jewish settlement with his military-issued rifle.

The Palestinian parliament today approved a cabinet dominated by professional appointees, including nearly half with doctoral degrees, in a major move toward long-promised government reform.

Yasser Arafat, pressed by his parliament to commit to promised reforms in writing, has largely been evasive, disappointed MPs said today, after two meetings with the Palestinian leader.

Israeli soldiers killed two armed Palestinians dressed in diving gear, who attempted to infiltrate a Gaza Strip settlement from the coast in the latest in a series of failed attempts to avenge Israel’s assassination of the Hamas spiritual leader.

A SENIOR Israeli official warned that the founder of the Islamic militant group Hamas, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, was “marked for death”.

Israel will kill the founder of Hamas, Sheik Ahmed Yassin, in retaliation for a suicide attack on border guards, Israel’s deputy defence minister said in the bluntest warning yet against leaders of the Islamic militant group.

THE Palestinian prime minister, who is making a final push to halt attacks on Israelis, met yesterday with a US envoy dispatched to the region to get a Mideast peace plan back on track.

The US began piling the pressure on the Palestinian leadership today to halt attacks on Israelis and save the latest Mideast peace effort.

PALESTINIAN leader Yasser Arafat appointed his longtime deputy Mahmoud Abbas as prime minister yesterday, a senior official said, marking the first time that Arafat has been forced to share power.

Yasser Arafat is to appoint his long-time deputy Mahmoud Abbas as prime minister today, a senior official said, marking the first time the Palestinian leader has been forced to share power.

THE Palestinian parliament yesterday gave final approval to a bill defining the role of a future prime minister and rebuffed attempts by Yasser Arafat to dilute the authority of the new post.

The Palestinian parliament has demanded general elections be held within a year.

Israel's use of American-made warplanes in the Middle East conflict has brought new charges from Palestinians that the US Government is leaning heavily in Israel's favour.

Israeli helicopters today hovered near Arafat’s headquarters in Gaza City, but eventually left without firing.