Jerusalem

Parliament speaker blocks vote on Abbas

Postponing a showdown, the Palestinian parliament speaker temporarily blocked a confidence vote Wednesday that was sought by Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas in his power struggle with Yasser Arafat.

If a vote takes place in the coming days, the U.S.-backed Abbas could be toppled, dealing a heavy blow to efforts to end three years of violence and move toward Palestinian statehood. The prime minister has minimal support among Palestinians, many of whom say they distrust him because he has Israel’s backing.

Abbas is to address parliament today to sum up his first 100 days in office.

Abbas’ report will be debated, but legislators said a confidence vote was not expected for at least another week. In the meantime, parliament will try to help end the wrangling between Arafat and Abbas over their authority, particularly control of security forces.

Lebanon

Israeli jets raid guerrilla positions

Israeli warplanes attacked suspected Hezbollah positions in southern Lebanon on Wednesday, hours after Hezbollah fired shells into northern Israel in response to Israeli overflights, Lebanese security officials said.

Israeli warplanes fired at least three air-to-surface missiles on the hills near the village of Bayada on the outskirts of the southern port city of Tyre, the officials, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, said. There was no immediate word on casualties.

An Israeli military official in Jerusalem, Maj. Sharon Feingold, said the Israeli raid was in retaliation to Hezbollah shells that landed in northern Israel, adding that the air action destroyed a Hezbollah anti-aircraft cannon that fired the shells 2.5 miles north of the Israeli border.

It was the first Israeli air raid since Aug. 10