Mideast Report

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israel is providing food and livestock to help alleviate a Palestinian food shortage in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Israel reportedly is transferring to the Palestinian Authority some 17,000 cattle, veal calves and sheep that arrived from Australia earlier this week. On Aug. 14, 459 trucks with food and fuel reportedly entered Gaza via the Karni Crossing.

Temple Mount wall may soon collapse

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Part of the retaining wall holding up the southern end of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is in danger of collapsing, but finger pointing by Israelis and Palestinians is holding up repairs.

A 35-foot-wide bulge could cause the wall to cave in. Israel lays the blame on the Wakf, or Islamic trust, which has done extensive renovations to an underground mosque on the mount.

Palestinians say Israeli archaeological digs are damaging the wall, which was built around the eighth century on the site of the First and Second Temples.

Arab held for faking bomb info on Web

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- An Israeli Arab man was arrested Aug. 15 for allegedly sending false messages over the Internet about suicide bombings.

The man, who reportedly also bragged about spreading anti-Semitic messages, began spreading false information last week about attacks that were to take place throughout Israel.

Israel's Center Party joins unity government

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israel's Center Party voted to join the governing coalition of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

As a result, two Center Party members will join Israel's Cabinet: Dan Meridor will become minister without portfolio and Roni Milo will become minister for regional cooperation.

Sharon named Tzipi Livni as minister in charge of Israel's public relations. Observers said the appointment of Likudnik Livni, whose portfolio was replaced by Milo, was a positive step in the ongoing public relations war with the Palestinians.

Israeli team to view U.N. video again

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- An Israeli delegation left for Geneva for another viewing of U.N. videotapes and other items linked to the October kidnapping of three Israeli soldiers by Hezbollah.

The families of the three soldiers were invited as well but refused, in a show of protest against the conditions set by the United Nations for reviewing the materials.

Meanwhile, Jewish and Arab youth in Israel launched a solidarity convoy for the three soldiers. The convoy left from Tiberias, the hometown of one of the soldiers, Adi Avitan, and was headed for the Knesset in Jerusalem.

Foreign observers halt Hebron patrols

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- The international observer force in the West Bank city of Hebron suspended its patrols after complaining to police over alleged abuse by Jewish residents of the town, including stoning of observers' vehicles.

Jewish residents said they would be happy if the patrols ceased.

Settlers in Hebron recently accused the force of providing the Palestinians with intelligence information on the movement of Israeli troops and civilians in the city.

Commission probes death of 13 Arabs

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- An Israeli commission looking into the killing of 13 Israeli Arabs by police during riots in northern Israel last October began hearing testimony from senior police officers.

One witness agreed with a commission member's assessment that a former commander deviated from his orders when he responded to the rioting.