Mideast Report

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israel's Supreme Court ordered the government to allow Red Cross officials to visit two Muslim fundamentalist leaders who were abducted years ago by Israeli commandos from Lebanon.

A five-judge panel ruled unanimously Aug. 23 that humanitarian principles outweighed security concerns surrounding the two, whom Israel hopes to trade for Israeli MIAs.

Sheik Abdel Karim Obeid, a Hezbollah leader, and Mustafa Dirani, a leader of the Amal militia, were seized by Israel in 1988 and 1994, respectively.

El Al foiled in its plan to reduce competition

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israeli Transportation Minister Ephraim Sneh on Thursday rejected a request from El Al Airlines to have him call on foreign airlines to reduce their flights to Israel.

Officials at El Al, which has suffered a drop in revenues because of Israeli-Palestinian violence, said the number of flights should be reduced because of reduced demand.

Pop star's gotta have faith to attend nuptials

TEL AVIV (JTA) -- A British pop star attended the wedding of a friend at a seaside hotel here.

A number of celebrities were invited to last Tuesday's wedding of British photographer Simon Halfon and his Israeli bride, Anat Browerman, but singer George Michael was the only one not scared off by the intifada, according to a spokeswoman for the Tel Aviv Hilton.