Mideast Report

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- An Israeli zoo is sending four baboons looking for love to a Palestinian zoo.

The four baboons were apparently getting into fights for mates at the Rishon le-Zion animal park, due to a shortage of available females, the daily Ma'ariv reported.

After brief negotiations, the management decided to send the primates to the zoo in the West Bank city of Kalkilya, where their luck might change.

Camels illuminated to prevent accidents

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israel is putting florescent strips on camels in an attempt to prevent car accidents in the Negev Desert.

The first 40 camels were outfitted with the strips this week, and as many as 1,000 more could be tagged soon, Israeli officials said.

The effort is an attempt to reduce the number of car crashes involving camels. Ten people are estimated to have died in such crashes during the past two years.

Labor angry after missing Condoleezza

JERUSALEM (JPS) -- Labor Party officials blamed the Prime Minister's Office for failing to allow a meeting between its leaders and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice when she visited Israel last week.

Labor faction whip Dalia Itzik said she does not believe that Rice did not want the meeting, but that "someone intentionally" moved to prevent it.

Itzik said her party would work to ensure that visiting officials continue the practice of meeting with opposition leaders, and in particular with Labor leader Shimon Peres.