Shorts: Mideast

Oil deposits in central Israel?

jerusalem (jta) | Reservoirs of oil potentially worth some $6 billion reportedly were discovered in central Israel.

The reservoirs might contain 980 barrels worth of oil at a site east of Kfar Saba, according to findings of a geological survey released by the exploration company Givot Olam.

It was not yet clear how much, if any, of the oil would be extricable from the deep underground deposits. The company also has claimed in the past to have made major oil finds but has not succeeded in extracting the oil.




Al-Qaida: Tel Aviv would be first

jerusalem (jta) | Al-Qaida would target Israeli cities if it had chemical weapons, according to a recording believed to be from the terrorist group.

A recording broadcast by an Islamic Web site and said to be by top al-Qaida operative Abu Musab al-Zarqawi admits that the group planned an attack in Jordan, but denies — as Jordanian authorities claim — that the attack would have involved chemical weapons.

"God knows, if we did possess" a chemical bomb, "we wouldn't hesitate one second to use it to hit Israeli cities such as Eilat and Tel Aviv," the voice says.




Ancient signs of fire in the Hula Valley

jerusalem (jta) | Israeli researchers have discovered evidence of local use of fire as far back as 790,000 years ago.

Scientists at the Hebrew University's Institute of Archaeology made the discoveries in excavations in northern Israel's Hula Valley.

An article on the research appears in the current issue of the journal Science.

While earlier evidence of the use of fire was found in Africa, the current Israeli discovery is the earliest yet found for Eurasia and is more definitive than some of the evidence from Africa, according to Naama Goren-Inbar, head of the Institute of Archaeology and director of the excavation.




Diplomats blast Bush

jerusalem (jta) | Some 60 former U.S. diplomats signed a letter criticizing President Bush for backing Israel too strongly.

Bush's endorsement of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip, which recognized some Israeli claims in the West Bank and rejected any "right of return" to Israel for Palestinian refugees, "reverses longstanding American policy in the Middle East" and threatens U.S. interests, the letter said.

The letter was spearheaded by officials of American Educational Trust, a Washington lobby group.