Beit Hanun killings bring Meshal and Abbas to table

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Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and the exiled leader of the Hamas political bureau, Khaled Meshal, spoke on the telephone yesterday, the first time the two have had any contact since Meshal made a speech in Damascus attacking Abbas' leadership.

Palestinian sources told Haaretz yesterday the two agreed to hold a meeting, probably in Cairo, along with representatives of other Palestinian factions, after Abbas signs an agreement with Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh on the formation of a new Palestinian government of national unity.

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For now, all use of artillery fire in the Gaza Strip has been suspended, pending the final findings of the investigation.

However, Peretz ordered that instead of the Gaza Division commander, any future firing of artillery will require the authorization of GOC Southern Command or his superiors.

A good thing.

Haaretz