Current Event Sum. 4.1 (Middle East)

A US airstrike targeted a building in Baghdad's Sadr City after American soldiers clashed with Shi'ite militants in a fight, resulting in 15 people dead. This event coincided with the Congressional testimony of the Bush administration's top two officials in Iraq - Gen. David Petraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker. Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki disagreed with Gen. Petraeus' proposal to delay further US troop withdrawals.
Israeli police have started proceedings against an Israeli rabbi, Elior Chen, who fled to Canada after being suspected of abusing the children of one of his followers. Chen and his followers are suspected of abusing two children, aged 3 and 4, who were burned and severely beaten with hammers, knives and other instruments. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld says the 3-year-old suffered permanent brain damage.
An Israeli air strike killed a wanted Palestinian militant, Ibrahim Abu Alba of the military wing of the Palestinian Democratic Front, in Beit Hanoun. The Palestinian sources said the attack was carried out by a drone.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met in Jerusalem to discuss the situation in Gaza. Abbas told Olmert that he fully backs Egyptian efforts to reach a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas leaders in Gaza. Abbas also called for humanitarian aid for the residents of Gaza, including supplies of medication and fuel. Olmert reiterated that he will not allow a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza.
Palestinian factions meeting in Cairo for talks with Egyptian security officials have agreed to an Egyptian proposal for a truce with Israel starting in the Gaza Strip. state news agency MENA said, "All the Palestinian factions have agreed to the Egyptian proposal on a truce with Israel," The official said the Egyptian proposal included a comprehensive, reciprocal and simultaneous truce, implemented in a graduated framework starting in the Gaza Strip and then subsequently moving to the West Bank.
Syrian President Bashar Assad says Syria will not sever its ties with Hizbullah and Iran, even in the framework of a peace agreement with Israel. Dr. Samir Al-Taki said that "it would be naive to think we'd neglect our strategic alliances which do not stem from the Arab-Israeli conflict."