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SYRIA SPOOKED, October 25, 2007

Just as it seemed that tensions between Israel and Syria had died down, Maariv reports in its lead story that IDF exercises on the Golan Heights have spooked Syria and that the government has send claming messages to Damascus to avoid a dangerous misunderstanding. (See full story, below).

Haaretz, meanwhile, leads with a series of Palestinian-related headlines. The lead of the paper says that U.S. security coordinator, General Keith Dayton has said recently in private talks that the Palestinian Authority is not capable or assuming control of any of the West Bank towns and cities, and will not be in a position to do so for another six months at least.

According to the same report, the PA has not yet deployed its security personnel on the streets of Nablus, despite Israeli agreement for this. Meanwhile, the paper report, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said during talks in Washington last week that Israel is interested in furthering a process to enable Palestinian security forces to deploy in the West Bank. Barak added that Israel lifted 25 roadblocks in the West Bank recently.

The same report adds that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday that U.S. inspectors would be sent to the Israel-Gaza-Egypt border, to examine ways to reduce arms smuggling from Egypt into Gaza.

Haaretz also reports that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem on Friday, to discuss progress in the talks between the Israeli and PA negotiating terms ahead of the Annapolis summit next month. Senior officials in Jerusalem said that Olmert and Abbas want to get started and delve deeply into the work of the negotiating teams. U.S. National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley is due to arrive in Israel today for the first time on a visit that will focus on the Palestinian issue. Senior Israeli officials believe Hadley's visit is intended to send a message that President George Bush wants to stay informed and involved regarding the Israeli-Palestinian preparations for the peace conference.

Elsewhere, Army Radio reports that Lebanese army officials claimed Thursday morning they fired on low-flying Israeli planes. There were no reports of a direct hit, and the IDF denied the claim. Israel has conducted aerial surveillance over Lebanon after UNIFIL entered the area following the Second Lebanon War

Finally, The Jerusalem Post reports that, in an effort to bolster the Israel Air Force in the face of Iran's race toward nuclear power, the Pentagon has agreed to move up delivery of its newest stealth fighter to Israel by two years, to as early as 2012.

Last month, the IDF announced plans to purchase a squadron (at least 25 aircraft) of the fifth-generation Joint Strike Fighter. That delivery was expected to commence in 2014. During meetings Defense Minister Ehud Barak held at the Pentagon last week, U.S. defense officials agreed to allow Israel to begin receiving the aircraft as early as 2012, when delivery to the United States begin.

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