Israel split on Arab victims' payments

Arab and left-wing Knesset members are seeking a legal change after Israeli ministers ruled that four Israeli Arabs, killedby an extreme right-wing Army deserter in protest at the withdrawal of Gaza settlers, were not eligible for compensation as victims of terrorism.

The Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon went out of his way after the murders to say the act was "terrorism" and suggest that relatives of the victims should get the same monthly payments as Jewish victims of Palestinian attacks. But a ministerial committee decided this week that they would not be counted as terrorism victims because they were killed by a an ex-soldier who was acting alone.

Labour Knesset member, Yuli Tamir, wants to amend the law to ensure the definition of "terrorism" should cover anyone killed as a result of actions aimed at foiling government policy.

* The Knesset has approved a deal to hand control of a buffer zone on the Gaza-Egypt border to Egyptian forces after Israel completes its Gaza pullout.

The deal allows the deployment of 750 Egyptian police on Egypt's side of the Gaza frontier to replace Israeli troops in the "Philadelphi Corridor".