January29, 2007: Hamas and Fatah have accepted a Saudi Arabian offer to mediate differences. The peace talks will be held in Saudi Arabia. The Saudis have brokered peace deals in other Arab conflicts over the years. But the Palestinian civil war is tricky, because the Saudis are supporting Fatah, while the ancient Arab archenemy, Iran, is supporting Hamas. Neither side seems willing to back down. A week of street violence has left over two hundred Palestinians dead or wounded, and dozens of buildings damaged or destroyed.

Meanwhile, up north in Lebanon, Hizbollah has called off its siege of government offices in Beirut. This siege was intended to peacefully force the government to give the Shia minority, and Hizbollah, veto power over government decisions. This did not work. However, Hizbollah then lost control of the "peaceful demonstrators," some of whom proceeded to invade Sunni neighborhoods. Fighting broke out, and there were casualties. The Shia gangs withdrew, but Hizbollah leaders are saying that the non-Shia (mainly Sunnis and Christians) are weak and cowardly. This implies that, if the Shia started a civil war, they would win. Dangerous talk in Lebanon. But Hizbollah has Iranian support, and their "victory" over Israel last Summer, to inspire them. Iran is on a roll.

January 27, 2007: The fighting between Hamas and Fatah in Gaza is getting worse. Gunmen are launching attacks on the homes of each other leaders. Most of the fighting is still groups of armed men firing wildly at each other, but the daily casualty rate is now over twenty.

January 26, 2007: About half the population of Gaza is wholly dependent on aid organizations for food and medical care. The continuing anti-Israel violence has made it increasingly difficult for the economy to operate. Israel is wary of allowing Palestinian goods, or workers, into Israel, because the terrorists use this access to get suicide bombers in.

January 25, 2007: Hamas and Fatah continue to try and work out a joint government. But on the street, gunmen from each side keep running into each other, and opening fire. At least a dozen gunmen were killed or wounded today.

January 24, 2007: The violence in Gaza is now more often directed at the Arab media. Hamas and Fatah partisans see any criticism as worthy of a violent retort. One TV station was bombed, in a case where all they did was broadcast exactly what the Hamas prime minister said.