News in Brief

The Syrian-based leadership of Hamas said yesterday it had rejected an Egyptian-mediated proposal to reconcile with Fatah. Hamas and seven other Damascus-based Palestinian factions issued a joint statement saying the reconciliation plan must be revised to include a reference to the Palestinian right to resist Israeli occupation. Fatah official Mohammed Dahlan said Hamas' rejection cements Palestinian divisions and that his party was now considering its options, including calling elections unilaterally. (AP)

Israel yesterday issued a severe travel warning to its citizens in India over fears that terrorist groups may try to attack Israelis across the country. The warning, issued by the Counter Terrorist Bureau, says that the previous threat to Israelis in India has increased. On Rosh Hashanah Eve, Israelis were warned to keep out of "places frequented by Western and Israeli tourists, Chabad houses and synagogues that have no armed security, across India, including the Goa region." The bureau said the warning was based on a "concrete and very serious threat." (Barak Ravid)

Police yesterday arrested three more men suspected of vandalizing the ancient Nabatean site at Avdat National Park about two weeks ago. The suspects are residents of a nearby Bedouin village. Last week three Bedouin were arrested on suspicion of taking part in the vandalism, but two of them were released due to lack of evidence - the site guard and a local sheikh. Earlier this week the Israel Antiquities Authority started mending the damage, estimated in excess of NIS 10 million, and renovating the site, which was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO four years ago. The authorities intend to install security cameras and beef up security in archaeological sites. (Yuval Azoulay)

Marie-Charlotte Renault, on trial for allegedly murdering her 4-year-old daughter, Rose Pizem, last year, testified yesterday for the first time. Renault said she was abused as a child and was beaten "half-to-death" on several occasions by fellow suspect Ronny Ron, Rose's grandfather and Renault's husband. Renault said the abuse was why she was unable to protect her daughter from Ron. (Ofra Edelman)