NEW YORK, Dec.

The Israeli government, after reaching a cease-fire with Hamas in Gaza, now says it's ready for direct peace talks with Lebanon.

By Helene Cooper and Isabel Kershner Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice escalated the Bush administration's anti-Iran rhetoric, accusing its government of pursuing nuclear weapons and calling any dialogue with its leaders pointless until they suspend the country's enrichment of uranium.

Text of report by web version of Israeli newspaper Ma'ariv on 26 May [Article by Arik Bender: "Pipeline at End of Tunnel"] Although the bells of peace between Israel and Syria have only just started ringing again, new peace plans are already springing up throughout the Middle East, and are just waiting for the negotiating team to pluck them and offer them as a gift to the other side.

Excerpt from report by state-run Iranian Arabic-language television news channel Al-Alam on 23 May [Khalid Mish'al] In the name of God the Merciful and Compassionate. Thank you your excellency the minister [Manuchehr Mottaki].