* Abdullah urges Gates to back Arab plan Jordan’s King Abdullah II sought to rally support for the Arab peace plan in talks Tuesday.

* Iraq’s Shiite political fissures widen Monday’s departure of six government cabinet ministers from the Iraqi government will indeed erode support for American-backed Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki.

* Olmert says Israel has no intention of attacking Syria Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Wednesday that Israel had no intention of attacking Syria, and that he did not believe Syria was preparing to wage war on Israel.

* Gathafi belittles Saudi Mideast plan Libyan leader Muammar Gathafi said a Saudi proposal to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was doomed to failure because the Arab leaders behind it were “half-wits”.

* Rice, PA finance minister meet in D.C. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met Tuesday with Palestinian Authority Finance Minister Salam Fayyad on economic distress in the West Bank and Gaza.

* At least 160 killed in Baghdad blasts Four large bombs exploded in mostly Shiite areas of Baghdad on Wednesday, killing at least 160 people.

* Sudan: UN stalling on Darfur mission funding Sudan on Wednesday called on the UN to hasten financing for the latest phase of a Darfur peacekeeping mission.

* 22 Jewish Leaders Arrested Calling for Removal of Iran at UN Twenty-one rabbis, and a Jewish community layperson were arrested at the United Nations Tuesday, demanding that Iran be removed from the international body.

* Hamas MPs to Parliament: Adopt Decision to Kidnap Soldiers Hamas MPs called on the Palestinian parliament to adopt a formal decision, which would encourage Palestinian groups to kidnap more “Zionist soldiers”.

* Syria Threatens War, Olmert Dismissive Syrian President Bashar Assad said Wednesday that Syria is ready for a war with Israel.