Egypt, Israel Work To Resolve Dispute
AP via Yahoo! News Fri, 03 Dec 2004 3:06 PM PST
In the latest sign of improving ties, Egypt and Israel moved closer to resolving a simmering dispute Friday, a day after President Hosni Mubarak called Israel's prime minister the best chance for Mideast peace.

Syria Wants To Renew Peace Talks
Haaretz Daily Fri, 03 Dec 2004 3:57 PM PST
Syria wants to renew peace talks with Israel without preconditions and no longer insists that talks should resume exactly where they left off in 2000, its ambassador to London said on Friday.

Hamas Wants Long-term Truce With Israel
Haaretz Daily Fri, 03 Dec 2004 2:57 PM PST
A prominent Hamas leader in the West Bank announced an apparent change in the Islamic militant movement's policy regarding Israel on Friday, saying that Hamas would accept a long-term truce with Israel, as well as the establishment of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza.

UN Proposed To Be In Jerusalem
JERUSALEM, Nov. 30 (JTA) — One distinguished speaker said the United Nations actually undermines international peace and security. Another accused it of corruption and of financing terrorism. A third deplored the world body’s failure to prevent massacres in Sudan’s Darfur region.

PUTIN CLAIMS WASHINGTON WANTS 'DICTATORSHIP'
NEW DELHI - Russian President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites) sharply criticized the United States on Friday, accusing it of a double-standard in fighting terrorism and questioning whether any election in Iraq (news - web sites) can be democratic when fighting is raging in the country.

THOMPSON RESIGNS WITH WARNING: 'I cannot understand why the terrorists have not attacked our food supply'...

Comments
Egypt has opened the door to better relations, Syria is willing to patch things up, and Hamas is talking about a possible long-term truce with Israel.

Could this be the beginning of peace?  Of course, many of these countries are merely showing lip service.  In time, they will join forces and attack Israel, but this is a good sign as far as peace is concerned. 

Keep your eyes on this region.  This maybe the real thing.