US Secretary of State Colin Powell announced that Mideast envoy Gen. Anthony Zinni was called back to Washington for \"consultations.\" Upon his arrival on November 26, Washington officials said that he was \"staying there until he achieves a ceasefire.\" Despite Zinni’s continued shuttle diplomacy, the security situation has deteriorated nationwide. Since Zinni’s arrival, there has been a wave of suicide terrorist bombing attacks that have left dozens dead and hundreds injured.
Ocean swimmers in Herzliyah had to exercise extreme caution this morning. Land mines and other weapons washed up on the shore there. Herzliyah police say that the weapons were designated for PLO-controlled beaches in Gaza.
The Israeli Consumer Price Index (CPI) dropped on Friday by a surprising 0.6%, three times more than forecast by economists. The 0.6% drop was the steepest decline in the CPI for the month of November since 1958. Globes reports that the low CPI paves the way for steeper interest rate cuts at the end of this month. The prospects of steeper interest rate cuts weakened the shekel on Friday, and the exchange rate was set at NIS 4.237 against the dollar.
