In Israel, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has officially decided to violate the White House’s so-called road map to peace plan by approving the construction of 1,000 new homes in West Bank settlements. In Gaza City, five Palestinians have died in an attempt by Israeli forces to assassinate a senior member of Hamas. The target of the attack was not killed. Meanwhile thousands of Palestinian prisoners have entered their fourth day of a hunger strike to protest conditions in Israel prisons. Yesterday the Arab League called on the United Nations to form a commission to investigate Israeli jails.