The recent flow of news out of Israel has been almost wholly positive, and today's story is no different. The AP's Peter Enav reports from Tel Aviv:

Israel will transfer security control over several West Bank towns to the Palestinians in coming days, Israel's defense minister said Sunday, hours after he met with a top Palestinian security official to work out the details of Israel's troop redeployment.

Israel has informed Palestinian officials that it is ready to withdraw gradually from all West Bank towns and to return to positions it held before the outbreak of fighting in September 2000, said Palestinian Cabinet minister Saeb Erekat.

Such a pullback is part of the long-stalled "road map" peace plan, which both sides now say they are ready to implement.

The news out of Iraq is unfortunately not as positive today as Iraqis head to the polls. AP's Mariam Fam writes from Baghdad:

Iraqis voted Sunday in their country's first free election in a half-century and insurgents made good on threats of violence, launching three deadly suicide bombings and mortar strikes at polling stations across Iraq. At least 17 people were killed, including five policemen.

Casting his vote, Interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi called it "the first time the Iraqis will determine their destiny." The country's mostly ceremonial president, Ghazi al-Yawer, said it was Iraq's first step "toward joining the free world."

Despite the heavy attacks, turnout was brisk in some Shiite Muslim and mixed Shiite-Sunni neighborhoods. Even in the small town of Askan in the so-called "triangle of death" south of Baghdad — a mixed Sunni-Shiite area — 20 people waited in line at each of several polling centers. More walked toward the polls.

Hopefully peace can emerge in both Israel and Iraq within the near future. I am certainly praying for it.