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Obama: Iranian Nuclear Weapons Are 'Unacceptable'
Bush Calls Israel America's 'Closest Ally' in the Mideast
Treasury Targets Iranian Oil Company
European Union Upgrades Ties with Israel
Government of Israel Evicts Hebron Squatters
Israel Prepares for Electric Cars
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Obama: Iranian Nuclear Weapons Are 'Unacceptable'
Emphasizing the danger of Iran's nuclear program, President-elect Barack Obama said on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday that Tehran's threats against Israel and sponsorship of Hamas and Hizballah are "contrary to everything" that the United States believes in. "I think we need to ratchet up tough but direct diplomacy with Iran, making very clear to them that their development of nuclear weapons would be unacceptable," Obama said, adding that in order to change Iran's behavior, international sanctions would need to be tightened. Obama emphasized that he is willing to talk to Iranian leaders directly "and let them make a determination in terms of whether they want to do this the hard way or the easy way." Click here to learn about the importance of stringent sanctions against Iran.
Bush Calls Israel America's 'Closest Ally' in the Mideast
President Bush on Friday recalled his administration's work to bring peace to the Middle East and reiterated his personal commitment to the safety and security of Israel. "I was the first American president to call for a Palestinian state, and building support for the two-state solution has been a top priority of my administration," Bush told the Saban Forum. "To earn the trust of Israeli leaders, we made it clear that no Palestinian state would be born of terror... I believe that the day will come when the map of the Middle East shows a peaceful, secure Israel beside a peaceful and democratic Palestine." Bush also stated that Israel was America's "closest ally in the Middle East."
Treasury Targets Iranian Oil Company
The Treasury Department identified the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC), as well as two of its Swiss-based international financial and commercial subsidiaries, the Naftiran Intertrade Co. (NICO) and Naftiran Intertrade Company Sarl, "as entities owned or controlled by the government of Iran." The targeted companies play a significant role in financing Iran's energy sector, and Treasury's step may result in Iran's further isolation from the international financial system. The United States has played a leading role in sanctioning Iran for its ongoing failure to comply with international penalties over its illicit nuclear program.
European Union Upgrades Ties with Israel
In a historic move, the European Union on Monday unanimously approved a plan to upgrade relations with Israel, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported. The improved ties will begin with a first-of-its kind meeting between Israel's prime minister and the leaders of all 27 E.U. member states in Brussels this April. As a result of the decision, Israel's foreign minister will start meeting three times a year with all 27 E.U. foreign ministers, and Israel and the E.U. will hold a strategic dialogue on issues such as the peace process, the Iranian threat, counterterrorism and organized crime. The E.U. also pledged to help Israel integrate into various U.N. agencies and to include Israeli experts in E.U. peacekeeping forces.
Government of Israel Evicts Hebron Squatters
Enforcing a decision by the Israeli government and supported by a Supreme Court ruling, Israeli troops removed some 250 fringe activists from a building in Hebron on Thursday, The New York Times reported. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak dispatched 600 soldiers and policemen to carry out the evacuation, adding that "what was tested today was the ability of the state to enforce its laws and its essence upon its citizens." The United Nations welcomed the Israeli move, which demonstrated the country's ability to confront radical fringe elements in Israeli society. It was also a show of Israel's willingness to take significant steps toward resolving the conflict with the Palestinians. The Palestinian Authority must match Israel's commitment to peace by isolating Hamas, fighting terrorism and laying the groundwork for historic political compromise.
Israel Prepares for Electric Cars
Instead of filling up at the pump, Israeli motorists may soon be able to fill their cars up at the plug, the Associated Press reported. That's the idea behind Monday's demonstration of the parking lot of the future, equipped with stations to charge the battery-powered cars scheduled to ply Israel's streets in 2011. Israel's government has endorsed the project, which aims to blanket the country with electric cars and plugs. The California-based company, Project Better Place, is building the infrastructure to switch Israeli drivers over to battery power. The group has built 400 wired parking spots, mainly in and around Tel Aviv, since it launched the initiative in June.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Daily Alert
Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
View this page at www.dailyalert.org
Subscribe
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DAILY ALERT
Tuesday,
December 9, 2008
Support the Daily Alert
In-Depth Issues:
Iran Rocket Arsenal Tripled in 2008 (Jerusalem Post)
Iran has tripled the number of long-range rockets in its arsenal, Israel TV Channel 10 reported on Monday.
According to the report, Iran has over 100 Shihab-3 long-range missiles capable of hitting Israel, up from 30 missiles at the beginning of 2008.
While Iran's ability to strike Israel has long been known, this latest build-up points to an Iranian intent to launch a protracted counter-strike against those who seek to destroy its nuclear program.
Germany Increasing Exports to Iran, Despite Sanctions - Assaf Uni (Ha'aretz)
German exports to Iran are up 10% according to data from the Federal Statistical Office for the first three quarters of 2008.
During the first seven months of 2008, the German government approved 1,926 transactions with Iran, a 63% increase over last year, further cementing Germany's position as Iran's largest trade partner.
Haj Pilgrims Denounce Israel - Ali Akbar Dareini (AP)
Thousands of haj pilgrims to Mecca - mostly Iranians, Lebanese, Iraqis and Bahrainis - held a rally Sunday to denounce the U.S. and Israel.
Called the "disavowal of pagans ceremony," the Iranian-sponsored, anti-U.S. protest is held annually at the haj.
Pakistan Militant Group Builds Web of Western Recruits - Sebastian Rotella (Los Angeles Times)
For years, Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistani extremist group suspected in the Mumbai rampage, has actively recruited Westerners, especially Britons and Americans, serving as a kind of farm team for Islamic militants who have gone on to execute attacks for al-Qaeda, a close ally.
The Pakistani network makes its training camps accessible to English speakers, providing crucial skills to an increasingly young and Western-born generation of extremists.
PA Accuses Al-Jazeera of Favoring Hamas - Khaled Abu Toameh (Jerusalem Post)
The PA has banned Al-Jazeera from Mahmoud Abbas' compound in Ramallah after the TV station failed to carry a live broadcast of a speech by Abbas to the PLO Central Council. Instead, the station broadcast live from Damascus, where Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal was addressing a conference of radical groups.
PA officials accused Al-Jazeera of being biased in favor of Hamas, noting that this was not the first time that the station had served as a platform for Hamas and other radical Islamic groups.
Seven Palestinian reporters have been arrested by Abbas' security forces in the past few months for allegedly expressing sympathy with Hamas.
Search
Key Links
Media Contacts
Back Issues
Fair Use News Resources - North America, Europe, and Asia:
* Iran Rejects Obama's "Carrot-and-Stick" Proposal - Nasser Karimi
Iran on Monday rejected a proposal by President-elect Barack Obama that a combination of economic incentives and tighter sanctions might persuade the Iranian government to change its behavior. Obama told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that the international community could develop a set of incentives that would persuade Iran to alter its nuclear program.
But Iran has rejected past offers of economic incentives by the international community in exchange for scaling back its nuclear activities, a sentiment echoed Monday by Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hasan Qashqavi. "The carrot-and-stick policy has no benefit," Qashqavi said. "It is unacceptable and failed." He reiterated Iran's refusal to suspend enrichment and said the U.S. must recognize Iran's "nuclear right" before the country would dispel concerns about its program. (AP/Washington Post)
* U.S. Oil Firm Sidesteps Sanctions on Iran - Farah Stockman
In the oil fields of Iran, a 2,000-pound drilling tool, called the azimuthal density neutron tool, probes deep under the earth for fresh supplies of crude, the lifeblood of one of the most formidable foes of the U.S. While helping to enrich Iran's economy, the drilling tool also presents a potential risk to American security, were it to fall into the wrong hands. It is powered by a radioactive chemical that scientists say could fuel a so-called "dirty bomb," capable of spreading radiation across many city blocks.
The tool is the type of sophisticated technology that the U.S. has sought for 13 years to prevent from reaching Iran, a country the U.S. government says is financing terrorism with its oil profits. But the device - developed by the oil-services firm Schlumberger in labs in Connecticut and Texas - was brought to Iran through a legal loophole that allows multinational corporations to use foreign subsidiaries to sidestep U.S. sanctions, according to a Boston Globe investigation. Scientists say that if the five curies of americium-241 used in Schlumberger's tool were to be lost or stolen, the material could be combined with TNT to create a crude nuclear device known as a "dirty bomb" that could contaminate an area of many city blocks. (Boston Globe)
* Nuclear Watchdog Head Calls Efforts Against Iran "a Failure" - Borzou Daragahi
The chief of the world's nuclear weapons watchdog organization considers five years of U.S. and international efforts to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions a failure, as Tehran moves ever closer to obtaining the means to develop weapons of mass destruction. "We haven't really moved one inch toward addressing the issues," said Mohamed ElBaradei, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency. "I think so far the policy has been a failure." (Los Angeles Times)
* After Israel Objects, Qatar Gives Up Plan for Aid Shipment to Gaza - Dion Nissenbaum
Israel has prodded Qatar, a friendly Persian Gulf nation, into calling off a delegation preparing to transport aid from Cyprus to Gaza. Israel urged Qatar officials to send any Gaza-bound aid via Israel, Israeli government officials said. "The message was delivered, not only to them, but to anybody else that wanted to transfer aid to Gaza, that there is a mechanism on how to do it," said Andy David, a spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry. Israeli officials say they will allow supplies to enter Gaza if and when Hamas prevents Palestinian militants from firing rockets and mortars into southern Israel. (McClatchy)
See also Police Seize Israeli Arab Boat Ahead of Gaza Sail
A boat scheduled to leave Jaffa port on Sunday with several Arab Knesset members and sail to Gaza was seized by the Israel Police early Sunday. (Ynet News)
News Resources - Israel and the Mideast:
* EU Votes to Upgrade Israel Relations - Barak Ravid
The EU's 27 foreign ministers unanimously approved upgrading relations with Israel on Monday, despite vigorous efforts by the PA and Egypt to thwart the move. The first expression of this decision will be a meeting between Israel's prime minister and all the leaders of the EU member states in Brussels this April. In addition, Israel's foreign minister will start meeting three times a year with all 27 EU foreign ministers.
Israel and the EU will also conduct a strategic dialogue on issues such as the peace process, the Iranian threat, counterterrorism and organized crime. Separately, the ministers decided to shelve a proposed action plan for the peace process in 2009, in response to an Israeli request. In addition, the EU pledged to help Israel integrate into UN agencies and to include Israeli experts in EU peacekeeping forces. (Ha'aretz)
* Israel Pardons 45 More Fatah Terrorists - Ali Waked
Israel granted full pardon on Sunday to another group of 45 men belonging to Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. The gesture, made in the framework of last year's amnesty agreement between Israel and the PA, was finalized at a meeting of Israeli and Palestinian officials. (Ynet News)
* Abbas: Israel Never Prevented Palestinians from Making Haj Pilgrimage Like Hamas Does
PA leader Mahmoud Abbas accused Hamas of preventing thousands of Palestinians from making the annual haj pilgrimage to Mecca, Israel Radio reported Saturday. Abbas told reporters in Mecca that Israel had never once prevented Palestinians from making the holy visit. Palestinians wishing to travel to Saudi Arabia through Egypt were not given permits. (Jerusalem Post)
Global Commentary and Think-Tank Analysis (Best of U.S., UK, and Israel):
* Israel's New UN Envoy Sees Cracks in Arab Animosity
Gabriela Shalev, Israel's first woman ambassador to the UN, sees cracks in the longstanding Arab cold shoulder and animosity directed at the Jewish state. When the U.S. and British ambassadors gave lunches in her honor and asked who to invite, Shalev said, "I always asked for the Palestinian observer (Riyad Mansour) - he's very nice and we're friends, more than colleagues - the Jordanian ambassador and the ambassador from Oman." "It's easier for me to connect to them than some of the other ambassadors," she added. "We have a lot in common. I can approach them in Arabic."
At a dinner for new ambassadors, Shalev said Turkey's UN envoy deliberately sat her next to the ambassador from one of the "not so moderate Arab countries," which she refused to identify. "We had a wonderful talk all through the evening," she said. "We talked about peace and the Middle East. We found a lot of things in common." Two days later, Shalev said she saw the ambassador at the UN. "He nodded his head, and he was not as nice and friendly as the evening, and I understand it. Maybe people are watching."
Shalev had some advice for President-elect Obama: Leave the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to the parties themselves. "We have to deal with our own problems without any pressure - not of the UN, not of the U.S., but it should be bilateral between the parties." (AP/International Herald Tribune)
* Media Ignore Militants' Muslim Identity - Mark Steyn
In the assault on Bombay, much of the media abandoned offending formulations - "Islamic terrorists," "Muslim extremists" - and found it easier to call the perpetrators "militants" or "gunmen" or "teenage gunmen." The veteran British TV anchor Jon Snow opted for the more cryptic "practitioners." At the Habad House, the murdered Jews were described in almost all the Western media as "ultra-Orthodox," "ultra" in this instance being less a term of theological precision than a generalized code for "strange, weird people, nothing against them personally, but they probably shouldn't have been over there in the first place." Are they stranger or weirder than their killers?
The New York Times was being silly in suggesting this was just an "accidental" hostage opportunity - and not just because, when Muslim terrorists capture Jews it's not a hostage situation, it's a mass murder-in-waiting. The sole surviving "militant" revealed that the Jewish center had been targeted a year in advance. (Washington Times)
Observations:
Arab Peace Initiative Can Be a Starting Point, Not a Diktat - Ron Prosor (Guardian-UK)
* It is important to realize that the Arab peace initiative cannot be seen as a "take it or leave it" offer. It cannot serve as a diktat, or replace the need for bilateral negotiations, on both the Palestinian and Syrian tracks. The plan is an interesting starting point for negotiations, but the international community should be under no illusions. Elements of the text are a cause for grave concern as regards the survivability of the State of Israel.
* The demand that Palestinians should be able to relocate to areas inside the borders of the State of Israel jeopardizes Israel's very existence. It is difficult to understand why Palestinians, having created a state of their own, would subsequently insist on sending their own people to the Jewish state.
* Israel's concern over the future of Jerusalem should also not be underestimated. From time immemorial, Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jewish people, and will always remain so. The 1967 borders might provide a reference point for negotiations, but the demographic realities and security concerns of Israel's population must be taken into account.
* The Saudis, Kuwaitis and other Gulf states could do more to encourage the Palestinians towards compromise. Instead of perpetuating unattainable fantasies that have long held back the Palestinian cause, they should help their Palestinian brethren set realistic, attainable goals.
* Three realities must be acknowledged: Israel exists, Israel belongs, and recognizing Israel would be to the benefit of every Arab society. Everyone in the region with the ability to promote this understanding must be urged to do so.
The writer is the Israeli ambassador in Londo
by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
View this page at www.dailyalert.org
Subscribe
RSS-XML
DAILY ALERT
Tuesday,
December 9, 2008
Support the Daily Alert
In-Depth Issues:
Iran Rocket Arsenal Tripled in 2008 (Jerusalem Post)
Iran has tripled the number of long-range rockets in its arsenal, Israel TV Channel 10 reported on Monday.
According to the report, Iran has over 100 Shihab-3 long-range missiles capable of hitting Israel, up from 30 missiles at the beginning of 2008.
While Iran's ability to strike Israel has long been known, this latest build-up points to an Iranian intent to launch a protracted counter-strike against those who seek to destroy its nuclear program.
Germany Increasing Exports to Iran, Despite Sanctions - Assaf Uni (Ha'aretz)
German exports to Iran are up 10% according to data from the Federal Statistical Office for the first three quarters of 2008.
During the first seven months of 2008, the German government approved 1,926 transactions with Iran, a 63% increase over last year, further cementing Germany's position as Iran's largest trade partner.
Haj Pilgrims Denounce Israel - Ali Akbar Dareini (AP)
Thousands of haj pilgrims to Mecca - mostly Iranians, Lebanese, Iraqis and Bahrainis - held a rally Sunday to denounce the U.S. and Israel.
Called the "disavowal of pagans ceremony," the Iranian-sponsored, anti-U.S. protest is held annually at the haj.
Pakistan Militant Group Builds Web of Western Recruits - Sebastian Rotella (Los Angeles Times)
For years, Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistani extremist group suspected in the Mumbai rampage, has actively recruited Westerners, especially Britons and Americans, serving as a kind of farm team for Islamic militants who have gone on to execute attacks for al-Qaeda, a close ally.
The Pakistani network makes its training camps accessible to English speakers, providing crucial skills to an increasingly young and Western-born generation of extremists.
PA Accuses Al-Jazeera of Favoring Hamas - Khaled Abu Toameh (Jerusalem Post)
The PA has banned Al-Jazeera from Mahmoud Abbas' compound in Ramallah after the TV station failed to carry a live broadcast of a speech by Abbas to the PLO Central Council. Instead, the station broadcast live from Damascus, where Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal was addressing a conference of radical groups.
PA officials accused Al-Jazeera of being biased in favor of Hamas, noting that this was not the first time that the station had served as a platform for Hamas and other radical Islamic groups.
Seven Palestinian reporters have been arrested by Abbas' security forces in the past few months for allegedly expressing sympathy with Hamas.
Search
Key Links
Media Contacts
Back Issues
Fair Use News Resources - North America, Europe, and Asia:
* Iran Rejects Obama's "Carrot-and-Stick" Proposal - Nasser Karimi
Iran on Monday rejected a proposal by President-elect Barack Obama that a combination of economic incentives and tighter sanctions might persuade the Iranian government to change its behavior. Obama told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that the international community could develop a set of incentives that would persuade Iran to alter its nuclear program.
But Iran has rejected past offers of economic incentives by the international community in exchange for scaling back its nuclear activities, a sentiment echoed Monday by Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Hasan Qashqavi. "The carrot-and-stick policy has no benefit," Qashqavi said. "It is unacceptable and failed." He reiterated Iran's refusal to suspend enrichment and said the U.S. must recognize Iran's "nuclear right" before the country would dispel concerns about its program. (AP/Washington Post)
* U.S. Oil Firm Sidesteps Sanctions on Iran - Farah Stockman
In the oil fields of Iran, a 2,000-pound drilling tool, called the azimuthal density neutron tool, probes deep under the earth for fresh supplies of crude, the lifeblood of one of the most formidable foes of the U.S. While helping to enrich Iran's economy, the drilling tool also presents a potential risk to American security, were it to fall into the wrong hands. It is powered by a radioactive chemical that scientists say could fuel a so-called "dirty bomb," capable of spreading radiation across many city blocks.
The tool is the type of sophisticated technology that the U.S. has sought for 13 years to prevent from reaching Iran, a country the U.S. government says is financing terrorism with its oil profits. But the device - developed by the oil-services firm Schlumberger in labs in Connecticut and Texas - was brought to Iran through a legal loophole that allows multinational corporations to use foreign subsidiaries to sidestep U.S. sanctions, according to a Boston Globe investigation. Scientists say that if the five curies of americium-241 used in Schlumberger's tool were to be lost or stolen, the material could be combined with TNT to create a crude nuclear device known as a "dirty bomb" that could contaminate an area of many city blocks. (Boston Globe)
* Nuclear Watchdog Head Calls Efforts Against Iran "a Failure" - Borzou Daragahi
The chief of the world's nuclear weapons watchdog organization considers five years of U.S. and international efforts to rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions a failure, as Tehran moves ever closer to obtaining the means to develop weapons of mass destruction. "We haven't really moved one inch toward addressing the issues," said Mohamed ElBaradei, director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency. "I think so far the policy has been a failure." (Los Angeles Times)
* After Israel Objects, Qatar Gives Up Plan for Aid Shipment to Gaza - Dion Nissenbaum
Israel has prodded Qatar, a friendly Persian Gulf nation, into calling off a delegation preparing to transport aid from Cyprus to Gaza. Israel urged Qatar officials to send any Gaza-bound aid via Israel, Israeli government officials said. "The message was delivered, not only to them, but to anybody else that wanted to transfer aid to Gaza, that there is a mechanism on how to do it," said Andy David, a spokesman for Israel's Foreign Ministry. Israeli officials say they will allow supplies to enter Gaza if and when Hamas prevents Palestinian militants from firing rockets and mortars into southern Israel. (McClatchy)
See also Police Seize Israeli Arab Boat Ahead of Gaza Sail
A boat scheduled to leave Jaffa port on Sunday with several Arab Knesset members and sail to Gaza was seized by the Israel Police early Sunday. (Ynet News)
News Resources - Israel and the Mideast:
* EU Votes to Upgrade Israel Relations - Barak Ravid
The EU's 27 foreign ministers unanimously approved upgrading relations with Israel on Monday, despite vigorous efforts by the PA and Egypt to thwart the move. The first expression of this decision will be a meeting between Israel's prime minister and all the leaders of the EU member states in Brussels this April. In addition, Israel's foreign minister will start meeting three times a year with all 27 EU foreign ministers.
Israel and the EU will also conduct a strategic dialogue on issues such as the peace process, the Iranian threat, counterterrorism and organized crime. Separately, the ministers decided to shelve a proposed action plan for the peace process in 2009, in response to an Israeli request. In addition, the EU pledged to help Israel integrate into UN agencies and to include Israeli experts in EU peacekeeping forces. (Ha'aretz)
* Israel Pardons 45 More Fatah Terrorists - Ali Waked
Israel granted full pardon on Sunday to another group of 45 men belonging to Fatah's Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. The gesture, made in the framework of last year's amnesty agreement between Israel and the PA, was finalized at a meeting of Israeli and Palestinian officials. (Ynet News)
* Abbas: Israel Never Prevented Palestinians from Making Haj Pilgrimage Like Hamas Does
PA leader Mahmoud Abbas accused Hamas of preventing thousands of Palestinians from making the annual haj pilgrimage to Mecca, Israel Radio reported Saturday. Abbas told reporters in Mecca that Israel had never once prevented Palestinians from making the holy visit. Palestinians wishing to travel to Saudi Arabia through Egypt were not given permits. (Jerusalem Post)
Global Commentary and Think-Tank Analysis (Best of U.S., UK, and Israel):
* Israel's New UN Envoy Sees Cracks in Arab Animosity
Gabriela Shalev, Israel's first woman ambassador to the UN, sees cracks in the longstanding Arab cold shoulder and animosity directed at the Jewish state. When the U.S. and British ambassadors gave lunches in her honor and asked who to invite, Shalev said, "I always asked for the Palestinian observer (Riyad Mansour) - he's very nice and we're friends, more than colleagues - the Jordanian ambassador and the ambassador from Oman." "It's easier for me to connect to them than some of the other ambassadors," she added. "We have a lot in common. I can approach them in Arabic."
At a dinner for new ambassadors, Shalev said Turkey's UN envoy deliberately sat her next to the ambassador from one of the "not so moderate Arab countries," which she refused to identify. "We had a wonderful talk all through the evening," she said. "We talked about peace and the Middle East. We found a lot of things in common." Two days later, Shalev said she saw the ambassador at the UN. "He nodded his head, and he was not as nice and friendly as the evening, and I understand it. Maybe people are watching."
Shalev had some advice for President-elect Obama: Leave the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to the parties themselves. "We have to deal with our own problems without any pressure - not of the UN, not of the U.S., but it should be bilateral between the parties." (AP/International Herald Tribune)
* Media Ignore Militants' Muslim Identity - Mark Steyn
In the assault on Bombay, much of the media abandoned offending formulations - "Islamic terrorists," "Muslim extremists" - and found it easier to call the perpetrators "militants" or "gunmen" or "teenage gunmen." The veteran British TV anchor Jon Snow opted for the more cryptic "practitioners." At the Habad House, the murdered Jews were described in almost all the Western media as "ultra-Orthodox," "ultra" in this instance being less a term of theological precision than a generalized code for "strange, weird people, nothing against them personally, but they probably shouldn't have been over there in the first place." Are they stranger or weirder than their killers?
The New York Times was being silly in suggesting this was just an "accidental" hostage opportunity - and not just because, when Muslim terrorists capture Jews it's not a hostage situation, it's a mass murder-in-waiting. The sole surviving "militant" revealed that the Jewish center had been targeted a year in advance. (Washington Times)
Observations:
Arab Peace Initiative Can Be a Starting Point, Not a Diktat - Ron Prosor (Guardian-UK)
* It is important to realize that the Arab peace initiative cannot be seen as a "take it or leave it" offer. It cannot serve as a diktat, or replace the need for bilateral negotiations, on both the Palestinian and Syrian tracks. The plan is an interesting starting point for negotiations, but the international community should be under no illusions. Elements of the text are a cause for grave concern as regards the survivability of the State of Israel.
* The demand that Palestinians should be able to relocate to areas inside the borders of the State of Israel jeopardizes Israel's very existence. It is difficult to understand why Palestinians, having created a state of their own, would subsequently insist on sending their own people to the Jewish state.
* Israel's concern over the future of Jerusalem should also not be underestimated. From time immemorial, Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jewish people, and will always remain so. The 1967 borders might provide a reference point for negotiations, but the demographic realities and security concerns of Israel's population must be taken into account.
* The Saudis, Kuwaitis and other Gulf states could do more to encourage the Palestinians towards compromise. Instead of perpetuating unattainable fantasies that have long held back the Palestinian cause, they should help their Palestinian brethren set realistic, attainable goals.
* Three realities must be acknowledged: Israel exists, Israel belongs, and recognizing Israel would be to the benefit of every Arab society. Everyone in the region with the ability to promote this understanding must be urged to do so.
The writer is the Israeli ambassador in Londo
Sunday, December 7, 2008
From the Consulate
Israel Update
Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest
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In This Issue:
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Chanukah Party presented by Club 1948 - Featuring J.Viewz
Israeli Study Improves Doctors' Reports
Stiller, Rock, Braff enjoy Israel
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David Ben Gurion's Vision & Reality: 60 Years Later
"Lunch & Learn"
American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Great Lakes Region
invites you to
hear Prof. Natan Aridan
Tuesday, December 16 11:45 am
Offices of Veritext
1 N. LaSalle, Suite 400
Chicago, Illinois
Kosher lunch provided. Reservations required.
R.S.V.P. by December 12 to Judy Rosen at jrosen@aabgu.org or 847-325-5009
With special thanks to the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest.
Prof. Aridan's teaching and research focus on the relationship between Israeli diplomatic missions and overseas Jewish communities. He has
authored three books and numerous articles
Upcoming Events Israel Homecoming Conference
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Chanukah party
Chanukah Party
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The Biggest Party of the Year
Wednesday, December 24
Religion Club
Chicago
Featuring J.Viewz. Click here to listen to tracks, watch videos and register for the party
Mumbai Victims Remembered at Memorial Service in Skokie
Mumbai memorialMumbai memorial
More than 1,000 people gathered at the Holiday Inn in Skokie Wednesday night, December 4, to pay tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India last week.
Speakers included Rabbi Gedaliah Dov Schwartz, head of the Beit Din (Rabbinical Court) of the Chicago Rabbinical Council (CRC); Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz, regional director of Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois; Dr. Steven B. Nasatir, president of the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and Deputy Consul General of the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest, Gershon Kedar.
The following are excerpts from the speech of Gershon Kedar:
"Israel has shown that the most decisive and effective response to terrorism is not deterrence, for how can terrorists willing to commit suicide be deterred? But rather through a pro active synergy of both defensive and pre-emptive activities with intelligence gathering at its heart. And Israel is, of course, ready to share her expertise with all other countries facing scourge of terror.
But it is also poignant to ponder how each and every one of us can meaningfully respond to terrorism. And the appropriate response comes from the very values cherished by the victims themselves--- Life, respect for every human being, love for every fellow Jew and above all Jewish unity. This is what the terrorists wanted to snuff out, but the deaths of the victims command us to promote these values even more. The terrorists want to destroy- we will answer through "tikkun olam."
Terrorists want us to live in continual fear, but we refuse...And we will all carry on celebrating life, and later this month on Chanukah, we will, with the help of Chabad, publicize the victory of light over darkness all around the world."
Read the full text of the speech by clicking here.
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Ministry of Foreign Affairs website - Click for the latest news, official statements, videos, and presentations relating to the current conflict as well as views of the Israel behind the headlines.
Israel and the Palestinian Authority
Economic Surge for Palestinians in West Bank - Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)
There has been an economic surge in the West Bank in the past year, according to an internal Israel Defense Ministry Civil Administration report obtained on Monday. Palestinian unemployment has dropped 3% since the beginning of the year, while average daily wages are up 24%. In addition, since the beginning of the year, the IDF has removed 113 roadblocks and dirt mounds throughout the West Bank, enabling easier travel between Palestinian cities.
The value of the olive harvest jumped from NIS 200 million in 2007 to NIS 517.5 million in 2008. There was also a 10% increase in the number of workers employed in settlements, as well as a 10% increase in permits issued for Palestinians working in Israel.
Intriguing Israeli Study Shows Photos Help Improve Doctors' Reports
Patient Photos Aid Docs Reading Faceless CT Scans (AP)
Imagine sitting in a dark room all day, evaluating CT scans and other medical images on a computer screen but never actually seeing real patients. That's life for many radiologists.
But an intriguing Israeli study found adding photos of patients' faces to the file made these doctors more meticulous when looking at the X-rays. They reported more details and said they felt more empathy for patients who were otherwise strangers.
Adding patients' photos is a simple, low-tech way to reap rewards for both doctors and their patients, the researchers concluded.
The study involved 15 radiologists at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem and 318 patients who agreed to be photographed before undergoing CT scans. The color photos appeared automatically when the doctors opened the patients' computer files.
Entertainment
Hollywood Actors Say They Love Israel
Zach Braff
'Scrubs' star Zach Braff falls in love with Tel Aviv
Ruta Kupfer (Haaretz)
Braff says that when you come here (Israel), "you just feel this amazing sense of community. We hear so much about Israel and politics with the Palestinians and you feel so separate from it. So I really wanted to see for myself." He says he was "lucky" to be able to come and see things firsthand and to talk to Israelis. "As a Jew I think it's really important to come to this place. There is such a tremendous sense of community, tremendous bond for obvious reasons. I don't know if Israelis have a sense of it because they live here, but I love it."
Chris Rock and Ben Stiller Enjoy visit to Israel
BenStiller,ChrisRock
U.S. film producer Jeffrey Katzenberg, left, U.S. actor Ben Stiller, second from left, U.S. actress Jada Pinkett Smith, second from right, and U.S. actor Chris Rock, right, in Israel to attend the Israeli Premier of "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa". (AP Photo)
Actor Chris Rock says Israel is better than Hollywood. Ben Stiller agrees.The two Hollywood stars were in Israel for the premiere of their latest movie, "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa." The premiere was in the coastal Israeli city of Netanya on Saturday. Stiller says it's a good place to roll out a new movie. He said, "This is better than any premiere we have had so far."
Rock expanded on that. He said, "It's much better than Hollywood. They don't like us in Hollywood, but here they love us."
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Chanukah Party presented by Club 1948 - Featuring J.Viewz
Israeli Study Improves Doctors' Reports
Stiller, Rock, Braff enjoy Israel
Israeli Blog
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David Ben Gurion's Vision & Reality: 60 Years Later
"Lunch & Learn"
American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Great Lakes Region
invites you to
hear Prof. Natan Aridan
Tuesday, December 16 11:45 am
Offices of Veritext
1 N. LaSalle, Suite 400
Chicago, Illinois
Kosher lunch provided. Reservations required.
R.S.V.P. by December 12 to Judy Rosen at jrosen@aabgu.org or 847-325-5009
With special thanks to the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest.
Prof. Aridan's teaching and research focus on the relationship between Israeli diplomatic missions and overseas Jewish communities. He has
authored three books and numerous articles
Upcoming Events Israel Homecoming Conference
IsraelEconomy12.09.08
Chanukah party
Chanukah Party
**********
The Biggest Party of the Year
Wednesday, December 24
Religion Club
Chicago
Featuring J.Viewz. Click here to listen to tracks, watch videos and register for the party
Mumbai Victims Remembered at Memorial Service in Skokie
Mumbai memorialMumbai memorial
More than 1,000 people gathered at the Holiday Inn in Skokie Wednesday night, December 4, to pay tribute to the victims of the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India last week.
Speakers included Rabbi Gedaliah Dov Schwartz, head of the Beit Din (Rabbinical Court) of the Chicago Rabbinical Council (CRC); Rabbi Daniel Moscowitz, regional director of Lubavitch Chabad of Illinois; Dr. Steven B. Nasatir, president of the Jewish United Fund/Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and Deputy Consul General of the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest, Gershon Kedar.
The following are excerpts from the speech of Gershon Kedar:
"Israel has shown that the most decisive and effective response to terrorism is not deterrence, for how can terrorists willing to commit suicide be deterred? But rather through a pro active synergy of both defensive and pre-emptive activities with intelligence gathering at its heart. And Israel is, of course, ready to share her expertise with all other countries facing scourge of terror.
But it is also poignant to ponder how each and every one of us can meaningfully respond to terrorism. And the appropriate response comes from the very values cherished by the victims themselves--- Life, respect for every human being, love for every fellow Jew and above all Jewish unity. This is what the terrorists wanted to snuff out, but the deaths of the victims command us to promote these values even more. The terrorists want to destroy- we will answer through "tikkun olam."
Terrorists want us to live in continual fear, but we refuse...And we will all carry on celebrating life, and later this month on Chanukah, we will, with the help of Chabad, publicize the victory of light over darkness all around the world."
Read the full text of the speech by clicking here.
******************************
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The articles in this newsletter (with the exception of Israeli Government statements) reflect the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Consulate General of Israel to the Midwest.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs website - Click for the latest news, official statements, videos, and presentations relating to the current conflict as well as views of the Israel behind the headlines.
Israel and the Palestinian Authority
Economic Surge for Palestinians in West Bank - Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)
There has been an economic surge in the West Bank in the past year, according to an internal Israel Defense Ministry Civil Administration report obtained on Monday. Palestinian unemployment has dropped 3% since the beginning of the year, while average daily wages are up 24%. In addition, since the beginning of the year, the IDF has removed 113 roadblocks and dirt mounds throughout the West Bank, enabling easier travel between Palestinian cities.
The value of the olive harvest jumped from NIS 200 million in 2007 to NIS 517.5 million in 2008. There was also a 10% increase in the number of workers employed in settlements, as well as a 10% increase in permits issued for Palestinians working in Israel.
Intriguing Israeli Study Shows Photos Help Improve Doctors' Reports
Patient Photos Aid Docs Reading Faceless CT Scans (AP)
Imagine sitting in a dark room all day, evaluating CT scans and other medical images on a computer screen but never actually seeing real patients. That's life for many radiologists.
But an intriguing Israeli study found adding photos of patients' faces to the file made these doctors more meticulous when looking at the X-rays. They reported more details and said they felt more empathy for patients who were otherwise strangers.
Adding patients' photos is a simple, low-tech way to reap rewards for both doctors and their patients, the researchers concluded.
The study involved 15 radiologists at Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem and 318 patients who agreed to be photographed before undergoing CT scans. The color photos appeared automatically when the doctors opened the patients' computer files.
Entertainment
Hollywood Actors Say They Love Israel
Zach Braff
'Scrubs' star Zach Braff falls in love with Tel Aviv
Ruta Kupfer (Haaretz)
Braff says that when you come here (Israel), "you just feel this amazing sense of community. We hear so much about Israel and politics with the Palestinians and you feel so separate from it. So I really wanted to see for myself." He says he was "lucky" to be able to come and see things firsthand and to talk to Israelis. "As a Jew I think it's really important to come to this place. There is such a tremendous sense of community, tremendous bond for obvious reasons. I don't know if Israelis have a sense of it because they live here, but I love it."
Chris Rock and Ben Stiller Enjoy visit to Israel
BenStiller,ChrisRock
U.S. film producer Jeffrey Katzenberg, left, U.S. actor Ben Stiller, second from left, U.S. actress Jada Pinkett Smith, second from right, and U.S. actor Chris Rock, right, in Israel to attend the Israeli Premier of "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa". (AP Photo)
Actor Chris Rock says Israel is better than Hollywood. Ben Stiller agrees.The two Hollywood stars were in Israel for the premiere of their latest movie, "Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa." The premiere was in the coastal Israeli city of Netanya on Saturday. Stiller says it's a good place to roll out a new movie. He said, "This is better than any premiere we have had so far."
Rock expanded on that. He said, "It's much better than Hollywood. They don't like us in Hollywood, but here they love us."
Friday, December 5, 2008
Why Israelis mourn Mumbai
http://www.tnr.com/images/single_line.gif
Jerusalem, Israel
Gavriel and Rivkie Holtzberg, the young Israeli couple who ran the Chabad
House in Mumbai and were murdered there by jihadists, died bound and
helpless, like those Jewish martyrs disparaged for their quietism by the
Zionist ethos. Ultra-Orthodox Jews, the Holtzbergs never served in the
Israeli army--yet when they were buried on Tuesday, Israeli society mourned
as though they were fallen soldiers. When their coffins arrived at
Ben-Gurion Airport, they were draped in the national flag. Israeli leaders,
including President Shimon Peres, who doesn't usually attend the funerals of
terror victims, came to the Holtzbergs' funeral. When I came into work that
morning, I found the young woman in the room beside mine weeping.
The devastating scene of the Holtzbergs' surviving two-year-old son, Moishe,
calling out for his mother during a memorial service, was repeatedly shown
on TV. But Israelis weren't only mourning the destruction of the Holtzberg
family; they were mourning the loss of national heroes. Newspaper accounts
recalled how Gavriel bribed prison guards in India to smuggle in wine for
Shabbat to an Israeli inmate held on drug charges. Even after they lost a
child to Tay-Sachs disease, the Holtzbergs insisted on remaining at their
post--to continue, as Gavriel explained, "to do mitzvas," fulfill the
commandment to help their fellow Jews.
In embracing the Holtzbergs, Israelis were restoring to the national ethos
the old concept of kiddush hashem, religious martrydom--confirming a process
that began with the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The iconic image of that war was a
photograph of a religious soldier being led into Egyptian activity as he
carried a Torah scroll. That image was so jarring precisely because it cast
an Israeli soldier in the role of a pre-Zionist model of heroism. Since
then, all our wars have ended inconclusively, expressions of the limitations
of power. The more nuanced Israeli attitudes toward heroism are reflected in
Jerusalem's renovated Yad Vashem Holocaust museum, which now not only extols
the secular heroes, like partisans and ghetto fighters, but also those who
responded to dehumanization by maintaining their religious dignity, running
underground schools and prayer groups.
Since the Mumbai massacre, there have been calls here for the Israeli
government to subsidize security at Chabad houses across the globe, seen by
Israelis as extensions of home. "Our Chabad," summed up one headline on an
Israeli news web site. The warmth with which so many Israelis have responded
to Chabad proves--along with the growing popularity of prayer lyrics in
Israeli rock music and of informal "secular" prayer groups spreading in Tel
Aviv and elsewhere--that large parts of Israeli society may be entering a
post-secular phase.
Still, it is doubtful the country would have reacted with the same emotional
intensity had the Holtzbergs been ordinary ultra-Orthodox Jews rather than
Chabadniks. Mainstream Israelis resent ultra-Orthodox Jews for separating
from the state and its obligations even as they demand that it subsidize
their separatism. Chabad neither separates nor demands, but gives. Israelis
encounter Chabad's embrace most often abroad. When our young people just out
of the army travel the most remote corners of the world (because military
service doesn't provide enough dangers and thrills), they invariably
encounter a Chabad house.
Israelis also love Chabadniks for their courage: Rivkie and Gavriel weren't
yet buried when Rivkie's father announced his intention of taking over their
work in the Mumbai Chabad house. Though few Chabadniks are drafted into the
army, they don't avoid danger zones: Chabad activists rush to the front
lines during war, providing religious services and dancing with soldiers to
raise morale. One friend told me about her sister who was serving in a
border post so sensitive that a visitor required special permission from the
general in command of the front: "And then who shows up on Hanukah with
jelly donuts? Chabadniks."
Contrast Chabad's embrace of the Israeli ethos with ultra-Orthodox
anti-Zionists--one of whom, Leibish Teitelbaum, a member of the Satmar
hasidic sect, was killed in Mumbai. Teitelbaum's family demanded that his
coffin not be draped in the Israeli flag, even though his body had been
retrieved and flown home by the Israeli government--a reminder that Jewish
anti-Zionism is less an ideology than a character flaw, a lack of capacity
for gratitude. Chabad defines itself by its love for every Jew; the
anti-Zionists define themselves by the Jews they despise.
Israeli society reciprocated the Teitelbaums' contempt, barely noting that
other funeral. Watching the mutual estrangement that even a common Jewish
death couldn't heal, it felt like one of those moments in Jewish history
when schismatic sects evolve into separate faiths.
Israelis know Chabad's flaws--the cars mounted with the late Rebbe's
photograph and the words "Welcome King Messiah," the replicas built around
Israel of the Rebbe's house in Brooklyn, complete with red bricks chipped in
all the original places. And also Chabad's hardline politics: There was no
territorial compromise, including Israel's withdrawal from Sinai in 1982,
that Chabad didn't vehemently oppose. But many Israelis overlook the
messianic looniness and the political rigidity because they crave a
connection with a form of traditional Judaism that loves them
unconditionally. And though it's rare in Israel's grudging public discourse
to express gratitude, this week at least, Israelis offered Chabad that same
unconditional love in return.
Yossi Klein Halevi is a contributing editor at The New Republic and a senior
fellow at the Adelson Institute for Strategic Studies of the Shalem Center
in Jerusalem.
Jerusalem, Israel
Gavriel and Rivkie Holtzberg, the young Israeli couple who ran the Chabad
House in Mumbai and were murdered there by jihadists, died bound and
helpless, like those Jewish martyrs disparaged for their quietism by the
Zionist ethos. Ultra-Orthodox Jews, the Holtzbergs never served in the
Israeli army--yet when they were buried on Tuesday, Israeli society mourned
as though they were fallen soldiers. When their coffins arrived at
Ben-Gurion Airport, they were draped in the national flag. Israeli leaders,
including President Shimon Peres, who doesn't usually attend the funerals of
terror victims, came to the Holtzbergs' funeral. When I came into work that
morning, I found the young woman in the room beside mine weeping.
The devastating scene of the Holtzbergs' surviving two-year-old son, Moishe,
calling out for his mother during a memorial service, was repeatedly shown
on TV. But Israelis weren't only mourning the destruction of the Holtzberg
family; they were mourning the loss of national heroes. Newspaper accounts
recalled how Gavriel bribed prison guards in India to smuggle in wine for
Shabbat to an Israeli inmate held on drug charges. Even after they lost a
child to Tay-Sachs disease, the Holtzbergs insisted on remaining at their
post--to continue, as Gavriel explained, "to do mitzvas," fulfill the
commandment to help their fellow Jews.
In embracing the Holtzbergs, Israelis were restoring to the national ethos
the old concept of kiddush hashem, religious martrydom--confirming a process
that began with the 1973 Yom Kippur War. The iconic image of that war was a
photograph of a religious soldier being led into Egyptian activity as he
carried a Torah scroll. That image was so jarring precisely because it cast
an Israeli soldier in the role of a pre-Zionist model of heroism. Since
then, all our wars have ended inconclusively, expressions of the limitations
of power. The more nuanced Israeli attitudes toward heroism are reflected in
Jerusalem's renovated Yad Vashem Holocaust museum, which now not only extols
the secular heroes, like partisans and ghetto fighters, but also those who
responded to dehumanization by maintaining their religious dignity, running
underground schools and prayer groups.
Since the Mumbai massacre, there have been calls here for the Israeli
government to subsidize security at Chabad houses across the globe, seen by
Israelis as extensions of home. "Our Chabad," summed up one headline on an
Israeli news web site. The warmth with which so many Israelis have responded
to Chabad proves--along with the growing popularity of prayer lyrics in
Israeli rock music and of informal "secular" prayer groups spreading in Tel
Aviv and elsewhere--that large parts of Israeli society may be entering a
post-secular phase.
Still, it is doubtful the country would have reacted with the same emotional
intensity had the Holtzbergs been ordinary ultra-Orthodox Jews rather than
Chabadniks. Mainstream Israelis resent ultra-Orthodox Jews for separating
from the state and its obligations even as they demand that it subsidize
their separatism. Chabad neither separates nor demands, but gives. Israelis
encounter Chabad's embrace most often abroad. When our young people just out
of the army travel the most remote corners of the world (because military
service doesn't provide enough dangers and thrills), they invariably
encounter a Chabad house.
Israelis also love Chabadniks for their courage: Rivkie and Gavriel weren't
yet buried when Rivkie's father announced his intention of taking over their
work in the Mumbai Chabad house. Though few Chabadniks are drafted into the
army, they don't avoid danger zones: Chabad activists rush to the front
lines during war, providing religious services and dancing with soldiers to
raise morale. One friend told me about her sister who was serving in a
border post so sensitive that a visitor required special permission from the
general in command of the front: "And then who shows up on Hanukah with
jelly donuts? Chabadniks."
Contrast Chabad's embrace of the Israeli ethos with ultra-Orthodox
anti-Zionists--one of whom, Leibish Teitelbaum, a member of the Satmar
hasidic sect, was killed in Mumbai. Teitelbaum's family demanded that his
coffin not be draped in the Israeli flag, even though his body had been
retrieved and flown home by the Israeli government--a reminder that Jewish
anti-Zionism is less an ideology than a character flaw, a lack of capacity
for gratitude. Chabad defines itself by its love for every Jew; the
anti-Zionists define themselves by the Jews they despise.
Israeli society reciprocated the Teitelbaums' contempt, barely noting that
other funeral. Watching the mutual estrangement that even a common Jewish
death couldn't heal, it felt like one of those moments in Jewish history
when schismatic sects evolve into separate faiths.
Israelis know Chabad's flaws--the cars mounted with the late Rebbe's
photograph and the words "Welcome King Messiah," the replicas built around
Israel of the Rebbe's house in Brooklyn, complete with red bricks chipped in
all the original places. And also Chabad's hardline politics: There was no
territorial compromise, including Israel's withdrawal from Sinai in 1982,
that Chabad didn't vehemently oppose. But many Israelis overlook the
messianic looniness and the political rigidity because they crave a
connection with a form of traditional Judaism that loves them
unconditionally. And though it's rare in Israel's grudging public discourse
to express gratitude, this week at least, Israelis offered Chabad that same
unconditional love in return.
Yossi Klein Halevi is a contributing editor at The New Republic and a senior
fellow at the Adelson Institute for Strategic Studies of the Shalem Center
in Jerusalem.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Aipac update
www.aipac.org December 3, 2008
Hamas Rockets Strike Gaza Energy Source
Report: Palestinian Economy Improving
Israel Mourns Victims of Mumbai Massacre, Offers Aid
Lawmaker Supports Obama's Call for Ban on Sale of Gas to Iran
Palestinian Authority Considers West Bank State
Israelis Pioneer Laser Treatment for Sealing Wounds
take action!
Affect Israel's future and promote U.S. interests in the Middle East by urging your members of Congress to support critical legislation.
Click here to encourage your elected officials to sign a letter in support of a robust international affairs budget.
Learn more
Click here for AIPAC analysis of issues affecting the U.S.-Israel alliance.
Photo
Hamas Rockets Strike Gaza Energy Source
Hamas rockets slammed into southern Israel on Wednesday, damaging a power cable transferring electricity to the Gaza Strip, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported. Wednesday's barrage was the latest in a string of more than 200 rocket and mortar attacks fired from Gaza. Israeli military sources also noted an upsurge in Hamas activity along the Gaza-Israel border, where terrorist cells have planted explosive devices. Though a fragile calm had taken hold along the Gaza border in recent months, Hamas terrorists in the coastal strip have overseen a massive arms buildup and are again using the territory as a base for launching attacks at the Jewish state. Click here to learn about Hamas' terrorist activity in Gaza.
Report: Palestinian Economy Improving
According to a new report by Israel's Ministry of Defense, the Palestinian economy in the West Bank has improved dramatically over the past year, The Jerusalem Post reported. Ministry statistics show a three percent drop in Palestinian unemployment, a 24 percent increase in daily wages, olive harvest revenue jumping more than 150 percent, a 10 percent increase in Palestinians working in Israeli settlements and a 10 percent increase in work permits for Palestinians in Israel. The report, which incorporated data from the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations, attributes much of the improvements to recent concerted efforts by Israel to improve conditions in the West Bank. The report also credits increased cooperation between the Israel and Palestinian Authority to fight terrorist elements such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Israel Mourns Victims of Mumbai Massacre, Offers Aid
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert thanked his Indian counterparts on Sunday for their cooperation and care for Jewish and Israeli hostages during last week's deadly Mumbai terrorist attacks, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported. Olmert said Israel had provided intelligence assistance and offered aid to Indian authorities in the aftermath of the attacks. "Last week marked one of the worse acts of terror ever to take place in India," Olmert said. "The images of the Jewish victims and the horrific sight of the Chabad house managers wrapped in prayer shawls are shocking and take us back to images from history that we hoped wouldn't repeat themselves. But it seems that the hatred of Jews and Israelis is what spurs these horrible deeds." Some 180 people were massacred in the Mumbai rampage. Seven people, Americans and Israelis among them, were killed at the city's Chabad House, a Jewish center targeted by the assailants.
Lawmaker Supports Obama's Call for Ban on Sale of Gas to Iran
Echoing President-elect Barack Obama, a leading Republican senator has called on the United States to press for an international ban on the sale of gasoline to Iran, a move that would affect Iran's economy immediately. "Iran has vulnerabilities susceptible to pressure from the United States and its allies and we must exploit them before it is too late," Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) wrote in an op-ed. "As an example, despite Iran's tremendous crude oil reserves, it relies on huge volumes of imported gasoline to meet its domestic demand. The Iranian government then subsidizes this gasoline for the Iranian people." Kyl noted that sanctioning Iran in this manner has received the endorsement of President-elect Obama, and would constitute "a possibly game changing dislocation to Iran's economy. Learn more about Iran's dangerous behavior.
Palestinian Authority Considers West Bank State
Top Palestinian negotiator Maen Areikat has indicated that the Palestinian Authority would be willing to establish a Palestinian state in the West Bank alone until the terrorist group Hamas gives up control of the Gaza Strip, The Washington Times reported. "We would prefer to see a situation where there is national unity," Areikat said. "But if we don't agree, the PLO is mandated to continue negotiations." Hamas, which seized control of Gaza in a violent coup in June 2007, faces international isolation until it recognizes Israel, renounces terrorism and accepts previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements.
Israelis Pioneer Laser Treatment for Sealing Wounds
A team of Israeli researchers has developed a new technique to allow surgeons to seal incisions by laser, with less scarring and less exposure to infection, the Web site Israel 21c reported. The new technique, developed by Prof. Abraham Katzir and a team from Tel Aviv University's Applied Physics Group, is called laser-welding. When the laser begins to overheat and risks burning the tissue, the device reduces laser power, and if the temperature is too low to complete a closure, laser power is increased appropriately. "Sutures or stitches are not water tight, and blood or urine can pass through cuts, causing severe infection," Katzir said. Israel has long been at the forefront of developing new and innovative medical techniques.
Hamas Rockets Strike Gaza Energy Source
Report: Palestinian Economy Improving
Israel Mourns Victims of Mumbai Massacre, Offers Aid
Lawmaker Supports Obama's Call for Ban on Sale of Gas to Iran
Palestinian Authority Considers West Bank State
Israelis Pioneer Laser Treatment for Sealing Wounds
take action!
Affect Israel's future and promote U.S. interests in the Middle East by urging your members of Congress to support critical legislation.
Click here to encourage your elected officials to sign a letter in support of a robust international affairs budget.
Learn more
Click here for AIPAC analysis of issues affecting the U.S.-Israel alliance.
Photo
Hamas Rockets Strike Gaza Energy Source
Hamas rockets slammed into southern Israel on Wednesday, damaging a power cable transferring electricity to the Gaza Strip, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported. Wednesday's barrage was the latest in a string of more than 200 rocket and mortar attacks fired from Gaza. Israeli military sources also noted an upsurge in Hamas activity along the Gaza-Israel border, where terrorist cells have planted explosive devices. Though a fragile calm had taken hold along the Gaza border in recent months, Hamas terrorists in the coastal strip have overseen a massive arms buildup and are again using the territory as a base for launching attacks at the Jewish state. Click here to learn about Hamas' terrorist activity in Gaza.
Report: Palestinian Economy Improving
According to a new report by Israel's Ministry of Defense, the Palestinian economy in the West Bank has improved dramatically over the past year, The Jerusalem Post reported. Ministry statistics show a three percent drop in Palestinian unemployment, a 24 percent increase in daily wages, olive harvest revenue jumping more than 150 percent, a 10 percent increase in Palestinians working in Israeli settlements and a 10 percent increase in work permits for Palestinians in Israel. The report, which incorporated data from the Palestinian Authority and the United Nations, attributes much of the improvements to recent concerted efforts by Israel to improve conditions in the West Bank. The report also credits increased cooperation between the Israel and Palestinian Authority to fight terrorist elements such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
Israel Mourns Victims of Mumbai Massacre, Offers Aid
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert thanked his Indian counterparts on Sunday for their cooperation and care for Jewish and Israeli hostages during last week's deadly Mumbai terrorist attacks, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported. Olmert said Israel had provided intelligence assistance and offered aid to Indian authorities in the aftermath of the attacks. "Last week marked one of the worse acts of terror ever to take place in India," Olmert said. "The images of the Jewish victims and the horrific sight of the Chabad house managers wrapped in prayer shawls are shocking and take us back to images from history that we hoped wouldn't repeat themselves. But it seems that the hatred of Jews and Israelis is what spurs these horrible deeds." Some 180 people were massacred in the Mumbai rampage. Seven people, Americans and Israelis among them, were killed at the city's Chabad House, a Jewish center targeted by the assailants.
Lawmaker Supports Obama's Call for Ban on Sale of Gas to Iran
Echoing President-elect Barack Obama, a leading Republican senator has called on the United States to press for an international ban on the sale of gasoline to Iran, a move that would affect Iran's economy immediately. "Iran has vulnerabilities susceptible to pressure from the United States and its allies and we must exploit them before it is too late," Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) wrote in an op-ed. "As an example, despite Iran's tremendous crude oil reserves, it relies on huge volumes of imported gasoline to meet its domestic demand. The Iranian government then subsidizes this gasoline for the Iranian people." Kyl noted that sanctioning Iran in this manner has received the endorsement of President-elect Obama, and would constitute "a possibly game changing dislocation to Iran's economy. Learn more about Iran's dangerous behavior.
Palestinian Authority Considers West Bank State
Top Palestinian negotiator Maen Areikat has indicated that the Palestinian Authority would be willing to establish a Palestinian state in the West Bank alone until the terrorist group Hamas gives up control of the Gaza Strip, The Washington Times reported. "We would prefer to see a situation where there is national unity," Areikat said. "But if we don't agree, the PLO is mandated to continue negotiations." Hamas, which seized control of Gaza in a violent coup in June 2007, faces international isolation until it recognizes Israel, renounces terrorism and accepts previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements.
Israelis Pioneer Laser Treatment for Sealing Wounds
A team of Israeli researchers has developed a new technique to allow surgeons to seal incisions by laser, with less scarring and less exposure to infection, the Web site Israel 21c reported. The new technique, developed by Prof. Abraham Katzir and a team from Tel Aviv University's Applied Physics Group, is called laser-welding. When the laser begins to overheat and risks burning the tissue, the device reduces laser power, and if the temperature is too low to complete a closure, laser power is increased appropriately. "Sutures or stitches are not water tight, and blood or urine can pass through cuts, causing severe infection," Katzir said. Israel has long been at the forefront of developing new and innovative medical techniques.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Iran Inflitrates USA
A series of talks on a serious subject: radical Islam's infiltration of American culture, finance, education and life.
http://tinyurl.com/6ojnbk
http://tinyurl.com/6ojnbk
From Richard Baehr
Daniel Kurtzer is now rumored to be in line to be the Middle East envoy in the Obama administration . Bad choice I think. Kurtzer is an Orthodox Jew but that does not mean he is not wrong about almost everything when it comes to this conflict. Ed Lasky, in his usual thorough manner, examined Kurtzer's latest book on the subject.
http://tinyurl.com/6rxgpu
6. What recession? With tighter security controls in place (the IDF), the economy is growing rapidly in the West Bank. The picture is different in Gaza.
http://tinyurl.com/6pxsyb
http://tinyurl.com/6m382u
http://tinyurl.com/6rxgpu
6. What recession? With tighter security controls in place (the IDF), the economy is growing rapidly in the West Bank. The picture is different in Gaza.
http://tinyurl.com/6pxsyb
http://tinyurl.com/6m382u
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