Iranian warships make solidarity trip to Syria
Warships of the Iranian Navy sailed into the Mediterranean Sea on Saturday, docking in Syria's port of Tartus in a demonstration of support for the besieged regime of president Bashar Assad. An Iranian official triumphantly declared that the two ship flotilla would show "the might" of the Islamic Republic to regional countries while also conveying Tehran's "message of peace and friendship." The Iranian port call had little visible effect on the escalating violence between troops loyal to Assad and opposition forces over the weekend, with large clashes breaking out in the heart of Damascus and massive bombardments of Homs and Hama continuing. Two senior regime officials were assassinated in the northwestern province of Idlib, joining a long list of casualties over the weekend as the Egyptian ambassador in Damascus became the latest diplomat to be recalled and an official newspaper in China published an editorial accusing Western powers of fomenting civil strife in Syria for their own purposes.

Dempsey offers cautious tone on Iran 
UN inspectors in Teheran for talks 
US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey appeared on CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" over the weekend, declaring that "I think it would be premature to exclusively decide that the time for a military option was upon us. I think that the economic sanctions and the international cooperation that we've been able to gather around sanctions is beginning to have an effect. I mean, fundamentally, we have to be prepared. And that includes, for the most part, at this point, being prepared defensively. Asked if Iranian leaders were acting rationally, Dempsey replied: "We are of the opinion that the Iranian regime is a rational actor. And it's for that reason, I think, that we think the current path we're on is the most prudent path at this point." Dempsey gave the interview even as US National Security Adviser Tom Donilon met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem for talks focused on Iran. British Foreign Secretary William Hague added his own similar warning in an interview on Sunday with the BBC.

Hague warned that if Iran's renegade nuclear program proceeds, "either, they [Iran] will be attacked, and there will be a war, or there would be a cold war, in which Iran for the long term would be subject to very intensive economic sanctions. They would find that other nations in their region developed nuclear regions, and they would be in permanent standoff with those countries...like the Cold War, but without many of the safeguards against accidents and misunderstandings that we had in the Cold War."

To watch a video analysis of "Iran's nuclear threat" click HERE

Meanwhile, inspectors for the UN's International Atomic Energy Agency landed in Iran for a new round of talks on Sunday. Read more » 

Israel waiting to see results of Palestinian unity talks
IDF South preparing possible incursion into Gaza
An Israeli diplomatic source confirmed on Sunday that talks with the Palestinian Authority which ended last month without any tangible signs of progress will not be renewed until the dust settles from the recent agreement signed in Doha, Qatar between the PA and the Islamist terror militia Hamas. The possibility of Hamas, which makes no effort to hide its antipathy to Israel and unwillingness to recognize the Jewish State's right to exist, could join the PLO and become part of a unity government with the PA has put relations between the PA and Israel in deep freeze. The source added that Israel expects the PA to return to the UN for another try at gaining statehood recognition from the Security Council in a matter of weeks. The source further stated that the proposals the PA put forward in Amman "harmed confidence," and that no Israeli government could "accept them."

The political agreement between Fatah, the largest party in the PA, and Hamas has been fragile from the beginning, with disputes also arising within each group. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal, who signed the agreement in Doha, have both been criticized by rivals who say they didn't have the authority to sign an agreement without consulting other members of their respective leadership teams. Hamas leaders also denounced a statement by Abbas over the weekend that the future unity government would honor all agreements that were signed between the PLO and Israel, including the Oslo Accords, saying they had never agreed to this. Read more »

Public Diplomacy Ministry prepares for 'Israel apartheid week'
Israel's Public Diplomacy Ministry has announced a plan called "Faces of Israel" to dispatch 100 citizens, representatives from all different parts of Israeli society, to events at universities abroad connected to the upcoming "Israel Apartheid Week" to represent and defend the Jewish State. The participants, including Israeli-Arabs, West Bank settlers, artists, immigrants and security experts, will travel to events in New York, Boston, Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Toronto, Montreal, Dublin, London, Madrid, Johannesburg and Cape Town. "Most of those who hate Israel have the same disease: ignorance," Public Diplomacy Minister Yuli Edelstein said. "We are sure that the answer to the attempts to de-legitimize Israel is not just to give facts and data, but to bring Israel to them."

'Price tag' attack directed against church
Graffiti including "Death to Christianity" and profanity about Jesus was spray painted on the walls of the Baptist Narkis Street Congregation in Jerusalem overnight on Sunday, as well as the words "price tag." The tires on three vehicles parked at the church were also slashed. "Officers are investigating a strong possibility of a (Jewish) nationalist motive but no one has been apprehended yet," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. The vandalism follows a similar incident two weeks ago at the 11th-century Monastery of the Cross.



MDA gives aid to African refugees
The Magen David Adom headquarters in Tel Aviv turned into an improvised shelter over the weekend for some 100 homeless refugees from African countries who would otherwise have been out in the cold and wet weather. Many of the refugees from Sudan and Eritrea live in tents and other flimsy shelters in Levinsky Park, near the central bus station. The MDA doctors examined the refugees and volunteers provided hot food, showers, blankets, clean clothes and other necessities. An Arabic-speaking MDA staffer also gave the refugees a first-aid course. Ahmed Isaman, one of the refugees who fled from Darfour four years ago, said "I have no words to express my thanks."

Iron Dome to be deployed in Gush Dan
Reports surfaced over the weekend that the IDF's newly formed Air Defense command will deploy an Iron Dome battery in the Gush Dan/Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area for a drill in the near future simulating missile attacks on the city. "The Iron Dome is in the process of being made operational as part of which the battery is being placed in various locations from time to time," said a statement by the IDF spokesperson's Office, stressing that the move is part of a routine and pre-scheduled training program without any special significance.

Jerusalem 'blizzard' falls short of expectations
Israel had another wet weekend including light snow in several areas and several centimeters of rain, although the hopes of Jerusalem schoolchildren for heavy snow to play in failed to materialize. The Israel Meteorological Service reported that 20-25 centimeters of snow fell in the northern Golan Heights, along with several centimeters in Hebron and Gush Etzion. About 14-18 cm. of rain fell in the southern Golan and the northern Galilee, raising the level of the Sea of Galillee another 16 cm. to 212.67 meters below sea level on Sunday morning. Heavy rains and gusty winds also hit many areas of the center and northern Negev regions. Water Authority officials stressed that although the precipitation has been significant, Israel is still in the midst of a severe drought and urged residents to use water carefully. Meanwhile, forecasts call for another wet weekend starting on Thursday.

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Thai police say Iranian bomber linked to other attacks

Iran stews as US Navy patrols Gulf 

Iran warns of higher oil prices 

Iranian ships and aircraft were keeping a close watch on the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Battle Group as it transited the Strait of Hormuz on its way out of the Persian Gulf on Tuesday. The surveillance was described by officers on the Lincoln as routine, and there was no warning from Teheran that the carrier should not come back, as there was the last time a US carrier left the Gulf. A naval exercise by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has also been relatively quiet, with no overt threats made to tanker traffic. Also on Tuesday, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told the US Senate Armed Services Committee that "we do not think that Israel has made this decision (to attack Iran). We have common cause with Israel, we have common cause with the international community, with regards to concerns about Iran. We've made very clear that they are not to develop a nuclear weapon."

"We've made very clear that they are not to close the Straits of Hormuz. We've also made very clear that they are not to export terrorism and try to undermine other governments. We think that the approach of the international community, to apply sanctions, to apply pressure, is having an impact. It has isolated Iran. My hope would be that we could all stick together in ensuring that we continue to isolate Iran."Read more » 

Assad loyalists pounding Homs and Hama 

Regime denies 'crimes against humanity' 

The violence in Syria intensified on Wednesday as forces loyal to the regime of president Bashar Assad continued heavy artillery bombardments in the cities of Homs and Hama and opposition fighters also stepped up attacks. A major pipeline carrying oil to one of Syria's largest refineries near Homs was hit in the fighting. Assad loyalist troops also carried out attacks on opposition forces in central Damascus, seen by many analysts as a tipping point which could lead to an even bigger conflict. The escalation in fighting has come despite a deafening chorus of international outrage directed at Assad, including a new plan by the Arab League to openly supply weapons to opposition forces. The chief of Egypt's influential al-Azhar University, long a bell weather in Arab politics, also condemned Assad on Tuesday and called for action against his regime.

Officials from Iraq and other Arab countries have confirmed earlier reports that weapons and fighters from around the Muslim world, including groups linked to Al-Qaida and other terrorist groups, have joined the forces fighting Assad in Syria. Read more »

Hamas leadership dispute continues

Israel investigating attacks on diplomats in India and Georgia 

Iran accuses Azerbaijan of helping Israel 

Fallout from attacks against Israeli diplomatic personnel in India and Georgia continued on Tuesday after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held high level meetings with his security cabinet amid a general consensus that Iran and its Lebanese terrorist proxy Hezbollah was responsible for the attacks. Netanyahu declared that "Iran, which is behind these attacks, is the biggest exporter of terrorism in the world. The Israeli government and its security forces will continue to work together with local security services against these terrorist actions." Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman added that "we can identify exactly who is responsible for these attacks, but as diplomats will only say that we will not let it pass." Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast declared that the accusations were just the newest phase in the Jewish State's "psychological war" against the Islamic Republic, adding that the attacks were probably carried out by Israel itself in order to "tarnish Iran's friendly ties" with Georgia and India.

Condemnation of the attacks poured in from several world governments, led by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon who declared that the police in India and Georgia had his full support to "investigate these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice." US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton issued similar statements, along with their colleagues in several other governments. India's Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna phoned Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman Monday to express his "shock" at the attacks and assure Israel of India's friendship and full cooperation. Liberman thanked him and stated that "no Israel diplomat anywhere in the world will be deterred by terrorism." Read more » 

Syrian defector says Assad using chemical weapons 

Humanitarian disaster stalks Homs 

Awad Al-Razak, a military officer who recently defected from the forces loyal to the regime of Syrian president Bashar Assad, told Al-Arabiya on Monday that the regime has used chemical weapons against protesters in the city of Homs, under the supervision of Russian and Iranian scientists. The revelation came the same day that UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay told the General Assembly that Assad's forces had been emboldened by the Security Council's failure to act on the ongoing violence. She also listed the regimes attacks on civilians, especially in Homs.

"The failure of the Security Council to agree on firm collective action appears to have emboldened the Syrian government to launch an all-out assault in an effort to crush dissent with overwhelming force," Pillay said. "I am particularly appalled by the ongoing onslaught on Homs. According to credible accounts, the Syrian army has shelled densely populated neighborhoods of Homs in what appears to be an indiscriminate attack on civilian areas."

Syrian UN Ambassador Bashar Ja'afari, backed by delegates from Iran and North Korea, attempted to use procedural arguments to prevent Pillay from speaking.
Read more »

Iranians celebrate Valentine's Day despite clerical ban
In a sign that young Iranians are growing disenchanted with the clerical Shi'ite Muslim regime which dominates their country, restaurants in Teheran and many other cities were full of young couples celebrating Valentine's Day on Tuesday. The holiday is officially banned by the government and regularly preached against by clerics who warn that it is part of the wider "Western conspiracy" against the Islamic Republic. "This year they told us not to sell any red roses otherwise we can face the closure of our flower shop," said a florist in Tehran. While buying flowers for his girlfriend, another young Iranian declared, "I don't care about demonstrations. I want to have fun. I want to love and to be loved."

IAF to deploy new Arrow battery
Despite budget shortfalls, the Israeli defense establishment is continuing with feverish preparations for the possible outbreak of war in the near future, with the Air Force announcing this week that a new Arrow missile defense battery will become operational in 2012, placed in the center of the country and designed to counter the threat to the Jewish State from long-range missiles. In related news, the Jerusalem Post reported on Tuesday that the US Congress is preparing a budget which would substantially increase funding for Israeli missile defense.

Heritage sites hope to build Zionism, draw tourists
The Knesset's Ministerial Heritage Plan Committee approved a plan on Tuesday to upgrade facilities at 13 additional sites, including the iconic windmill in Jerusalem's historic  Yemin Moshe neighborhood. Other sites include an interactive watchtower-and-stockade community such as was common during the pioneer period of the British Mandate, archeological remains at Tel Shilo (site of the Tabernacle and the Ark of the Covenant for many years before Solomon built the First Temple in Jerusalem) as well as others. The initiative is part of a larger plan to strengthen the Jewish and Zionist identity and awareness of young people in Israel, which in recent years has become noticeably weak. Tourist companies are also hopeful that the newly renovated sites will draw visitors to the Holy Land.



Gaza based terror suspects indicted
Two men from the Gaza Strip city of Rafah were charged with several security related offences by the Southern District Attorney in Beersheba District Court on Tuesday, just days after another man was similarly charged. All three are suspected of membership in terrorist organizations which have sarried out attacks against Israelis. The men were arrested when they attempted to infiltrate into Israel, and had participated in various terror-related activities before making the trip.For a report on Israeli aid to the Gaza Strip, click HERE (PDF)

Israeli company building lifesaving systems in Chile
An Israeli company named eVigilo recently finished a project to install sensors and communications equipment in Chile which will send a text message to thousands of cell phones in the event of a tsunami threat to the coastal country. The system is based on the system already deployed in Israel to warn of terror attacks and natural disasters. "The multi-channel notification system will send out alerts to all devices accessible to civilians," said Feliks Vainik, co-founder and Vice President at eVigilo. "Today's increasingly digitalized broadcasts open greater possibilities for conveying texts that resemble SMS pictures and voice messages. If necessary, the fully integrated, multi-technology mass-alert platform can notify the entire population in less than twenty seconds." There are dozens of other countries around the world who are interested in eVigilo's assistance in building their own disaster alert systems.  

Cyprus defies Turkey in Natural Gas row
Despite ongoing tensions with Turkey, the government of the Greek speaking Republic of Cyprus announced on Monday that it has launched a second licensing round for offshore oil and gas exploration blocks off its coast in the Mediterranean. Preliminary exploration has already yielded large discoveries of recoverable natural gas, leading to the possibility of great wealth for Cyprus which Turkey has warned needs to be shared with the islands Turkish speaking northern statelet, which exists only because thousands of Turkish troops occupy it and which is not recognized by any government in the world except Ankara. Talks on growing cooperation between Israel and Cyprus in the fields of energy and defense are sure to be a highlight of Thursday's visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

City of David tourism center approved
On Monday, the Jerusalem District Committee of Israel's Interior Ministry's gave initial approval for a tourism center in the Silwan neighborhood, across the street from the City of David archeological park. The planned Kedem Center will cover 9,000-square meters including several levels of underground parking and facilities for visitors and special events. The area has already been extensively surveyed by archeologists who have unearthed remains from the Roman, Late Byzantine and Second Temple period. These remains will be visible to visitors as the visitors center will be built atop concrete stilts. Left-wing activists protested the decision, saying it ignored the Arab history of the area.

Ahmadinejad's press secretary sentenced to jail
In yet another sign of chaos in the corridors of Iran's government, a report surfaced on Monday that President Mahmud Ahmadinejad's press adviser, Ali Akbar Javanfekr, has been sentenced to six months in jail. Javanfekr had been previously convicted of the crime of insulting Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and according to prosecutors has "more than one case before the judiciary." Some analysts have speculated that the case case is part of an ongoing power struggle between Ahmadinejad's supporters and Khamenei loyalists.

Barak in Singapore to help Israeli industry
One of the world's largest defense and aerospace trade expos is currently underway in Singapore, with billions of dollars in potential business at stake, along with thousands of jobs. Several Israeli companies have large booths at the expo, and Defense Minister Ehud Barak visited them on Monday to raise their profile and assist their efforts. Israel has long been a close ally of Singapore, having helped the states small but powerful military get started shortly after independence in the 1960's. Singapore is also an important export market for Israeli defense and high tech companies.  

Netanyahu; 'PA chose terror over peace'

Hamas in Gaza protests unity deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a special plenum meeting in honor of the Knesset's 63rd birthday on Wednesday, declaring that the Palestinian Authority has rejected the possibility of permanent peace with Israel by agreeing to form a unity government with the Islamist terror militia Hamas. "We said [the PA] needs to choose between the path of Hamas and the path of peace," he said. "The Palestinians embraced terrorist organizations that call for Israel's destruction." Adding praise for Israel's democracy, he added, "some mistakenly see elections as the face of democracy, but a true democracy is measured in the time between elections, by its freedoms of the individual and the balance between the branches of government. This should not be taken for granted." In related news, the leadership of Hamas in Gaza added its voice to a rising chorus condemning the choice of PA president Mahmoud Abbas to be the prime minister in a future unity government between Hamas and the PA. The agreement was signed by Hamas leader in exile Khaled Mishaal, and the Gaza based leadership says they were not consulted and do not consent.

For the latest intelligence report on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, click HERE (PDF)

Iranian diplomat warns US of reprisals for any attack

Asian countries increase sanctions

Seyyed Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi, Iran's ambassador to Russia, declared in a statement to reporters on Wednesday that a military strike on his country would be "suicidal" for the United States because the Islamic Republic's response against US troops all over the world would be so devastating. Also on Wednesday, international commodities traders reported that due to sanctions against the Islamic Republic's renegade nuclear program, Teheran is having serious difficulties paying for basic foodstuffs needed to feed its 74 million people. With parliamentary elections looming on 2 March, Iranian officials are scrambling to stave off mass anger which could destabilize the regime, while also publicly denying that the sanctions are having any effect on the economy. The election will pit a faction of lawmakers affiliated with president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad against an even more hard-line faction, with reformists barely represented.

Elsewhere, South Korean President Lee Myung-Bak was in Rhiyad Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, where he received assurances that if the ROK stops buying Iranian crude Saudi Arabia will make up the shortfall. The move comes a few weeks after Teheran explicitly warned its regional neighbors not to make such assurances.

Read more »   

Assad loyalists blast their way deeper into Homs 

EU prepares tough sanctions package

Forces loyal to the regime of Syrian president Bashar Assad thrust into the city of Homs on Wednesday, using tanks, artillery and helicopter gunships to kill over 100 residents, according to opposition groups. According to eyewitnesses, Alawite Shabiha militias have also been unleashed on the cities Sunni Muslim population, stoking fears of an Iraq-style sectarian bloodbath. Doctors and Red Cross workers in the city attempting to treat the wounded have also reported being targeted by pro-regime forces. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that Assad had lost "legitimacy" as his government continued laying the groundwork for a wide ranging coalition to intervene in the Syrian revolt. But in a stern warning against a Libyan-style military intervention, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who led Russia's brutal war on Chechnya in the early part of the last decade, decried the pattern of Western "interference" in Libya and elsewhere as a "cult of violence."

For a closer look at the growing crisis in Syria, click HERE

Elsewhere, diplomats from the EU are busy formulating new diplomatic and economic sanctions on the Assad regime, expected to be finalized by the end of the month. Read more »

Iranian website calls for genocide against Jews
The Iranian website Alef, which is tied to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently posted an entry explaining the legal and moral justifications for massive genocide against all Jews everywhere and specifically the annihilation of the Jewish State of Israel. The website warned that the opportunity to destroy Israel, which it referred to as the 'corrupting material' should not be wasted, adding a proposal for a massive military attack against Israel using long-range ballistic missiles, which it claimed would wipe out the Jewish State in a mere nine minutes. The article, written by Khamenei's strategy specialist Alireza Forghani, has been re-posted on most official conservative government websites, indicating it has the support of the regime.

Egypt dismisses threats of US aid cut
Officials of Egypt's Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) dismissed American threats to cut aid to Egypt if it continued with a investigations into foreign-funded pro-democracy groups and NGOs in Cairo, which has travel bans on 19 US citizens. The US gives Egypt $1.3 billion a year in military support, considered vital to keep the Egyptian military afloat. "Egypt will apply the law ... in the case of NGOs and will not back down because of aid or other reasons," army-appointed Prime Minister Kamal al-Ganzouri told reporters.

Turkey continues to be popular despite setbacks
Turkey has suffered setbacks in the last year, including the loss of allies such as Syria's president Bashar Assad and Libya's Muamar Qhadaffi, who provided employment for tens of thousands of Turks. The Turkish economy has also run into rough times and the Islamist government of prime minister Reccep Tayyip Erdogan has been heavily criticized for human rights violations, especially a crackdown on journalists and clashes with the restive Kurdish population. Despite all this, a new poll released this week by the Turkish Economic and Social Studies Foundation (TESEV) showed that in the Arab world, nearly 78% see Turkey as a champion of regional peace and role model for religion and democracy living side by side.

IDF continues large field exercises
The IDF held a large-scale artillery drill on Thursday, continuing a new program designed to train soldiers in war fighting skills which have been lost in recent decades and which cost lives in recent conflicts. In the Second Lebanon War in the summer of 2006, the IDF fired 177,000 shells into Lebanon without impacting the rate of Hezbollah's rocket fire into northern Israel, according to battlefield assessments. "There are two objectives when using artillery fire," a senior corps officer explained this week. "One goal is to help forces maneuver in enemy territory by providing fire support and the second goal is to try and suppress enemy fire, which was not effective in 2006." 

Amid regional turmoil, IDF short of funds

Even as talk of war with Iran grows louder, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz ordered senior officers to prepare plans for a nearly complete stop to training and other activities on 1 April due to a shortfall in the defense budget. Gantz made the announcement Monday during the annual conference for all IDF officers with the rank of Colonel or higher, which is normally used to discuss Israel's strategic challenges. "We are cancelling all kinds of exercises, from the division level down to the battalion level," an IDF officer who was at the meeting said. "We will not be able to call up reserves, and even when we hold exercises we will be limited in the amount of ammunition we can use." Despite a recent budget increase, the IDF is still NIS 4 billion short of what it projects it will need for the coming year, and has taken the dramatic step of suspending orders for new Merkava tanks and Namer armored personnel carriers. "There are a number of strategic projects that will be harmed due to the lack of funds," a defense official said Tuesday.

Internal conflict wracks Iranian political scene

Iran; 'psychological warfare won't affect us'

An event held on 1 February to commemorate the 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran featuring a cardboard cutout of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini deplaning at Teheran's international airport in a re-enactment of his return from exile 33 years ago has sparked fierce criticism from several Iranian officials and much mockery from ordinary Iranians. The ceremony, during which the cardboard Ayatollah was greeted by lines of saluting honor guards and a marching band, has been the subject of dozens of parodies which have been filmed and gone viral on the internet, while several Iranian politicians have criticized the ceremony as "distasteful," "damaging," and "regretful." In related news, lawmakers have summoned firebrand President Mahmud Ahmadinejad to appear before a parliamentary committee and answer complaints about his handling of the economy, an embezzlement scandal his political faction is involved in and many other matters. It is the first time this has ever happened and observers note that it is a strong sign of the continued internal tumult afflicting the Islamic Republic. Meanwhile, the price of food staples such as rice and bread have tripled on the streets of Iran in recent months, causing widespread anger against the government amidst reports that Iran has defaulted on payments to rice producers in India.A spokesman for EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton blamed Tehran for any civilian suffering caused by sanctions. Read more »   

CNN reports US preparing military plans for Syria
Arab, Western states cut ties with Damascus
A report on CNN's "Security Clearance" blog Tuesday indicated that the US is exploring multiple options for putting pressure on the regime of Syrian president Bashar Assad, including diplomatic and economic moves but also reviewing the possibility of using military force. Until the report, US officials had insisted that a Libya style military intervention in Syria was not a serious option, but as senior US official told CNN, although diplomacy remained the first choice, the US military "would not be doing its job if it did not put some ideas on the table," adding that "absolutely no decisions have been made on military support for Syria." Meanwhile, troops loyal to the regime slaughtered another 47 civilians in the flashpoint city of Homs on Wednesday morning as well as engaging in clashes in other cities, just one day after Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov assured reporters after speaking with Assad that the regime wanted peace.

But according to witnesses, Assad loyalists used tanks, rockets and other heavy weapons to fire into residential neighborhoods suspected of harboring members of the opposition. "Assad is seeing the civilized world turn against him and he thinks he will win if he uses more brutal force before the world could act," said Catherine al-Talli, senior member of the opposition Syrian National Council. The Council has rejected a Russian proposal for Russian-brokered talks with Assad, demanding he first step down and end a crackdown which has killed close to 8,000 people since protests began in early 2011.  Read more »

Palestinians angrily reject Abbas as PM
Loud denunciations of the Qatar-sponsored Hamas-Fatah reconciliation agreement which would see Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas serve as prime minister of an interim unity government were heard across the Palestinian political spectrum on Tuesday. Some accused Abbas of supporting laws in the past which he now refuses to apply to himself and his associates, while his defenders argued that ending the power struggle with Hamas was "more important than respecting any law." Elsewhere, legal analysts pointed out that the agreement violated previous internal agreements the Palestinians have made. "This is a scandal not only because it violates the [Palestinian] Basic Law, but also because it turns Abbas into an autocrat with absolute powers. This is unacceptable at a time when the Arab world is witnessing popular uprisings against dictators," a Fatah official in Ramallah said. Mustafa Sawaf, a Gaza-based analyst, said the Doha deal was just "a favor to the emir of Qatar that will stay on paper, without a concrete application."

Chinese oil companies assist Iran despite sanctions
In a sign of their contempt for recent sanctions, Iranian oil field engineers on Tuesday began preliminary production in the Yadavaran oil field in the southwest, estimated to hold 3.2 billion barrels of recoverable crude. The field runs underneath the border with Iraq and is shared by the two countries. Head of the Oil Engineering and Development Company, Naji Saadouni declared that he hoped the field would be producing 180,000 barrels per day within three years. Chinese oil companies have assisted in the field's development, part of an estimated $40 billion in Chinese contracts in Iran since Western sanctions were first imposed.

Hezbollah leader affirms status as Iranian proxy
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, leader of the Lebanese Shi'ite terror militia Hezbollah, admitted on Tuesday that his organization was funded and equipped entirely by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps of Iran and angrily denied numerous reports from law enforcement agencies worldwide that Hezbollah is using illegal activities to raise money. "We used to speak of a moral and political support while keeping silent when questioned about our military backing so as not to embarrass Iran. But today... we have decided to speak out," Nasrallah said during a TV address to his followers to mark the birth of Mohammed. "Drug trafficking is banned in Islam. And secondly, Iran's backing spares us the need for even a penny from anywhere in the world."

PA using Facebook to spy on Palestinians
The Palestinian Authority which has jurisdiction over Palestinian cities in the West Bank has been criticized recently for draconian restrictions on press freedoms, and reports emerged on Tuesday that the US-backed PA police have been aggressively monitoring the Facebook profiles of ordinary Palestinians to detect criticism of the PA. Some people have been warned to write only good things about the PA or they can find themselves arrested and/or fired from their jobs.

Friendly links show exaggeration of Israel's 'isolation'
In the latest evidence that Israel's diplomatic 'isolation' is vastly exaggerated, 34 members of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus hosted representatives from the Canada Celebrates Israel Network on Tuesday, receiving a petition of support for the Jewish State from thousands of Canadians who agree with Prime Minister Stephen Harper that they will support Israel "whatever the cost." Josh Reinstein, director of the Christian Allies Caucus, said Canada is one of Israel's strongest allies because of "grassroots Christian support that has permeated Parliament." Closer to home, an Israeli energy company, AORA Solar, is developing closer ties to countries in the Mediterranean basin. AORA opened a new gas-turbine solar thermal power station on Tuesday in the Platforma Solara de Almeria solar research and development park in Andalucía, in southern Spain. Cooperation between Israel and Spain, as well as other countries interested in green technology, remains strong.  

Iranian terror plot in Azerbaijan broken up

Netanyahu thanks Ashton for Iran sanctions

Ban asks for toned down rhetoric

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greeted EU Foreign Policy Chief Catherine Ashton in Jerusalem on Wednesday and thanked her for the EU's recent strengthening of sanctions on Iran over the Islamic Republic's renegade nuclear program. Also on Wednesday, the Washington DC based Institute for Science and International Security issued a report assessing that "Iran is unlikely to decide to dash toward making nuclear weapons as long as its uranium enrichment capability remains as limited as it is today." Part of the argument the report makes is that a combination of sanctions and the threat of military forces have deterred Iran's leaders, seeming to confirm a long held position of Netanyahu. The reports main author, the respected nuclear expert David Albright, said that he hoped the data presented in the report, which largely agrees with other US government assessments, would serve to lower the temperature on the white hit debate on what to do about Iran.

Other assessments, however, point out Iran's pursuit of equipment, technology and expertise that could be used either for a weapons program or a civilian energy program, keeping Teheran's options open and adding to an atmosphere of ambiguity which complicates the situation for Israel and the West.

Elsewhere, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters in New York on Wednesday that it was time for all sides in the dispute to tone down their rhetoric.

Read more »   

Egyptian celebrate the anniversary of their revolt 

US to speed up aid to Cairo

Marking the one year anniversary of the beginning of Egypt's anti-Mubarak uprising, a massive crowd of Egyptians gathered Cairo's Tahrir Square on Wednesday, joined by smaller crowds in other Egyptian cities. Even as the celebrations united protesters for a few hours, doubts and divisions continued to haunt the largest Arab country, where many have grown weary of the rule of the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) and many more, particularly the Coptic Christian minority, are fearful of what will happen next now that elections have brought an Islamist dominated legislature to power. Meanwhile, Moslem Brotherhood spokesman Mahmoud Ghazlan told London's Asharq Alawsat daily that "Our group is not prepared to conduct dialogue with Israel - that is our decision. Our position is consistent and clear, and is not up for discussion. We will reject any request from the Israeli embassy to meet with leaders of the group."For a closer look at the one year anniversary of the "Arab Spring," click HERE (PDF)

Meanwhile, US Undersecretary of State Robert Hormats, part of a US delegation that held unprecedented talks last week with the Brotherhood, announced on Wednesday that the US would be speeding up the timetable for delivering aid to Egypt. Read more »

Hamas seeks move to Jordan as Syria loses appeal

PA breaks off talks in Amman

Hamas chief Khaled Mishaal, who recently announced that he will step down from his position at the end of his current term, will reportedly visit Jordan next week as a guest of King Abdullah, as rumors fly about the pressure the King is under from the Jordanian branch of the Moslem Brotherhood, of which Hamas is the Palestinian branch. The visit, which will include meetings with several Jordanian officials, is being treated like an official state visit, and a source in Hamas told the Jordan Times that it would include a request for Hamas to have a "permanent presence" in Jordan, stopping short requesting to re-open an official political office in Amman. The reports have fueled speculation that the Islamist terror militia is looking for a new home as its position in Damascus deteriorates. In related news, the talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority being conducted in Amman had an anticlimactic ending Wednesday evening, as the PA refused to budge from its demands for Israel to freeze building in settlements before holding any further contact with Israel.

Palestinian students seek to study at Israeli tech school

A group of Palestinian educators from the West Bank has requested to send students to Israel to study agricultural techniques. Arava Research and Development, near Hatzeva, is a large complex which houses the most up-to-date research and technology for teaching such techniques. It is funded and run by the Israeli government and the Jewish National Fund, providing 10-month courses for hundreds of students from Israel, as well as many countries around the world. "We are trying to see how we can create a joint venture with these guys, in order to send Palestinian students...to get training here," said Ibrahim Barakat, member of the board of directors of the Ramallah and Gaza based firm Harvest Export.

Russia reiterates resistance to 'interference' in Syria

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov issued a statement after meeting his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu in Moscow on Wednesday that "we are open to constructive proposals that go in line with the set task of ending violence," in Syria. Lavrov made clear, however, that Russia would not allow any UN Security Council action which left the door open for "outside interference" in Syria, such as what occurred last summer in Libya. Even as Lavrov spoke, reports surfaced of a fierce bombardment by troops loyal to Syrian president Bashar Assad on the historic city of Hama. Opposition groups spoke of Assad loyalists using heavy weapons to fire into residential neighborhoods in a live-fire reenactment of the massacre which Assad's father carried out in the city in 1982.

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Islamist dominated Egyptian parliament convenes
Monday saw the opening session of Egypt's newly elected lower house of parliament, with Islamist parties taking the lead. The first issue taken up was to elect Saad Al Katatni, the secretary general of the Moslem Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice party, to the post of speaker. "We want to build a new Egypt, a constitutional, democratic and modern Egypt," Katatni said. "Democracy will be the source of our parliament's power. "We say to the Egyptian people and to the world that our revolution continues." Katatni also thanked "the great Egyptian army and the [ruling] Supreme Council of the Armed Forces, which stuck to its promise that it would hold elections that the world could boast about." But not everyone agreed with the sentiment, as many gathered to demand that the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces turn over power to an elected government sooner rather than later. Liberal opposition groups have also voiced concerns that between the SCAF and the Islamists their voices have little chance of being heard in the new Egypt.

Obama and Netanyahu applaud new EU sanctions on Iran 

Iran defiant, warns against 'military adventurism'

US President Barack Obama declared on Monday that the recently passed boycott of Iranian oil  and the imposition of a freeze on Iran's central bank by the EU was exactly what was needed in ongoing efforts "addressing the serious threat presented by Iran's nuclear program." He added that the US "will continue to impose new sanctions to increase the pressure on Iran." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a similar statement calling the move a "step in the right direction" adding that These sanctions must be evaluated according to the results they will bring. Today, Iran continues to develop nuclear weapons with no disruption." Other Israeli officials echoed these statements, with a general agreement that the sanctions would finally force Teheran to make a choice between dismantling its renegade nuclear program or facing economic collapse. Although the new sanctions will not go into effect until 1 July, according to various reports, the economic impact is already being felt on the streets of Iranian cities, with a depressed currency and rising prices for food and consumer goods.

For their part, Iranian officials have chosen to ignore the pain of their citizens and dismiss efforts to force a change in their behavior, responding instead with new threats.

The "European Union sanctions on Iranian oil are psychological warfare... Imposing economic sanctions is illogical and unfair but will not stop our nation from obtaining its rights," Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast declared on Monday. Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi agreed, telling the official news agency IRNA that the more sanctions were imposed on Iran "the more obstacles there will be to solve the (nuclear) issue."
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Israel extends goodwill gestures to PA's Abbas 

Hamas official declares 'no end to armed struggle'

As a goodwill gesture to Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, Israel is reportedly letting the construction of two PA police stations near Jerusalem pass, despite the fact that it violates previous agreements. One police station is in the village of a-Ram, which lies northeast of the Jerusalem neighborhood Neveh Ya'acov, just outside the capital's municipal borders. The second station was established in what is known as the Biddu enclave - a group of eight Palestinian villages located near Ramallah and along Road 443. Both are in Area B, which according to the Oslo Accords was designated as being under Israeli security control and Palestinian civilian control. The Israeli gesture is meant to bolster Abbas and the PA against possible moves by the Islamist terror militia Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and threatens the PA's sovereignty in the Palestinian cities of the West Bank.

To watch a video of a PA appointed Mufti calling for genocide against Israelis, click HERE

Other goodwill gestures include a series of joint environmental projects between the Civil Administration and the PA. Israel has spent hundreds of thousands of shekels on the projects.

Despite the various gestures by Israel, the PA recently reiterated its absolute refusal to negotiate with Israel without a renewal of the freeze on building in settlements, and a senior Hamas official declared categorically that the Islamist terror militia will never give up violence against Israel. Read more »

Israel opens new chapter in relations with EU

In yet another sign of Israel's continued engagement with the world despite talk of diplomatic "isolation", Israel's Ministry of Finance hosted the first meeting of the EU-Israel Sub-Committee on Economic and Financial Matters on Monday, with the EU delegations led by Mr. Andrew Standley, Head of EU Delegation to Israel and including Economic liason officers from the embassies of the UK France, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Romania and more. The talks focused on the crisis in the EU and how lessons learned by Israel during its own periods of financial difficulties could be applied to the current situation, as well as the effects of the EU's problems could have on the Israeli economy. In related news, German diplomat Andreas Reinicke was named as the EU's new envoy to the Middle East peace process on Monday. An EU statement said his task "will be to contribute to achieving the EU's policy objectives in the region, including a comprehensive peace, a two-state solution and a settlement of the Israeli-Syrian and Israeli-Lebanese conflicts."

Israel in need of hospital beds

Rice reassures AJC about UN Security Council

Israel trains ex-rebels in agriculture

A highly successful program run by the Israeli government and the Galilee International Management Institute (formerly the Galilee College) near Nazareth works to rehabilitate criminals and even terrorists from several countries, including Afghanistan and Nigeria, by teaching them modern agricultural skills and techniques so they have an alternative way to support their families.  Speaking of the recent groups of Nigerians who have attended courses at the Institute, Joseph Shevel, president of the Galilee Institute explained "the government granted them amnesty and allocated land to each one of them; they surrendered their weapons to get the land. Since they only know how to shoot and not to be farmers, we have to train them." Shevel added that several Israeli kibbutzim are cooperating in the project, which has successfully hosted people from 160 countries, teaching courses in several languages.

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Israel vigilantly guarding against Iranian attacks

IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz reportedly discussed the "transatlantic smuggling" of military equipment from Iran to its terrorist proxies in the region with US Chairman of the Joint chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey during the latter's recent visit. Gantz expressed Israel's desire to increase international cooperation against the phenomenon, building on earlier discussions he'd had with his European counterparts during a recent NATO summit in Brussels. "This is extremely complicated since it requires intelligence to know which boat is carrying what, as well as new maritime laws to enable navies to board and seize ships," a senior defense official explained. Meanwhile, an Iranian official made an emotional statement at a memorial service to assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists on Friday, declaring that "the Zionist regime should be punished in a way that it can't play such games with our country again." For the latest intelligence report on Iran, click HERE (PDF)

US Navy; 'Iran can't do a damn thing'

China urges Iran to resume talks

The US Navy sent the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier into the Persian Gulf on Sunday, a day after Iranian officials tried to save face by telling reporters that the presence of the US military in the region was a long established fact and not a threat to all the people living in the region that the Islamic Republic would vigorously resist, as they have repeatedly said in recent months. Warships from Britain and France, as well as the carrier's usual escorts, accompanied the Lincoln, with no resistance whatsoever from Iranian forces. "US warships and military forces have been in the Persian Gulf and the Middle East region for many years and their decision in relation to the dispatch of a new warship is not a new issue and it should be interpreted as part of their permanent presence," Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Deputy Commander Hossein Salami meekly admitted to the official IRNA news agency on Saturday.

 

Meanwhile, the White House and several other western governments issued statements reiterating their willingness to engage in negotiations with Iran over its renegade nuclear program, even as French President Nicolas Sarkozy told reporters on Friday that Iran is pursuing a "senseless race for a nuclear bomb." Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast retorted that Sarkozy was "looking for a pretext to put pressure on the Iranian nation" and added that any sensible observer could see that his country's nuclear program is "transparent" and in "cooperation" with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

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Assad regime angrily rejects Arab League 'interference' 

Iran sends Hezbollah to guard assets in Syria

The regime of Syrian president Bashar Assad angrily rejected an Arab League proposal on Monday that would have seen Assad step down and be replaced by his deputy, declaring the idea to be "flagrant interference" in Syria's "internal affairs." The plan was hammered out during an Arab League meeting on Sunday in Cairo. Despite the regime's rejection, Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani, who has taken the most aggressive stance towards Assad since the outbreak of the revolt against him early in 2011, told reporters after the meeting that the League would forward the plan to the UN Security Council and ask for its endorsement. Also on Sunday, Saudi Arabia announced that it would withdraw its observers from Syria, declaring that the Arab League monitoring mission, which was renewed last Thursday, had failed.

In related news, the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) of Iran admitted on Sunday that the Lebanese Shi'ite terror militia Hezbollah, a proxy of the IRGC, had been sent to Syria to protect Iranian assets in the country. The admission was widely interpreted as a sign that Teheran believes Assad is in serious trouble, as key areas of Syria, including neighborhoods in Damascus, have recently slipped from government control, taken over by various rebel elements including the Moslem Brotherhood and terrorist groups with links to Al Qaida and other factions.  Read more »

Cold weekend brings heavy snowfall on Hermon

Israel experienced heavy precipitation over the weekend, including 130 centimeters of snow on  the higher peak of Mount Hermon which overloaded the ski resort, forcing it to shut down for a few hours. There was more snow in other parts of the Golan Heights and heavy rains in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, as well as other areas. Despite the overcast weather, the Energy and Water Ministry had sun on its mind on Sunday, adding NIS 10 million for planning up to 2,000 hectares of future solar-power plants in Israel. The effort is part of a larger move in Israel to lower the Jewish State's dependence on unreliable sources of energy such as Egyptian natural gas and take advantage of the advanced technology available in Israel.

German pastors visit Yad Vashem as Left Party supports Iran and Syria

Even as pastors from several Evangelical denominations in Germany gathered in Jerusalem to lay wreaths at Yad Vashem to mark the 70th anniversary of the Wannsee Conference last week, deputies from the Bundestag accused the Left Party of aligning itself with Iran and Syria against the Jewish State. The accusations came in response to a proposal by a group of Left Party deputies to drop sanctions against the two countries, adding in their proposal yet another denunciation of Israel and the US. The online letter declares that "the USA together with other NATO states and Israel is keeping both countries (Iran and Syria) in a state of permanent alert so as to wear them down." The Left Party in Germany has a long history of anti-Israel activity. For a closer look at the delegation of German pastors to Yad Vashem, click HERE

Abbas urges release of Hamas legislator

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday urged Israel to release Abdel Aziz Dweik, a member of Islamist terror militia Hamas and the speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, who was detained by the IDF last Thursday. "I'm not convinced that Dweik had committed any crime," Abbas told a Russian TV station. "Frankly, this is an arbitrary detention and it's completely illegal." The PA has also sent a letter to the Israeli government demanding the release of Dweik and 23 other detained Palestinian legislators, most of whom are Hamas members. The letter also demanded the release of 130 other Palestinians who were jailed before the signing of the 1993 Oslo Accords in 1993, along with other prisoners, many of whom have been convicted of murdering Israeli citizens.

Israeli company Billguard saving consumers money

A recently launched Israeli startup company has already helped hundreds of credit card users save over a half million dollars. Called BillGuard, the company's website allows card users to register on a simple database which then sends a regular report showing users if they are the victim of the scams, bad billing practices, double charges and errors that cost the average American $300 a year. "10 million US cardholders get hit by some sort of fraud every year," explained Yaron Samid, BillGuard CEO, adding that fraud is a $7 billion a year enterprise. "But banks only catch 30 percent of it themselves."For the Billguard website, click HERE

Christians in Iran and Syria under intense persecution

Various Christian media reports have shown a sharp rise in attacks against churches and pastors in Iran and Syria over the last month. Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who has become a symbol of government brutality against Christians, is on death row and has refused to renounce his faith and convert to Islam in exchange for release. "After the ethnic cleansing of Jews in 1948 from the Arab countries, Islamic fundamentalism is now trying to push away the Christians from the region" Giulio Meotti, an Italian journalist with Il Foglio told the Jerusalem Post. "They want to establish a pure Islamic environment and the mass exodus already began under our noses. In Syria Christians will be persecuted after Assad's eventual fall, since they were the most loyal allies of the Baathist regime. Christians will be slaughtered or squeezed. From Cairo to Damascus, Arab Christian era is near to its end everywhere."

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Israel and PA hold second round of talks in Amman  

Hamas PM declares a Moslem future in the region 

Israeli and Palestinian Authority officials met in Amman Jordan on Monday for the second time in a week, despite continuing disagreements over security, borders, and many other issues. Jordan hosted the meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Amman and there was no participation by representatives of the Quartet - the US, EU, Russia and UN. Prior to the meeting, officials from both sides tried to lower expectations, saying it was unlikely the meetings would result in a substantial breakthrough, but adding that it was good to continue talking. One PA official declared that if no progress was achieved by 26 January, a previously announced Quartet deadline, the PA would resume its efforts to gain Palestinian membership in the UN.

Meanwhile, the Fateh political faction of PA president Mahmoud Abbas announced on Sunday that in light of a recent refusal by security forces from the Islamist terror militia Hamas to allow Fateh officials into the Gaza Strip, Fateh will reevaluate its planned reconciliation agreement with Hamas. According to the Fateh statement, the "inadequate and humiliating" treatment of its delegation showed that Hamas was not serious about joining Fateh in a unity government. A Hamas statement retorted that Fateh was to blame because it was too busy talking with Israel to pursue Palestinian unity.
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Israel nears 7.6 million citizens on 62nd Independence Day
Israel’s 62nd Independence Day, which begins at sunset on Monday evening, finds encouraging statistics for the State, with the country growing at a rate of 1.8 percent per year according to figures released by the Central Bureau of Statistics.

Out of a total population of 7,587,000, some 75.5 % are Jewish (numbering 5,726,000), of which 70% are Israeli-born, while 20.4 % are Arab (1,548,000) and 4.1% unidentified. Some 159,000 babies were born since Independence Day 2009, and close to 16,000 new immigrants have made aliyah this past year.

Additionally, the CBS reports that almost 30% of Israelis are under 14 years of age, compared to 17% in most Western countries; and only 10% of the population is over 65 years, contrasting with 15% in Western countries. Also on Sunday, the CBS reported that the Israeli economy grew 4.8% in the fourth quarter of 2009, bucking the downward global trend and beating forecasts. Population figures here

Population Update: Israeli population hits 7.6 million as Jewish New Year 5771 approaches
As Israel approaches the festival of Rosh Ha’Shanah, marking the Jewish New Year of 5771, the Central Bureau of Statistics has released numbers which show the population of the country continues to grow at a steady rate. According to the report, the population currently stands at 7,645,000 after growing at the rate of 1.8% for the seventh consecutive year. The breakdown is 75.5% Jewish, 20.3% Arab and 4.2% “other,” with most of the last category being immigrants from the former Soviet Union who are not classified as Jews by the Interior Ministry. The numbers also show that Israel has a large population of children, with 28% being under 14 and only 10% being over 65. Some 71.7% of Israelis were born here, including the 161,042 babies born in 2009. click here