05/31/07

* Jordan: Stop Temple Mount digging A Jordanian official called on Israel Wednesday to stop archaeological excavations in the Old City of Jerusalem.

* Poll: Israelis Finished With Withdrawals A poll carried out by the Knesset channel found a majority of Israelis want no more withdrawals from parts of the Land of Israel.

* Israel to ready public for 'all-out war' With Iran racing toward nuclear power and IDF preparations for the possibility of a conflict with Syria and Hizbullah in high gear, the Home Front Command plans to launch a publicity campaign.

* UN approves Hariri murder court The UN Security Council has approved the creation of an international court to try suspects in the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.

* Top official: Israel mulling renewing Syria peace talks Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is exploring the possibility of renewing peace talks with Syria.

* Iran links Iraq and nuclear issue A senior Iranian official has said that direct Iran-US talks about security in Iraq will have an impact on the dispute over Iran's nuclear program.

* 'Arms race' warning over US shield US plans to erect a missile defence system in former Soviet-bloc countries is reigniting a Cold War-style arms race.

* Russians Bidding for Control in Downtown Jerusalem If current negotiations with the Russians succeed, a large complex in central Jerusalem will be handed over to control of the Russian government.

* Turkey troops head to Iraq border Turkey has sent large contingents of soldiers, tanks, guns and armored personnel carriers to reinforce its border with Iraq.

* Public Figures Express Regret For Disengagement The Yesha Council of Judea, Samaria and Gaza communities has published a collection of statements by public figures who supported or helped implement the unilateral withdrawal from Gaza.

05/30/07

* Turkey-Iraq border tension grows Tension is rising on Turkey's border with Iraq amid speculation Ankara may be about to launch an incursion to tackle Kurdish rebels.

* Mashaal: Rocket attacks will continue Damascus-based Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal declared on Tuesday that the rocket attacks against Israel would continue.

* Houses raided after Iraq kidnap US and Iraqi troops have raided houses and buildings in Baghdad's Sadr City, close to where five Britons were kidnapped on Tuesday.

* Russia Says New ICBM Can Beat Any System Russia tested new missiles Tuesday that a Kremlin official boasted could penetrate any defense system.

* Iran links Iraq and nuclear issue A senior Iranian official has said that direct Iran-US talks about security in Iraq will have an impact on the dispute over Iran's nuclear programm.

* Qaeda warns of attacks 'worse than 9/11' An American member of Al-Qaeda warned in an Internet video that US President George W. Bush should withdraw all his troops from Muslim land or face attacks worse than September 11.

* Ministers push for stepped-up Gaza campaign The security cabinet voted Wednesday in favor of stepping up Israel's military pressure on terror groups responsible for the firing of rockets from the Gaza Strip towards Israel.

* France gives stay of execution on Turkey EU hopes France has confirmed that it will agree to press ahead with Turkey's EU membership talks for now.

* Leaders to meet as Gaza deaths rise Two suspected Palestinian fighters have been killed in fresh Israeli air raids on the Gaza Strip.

* Lebanese army files terrorism charges against militants A Lebanese military magistrate filed terrorism charges Wednesday against 20 suspected members of the militant Fatah Islam group.

05/29/07

* Bush toughens sanctions on Sudan US President George W Bush has announced fresh sanctions against Sudan over the four-year Darfur conflict.

* Syrians vote to endorse Assad for second term Posters plastered on walls of the capital and songs blaring from cars and loudspeakers proclaimed "We love you" as Syrians voted in a referendum to endorse President Bashar Assad - the only candidate - for a second term.

* Russia tests long-range missile Russia has test-launched a new intercontinental ballistic missile, Russian military officials say.

* China to catch up with US economy: world poll China is on course to catch up with the United States and join the front ranks of world economic powers, but that is little cause for concern even among Americans.

* Blair in Libya for Gaddafi talks Tony Blair has arrived in Libya at the start of a week-long tour of Africa seen as highlighting what he believes to have been foreign policy successes.

* Arabs Fear U.S-Iran Talks Cut Them Out Arab officials and commentators said Tuesday they feared the budding dialogue between Washington and Iran could cut them out of the debate over the future of Iraq.

* Israel party votes to oust leader Israel faces further political uncertainty after the Labour party, a key coalition member, voted to replace its much-criticised leader.

* High Court Bans New Muslim Burial Site Next to Temple Mount The High Court of Justice has upheld a decision by Public Security Minister Avi Dichter to ban Muslim burials on the grounds immediately southeast of the Temple Mount.

* Abbas to meet Israeli PM as Gaza violence persists Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday that he will meet Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert next week for the first time in nearly two months.

* Merkel promises 'fair' solution on EU constitution German chancellor Angela Merkel has said she is determined to find a way out of the EU's institutional impasse.

5/28/07

* US warns Iran over arming Iraqis The US has called on Iran to stop arming militants in Iraq following the first bilateral public talks between the two countries in almost 30 years.

* Israel's Labour Party in key vote Labour party members in Israel are voting in a leadership election that could determine the government's fate and shape the future of politics.

* PM warns of 'long-term conflict' Israel needs to prepare for a lengthy campaign in Gaza to stop the Kassam fire, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told the cabinet Sunday, hinting that neither internal Palestinian agreements nor an end to the rocket barrages would necessarily bring a halt to the IDF's operations there.

* Palestinian leaders seek end to Lebanon refugee camp fighting Palestinian leaders on Monday sought to end a bloody standoff between the Lebanese army and Islamist militants holed up in a refugee camp which has been the battleground for Lebanon's worst fighting since the civil war.

* 'Hamas will be ready for us' Explosive tunnels, snipers, road bombs, all will be waiting should IDF decide to enter Gaza, says Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin.

* China's stock market hits record Chinese shares have continued rising at a breakneck pace, pushing Shanghai's main stock index through the 4,000 mark for the first time.

* Gay activists slam Russia over incidents at Moscow demo European gay and lesbian activists Monday urged the European Union to address human rights violations in Russia after being attacked during an unauthorized gay rally in Moscow, allegedly with the tacit support of the local police.

* U.S. jets violate Turkish airspace Two U.S. warplanes briefly violated Turkish airspace near Iraq last week, the military General Staff said on its Web site.

* Ministers push for ban on Jerusalem gay parade Ministerial committee wants Knesset to pass bill giving Jerusalem city council power to ban gay pride parade in city.

* Ultra-orthodox newspaper opens new front in Haredi war on computers An op-ed in the ultra-Orthodox newspaper Hamodia yesterday urged readers to avoid computers, which it called the devil in disguise.

May 26, 2007

* Israel renews strikes across Gaza Israel has carried out fresh strikes against Hamas positions in the Gaza Strip, killing four Palestinians.

* Sadr's Mahdi army in Iraq clashes British and US forces in Iraq have clashed with armed supporters of Muqtada al-Sadr, a major Shia religious leader.

* Military pumps up China's influence, Pentagon says China's modernizing military will make it a more muscular player in world events, a U.S. Defense Department report says.

* PA Chair proposes truce with Israel in Gaza first, then in W. Bank Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Friday presented the various Palestinian factions with a proposal for a month-long cease-fire with Israel in the Gaza Strip.

* Standoff continues in Lebanon A tense standoff between the Lebanese military and Fatah al-Islam at a Palestinian refugee camp has continued into its fourth day, as the US flew further aid to the Lebanese army.

* 'Noah's Ark' of 5,000 rare animals found floating off the coast of China Endangered, hunted, smuggled and now abandoned, 5,000 of the world's rarest animals have been found drifting in a deserted boat near the coast of China.

* Ya'alon: Disengagement cause of Lebanon war Former IDF chief of staff sees clear connection between pullout from Gaza, second Lebanon war.

* Nasrallah warns Lebanese gov't against storming Palestinian refugee camp Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday warned the Lebanese government against storming a Palestinian refugee camp where Islamic militants are holed up and criticized U.S. weapons aid to the military in the standoff.

* Thousands stage new pro-secular rally in Turkey Thousands of Turks rallied in the western city of Denizli Saturday in the latest of a series of pro-secular demonstrations against the Islamist-rooted government sparked by political turmoil.

* Eurozone outracing US on economic growth The eurozone will in 2007 take over from the US as the driver of world economic growth, according to Paris-based think tank the OECD, with a strong performance by Germany giving Europe the edge.

05/25/07

* Military aid reaches Lebanese army Two military transport planes landed at the Beirut airport on Friday, bringing foreign military aid to help the Lebanese army fight Islamic militants.

* Iraqi cleric back in public eye Moqtada Sadr, the radical Iraqi Shia cleric, has appeared in public in Iraq for the first time in months.

* 'Iran issue approaching confrontation' "We see a deteriorating situation, a move toward confrontation" with Iran, International Atomic Energy Agency head Mohamed ElBaradei warned.

* Turkey's battle plan could threaten northern Iraq he war drums are getting louder in Turkey, and they can be heard next door in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, and across the globe in Washington as well.

* Syrian overtures stir interest in J'lem The absence of a Palestinian partner, a US "wink," and an increasingly radicalized region are prompting a number of policy makers in Jerusalem to show new interest.

* Israel will be uprooted should it attack Lebanon, Ahmadinejad says Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Thursday warned Israel it would be uprooted if the Jewish state attacked Lebanon in the coming summer.

* Syrians march to support renewal of Assad's mandate Hundreds of thousands of Syrians thronged the main square of the capital on Thursday to support a second seven-year term for President Bashar Assad.

* Attack of the cyber terrorists At first it would be no more than a nuisance. No burning skyscrapers, no underground explosions, just a million electronic irritations up and down the land.

* Hamas: Islam Will Rule the World, Destroy Israel and the Jews The Hamas terrorist organization is conducting a simultaneous battle against Israel and its coalition partner, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction.

* Settlers call for 'Operation Defensive Shield' in Gaza "Israel must take its fate in its own hands. There is no other option but to launch a ground offensive in the northern Gaza Strip to reoccupy it."

05/24/07

* Fighting resumes at Lebanon camp There has been renewed fighting between Lebanese army troops and Islamist militants holed up in a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon since Sunday.

* Lebanon warns militants: Surrender or else Lebanon's defense minister issued an ultimatum Wednesday to Islamic militants barricaded in a Palestinian refugee camp to surrender or face a military onslaught.

* Officials: Hamas ready to halt rockets Israel's threat to target senior Hamas leaders in response to the Kassam rocket attacks from Gaza has prompted the group to agree to a unilateral cease-fire with Israel.

* Sarkozy rejects Turkish EU place New French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said he will stand firm in his opposition to Turkey being allowed to join the European Union.

* Israel: Iran not at 'industrial level' Iran's uranium enrichment program has undergone notable advances, the International Atomic Energy Agency said Wednesday.

* World Powers Weigh Options Against Iran Experts from the United States and five other powers leading efforts to rein in Iran's nuclear program plan to meet within the week following a U.N. report.

* IDF arrests Hamas education minister The IDF conducted a massive arrest sweep of senior Hamas leaders in the West Bank overnight Wednesday.

* I've profound respect for Islam, Pope tells envoys Pope Benedict told Muslim envoys on Monday that Christian and Muslim believers must reject violence.

* Netherlands keen to curb EU powers in new treaty Dutch prime minister Jan-Peter Balkenende has set out his country's position on the new EU treaty.

* Analysis: Hamas' Mickey Mouse 'Farfur' is not funny Talking of his huge empire, Walt Disney reportedly once said, "I hope that we never lose sight of one thing: That it was all started by a mouse."

05/23/07

* US Navy shows force off Iranian coast The US Navy staged its latest show of military force off the Iranian coastline on Wednesday.

* Palestinian leaders in Gaza talks Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has held talks in Gaza with Ismail Haniya, the prime minister.

* Gaza: IAF hits two ammunition depots overnight Tuesday A Kassam rocket landed in an open western Negev field Wednesday morning, causing no casualties or damage to property.

* Exodus from Lebanon camp continues Thousands of Palestinian refugees have fled the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon after a ceasefire between Fatah al-Islam and the Lebanese army created a safe route out.

* Bush declassifies Bin Laden intelligence US President George W. Bush on Wednesday will point to US intelligence asserting that Osama bin Laden ordered a top lieutenant in early 2005 to form a terrorist unit to hit targets outside Iraq.

* Noah's Ark rebuilt to show climate change threat Noah's Ark, built to save humanity and the animal kingdom in the face of a great flood, is being reconstructed in model form on Mount Ararat.

* 25% of Muslim teens: Suicide attacks ok One in four younger US Muslims say suicide bombings to defend their religion are acceptable at least in some circumstances.

* Festival of Shavuoth The Festival of Shavuoth, although a one-day festival, really began with the conclusion of the first day of Passover, some fifty days earlier.

* All eyes on Sarkozy during first Brussels visit French president Nicolas Sarkozy is to travel to Brussels today to discuss France's vision for a new treaty for the bloc.

* China warning over Darfur sanctions International sanctions against Sudan over the conflict in Darfur would only raise the level of confrontation and prolong the suffering of refugees.

05/22/07

* Lebanese militants call ceasefire Islamist militants besieged by the Lebanese army inside a Palestinian refugee camp have called a ceasefire to try to end a third day of fighting.

* Iran's secret plan for summer offensive to force US out of Iraq Iran is secretly forging ties with al-Qaida elements and Sunni Arab militias in Iraq in preparation for a summer showdown with coalition forces.

* Israeli strikes on Hamas in Gaza Israel has carried out more air strikes in the northern Gaza Strip.

* Calls to Re-settle Gush Katif With every crash of a Kassam rocket in the Negev, increasingly more voices are calling for a return to Gaza - for different reasons.

* Chinese villagers riot over stricter population-control An intensive campaign to enforce strict population-control measures prompted violent clashes between the police and local residents in southwestern China in recent days.

* Hamas Extending the Conflict to Judea and Samaria The Hamas terrorist organization has made it clear that the barrage of Kassam rocket attacks launched at western Negev communities from Gaza is only the beginning.

* Iraq makes plans for quick U.S. pullout Iraq's military is drawing up plans to cope with any quick U.S. military pullout.

* Jewish, Christian women gather in Jerusalem Hundreds of Jewish and Christian women met in Jerusalem this week to "promote the status of women based on biblical values."

* Spy poisoning: UK seeks ex-KGB agent British prosecutors are to ask Russia to extradite businessman and former KGB agent Andrei Lugovoi to face murder charges.

* Analysis: UAE aspires to be as modern as it is rich The United Arab Emirate's (UAE) vice-president and prime minister have shed some light on what seems to be his vision for Dubai.

05/21/07

* Hamas: Israel will be wiped off the map Voices from within Hamas called out loudly for Israel's destruction on Monday, following an IAF attack on a Hamas lawmaker's home Sunday night.

* Lebanon clashes 'kill civilians' New clashes between troops and Islamist militants at a Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon have killed at least eight civilians.

* U.S. policy turnabout may enable Israel to enter talks with Syria Washington has given Israel the green light to accept Syrian President Bashar Assad's call for peace talks.

* Poland triumphant after icy EU-Russia summit Polish politicians and analysts are celebrating EU solidarity after Berlin and Brussels took Warsaw's line at the EU-Russia summit.

* Report: Iran to buy Russian air defense system via Syria Syria has agreed to supply Iran with at least 10 out of 50 air defense systems that Damascus is in the process of buying from Russia.

* Chief Rabbinate Finalizes Ban on Christian Women's Conference The Chief Rabbinate of Israel, after hearing more testimony, reiterated its ban on Jewish participation in the Christian-sponsored conferences in Jerusalem this week.

* Turks rally for secularism Tens of thousands of Turks have rallied in the northern city of Samsun in the latest of a series of weekly pro-secular demonstrations against the government ahead of elections.

* New Knesset Task Force on Jewish Life in Judea and Samaria The explosive issues that arise in connection with Jewish life in Judea and Samaria have inspired the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee to create a special task force.

* G8 ministers put Africa in focus G8 finance ministers have warned against giving African countries cheap loans that they will struggle to repay.

* Arab Broadcasts from America: For or Against Democracy? The director of an U.S. government-funded all-Arabic television network is sitting in the hot seat for broadcasting programs he says are designed to compete with Arabic TV stations.

05/19/07

* Palestinians agree Gaza ceasefire The rival Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah have agreed another ceasefire as they attempt to end an upsurge in fighting in the Gaza Strip.

* IAF targets Hamas installations in Gaza The IAF carried out several targeted attacks on Hamas installations throughout the Gaza Strip on Saturday morning and Friday night, destroying several weapons-making facilities and killing at least three people.

* Blair's tribute to troops in Iraq Tony Blair made an emotional tribute to British troops during his seventh and probably final visit to Iraq as PM.

* 'Gaza clashes could hurt aid to PA' The bloodshed in Gaza threatens to keep badly needed economic aid from the Palestinians who already suffer from rising unemployment and a lack of basic services.

* India on alert after mosque attack Hundreds of police in riot gear have deployed throughout the mostly deserted streets of Hyderabad after a bomb blast at a mosque.

* Contentious EU - Russia Summit Ends Amid Disagreements Russian and European Union leaders clashed over human rights issues Friday at a contentious summit where police prevented opposition protests from taking place.

* Iran says US should quit Iraq to curb 'terror' Iran said on Saturday the United States should withdraw its troops from Iraq because their presence is causing "terrorist" activity in the war-torn country.

* New Concerns on Russia Media Freedom More than a half-dozen journalists with the Russian News Service, which produces reports that reach millions of radio listeners, resigned to protest the new pro-Kremlin management's policy that at least 50 percent of coverage must be positive.

* EU barters with Serbia as Kosovo tensions mount The EU has rewarded the new moderate government in Serbia with prospects of restarting EU integration talks.

* 'A country cannot be wiped off the map' Mohammad Larijani, an Iranian politician and scientist whose brother Ali is his country's top nuclear envoy, said that Iran was not bent on wiping Israel out.

05/18/07

* Gaza hit by fresh Israeli strikes Israel has launched new air strikes on targets near Gaza City including Hamas buildings killing at least five people, four of them fighters loyal to Hamas.

* Top IDF officer: Goal of Gaza ops is to 'make Hamas pay' Defense Minister Amir Peretz held a security meeting on Friday afternoon with IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi.

* Brussels warns Russia on EU unity European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso has told Russia that any problems it has with an individual EU state are problems with the whole bloc.

* 'Hamas planned to assassinate Abbas' Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas canceled a planned visit to the Gaza Strip on Thursday for fear that Hamas militiamen might attack his convoy.

* Turkey angered by Sarkozy 'Mediterranean Union' idea Turkey has strongly criticised a proposal, floated by France's new president Nicolas Sarkozy, to set up a "Mediterranean Union" as an alternative to the country's bid for full EU membership.

* Ban on J'lem Christian event upheld The Chief Rabbinate upheld a ban Thursday on Jewish participation in a Christian women's conference in Jerusalem next week that was organized by the Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus, due to concern that some of the organizations involved are active in missionary work.

* Hamas Increasing Terror Capabilities; Al Qaeda Joining Fray The Hamas terror organization has been increasing the number and efficiency of attacks on Israel.

* Wolfowitz to resign as World Bank chief Embattled World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz agreed to resign after weeks of controversy over his handling of a pay package for his girlfriend, a bank employee.

* Arab world in despair over Gaza Arab governments appeared at a loss Thursday over how to stop the stunning wave of bloodshed in Gaza.

* Global net censorship 'growing' The level of state-led censorship of the net is growing around the world, a study of so-called internet filtering by the Open Net Initiative suggests.

05/17/07

* Jordan's king: More violence unless progress made in peace process Jordan's King Abdullah II said Thursday he was very concerned by the wave of inter-Palestinian fighting in Gaza and warned that more violence will come unless progress is in the peace process.

* Hamas threatens suicide attacks following IAF strikes The IAF fired a missile at a vehicle traveling in the Shiekh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza.

* Russia accused of unleashing cyberwar to disable Estonia A three-week wave of massive cyber-attacks on the small Baltic country of Estonia, the first known incidence of such an assault on a state, is causing alarm across the western alliance.

* War-torn Iraq 'facing collapse' Iraq faces the distinct possibility of collapse and fragmentation, UK foreign policy think tank Chatham House says.

* Ruling due on Christian conference In a highly unusual move, the Chief Rabbinate will consider on Thursday whether a long-planned Christian women's conference in Jerusalem organized by the Knesset's Christian Allies Caucus violates Jewish law.

* Action urgent on EU, says Sarkozy Nicolas Sarkozy has called for urgent action to get the European Union out of its constitutional "paralysis".

* 'Iran could be year from nuke' One year from now, Iran could possess the means of producing a nuclear bomb - that was the chilling message delivered by Ambassador Dore Gold during an interview with Ynetnews Tuesday.

* Greenpeace Builds Replica of Noah's Ark Environmental activists are building a replica of Noah's Ark on Mount Ararat—where the biblical vessel is said to have landed after the great flood—in an appeal for action on global warming.

* Russian Church ends 80-year split The Russian Orthodox Church Abroad has reunited with the Russian Orthodox Church after 80 years of schism sparked by the Bolshevik revolution.

* EU barters with Serbia as Kosovo tensions mount The EU has rewarded the new moderate government in Serbia with prospects of restarting EU integration talks.

05/16/07

* The 40th Anniversary of Jewish Rebirth In Israel, events are marked by their Hebrew calendar date, and this year, the anniversary of the Six Day War comes out on May 15th.

* The Liberation of the Temple Mount In the June, 1967 Six Day War, Rabbi Yisrael Ariel was a young soldier in the paratrooper brigade, led by Gen. Motta Gur, which liberated Jerusalem's Old City.

* Israel Jerusalem policy condemned The international Red Cross has privately accused Israel of reshaping Jerusalem to further its own interests, in violation of international law.

* Artifacts From Time of Kings David and Solomon Revealed In honor of Jerusalem Day, which begins Tuesday night, archaeologists revealed a number of seals from the time of the Biblical Kings David and Solomonn.

* Fresh killings shatter Gaza truce Gunmen have killed at least 13 people in the latest factional violence in the Gaza Strip, ending a third attempt at a ceasefire in as many days.

* Muslim Religious Ban on Leaving Israel Yet another Islamic religious ruling forbidding Moslems from leaving the Holy Land has been issued, this time from the Mufti of Jerusalem and Palestine.

* Evangelicals blast J'lem Day boycott A prominent Jerusalem-based evangelical organization slammed on Tuesday the decision of much of the international community to boycott celebrations marking the 40th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem.

* TV Evangelist Jerry Falwell Dies at 73 Spiritually, the Rev. Jerry Falwell seemed prepared for his passing. A little more than two weeks ago, the founder of the Moral Majority preached of man being indestructible until he has finished God's work.

* 'Soviets engineered Six Day War' In a new book that "totally contradicts everything that has been accepted to this day" about the Six Day War, two Israeli authors claim that the conflict was deliberately engineered by the Soviet Union to create the conditions in which Israel's nuclear program could be destroyed.

* Bolton: Attack Iran before it gets bomb Iran should be attacked - as a last resort - before it develops nuclear weapons, former US ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton was quoted as saying on Wednesday.

05/15/07

* PM: 'We're ready to invite Arab leaders without preconditions' "We are ready to come and to invite" Arab leaders "without preconditions from our side or theirs," Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told reporters.

* Atomic Agency Concludes Iran Is Stepping Up Nuclear Work Inspectors for the International Atomic Energy Agency have concluded that Iran appears to have solved most of its technological problems and is now beginning to enrich uranium on a far larger scale than before.

* Mossad Chief Warns of Syrian 'Tactical' Negotiations The director of the Israeli espionage agency, the Mossad, told a closed government meeting last week that Syria was broadcasting messages indicating a willingness to enter into negotiations with Israel.

* US, Russia 'to moderate rhetoric' Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice have agreed to tone down the rhetoric in public exchanges.

* Pakistan proposes Muslim peace-keeping force in Iraq Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf proposed sending a Muslim peace-keeping force to Iraq as foreign ministers of Islamic countries met on Tuesday to discuss problems facing the Muslim world.

* European parliament marks Jerusalem Day While Israeli officials slammed European diplomats' boycott of the Knesset's Jerusalem Day celebration.

* Religious Zionists to continue visits to Temple Mount Religious Zionist rabbis and yeshiva students are planning to continue their visits to the Temple Mount.

* Portugal pushes for June treaty deal As incoming EU presidency in the second half of this year, Portugal has made it clear that if there is no significant agreement on a new treaty in six weeks time.

* Central Bureau of Statistics figures show J'lem is Israel's largest city Jerusalem is Israel's largest city, with a jurisdiction of 126,000 dunam and 732,000 residents.

* Gaza faction boosts police ranks About 500 Fatah loyalists have returned to Gaza from police training in Egypt as factional fighting escalates with Fatah's main Palestinian rival, Hamas.

* US evangelist Jerry Falwell dies Leading US conservative evangelist Rev Jerry Falwell has died in hospital in Virginia after being found unconscious in his office, his assistants said.

05/14/07

* Week of Celebrations in Jerusalem Israel and world Jewry celebrate the 40th anniversary of Jerusalem's unification in the Six Day War this week.

* ADL: Large portion of Europeans feel Jews too powerful in business A study conducted by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) among five European countries found rising anti-Semitism.

* Pope condemns Marxism Pope Benedict XVI condemned globalization and Marxism as the causes of many of Latin America’s ills on the final day of his trip to Brazil.

* J'lem Mayor: Hamas may take over city At a special cabinet meeting on Jerusalem Sunday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced plans to channel NIS 5.75 billion worth of benefits into the capital over the next five years.

* More than half of Jews willing to divide Jerusalem Fifty-eight percent of the Jewish public in Israel is willing to make concessions in Jerusalem in the frame of a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

* Dozens of rabbis ascend Temple Mount in unprecedented visit Dozens of rabbis from the national Zionist camp visited the Temple Mount on Sunday in order to increase awareness and emphasize Jewish linkage to the site.

* Turks out in force for fresh secular rally Hundreds of thousands of Turks shook off security fears Sunday, marching for secularism and telling the Islamist-rooted government that religion is unwelcome in politics and public life.

* Iran: US will regret any strike The Iranian president has threatened "severe" retaliation if the United States attacks his country.

* Rice in Russia for Missile Defense Talks The major challenge Secretary Rice faces, heading into talks at the Kremlin, is Russia's still simmering anger at American plans to deploy an anti-missile defense shield in Poland, the Czech Republic and a third - as yet unnamed - nation in the Caucasus.

* Factional clashes renewed in Gaza Fighting has broken out in the Gaza Strip for a second day, with two people killed and at least 10 wounded as rival Palestinian factions exchanged fire.

05/12/2007

* Cheney to Iran: US will keep sea open From an aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf, US Vice President Dick Cheney warned Iran that the US and its allies will keep it from restricting sea traffic as well as from developing nuclear weapons.

* Russia clinches gas pipeline deal Russia, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan have agreed to build a new natural gas pipeline north from the Caspian Sea.

* Iraq missing up to $15 million of oil daily report says Between $5-million and $15-million worth of oil a day is unaccounted for in Iraq and could have been siphoned off through corruption or smuggling.

* Jordan's king to meet Abbas in W. Bank Jordan's King Abdullah II will meet Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.

* Serbia back on EU course, Brussels says Serbia has taken a significant step on the road to EU membership, Brussels said after the country's reform- and Europe-oriented parties ended a three-month election deadlock and agreed to form a new government.

* Peres says Israel ready for 'serious' Arab peace talks Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres said Saturday that Israel is ready for serious discussions with Arab nations over a revived proposal for peace with the Jewish state.

* Brown reviews strategy on Iraq Gordon Brown plans to fly to Iraq to review British policy and troop numbers after using the launch of his leadership campaign yesterday to try to make a decisive break with the Blair era.

* Hamas' Mickey Mouse back on air A weekly children's show on a Hamas-run TV station, featuring a Mickey Mouse lookalike preaching Islamic domination, was broadcast as usual Friday, despite an earlier announcement by the Palestinian information minister that it would be pulled off the air for a review.

* Nasrallah: Arab peace plan is lifeline for Olmert Hizbullah leader says Saudi peace initiative rescues Israel from difficult situation after last summer's "defeat"

* Palestinian gov't officials deny Abbas will meet Olmert in Petra Senior Palestinian government officials denied on Saturday reports of an expected three-way meeting in Jordan between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, and King Abdullah II, maintaining that Abbas does not intend to come to Petra.

05/11/07

* Saniora: Arab states don't want to wipe Israel off the map "The Arab states are not seeking to wipe Israel off the map," Lebanese Prime Minister Faud Saniora claimed.

* New Jerusalem settlement planned The Israeli authorities are planning to build three new Jewish neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem, an area regarded as occupied land under international law.

* Arab League drops conditions on talks in Israel The Arab League has dropped its preconditions to sending a delegation to Israel to discuss the Arab Peace Initiative.

* Turkish MPs back reform package Turkey's parliament has approved a major constitutional amendment that allows the president to be elected by the people rather than MPs.

* US official: Bush gov't appeasing Arabs The Bush administration is undertaking much of its current Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy to appease the Arabs and Europeans.

* Islamic Movement Initiates Effort to Flood Temple Mount Sheikh Raad Salah, the head of the northern branch of the Islamic Movement, has been working hard to ensure that thousands of Muslims will arrive in Jerusalem's Old City every day to pray in the Al-Aksa mosque.

* Nasa unveils Hubble's successor The US space agency Nasa has unveiled a model of a space telescope that scientists say will be able to see to the farthest reaches of the Universe.

* Hizbullah training for attacks on US - Telemundo Hizbullah has set up a training facility in South America as part of its plan to launch terror attacks against the United States.

* China appoints envoy for Darfur China has appointed a special Africa envoy to focus on Darfur following criticism of its role in Sudan.

* Chief Rabbinate to Review Ban Organizers of the upcoming Christian-Jewish events in Jerusalem say no missionary activity is involved.

05/10/07

* Blair will stand down on 27 June Tony Blair has announced he will stand down as prime minister on 27 June.

* Arab League delegates to visit Israel; will present peace plan Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak agreed Thursday that in the coming weeks an Arab League delegation would visit Israel.

* Rival groups join forces in Gaza A major Palestinian security operation has begun in Gaza, in a joint effort by rival political parties to crack down on violence and lawlessness.

* Assad: Israel not ready for just peace Syrian President Bashar Assad said Thursday the current Israeli government was weak and is not prepared for a just peace with the Arabs, but cautioned that it could still wage war.

* Cheney Leaves Iraq After Visit With Troops Vice President Dick Cheney left Iraq today, flying on to the United Arab Emirates on a tour of the Middle East, after spending the night at an American military base outside Tikrit.

* Hamas TV drops militant Mickey Mouse A program using a Mickey Mouse-like character to urge Palestinian children to fight Israel and the West and work for world Islamic domination has been pulled off Hamas's television station.

* Pope seeks to win over Brazil's youth Pope Benedict is appealing directly to Brazil's youth to follow a strict moral code in a country where the government hands out free condoms and many Roman Catholics ignore Church teachings.

* Putin likens U.S. foreign policy to that of Third Reich President Vladimir Putin of Russia obliquely compared the foreign policy of the United States to the Third Reich.

* Iranian cleric threatens Tel Aviv An Iranian cleric said his country would fire "tens of thousands" of missiles at Israel in response to an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear program.

* Voting and veto issues to dominate EU constitution discussions The voting system and where member states should have a right to a veto are shaping up to be the two biggest issues at the treaty summit next month in Brussels.

05/09/07

* Kadima MK: Peres is suited to replace Olmert as prime minister Kadima MK David Tal said Wednesday that Vice Premier Shimon Peres is suited to be prime minister.

* France wants to save major part of EU constitution, Sarkozy aide says France's Nicolas Sarkozy will seek to maintain as much of the rejected EU constitution as possible in the upcoming talks on a new treaty for the bloc.

* Ban worried by arms race in Lebanon In a report to the United Nations Security Council, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon warned that despite Syria's continued denial of arms transfers across the Lebanese border, reports from Israel and "other member states" reveal ongoing arms trafficking, most of which are reported to reach Hizbullah.

* Cheney in Baghdad for key talks Visiting US Vice-President Dick Cheney has met Iraq's political leaders and US army chiefs to discuss security and attempts at political reconciliation.

* 'US support for Israel at all-time high' America's support of Israel is greater than ever, veteran pollster Stanley Greenberg told the Knesset's Subcommittee on Foreign and Public Relations.

* UN attacked for spreading Christianity? A deadly attack Monday against a United Nations school in the Gaza Strip was carried by an Islamist extremist group.

* Dayton Plan: Benchmarks won't work in the Middle East The word "benchmarks" is heard quite frequently these days in IDF and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) corridors.

* You'll return from Gaza in a coffin, Hamas warns Israel Any Israeli operation in the Gaza Strip will be met with a harsh response on the part of the Palestinian organizations, a Hamas spokesperson said.

* 'Israel prevents PA economic recovery' The Palestinian economy can't recover unless Israel dismantles a network of obstacles that has carved up the West Bank into a dozen enclaves and restricted Palestinian access to more than half the territory, the World Bank said.

* Increasing number of rabbis are allowing Jews to enter Temple Mount An increasing number of religious Zionist rabbis are allowing their followers to enter the Temple Mount.