Monday, July 27, 2009

07/27/09

* US urges Iran reply by September US Defence Secretary Robert Gates has urged Iran to respond to US diplomatic overtures by September.

* Nigerian Islamist attacks spread Islamist militants have staged three co-ordinated attacks in northern Nigeria leaving dozens dead, meaning about 150 have been killed in two days.

* US envoy in Mid-East peace push The US has launched a new drive to kick-start Middle East peace talks, with visits to Israel, Syria and Egypt by special envoy George Mitchell.

* Clinton says Iran's nuclear pursuit is "futile" Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that Iran would not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and reiterated Washington's commitment to protect close ally Israel from any threat posed by Tehran.

* Hamas Implementing Islamic Law in Gaza In the two-plus years Hamas has been running Gaza, a process of "creeping Shariah-ism" has been ongoing,.

* Gaza campers stage Schalit abduction Children in Hamas summer camps reenacted the abduction of IDF soldier Gilad Schalit in the presence of top Hamas officials.

* Right-wing rally planned in Jerusalem To protest the US demand for a settlement freeze and to take a stand in favor of a unified Jerusalem, right-wing activists and settler leaders plan to rally Monday evening in Paris Square on the capital's Rehov Agron.

* More than 300,000 settlers live in West Bank There are now more than 300,000 residents living in Jewish West Bank settlements, according to the IDF.

* The Western Wall Enters the Twitter Age The Western Wall has entered the Twitter age with a service that lets people from around the world send their prayers to be printed and placed as notes in the wall.

* No option is off the table on Iran Israel has not ruled out any means of dealing with Iran's nuclear threat, and is taking "no option off the table."