11/30/10

* Leading rabbi says Europe risks being 'overrun' by Islam One of the luminaries of the international Jewish community, Rabbi David Rosen, has warned that Europe risks being "overrun" by Islam unless it rediscovers its Christian roots.

* Gaddafi wants more money to prevent Europe becoming 'black' African and European leaders exchanged barbed criticisms during the first day of an EU-Africa summit in Tripoli, Libya, on Monday (29 November), with contentious trade deals and migration issues among the hot topics.

* Abbas Escalates Rhetoric, Warns of "Time Bomb" Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas escalated his rhetoric Monday, warning that continued Jewish presence in Judea and Samaria constitutes a "time bomb."

* North Korea claims 'thousands' of nuclear centrifuges North Korea says it has thousands of centrifuges operating at a previously undetected uranium enrichment facility it revealed earlier this month.

* Medvedev sees arms race if missile shield not agreed Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has said a new arms race could begin in the next decade if Nato and Moscow fail to agree on a joint missile shield.

* Poll: Most Israeli Jews believe Arab citizens should have no say in foreign policy Israel Democratic Institute conducts study on democracy, concludes that more than half Israelis say Arabs should be encouraged to emigrate.

* IRS questioned pro-Israel group as to 'whether it supports the existence of Israel' American Jewish groups that seek tax-exempt status have been questioned on their attitude toward Israel.

* Wikileaks diplomatic cables release 'attack on world' US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has denounced the release of classified diplomatic cables as an "attack on the international community".

* US military unveils 'smart gun' A new gun the US military hopes will help take on the Taliban has been unveiled.

* Google Earth reveals Star of David on roof of Iran Air HQ Building was constructed by Israeli engineers prior to Islamic Revolution; Iranian officials incensed, call for Jewish symbol's removal.

11/29/10

* A Superpower's View of the World 251,000 State Department documents, many of them secret embassy reports from around the world, show how the US seeks to safeguard its influence around the world.

* Wikileaks cables leave Europe angry and irritated European countries have reacted with irritation to the release by whistle-blowing website Wikileaks of secret memos written by US diplomats.

* Iran Fortifies Its Arsenal With the Aid of North Korea Secret American intelligence assessments have concluded that Iran has obtained a cache of advanced missiles are much more powerful than anything Washington has publicly conceded that Tehran has in its arsenal.

* US planned Wikileaks to pressure Iran Iranian president Ahmadinejad alleges that documents showing Arab calls for Teheran strike were an "organized" effort to "stir up trouble."

* PM on WikiLeaks: "Now World Knows what Arabs Say About Iran" WikiLeaks exposures are a dangerous precedent but have revealed to the world the Arabs' private fears of the Iranian nuclear threat, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

* Israel Relying on Intelligence, Reduces Troop Deployment The IDF is relying more on intelligence and less on troops in Judea and Samaria, military sources say, hoping that Arabs won’t escalate the Intifada.

* Voting Irregularities Mar Egypt Vote Egypt's main opposition group says the ruling party of President Hosni Mubarak has heavily defeated its candidates in a parliamentary election it says was rigged.

* Markets fall after Irish Republic 85bn euro bail-out The euro has fallen against the dollar and major European markets have dropped sharply, a day after ministers agreed a bail-out for the Irish Republic.

* Seoul warns: 'dear price' if North Korea attacks again South Korean President Lee Myung-bak warned that North Korea will face severe consequences if it launches another military attack across its southern border.

* We Can Fight and Beat Anti-Semitism, Says World Zionist Org The World Zionist Organization is holding a seminar in France to combat anti-Semitism.

11/27/10

* Syria warns Israel: Evading peace will lead to Mideast war Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem on Friday criticized stalled peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

* Wikileaks: US warns allies on potential diplomatic leak Reports say Turkey, Israel, Denmark and Norway have also been warned to expect potential embarrassment from the leaks.

* 'If we win elections, we will work to end ties with Israel' A day before parliamentary elections in Egypt, the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohammed Badie, said if his movement wins the election, it will work to sever relations with Israel.

* Lebanon PM arrives in Iran seeking help to avert tensions with Hezbollah Lebanese Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri arrived in Iran on Saturday, seeking its help to prevent political tensions turning violent.

* Europe Tries to Contain Debt Crisis European finance officials set the stage for an Irish aid package they hope to complete Sunday.

* Iranian official: First nuclear power plant fueled up Iran's nuclear chief said Saturday the country's first nuclear power plant has been loaded up with fuel required for it to go on line.

* Leaving the euro: how would it work? Would Ireland be better off if it left the euro and revived the Punt? Would the Greek economy recover more quickly with a new Drachma?

* US teenager held in Oregon over Christmas 'bomb plot' A teenager has been arrested in the US state of Oregon after allegedly plotting to carry out a car bomb attack at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

* Hungary braced for testing presidency as Europe struggles The incoming Hungarian presidency of the European Union is bracing itself for an unexpectedly difficult six months.

* Arab World: The Saudi leadership crisis Last week saw the successful completion of the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca, the haj. In stark contrast to previous years there were no disasters, no terror attacks and no political demonstrations.

11/26/10

* After Decades of Decline, Total Number of Jews Grows After decades of steady decline, the total number of Jews in the world increased slightly in 2010.

* N Korea warns war drills take region to 'brink of war' A group of naval ships, led by a nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier, is heading to the Yellow Sea to take part in the drills.

* China, Russia quit dollar China and Russia have decided to renounce the US dollar and resort to using their own currencies for bilateral trade.

* Erdogan: Turkey will not remain silent if Israel attacks Lebanon Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday that Turkey would not remain silent if Israel attacked Lebanon or Gaza.

* PA Study: Terrorists Motivated by Ideology, not Suffering Contrary to popular belief, Palestinian Authority terrorists are motivated by religious and national ideology, not personal suffering.

* Why Turkey will emerge as leader of the Muslim world Turkey is not thought of as the Muslim country par excellence, but it is perhaps the most Muslim nation in the world.

* IRS to Jewish group: 'Does your organization support the existence of the land of Israel?' A Pennsylvania Jewish group that has claimed the Internal Revenue Service is targeting pro-Israel groups introduced in federal court today a letter from an IRS agent to another.

* Tony Blair and Christopher Hitchens to debate religion Mr Blair, a Catholic convert, will argue that faith is a force for good.

* Palestinian official: Western Wall not Jewish An official Palestinian report claiming that a key Jewish holy site - Jerusalem's Western Wall - has no religious significance to Jews evoked an angry response from Israelis.

* Putin proposes Russia-EU union Ahead of his two-day visit to Germany, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has projected a vision of a 'harmonious economic community stretching from Lisbon to Vladivostok'.

11/24/10

* Israel Preparing for Hizbullah Coup in Lebanon The Israeli Security Cabinet convened Wednesday to prepare for a Hizbullah takeover of Lebanon.

* Erdogan: Turkey won't let Lebanon slide into civil war Hours before visiting Beirut on Wednesday, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his government would do everything it can to prevent war in Lebanon.

* Western Wall Muslim Takeover The Muslims – not the Islamists – mean to take over every Jewish site in Jewish Israel.

* U.S. to Send Carrier for Joint Exercises Off Korea President Obama and South Korea’s president agreed Tuesday night to hold joint military exercises as a first response to North Korea’s deadly shelling of a South Korean military installation.

* Korean clash could happen with nuclear Iran Many Israelis heard about the Korean flare-up on Tuesday between the North and the South and justifiably wondered what it had to do with the Jewish state.

* Africa's cities to triple in size In five years Lagos in Nigeria is set to overtake the Egyptian capital Cairo as Africa's biggest city.

* Dublin to unveil deep austerity plan as Germany warns euro 'at stake' In a race against time, or at least against the 'bond vigilantes', the Irish government is to publish a stiff austerity plan on Wednesday afternoon.

* Egyptian Police Kill Christian in Protest against Ban on Church Egyptian police shot and killed one Christian and wounded dozens of others Wednesday morning in a new escalation of violence.

* Medvedev warns of political 'stagnation' in Russia Russia risks slipping into a period of political "stagnation", President Dmitry Medvedev has warned.

* Vatican threatens new China bishop with excommunication Pope Benedict XVI had learned of the ordination of Rev Joseph Guo Jincai "with deep regret" as it constituted a "grave violation" of Church law.

11/23/10

* North Korean artillery hits South Korean island The South's military was placed on its highest non-wartime alert after the shells landed on Yeonpyeong island.

* The Islamization of Europe is happening now Muslims have been conducting a prolonged campaign against Christian values which has now entered its third phase.

* 'US-Trained Armed Forces Turning PA into Police State' The United States may have created a Frankenstein in the Palestinian Authority, which human rights groups fear is using U.S.-trained forces to build a police state.

* Syria slams referendum law Syria said Tuesday the Knesset decision to approve a bill that would require a referendum before any Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights or east Jerusalem constitutes contempt of international law.

* Assembly Pushes to Oust Iran President Iran's parliament revealed it planned to impeach President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad but refrained under orders from Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

* VF Daily Chats with Satan Ousted congressman Bob Inglis (R-SC) has a theory about why he lost this year's midterm primary: conservative voters did not much care for Inglis's belief in global warming.

* Merkel warns euro in 'serious condition' German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday (23 November) warned that the euro is in an "exceptionally serious" situation.

* British Muslim Schools Teach Saudi Hatred of Jews and Israelis A British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) news program, Panorama, reported Monday night that children in Britain are being taught in a Saudi national curriculum on the weekends to hate Jews, Israelis and homosexuals.

* Knesset Passes Referendum Law With Large Majority The Knesset passed on Monday evening the bill that would require a referendum before any land officially under Israeli sovereignty is surrendered.

* Expert: Behavioral Profiling Could Help US Travelers American air travelers would be subject to fewer body scans and patdowns if the Transport Safety Administration implemented some Israeli profiling techniques.

11/22/10

* U.S. open to North Korea talks despite nuclear advances The United States and its allies on Monday accused North Korea of being a danger to the region after it showed off its latest advances in uranium enrichment, but Washington said it was still open to talks.

* Israeli Muslims grow extreme as others secularize Following the recent arrests of two clerics, experts debate Israeli policy towards its Arab minority.

* U.S. Freeze Guarantees Still Have not Arrived The Americans have still not provided the guarantees that will enable Netanyahu to present the proposed 2nd construction freeze to the Cabinet.

* PA slams NIS 85 million Kotel development project "This move preventing us from reaching solution," PA spokesman says; project to help accommodate 8 million annual visitors to Western Wall.

* Analysis: North Korea likely needed outside help for centrifuge North Korea probably needed external assistance to build a uranium enrichment site, which could offer it a second source of weapons-grade nuclear material.

* Rupert Murdoch creates 'iNewspaper' - with the help of Steve Jobs News Corp reportedly set to launch iPad news publication exclusively via download

* Al Qaeda Promises U.S. Death By A 'Thousand Cuts' Terror Group Boasts That Printer Bomb Cost Only $4200, Meant To Bleed U.S. Economy

* Archaeologists: 1,800-Year-Old Pool an Important Historical Find It's a case of history repeating itself – at least partially.

* U.K. to probe Islamic schools for alleged anti-Semitism Britain's education department to look into textbooks which teach children of Zionist plans for world domination, as well as condone extreme punishment for homosexuality.

* 'Intense' discussion on EU-Nato relations at Lisbon summit EU chief Herman Van Rompuy spoke of 'tearing down the walls' between Nato and the EU.

11/20/10

* Sarkozy at NATO summit: Iran is today's missile threat Iran tests cruise missile defense as summit takes place.

* Karzai and Nato agree Afghanistan exit strategy Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai was in Lisbon, where he signed a long-term security partnership with Nato.

* US general pledges support to Lebanon General James Mattis, the US Central Command chief, on Friday pledged his country would continue to support the Lebanese army.

* Hezbollah: Our weapons are vital to resistance against Israel, regardless of Ghajar pullout A senior Hezbollah official said that despite Israel's decision "in principle" to pull out of the disputed border village of Ghajar, the group's weapons are still necessary.

* U.S. and Israel: Still No Consensus on Pressuring Iran An open disagreement between Israel and the Pentagon in recent weeks has highlighted the dilemma President Barack Obama faces in making progress on Iran.

* U.S. systems could help Saudis deter Iran Saudi Arabia's proposed $60 billion military order from the United States could help the Gulf Arab kingdom defeat neighboring Iran.

* Russia has gone rogue; Ukraine at risk Moscow is on the march. Vladimir Putin's Russia is the most destabilizing — and reckless — great power on the world stage.

* Israeli general: Iran has equipped proxy's rockets with guidance systems Iran has significantly enhanced its rocket arsenal.

* Al-Qaida plotting attack on Reichstag building in Berlin Islamist terrorists were planning to attack Berlin's Reichstag building, the home of the German parliament.

* 'Stuxnet specifically targeted Iranian nuclear program' The German computer security expert who first reported that the Stuxnet worm was designed to attack targets in Iran said the virus specifically attacked the country's nuclear program.

11/19/10

* Nato to unveil new goals for austerity-hobbled alliance Nato leaders meeting in Lisbon on Friday (19 November) and Saturday are to update the alliance's strategy to deal with modern threats.

* China's New Drones Raise Eyebrows China is ramping up production of unmanned aerial vehicles in an apparent bid to catch up with the U.S. and Israel in developing technology that is considered the future of military aviation.

* Iran's apocalyptic window of opportunity: What will the mullahs do with the bomb? The question is not whether Iran will get a nuclear weapon; it is about where and against whom it will use it.

* 'Drones sold to Russia could one day serve Hizbullah' Russia is trying to reassert itself as a global superpower and has increased its arms sales to Lebanon and Syria as a part of that effort.

* Netanyahu: US deal will safeguard Israel's security Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spoke at the ceremony for his Prime Minister's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Prize in Haifa.

* Iran nuclear plan 'must be peaceful' - Russia Earlier this year, Moscow backed a series of UN sanctions against Iran and later dropped plans to supply the Iranians with surface-to-air missiles.

* Iran missile system tested, rhetoric sharpened on eve of NATO summit Iran tested a new air-defense system and stepped up its anti-West rhetoric Thursday on the eve of NATO's annual meeting in Lisbon.

* Missile proliferation report: China, North Korea still doing it China and North Korea, deemed major suppliers to the Middle East, are undermining arms control treaties.

* This week in History: Operation Moses begins Although Ethiopian exodus has taken over 25 years thus far, it pales in comparison to 40 years its namesake required to lead Exodus from Egypt..

* Viral Video Hit on YouTube: Understanding the Mideast Problem The following video has become a big hit on the web: Why is the Middle East Problem so intractable?

11/18/10

* Qaida-affiliated Gaza group issues Hebrew Internet threat A day after security forces assassinated a senior Army of Islam terrorist said to be plotting the kidnap of Israeli vacationers in Sinai, an al-Qaida affiliated group in Gaza issued a Hebrew-language audio threat to Israel on the Internet.

* Critical Vote Near Tensions are very high in the Land of Israel camp, as the day of the fateful vote on the future of Judea and Samaria nears.

* Millions of Muslims worldwide mark 'Festival of Sacrifice' Millions of Muslims worldwide kicked off on Wednesday the annual Eid al-Adha festivities.

* U.S. official: Israel must refrain from East Jerusalem construction during freeze The United States will demand that Israel refrain from construction in both the West Bank and East Jerusalem as part of a 90-day settlement freeze.

* Obama pushes for Senate vote on new arms treaty with Russia President Obama pushed Thursday for ratification of a nuclear-arms treaty with Moscow by year's end despite Republican oppositio.

* Russia and Ukraine press ahead on gas link-up, leave out EU On the eve of an EU-Ukraine summit, Russian firm Gazprom has announced that it will form a joint venture with Ukraine's Naftogaz.

* Vatican warns China over bishop's ordination The Vatican warned Beijing on Thursday not to force Catholic bishops loyal to the pope to attend the ordination of a bishop who is a member of the state-backed church that does not recognize the pontiff.

* Hizbullah declares victory in culture war for Iran: Persian civilization is no more In the past 2300 years, Iranians have witnessed many brutal invasions because of their geopolitical significance.

* Greek Church takes on 'antichrist' in ID card row Senior clerics in Greece have told the state in no uncertain terms that vigilance is required to prevent the antichrist from making a manifestation on new ID cards to be issued next year.

* US State Dept: Israel Similar to Iran, Iraq and Sudan The U.S. State Department under Secretary Hillary Clinton claims that Israel violates religious freedom at the same level as Iran, Iraq, Sudan, Afghanistan and China.

11/17/10

* Settler protest: Strike and anti-PM clip The decision to renew the settlement construction freeze in the West Bank has still not been taken officially.

* 'Death to America and Israel' Slogans at Muslim Hajj Pilgrimage Tens of thousands of Muslims chanted "Death to America" and "Death to Israel" at the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

* Analysis: Despite US effort, Syria's role on the rise Washington has increasingly expressed its frustration with Damascus, which it says is stirring up tension through its support of Hizbullah.

* Germany tightens airport security over attacks threat Germany had information on "sustained efforts" by Islamist extremists to carry out attacks.

* Al Qaida operating fleet of 727s to ferry drugs from South America to Africa, Europe The Al Qaida network in North Africa has gained access to Western-origin aircraft.

* Erdogan Leads 'Person of the Year' Poll So far, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan heads Time Magazine's "2010 Person of the Year Poll".

* Karzai: Increasingly Problematic Ally in Afghanistan Last weekend, when Afghan President Hamid Karzai called for reduced military operations and an outright end to night raids by U.S.-led forces.

* Clinton pushes for New Start nuclear treaty vote "We can and we must go forward," Mrs Clinton said during a trip to Congress.

* Van Rompuy warns EU is in 'survival crisis' EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy has warned that the eurozone and the European Union itself are fighting for their life.

* Group: Israel, Army Radio Won't Air PSA Against Missionaries For years, missionary groups have targeted young Israelis attending music "festivals" and other youth-oriented events, like major concerts. 

11/16/10

* Eurozone must 'resist alarmism', Olli Rehn says The European Union's economic affairs commissioner has said Europe must "resist alarmism" amid the latest fears over the Irish Republic's debts.

* Iranians begin 5-day, nationwide air defense drill The Iranian military began a five-day nationwide military drill dubbed "Defenders of the Sky".

* Dawn breaks on millions of Muslims as the annual Hajj pilgrimage draws to a close... and Eid festival begins In scenes that haven't changed for more than a thousand years, nearly three million Muslims began congregating for the annual hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia today.

* China, India, Russia vow to deepen cooperation The foreign ministers of developing giants China, India and Russia pledged on Monday to step up cooperation in trade, energy and geopolitical affairs including climate change.

* Turkey objects to Iran-centric Nato shield As negotiations on a missile defence shield enter their final days before a Nato leaders' meeting in Lisbon, Turkey is turning out to be more of a problem.

* U.S. defense chief says Iran sanctions working, argues against military strike Sanctions against Iran are biting hard and triggering divisions among its leadership.

* Palestinians have delayed freeze deal with the US Palestinian refusal to return to the negotiating table even if a 90-day settlement freeze is in place has delayed the anticipated agreement between Israel and the US.

* IDF's Combat Soldiers to Carry Cameras, Not Just Guns The IDF is training some of its ground troops to take pictures of the battlefield as they fight.

* China's Tianhe-1A crowned supercomputer king China's Tianhe-1A supercomputer has been confirmed as the most powerful in the world.

* Lebanon army to get aid from Russia Lebanon's prime minister says Russia is providing the Lebanese army with free military assistance including helicopters, tanks and a range of munitions. 

11/15/10

* Hamas Admires Obama U.S. President Barack Obama’s tough stance towards Israel since he has taken office has apparently struck a chord with none other than Hamas.

* Palin: Jerusalem is Israel’s Capital – not a Settlement Sarah Palin told 85 GOP freshmen Congressmen in an open letter, “Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, not a settlement.”

* ‘Death to America and Israel’ Slogans at Muslim Hajj Pilgrimage Tens of thousands of Muslims chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” at the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

* Arab League Set to Reject Freeze, Waits for Better US Offers The Arab League is waiting to see if the Obama administration will offer it further inducements to entice the Palestinian Authority into direct talks.

* Israel missile defense to be completed by 2015 Israel's planned multi-layered air defense network combines short-range rocket interceptors and kamikaze satellites that target ballistic missiles in space.

* Hizbullah takeover in Lebanon likely, Ashkenazi warns IDF chief of staff says publication of Hariri tribunal's findings will likely lead to coup d'etat in Beirut.

* Aerospace Security Conference in Jerusalem A conference and exhibition on aerospace technological innovation is taking place at Jerusalem's Binyanei Ha'Uma conference center this week.

* Arid Israel recycles waste water on grand scale Due to water scarcity in the region, Israel has become a global leader in water reuse technologies; more than 80 percent of household waste water is recycled.

* New CBS report: Muslims over a third of J'lem population Muslims were biggest minority in Israel at end of 2009; birthrate stood at 3.7 children per woman, higher than in Syria, Lebanon, and Egypt.

* Israel 'risks chaos without peace', official warns The Palestinian leadership could fall apart without significant progress towards peace with Israel, which would be a major setback for Israel, a senior Israeli intelligence official has said.

11/13/10

* Abbas vows to walk in Arafat's footsteps to Palestine The Palestinian position remains unchanged – a Palestinian state free of settlements with Jerusalem as its capital.

* 'US failed to convince Netanyahu to halt construction' Israeli intransigence regarding the issue of settlement construction is the reason behind the current crisis in the peace process.

* Politicians in Iraq work to salvage power-sharing deal Politicians and foreign diplomats said they were doggedly working Friday to salvage a newly-minted Iraqi government power-sharing deal.

* U.S. releases $100 million aid for Lebanon army A senior United States lawmaker lifted a hold on Friday on U.S. funding for Lebanon's military.

* Egypt: Israeli travel warning an attempt to harm economy The governor of northern Sinai, outraged by an Israeli travel warning on the Egyptian peninsula issued earlier this week, claimed Saturday that the warning was an attempt to harm the Egyptian economy.

* Arafat museum in works Yasser Arafat had a knack for turning ordinary objects into symbols.

* China, Turkey conduct second major exercise China and Turkey have conducted another military exercise.

* Saudi Arabia blocks Facebook over moral concerns An official from Saudi Arabia's communications authority says the popular social networking site has been banned.

* Groups applaud push to boost policing of web privacy The Wall Street Journal reported that the Obama administration was set to unveil its new strategy in the coming weeks.

* Taliban mount series of attacks in Afghanistan In an apparent demonstration that the insurgency has not been weakened despite NATO-led forces saying they have made gains, militants mounted attacks in Jalalabad and Kunar in the east and northern town Kunduz.

11/12/10

* Clinton warns against Syria-Hezbollah arms smuggling U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has warned that weapons and technology must not be transferred to the Hezbollah movement.

* Yesha Council Cartoon Tells Obama: Don't Play G-d A new cartoon history of the Jewish people packs 3,500 years into 3.5 minutes.

* As U.S. moves out, Iran moving into Iraq Iran has significantly expanded its intervention and is ready to transform Iraq into a proxy.

* Obama hails Iraq 'milestone' after power-sharing deal Speaking at the G20 summit in Seoul, Mr Obama said the new Iraqi government would be "representative, inclusive and reflect the will of the Iraqi people".

* G20 to tackle US-China currency concerns Leaders agreed to come up with "indicative guidelines" to tackle trade imbalances affecting world growth.

* Sarkozy Takes Over G-20 Aiming to `Update' Monetary System French President Nicolas Sarkozy claimed his first victory as leader of the Group of 20 nations less than an hour after taking the reins from his South Korean counterpart, Lee Myung Bak.

* Netanyahu Explains Israel's Economic Success Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu talked business in a special interview with Fox Business Channel this week, and said that Israel has "essentially become an export-driven, high-tech economy."

* PA: Freeze settlements or we'll go to UN Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Friday that if Israel failed to freeze construction in West Bank settlements by the end of November, the Palestinian Authority would ask the international community to recognize an independent state.

* Mecca heaving with Muslim pilgrims ahead of hajj Muslim pilgrims dressed in white robes descended in their hundreds of thousands on Mecca for weekly prayers on Friday.

* 'Ashton to agree to meeting with Iranians for Dec. 5' European Union foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton intends to propose a meeting with Iran's chief nuclear energy negotiator for early December.

11/11/10

* Iraq parties reach deal on Maliki-led government Iraq's main parties have agreed to form a government, ending eight months of deadlock since elections in March.

* Pope calls for religious freedom in Muslim states Pope Benedict Thursday said all states must guarantee the freedom for everyone to practice their faith publicly, a clear criticism of some Muslim countries where religious rights are restricted.

* Nasrallah provokes Iran: No such thing as Persian civilization "Today there is no such thing as Persian civilization in Iran. There is an Islamic civilization in Iran".

* Mediterranean summit canceled again due to Arab threat to boycott over Israel An international summit of Mediterranean leaders has been canceled for the third time.

* Syria remains key conduit for sustaining Al Qaida in Iraq Syria is continuing to allow the transmission of resources to sustain Al Qaida's network in neighboring Iraq.

* MK Eldad: 'Jordan is Palestine' Conference Planned MK Prof. Aryeh Eldad (National Union) is planning to hold a conference under the heading 'Jordan is Palestine' in the coming days.

* Iran's Growing Influence in Afghanistan Last month, it was revealed that Iran has been bribing Afghan officials in order to increase loyalty to Iran within the Afghani government.

* Currencies set to dominate G20 summit agenda There are fears the G20 meeting in Seoul could descend into a row between the US and China about so-called "currency wars" and trade imbalances.

* Meet the Israeli Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle - AvantGuard The bi-annual Robotics Conference is taking place in Herzliya, and Israel National News TV was there to meet the developers of the AvantGuard Unmanned Ground Combat Vehicle (UGCV).

* Palestinians gather in Ramallah to mark anniversary of Arafat death Thousands of people began gathering at the Palestinian Authority's headquarters in Ramallah on Thursday to commemorate the sixth anniversary of the death of their leader, Yasser Arafat.

11/10/10

* Iran plans to test own model of Russia S-300 missile Iran has developed a version of the Russian S-300 missile and will test-fire it soon.

* Barack Obama urges global co-operation to secure growth On the eve of the G20 summit, he said the US would play its part to create jobs and reduce global imbalances.

* UN reluctant to push Syria on nuclear inspections The UN nuclear agency chief signaled a reluctance on Tuesday to demand Syria allow a short notice inspection of a desert site where secret nuclear work may have taken place.

* 'PA intends to initiate UNSC debate on settlement-building' Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has instructed the Palestinian delegate to the UN bring forward the issue of Israeli building on land captured during the Six Days War for debate.

* Canadian PM Harper: A Threat to Jews Is a Threat to All of Us Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper once again proves he is Israel's best friend, saying that a "threat to the Jewish People is a threat to all of us."

* $3.4 Million Yasser Arafat Museum Set to Open in 2011 Thousands of artifacts from former PLO terrorist leader Yasser Arafat's life are being gathered for a new $3.4 million museum in Ramallah.

* EU President issues stark warning against nationalism EU Council President Herman Van Rompuy has issued a stark warning against growing nationalism, populism and anti-democratic forces across the EU.

* Turkey hits back after EU enlargement report Turkey's chief negotiator on EU accession, Egemen Bagis, has joined in the country's backlash against a European Commission report which criticised its blockade of Cyprus.

* China may be bigger economy than US within two years According to the Conference Board, a highly respected economic research association, China will overtake the US as the world’s biggest economy by 2012.

* Iraq's Christian community hit by new wave of attacks Church leaders in Iraq issued a plea for international protection on Wednesday.

11/09/10

* Netanyahu on building plans: 'Jerusalem isn't a settlement' "Jerusalem is not a settlement, it is the capitol of Israel," the office of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said.

* Obama: Jerusalem building plan 'unhelpful' US president joins global condemnation of new housing units being built beyond Green Line.

* Obama in Indonesia: Much work needed on Muslim ties Mr Obama said his efforts had been "sustained" but accepted "mistrust" remained in the Islamic world.

* Kurds hold to presidency, Iraq stalemate rolls on Iraq's Kurds are holding firm to their claim on the country's presidency.

* Israel Presses the U.S. to Get Confrontational with Iran The last time Israel's Prime Minister asked the U.S. to bomb the nuclear facilities of one of its enemies, he was rebuffed.

* Mystery Missile Launch Seen off Calif. Coast A mysterious missile launch off the southern California coast was caught by CBS affiliate KCBS's cameras Monday night.

* Arab League Threatens to End Talks, Disband PA Amr Moussa, head of the Arab League, has threatened to tell the Palestinian Authority to end talks with Israel.

* Until 1996, nobody called Rachel’s Tomb a mosque On October 21, UNESCO (the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) declared that Rachel's Tomb near Jerusalem is the Bilal ibn Rabah mosque.

* Bush defends his controversial White House policies Former US President George W Bush has defended some of his most controversial decisions, in his first television interview since leaving office.

* Treasury Official Ridicules Hareidim for 'Too Many' Children A Finance Ministry official shocked the annual Sderot Conference Tuesday, calling Arabs and hareidi-religious Jews "irresponsible" for having "too many children."

11/08/10

* Impossible to return to talks with current Israeli gov't Abbas says Palestinians have 7 options if talks fail, dismisses anything short of full freeze

* Zahar: Jews will soon be expelled from Palestine Hamas leader says Jews were kicked out by France, Britain, Russia and Germany “because they betrayed, stole and corrupted these countries."

* Kuwaiti paper calls for unconditional talks with Israel 'Arab Times' editorial calls on PA president Abbas to follow in Anwar Sadat's footsteps and "cause international embarrassment for Israel."

* Yemen Muslim cleric al-Awlaki in US death threat video A radical US-born Yemeni Islamist cleric has called for the killing of Americans in a new video message posted on radical web sites.

* Another US Campus is Home to Medieval Anti-Semitism It would take a lot to shock a guy like Noam Bedein, who runs the Sderot Media Center.

* Obama backs India on permanent UN Security Council seat US President Barack Obama has backed India's ambition for permanent membership of the UN Security Council.

* Iraqi leaders hold government power-sharing talks Leaders of Iraq's main political blocs have met publicly for the first time since March elections in a bid to break the eight-month political deadlock.

* Jordanian Politicians Fear PA State at Home Anger at Israel expressed this week during Jordan's parliamentary election campaign.

* Pope defends family as Spanish gays hold 'kiss-in' Pope Benedict XVI strongly defended traditional families and the rights of the unborn Sunday.

* Russia's Putin races Formula One car in new stunt Prime Minister Vladimir Putin Sunday burned rubber on a racing circuit in a Formula One car.

11/06/10

* Erekat: Netanyahu must choose peace or settlements Chief Palestinian negotiator makes comments during visit to Washington; says "I will not join the Zionist movement."

* Yemen orders US-born cleric found 'dead or alive' A Yemeni judge ordered police Saturday to find a radical US-born cleric "dead or alive" after the al-Qaida-linked preacher failed to appear at his trial.

* Growing power of Iraq's Al Maliki concerns U.S. The United States has become concerned over the increasing authority of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Al Maliki.

* Obama Eases Restrictions on Select Technology Exports President Obama, fresh off a stinging electoral defeat for the Democrats, opened a 10-day tour of Asia.

* Saudis Warned U.S. of Attack Before Parcel Bomb Plot Saudi intelligence officials warned the United States in early October that Al Qaeda's affiliate in Yemen was planning a terrorist attack using one or more aircraft.

* US: Syria risks IAEA action over suspected atom site The United States warned Syria on Friday it may face action by governors of the UN nuclear watchdog.

* Anti-Hezbollah bloc: Lebanon in 'grave danger' Hezbollah is undermining democracy in Lebanon by trying to torpedo a UN tribunal investigating the death of a former prime minister.

* Pope Benedict XVI sees 'aggressive secularism' in Spain Pope Benedict XVI has warned of an "aggressive anti-clericalism" in Spain.

* US discourages Palestinian statehood declaration The US State Department labeled a possible unilateral Palestinian declaration of statehood as "not helpful".

* China, Germany and South Africa criticise US stimulus German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said the US policy was "clueless" and would create "extra problems for the world".

11/05/10

* Saudi prince: Iran is on 'explosive' path in Middle East Iran is on an "explosive" course in the Middle East with its pursuit of nuclear enrichment and needs to clear up questions surrounding its program.

* Ethiopian Jewry: Emblem of Jewish Continuity The Ethiopian Jewish community celebrated the holiday of Sigd this week.

* 'No relations with Israel until return to '67 borders' Saudi Prince Turki al-Faisal says terror "able to find recruits due to Israeli-Palestinian conflict"; "foreign hands manipulating strings in Lebanon."

* Israeli intel: Syria has 'pushed the military balance with us back to the 1970s' Israel has assessed that Syria has become more powerful than at any other time over the last 40 years.

* Britain Signs 'Treaty Between Nations' with PA British Foreign Secretary William Hague signed a “treaty between nations” with Palestinian Authority leaders.

* Suit Rejected; Destruction of Temple-Era Finds to Continue The High Court ruled against the Israel Law Center this week in a petition aimed at stopping the destruction of Jewish artifacts dating back to the Temple era.

* Terrorism: A weak state incubates terror Regional forces of subversion have linked up with local Islamists and are turning Yemen into a hub of instability.

* Probe sweeps past 'space peanut' he first pictures revealed a roughly 1.5km-long, peanut-shaped object with jets of gas streaming from its surface.

* Germany accuses US of breaking promise on monetary policy Germany has accused the US of breaking a promise made at the G20 summit in Toronto in June by injecting a further $600 billion into its economy to stimulate growth.

* Signs of backtracking on EU treaty change Barely a week has passed since EU leaders agreed to tweak the Lisbon Treaty, but already there are signs that a number of governments are getting cold feet.

11/04/10

* Iran celebrates 31 years since US embassy takeover Rally attended by thousands carrying signs with anti-US and anti-Israel slogans; eggs thrown at British diplomatic compound at separate rally.

* PA Threatens More Hands-On Jerusalem Activity PA prime minister Salam Fayyad announces that not just in words, but also in actions, Jerusalem will be the "eternal capital of Palestine."

* Al-Qaeda in Iraq: 'All Christians are Legitimate Targets' Christians across the Middle East were put on notice Wednesday by the Islamic State of Iraq – better known as the Iraqi branch of the international al-Qaeda terrorist group – that they are now "legitimate targets."

* U.S. dollar printing is huge risk China must set up a firewall via currency policy and capital controls to cushion itself from external shocks.

* Obama's post-election agenda calls for a Palestinian state or else With the mid-term elections over, President Barack Obama is expected to resume heavy pressure on Israel.

* Abroad, Fear That Midterm Result May Turn U.S. Inward Just two years ago, the election of President Obama resonated far beyond American shores.

* Pro-Jewish Hevron Aid Flotilla Docked in NYC The Jewish answer to the pro-Palestinian Gaza flotillas: An aid flotilla, docked at Pier 59 at Chelsea Piers in New York City, to the Jews of Hevron.

* Arab world faces worsening water crisis The Arab world, one of the driest regions on the planet, will tip into severe water scarcity as early as 2015.

* US election result raises concerns in Europe Most pundits are predicting strained times in EU-US relations after crushing losses by Barack Obama's Democratic Party in midterm elections.

* Chinese leader to parade through Paris ahead of G20 handover Chinese President Hu Jintao will receive a lavish welcome when he touches down in France on Thursday.

11/03/10

* Al-Qaida in Iraq threatens attacks on Christians Al-Qaida's front group in Iraq has threatened more attacks on Christians after a siege on a Baghdad church that left 58 people dead.

* US Republicans seize lower house US Republicans have seized the House of Representatives in mid-term elections, dealing a severe blow to President Barack Obama's ability to pass laws.

* Outgoing intel chief: Iran can already produce nuclear bomb Iran is busy setting up two new nuclear installations, according to the head of Military Intelligence, Major General Amos Yadlin.

* Hamas warns of war for second time in a week The Hamas regime said it is accelerating military preparations for another war with Israel.

* Missing in the rise of Islam in Turkey and Iran: A U.S. strategy It is now clear that the West has no coherent strategies to cope with Iran and Turkey, the two important powers in the greater Middle East.

* Turkey on collision course with Nato over Iran Turkey's reluctance to consider Tehran a nuclear threat has put Ankara on a collision course with the US and European Nato members.

* PA official: Israel intervened in US vote Palestinians unmoved by US election results, but view them as proof of Israeli attempt 'to thwart negotiations.'

* Nightmare scenario of Dutch referendum returns to haunt EU The nightmare scenario of another referendum on a change to the EU treaty in the Netherlands, five years after the country rejected the bloc's proposed constitution, could return to haunt European leaders.

* NATO head urges new start with Russia NATO and Russia need to embark on a new relationship, the head of the Western military alliance said.

* How will the Republican controlled House affect U.S.-Israel ties? The Republican's victory in the House of Representatives on Tuesday leaves many in Israel wondering whether President Barack Obama's stymied domestic agenda will encourage him to concentrate more on foreign policy.

11/02/10

* 'Hizbullah making preparations to seize power in Beirut' Sources in Lebanon said that Hizbullah is preparing to seize power in Beirut.

* US Elections 2010: Voting under way in key poll battle President Barack Obama's Democratic Party is expected to lose its majority in the House of Representatives.

* Cameron and Sarkozy hail UK-France defence treaties David Cameron has said new treaties on defence and nuclear co-operation with France marked a "new chapter" in a long history of defence cooperation.

* Al Qaida's Arab Peninsula division has launched three strikes against U.S. in a year The interception of two Al Qaida bombs by United Arab Emirates and Britain marked the third attempted mass-casualty strike by Al Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula.

* Four of Five Jews: Arabs Would Destroy Israel if They Could Even as the US, EU and other world powers continue to press Israel to reach a peace treaty with the Palestinian Authority, a new poll shows that Israeli Jews have no illusions about the worth of such a document.

* Fayyad: Jerusalem suburbs will one day be part of Palestinian capital Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad declared Tuesday that the suburbs of Jerusalem would one day be part of the eternal Palestinian capital.

* Sudan seen going to war to preempt referendum in non-Muslim South Sudan, facing the prospect of southern secession, could be plunged into another civil war.

* Palestinians weigh Islamic indoctrination for undisciplined U.S.-trained forces The Palestinian Authority, alarmed by a decline in discipline, has been examining the introduction of Islamic doctrine in the security forces.

* Looking for Investments, China Turns to Europe When Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China visited Athens last month, he came bearing gifts: billions of dollars worth of business deals.

* Yemen launches major operations to find bomb-maker Yemeni authorities have launched a major military and intelligence operation in the search for a bomb-making suspect.

11/01/10

* GOP Surge Expected to Weaken Obama’s Support of PA Demands An expected drubbing of the Democratic party by the GOP Tuesday probably will weaken PA demands and strengthen Israel.

* Netanyahu: Renewed freeze 'is not being discussed' At Likud meeting PM says Palestinian unilateral declaration of state would "enact a price from both sides."

* Baghdad church hostage drama ends in bloodbath At least 52 people were killed as security forces stormed a Catholic church in Baghdad to free dozens of hostages.

* Bombs tip-off 'came from former al-Qaeda member' The crucial tip-off that led to the discovery of parcel bombs on two cargo planes came from a repentant al-Qaeda member, UK officials say.

* HRW: Turkey violating Kurds' rights In new report, Human Rights Watch calls on Ankara to stop trying Kurdish protestors as terrorists.

* PA official: Arab states to attempt UN-forced settlement freeze Chief Palestinian negotiator blasts Netanyahu's refusal to freeze settlements, says Mideast peace talks are just one way to solve the conflict.

* Shin Bet Chief warns: Internet boosting global terror threat The internet provides terror organizations with the kind of intel that was once available only to countries.

* EU onlooker wary of introspective US vote A Republican majority in Congress will complicate Obama's policy-making.

* Egypt's intelligence chief headed to Israel Omar Suleiman to visit Israel this week in attempt to renew stalemated peace talks.

* Rabbi Meir Kahane debuts as a comic book hero Twenty years after his assassination, supporters are using a kid-friendly medium to spread the Kach leader's ideas.