Thursday, May 13, 2010

05/13/10

* Israel to Syria: We have no plans to attack Amid tension with Damascus, Netanyahu and Barak convey calming message to Syria President Assad through visiting Spain FM.

* Netanyahu: We will never divide Jerusalem The state ceremony marking 43 years since the reunification of Jerusalem was held Wednesday on Jerusalem's Ammunition Hill.

* Moscow to build nuke plant in Turkey While Jerusalem lashed out against Moscow on Wednesday for wanting to include Hamas in the diplomatic process, it took a much more low-key approach to news that Russia would build a nuclear reactor in Turkey.

* Israel Slams Russian Hypocrisy, Nixes Hamas Alluding to Russian hypocrisy vis-à-vis terrorism, Israel’s Foreign Ministry turns down Russia's request to include Hamas in the diplomatic process, saying Hamas is a terrorist group just like Chechen terrorists.

* Lieberman: Israel's gestures to Palestinians met with 'slaps in the face' Israel's many gestures to the Palestinians have been reciprocated by "slaps in the face," Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said yesterday.

* Mediterranean union not for conflict resolution, Fuele says The Union for the Mediterranean is not a platform for solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but a "project-oriented" club.

* Netanyahu turns to Bible in tussle over Jerusalem Beset by questions about Jerusalem's future in talks with the Palestinians, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached for the Bible on Wednesday to stake out the Jewish state's contested claim on the city.

* Pope Benedict says giant Mass at Fatima shrine Up to half a million people are attending an open-air Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at the Catholic shrine of Fatima in Portugal.

* New UK government tones down Tories' EU policy The newly-minted Conservative-Liberal Democrat government coalition in London has forged an agreement on its future EU policy.

* Russia warns US against unilateral Iran sanctions Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the United States and other Western nations on Thursday against imposing unilateral sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program.