Tuesday, July 20, 2010

07/20/10

* IDF Chief in Rome: Israel Lives 2,000 Years After Temple Razed IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, speaking at the Arch of Titus 1940 years after the Roman Empire destroyed the Second Holy Temple, declared, "We are here, on the eve of Tisha B'Av.

* Al-Qaeda No. 2 Calls Arab Leaders 'Zionists' and Mocks Obama Arab leaders are Zionists in disguise, according to Al-Qaeda’s number two terrorist, Ayman al-Zawahiri.

* Iraqi cleric meets with PM candidate in Syria Anti-American Iraqi cleric Muqtada al-Sadr took a rare, public step into the political arena Monday.

* China now world's biggest energy user China overtook the US last year to become the world’s biggest energy user.

* EU to hold atheist and freemason summit Brussels is to hold an EU summit with atheists and freemasons in the autumn, inviting them to a political dialogue.

* Tens of Thousands Mark Tisha B'Av at Western Wall Tens of thousands of worshipers streamed on Monday evening and Tuesday to the Western Wall plaza.

* Rabbi Richman on the 9th of Av: Stop Mourning, Start Yearning Many tens of thousands spend Tisha B'Av, or parts of it, at the Western Wall – which, together with the Temple Mount, is the sole remnant of the Second Temple.

* US and South Korea to hold major military exercise The four-day exercise, in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), will involve 20 ships, 200 planes and 8,000 personnel.

* In sign of warming ties, Turkey FM reportedly meets Hamas chief Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met with Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshal in Damascus on Monday.

* Iran to retaliate for UN sanctions Iran's parliament has adopted a bill authorizing tit-for-tat retaliation against countries that inspect Iranian ships and aircraft.