Thursday, September 16, 2010

09/16/10

* Israel analysts see Turkey radicalizing, becoming 'Iran No. 2' Israel's defense community has assessed that Turkey was moving toward becoming a radical and nuclear Islamic state.

* Turks believe focus should be on Middle East and away from Europe Turkey sees its interests increasingly better served by greater involvement in the Middle East.

* PM to Abbas: We'll continue building in settlements During their meeting in Jerusalem Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that Israel plans to resume construction in the West Bank.

* Abbas: No alternative to peace talks, we will continue efforts Offering a positive note after two days of inconclusive Mideast peace negotiations, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday he sees no alternative to continuing the talks in search of a peace deal with Israel.

* Hezbollah prints playing cards of top Israeli officials targeted for revenge The Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah has printed a deck of playing cards emboldened with the faces of senior Israeli officials.

* Russian president studying how to emulate Israel's hi-tech success The New York Academy of Sciences presented a report to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev this week.

* EU to call on Israel to extend settlement halt European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday will call on Israel to extend a moratorium on settlement building in the occupied West Bank.

* Pope offers 'hand of friendship' to UK He also urged the UK to resist "more aggressive forms of secularism" after being welcomed by the Queen at Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh.

* Expert: Complaint Against Hamas War Crimes is Futile Israel is still reeling from the firing of two phosphorous bombs at its territory from Gaza on Tuesday - a war crime under international law.

* Ashton announces first tranche of appointees to new service EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton announced the first tranche of EU ambassadors within the new diplomatic service.