09/30/11

* Islamist cleric Anwar Awlaki 'killed in Yemen' US-born radical Islamist cleric Anwar al-Awlaki, a key al-Qaeda leader, has been killed in Yemen.

* Activists in Arab World Vie to Define Islamic State By force of this year's Arab revolts and revolutions, activists marching under the banner of Islam are on the verge of a reckoning decades in the making.

* Iran: We've produced domestic version of S-300 anti-aircraft missiles Iran has completed the production of a self-made version of the Russian S-300 missile.

* Egyptian envoy to PA: Israel plotting to retake Sinai Egyptian Ambassador to the Palestinian Authority, Yasser Othman believes Israel is plotting to retake control of the Sinai peninsula.

* Iranian Pastor Sentenced to Death: Nadarkhani Refuses to Convert Iranian Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who is facing the death penalty, again refused to convert to Islam to save his life.

* Europe again steps back from brink in debt crisis Following a now-familiar script, Europe again averted disaster in its debt crisis when German lawmakers rallied behind Chancellor Angela Merkel to approve a stronger euro zone bailout fund.

* Medvedev Defends Plan to Trade Places With Putin President Dmitri A. Medvedev of Russia tried on Friday to counter complaints that the government reshuffle announced last week strips voters of any voice in the country's future.

* Poor nations urged to spur growth by getting online With online business increasingly driving economic growth, developing nations' top priority should be the infrastructure their citizens need to get connected.

* 'Israeli jets fly low over Turkish gas exploration ship' Low-flying Israeli warplanes and helicopters "harassed" a Turkish ship exploring for natural gas reserves near Cyprus.

* European Parliament: Palestinian statehood is 'legitimate' The European Parliament on Thursday adopted a resolution which declared the Palestinian people's "legitimate right to create an independent state."

09/29/11

* Tony Blair's job in jeopardy as Palestinians accuse him of bias Tony Blair's future as Middle East peace envoy was in jeopardy.

* 35% of Egyptians Support Muslim Brotherhood More than a third of Egyptians support the extreme Muslim Brotherhood movement.

* Netanyahu rejects criticism of Jerusalem construction beyond green line Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday rejected Western and Arab complaints that the planned construction of 1,100 new homes in Gilo on annexed land close to Jerusalem would complicate Middle East peace efforts.

* PA: We are one vote shy of a majority in Security Council Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riyad al-Malki said Thursday that the Palestinians have received approval from eight members of the UN Security Council.

* Israelis Consume 2,000 Tons of Honey in Tishrei Israelis this year will consume 2,000 tons of honey during the Hebrew month of Tishrei.

* Turkey's Elephant in the Room: Religious Freedom With his triumphant tour of the countries of the Arab Spring this month, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has managed to set up Turkey on the international stage.

* Assad supporters pelt US envoy with eggs Supporters of Syria's President Bashar Assad pelted the US ambassador to Damascus with eggs and tomatoes.

* Israelis Happy at Home but Glum About Peace With the start of the Jewish New Year at sunset on Wednesday, a traditional time for stock-taking in Israel.

* Rocket launches Chinese space lab A rocket carrying China's first space laboratory, Tiangong-1, has launched from the north of the country.

* Libyan forces take Sirte airport Forces loyal to Libya's transitional authorities have taken the airport in the city of Sirte, the birthplace of fugitive leader Muammar Gaddafi.

09/28/11

* Rosh Hashanah, The Jewish New Year, Begins Wednesday Night The Jewish People begin the High Holydays on Wednesday evening, ushering in the year 5772.

* France: Iran nuke drive raises risk of strike France's UN envoy warned that Iran faces the risk of a military strike if it pursues its nuclear drive.

* UN review panel mulls Palestinian statehood bid The UN Security Council has handed the Palestinian bid for full membership of the world body to a review panel.

* U.S. demands action on Pakistani terrorist network The United States on Tuesday demanded that Pakistan dismantle a terrorist network blamed for attacking a U.S. embassy.

* Iran begins mass producing cruise missile for Navy Iran has begun to mass produce the Qader marine cruise missile, designed to target warships, frigates and coastal targets.

* Region Watch: Storm clouds over eastern Mediterranean Early this week, the US-based Noble Energy Company began exploratory drilling for offshore gas deposits off the coast of Cyprus.

* Security forces on high alert ahead of holiday weekend As Israel readies to welcome Rosh Hashana, the nation's security forces have declared a high state of alert.

* Taiwan 7-Eleven suspends sales of cartoon products resembling Hitler The 7-Eleven convenience store chain in Taiwan has suspended sales of cartoon products said to resemble Adolf Hitler.

* EU 'faces its greatest challenge' - Jose Manuel Barroso The head of the European Commission has told Euro MPs that Greece will stay in the eurozone.

* Iranian Pastor Faces Execution for Refusing to Recant Christian Faith An Iranian pastor who has refused to renounce his Christian faith faces execution as early as Wednesday after his sentence was upheld by an Iranian court.

09/27/11

* US calls new construction in J'lem 'counterproductive' The United States said on Tuesday that Israel's decision to approve construction of 1,100 homes in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Gilo - located past the Green Line - was "counterproductive".

* Erdogan: UN should impose sanctions on Israel like Iran Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that the UN Security Council should have followed through with resolutions on Israel.

* Fearing Change, Many Christians in Syria Back Assad Abu Elias sat beneath the towering stairs leading from the Convent of Our Lady of Saydnaya.

* Syrian uprising showing signs of armed rebellion Once-peaceful Syrian protesters are increasingly taking up arms to fight a six-month military crackdown.

* Libya adrift Nothing is settled yet in Libya, and it is unclear what will happen in the coming weeks and months.

* Christians Fleeing Egypt, NGO Reports The number of Christians to have fled Egypt since March is approaching 100,000.

* 'Budapest – Europe's Capital of Anti-Semitism' The rise of right-wing and anti-Semitic parties heralds a new wave of anti-Semitism that is headquartered in Budapest.

* Egyptian FM backs treaty with Israel Egypt's Foreign Minister Mohamed Amr said Monday his country will always respect its landmark peace treaty with Israel.

* Iran says could deploy navy near U.S. coast Iran raised the prospect on Tuesday of sending military ships close to the United States' Atlantic coast.

* Hamas Calls for Strategic Dialogue With Fatah Ismail Haniyeh, who serves as the 'prime minister' in Hamas-run Gaza, called on Monday for an 'inter-Palestinian' strategic dialogue to decide on a joint strategy for establishing an independent state.

09/26/11

* 58 Percent of Jewish Israelis are Religious or Traditionalist Census stats: 33 percent of Jews are religious, another 25 percent see themselves as "traditionalist but not so religious".

* Israel on New Year: Population of 7,797,400 Central Bureau of Statistics releases data on Israeli population ahead of Jewish New Year. Findings show growth in birth rate and aliyah

* Netanyahu: Abbas Trying to Detour Negotiations Netanyahu on "Meet the Press": "The Palestinians are trying to get a state without giving Israel peace. That should not succeed."

* In Mideast Riddle, Turkey Offers Itself as an Answer Not so long ago, the foreign policy of Turkey revolved around a single issue: the divided island of Cyprus.

* Netanyahu terms Erdogan comments 'outrageous, false' PM tells Post that Turkish PM's claims that Israel has killed thousands of Palestinians and uses Holocaust to perpetrate victimhood have nothing to do with facts.

* How Putin Arranged His Return to the Presidency The false suspense ended as Dimitry Medvedev announced Putin's candidacy.

* Abbas Launches "Palestinian Spring" in Ramallah Cheered by thousands, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas announced the start of "Palestinian Spring" in Ramallah Sunday upon his return from the UN.

* Dead Sea scrolls: Now online Israel's national museum and the international web giant Google are behind the project, which put five scrolls online Monday.

* App helps travelers speak in foreign languages The translation engine trains itself to determine the most common way a native speaker would say a particular phrase.

* If vultures in danger, 'entire ecosystem in trouble' Experts from around the world meet in TA to discuss how to revive scavenger bird’s global population.

09/24/11

* Netanyahu to Abbas: Let's Just Negotiate Peace! Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed the United Nations General Assembly on Friday.

* Following UN Speeches: Quartet Sets Timetable for Talks The Middle East Quartet published on Friday a new timetable for re-launching negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

* PM: I'm the one who will establish peace between 2 states Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed his domestic audience on Saturday.

* PA unhappy with 'incomplete' Quartet peace initiative The Palestinian Authority is unhappy with the Quartet’s latest initiative to launch peace talks with Israel.

* Security and Defense: Challenging times On June 5, when pro-Palestinian protesters tried crossing from Syria into Israel like they had on Nakba Day a month earlier.

* Opinion: Palestinian Authority Apocalypse Israeli families are not paid rewards by their government when their relatives are killed.

* Israel on Ahmadinejad: Threatens World Peace and Security Israel's Foreign Ministry issued an official response on Thursday evening.

* Europe must save the two-state solution The speeches have been given, and each leader pandered to his audiences.

* Fighters Renew Attack on Surt, Qaddafi's Hometown Fighters trying to root out loyalists of the fugitive Libyan leader Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi renewed their attack on his hometown, Surt.

* Putin Once More Moves to Assume Top Job in Russia Vladimir V. Putin, who transformed post-Soviet Russia by imposing strict Kremlin control over most aspects of public life.

09/23/11

* Abbas confirms he'll ask for full membership at UN Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas made it clear Friday that despite heavy international pressure, he is determined to present a request to the UN.

* Nasa refines satellite crash time The US space agency (Nasa) says that its out-of-control climate satellite is expected to crash to Earth sometime on Friday evening (GMT).

* Which New Middle East? Regardless of whether democratization in the "new Middle East" succeeds or authoritarian forms of government prevail once again, one fundamental change has already become clear: no one will be able to govern without taking into account domestic public opinion.

* PM readies for verbal duel with Abbas at UNGA Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spent Thursday in New York behind closed doors preparing his much-touted public verbal duel.

* IAEA Adopts Anti-Nuke Resolution for Mideast The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) adopted a resolution on Friday calling on all countries in the Middle East to join a regional anti-nuclear arms treaty.

* East J'lem, West Bank mostly quiet ahead of Abbas speech East Jerusalem and the West Bank were mostly quiet on Friday afternoon following what police believed would be a tense Friday.

* Sparks fly as U.S., Pakistan spar over Afghan bloodshed The top U.S. military officer accused Pakistani intelligence on Thursday of backing violence against U.S. targets including the American Embassy in Afghanistan.

* Shiite cleric slams Bahrain for 'fake democracy' The Sunni rulers in Bahrain are practicing "fake democracy," the Gulf kingdom's leading Shiite cleric said Friday.

* 'US budget cuts won't affect military aid to Israel' Senior US officials clarified during a series of meetings with Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz Washington has no intention of downsizing military aid to Israel.

* Tourism in Israel, PA thrives on eve of UN vote While the international stage is awash with demonstrations and wrangling over the vote in the United Nations this week for Palestinian statehood, tourism in Israel and the Palestinian territories seems to be continuing.

09/22/11

* PA: Obama will be responsible for failure of peace process US President Barack Obama will be held responsible for the failure of the Middle East peace process.

* NATO says Gadhafi fighters continue to be threat The general commanding NATO's mission in Libya said Thursday that isolated groups of forces loyal to ousted strongman Moammar Gadhafi continue to be a threat to local people.

* PLO's UN Logo Reveals the Truth: Wipe Israel Off the Map! The Palestine Liberation Organization's mission to the United Nations has, on its logo, wiped Israel off the map.

* Judean Women Look Through the Crosshairs As the Arabs in Judea and Samaria threaten to storm Jewish communities, the women at Pnei Kedem in Gush Etzion, in the Judean hills, are learning to shoot firearms.

* Ahmadinejad: 'Palestine will one day be liberated' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he believes "Palestine will one day be liberated."

* Lukewarm declaration to mark EU summit in Warsaw Next week's EU summit in Warsaw will "acknowledge" the "European aspirations" of six post-Soviet countries.

* Turkey 'undermining U.S. objectives' in Mediterranean Turkey is challenging U.S. policy in the Mediterranean Sea.

* Pope Benedict making first official visit to Germany The Pope was greeted by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Christian Wulff.

* Falling NASA Satellite Could Spark Stunning Light Show A NASA satellite the size of a school bus is just days away from taking a fiery plunge into Earth’s atmosphere and could set off a dazzling display when it does.

* Palestinians blast Obama's UN speech at West Bank rally Dozens of Palestinians gathered outside Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' office in Ramallah on Thursday, protesting U.S. President Barack Obama's opposition to their bid.

09/21/11

* PM to meet Obama amid effort to avert UN 'train wreck' Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu departed early Wednesday morning to do battle against recognition of a Palestinian state at the UN.

* Thousands rally in Ramallah to back Palestinian statehood bid Thousands of Palestinians flocked to Yasser Arafat Square in central Ramallah on Wednesday for a rally in support of the Palestinian bid for full United Nations membership.

* Scientists Discover New Life in the Dead Sea Deep beneath the sea bed of a body of water long believed incapable of sustaining life, scientists have discovered new micro-organisms.

* Explaining as national strategy Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's critics, and they are legion – both here and abroad – charge he has no strategy.

* Obama, Ergodan seek common ground on Middle East US President Barack Obama and Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan sought common ground on counter-terrorism and Middle East policy.

* Somali kids win weapons in Koran contest An Islamist insurgent-run radio station in Somalia says it is awarding guns, bombs and books to three children in a Koran recital contest.

* The euro crisis as the revenge of neofunctionalism The current euro crisis has led to many calls for a European fiscal union.

* IDF Developing Cannon with 25-Mile Range The IDF’s Artillery Corps is considering a new cannon system with the ability to shoot six shells a minute with a range of 25 miles.

* Hamas quietly hoping for failure of UN bid Gaza's Hamas rulers are quietly hoping that the Palestinian bid for UN membership fails.

* Libyan government to be named in days Libya's first formal government since the fall of Moamer Kadhafi will be named within 10 days.

09/20/11

* Washington Post: Abbas Not Serious for PA State The influential Washington Post accuses Abbas of not being serious about wanting to establish the Palestinian Authority as a country.

* Former leaders urge EU to recognise Palestine Senior EU personalities have called for member states to recognise Palestinian independence.

* PA Media's Statehood Campaign: We Won't be Deterred PA media does its utmost to promise the Arab population that the PA leadership will follow through with its unilateral statehood bid.

* Saudi Funding May Make PA a Proxy State Saudi Arabia is forking over $200 million to bail out the Palestinian Authority.

* Israel and US to Lose in UN Showdown, Warns King Abdullah Jordan’s King Abdullah II warned on Tuesday that Israel is isolating itself.

* Japan defence firm Mitsubishi Heavy in cyber attack Japan's top weapons maker has confirmed it was the victim of a cyber attack reportedly targeting data on missiles, submarines and nuclear power plants.

* 'Don't ask, don't tell' ban on gays in US military ends A policy banning open homosexuality in the US military has been repealed after nearly two decades.

* US scientists testing earthquake early warning Elizabeth Cochran was sitting in her office when her computer suddenly sounded an alarm.

* Gadhafi spotted as rebels capture parts of south Libya town Fugitive Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi was spotted in the southern city of Sabha a few days ago.

* US official: Quartet talks have been productive Talks among the Quartet of Middle East peace mediators to find a path to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks have been productive and should continue.

09/19/11

* Conference Emphasizes Yearning for the Holy Temple The Holy Temple Conferences, held in Jerusalem on Sunday, worked towards achieving Jewish presence on the Temple Mount.

* Iran to finish off Kurd rebels in days Tehran's forces will finish off armed Kurdish rebels who are based in Iraq in the "coming days", a top commander said Monday, while the separatist group claimed it was now located in Iranian territory.

* Netanyahu invites Abbas to open peace talks in New York Israeli officials say Israel will not give up on Palestinian recognition of the Jewish state; Quartet envoys set to meet for second time in two days to formulate plan to restart peace process.

* Abbas presses Palestinian U.N. bid despite warnings President Mahmoud Abbas told the United Nations' top official on Monday he would seek full U.N. membership for a Palestinian state, a move the United States and Israel warn could lead to disaster and shatter chances for resuming peace negotiations.

* Turkey Predicts Alliance With Egypt as Regional Anchors A newly assertive Turkey offered on Sunday a vision of a starkly realigned Middle East, where the country’s former allies in Syria and Israel fall into deeper isolation, and a burgeoning alliance with Egypt underpins a new order in a region roiled by revolt and revolution.

* French FM: Status quo between Israel and Palestinians risks explosion of violence In remarks before the Council on Foreign Relations in New York, Alain Juppe also says scheduled to meet Palestinian President Abbas later on Monday.

* Yemen unrest: Death toll from Sanaa clashes tops 50 Security forces in Yemen have killed more than 50 people in two days of violence against anti-government protesters, activists say, in the country's bloodiest clashes for months.

* In Arab world, support for UN gambit close to unanimous Poll shows 8 of 10 Palestinians support unilateral statehood declaration

* Libya war: Anti-Gaddafi troops take key Sabha positions Anti-Gaddafi forces have captured two key positions close to the southern city of Sabha, says a spokesman for Libya's transitional authorities.

* The Famous State of Palestine What would Arab state number 23 / Muslim state number 58 be like? Have a good look.

09/17/11

* The Turkey-Iran Pact A hot war has been raging in northern Iraq since mid-July.

* Obama to meet with Turkey's Erdogan, Netanyahu in NY US President Barack Obama will meet with Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan during the United Nations General Assembly in New York next week.

* Palestinians Set Bid for U.N. Seat, Clashing With U.S. The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, announced Friday that he would seek membership for a state of Palestine from the United Nations Security Council next week.

* Israel ups West Bank forces before Palestinian UN bid Israel has boosted its army presence in the West Bank ahead of a Palestinian recourse to the UN.

* Hamas Against PA Statehood Bid: It's a Step Towards Negotiations The Hamas terror group, which rules the Gaza Strip, was quick to condemn on Friday the speech by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas .

* Huge Defunct Satellite Falling to Earth Faster Than Expected, NASA Says NASA space junk experts have refined the forecast for the anticipated death plunge of a giant satellite.

* Mideast Quartet envoys to meet in New York Envoys from the quartet of Middle East negotiators will meet on Sunday in a last-ditch push to relaunch Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

* Syrian opposition meet in Damascus to support protests More than 200 Syrian opposition figures have met near Damascus in an effort to unite anti-government groups.

* Libyans divided between reconciliation and revenge - A cheering crowd welcomed Mustafa Abdel Jaleel, chief of the Libya’s ruling National Transitional Council (NTC).

* Geithner warns EU against infighting over Greece US Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has warned European leaders to stop the "loose talk" about divisions over how to solve the eurozone debt crisis.

09/16/11

* 'Abbas working on deal with EU, US to avoid statehood bid' London based Arabic daily Al Hayat on Friday reported that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was meeting with European Union and American officials to try and come to an agreement.

* Israel summons Egypt ambassador over conflicting peace treaty remarks The Foreign Ministry summoned Egypt's ambassador to Israel to a meeting on Friday morning.

* Sadrists take to Iraq's streets in demos Thousands of supporters of radical cleric Moqtada al-Sadr rallied in Baghdad and south Iraq on Friday.

* Libyan fighters press attacks on Gadhafi hometown Revolutionary fighters are trying to fight their way into the center of Moammar Gadhafi's hometown of Sirte.

* Egypt PM: Israel Treaty 'Not Sacred' Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf on Thursday said the 1979 Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty is not sacred and is subject to change.

* Paris ban on Muslim street prayers comes into effect Interior Minister Claude Gueant has offered believers the use of a disused fire brigade barracks instead.

* Former IDF chief reveals new details of Israel's nuclear program In the tense period at the end of May and the beginning of June 1967, with Israel feeling choked in a tightening siege, Lt. Gen. Dov Tamari was summoned urgently to a meeting with a senior figure from the General Staff.

* Turkey plans possible ground invasion of N. Iraq before winter Turkey may be preparing for an imminent invasion of Iraq.

* IDF Calling Up Reserves Ahead of PA Statehood Bid The IDF Central Command raised its alert level in in Judea and Samaria ahead of next week's expected Palestinian Authority statehood bid at the United Nations.

* It's time to eat insects for the good of the planet, say experts "The European consumer has some difficulties in crunching a whole insect", says Professor Arnold Van Huis.

09/15/11

* 'Warships could be in e. Mediterranean at any moment' Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday Israel could not do whatever it wanted in the Eastern Mediterranean.

* Netanyahu says he'll address UN ahead of PA state vote In press conference with Czech counterpart, PM calls on Abbas - who will address plenum on September 23 - to return to direct negotiations.

* Islamists' Growing Sway Raises Questions for Libya In the emerging post-Qaddafi Libya, the most influential politician may well be Ali Sallabi.

* Libya conflict: Cameron and Sarkozy visit Tripoli British PM David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are in Libya, the most senior Western leaders to visit since Muammar Gaddafi was ousted.

* Tensions between Israel, Egypt steadily mounting Tensions are rising between Egypt and Israel as attacks continue from the Sinai Peninsula.

* IDF Prepares to Call Up Reserves The Israel Defense Forces are preparing for the possibility of Palestinian Authority Arab riots beginning September 20.

* MK Eldad: Iran using Arab Spring to make nuclear bomb National Union MK Arye Eldad said that Iran is using the Arab Spring to distract Western attention from its nuclear program.

* As Iraq pullback nears, US still at war in south Soldiers at this base sleep with their shoes on so they don't cut their feet running under rocket fire.

* Netanyahu orders evacuation of Israel embassy in Jordan, fearing violent protests Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman ordered the early evacuation of Israel's embassy in Jordan.

* Syrian protesters mark six months of revolt Protesters vowed to hit the streets of Syria en masse on Thursday to mark six months since the start of an anti-regime uprising.

09/14/11

* Eurozone crisis could rip EU apart: officials The eurozone crisis could wreck the European Union, top EU officials warned on Wednesday.

* Israeli officials: Jordan hanging by a thread As the US steps up its effort to prevent a Palestinian unilateral bid to declare statehood, Israeli officials fear a new eastern front in the form of Jordan.

* PA 'Offers' Israel: Accept Demands or Face the UN The Palestinian Authority tried to climb off a high diplomatic limb Wednesday.

* Egypt's Islamists warn Erdogan: Don't seek Middle East domination Egypt's most powerful Islamist group warned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday that his country should not seek to dominate the Middle East.

* Palestinian ambassador to US wants Jew-free state The Palestinian Ambassador to the United States Maen Rashid Areikat said on Tuesday in Washington that the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO)opposes the immediate presence of Jews and gays in an independent Palestinian state.

* Survey shows US losing interest in EU People in the US and in Turkey have told a major pollster that relations with Asian countries are more important for their future than relations with the EU.

* Iran tests new smart bombs Iran's fleet of fighter jets has been equipped with new anti-missile capability.

* Poland warns of war 'in 10 years' as EU leaders scramble to contain panic Germany, France and the European Commission are scrambling to contain panic and "quash rumours" about a eurozone break-up.

* Iraq unrest: Shooting and bombs hit security forces A car bomb detonated at about 08:00 (05:00 GMT) close to a restaurant used by security forces near the central city of Hilla, killing at least 15.

* Diplomatic flurry ahead of Palestinian UN bid A high-level U.S. team kicked off a new round of shuttle diplomacy on Wednesday in a last-ditch effort to contain the diplomatic fallout from the Palestinian statehood push.

09/13/11

* Erdogan: Israel's mentality is a barrier to Mideast peace Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo on Tuesday that the mentality of the Israeli government serves as an obstacle to peace in the Middle East.

* 'Hamas weighing a resumption of suicide bombings' Hamas is weighing a resumption of suicide bomb attacks against Israeli civilians.

* Hamas calls for overthrow of Israeli-Palestinian Oslo peace accords The Islamist Hamas movement called Tuesday for the overthrow of the Israeli-Palestinian Oslo interim peace accords.

* US Envoys Returning For 'More Talks' Two senior US envoys will return to Israel this week in hopes of averting the Palestinian Authority statehood bid at the United Nations.

* PM: First priority on Egypt border is now stopping terror Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday helicoptered down to an area some 60 kilometers north of Eilat.

* Sex abuse victims urge Hague court to investigate Pope Lawyers for victims of sexual abuse by the clergy have asked the International Criminal Court to investigate Pope Benedict XVI and three top Vatican officials for crimes against humanity for allowing rape and child sex crimes.

* Afghan gunfight: Kabul police battle insurgents Afghan and international security forces are battling an ongoing multi-pronged attack by insurgents targeting the US embassy, Nato headquarters and police buildings in Kabul.

* Libya could fall into hands of extremists, Nato warns Libya is in danger of falling into the hands of Islamic extremists if a stable government is not rapidly established.

* Hamas Alive and Well Under PA in Judea and Samaria Israel has arrested 13 Hamas cells in the last six months in Judea and Samaria, where the Palestinian Authority is supposed to stop terror.

* Turkish warplanes now able to fire at Israeli targets Turkey has developed a new radar system for its US-made F-16 fighter jets that will allow them to fire at Israeli targets.

09/12/11

* Was Iran behind 9/11? US lawsuit charges that Iran, Hezbollah involved in facilitation of September 11 attacks.

* Doomsday weapon: Israel’s submarines Rare glimpse into Israel’s doomsday weapon – the submarine fleet

* Turkish Navy sending 3 warships to eastern Mediterranean Erdogan: Gaza flotilla raid was grounds for war.

* Cheney: Israel would attack to prevent nuclear Iran Former US vice president says he believes Israelis will "do whatever they have to do to guarantee their survival and their security".

* UN nuclear chief increasingly concerned about Iran "Iran not providing necessary cooperation to provide credible assurance about absence of undeclared nuclear material," says Yukiya Amano.

* French JDL recruiting Jews with military experience to defend Israeli settlements Rightist group, founded by late Rabbi Meir Kahane, is bringing volunteers to counter Palestinian marches on settlements planned for week of September 20.

* Polls show EU support for Palestinian bid A strong majority of people in three large EU countries - France, Germany and the UK - have said their governments should vote in favour of Palestine's UN bid.

* Jordan king: Palestinians have more secure future than Israel King Abdullah II tells authors and academics in Amman that Jordan will never serve as substitute Palestinian homeland.

* Global stock markets down on debt fears as euro falls US shares have opened down, following falls in European and Asian markets on fears that Greece may default.

* World Bank report warns Palestinians headed for acute fiscal crisis Report lauds Palestinian government for efforts to create a foundation for statehood, saying "Palestinian public institutions compare favorably with other countries in the region".

09/10/11

* Egypt on alert after Israel embassy stormed in Cairo Egypt has declared a state of alert after protests on the streets of Cairo, following the storming of the Israeli embassy on Friday night.

* Clinton: Al-Qaeda behind threat to US US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Friday said that al-Qaeda was behind a specific, credible but unconfirmed report of a threat to harm Americans.

* Arab League chief in Syria for talks with Assad Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby arrived in Syria on Saturday for talks with President Bashar Assad.

* Tony Blair denies military action 'radicalised' Muslims Tony Blair has denied that military intervention in the Middle East has radicalised Muslims and encouraged them to engage in acts of terrorism.

* Group of five calls for EU military headquarters Five of the biggest EU countries have tasked foreign relations chief Catherine Ashton with making plans for an EU military command centre despite British objections.

* Beijing stays aloof of Arab Spring – for now China’s traditional foreign policy of staying aloof of other countries’ internal affairs is being sorely tested in the turmoil of the Arab Spring.

* Post 9/11 Europe: 'safer' but less free Ten years after the fall of New York's twin towers and four months after the death of Osama Bin Laden, Europe is said to be 'safer' - but in return, private data is scrutinised.

* U.S. and Turkey launch new effort to combat global terrorism The United States and Turkey are launching a new effort to combat terrorism.

* Egypt PM offers to resign over protests Egyptian Prime Minister Essam Sharaf has offered to resign Saturday along with his cabinet ministers over the failed handling of Friday's protests in Cairo.

* Libya conflict: Gaddafi forces resist Bani Walid attack Pro-Gaddafi forces in Libya have been putting up fierce resistance in Bani Walid, one of four towns still controlled by loyalist fighters.

09/09/11

* 9/11: Clinton says Al-Qaeda behind New York threat The US secretary of state has warned that al-Qaeda is behind a credible threat to Americans in the run-up to the anniversary of 9/11.

* Egyptians demolish Israel embassy wall Hundreds of Egyptian activists on Friday demolished parts of the wall erected around a building housing the Israeli embassy in Cairo to protect it against demonstrators.

* Israel Seeks to Calm Tensions With Turkey Israel was wrestling on Friday with growing tensions with Turkey after the Turkish prime minister threatened to use his navy to accompany aid flotillas to Gaza.

* Post 9/11 Europe: 'safer' but less free Ten years after the fall of New York's twin towers and four months after the death of Osama Bin Laden, Europe is said to be 'safer' - but in return, private data is scrutinised by a multitude of counter-terrorism programmes.

* Blair: Palestinian UN statehood bid is unilateral cry of frustration A Palestinian bid for greater recognition at the United Nations this month would be a cry of frustration.

* Bank shares lead falls on US and European stock markets Sharp falls in banking shares have led US and European stock markets lower as concerns continue about the strength of the world economy.

* Supercomputer predicts revolution Feeding a supercomputer with news stories could help predict major world events, according to US research.

* Is Syria slipping out of the grasp of its rulers? I argued in May that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would probably survive, but new pressures, from within and without, are taking the country one step closer to the tipping point.

* World Entering 'Dangerous New Phase': Lagarde Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, warned that the global economy is entering a "dangerous new phase".

* Harper Wants to Reinstate Anti-terror Legislation The 10th anniversary of 9/11 will understandably feature Americans, but another North American statesman, Canadian Premier Stephen Harper, will be a major participant both in the United States and in practical terms in Canada as well.

09/08/11

* US confirms it will veto Palestinian statehood bid The US will veto a Palestinian request for state recognition if it is submitted to the UN Security Council later this month.

* ICC Seeks Red Notice for Qaddafi With Muammar Qaddafi's nowhere to be found, the International Criminal Court (ICC) asked Interpol Thursday to issue Red Notice arrest warrants for the fugitive Libyan leader.

* Israel on alert over Turkey plans to send ships to Gaza Strip Israel is concerned that Turkey plans a naval confrontation in the eastern Mediterranean.

* General concerned new Arab populist leaders will spark 'all-out war' Israel's military envisions the prospect of a regional war in 2012 that could include such countries as Egypt and Turkey.

* Mossad Hacked? hacker or hackers fabricated certificates for Israel's intelligence service, Mossad, the CIA, and Britain’s Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, and other sites such as AOL and Microsoft.

* Brussels: 'No one can leave the euro' The European Commission on Thursday (8 September) insisted that no member of the eurozone can leave the single currency.

* Syrian activists appeal for international help Syria's underground opposition appealed to the international community on Thursday to send in human rights monitors to help deter military attacks on civilians.

* EU moots greater role in deals with oil-rich countries The European Commission on Wednesday suggested it should negotiate 'strategic' energy contracts with other countries.

* Meteorites delivered gold to Earth Scientists have shown that the Earth's surface became enriched with precious metals by impacting meteorites.

* Will Saddam's WMD be discovered in Syria when Assad falls? Ten years after 9/11, one captivating thought keeps crossing my mind: When the Assad tyranny in Syria finally collapses, will George W. Bush be vindicated?

09/07/11

* GSS Cracks Hamas Network Israel's General Security Services (GSS) cleared for publication it had, with the assistance of the IDF and Israel Police, broken up numerous Hamas terror-cells in Judea and Samaria in recent months.

* Libya's Elusive Desert Fox Despite the frenzy of media speculation, no one knows where Muammar Qaddafi really is.

* EU Also Fears 'Islamic Winter' Despite attempts by Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday to play down IDF Home Front Command chief Maj. Gen. Eyal Eisenberg's warning Israel may face an 'Islamic Winter.'

* Israel Unveils Haunting 'Ghost' UAV A new Israeli silent "Ghost" UAV, designed to haunt terrorists and operate in urban areas both day and night, was unveiled at the Latrun Conference this week, near Jerusalem.

* Spectre of fresh EU treaty returns to haunt 'incomplete' Europe It took nearly a decade of squabbling amongst EU states, a series of referendum disasters and a last-minute game of high-stakes brinksmanship from a stubborn Czech president, but the bloc finally managed to radically refashion the way it worked with the passage of the Lisbon Treaty in 2010.

* NATO membership a restraint for Turkey The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is ultimately believed to be the main obstacle that will prevent Turkey from actually following through with its threat.

* Palestinians: We won't surrender to U.S. pressure to drop UN bid The Palestinians on Tuesday said they would not give in to American pressure to drop their bid for statehood at the United Nations.

* 'Be Prepared for Mass Aliyah of Turkish Jews' Many of the 20,000 Jews living in Turkey are considering moving to Israel.

* Merkel outlines steps to 'stability union' German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for a "stability union" in which all member states behave in a fiscally responsible manner.

* US officially asks PA to abandon UN recognition plan The US on Wednesday officially asked the Palestinian Authority to abandon its plan to ask the UN later this month to recognize a Palestinian state along the pre-1967 lines.

09/06/11

* Iran launches mass air drill The Iranian Air Force embarked on a massive 10-day exercise on Tuesday.

* IDF general: Likelihood of regional war growing Recent revolutions in the Arab world and the deteriorating ties with Turkey are raising the likelihood of a regional war in the Middle East.

* Libya weapons deals raise questions about Gaddafi aftermath Al Qaeda acquired weapons from Gaddafi's forces, Chinese arms dealers negotiated with the dictator's envoys, and France ignored an arms embargo in supplying the rebels.

* Jihadists plot to take over Libya Jihadists among the Libyan rebels revealed plans last week on the Internet to subvert the post-Moammar Gadhafi government and create an Islamist state.

* US Spied on Israel Embassy in Washington The United States spied on Israel's Washington Embassy and pressed charges against an FBI employee who leaked details from information thus acquired.

* Somalia famine: UN warns of 750,000 deaths As many as 750,000 people could die as Somalia's drought worsens in the coming months, the UN has warned, declaring a famine in a new area.

* West Races to Secure Qaddafi Munitions Western leaders are racing to secure fugitive strognman Muammar Qaddafi's stockpiles of weapons - which have been abandoned for the taking.

* 'Seven Wonders of Israel' Competition in September While the State of Israel is promoting the Dead Sea to win the international New7Wonders of Nature competition this fall, the Ministry of Tourism has been working on a parallel project on the local level as well.

* US Imam: Muslims Needs Decades to Clean Up Image It will take generations before Muslims can clean their negative image of being radicals.

* Iran punctuates end of Ramdan with new attack on Kurds, inside Iraq Iran has reported another military incursion into Iraq.

09/03/11

* IAEA: Iran reaches breakthrough in suspected nuclear weapons push The United Nations nuclear watchdog released a report Saturday stating that Iran is pursuing the development of nuclear weapons.

* Tension, confusion behind EU facade on Palestine Hostility toward foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton, confusion over what the Palestinians will ask for and how major EU countries will react marked behind-closed-doors talks of EU foreign ministers in Poland.

* Turkey to challenge Gaza blockade at ICJ Turkey is preparing to challenge Israel's blockade on Gaza at the International Court of Justice.

* Israel Unfazed by Turkey's Moves: We Will Not Apologize Despite Turkey's downgrade of its ties with Israel, Jerusalem remained unfazed on Friday.

* Iran makes new military push against Kurdish rebels Iran has begun a new military push against Kurdish rebels on the border with Iraq.

* UN chief: Israel, Turkey ties important for Mideast peace United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said that good relations between Turkey Israel are important for future peace in the region.

* Blair has major, unheralded role in Mideast talks Britain's Tony Blair is playing a central but largely unheralded role in trying to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.

* Russia's Lavrov condemns EU oil sanctions on Syria Russia has condemned the EU's move to step up sanctions on Syria by banning imports of its oil.

* Suicide Bombs in Iraq Have Killed 12,000 Civilians, Study Says While sophisticated roadside bombs have taken a heavy toll on American troops over the course of the war here.

* WikiLeaks Document Sheds Light on Iraqi Jews A U.S. diplomatic cable that has been leaked by WikiLeaks sheds light on the fate of Iraq's Jews.

09/02/11

* Israel: We hope to mend Turkey ties, but will not apologize for Gaza flotilla A senior source in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office stated that Israel will endeavor to mend frayed ties with the Turkish government and people.

* IDF Moves to Protect Naval Commandos The IDF plans to take legal precautions to protect members of the Shayatet-13, Israel's Naval Commando, and other senior officers from criminal lawsuits.

* EU to Debate Unified Vote on PA Statehood European Union foreign ministers are gathering in Sopot, Poland this weekend for informal talks on the Middle East.

* September songs The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee held more than 30 meetings during the past three months.

* 'Palestinian Solidarity' Support for Anti-Semitic Abuse “Palestinian solidarity” campaigners in Scotland earned contempt from local Jewish groups this week over their support for a student convicted of racist abuse of a Jewish classmate.

* Say 'No' to the Kotel, Temple Activists Urge The Movement for Establishment of the Temple will hold a Temple Conference and "Temple Feast" in ten days' time.

* Turkey expels Israeli ambassador over Gaza flotilla row Turkey has expelled Israel's ambassador and suspended all military agreements over its refusal to apologise for last year's raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla.

* Jordanian Group Threatens Lawsuit Over Baptism Site A Jordan-based group is threatening to file a lawsuit against Israel in the International Criminal Court over its opening of the baptismal site Qasr al-Yahud near the Jordan River.

* EU bans Syrian oil imports over crackdown The European Union banned oil imports from Syria on Friday in a move that will cost the embattled regime millions of dollars each day as it uses deadly force.

* Libya war is Nato conquest of oil-rich south, Russian diplomat says The Libya conflict signals the end of Nato's eastward expansion and the beginning of a new campaign to conquer the oil-rich Muslim south.

09/01/11

* Iran, Russia agree to explore strategic ties Iran and Russia have agreed to enhance security cooperation.

* Iran Concerned West Will Benefit From Arab Uprisings Iran’s supreme leader admonished the West and Israel on Wednesday not to seek advantage from the antigovernment uprisings convulsing the Arab Muslim world.

* Hebrew Language Needs Public's Help, Says Government Government Secretary Tzvi Hauser has invited the public to present ways of preserving and promoting the Hebrew language.

* Libya conflict: Leaders gather for Paris summit Senior politicians from around the world are gathering in Paris for a summit on Libya's future.

* Iranian nuclear bid could provoke attack: Sarkozy France's President Nicolas Sarkozy warned on Wednesday that Iran's alleged attempts to build long-range missiles and nuclear weapons could lead unnamed countries to launch a pre-emptive attack.

* Iran Doth Protest! Tehran Says Saudi Security Top Priority Iran reacted to a Saudi allegation that Tehran was "targeting" the kingdom Wednesday saying Saudi Arabia's security was of paramount concern to the Islamic Republic.

* Media Comment: Hebrew Now Samuel Johnson, who devoted himself to improving the English language, wrote in the preface to his dictionary that he did so in order that "its purity may be preserved".

* Construction in Judea and Samaria Up a Whopping 660% With the end of the building freeze, construction has started up in Judea and Samaria.

* Diplomats: EU split on support of Palestinians' UN statehood bid The European Union remains undecided whether to recognize the Palestinian push for recognition at the United Nations.

* Meet The City of David in Jerusalem The story of the City of David began about 3,000 years ago when King David decided to leave Hevron and move to Jerusalem in order to unite the people of Israel around one capital.