10/31/11

* Bill Declares Israeli Sovereignty in Judea, Samaria MK Danny Danon's proposal calls for Israel to declare sovereignty over the Jews' Biblical heartland.

* US fears unilateral Israeli strike on Iran Washington concerned Israel will mount military operation against Islamic Republic without coordinating move first, State Department official says. US consequently putting greater pressure on Security Council to impose harsher sanctions on Iran

* Israel improving nuclear abilities The Guardian quotes report claiming Israel extending Jericho III missile's range, developing ICBM capabilities, expanding nuclear-tipped cruise missile enabled submarine fleet

* Freed Terrorists Visit Temple Mount A group of 15 terrorists Israel freed two weeks ago for Shalit visited the Temple Mount and the grave of former PLO official al-Husseini.

* China Can Bolster EU Finances but Wants Reciprocity If China decides to help stabilize the EU's finances it will expect something in return.

* Palestinians get Unesco seat as 107 vote in favor The UN cultural organization has voted strongly in favor of membership for the Palestinians - a move opposed by Israel and the United States.

* ILO: World economy on verge of new jobs recession The global economy is on the verge of a new and deeper jobs recession that may ignite social unrest, the International Labour Organization (ILO) has warned.

* Indian baby picked as world's seven billionth person A baby born in India has been declared the world's seven billionth person by child rights group Plan International.

* Iran leader says US troop exit golden for Iraq Iran's supreme leader on Sunday hailed the coming withdrawal of troops from neighboring Iraq as a golden victory.

* Hamas targets Israel with Grad rockets smuggled from Libya The Hamas regime, a week after its prisoner exchange, has resumed rocket fire toward Israel.

10/29/11

* Protesters in Egypt call on military to leave power Several thousand protesters in Cairo called on the ruling military on Friday to promptly transfer power to a civilian government.

* Hamas said to be getting weapons from Libya with 'virtually no restrictions' Libya has in effect become the main arms supplier of Hamas.

* Gilad: Iran is Currently the Biggest Threat to Israel Amos Gilad, Director of the Defense Ministry's Diplomatic-Security Bureau, said on Friday that Iran is the biggest threat to Israel.

* US envoy: Hamas vulnerable to Arab Spring Hamas could be swept out of power by the Arab Spring if the Palestinian Authority is able to show "tangible" results from peace negotiations with Israel.

* Arab League to Assad: End violence Arab ministers said on Friday they had sent an urgent message to Syria's President Bashar al-Assad, calling on him to end seven months of violence against civilians.

* IAF strike kills five Islamic Jihad militants in southern Gaza Strip The IAF struck an Islamic Jihad training camp Saturday in southern Gaza Strip.

* Video: A Return to the Jewish Index of the Bible As part of a new Israeli initiative, the Chumash (Five Books of Moses) has been published using the Jewish index.

* EU Agreement Yields Temporary Confidence Boost; Problems Remain The stock markets had been looking for a reason to celebrate and they got one with the latest EU patch.

* French finance chief joins Vatican attack on markets France's top financial regulator has told bishops he shares the Vatican's view that financial markets are out of control and need central regulation.

* Diplomats: No breakthrough at Syria atomic talks The Vienna-based UN nuclear watchdog has also been seeking information about other sites that may have been linked to Deir al-Zor.

10/28/11

* Amos Gilad: Iran is a threat that must be dealt with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak are extremely concerned by the Iranian threat.

* Dozens killed in Syria protests; activists urge NATO action Syrian security forces killed at least 30 people on Friday.

* Jordan seen approving move by Hamas from Syria Jordan, under pressure from the Islamist opposition, appears ready to again host Hamas.

* Senior Hamas official: Shalit deal made us stronger Deputy Hamas Politburo Chief, Dr. Mousa Abu Marzouk declared Friday that the Shalit deal has strengthened the movement.

* US flies drones from Ethiopia to fight Somali militants The US military has begun flying drone aircraft from a base in Ethiopia, as part of its fight against Islamist militants in neighbouring Somalia.

* First doubts emerge over eurozone deal Markets sky-rocketed on Thursday (27 October) in reaction to the eurozone deal sealed by EU leaders earlier that morning.

* Eurozone seeks bailout funds from China The head of the eurozone's bailout fund is beginning attempts to persuade China to invest in a scheme to help rescue member countries facing debt crises.

* US considers unusual attack helicopter deal for Turkey The Obama administration is consulting Congress on an unusual proposal to transfer US Marine Corps attack helicopters to Turkey.

* Libya: Gaddafi son Saif al-Islam in contact with ICC The International Criminal Court (ICC) said intermediaries had been used in indirect talks with Saif al-Islam.

* This Week in History: The 1983 Beirut barracks bombing Early in the morning of October 23, 1983, a Mercedes truck arrived at the Beirut International Airport.

10/27/11

* Leaders agree eurozone debt deal after late-night talks European leaders have reached a "three-pronged" agreement described as vital to solve the region's huge debt crisis.

* 9-11 provided major boost for Israeli security and military exports Israel has disclosed that annual defense and security exports topped $7 billion in 2010.

* Mideast envoys make no breakthroughs International mediators have failed to make any breakthroughs in their quest to bring Israeli and Palestinian officials back to the negotiating table.

* Jordan's king: Israel-Egypt peace treaty in danger The Israel-Egypt peace treaty has never been in greater danger, as the post-Mubarak regime in Cairo may choose to revoke it altogether.

* Israel denies US request for settlement freeze Israel denied a request by the United States on Thursday to temporarily freeze settlement construction in order to promote peace talks with the Palestinians.

* IDF Prepares to Deploy 'Magic Wand' The IDF is in the final stages of laying the groundwork to deploy the "Magic Wand" missile defense system in central Israel.

* Israel wary of consequences of Tunisia's Arab Spring Tunisia celebrated the results of their Arab Spring this week with democratic elections.

* Is Libya going to be a radical Islamist state? During the early years of the Cold War, the U.S. backed Saudi Arabia and other traditionalist regimes to counter the radical, anti-Western nationalist forces.

* Qaddafi's Son Ready to Surrender to The Hague Former Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi's son and heir apparent, Saif al-Islam, is reportedly ready to surrender to the International Criminal Court at The Hague.

* Handouts pose danger to Mideast economies The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned on Wednesday that the huge increase in handouts that the governments of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) have made to keep a lid on Arab Spring unrest is a danger for all the economies of the region.

10/26/11

* International envoys seek to restart Mideast talks International mediators will sit down with Palestinian and Israeli officials in Jerusalem on Wednesday in the hope of finding a formula to restart the deadlocked peace talks.

* Euro crisis: EU leaders hope to reach debt plan EU leaders are gathering for an emergency summit in Brussels aimed at tackling the eurozone debt crisis.

* Mecca pilgrimage ripe for sectarian clash The Hajj – The annual pilgrimage in which some three million Muslims converge on the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia – is threatening to become the next flashpoint in the Sunni-Shiite cold war.

* Ahmadinejad on Zionists: They Exist but There Are Only 10,000 Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says Iran is friendly to Jews.

* Saudi cleric: Kidnap soldier - get $100,000 A week after the release of kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, top Saudi cleric Dr. Awad al-Qarni is offering a $100,000 reward to anyone who kidnaps Israeli soldiers.

* 'Chemical weapons in Libya under guard' Chemical weapons have been found in Libya by National Transitional Council forces.

* UN highlights economic cost of organised crime in Italy With Italy increasingly being seen by markets as the next Greece, a major UN report has highlighted how organised crime is harming the Italian economy.

* Palestinian bid for statehood faces rocky road as new UN Security council members announced After 16 rounds voting, going back to last weekend, Azerbaijan was voted in as the fifth non-permanent Security Council member.

* Panetta warns Iran not to meddle in Iraq US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta on Wednesday warned Iran that it should not meddle in Iraq.

* Posters back Egypt's military ruler for president Hundreds of posters calling on Egypt's military ruler to run for president have appeared in several districts of Cairo and the Mediterranean city of Alexandria.

10/25/11

* Turkey earthquake: Death toll rises to 432 The death toll from an earthquake in eastern Turkey has risen to 432 people.

* Obama Wants 'Silent Freeze' in Judea, Samaria The Obama administration reportedly wants Israel to implement a "silent freeze" of Jewish homebuilding in eastern Jerusalem.

* Vatican sides with anti-capitalist protesters and attacks global financial system By demanding that the worst excesses of global capitalism be reined in, the Holy See echoed the message of protesters encamped outside St Paul's Cathedral in London.

* Ahmadinejad says West set to plunder Libya's oil wealth Western countries supported Muammar Gaddafi when it suited them but bombed the Libyan leader when he no longer served their purpose in order to "plunder" the north African country's oil wealth.

* Muammar Gaddafi 'buried in desert grave at dawn' The bodies of ex-Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, his son Mutassim and a top aide have been buried in secret in the desert.

* Tunisian balloting - A double-edged sword Parliamentary ballots closed Monday in Tunisia - the country's first free elections and the first significant democratic exercise in this year's "Arab Spring."

* Bridge for Jews to Temple Mount May Disappear Jerusalem’s engineer demands that the "Mughrabi" bridge for Jews to the Temple Mount be repaired or closed because of dangers.

* Virtual Combat Simulator to Exhibit at Israel Defense Expo An innovative, fully-immersive combat simulator for individual soldiers is one of the many military training systems to be on display next week.

* Group Warns of Cover-Up in Egypt Christian Deaths A leading international rights group has warned of a cover-up by the Egyptian military.

* Europe: Grimmer by the minute European leaders insist they are making progress on a comprehensive plan to tackle the eurozone's debt and banking crisis.

10/24/11

* Clinton to Iran: Don't misread departure from Iraq US Secretary of State says: "Iran would be badly miscalculating if they did not look at … our presence ... in the region."

* Israel Police on alert in Jerusalem, fearing terror attack Warning comes two days after a 17-year-old resident of the Ramot neighborhood was stabbed by a young Arab man near his home.

* Vatican Calls for Central World Bank to Be Set Up The Vatican called for the establishment of a "global public authority" and a "central world bank".

* Turkey earthquake: Desperate search for survivors Rescue teams in Turkey are continuing to search for people trapped under rubble after a strong earthquake hit the eastern Van region on Sunday.

* Libya declares liberation with an Islamic tone Libya’s top leader declared the country officially "liberated" Sunday from the four-decade rule of Moammar Gaddafi, pledging to replace his dictatorship with a more democratic but also a more strictly Islamic system.

* Black magic widespread in Middle East Belief in witchcraft, spells, the occult and protective charms runs deep, despite religious and governmental bans against using magic.

* New euro empire plot by Brussels European Union chiefs are drawing up plans for a single Treasury to oversee tax and spending across the 17 eurozone nations.

* US ambassador Robert Ford pulled out of Syria The US has pulled out its ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, because of concerns for his safety, officials say.

* EU states to speed up austerity, embrace limited treaty change Leaders of the EU's 27 member states met with little fresh to show in the face of the biggest crisis in the bloc's history.

* Lieberman: Abbas is hurdle to peace, not settlements Foreign Minister says the current government will not accept any new freeze on building in east Jerusalem or the West Bank.

10/22/11

* Turkey and Iran 'collaborating against Kurdish rebels' Turkey and Iran have vowed to co-operate to defeat separatist Kurdish militants, on the third day of a Turkish offensive on its Iraq border.

* Rebels accused of executing former Libyan leader and son Mutassim Libya's rebel army has been accused of executing both Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and his son Mutassim in cold blood as the United Nations suggested their deaths amounted to war crimes.

* Iraq rejects US request to maintain bases after troop withdrawal Obama announces the full withdrawal of troops from Iraq but fails to persuade Nouri al-Maliki to allow US to keep bases there.

* Jordan king urges Israel and Palestinians to use Arab Spring as inspiration to revive talks Jordan's King Abdullah on Saturday urged Israel and the Palestinians to look to the Arab Spring uprisings for inspiration and to restart their stalled peace talks.

* Arab Israelis Call to Kidnap Soldiers Dozens of Arab citizens of Israel held a demonstration Thursday in which they called to kidnap IDF soldiers.

* 'Iran to move nuclear material underground in near future' Iran plans to soon start moving nuclear material to an underground site for the pursuit of sensitive atomic activities.

* EU to hold second summit next week European leaders are to have a second summit on the eurozone crisis.

* EU to celebrate Shalit swap despite concerns The EU is set to cheer the release of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

* Will the U.S. Begin Writing "Israel" on IDs of Jerusalemites? Harvey Schwartz, Chair of the American Israeli Action Coalition, participated this week in the Jerusalem Conference for English speakers.

* New virus threatens Iran's nuclear program First there was the Stuxnet computer virus that wreaked havoc on Iran's nuclear program.

10/21/11

* Barack Obama: All US troops to leave Iraq in 2011 All US troops will be pulled out of Iraq by the end of the year, President Barack Obama has announced.

* Row over Muammar Gaddafi's body delays burial plans Col Gaddafi's burial has been delayed by differences among officials about what should be done with the body.

* Turkey and Iran 'collaborating against Kurdish rebels' Turkey and Iran have vowed to co-operate to defeat separatist Kurdish militants, on the third day of a Turkish offensive on its Iraq border.

* Qaddafi's Death Places Focus on Arab Spring's 'Hard Road' Like the flight of Tunisia’s dictator or the trial of Egypt’s, the capture of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi on Thursday afternoon captivated the Arab world.

* Gadhafi's Death Energizes Syrian, Yemeni Protests Energized by the killing of Libya's Moammar Gadhafi, thousands of protesters in Syria and Yemen poured into the streets Friday.

* Cybercommand chief opposes U.N. net control The commander of the U.S. Cyber Command said Thursday that he does not favor giving the United Nations the power to regulate the Internet.

* Saudis said looking to China for strategic ties after U.S. 'betrayal' of key ally Mubarak The Saudi distrust of Washington is said to have grown in wake of the U.S. disclosure of an Iranian plot to assassinate Riyad's ambassador to Washington.

* UN Security Council Shuffle to Favor Israel According to Bloodberg, A shuffle of the 15-member United Nations Security Council could impact Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas' statehood bid at the world body.

* Will the U.S. Begin Writing "Israel" on IDs of Jerusalemites? Harvey Schwartz, Chair of the American Israeli Action Coalition, participated this week in the Jerusalem Conference for English speakers.

* New virus threatens Iran's nuclear program First there was the Stuxnet computer virus that wreaked havoc on Iran's nuclear program. Now comes "Duqu," which researchers on Tuesday said appears to be quite similar.

10/20/11

* Muammar Gaddafi killed in Libya Libya's ex-leader Col Muammar Gaddafi has been killed after an assault on his home town of Sirte.

* Libyans pour into streets to celebrate end of Gadhafi era Libyans poured into the streets to celebrate the news of Muammar Gadhafi's capture and unconfirmed death Thursday.

* WARNING! GRAPHIC VIDEO Libya's Muammar Gaddafi killed.

* The Fight Over How to End a War An unusually powerful phalanx of President Obama’s top officials, charged with organizing an orderly exit from Afghanistan, will face an outwardly confident, almost defiant Pakistan.

* 'Hezbollah delegation visits Moscow, meets lawmakers' A delegation of Hezbollah officials met with Russian lawmakers in Moscow on Wednesday .

* Viasat broadband 'super-satellite' launches The Viasat-1 spacecraft will deliver broadband services to customers in the US and Canada.

* EU officials welcome news of Gaddafi death Top EU officials Herman Van Rompuy and Jose Manuel Barroso have unequivocally welcomed reports that former Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi is dead.

* Turkey commences massive operation against Kurdish rebels in Iraq About 10,000 elite Turkish soldiers were taking part in a ground offensive against Kurdish rebels in southeastern Turkey.

* Gadhafi's legacy: An oil-rich country with a traumatized people During nearly 42 years in power in Libya, Muammar Gadhafi was one of the world's most eccentric dictators.

* Fayyad: Conditions not ripe for renewing talks with Israel The time is not right for meaningful Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said.

10/19/11

* Freed female Palestinian terrorist to Gaza children: I hope you will become martyrs A would-be Palestinian suicide bomber freed by Israel in the prisoner swap for soldier Gilad Shalit told cheering schoolchildren in the Gaza Strip the day after her release on Wednesday she hoped they would follow her example.

* 'UNSC may vote on Palestinian statehood in early November' The Palestinian quest for UN membership is likely to come to a head on or around Nov. 11.

* Turkish troops pursue Kurdish rebels into Iraq Turkish troops backed by fighter jets and helicopter gunships have pursued Kurdish rebels into Iraq.

* Moscow Welcomes Hizbullah A Hizbullah delegation was welcomed by officials in Moscow on Wednesday for the terror group’s first official visit to the Kremlin.

* Chag Sameach! Shmini Atzeret and Simchat Torah Start Tonight The eight day festival that consists of Sukkot and Shmini Atzeret/Simchat Torah comes to an end Thursday night.

* US forces 'massing on Afghanistan-Pakistan border' US forces are massing on the Pakistan border in eastern Afghanistan.

* Blair: Middle East Quartet to press Israelis, Palestinians for border proposals International mediators will press Israel and Palestinians to table their ideas on security arrangements.

* Passenger: 'You're all going to die' Somewhere in the heavens above Amarillo, angry shouts rang out from the back of Southwest Airlines Flight 3683.

* Violent anti-austerity protests grip Greek capital Greece's parliament gave initial approval on Wednesday to a new round of belt-tightening needed to avert default.

* Summit will not be end of eurozone's troubles, says Barroso European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has said Sunday's (23 October) key summit will not necessarily draw the much-wanted line under the eurozone's sovereign debt crisis.

10/18/11

* Gilad Shalit freed in Israeli-Palestinian prisoner swap Cheering crowds have greeted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit as he arrived back in his northern hometown of Mitzpe Hila after five years in captivity in Gaza.

* Libya: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Tripoli US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in Libya on an unannounced visit aimed at showing support for the Libyan people and building ties.

* Kenya troops 'advance into Somalia near Afmadow' Kenyan troops with aerial support are continuing their advance into Somalia towards a town held by al-Shabab 120km (75 miles) from the border.

* Last U.S. Marine training unit leaves Iraq The United States, failing to obtain agreement for an extension, has proceeded with plans to withdraw its military from Iraq.

* Markets plunge as Germany dampens EU summit expectations Stocks and the euro plunged on Monday (17 October) after German officials dampened expectations for a comprehensive solution to the sovereign debt crisis at an upcoming EU summit.

* Putin lays out case for Kremlin return Prime Minister Vladimir Putin laid out his case for a return to Russia's top office in a televised interview on Monday, casting himself as the best guarantor of a bright future in a country haunted by upheaval in the recent past.

* US Army to fly 'kamikaze' drones A miniature "kamikaze" drone designed to quietly hover in the sky before dive-bombing and slamming into a human target will soon be part of the US Army's arsenal.

* Fierce rhetoric, strategic disconnect from West among the red flags in newly Islamist Turkey The Turkish Government of Prime Minister Reçep Tayyip Erdogan has demonstrated that it becomes more politically and verbally aggressive.

* Abbas hails prisoner release as victory for Palestinians Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday hailed the release of 477 prisoners as part of the deal to release Gilad Schalit.

* What makes Israel unique If everything goes as planned on Tuesday morning, Gilad Schalit will return home and Israel will once again prove that it is different from the rest of the countries that surround it in the Middle East.

10/16/11

* Thousands Answer "Amen" at the Priestly Blessing in Jerusalem Arutz Sheva brings you video and photos of the annual priestly blessing at the Western Wall.

* Israelis, Palestinians ready for historic prisoner swap Israel is preparing to release 477 Palestinian security prisoners in order to secure the freedom of captive soldier Gilad Shalit following a landmark deal with Hamas.

* Libya oil fields face guerrilla war threat Pro-Gaddafi fighters may resort to hit-and-run guerilla attacks against Libyan politicians, foreign workers and oil installations in the remote southwestern Fezzan district if they are driven from their last bastions.

* UN chief Ban sends Iran plot case to Security Council Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon passes correspondence from US, Iran and Saudi Arabia to Security Council, declines to comment on sanctions.

* Kenya sends troops into Somalia to hit al-Shabab Kenya's foreign minister has told the BBC his country has sent troops into neighbouring Somalia to target the Islamist militant group al-Shabab.

* Rabbi: Next Time, Just Shoot to Kill Terrorists should be given the death penalty, whether formally or quietly, says former chief IDF rabbi.

* Arab League to Debate Suspending Syria Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies want Syria suspended from the Arab League as unrest in the country spirals towards civil war.

* Tensions Flare as G.I.’s Take Fire Out of Pakistan American and Afghan soldiers near the border with Pakistan have faced a sharply increased volume of rocket fire from Pakistani territory.

* EU treaty change needed to impose decisions on states The outgoing head of the European Central Bank (ECB) has called for a change to the European Union treaty to allow for the outside imposition of economic policy on a member state.

* At Turkish resort, Arabs fill Israeli rooms While upheavals in the Middle East have increased Turkey's popularity as a holiday destination for Arabs, Israeli tourists have vanished.

10/15/11

* Haniyeh: 'Today we're freeing prisoners, tomorrow Al-Aksa' Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, praising the prisoner exchange deal struck with Israel last week, said that "today we are freeing the prisoners and tomorrow, Al-Aksa."

* 'Occupy' protests at financial crisis go worldwide Protests at financial mismanagement and government cutbacks have been held in cities around the world.

* Egypt's Military Expands Power, Raising Alarms Egypt's military rulers are moving to assert and extend their own power.

* U.S. Sending More Contractors to Secure Libya's Weapons Stockpile The State Department is sending dozens of American contractors to Libya to help that country's fledgling efforts to track down and destroy heat-seeking antiaircraft missiles.

* Iranian assassins tied to notorious Quds force US Federal authorities accuse Manssor Arbabsiar and Gholam Shakuri, who officials describe as a "case officer" for the Quds Force, with plotting to assassinate the Saudi ambassador.

* Hamas planning huge Gaza celebrations for prisoners Hamas is planning huge celebrations in the Gaza Strip to welcome Palestinian prisoners .

* EU summit 'will be decisive' on eurozone crisis A European Union summit later this month will agree "decisive" measures to tackle the eurozone debt crisis, the French finance minister has said.

* U.N. rights chief: Syria risks 'full-blown civil war' The United Nations' top human-rights official assailed the Syrian government Friday for a campaign of "ruthless repression and killings".

* Come Sukkot, many Israelis build a home away from home One evening last week, three kids from Mea She'arim wandered along a street that leads to the busiest ultra-Orthodox shopping district in Jerusalem.

* Next WEEK in the European Union EU leaders on Sunday (23 October) will at a summit in Brussels once again scramble for a solution to the eurozone crisis.

10/14/11

* On Release List: Kidnappers, Killers of IDF Soldiers Hamas has published a partial list of terrorists who are expected to be released in exchange for kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit.

* 'Egypt intercepts Libyan surface-to-air missiles in Sinai' Egypt security officers said they intercepted surface-to-air missiles smuggled from Libya through the Sinai peninsula.

* Saudi officials warned of Iran plot to attack Israel embassy in Argentina Saudi officials advised Argentina four months ago of an alleged Iran-backed plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to Washington.

* G20 finance ministers gather as time runs out Top of France's agenda when it took the presidency of the G20 last November was the arcane subject, "reducing imbalances".

* Syria uprising: UN says protest death toll hits 3,000 The United Nations says 3,000 people have been killed in Syria in the seven months of protests against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad.

* Come Sukkot, many Israelis build a home away from home One evening last week, three kids from Mea She'arim wandered along a street that leads to the busiest ultra-Orthodox shopping district in Jerusalem.

* Cost of 'Arab Spring' more than $55 billion The uprisings that swept the Middle East this year have cost the most affected countries more than $55 billion.

* Shalit Transferred to Egypt Egyptian daily Al-Masri Al-Youm reported late Wednesday that Hamas moved captive IDF soldier Gilad Shalit into Egypt.

* 'Hamas refuses to abandon policy of IDF kidnappings' Hamas did not agree to an Israeli request to abandon a policy of future IDF kidnappings.

* Egypt: Planes patrol Sinai without Israel's consent Egypt's air force chief said on Thursday that Egyptian warplanes are patrolling Sinai without Israel's consent.

10/13/11

* Saudi Arabia weighs response to alleged Iran plot Saudi Arabia said on Thursday it was weighing its response to an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate its ambassador in Washington.

* Hezbollah praises prisoner deal as victory for 'resistance' Hezbollah on Wednesday said that the deal to release over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for the kidnapped solider Gilad Schalit was a victory for the resistance.

* Explaining the Iran-Saudi rivalry Yesterday afternoon, the U.S. government charged Mansoor Arbabsiar, a dual U.S. Iranian citizen, and Gholam Shakuri, an alleged member of the Iranian Quds Force (a division of the Revolutionary Guards), with conspiracy to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to the United States.

* Smuggled Libyan weapons flood into Egypt Large caches of weapons from Libya are making their way across the Egyptian border.

* Nato success against Taliban in Afghanistan 'may be exaggerated' The success of one of Nato's principal tactics against the Taliban targeted night raids aimed at killing or capturing leaders of the insurgency may have been exaggerated.

* Barroso outlines plan to resolve eurozone debt crisis The president of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, has set out a plan designed to bring an end to the eurozone debt crisis.

* Iran: Wall Street protests to topple capitalism Iran's top leader said Wednesday that the wave of protests spreading from New York's Wall Street to other U.S. cities reflects a serious crisis that will ultimately topple capitalism in America.

* Saud to ink accord for dialogue center with Austria, Spain A tripartite accord between Saudi Arabia, Austria and Spain will be signed in Vienna on Thursday.

* EU struggling to fight cyber crime Faced with increasing cyber attacks, the EU is looking at a new law criminalising the use of 'zombie' computers and is setting up a 'cybercrime' centre and special teams of IT firefighters to prevent further attacks .

* U.S. Talks Tough to Iran, but Holds Off on Harsher Moves Despite issuing harsh calls for Tehran to be held to account, the Obama administration does not plan to shift its policy of pressure on the Iranian government.

10/12/11

* US to pressure Iran over 'plot to kill Saudi envoy' The US secretary of state has called for a "very strong message" to be sent to Iran, after allegations of a plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to the US.

* Israel Prepares to Welcome Sukkot The week-long Jewish festival of Sukkot, commemorating G-d's protection of the Jews during their 40-year sojourn prior to entering the Promised Land.

* Egypt's army appeals for unity after Christian clash In the worst violence since Hosni Mubarak was ousted in February, armored vehicles sped into a crowd on Sunday.

* Gilad Shalit: Israel and Palestinians welcome deal Israelis and Palestinians have welcomed the announcement of a deal to free captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in exchange for Palestinian prisoners.

* Hamas's Mashaal: Prisoner deal is 'historic victory' Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal on Tuesday night called the deal to exchange Gilad Schalit for over 1,000 Palestinian prisoners a "great achievement."

* Our World: The forgotten Christians of the East On Sunday night, Egyptian Copts staged what was supposed to be a peaceful vigil at Egypt’s state television headquarters in Cairo.

* This Week in History: Hebrew goes conversational On October 13, 1881, a short time before moving to Palestine, Eliezer Ben Yehuda held what is thought to be the first modern conversation in Hebrew.

* IDF Security for 50,000 Jews to Visit Hevron The IDF has deployed throughout the holy city of Hevron to protect nearly 50,000 Jews expected to visit during Sukkot and to keep life routine for Arabs.

* Tens of thousands rally in support of Assad in Syria capital Tens of thousands of Syrians demonstrated in central Damascus on Wednesday in show of support for President Bashar Assad.

* 25 killed in slew of attacks targeting Iraq police A slew of bombings targeted Iraqi police in Baghdad on Wednesday morning, including blasts by two suicide bombers.

10/11/11

* Top Syria cleric threatens suicide attacks on US and EU Syria's top Sunni Muslim cleric has warned Western countries against military intervention in Syria.

* Syria opposition gains regional backers International powers put more heat on Syria's government Tuesday.

* Hello? Is anyone noticing that the world's leaders are behaving irrationally? Could more conspiratorial environmentalistas’ interpretations of our times be correct?

* The Heinous Crime Against Egyptian Coptic Christians The Military Egyptian authorities with no mercy and in cold blood committed a heinous and barbaric massacre.

* PA Using US as Platform for Diplomatic War against Israel Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's upcoming speech to a top US-Arab group may be a move to use the United States as a stage against Israel.

* NATO Commander Says Resilience of Qaddafi Loyalists Is Surprising The commander of NATO's air campaign in Libya has said that hundreds of organized fighters loyal to Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi pose a "resilient and fierce" threat.

* Not a Single Christian Church Left in Afghanistan, Says State Department There is not a single, public Christian church left in Afghanistan, according to the U.S. State Department.

* Pakistani Taliban Considering Peace Talks Pakistan's Taliban movement intimated Monday it would consider peace talks with the US-backed Islamabad government.

* How To Build an Airport Overnight? Ask the IDF A special IDF unit, complete with old-fashioned hoes and high-tech equipment, can build an improvised airfield overnight.

* What Putin wants from China Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin hailed "unprecedented levels of cooperation" with China.

10/10/11

* EU summit on Arab Spring overshadowed by deadly Egypt violence European Union Foreign Ministers express concern over overnight clashes between Coptic Christian protesters and the army in Cairo, which left 24 dead.

* Egypt clashes: Copts mourn victims of Cairo unrest Thousands of Egyptian Coptic Christians have gathered for the funerals of protesters killed during clashes with security forces in Cairo on Sunday.

* "US is #1 Palestinian enemy as it backs Israeli oppression" Senior official Tawfik Tirawi says Fatah hasn't abandoned armed struggle option against Israel; Erekat: PA not opposed to negotiations.

* Iran tells Turkey: Change tack or face trouble Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s military adviser attacks Erdogan's behavior towards Syria, Iran as "in line with the goals of America."

* Window for strike on Iran nuke facilities growing slimmer Israeli-American scholar on nuclear proliferation says that Iranian advances limiting Israeli ability to launch effective attack.

* Sectarian rifts erupt again in Saudi Arabia Shi'ite rioting sends warning that Riyadh's financial largesse doesn’t address grievances.

* Analysis: Egypt’s floundering revolution The Muslim Brotherhood and the liberal Wafd party say they will boycott the November 28 election unless emergency laws are repealed.

* Syria threatens tough measures against any state that recognizes opposition council Syrian FM Walid Mualem says all opposition groups are invited to dialogue with Assad regime, discounting, however, outside recognition of opposition as illegitimate.

* PA Plan: Use UN to Cement Claims to Jewish Holy Sites The PA plans to use anticipated membership in UN committee to make claims on Jewish holy sites in Judea, Samaria.

* Islamist Winds in Egypt? No Jews Allowed at Holy Site Arab Winter: Egypt has completely barred Jews from visiting the tomb of Rabbi Abuhatzeira, grandfather of the "Baba Sali".

10/08/11

* An entire system of global trade is at risk Sir Mervyn King, the Governor of the Bank of England, this week called the current financial crisis "the most serious… since the 1930s, if ever".

* Gadhafi's legacy in Africa: 'Madman or god?' Not too long ago, the African stage belonged to Moammar Gadhafi.

* Deadly gunfire at funeral of Syrian opposition leader Anti-government protests across Syria -- one propelled by the funeral of an assassinated Kurdish opposition leader -- turned deadly again Saturday as security forces cracked down.

* 10 Years Into Afghan War, a Thunderous Duel The sun had been up less than a half-hour on the 10th anniversary of the start of the American-led war in Afghanistan when the first rocket struck.

* Gantz: Israel must always be war-ready IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen Benny Gantz was 14-years-old when the Yom Kippur War broke out.

* Yom Kippur: Israel Stops and Reflects The highest of the High Holidays – Yom Kippur – is to begin on Friday night.

* Yom Kippur War Redux / How Israeli and U.S. leaders ignored the Arab drums of war in 1973 If only they had listened to Sharon, maybe the 1973 War would have been averted.

* World facing worst financial crisis in history, Bank of England Governor says The world is facing the worst financial crisis since at least the 1930s “if not ever”, the Governor of the Bank of England said last night.

* Libya's rebels launch the final push for Sirte and their crowning victory Libyan rebel forces launched a furious 'final offensive' on the loyalist stronghold Sirte on Friday.

* Perry Ally Calls Mormonism 'a Cult' A Baptist pastor from Dallas who has endorsed Rick Perry introduced the Texas governor at a conservative forum on Friday in Washington.

10/07/11

* Security forces on high alert as Israelis mark Yom Kippur Security and rescue forces were on high alert and deployed in large numbers in Jerusalem and throughout the West Bank for Yom Kippur.

* Yom Kippur: Israel Stops and Reflects The highest of the High Holidays – Yom Kippur – is to begin on Friday night.

* Gantz: Israel must always be war-ready IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen Benny Gantz was 14-years-old when the Yom Kippur War broke out.

* US warns against European 'gridlock' In the latest round of public pressure mounted on European leaders to move swiftly to contain the worsening debt crisis.

* Settlers vow to resist future evictions The second disengagement? The State is gearing to launch a series of West Bank settlements and outpost evictions after the High Holidays.

* Attacks Punctuate 10th Year of U.S. Afghan Fight Insurgents attacked four American outposts simultaneously near the border with Pakistan on Friday.

* The Deutsche Mark Is Coming, And Germany Will Still Lead The European Super-State Ever since the dawn of the European Union, it was clear that there was a power of three- France, Belelux and West Germany.

* World facing worst financial crisis in history, Bank of England Governor says The world is facing the worst financial crisis since at least the 1930s "if not ever", the Governor of the Bank of England said last night.

* Jews Shout Out to G-d at the Western Wall During the Ten Days of Repentance, the period between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, thousands of Jews traditionally visit the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

* This Week in History: Deadly riots on the Temple Mount On October 8, 1990, members of the “Temple Mount Faithful” fringe Jewish group set out to the Temple Mount.

10/06/11

* NATO allies debate when to end to Libya air war NATO allies on Thursday grappled with how quickly they could end their bombing campaign in Libya.

* Tributes for Apple 'visionary' Steve Jobs World and business leaders have been paying tribute to Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, who has died at the age of 56 from pancreatic cancer.

* Egypt's ruler says country in a critical phase Egypt's military ruler said Thursday the country is going through a critical period.

* Israel's 'House Divided' Unites on Yom Kippur Divided though Israel's population may be during the rest of the year, on Yom Kippur, Jews in the Holy Land are united as One.

* Secret panel can put Americans on "kill list' There is no public record of the operations or decisions of the panel, which is a subset of the White House's National Security Council.

* Syria protests: More than 2,900 killed overall, says UN The UN had previously put the death toll at 2,700.

* 'Silent majority' backs economic government of Europe The European Commission believes it is backed by a "silent majority" in favour of its push for further EU integration.

* Ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel begin atonement ahead of Yom Kippur Ahead of Yom Kippur, ultra-Orthodox Jews slaughter white chickens as part of a ritual to cleanse themselves of sins from the past year.

* Mideast Quartet to Meet Sunday Envoys from the Middle East Quartet -- the European Union, Russia, the United Nations and the United States -- will meet in Brussels on Sunday.

* Israeli history photo of the week: The Golden Gate The Library of Congress has recently digitalized a collection of over 10,000 photographs, taken by the "American Colony" in Jerusalem.

10/05/11

* 2,000 Through Porous Sinai Border into Israel An estimated 2,000 people managed to sneak through the porous Israel-Egypt border along the Sinai Peninsula in August.

* Russia and China Veto UN Resolution on Syria Russia and China joined forces on Tuesday and vetoed a European-drafted UN Security Council resolution condemning Syria.

* Syrian Unrest Spilling into Lebanon Syrian tanks entered the Bekaa border region of Arsal in on Tuesday and fired in the direction of an abandoned factory.

* Boycott looms as Egyptian elections near Less than two weeks left before campaigning begins for what are supposed to be Egypt’s first ever free and fair elections, a boycott by opposition activists, some political parties and the country’s Christian minority remains on the table.

* Turkish PM: Israel a nuclear threat Turkey's prime minister says Israel is a threat to the region for having a nuclear weapon.

* Bibles rescued from Syria in secret op It was a James Bond-style, continent-wide operation with many participants. It began in Syria, continued in the United States and ended in Israel.

* Ahmadinejad: Missile shields won't prevent collapse of Zionist regime Iran criticized Turkey on Tuesday for agreeing to allow NATO to station an early warning radar in the southeast of the country.

* Somali famine: Red Cross aid push in Islamist areas The International Red Cross has begun a huge distribution of aid to one million people in famine zones in Somalia controlled by Islamist militants.

* Germany Reopens Investigations into Hundreds of Nazi Guards The German government has launched a last-chance blitzkrieg on the dormant cases of hundreds of former guards and other personnel at Nazi death camps.

* Unrest spreads to military as retired Greek officers storm defence ministry The Greek armed forces now appear to be entering the political and street-level debate in the country over EU- and IMF-imposed austerity.

10/4/11

* Assad threatens to attack TA in case of NATO strike Syrian President Bashar Assad on Tuesday threatened to set fire to the Middle East.

* Sinai Anarchy to mean More IDF Reserves Former IDF soldiers may find themselves called back to duty more frequently this year as the IDF responds to growing terrorist threats from Sinai.

* US says Israel, PA support new Quartet approach to talks In an apparent effort to keep the most recent Quartet initiative alive, the US embassy circulated a statement Tuesday giving the impression both Israel and the Palestinians have equally accepted a Quartet framework for returning to direct talks.

* World's most powerful telescope up and running A radio telescope high in the Chilean desert is the world's most powerful eye on the universe.

* Iranian Extremists Pursue Christians Overseas Iranians who fled their country after converting to Christianity have received death threats in their new homes overseas.

* Early Hitler letter urging annihilation of Jews goes on display in U.S. Adolf Hitler's anti-Semitic 1919 Gemlich letter, described as the most significant document ever acquired by the Simon Wiesenthal Center, is now on display.

* Nobel Prize for physics awarded for supernovae research Three scientists shared the 2011 Nobel Prize for physics for the stunning discovery that the expansion of the universe is speeding up.

* Europe Finds Slope Ahead Is Growing Ever Steeper Europe has had a rough ride since Greece confessed it falsified its books to join the euro.

* 'No need' for US troop immunity post-2011: Iraq leaders Iraqi leaders said in a statement Tuesday there was "no need" for US forces that stay beyond year-end.

* Arab Spring sparks sharp fall in foreign investment The flow of foreign direct investment into the Arab world is expected to slump by 17 percent in 2011.

10/03/11

* Panetta hints US opposed to unilateral action against Iran After meeting with Barak, US defense secretary repeats that countries must work together to prevent Iranian threat to region.

* Israel is the West's creation for Mideast dominance Iranian president slams "western intolerance for debate over Jewish state's existence" at "Intifada Conference" in Tehran.

* Israel fears Iran will copy its policy of nuclear ambiguity Defense official tells reporters Iran could continue on current course of enriching uranium without publicly making nuclear weapon.

* Hitler letter offers first glimpse of anti-Semitic passions "The Gemlich letter proves obsessive hatred of Jews more clearly than in his later book 'Mein Kampf'" says founder of Wiesenthal Center.

* PA Maps Show State that Swallows Up Israel While the PA speaks of the indefensible 1967 "borders” at the UN, its maps tell a different story - one in which Israel no longer exists.

* Erdogan playing with fire Turkey’s recent military moves, rhetoric have shifted from cursing to war games

* Virtual Dead Sea scrolls get more than a million hits in just one week 400,000 Americans visit new website launched by Israel Museum and Google.

* Libya conflict: New offensive on Sirte Forces of the Libyan transitional government have launched a new offensive against the pro-Gaddafi stronghold of Sirte.

* Iraqi Forces Battle Bombers, Gunmen to End Siege Iraqi security forces on Monday killed several suicide bombers and gunmen to rescue hostages seized by insurgents after they attacked a local government compound and a police station in Anbar province.

* Arab Housing Day accentuates Palestinian building boom Palestinian dwellings built this year expected to exceed total dwellings built in Israel in 2010; number of units expected to reach 884,385 in 2011.

10/01/11

* 'US to hand fighter helicopters to Turkish army' US Ambassador to Turkey Francis Ricciardone said on Friday that the US will give three Super Cobra helicopters to Turkey.

* Temple Mount: Plenty to see for all 3 religions A Jewish tour guide and a Muslim tour guide meet on the Temple Mount and talk about Christianity.

* Khamenei rejects two states, calls Israel 'cancerous' Iran's supreme leader rejected the Palestinians' UN statehood bid on Saturday.

* Hamas: 'Resistance' against Israel is only option left for Palestinians Hamas leader Khaled Meshal told an international conference in Iran on Saturday that "resistance" was the only option left for the Palestinians.

* Palestinian official: Mideast Quartet envoy Tony Blair 'useless' A senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday said that former British premier and current Mideast Quartet representative Tony Blair was "useless."

* Officer: Syrian defectors target security police More than 10,000 soldiers have deserted the Syrian army and defectors are attacking security police.

* UN panel holds first meeting on Palestinian statehood bid A UN Security Council panel on admitting new members to the United Nations met on Friday for the first time.

* Tehran to host Intifada conference Hundreds of Iranian and foreign politicians are due to participate in an international conference in support of the Palestinian Intifada in Tehran.

* The making of a shofar Expert shofar maker Aharon Shternberg shows us how it's done – from the ram's horns as nature made them to the synagogue floor.

* Dangerous al-Qaida propagandist eliminated The killing of senior al-Qaida propagandist Anwar al-Awlaki in Yemen represents a significant blow to the organization's indoctrination capabilities.