Monday, July 18, 2011

07/18/11

* Israel: Support waning for Palestinian state bid Israel's deputy foreign minister says he believes international support for recognizing an independent Palestinian state at the U.N. this fall is waning.

* European FMs call on Israel, Palestinians to restart talks In what may be seen as signal to PA that EU not pleased with UN bid, ministers issue statement calling on both sides to resume negotiations.

* Social media game aims to end extremism A social media game with Arab super heroes at its heart has been launched on Facebook.

* Iranian troops attack Kurdish PJAK rebel bases in Iraq Iranian forces have inflicted a "heavy and historic defeat" on Kurdish rebels based in Iraq, army officials say.

* David Petraeus hands over Afghanistan command General David Petraeus, US commander of Nato troops in Afghanistan, has handed responsibility for the military campaign there to his successor, General John Allen.

* Gold Tops $1,600 an Ounce as Debt Fears Simmer Gold prices rallied to record highs above $1,600 an ounce in Europe on Monday, as investors spooked by the euro zone debt crisis and the threat of a US default bought into the metal as a haven from risk.

* Syrian Troops at Three Borders to Stop Defections The troubled Assad regime has deployed soldiers on three borders – Iraq, Lebanon and Turkey – to try to stop more defections from the army as the opposition plans civil disobedience, the first calculated action beyond protests.

* Germany to finance submarine for Israel Angela Merkel's government allocates funds to subsidize Israel's purchase of German-made submarine; Submarine is Israel's third to be subsidized by Germany.

* IDF officer: Yeshiva in West Bank settlement harbors "Jewish terror" and must be shut down GOC Central Command Avi Mizrahi says Yitzhar yeshiva leaders’ views not consistent with democracy.

* Syrian exiles vote for transitional government SYRIAN opposition leaders have taken the first step to forming a transitional government in the hope of securing formal Western backing against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.