01/31/12

* 'It May Be Too Late to Attack Iran after the Summer' The constant chatter about a possible Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear site may end by the summer.

* EU pushes Arab plan for regime change in Syria EU leaders have urged the UN Security Council (UNSC) to adopt an Arab League plan for getting rid of Syrian leader Bashar Assad.

* IAF commander: Israel's aerial superiority is in danger Israel Air Force chief Ido Nehushtan said Sunday that Israel's aerial superiority in the Middle East is in danger.

* US to Deploy Commando "Mother Ship" in Middle East According to the Washington Post the Pentagon is rushing to deploy a large floating base to serve as a "mother ship" for commando teams to the Middle East.

* Eurozone unemployment hits new record Unemployment in the eurozone hit a record high at the end of last year, the Eurostat agency has said.

* Why Are the Chinese Buying Record Quantities of Gold? This month, the Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department reported that China imported 102,779 kilograms of gold from Hong Kong in November.

* PLO blames Israel for failure of Amman talks Palestinian leaders blamed Israel for the failure of exploratory talks aimed at resuming peace negotiations.

* Russia slams UN Syria draft resolution A top Russian diplomat has assailed a Western-Arab draft U.N. resolution on Syria as pushing the country on the "path to civil war."

* UN resolution could spur Syria civil war, Russia warns The Western-Arab drive to adopt a UN resolution on Syria is a "path to civil war", Russian deputy foreign minister Gennady Gatilov has warned.

* 'Egypt's military considering early power transfer' Egypt's military rulers in the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) are considering handing control of the country to civilian authorities earlier than planned.

01/30/12

* Bibi Willing to Cede Judea and Samaria A senior political source claims Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is willing to uproot most of Yesha in exchange for Obama's backing.

* IAF Commander: 'Arab Spring' Could Strengthen Terror IAF Commander addresses the changes caused by the Arab Spring and says: We cannot cut the defense budget.

* Panetta: Iran Could Develop a Nuclear Bomb Within a Year US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta: Iran could develop a nuclear bomb within a year, but the US will do anything to stop it.

* Hamas leader embarks on visit to Iran, Gulf states Hamas spokesman says Ismail Haniyeh going to Tehran at invitation of President Ahmadinejad, but gives no details of agenda for talks.

* Euro crisis hangs over latest Brussels EU summit The eurozone crisis will dominate an EU summit on Monday, with an emphasis on growth and "smart" budget discipline.

* PLO Member Parties: Stop Talking with Israel PLO member parties urge its leaders to halt talks with Israel until it freezes construction in Judea and Samaria.

* Axis of Evil May Twin Al Qaeda and Iran Iran and Al Qaeda hate each other, but their mutual hatred of Zionism and the US may make them allies for terror.

* Iran ground force commander: US wouldn't dare attack us Brigadier General Ahmad Reza Pourdasta says America and its allies are 'fearful of the Iranian forces and nation'.

* This WEEK in the European Union Another European summit in Brussels kicks off this afternoon, with leaders aiming to finalize outstanding issues on the European stability mechanism and the fiscal compact treaties.

* Israel among top 3 in cyber attack defense Brussels-based think tank study finds Israeli websites attacked 1,000 times a minute on the Internet.

01/28/12

* Navy wants commando 'mothership' in Middle East The Pentagon is rushing to send a large floating base for commando teams to the Middle East.

* Peres: Iran the most corrupt country on earth President Shimon Peres voiced concern over Hamas' foreign funding but expressed hope that direct talks with the Palestinian Authority could bring an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in an interview with CNN.

* Saudis seek new security allies, sign nuclear agreement with China Saudi Arabia has been leading a Gulf Arab effort to conduct an independent security policy that was not dependent on the United States.

* Security and Defense: Waiting for a trigger In 2008, the IDF developed the "knocking on the roof" tactic.

* In Egypt, surprises a year into revolution One year on, Egypt's revolution isn't many of the things that either the Egyptians themselves or those on from the outside think.

* Survey: Record number of Israeli Jews believe in God Fully 80 percent of Israeli Jews believe that God exists.

* Arab League freezes monitoring mission in Syria The Arab League has suspended its monitoring mission in Syria because of an escalation of violence.

* Russia ready to engage on UN Syria resolution Russia's UN Ambassador Vitaly Churkin said a European-Arab draft resolution on Syria circulated to the UN Security Council.

* European Parliament President: 'Never Again' Both the incoming and outgoing presidents of the European Parliament vowed "never again".

* PA official: Palestinians to rule on fate of Israel peace talks in days The executive committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) is expected to rule whether or not to continue the Jordan-mediated low-level peace talks with Israel.

01/27/12

* 'Holocaust taught us value of democratic ideals' The Holocaust has taught the world that democracy demands both the rule of law as well as the preservation of democratic values.

* Barak calls on world to stop Iranian nuclear threat Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Friday warned that nuclear weapons in the hands of the Iranian regime would lead to regional proliferation.

* Postponed Israel-U.S. Drill to be Held in October The largest-ever anti-missile military exercise with the United States, which Israel postponed a week and a half ago, will be held in October.

* Former IDF Chief: Israel Must Prepare for War Former IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi warned, Thursday, that Israel could not afford to cut its defense budget and should prepare itself for war.

* Ya'alon: Hamas exploiting democratic system Hamas is exploiting the democratic system in order to take control of the Gaza Strip and institute its Islamic rule.

* Arab World: A joyless celebration Anger and frustration marked the first anniversary of the Egyptian uprising.

* Web economy in G20 set to double by 2016, Google says The value of the web economy in G20 countries will nearly double by 2016, according to Boston Consulting Group.

* US to cut almost 100,000 troops The US will cut almost 100,000 troops as part of its plans for a "smaller, leaner" military, Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has announced.

* US envoy talks down fears on internet snooping A senior US official has tried to dispel the notion that post-9/11 America abuses internet privacy.

* Asteroid makes near-miss fly-by An asteroid hurtled past the Earth on Friday in something of a cosmic near-miss, making its closest approach at about 1600 GMT.

01/26/12

* Muslim Brotherhood repeats: No talks with Israel Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood categorically rejects dialogue with Israel.

* Former IDF chief: Israel must prepare for possible attack on Iran Former IDF chief Gabi Ashkenazi said Thursday that Israel must operate under the radar against Iran.

* EU and Arab countries put forward new UN resolution on Syria EU countries on the UN Security Council and a handful of Arab states have put forward a new resolution on Syria.

* Israeli Jews becoming more religious, poll finds Israeli Jews are becoming more religious, according to a study published Thursday by the Israel Democracy Institute.

* Palestinians: Peace negotiations with Israel have ended The time frame that the Palestinians have allowed for talks with Israel in Amman under Jordanian auspices expires on Thursday.

* Tahrir Square, one year later Egyptians did not have to work on January 25, 2011 – it was a holiday, National Police Day.

* 'Israel has declared war on Hamas in West Bank' Israel has declared war on Hamas representatives in the West Bank, Palestinians said Tuesday.

* Merkel: Transfer more powers to EU, not more money to bail-out fund German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said transferring more powers to EU institutions rather than increasing the size of the eurozone's future bail-out fund is the way to overcome the euro crisis.

* Israeli hacker team brings down Iranian websites Israeli hackers brought down Iran's Press TV website and two websites belonging to the Ministry of Health and Medical Education on Thursday.

* Ahmadinejad: Sanctions can't harm Iran's economy Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Thursday that his country's economy would not be damaged by newly imposed Western sanctions.

01/25/12

* Technion developing 3 tiny, unique satellites  Researchers at the Technion- Israel Institute of Technology - for years experts in the miniaturization of satellites - plan to build and dispatch into space a fixed formation of three nano-satellites weighing up to six kilograms each, the first time scientists will attempt this feat.

* 'No peace talks unless J'lem agrees to Palestine borders' The Palestinian Authority will not restart direct peace negotiations with Israel unless Jerusalem recognizes the borders of a Palestinian state.

* Iran: EU oil sanctions will have 'serious consequences' Iran on Tuesday warned that a wide-reaching oil embargo imposed on it by the European Union would have "serious consequences".

* Egypt rallies mark anti-Mubarak uprising anniversary Some are celebrating the success of Islamist parties in the first post-Mubarak elections.

* Barghouti: No Peace Until Israel Leaves Judea and Samaria Jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti on Wednesday said the Israeli-Arab conflict will only come to an end when Israel withdraws to the pre-1967 lines.

* Turkey intercepts Iranian missiles, chemical weapons at Syrian border Turkey has determined that Iran was relaying chemical weapons and missiles to Syria.

* Davos 2012 starts with worries about eurozone crisis The eurozone crisis and its global impact are set to dominate as the World Economic Forum (WEF) gets under way.

* Former Israeli Envoy to US: Replace Obama President Obama should be replaced, former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Dan Gillerman told a women's Zionist conference.

* MK Tells US: Prepare for Abdullah's Fall MK Aryeh Eldad (National Union) told U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro on Wednesday that the plan for two countries west of the Jordan River has reached a dead end.

* Assad's fall could solve Iraqi weapons mystery If Syria’s regime falls, the U.S. will be in a better position to answer one of the lingering questions from the long Iraq War: Did Baghdad ship weapons of mass destruction components to Syria before the 2003 American-led invasion?

01/24/12

* PM: World silent while Iran, Hezbollah threaten to destroy Israel "Seventy years have passed since the Holocaust, and many around the world still remain silent in the face of Iran's threats to wipe Israel off the map.

* German report: 20% of Germans are anti-Semitic The German government released on Monday the findings of a two year inquiry into modern anti-Semitism in the Federal Republic, showing that latent anti-Semitism affects one of every five Germans.

* Israel to UN: Tomorrow will be too late for action against Iran "The Arab world is in flames and the Security Council is dealing with construction permits in Judea and Samaria.

* Security Council Remains Unfavorable to PA Statehood Bid US diplomats on Monday repeated their position that a solution to the Arab-Israeli crisis would only come through direct talks saying the Security Council makeup remained unfavorable to the Palestinian Authorities.

* Gaddafi supporters seize control of Libyan town Fighters loyal to Libya's overthrown leader Muammar Gaddafi took control of a town south-east of the capital on Monday.

* Iranian Currency Crashes 80 Percent in One Month The Iranian "rial" currency sank again Monday after the European Union slapped sanctions on oil imports.

* IMF: Global economy 'in danger zone' over euro crisis The world's economy is "deeply into the danger zone" because of risks from the eurozone, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said.

* Huge Solar Eruption Sparks Strongest Radiation Storm in 7 Years A powerful solar eruption is expected to blast a stream of charged particles toward Earth tomorrow.

* Gulf Arab states to pull observers from Syria Gulf Arab states have announced that they are withdrawing from the Arab League's observer mission in Syria.

* Egypt parliament chooses Brotherhood speaker Egypt's Islamist-led parliament voted to appoint a top politician in the Muslim Brotherhood as the new assembly's speaker.

01/23/12

* US carrier enters Gulf after Iran tones down threats USS Abraham Lincoln is the first US carrier in Gulf since December.

* European Union agrees on Iran oil embargo European Union nations have agreed on an oil embargo against Iran as part of sanctions over its nuclear program.

* PA Mufti Denies He Called to Kill Jews The PA’s principal religious leader denies he called for genocide of Jews, claims "sentences were cut from my speech."

* Christians in Iran, Syria face rising persecution Iranian pastor Nardakhani refuses to renounce Christian beliefs in exchange for release from prison.

* Iraq risks slipping into authoritarianism Human Rights Watch report says Iraqi authorities are suppressing freedoms, abusing anti-gov't protesters, using secret prisons.

* PM: Probe Jerusalem mufti who encouraged killing of Jews Netanyahu urges attorney general to order investigation against Palestinians' top Muslim cleric who cited hadith calling for religious battle against Jews.

* Republicans Downplay "One Israel" Resolution The Republican party has downplayed a national committee resolution that implicitly backs Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.

* Clinton, Peres speak in virtual peace conference Dignitaries speak in "Yala Young Leader's Conference for Peace" conference on Facebook.

* Russia to deliver combat jets to Syria $550-million deal envisages delivery of 36 Yak-130 aircraft.

* Egypt parliament holds first session since revolution Islamist MPs took centre stage on Monday as Egypt's parliament met for the first time since a popular uprising ousted Hosni Mubarak, while their supporters massed outside to cheer the historic event.

01/21/12

* Official results: Egypt's Islamists dominate new parliament The Muslim Brotherhood won by far the biggest share of seats allocated to party lists in Egypt's first freely-elected parliament in decades.

* US army chief: Won't let Holocaust happen again Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Martin Dempsey visited Friday the Yad Vashem Holocaust History Museum in Jerusalem.

* Iran: US presence in Gulf 'not new issue' Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Saturday it considered the deployment of US warships to the Gulf part of their routine activity.

* Nigeria violence: Scores dead after Kano blasts Hospitals and mortuaries are struggling to deal with the numbers of killed and injured still arriving.

* Libyan Islamists rally to demand sharia-based law Hundreds of Libyan Islamists rallied on Friday to demand that Muslim sharia law inspire legislation in what organizers called a response to the emergence of secular political parties.

* 'Italy to help Libya protect borders, oil' Italy will help Libyan authorities protect the North African country's borders and oil facilities.

* Turkey intercepts material for missiles, chemical weapons on Iranian trucks Material for manufacturing missiles and chemical weapons has been discovered by the Turkish authorities on Iranian trucks heading to Turkey.

* Israeli 'to-do' app voted best app of 2011 Ever feel frustrated over the way you organize your to-do's? Tangled in a web of post-it stickers hung around your office? There might be some hope yet.

* U.S. military can no longer rely on Turkey for regional ops The U.S. military maintains only limited access to facilities in Turkey.

* US threatens to close Damascus embassy soon The United States warned on Friday that it may soon close its embassy in Syria due to the worsening security situation.

01/20/12

* US military chief holds talks in Israel on Iran The U.S. military's top general conducted an intense string of closed-door talks with Israeli leaders Friday.

* Hamas urges end to Israel-Palestinian talks after West Bank arrests The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas urged President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday to suspend exploratory peace talks with Israel.

* France's Sarkozy: Military strike on Iran would trigger Middle East war French President Nicolas Sarkozy warned against any military intervention against Iran over its nuclear program.

* Arab World: Qatar, Midwife of the new Arab world Qatar's Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani this week called for the deployment of Arab troops in Syria.

* Obama plan seen ending U.S. military edge in space The Obama administration is launching a new space arms-control initiative that critics say will lead to restrictions on U.S. military activities in space.

* Syria on the brink? Russia upgrades major port at Tartous to accommodate aircraft carriers Russia, defying a revolt against the regime of President Bashar Assad, plans to modernize a major naval facility in Syria.

* Minister: Israel is an Internet Superpower Israel's top public relations official, on Thursday, told Israelis not to worry about the Arab-Israeli Hacker War that has erupted in recent weeks.

* Israeli Ambassador Flies Back to Tel Aviv Israeli Ambassador to Egypt Yaakov Amitai has quietly left Cairo.

* Future EU bail-outs only for treaty signatories, new draft says The latest version of the treaty on EU fiscal discipline says countries cannot get bail-outs unless they sign and apply the pact.

* Iran calls for Israel to be 'punished' for scientist An ally of Iran's supreme leader called on Friday for Israel to be "punished" for its alleged role in killing an Iranian nuclear scientist last week.

01/19/12

* PM: Iran already decided to become a nuclear state Iran has already decided to become a nuclear state.

* Iran Threatens U.S., Persian Gulf Cities with Missile Attacks Iran might pound Persian Gulf cities with ballistic missiles and use swift boats to attack American war ships.

* Panetta: U.S. military fully prepared to deal with Iran threat The U.S. military is fully prepared to deal with any threats by Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz.

* IDF Paratroopers Renew Brigade Jumps, Ground Attack in Drill This week, the IDF held its first parachuted brigade training exercise in 15 years.

* Israeli Hacker Groups Raise Cyberwar Stakes Several days after a hack attack by Saudi and other Arab hackers against the web sites of El Al and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, Israel's "IDF-Team" hacker group struck back against web sites of large banks in the United Arab Emirates, and in Gaza.

* 'Muslim Brotherhood site rife with anti-Semitism' The Arabic website of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood is rife with anti- Semitic and anti-Israel content.

* Lebanese Army Warns Hizbullah: Disarm Before Assad Falls Lebanese Army leader Samir Geagea warned the Hizbullah terrorist organization this week that it is better to make a "historic" deal to disarm before Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is toppled from power.

* Dangerous abortions 'on the rise', says WHO A rising proportion of abortions worldwide are putting women's health at risk, researchers say.

* Russia: EU and US want war with Syria Russia has accused Nato countries of trying to start a war with Syria and foment revolution in Iran.

* Worries grow over Syria chemical weapons arsenal As the days of Syrian President Bashar Assad increasingly look numbered, concerns are mounting that the regime's vast stockpile of chemical weapons might fall into the hands of terrorists by accident or by plan.

01/18/12

* European envoys: Blacklist Israeli settlers The heads of European Union delegations to the Palestinian Authority have drafted a document with harsh recommendations meant to strengthen the PA's control over east Jerusalem.

* IDF holds first brigade-level parachute jump in 15 years In preparation for future conflicts far from Israel, the IDF Paratroopers Brigade held a brigade-level parachute jump late Tuesday night.

* Thousands in Jerusalem protest racism against Ethiopian Israelis Some 5,000 people were demonstrating in Jerusalem on Wednesday in protest of the racism against Ethiopian immigrants in Israel.

* Russia defends mystery Syria shipment Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Wednesday defended Russia's trade with Syria.

* Iran oil, gold and banks on EU hitlist An oil embargo from 1 July, a partial ban on the central bank and a prohibition on trade in gold and gems are among the latest EU ideas on how to stop Iran building nuclear bombs.

* Did Israel postpone joint drill with US? The postponement of a major US-Israel drill planned for the coming weeks was initiated by Jerusalem.

* Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal to Step Down Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal will step down this year when the group's elections take place.

* Israel Chastises Britain for 'Obstacle to Peace' British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg's charge that settlements are "deliberate vandalism" creates an obstacle to peace.

* Sopa: Sites go dark as part of anti-piracy law protests Thousands of internet sites are taking part in a "blackout" protest against anti-piracy laws being discussed by US lawmakers.

* Parliament worried new treaty divides Europe As negotiations on a new inter-governmental agreement on fiscal discipline reach the final stage, MEPs have warned that it risks dividing Europe and widening the democratic gap.

01/17/12

* Presidential Candidate: Egypt Won't Cancel Peace with Israel Egyptian presidential hopeful Amr Moussa rejects the idea that Egypt will cancel the peace treaty it signed with Israel in 1979.

* IDF official: Nuclear Iran will limit Israel's ability to protect its borders A nuclear-armed Iran could deter Israel from going to war against Tehran's guerrilla allies in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip.

* Syrian 'chemical, biological' weapons concern Israel Israel has serious concerns about what will happen to "huge stockpiles" of chemical and biological weapons in Syria when the Assad regime collapses.

* British Students Assault Jew in 'Nazi Game' Students from the prestige London School of Economics recently assaulted a Jew who objected to a Nazi 'Ring of Fire' card game.

* Anti-Israel Hackers Hit Yesha and Azerbaijan Hackers claiming to be from Kurdistan or Iraq invaded the websites of the community of Shiloh in Samaria and of Israel’s ally Azerbaijan.

* In Their Own Words: For Iranians, Negotiations = Stalling "Ah, the Iranians!" the politician said, eyes lighting up. "They make carpets!".

* For Now, the Eurozone and the Markets Pooh-pooh the Downgrades. But the Long-Term Looms Modestly positive trading on European stock markets Monday morning appeared to confirm what euro zone leaders had predicted for weeks: that the decision Friday by Standard & Poor’s to cut the credit rating of nine European economies had been so fully expected by investors.

* Sinai Bedouin Smuggling 'Thousands' of Missiles to Gaza Sinai Bedouin report they have smuggled "thousands" of shoulder-launched missiles into Hamas-controlled Gaza.

* Handful of questions remain on EU fiscal treaty Finance ministers will next week tackle the thorny little details still to be agreed before EU countries can bless a new pact on fiscal discipline.

* New EU parliament president promises to ruffle feathers Martin Schulz has promised to live up to his reputation as something of a political bruiser in his new role as European Parliament president.

01-16-12

* US feared backlash from Iran over missile defense exercise with Israel The United States, concerned over an Iranian backlash, has canceled a major ballistic missile defense exercise with Israel.

* Fatah Celebrants: Religious War with Jews, Born of Apes & Pigs A top PA cleric claimed at a major Fatah event that Muslims are in a religious war with the Jews, the descendants of "apes and pigs."

* Hamas Calls for More Hacking Against Israel Hamas calls for more hacking against Israelis, says hacking is "a new field of resistance."

* Draft text: EU ministers 'worried' by Israeli actions in Jordan Valley A draft statement for EU foreign ministers next week says Israel's monopolisation of land and water in the occupied West Bank is "worrying" and endangers the two-state solution.

* US military chief to Israel as Iran tension grows The top US military commander is scheduled for talks in Israel this week when the US is concerned that Israel might be preparing to attack Iran over its nuclear program.

* Iran warns Gulf Arabs on oil Iran warned Gulf Arab oil producers against boosting production to offset any potential drop in Tehran's crude exports in the event of an embargo affecting its oil sales.

* Islamist set to be Egypt's new parliament speaker Leading Egyptian political parties will back a senior figure in the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) for the assembly's speaker.

* Iraq Deputy Premier Calls for Prime Minister to Resign Iraqi officials are trading accusations of dictatorship, assassination plots amid political deadlock and a worsening security situation.

* Police: Extreme Right to escalate West Bank violence Israel Police intelligence report also says tensions surrounding Jewish presence in east Jerusalem may boil over in coming year

* UN chief urges end to Israeli 'occupation' Ban Ki-moon says violence against civilians must end, settlement construction works against two-state solution in keynote address in Beirut

01/14/12

* U.S. Warns Israel on Strike U.S. defense leaders are increasingly concerned that Israel is preparing to take military action against Iran.

* Tension: U.S. Navy focusing on Iran maneuvers and the Strait of Hormuz The U.S. Navy has made the growing Iranian military presence in the Gulf a top priority.

* Tunisians celebrate their revolution one year on Tunisians on Saturday marked the first anniversary of the revolution that started the "Arab Spring" with celebrations that were true to the spirit of the revolt.

* S&P downgrades ratings of 9 euro zone countries Standard & Poor's stripped France of its top AAA rating on Friday and carried out a mass downgrade of half the nations in the euro zone.

* Hizbullah Rejects UN Demand to Disarm Lebanon-based Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah has rejected a call by visiting United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his terrorist organization to disarm.

* Iran terms assassination of fourth nuclear scientist 'work of the Zionists' Western intelligence agencies continue to target Iran's nuclear sector.

* Arab League Chief Warns Against Civil War in Syria The head of the Arab League warned Friday that Syria may be sliding toward civil war.

* Bomb kills pilgrims in south Iraq A bomb tore through a procession of Shiite pilgrims heading toward a largely Sunni town in southern Iraq.

* Israel, Palestinians to hold further talks Saturday Israelis and Palestinians will hold their third round of face-to-face meetings this year on Saturday.

* Israel to Establish Cyber Warfare Administration The Israeli Defense Ministry is to establish a special cyber warfare administration.

01/13/12

* 'US warns Iran on Hormuz through secret channel' The United States used a secret diplomatic channel to tell Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneni that closing the Strait of Hormuz would constitute crossing a "red line."

* 'Russian-operated arms ship reaches Syria' A Russian-operated ship with "a dangerous cargo" has reached conflict-torn Syria.

* IDF Paratroopers March through Jerusalem's Old City Jewish pride in Jerusalem: 90 recruits of the paratroopers marched on Thursday evening through Jerusalem's Old City.

* 'Covert war on Iran – prudent strategy' The covert war waged against Iran is a practical strategy, a former top Israeli defense official told the New York Times Thursday.

* Ahmadinejad: Ties between Cuba, Iran unbreakable Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday both Cuba-Iranian relations and Fidel Castro were in good shape.

* The anniversary of the Egyptian revolution Almost a year on, the situation in Egypt is still chaotic and the end far from sight.

* Erekat: Freeze Construction or Talks End PLO chief negotiator Saeb Erekat vowed to terminate exploratory talks between Jerusalem and Ramallah.

* Hackers Break into Israel Fire Services Website Hackers broke into the Israel Fire and Rescue Services website overnight.

* Serbian vulture set free after treatment at Israeli veterinary hospital A Serbian vulture was released back into the wild on Tuesday, following two months of treatment in an Israeli veterinary hospital.

* Negotiators finalise broad outline of EU fiscal treaty Negotiators from 26 member states have reached broad agreement on the new fiscal treaty.

01/12/12

* Uniformed IDF Soldiers Visit Temple Mount For the first time in a decade, Israeli soldiers in uniforms ascended to the Temple Mount this week and toured the Al Aqsa Mosque.

* Former inspector: Iran 'one year from' bomb material Having switched production of higher-grade enriched uranium to a new, underground site, Iran is now just a year or so away.

* Putin ally fears Israel is pushing US toward Iran war Russia fears Israel will push the United States into a military conflict with Iran.

* MI chief: Iran, Hezbollah arming Syria Military Intelligence chief Major-General Aviv Kochavi said Wednesday that the "radical axis is working to retain its power".

* Iranian president arrives in Cuba; U.S. warns of 'dangerous alliance' Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad arrived in Cuba Wednesday for a brief visit that is the third stop in his Latin American tour.

* Doomsday Clock ticks one minute closer to to Armageddon The nuclear watchdogs at the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists reset the hands of the symbolic Doomsday Clock to five minutes to midnight.

* Israeli scientist helps discover rare planets An American team that includes a Tel Aviv University astrophysicist has discovered two distant planets.

* Astronomers weigh in on Milky Way's true colours Astronomers have determined exactly what colour our home galaxy the Milky Way is, and find it is aptly named.

* U.S. military moves carriers, denies Iran link The U.S. military said on Wednesday that a new aircraft carrier strike group had arrived in the Arabian Sea.

* Iran: We'll Bring the War to Israel, and 'Beyond' Iran is preparing its own answers to the string of assassinations of Iranian scientists.

01/11/12

* Magnetic bomb kills nuclear scientist in Iran; Israel accused Two assailants on a motorcycle attached a magnetic bomb to the car of an Iranian university professor working at a key nuclear facility.

* 'Mossad hiring Iranians in Iraq to spy on Iran' The Mossad has managed to infiltrate the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq.

* Temple Menorah Stamp Affirms Jewish Claim to Land Archeologists continue to dig up breathtaking proofs of the ancient and never-severed connection between Jews and the Land of Israel.

* Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez taunt US over 'big atomic bomb' Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez joked about having "a big atomic bomb" and mocked US.

* Assad vows to strike 'terrorists' with iron fist Syrian President Bashar Assad vowed Tuesday to strike "terrorists" with an iron fist.

* US senators warn Ashton on risk of Iran war US senators have warned EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton that Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program risks igniting a military confrontation.

* UK Minister Calls For Divided Jerusalem A British Minister on Tuesday kept up his nation's mantra that Israeli construction is a material bar to final status talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

* US Explains Why It Cut Funds for PA's Sesame Street The US explained in a briefing Tuesday why funding for the Palestinian Authority version of Sesame Street is being cut.

* Turkey seizes alleged Iranian arms shipment to Syria Turkish customs officials have impounded four Iranian-registered trucks on suspicion of carrying "military materials" to Syria.

* Al Qaida affiliate in Africa using Twitter to attract potential recruits The Somalian-based Al Qaida affiliate Al Shabaab is recruiting followers through its Twitter page.

01/10/12

* Bethlehem to Host Church Conference Which Demonizes Israel Next March, the Bible College in Bethlehem will host dozens of US theologians, activists and ministries for the "Christ at the Checkpoint 2012 Conference".

* PA TV Marks Fatah Founding, Praises Coastal Road Massacre The Palestinian Authority has again praised the perpetrator of the worst terrorist attack in Israeli history.

* Israel preparing for nuclear Iran Israel is preparing for Iran to become a nuclear power and has accepted it may happen within a year.

* Russian carrier arrives in Syria The Russian Navy has sent warships to Syria.

* Gantz: 2012 will be a critical year regarding Iran IDF Chief of Staff Lt.- Gen. Benny Gantz said Tuesday that 2012 would be a critical year regarding Iran.

* Jordan's Islamists regain key asset Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood movement has not climbed the ladder to political power as its counterparts have in Egypt and Tunisia.

* Is a US-Iran maritime clash inevitable? Operation Praying Mantis is today little more than a footnote in US naval history.

* Temple Menorah Stamp Affirms Jewish Claim to Land Just two weeks after a Temple era seal was displayed to the public.

* Obama to host Jordan's King Abdullah at White House U.S. President Barack Obama will host King Abdullah II of Jordan at the White House next Tuesday.

01/09/12

* Panetta: US will not allow Iran to develop nuclear bomb, block Strait of Hormuz US Defense Secretary says Iran laying groundwork for making nuclear weapons, but is not yet building bomb.

* PLO infuriated by preferential treatment Hamas now gets in Arab states Arab League states have been ignoring the Palestine Liberation Organization for the Islamist opposition.

* Mideast governments fail to see scale of change Amnesty International report saying leaders are not recognizing the significance of the Arab Spring.

* Russian naval force arrives at Syria port in show of solidarity Russian visit comes as Arab League scheduled to meet in Cairo to assess the performance of the a widely criticized observer mission.

* Billion Dollar Weapons Sale to Asia Israel Aerospace has won the $1.1 billion prize in competition for supplying weapons systems to an unidentified Asian country.

* Iran Issues New Threat to Close Strait of Hormuz Iran has again threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, this time using the excuse of a military exercise set for January 27.

* Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church Are Bosom Buddies Those predicting an estrangement between Putin and the Russian Orthodox Church ignore their shared approach.

* Confidence ebbs in Greece's ability to stay in euro Experts in Germany and the Czech Republic are losing faith that Greece will be able to stay in the single currency despite its multi-billion bail-outs.

* Warning: Hizbullah Wants to be your "Friend" Terrorists are hitting the social networks to fight Israel and Western countries, says Haifa University Professor Gabriel Weimann.

* Haniyeh Promises "Difficult Days" for Israel Hamas' Gaza Prime Minister in Tunisia: We will not a cede a single part of Palestine and won't recognize Israel.

01/07/11

* U.S. and Israel Preparing for 'Biggest Defense Drill Ever' The Israeli military is gearing up together with U.S. forces for a major missile defense exercise.

* Hamas Chief: 'Palestine a Religious Commitment' Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh said support for "Palestine" should be a "religious and nationalist commitment" for Arabs as he arrived in Tunis Thursday.

* West readies oil plan in case of Iran crisis Western countries discuss tapping up to 14 million bdp of oil from emergency stockpiles if Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz.

* Ahmadinejad to seek help in Latin America as sanctions bite Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will seek support from Latin America's leftist leaders on a tour starting on Sunday.

* 'Islamist success in Egypt puts Israel in peril' The success of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egyptian parliamentary elections and the Islamist party's pending inclusion in the government is a victory for the Palestinians.

* Hamas Official: Jordan's King Abdullah Will End Like Mubarak A Hamas official slammed Jordan’s King Abdullah on Thursday and said his fate will be similar to that of former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

* Will Holland Finally Apologize for Passivity in the Holocaust? Many people think that the help that Anne Frank's family received from workers and friends typified the Dutch during the Holocaust. The facts are apallingly different.

* Thousands gather in Damascus for funerals of Syria bombing victims Thousands of Syrian mourners on Saturday attended the funerals of the 26 people who were killed in a suicide bombing.

* Kenyan troops 'kill 60 al-Shabab fighters' in Somalia The Kenyan army says it has killed 60 Somali al-Shabab militia fighters in air strikes.

* Ayalon: Israel Will Hit Back on Cyber Attacks Hackers who attempt to attack Israel in cyberspace will be met with a "forceful response," warned Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon.

01/06/12

* Israel, US to stage major defense drill The IDF is gearing up together with US forces for a major missile defense exercise.

* Red Sea 'virtual fence' to foil Sinai terror A virtual electronic fence in the Red Sea as well as new fortified military positions and a significant increase in the number of IDF units along the border with Egypt are some of the changes that have taken place.

* Israel could take out Iran's nuclear infrastructure 'in two days' Israel could destroy Iran's nuclear infrastructure with three combat air squadrons.

* IMF chief: End of euro unlikely in 2012, but crisis will drag on The euro will not "vanish" this year, but problems within the eurozone will slow down the global economy.

* Nigeria church hit by deadly gun attack in Gombe Gunmen have attacked a church in north-east Nigeria, killing at least six people, the church's pastor says.

* Who are Nigeria's Boko Haram Islamists? Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram - which has caused havoc in Africa's most populous country through a wave of bombings - is fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state.

* X-37B spaceplane 'spying on China' America's classified X-37B spaceplane is probably spying on China.

* China warns US on Asia military strategy China's state media have warned the US against "flexing its muscles" after Washington unveiled a defence review switching focus to the Asia-Pacific.

* U.S.: Muslim Brotherhood gave assurances on Egypt-Israel peace treaty The Muslim Brotherhood gave the United States assurances regarding the maintaining of Egypt's peace deal with Israel.

* Iran plans new military maneuvers in February Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) will hold new naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz in February.

01/05/12

* Israeli, Palestinian negotiators to meet Monday for second round of direct talks Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators will hold their second round of face-to-face talks within a week on Monday in Amman.

* 'Israel gave PA outline in Amman, not detailed proposals' Western officials say 21-point document given during meeting with Palestinians dealt with general principles of final agreement.

* Hamas Says Amman Confab Could Scuttle Unity Deal Hamas leader Ismail Radwan said Wednesday that the PLO talks with Israeli envoys in Amman this week would damage Fatah's reconciliation deal with the terror group.

* Samaria Residents: Israel is Becoming a 'Dictatorship' Security forces raided homes in communities in Samaria early Thursday morning.

* Iraq reports '57 terrorist cells' nationwide in wake of U.S. withdrawal Iraq, in wake of the withdrawal of the U.S. military, has reported an extensive insurgency presence.

* Obama plans to cut tens of thousands of ground troops The Obama administration will unveil a "more realistic" vision for the military on Thursday, with plans to cut tens of thousands of ground troops .

* Iraq: Bombings in Baghdad and Nasiriya kill scores Officials said 45 pilgrims died in a suicide attack in Nasiriya and 27 people died in Shia areas of Baghdad.

* Speculation swirls over Erdogan’s health Speculation is mounting that Recep Tayyip Erdogan has cancer.

* IDF rabbinate edits out Dome of the Rock from picture of Jerusalem's Temple Mount Israel's military rabbinate released an educational document ahead of the holiday of Hanukkah last month.

* Terrorists Lobbed 2 Missiles a Day in 2011 Terrorists fired an average of nearly two missiles a day at Israel in 2011.

01/04/12

* Ahmadinejad: Israel's attempts to 'Judaize' Jerusalem will bring about its end Israeli attempts to "Judaize" Jerusalem will bring about its end, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said.

* Pentagon: US Navy will remain in Gulf The Pentagon on Tuesday answered an Iranian warning to keep US aircraft carriers out of the Persian Gulf.

* Israeli-Palestinian talks end without breakthrough No breakthroughs emerged Tuesday from the first meeting between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators in more than a year.

* Santorum on Israel: Let It Attack Iran Rick Santorum, who won a virtual tie with Mitt Romney in Tuesday's Republican party caucus vote in Iowa.

* Surprise Navy Drill at Haifa Port as Iran Ends War Games The IDF staged a surprise drill at its base at the port of Haifa as Iran completed ten days of "war games" that included a threat on Israel.

* Egypt's MB reaches out to rivals as it leads voting The Islamist Muslim Brotherhood was edging on Wednesday towards a dominant role in Egypt's first free parliament in decades.

* Iran Panics as Currency Sinks on US Sanctions New U.S. sanctions dealt Iran a potentially lethal economic blow this week even before they took effect.

* Community Stands Up to Missionary Mailings As part of a Christian missionary campaign, hundreds of thousands of Jewish homes have recently received blue pamphlets that contain missionary material.

* Planned Parenthood's Annual Report: Got $487.4M in Tax Money, Did 329,445 Abortions According to its latest annual report, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) received $487.4 million in tax dollars over a twelve-month period and performed 329,455 abortions.

* In Post-Gaddafi Libya, Freedom is Messy—and Getting Messier Four fighters were reportedly killed and five wounded in the clash ignited by the attempts of a Misrata-based militia to free a comrade.

01/03/12

* Iran warns US carrier to stay out of Persian Gulf Iran will take action if a U.S. aircraft carrier which left the area because of Iranian naval exercises returns to the Gulf.

* IDF predicts missile attacks on J'lem in future war The army recently updated threat scenarios for every major city in Israel.

* IDF: 8,000 rockets, missiles could hit Israel if war erupts Based on enemy capabilities, IDF assesses hundreds of Israelis could be killed if war breaks out this year.

* U.S. says will continue to deploy warships in Persian Gulf despite Iranian threats The United States will continue to deploy its warships in the Gulf.

* Al Qaeda Operating in Jerusalem Al Qaeda claims to be operating a "Sunni Youth" terrorist cell in Jerusalem.

* Egypt's Islamists plan formal re-examination of Camp David treaty The Islamist movement could end Egypt's peace treaty with Israel.

* Egypt, Turkey use F-16s in joint naval exercise Egypt and Turkey have concluded a naval combat exercise.

* Israel Security Council: Obama Naive on Muslim Brotherhood The Muslim Brotherhood plans to cut off Israel, The Hindu says Obama wants them to talk to Taliban, Israeli officials call Obama naïve.

* Chief Israeli, Palestinian envoys meet in Jordan The chief Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators on Tuesday were holding their first face-to-face meeting in more than a year.

* 'Palestinians are biggest winners of Arab Spring' Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh claimed Tuesday that Palestinians would be the biggest winners of the so-called Arab Spring revolutions that saw the successful overthrow of three separate regimes in the Middle East.

1/2/12

* The U.S. is overlooking Iran's moves in South America Iran has been working covertly not only in Canada and the United States but has also been fostering strong ties with an anti-U.S. set of countries in South America: Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua.

* Emerging U.S. strategy builds a 'geopolitical economy' along China's periphery One can scarcely read anything on world affairs these days without seeing discussion of the decline of the U.S. and the rise of China. In recent weeks, however, President Obama spoke plainly, bluntly, and even disparagingly to China.

* Iran Tests Missile that Can Hit US and Israeli Bases Iran escalated tension with the West and Israel Monday, claiming that it one of its warships successfully fired a long-range coast-to-sea "Qadr" missile that can hit Israel and the United States.

* Arab League: Assad Making Observer Mission a 'Mockery' Syrian forces killed eight more protesters on Monday leading the Arab Parliament to accuse Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was making a mockery of the Arab League's observer mission to Damascus.

* Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood plans to put treaty with Israel to a referendum The Muslim Brotherhood, the overwhelming victor in the first round of elections for the Egyptian Parliament, has announced it will not recognize Israel and intends to bring the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty to a referendum.

* Nasa's gravity twins now circling Moon The US space agency (Nasa) has succeeded in placing two new satellites in orbit around the Moon.

* Gaza Leader Boards IHH Flotilla Ship in Turkey, Lauds 'Martyrs' Haniyeh’s first diplomatic tour leaves no doubts on his aims as he boards the IHH ship whose terror activists attacked IDF soldiers.

* Hamas calls on Palestinian Authority to boycott peace talks with Israel Call comes day before Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are to meet in Amman, Jordan, in the first public face-to-face parley between the sides in 15 months.

* Israel, Palestinian envoys to hold talks in Jordan on Tuesday Meeting in Amman will be hosted by Jordanian FM and is taking place ahead of a January 26 Quartet deadline for the resumption of direct Israel-Palestinian peace talks.

* New Year's speeches voice fears on future of Europe EU leaders have said in their festive messages the single currency is still at risk unless they take decisive action.