07/31/12

* Mursi makes first contact with Israel in letter to Peres Egyptian president makes gesture hours before US Defense Secretary Panetta arrives in Cairo for official visit.

* Gantz: IDF will follow Iran attack orders if given The IDF will carry out orders to attack Iran's nuclear facilities if it receives orders to do so from the government.

* Lack of funding may force Syrian refugees into Europe Neighbouring countries surrounding war-ravaged Syria may seal off their borders if they can no longer absorb the increasing number of refugees.

* Video: Terrorists train for southern border attack A video released by the Mujahideen Shura Council on Friday documents the preparations leading up to the terror attack that killed an Israeli civilian on the border with Egypt last month.

* Al-Qaida turns tide for rebels in battle for eastern Syria As they stood outside the commandeered government building in the town of Mohassen, it was hard to distinguish Abu Khuder's men from any other brigade in the Syrian civil war.

* India power cut hits millions, among world's worst outages Hundreds of millions of people across India were left without power on Tuesday in one of the world's worst blackouts.

* IDF's New Cellphones: Smarter and Safer The IDF will begin to implement a mammoth technological project Wednesday.

* Iran Funding Terror Camp in Iraq An Iranian-funded religious academy in Iraq is training approximately 1,500 recruits from Arab countries worldwide to use "combat weapons".

* China: Romney's Pro-Jerusalem Views May Ignite War China, which has refused to buck Iran and Syria, now goes to bat for the Arab world.

* Euro-saving operations due within 'days,' says Juncker Eurogroup chief Jean-Claude Juncker has said there is "no time to lose," as the world talks about a eurozone breakup.

07/30/12

* Syria conflict: UN says 200,000 have fled Aleppo battle Some 200,000 people have fled intense fighting in Syria's second city Aleppo in the past two days, the UN has said.

* Singing, Yearning in Lamentations at the Western Wall A night of grieving, a night of unity as the people of Israel came together to yearn for what was, and what is yet to be.

* Barak: No One Dares Attack Israel with Chemical Weapons "No element in the world would dare attack Israel with chemical weapons," says Defense Minister.

* Scalia opens door for gun-control legislation, extends slow burning debate Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia said Sunday the Second Amendment leaves open the possibility of gun-control legislation, adding to what has become a slow-boiling debate on the issue since the Colorado movie theater massacre earlier this month.

* Apollo Moon flags still standing, images show Images taken by a Nasa spacecraft show that the American flags planted in the Moon's soil by Apollo astronauts are mostly still standing.

* DHS gears up for civil unrest prior to presidential elections The Department of Homeland Security has ordered masses of riot gear equipment to prepare for potential significant domestic riots at the Republican National Convention, Democratic National Convention and next year's presidential inauguration.

* Remains of Jews Massacred on Temple Mount Found? Journalist shows video of mass grave just outside eastern wall of Temple Mount.

* Saeb Erekat: Romney Harms US Interests in Middle East Romney's "rewarding occupation, settlement and extremism" is "harmful to American interests", charges PA negotiator.

* Hamas TV Issues Video Response to Temple Video Hamas TV and another anti-Israel group make their own versions of the successful Temple Institute video.

* Panetta says sanctions haven't yet worked in Iran U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is acknowledging that international sanctions have not achieved their aim of compelling Iran to rein in its nuclear ambitions. 

07/28/12

* Arab League: Don't Touch Muslim Temple Mount The Arab League has released a statement warning Israel to stay away from the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

* Erdogan in Britain, Calls for International Steps Against Syria Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday that international steps must be taken to deal with President Bashar al-Assad's military build-up.

* Russia: Int'l support for Syria rebels ups violence Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned on Saturday that international support for Syrian rebels would lead to "more blood".

* Former U.S. officials say CIA considers Israel to be Mideast's biggest spy threat The CIA station chief opened the locked box containing the sensitive equipment he used from his home in Tel Aviv, Israel, to communicate with CIA headquarters in Virginia.

* Syria army mounts air and land attack on Aleppo Syrian forces have kept up a day-long ground and air attack against rebels in parts of the city of Aleppo.

* The true tragedy of Tisha Be'av Western Wall, which was part of retaining wall of Herod's reconstruction of Second Temple, remains a place of prayer and pilgrimage.

* Russian, Western navies to face off near Syria A Russian naval flotilla, which entered the Mediterranean earlier this week, may be there for a long haul.

* US defense secretary to visit Israel for talks on Iran, Syria Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will head to the Middle East next week.

* Sunni rebels occupying churches, homes of Syrian Christians The Vatican has determined that Sunni rebels were targeting the Christian community in Syria.

* British Islamists Call Off Protest Against 'Evil' Olympic Games A group of British Islamists called off a protest planned for outside the London Olympic Park on Friday.

07/27/12

* Arab League: Don't Touch Muslim Temple Mount The Arab League has released a statement warning Israel to stay away from the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

* U.S. plans major exercises for Gulf, Mediterranean Sea in September The United States has recruited more than 20 countries for two major naval exercises around the Middle East.

* Russian, Western navies to face off near Syria A Russian naval flotilla, which entered the Mediterranean earlier this week, may be there for a long haul.

* US defense secretary to visit Israel for talks on Iran, Syria Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will head to the Middle East next week and is expected to speak with Israeli and Jordanian officials.

* Hizbullah Places Itself at Assad's Disposal The Hizbullah terror group has affirmed its allegiance to Syria and has offered to place itself at President Bashar Assad's disposal.

* China Dares US To Respond With More Than Bromides To Measures It may not be an exaggeration to say that the most important Chinese city after Beijing is the new city of Sansha.

* Israel ups security on Syria border Israel bolstered security along its border with Syria on Thursday as fighting between Syrian rebels and President Bashar Assad's regime intensified.

* Turkey sets up secret base to bring aid to Syria rebels, sources say Turkey has set up a secret base with allies Saudi Arabia and Qatar to direct vital military and communications aid to Syria's rebels.

* Syria conflict: Assad's fall 'matter of time' - ex-UN observer The former head of the UN observer mission in Syria says it is "only a matter of time" until President Bashar al-Assad's government falls.

* Security and Defense: Preparing for war by surprise On Saturday December 27, 2008, Col. Ofer Levy, then deputy commander of the Givati Brigade, was out for lunch when he received a phone call informing him that Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip had begun.

07/26/12

* Egypt's President Insulted Over Video: 'The Children are Ready' Arab media are expressing the view that an innocent video prepared to mark a holy Jewish fast day was actually secretly intended as an insult to newly-elected Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi.

* Temple Institute Responds: Video is Fresh Perspective A video produced by the Temple Institute in Jerusalem, has apparently turned the Arab world upside down.

* 'Muslim Brothers plotting overthrow of Gulf states' Dubai's chief of police has warned of an "international plot" to overthrow the governments of Gulf Arab countries.

* Barak Warns Israel Ready to Go It Alone on Iran Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned Wednesday that Jerusalem is "committed to doing everything it can in order to stop Iran from going nuclear."

* PA thanks IOC for refusing Munich victims memorial The Palestinian Authority has thanked the International Olympic Committee [IOC] for refusing to allow a minute's silence at the opening ceremony in London.

* Dayan's NYT Op-Ed: Settlements Are the Solution, Not Problem Judea and Samaria Communities Council (Yesha Council) head Danny Dayan writes this week in a op-ed for the New York Times that a two-state "solution" is no solution at all.

* After delays, massive US bunker-buster available In face of possible military intervention in Syria and a strike against Iran, the United States has announced that its largest bunker-buster missile capable of penetrating underground facilities is operational.

* Facebook, Google, eBay and Amazon join US lobby group Google, Facebook, Amazon and eBay are joining forces to create a powerful pro-internet lobbying group in the US.

* Iran Pledges to Deploy Warships in the Atlantic For the second time in less than a year, Iran's top naval commander has said Iranian Navy vessels will soon be plying the Atlantic Ocean.

* The News From Europe on the Economy Is Universally Depressing The bad news has been coming thick and fast in the European debt crisis. Moody's, the rating agency, has rated both Germany and the European bailout funds negative.

07/25/12

* Temple Institute Tisha B'Av Video A new video released by the Temple Institute, called The Children are Ready has hit over 110,000 views on YouTube as of Tuesday, only five days after its release.

* IDF Chief: Syria Intervention Could Lead to Regional War IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz warned the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that a misstep by Israel in moving to secure Syria's chemical weapons could lead to a wide-scale regional war.

* Assad Knows Israel Will Attack, If Necessary, Says Lieberman Syrian President Bashar Assad knows Israel will attack Hizbullah if it obtains his chemical weapons.

* 11,000 Centrifuges in Iran Enriching Uranium, Ahmadinejad Says Iran now has 11,000 centrifuges enriching uranium, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad says.

* Saudi King Calls Islamic Summit King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has called for an emergency Islamic summit in Mecca on August 14-15.

* Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer claims huge cosmic ray haul The largest-ever experiment in space has reported the collection of some 18 billion "cosmic ray" events that may help unravel the Universe's mysteries.

* Meet the 'bots' that edit Wikipedia Wikipedia is written and maintained by tens of thousands of volunteers across the world. Those, in turn, are assisted by hundreds of "bots".

* Israel to use advanced early warning system on Lebanese border Over the next few months the IDF will begin taking an Multi-Sensor System (MSS) on operational activities.

* World Bank: Palestinian economy unsustainable due to foreign aid reliance The Palestinian economy's recent growth is unsustainable because of its heavy reliance on foreign aid.

* Munich widows ask crowd to hold own moment of silence at Olympic opening If the International Olympics Committee refuses to grant a minute of silence for the Israeli athletes murdered during the Munich games, members of the audience at Friday's opening ceremony should stand up themselves.

07/24/12

* Gantz: Attack on Syria may spark regional conflict Israel could face a large-scale conflict in the aftermath of an attack against Syria's chemical weapons.

* Syria conflict: Aleppo bombed by fighter planes Fighter jets have bombed eastern areas of Syria's second city Aleppo.

* Iranian Mouthpiece Media Calls on Syria to Attack Israel Syrian President Bashar Assad should attack Israel, says an Iranian newspaper considered the mouthpiece of the Supreme Leader.

* Baby-Eating Zionist Lizard on 'Peace Partner' TV Palestinian Authority Television promoted paintings that would have pleased Adolf Hitler ten days ago.

* 'Israel Will Go to War if Hizbullah Gets Chemical Weapons' Israel is prepared to intervene militarily if Hizbullah gets a hold of Assad’s chemical weapons.

* EU to boost Israel trade relations despite settlements row The EU is today to confirm moves to strengthen economic ties with Israel.

* Eurozone crisis worsens as Germany warned on top rating The euro-crisis is accelerating as Spanish borrowing costs continue rising and Germany, Netherlands and Luxembourg.

* London 2012: More troops deployed for Olympics More than 1,000 troops who had been on standby to bolster security at the Olympic Games have been deployed.

* Saar: Hevron Integral to Jewish Story Education Minister Gideon Sa'ar on Tuesday visited Hevron in a signal he intends to expand the "Higher Hevron" program.

* Abbas to delay Palestinian UN bid until after US elections Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has decided to delay a Palestinian bid for UN recognition until after US elections in the fall.

07/23/12

* Barak: World's intelligence community is on the alert for terror attacks at Olympics The world's intelligence community is on the alert for terror attacks at the London Olympics, and Israel knows only too well that it can be targeted at such events, Defense Ministry Ehud Barak said on Sunday morning.

* IDF Trains for 'Arab Spring' in Judea and Samaria A large-scale IDF exercise in Judea and Samaria, the first in three years, is preparing soldiers in the Menashe Brigade for a possible "Arab Spring" rebellion. The brigade is based near Jenin, located in central Samaria between the Mediterranean Coast and the Jordan River.

* Syria 'will not use' chemical weapons on its own people Syria has said it will not use chemical weapons against its own people, but would do so against an external attack.

* Nasa's 'untried' technology to land Curiosity on Mars On 6 August, the largest rover ever sent to Mars should touchdown on the planet's surface. For the landing, the mission uses a complex - and untried - "sky crane". Our space columnist finds out how it's going to work. (Video of landing courtesy of Nasa).

* Iraq attacks in Baghdad and north 'kill 107' A wave of bomb attacks and shootings in Baghdad and north of the capital has killed at least 107 people, say security and medical officials.

* Syria Warns It May Use Chemical Weapons on 'Foreign' Forces Syria has admitted it has chemical weapons and in what might have been a veiled threat against Israel, said it will use them if attacked.

* Syrian civil war boosts Israeli-US defense ties Officials deny reports that Israel under pressure from DC to refrain from taking unilateral steps against Assad's chemical weapons.

* Israel Files Complaint Over Golan Incursion An incursion into the Golan Heights by some 500 Syrian soldiers last week has led Israel to lodge a complaint with the United Nations.

* Iran downplays threat to close Hormuz Strait Military commander says Iran won't close Strait of Hormuz as long as it can use the shipping line itself, IRNA reports.

* IOC holds surprise Munich massacre memorial After IOC president rules out minute of silence at opening ceremony, c'tee holds first-ever memorial in Olympic village.

07/21/12

* 'Iran will attack Tel Aviv if Israel strikes' Iran will "attack the heart of Tel Aviv" in the event that Israel launches an attack against the Islamic Republic's nuclear facilities.

* Pentagon: Signs Hezbollah staged Bulgaria attack The Pentagon said Friday that there are signs that Hezbollah orchestrated the Wednesday suicide bombing which killed five Israelis in Bulgaria.

* Barak: Israel may seize advanced weapons in Syria Israel is preparing for a possible military intervention in Syria.

* Morsi Meets Mashaal, Stresses Support for 'Palestinians' Egypt, under the rule of the Muslim Brotherhood and President Mohammed Morsi, is tightening relations with Hamas.

* Israel's Muslims begin Ramadan fast amid heat wave Millions of Muslims around the world marked the beginning of the Ramadan holy month on Friday.

* EU ministers set to beef up Syria arms embargo, sanctions EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels Monday (23 July) are expected to extend sanctions on Syria.

* Amnesty Int'l: Israel must protect Syrian refugees Amnesty International has urged Israel to take "necessary steps" to ensure anyone fleeing Syria be allowed to benefit from effective and systematic protection.

* Each Ethiopian Jewish Soldier will have a Mentor Those who call Israel a racist state may not like to hear it, but the IDF's Personnel Branch is planning to help Ethiopian-Jewish soldiers take their steps in the military by giving each of them a mentor.

* 'Israel has the right to defend itself' US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro commented Friday on the terror attack in Bulgaria, which claimed the lives of five Israelis and left 32 injured, saying that Israel has the right of self-defense.

* Ellis Island to Ben Gurion Airport: The changing Jewish immigrant experience Last week I boarded a Nefesh B'Nefesh charter flight from New York City to Israel which was packed to the gills with hopeful new immigrants to the Jewish state.

07/20/12

* Al-Aqsa Sheikh: Jerusalem will be Muslim Forever Sheikh Yusuf Salameh, a preacher at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, denounced on Thursday a statement by Israel's Attorney General that Israeli law must be applied to the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem.

* Russia, China veto of Syria sanctions spark West's outrage Russia and China on Thursday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Syria for the third time.

* Israel eases West Bank travel restrictions for Ramadan To mark the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Israel is easing travel restrictions for West Bank Palestinians.

* Russia official: Assad ready to step down from power; Syria denies Syrian President Bashar Assad has accepted that he will have to leave power, but will only leave in an orderly way.

* Israel threatens a 'heavy price' for Iran after deadly Bulgaria bus bomb Israel yesterday fuelled fears of a further escalation in the already high tensions with Iran by promising to "exact a heavy price" from the perpetrators of the suicide bombing which killed seven people in Bulgaria.

* Bundestag approves Spanish bailout with large majority The German Parliament on Thursday (19 July) approved a bailout for the Spanish banking sector of up to 100 billion.

* Massive protests in Spain against austerity cuts Tens of thousands of angry Spaniards protested in 80 cities throughout Spain on Thursday against the government's latest austerity package.

* London 2012: Coe promises 'safe and secure Games' London 2012 chairman Lord Coe has promised a "safe and secure Games" despite the security guards fiasco.

* US military allowed to wear uniforms at gay pride march The US military will for the first time allow its members to wear uniform at a gay pride march.

* Is There a 'Presbyterian War on Israel'? On July 6, after much speculation, the Presbyterian Church (USA) narrowly rejected a proposal to divest its portfolio from companies that supply equipment to Israel.

07/19/12

* Syria conflict: Fresh offensive against rebels Syrian troops have been mobilized in a drive to oust armed rebels from parts of Damascus, a day after a bomb attack that killed three top regime figures.

* Al-Qaeda Could Obtain Syrian Chemical Weapons, Jordan King Warns King Abdullah II of Jordan warned Wednesday that the situation in Syria is spinning out of control.

* Pentagon reportedly seeking to avert Israeli strike on Syrian chemical weapon sites Defense officials are in talks with the Pentagon, which wants to prevent a possible Israeli strike on Syria's chemical weapons facilities.

* 'Assad gave us rockets to fire at Israel,' Nasrallah says The Assad regime provided Hezbollah and Hamas with the rockets fired at Israel during the 2006 Second Lebanon War.

* Abbas and Egypt's Morsi Meet in Cairo Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas met Egypt's newly elected president, Mohammed Morsi, in Cairo on Wednesday.

* Rural Chinese get online as mobile overtakes desktop Mobile phones are now the most common way for people to connect to the internet in China.

* China pledges $20bn in credit for Africa at summit China has pledged $20bn in credit for Africa over the next three years, in a push for closer ties and increased trade.

* Peres extends Ramadan greetings to Muslims worldwide In a video message sent Wednesday to thousands of websites and blogs, President Shimon Peres wished the Muslim world a "generous Ramadan."

* 'Mahdi' virus stole data on national infrastructure A new computer virus with Persian words in its programming code infected sensitive computers across the Middle East, including Israel.

* PM: Time for world to admit Iran's role in world terror Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Thursday said that all the countries of the world that understand that Iran is an exporter of world terror must join Israel in "stating that fact clearly".

07/18/12

* Syria conflict: Ministers 'killed in suicide attack' Three men at the heart of President Assad's defence team have died in a suicide bombing.

* Israel worried about fallout from Syria bombs The suicide bombing that killed several members of Syrian President Bashar Assad's inner circle "is a 7 on the Richter scale."

* Gaza Church claims Christians kidnapped, forced to convert The Orthodox Christian Church in the Gaza Strip is claiming that a group of armed Islamists kidnapped five Christian Palestinians.

* 20 Nations Boost Defense in Mideast Waterways, Says US In a move to bolster military strength against Iran, 20 nations will stage an anti-mining exercise in Mideast waterways.

* PA Slams A-G for Saying Israeli Law Applies on Temple Mount An Islamic official in Jerusalem said Tuesday that a statement by Israel's Attorney General that Israeli law must be applied to the Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in Jerusalem is a "violation against Muslims and Palestinians.""

* Afghanistan: Taliban bomb destroys 22 Nato fuel tankers A bomb planted by the Taliban in northern Afghanistan has destroyed 22 Nato fuel tankers carrying supplies to coalition forces.

* Persian-Language Cyber Attacks on Iran Dubbed 'Muslim Messiah' An Israeli security firm says an ongoing cyber attack aimed mainly at Iran uses Persian language communications and is named after Mahdi, the "Muslim Messiah."

* 'Dr. Doom' Predicts 'Bad' Will Get Worse The world economy has slowly come out of the global financial crisis.

* Christian MK calls for legal action against Ben-Ari Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein should press incitement charges against MK Michael Ben-Ari (National Union) for tearing a New Testament and throwing it in the trash.

* At least five killed in attack on Israeli tourists in Bulgaria At least seven people were killed in an attack on an Israeli tour bus at the Sarafovo International Airport in the Bulgarian vacation city of Bourgas.

07/17/12

* A-G: Israeli law is applicable Temple Mount The Temple Mount is under Israeli law but authorities must be "extra sensitive" to applying the laws on the site.

* Syria conflict: Central Damascus hit by clashes Fighting is intensifying across the Syrian capital Damascus, where the military has deployed tanks and helicopters.

* IDF intelligence chief: Fall of Assad regime in Syria only a matter of time The regime of Bashar Assad in Syria will not overcome the uprising against it.

* Intel chief warns of rising terror on northern and southern borders Dwindling governmental control and a sharp influx of al-Qaeda operatives in Sinai and Syria have led to a spike in terror activity in the Sinai Peninsula.

* Pentagon Boosts Defenses in Persian Gulf The Pentagon is building a missile-defense radar station at a secret site in Qatar.

* PA Gov't Names Summer Camp for Terrorist The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority government has named a summer program for the bloodthirsty terrorist who killed 37 civilians in 1978, Dalal Mughrabi.

* Tunisian Leadership: 'No Normalization with Israel' Tunisia's leading political party, the Muslim Brotherhood's Ennahada party, has reiterated its opposition to normalizing diplomatic ties with Israel.

* Gaza Christians Protest 'Forced Conversions' Dozens of Christians in Gaza staged a public protest on Monday, claiming two congregants were forcibly converted to Islam.

* Muslims Barred IOC from Honoring Murdered Israelis An Olympics official admitted that Muslim countries blocked the "One-Minute of Silence" campaign to honor the 11 murdered Israeli athletes.

* IMF tells eurozone to turn on printing presses The euro crisis continues to weigh down the global economy, the International Monetary Fund said.

07/16/12

* Activists report clashes in Syrian capital Syrian troops and rebels clashed inside Damascus for a second day on Monday, causing plumes of black smoke to drift over the city's skyline in some of the worst violence in the tightly controlled capital since the country's crisis began 16 months ago.

* 'Arab Internal Disputes Fuel Anti-Israel Terror'  A growing terrorist state in Sinai and disputes in Lebanon increase the likelihood of missile attacks on Israel, says a defense analyst.

* Clinton in Israel: A Time for Pleasantries Other than "It's a beautiful day" and other pleasantries, Hillary Clinton's remarks had little content - four months before US elections.

* Syria conflict: West 'blackmailing' Russia on sanctions Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said Western attempts to get Moscow to discuss sanctions against Syria contain "elements of blackmail".

* North Korea military head Ri Yong-ho 'relieved of post' North Korean military chief Ri Yong-ho has been removed from all official posts, according to state media.

* Romney to Break Fast of Temple Mount Mourning with Netanyahu Romney's visit to Israel on the fast day mourning the destruction of the Holy Temples shows his insight on Israel, says campaign adviser.

* Christians Flood Knesset with 'New Judaism'  Knesset Members are furious after finding in their mail boxes what many called missionary propaganda promoting the New Testament.

* Iraq in deals to boost energy exploration Iraq signed an initial deal with a Kuwait-led consortium Monday and a contract was awarded to a Russia-led group to drill for energy, part of Baghdad's efforts to strengthen its role as a major producer.

* 'Cell plotted to kidnap IDF soldier for bargaining' Shin Bet reveals Palestinians from village near J'lem planned to kidnap soldier to exchange for terror leaders.

* 'Israel being excluded from counterterrorism parley' Simon Wiesenthal Center founder: I'm prepared to believe Israel is being left out intentionally from Global Counterterrorism Forum. 

07/14/12

* Iran: If threatened, we'll close Strait of Hormuz Iran could prevent even "a single drop of oil" passing through the Strait of Hormuz if its security is threatened.

* Iran's War Games Showed Missile Accuracy Iran's war games this month showcased missiles with improved accuracy and firing capabilities.

* Experts: U.S. Cyber War on Iran Has Just Begun A U.S. cyber war against Iran's nuclear program may have only just begun and could escalate with explosions triggered by digital sabotage.

* Hamas leader: Egypt will protect Gaza from Israeli attack The head of the Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip said on Friday he was confident Egypt's new president would shield the Palestinian enclave.

* Solar storm barreling toward Earth A solar storm is racing toward Earth this weekend, but scientists say not to worry.

* Clinton to Egypt - premature or the push Cairo needs? On Saturday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives in Egypt, the first U.S. Cabinet official to meet with newly elected president Mohamed Morsy.

* Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood to boycott early elections The Islamists said recent changes to the election law did not go far enough, and warned of further public protests.

* Hevron Hills Residents say 'Enough!' to Road Terror Dozens of Israelis from the town of Negohot in the Hevron Hills blocked roads Thursday in protest of terrorism.

* World Condemns Assad for Latest Massacre Syria's opposition urged the UN Security Council on Friday to pass a binding resolution against Damascus.

* Spanish Debt Crisis Turns Bloody Spain's sovereign debt crisis turned bloody on Wednesday as police in central Madrid fired rubber bullets after thousands rose up against new spending cuts by the government.

07/13/12

* Israel fears window for Iran attack starting to close, while US urges more patience Israeli and American officials met in Jerusalem on Thursday for one of their semi-annual "strategic dialogue" meetings.

* Israel Preparing for Action in Syria, Says Former Mossad Chief Former Mossad chief Danny Yatom said on Thursday that Israel is preparing for the possibility of military action in Syria.

* Conference: No Barriers to Annexation More than 600 people took part Thursday in the Hevron Conference on the topic of annexing Judea and Samaria.

* Hamas leader: Egypt will protect Gaza from Israeli attack The head of the Islamist group Hamas in the Gaza Strip said on Friday he was confident Egypt's new president would shield the Palestinian enclave from Israeli attack.

* Syria unrest: Kofi Annan shocked at Tremseh 'atrocities' The UN said it had confirmed intense fighting including the use of tanks, helicopters and heavy artillery.

* Robots in our midst Science fiction writers predicted that the 21st century would be full of sentient computers, robots who serve us, flying cars and silvery jumpsuits.

* MI6 Chief: Strike on Iran likely by 2014 Sir John Sawers, the head of the MI6 British spy agency, said that Iran is likely to obtain a nuclear weapon by 2014.

* Naval exercises raises tension in the region Heightened tension was noted in the eastern Mediterranean Sea on Thursday amid reports that Israeli, British and Turkish naval forces were conducting simultaneous maneuvers near Cyprus.

* Syria 'Moving Sarin, Cyanide Out of Storage' Syria has begun moving parts of its vast arsenal of chemical weapons out of storage facilities.

* Navy Beginning To Implement Underwater Drones In Gulf Hold your breath, drone lovers. Literally.

07/12/12

* Never mind the nukes, Iran's other military means are also thriving, US report says While the world focuses on Iran's nuclear program, the Islamic Republic is also continuously improving and expanding its regular armed forces.

* Ashton boat trip seen as new chapter in China relations EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton believes Beijing is ready to step up co-operation after a meeting with her Chinese counterpart.

* 10 Years Later: Nefesh B'Nefesh Brings Hundreds More to Israel Welcome to a bright new day in the Summer of 2012 at Nefesh B'Nefesh.

* Pressure on Assad as envoy defects, West eyes sanctions Pressure mounted on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday after a first senior diplomat defected and Western powers drew up a 10-day sanctions ultimatum.

* U.S. moving submersibles to Persian Gulf to oppose Iran The Navy is rushing dozens of unmanned underwater craft to the Persian Gulf to help detect and destroy mines.

* Abbas urges US to pressure Israel over settlements Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated his refusal on Wednesday to resume peace talks unless Israel halts construction in east Jerusalem and the West Bank.

* Somali al-Shabab training base Lanta-Buro 'captured' Somali government soldiers and African Union troops have seized a major Islamist militant training base.

* Partial Tally in Libya Suggests Defeat for Islamists Libya's Islamists suffered a major defeat on their eastern home turf on Wednesday.

* Germany Investigates Nazi for Massacre of Ukrainian Jews German prosecutors have launched an investigation into a 91-year-old man suspected of taking part in a 1942 massacre of over 300 Jews from the Zhytomyr ghetto in Ukraine.

* UN arms treaty could put U.S. gun owners in foreign sights, say critics A treaty being hammered out this month at the United Nations -- with Iran playing a key role -- could expose the records of America's gun owners to foreign governments.

07/11/12

* Pentagon: Iran boosts missiles' lethality, effectiveness Iran's military has "boosted the lethality and effectiveness of existing" ballistic missile systems.

* Contradicting Abbas, Hamas says it still believes in 'armed resistance' against Israel Hamas continues to believe in armed resistance against Israel, a movement spokesman said Sunday.

* NY Times Claims Israel 'Took' Yesha from Jordan in 1967 A New York Times editorial Tuesday rewrites history and claims Israel "took" Judea and Samaria from Jordan in 1967.

* PA Hosts 'Diaspora Arabs' in 'Ancient Jaffa' The Palestinian Authority has launched a new campaign to bring Arabs from the "Diaspora" to visit their "homeland".

* Russia Sending Warships on Maneuvers Near Syria Russia said on Tuesday that it had dispatched a flotilla of 11 warships to the eastern Mediterranean.

* Peres: Settlement building threatens Jewish state President Shimon Peres spoke out Tuesday against West Bank settlements, stating that they jeopardize the state's Jewish identity.

* Egypt court overturns President Mursi parliament order The highest court in Egypt has overturned a decree by President Mohammed Mursi to recall parliament.

* Calls to Destroy Egypt's Great Pyramids Begin According to several reports in the Arabic media, prominent Muslim clerics have begun to call for the demolition of Egypt's Great Pyramids.

* US Episcopal Church approves same-sex blessing service The Episcopal Church has become the largest US denomination to bless same-sex relationships.

* Syria's opposition appeals for Russian support A delegation of Syrian opposition figures is visiting Moscow to discuss international efforts to find a political solution to the violence.

07/10/12

* U.S. opposes report recommending legalization of West Bank settlements The U.S. State Department criticized on Monday night the Edmond Levy committee report which recommended legalizing most outposts in the West Bank.

* Are we safe from the sun? Solar flares keep on getting stronger - with latest hotspot the size of 15 Earths strung together The sun is a tempestuous mistress - and her outbursts are becoming more and more violent as the weeks go on.

* 'Germany agrees to compensate 80,000 Nazi victims' Germany has agreed to provide restitution payments to an additional 80,000 Jews in what Claims Conference officials are describing as a historic breakthrough.

* Egypt braces for new showdown between Islamists and military Egypt is braced for a major confrontation between the country's Islamist president and military.

* PM urges Europe to be more balanced toward Israel Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu urged Europe to adopt a more balanced approach to Israel.

* Expert: Libyan elections prove country's singularity News that a liberal coalition headed by Mahmoud Jibril, a Western-educated politician, was reportedly in the lead in the Libyan election surprised many observers.

* Israel's Elbit Anti-Missile System Protects Jets Israel's giant Elbit Systems firm has produced a new to protect medium and large aircraft against shoulder-fired missiles.

* Russia's Putin says the West is on the decline In a biennial speech to Russian ambassadors, Putin also took a shot at the West by condemning any unilateral actions to solve international disputes.

* Iran plans to expand, not suspend, its nuclear program, position paper obtained by Times of Israel says A position paper obtained by The Times of Israel makes plain the Tehran regime's unyielding rejection of international efforts to negotiate safeguards and restrictions that would prevent Iran attaining a nuclear weapons capability.

* Barroso in Palestine: 'We are laying foundations of future state' European Commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso has pledged support for a future Palestinian state on his first official trip to the region.

07/09/12

* Babylon - was it so awful? We rightly mourn the terrible destructions of Jerusalem perpetrated by the Babylonians and the Romans, but the Babylonian Exile was the crucible in which our future was forged.

* As death toll hits 17,000, Russia suspends new arms sales to Syria Military official says only spare parts for existing equipment will be provided to Assad until calm returns.

* Video: Hizbullah Collecting Intelligence Along Lebanese Border The IDF has released a video documenting the way Hizbullah is collecting information along the Lebanese border.

* Video: Taliban shoot woman 9 times in public execution as men cheer A shot rings out, but the burqa-clad woman sitting on the rocky ground does not respond.

* Egypt court challenges Mursi's reopening of parliament Egyptian President Mohammed Mursi's order to reconvene parliament has been rejected by the highest court, which says its ruling that led to the assembly's dissolution is binding.

* 'The next best thing to being there': NASA releases the most spectacular picture of Mars ever taken... in all its 360-degree glory We might not be able to get there yet, but as NASA says, 'this is the next best thing'.

* Archaeologists Uncover Gold Treasure Near Herzliya One of the largest gold treasures ever to be discovered in Israel was uncovered last week at an archaeological dig near Herzliya.

* South China Sea tension tops Asean regional agenda Tension in the South China Sea is expected to top the agenda for Asean's regional forum this week.

* Obama invites Egypt's Islamist leader to U.S. President Barack Obama has invited Egypt's newly elected Islamist president, Mohamed Mursi, to visit the United States in September, an Egyptian official said on Sunday, reflecting the new ties Washington is cultivating with the region's Islamists.

* Magnitude-5.6 quake hits Israel Haifa, Tel Aviv and Beer Sheba residents report feeling temblor, which originated south of Turkey

07/07/12

* Abbas: We'll open new Arafat probe 'if necessary' The PA will open a new investigation into the death of former PLO chairman Yasser Arafat "if necessary."

* Moscow may hand Iran S-300, breach arms embargo if Assad ousted Moscow has removed the gloves in its defense of Syrian ruler Bashar Assad.

* WRAPUP 2-Syria's fighting spills into Lebanon, five killed Syria's conflict spilled further into Lebanon on Saturday when mortar fire from President Bashar al-Assad's forces hit villages in the north.

* Iran's military chief: We have a plan for Hormuz closure, but will only use it if threatened Iran has prepared a plan for closing the Strait of Hormuz but will only use it if threatened.

* Turmoil returns to stock markets and euro Spain's borrowing costs soared back to crisis levels on Friday.

* Joyful Libyans brave violence to grasp free vote Crowds of joyful Libyans, some with tears in their eyes, parted with the legacy of Muammar Gaddafi's dictatorship on Saturday.

* Israeli draft pits secular Jews vs. ultra-Orthodox Deep in the heart of Mea Shearim, a Jerusalem bastion of hardline ultra-Orthodox Jews, hundreds of bearded young men in black suits have their noses burrowed into books.

* Egypt's Morsi to Saudi on first trip as president President Mohamed Morsi will head to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday on his first foreign visit as Egypt's head of state.

* UN rights body to probe Israel settlements The UN Human Rights Council has set up a panel to probe Jewish settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.

* Higgs Boson: Physicists See Best Proof Yet of 'The God Particle' After decades of careful experiment, physicists say they have found the "strongest indication to date" to prove the existence of the Higgs boson.

07/06/12

* Saudis are buying nuclear-capable missiles from China debkafile's military sources report that Saudi Arabia has set its feet on the path to a nuclear weapon capability.

* With toxic Arafat revelations, the PA is looking to embarrass Israel Gradually losing legitimacy on the street and with limited political prospects, the PA is already moving to use the allegations to embarrass Israel.

* IDF will 'destroy' any Lebanese village that fires rockets if war breaks out again Israel will launch a brutal war against Lebanon if provoked by Hezbollah.

* Israel to refuse UNHCR probe cooperation Israel reiterated Friday that it would refuse cooperation with a a UN Human Rights Council fact finding mission to probe Israeli Wast Bank settlement activity and Jewish building in east Jerusalem.

* Libya elections: Muslim Brotherhood set to lead government While the elections for a 200-member National Congress is unlikely to grant a majority to any one faction, the Muslim Brotherhood and its Islamist allies are confident they can join their counterparts in Tunisia and Egypt at the helm of leadership.

* Ahmadinejad invites Egypt's Morsi to Tehran summit Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has invited his newly elected Egyptian counterpart, Mohamed Morsi, to a summit of Non-Aligned Movement nations.

* Egyptian Copts Declare Creation of 'Christian Brotherhood' A group of Coptic activists in Egypt announced the establishment of the Christian Brotherhood to counter the growing influence of the Muslim Brotherhood.

* Growing Number of Young German Muslims Becoming Jihadi Fighters There is a growing trend among young Muslim German men to become jihadi fighters.

* UN council appoints panel to probe Israeli settlements in West Bank The UN's top human rights body has appointed three independent experts to conduct a fact-finding mission on how Israel’s West Bank settlements affect Palestinians.

* Indonesia to informally upgrade its relations with Israel via ambassador-ranked diplomat in Ramallah Indonesia is to open a consulate in Ramallah, headed by a diplomat with the rank of ambassador.

07/05/12

* Iran: We Can Destroy US Bases 'In Minutes' Iran on Wednesday claimed it has the capability to destroy US bases "within minutes.".

* Iraq says al-Qaida fighters flowing into Syria Iraq's foreign minister says the government has "solid information and intelligence" about al-Qaida militants infiltrating Syria from Iraq to carry out attacks.

* Hamas PM to meet Islamist president of Egypt A Palestinian official says Gaza's prime minister will head to Cairo within the next two weeks to meet with Egypt's new Islamist president.

* Oil and politics are ancient Babylon's new curse Nowadays it seems that Babylon just can't catch a break.

* Iran: EU sanctions won't affect progress of nuclear program Newly ratified European Union sanctions targeting Iran's oil industry won't affect the progress of Tehran's nuclear program.

* As PA prepares to exhume body, Israel calls Arafat poisoning claim 'baseless' As the Palestinian Authority prepared to exhume the body of former Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, Israeli government officials on Wednesday rejected suggestions that Israel may have poisoned him.

* Somalia facing 'fresh hunger emergency' Poor rains and continuing conflict in Somalia are threatening the recovery from last year's famine, the charity Save the Children has warned.

* 'Jordan rejecting Palestinian refugees from Syria' Jordanian authorities have been turning away Syrian refugees of Palestinian heritage or threatening to deport those who have arrived in Jordan from Syria over the past year.

* Ahmadinejad Calls Morsi, Invites Him to Tehran Egypt's newly elected Muslim Brotherhood president, Mohammed Morsi, received a phone call from his Iranian counterpart, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

* Israelis rejoice over discovery of 'God particle' Theoretical and experimental physicists see the groundbreaking discovery of a new subatomic particle – announced Wednesday in Geneva.

07/04/12

* Annan Spokesman: Syria Ceasefire 'Imperative' The death toll in the 16-month uprising against the Syrian regime tops 16,500 in President Bashar al-Assad's 'torture archipelago.'

* Assad accuses Turkey of helping Syrian 'terrorists' Syria's President Bashar al-Assad accused Turkey in an interview published Wednesday of giving logistical backing to Syrian "terrorists" and told Ankara to stop meddling in his country's affairs.

* Higgs boson-like particle discovery claimed at LHC Cern scientists reporting from the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have claimed the discovery of a new particle consistent with the Higgs boson.

* Iran: We can destroy US bases 'minutes after attack' Following ballistic missile tests, Revolutionary Guards commander says Israel, all US regional bases are within its range.

* Where is Iran's Sajil missile? Iran's missile tests display old systems, raising questions about fate of the regime's most-impressive missile.

* PM skeptical democracy will take hold in ME soon Marking July 4, Netanyahu says "short term" democratic prospects in region doubtful but he is hopeful about long term.

* US Flexes Muscles against Iran in Gulf Iran will finds its boats "on the bottom of the Gulf" if it tries to mine the Persian Gulf to prevent oil and gas tankers from sailing.

* PA to Seek UNESCO Recognition for More Sites Following its success with the Church of the Nativity, PA will seek to have additional religious sites recognized by UNESCO.

* Peres: America Remains Israel's Greatest Ally President Shimon Peres congratulates the U.S. on its Independence Day during a reception at the home of Ambassador Daniel Shapiro.

* What the EU agreed last week, what it did not and what happens next At long last the European Council (28-29 June) has taken some very significant decisions on addressing the short term crisis.

07/03/12

* Report describes brutal torture in Syria "Basat al reeh." "Dulab." "Falaqa." They are Arabic names for torture techniques that send chills through the hearts of Syrians.

* Iran Claims 'War Games' Test Missile Attack on Israel Iran claims it tested "tens" of short, medium and large-range missiles at a hypothetical enemy base, presumably Israeli and American.

* Iran lobs missiles in day 2 of 'Great Prophet' drill Iran on Tuesday successfully tested dozens of short-, medium- and long-range missiles on the second of a three-day military exercise.

* 'US quietly bolstering presence in Persian Gulf' The United States has quietly increased its military presence in the Persian Gulf to deter Tehran from attempting to shut the Strait of Hormuz.

* US sees stronger hints of Higgs Hints of the Higgs boson detected last year by a US "atom smasher" have become even stronger, scientists have said.

* Assad: I wish downed Turkish jet had been Israeli Syrian President Bashar Assad has told a Turkish newspaper he wished the Turkish plane that Syrian forces downed last month had been Israeli.

* Israelis, Palestinians: 2 states in 5 years unlikely Most Israelis and Palestinians view the chances of establishing an independent Palestinian state within the next five years as low or nonexistent.

* Iraq: 'Many killed' in series of bombings At least 25 people have been killed and 40 wounded in a truck bombing at a market in the Iraqi city of Diwaniya.

* Kenya Arrests Iranian Terrorists who Targeted Israelis Officials in Nairobi reported on Monday that two Iranian terrorists who were arrested in Kenya last week were planning to attack Israeli, American, British and Saudi targets in the country.

* Morsi to visit Iran next month, fueling hopes in Tehran for warmer ties Newly elected Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is to travel to Iran next month.

07/02/12

* Russia to hold talks with Syrian opposition, Annan Russia will hold talks with two Syrian opposition groups and with U.N. envoy Kofi Annan later this month, a Russian news agency reported after a weekend of stalled efforts to stop the bloodshed in Syria.

* Iran to test-fire long-range missiles in desert war game Revolutionary Guards chief announces start of three-day maneuver, warns that if Israel plans any attack on Iran, it 'will provide us a reason to remove Israel from the earth.'

* Syria Rebels Gaining Ground Rebel forces in Syria have enjoyed meaningful success in fighting against the regime of Bashar Assad in the last few weeks. 

* Turkey scrambles F-16 jets on Syria border Turkey has scrambled six F-16 fighter jets near its border with Syria after Syrian helicopters came close to the border, the country's army says.

* Iran threatens Israel; new EU sanctions take force Iran announced missile tests on Sunday and threatened to wipe Israel "off the face of the earth" if the Jewish state attacked it, brandishing some of its starkest threats on the day Europe began enforcing an oil embargo and harsh new sanctions.

* From the underground to the political spotlight Former prime minister Yitzhak Shamir never compromised on his belief in an Israel whose borders would include Jewish sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria.

* PLO to ask UNSC for meeting on settlements Palestinians working to pass a resolution condemning Israeli settlement activity; protests against talks with Israel continue.

* Expert: Anti-Zionism, Anti-Semitism Now the Same Experts debate the relationship between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism. Some say the two are now one and the same.

* Islamic hackers post hundreds of Israeli email addresses and passwords It is yet unclear what website was hacked to obtain the information published on the website of Anonymous Arab.

* Are we heading for a 'half-Europe'? Crisis rescue programs as well as the negotiations of the next seven-year EU budget must be viewed in a context broader than a purely economic one.