10/31/12

* Fear and loathing in Athens: the rise of Golden Dawn and the far right In austerity-ravaged Greece, neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn is on the rise.

* In Africa, an Islamist convergence seen as a threat The Islamist militant group Boko Haram has conducted terrorist attacks in Nigeria that bring it closer to al Qaeda in northern Mali.

* PM: Strike on Iran would be welcomed by Arabs A military strike on Iran and neutralizing its nuclear threat would benefit the Arab states in the Middle East and ease tension throughout the region.

* Hezbollah reportedly installs surveillance camera network along Israeli border Hezbollah has installed a surveillance camera network along the entirety of the Lebanese border with Israel.

* Sudan Military: Iran Naval Visit Reflects Strong Ties The visit of two Iranian naval ships to Sudan reflects strong ties between the countries, Sudan's military said.

* 'PLO leader backs Jordan annexation of W. Bank' A senior leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organization expressed support for a new proposal for Jordan's annexation of the West Bank.

* EXPOSE': Italy, Land of Islam The Italian authorities have capitulated to hatred.

* Report highlights EU trade with Israeli settlers A coalition of 22 NGOs fronted by a former EU commissioner has highlighted the scope of European trade with illegal Israeli settlements.

* Erdogan Warns EU Might Lose Turkey Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Tuesday the European Union will lose his nation if it is not accepted as a member by 2023.

* PM challenges Hollande: Host peace talks with Palestinians Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday challenged French President François Hollande to arrange peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis.

10/30/12

* Tony Blair: the EU needs a president In a move interpreted by some as a job application, the former prime minister said the EU could do with a strong leader approved by the people.

* Iran has pictures of restricted Israeli areas: Iran MP Iran holds pictures of Israeli bases and other restricted areas obtained from a drone launched into Israeli airspace earlier this month.

* Israel, Greece Conduct Joint Military Exercise The Israeli Air Force and the Greek Air Force recently concluded a two-day joint exercise on Greek soil.

* Mother places suicide belt on child, on Fatah Facebook page in Lebanon The Facebook page for Fatah in Lebanon has posted this picture of a mother dressing her young son with a suicide belt.

* Egyptians on the hajj divided over role of Islam in politics Now that she has finished the hajj and is returning home to Egypt, Magda Bagnied says her family will no doubt try to convince her to put on the headscarf to demonstrate her religiosity.

* 12 Year-Old Boy Stands Trial for Murdering Neo-Nazi Father Opening statements in the trial of a 12-year-old boy accused of murdering his neo-Nazi father are set to begin Tuesday in Riverside, California.

* Israel to limit cluster bombs in possible war with Hezbollah Israel would use a lot fewer cluster munitions in any future war with Hezbollah than it did in their 2006 conflict.

* Germany makes case for British EU membership Germany has told the UK it is an important and needed member of the European Union.

* Radical Islamists made 'hundreds of visits' to Obama White House President Barack Obama has provided what was termed unprecedented access to supporters of Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood and the Palestinian Hamas.

* Palestinians lobby for convincing win in UN vote Palestinians have launched a diplomatic blitz aimed at garnering a strong majority for a vote granting them non-member statehood at the United Nations slated for next month.

10/29/12

* Tunisian Leader Planning Slow Islamist Takeover Hidden camera video shows Rashid al-Ghannushi advising Salafists on taking control of state.

* First flight in last Ethiopian aliya lands in Israel Operation Dove's Wings will bring remaining Ethiopians to Israel by March 2014, first flight to bring 240 to Israel.

* Israel dismisses Iran's boast that it has drones more advanced than the one it sent this month UAV experts here also reject Tehran's claim to have copied US technology.

* Rivlin at Knesset's Rabin memorial: Oslo is dead Netanyahu: All territory we left went to Iran; Barak: Bi-national state would kill Zionist enterprise.

* Obama offered to reestablish full ties with Iran, Israeli paper reports Israel was told about and opposed president's diplomatic incentives package, initiated soon after he took office, and Iran rebuffed it, according to Maariv.

* US army chief lands in Israel to oversee military drill US-Israel security partnership "deeper and stronger than recent years," says Barak after meeting with Martin Dempsey.

* US tests Israeli-made weapons on pioneering drone ship Small inflatable vessel is the first weaponized naval drone tested by the US Navy.

* On 17th anniversary of Rabin assassination, Netanyahu calls murder "one of the worst crimes of the new age" Israel remembers slain prime minister in ceremonies across the country.

* Unfazed by pressure, Palestinians say they will go ahead with bid for UN recognition US and Israel have threatened diplomatic and economic sanctions if PA seeks nonmember state status; Jerusalem still mulling response.

* Tens of Thousands Celebrate at Rachel's Tomb Tens of thousands of people arrived at Rachel's Tomb on Saturday night for the annual celebration of her life.

10/27/12

* Diplomats: Iran one step closer to nuclear bomb Iran reportedly finished installing uranium centrifuges at Fordow plant, but hasn't started running them; Tehran rejects allegations.

* Iran blames U.S., Israel for Syria Bloodshed Fighting in Syria continues despite calls for holiday ceasefire; at least 60 dead. Iran blames America, Israel.

* Al-Qaida head attacks Morsi for ties with Israel Ayman al-Zawahiri calls for mass Egyptian demonstrations over "[Israel-Egypt] peace treaty, occupation of Palestine, siege in Gaza."

* Hajj Pilgrims Reflect on Regional Conflicts Thousands of Muslim have been arriving in the Saudi city of Mecca for the annual Hajj pilgrimage.

* Ayalon congratulates Netanyahu, Liberman on political unity Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon on Saturday blessed the leaders of the Yisrael Beytenu and Likud for uniting their political parties to run on a joint list for the 19th Knesset.

* Dozens killed in Afghan mosque blast Suicide bomber kills at least 45 outside mosque in Maimana where people had gathered to celebrate Eid al-Adha holiday.

* Killings Shatter Syrian Truce A fragile cease-fire between Syrian forces and rebels showed further signs of fraying on Saturday following a car bombing in front of a church in the eastern city of Deir Ezzor.

* Syria bombards major cities, weakening truce: activists Opposition activists in Syria said forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad had renewed their heavy bombardment of major cities on Saturday, further undermining a truce meant to mark the Muslim Eid al-Adha religious holiday.

* Obama explains why he didn't visit Israel US president tells NBC, 'When I go to Israel, I want to make sure that we're actually moving something forward'.

* Lebanon risks being torn apart by Syrian conflict Lebanon, like so many small nations buffeted by greater powers, has always sought and failed to carve out space for its own politics, free from the overweening influence of its self-appointed friends and protectors.

10/26/12

* Iran Leader Blames US, Israel for Syria Civil War Iran's Supreme Leader is blaming the U.S. and Israel for the bloody, 19-month civil war in Syria.

* Fighting ruptures ragged Syrian ceasefire Fighting in Syria killed several people on Friday as a ceasefire brokered by international peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to mark a holy Muslim day frayed almost before it had begun.

* Afghanistan mosque suicide bomb attack kills at least 41 A suicide bomber targeted worshippers who had gathered at a mosque in north Afghanistan for prayers to mark Eid al-Adha, killing at least 41 people.

* Morsi, Mashaal slam 'Israeli aggression' against Sudan Egyptian president, Hamas chief offer Khartoum their support; condemn 'barbaric attack'

* UN Expert: Boycott Companies in Israel Settlements The U.N. special investigator on human rights in the Palestinian territories called Wednesday for a boycott of all companies that have dealings with Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem until they adhere to international rights standards and practices.

* In Saudi Arabia and Israel, Signals That Iran Has Retaliation in Works A shocking cyberattack paralyzed 30,000 computers at oil giant Aramco. Then Hezbollah aimed a drone at an Israeli reactor. Is this Tehran's game plan in case of a strike?

* EU Talks to Iran About Nuclear Negotiations The EU, leading diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute over Iran's nuclear program, has talked to Tehran to bring it up to date.

* Outrage as UN Report Calls for Israel Boycott The UN investigator tasked with Israel-PA affairs openly supports a boycott of companies doing business in Israeli cities in Judea, Samaria.

* Al-Qaida group urges jihad after Gaza leaders slain Salafist Jihadist groups say death of Salafist-Jihadist leaders is part of jihad against Jews, threaten large-scale retaliation.

* Libyan suspect in US envoy attack killed in Cairo Al-Qaida-linked Karim el-Azizi, whose role in Benghazi attack remains unclear, killed during Egyptian security raid.

10/25/12

* Israel deports activists from Gaza-bound ship Pro-Palestinian activists who were arrested aboard the 'Estelle' while trying to break Gaza blockade sent back to their homelands.

* Abbas: UN bid not a substitute for negotiations PA president ready for peace talks "straightaway" if UN recognizes Palestine; Erekat: Determined to change status quo.

* ADL Blasts European Union's One-Sided Criticism of Israel The Anti-Defamation League blasted the European Union for its one-sided criticism of Israel.

* Truce 'brings calm' after Gaza-Israel fighting Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian militant movement controlling Gaza, are said to have reached an unofficial ceasefire after days of deadly attacks.

* Sudan blames Israel for Khartoum arms factory blast The Sudanese government says it believes Israel was responsible for explosions at a military factory in the capital Khartoum on Tuesday.

* Israel says 79 rockets fired at it from Gaza Palestinians fired dozens of rockets into Israel from Gaza on Wednesday.

* Syria government indicates accepts holiday truce: Russia The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has indicated it will accept the UN-Arab League's proposal for a Muslim holiday ceasefire in Syria.

* Worried about the Syria war, Golan Heights residents seek Israeli citizenship Although the Golan has been controlled by Israel since the Six-Day War in 1967, most people here consider themselves Syrians - but that may be changing.

* Hajj pilgrims undeterred by regional unrest Muslim pilgrims are descending on Mecca for the Hajj, the world's largest annual gathering, which Saudi Arabia insists will not be affected by instability rocking the region.

* Abbas says ready for peace talks if UN recognition bid succeeds Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said on Wednesday he would be ready for negotiations with Israel "straightaway" if the UN recognized Palestine as a non-member state.

10/24/12

* Iran's Sanction Battle Plan: Halting Oil Exports Altogether Iran struck back at Western sanctions against it, saying that if the sanctions continued it would stop producing oil altogether.

* IAF Strikes in Gaza Three Times in One Night IAF aircraft hit Gaza-based terror squads three times in one night, following continuous rocket fire.

* Vatican denies deal with Israel on security barrier Local church leaders deny report IDF planning to build fence on its land in Cremisan Valley so that it could remain on Israeli territory.

* Haniyeh: Qatari visit marks end of Gaza isolation Hamas leader declares end of "unjust siege" as first visit by head of state to Gaza Strip since 2007 draws fire from PA, Israel.

* Jordanian security concerned over rising terrorism Amman's fears of spillover violence from Syria grow following death of Jordanian soldier killed in clashes with militants.

* Hamas worried as Egypt closes tunnels Zahar calls for Gaza to become a free trade zone with Egypt after the shutting down of smuggling tunnels.

* Muslim Leader: Muslims Need to 'Liberate' Jerusalem Sheikh Raed Salah calls the Muslim world to work toward the liberation of Jerusalem from "the Israeli occupation."

* Nine killed in attacks on Baghdad Shia districts At least nine people have been killed in car bomb and mortar attacks in predominantly Shia districts of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, officials say.

* US urges Lebanon stability amid escalating tensions The US warned that a power vacuum would pose a great risk to Lebanon's political stability.

* Rebels battle Assad's forces for gateway to north Syria Syrian rebels are battling to seize an army base close to the main north-south highway and say its capture would be a big step towards creating a "safe zone" allowing them to focus on Bashar al-Assad's southern strongholds.

10/23/12

* Israel, Iran issues top final US presidential debate During the final debate before the elections, both US presidential candidates say they will stand by Israel should it be attacked by Iran.

* Palestinian Street Begins to Sound Like Spring Since the beginning of the Arab Spring almost two years ago, the West Bank and Gaza Strip have been remarkably quiet.

* Blow to Fatah in West Bank local elections Palestinian voters in the West Bank have delivered an apparent blow to the Fatah movement in local elections.

* Beirut blast stirs fears of return to conflict Anti-Syrian politicians in Lebanon have accused Damascus of being behind a powerful car bomb that killed the intelligence chief of the Internal Security Forces, Brig-Gen Wissam al-Hassan.

* Settlers plan to lobby for passage of Levy Report Dani Dayan says "days of patient waiting" are over, hopes to push report on W. Bank settlements as part of deal with future coalition.

* Syrian violence spills into Jordan, Lebanon Jordanian soldier killed in clashes with armed militants attempting to cross border from Syria; four dead in Lebanon after overnight clashes.

* Abbas Pens Letter to Gazans: Pre-67 Land Also 'Occupied' PA President Mahmoud Abbas spoke about Israel's claim to land obtained before 1967 and touched on the PA's UN bid for statehood.

* EU Foreign Policy Chief Coming to Israel European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton is in the Mideast, arriving in Israel midweek for meetings in Jerusalem and Ramallah.

* IDF Officer Wounded in Gaza An IDF officer suffered moderate wounds during an operation in central Gaza.

* Hamas PM welcomes Qatari ruler, hails breaking of Gaza's isolation The emir of Qatar received a hero's welcome in Gaza on Tuesday, becoming the first head of state to visit the Palestinian territory since the Islamist Hamas seized control of the coastal strip five years ago.

10/22/12

* London Court Opens Trial of 3 British Islamists Accused of Bomb Plot Three British Islamists are on trial in Britain, facing accusations of plotting terrorist attacks that could have been deadlier than the 2005 London transit bombings.

* U.S., Israel Begin Military Exercise The U.S. and Israeli militaries on Sunday began their largest-ever joint exercise to practice integrating defense systems in case of massive missile attacks on the Jewish state, bolstering efforts to deter possible strikes by Iran and its allies.

* Israel's Top Iran Expert: You Can't Out-Negotiate the Mullahs Sure, Iran's open to haggle with the United States about nukes. But there's no way the nation will ever stop enriching uranium, Israel's top Iran expert tells Dan Ephron.

* Israel will continue to target attackers, Netanyahu tells Blair Israel will continue to attack the groups that fire rockets on her citizens, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

* Millions of pilgrims arrive in Mecca for Hajj Pilgrims from around the world pray for peace as they arrive in Mecca ahead of next week's Hajj, the Muslim pilgrimage.

* Jordan Arrests 11 in Alleged Al-Qaida Plot Jordanian officials say state security forces have arrested 11 people in connection with what they call an al-Qaida-linked plot to bomb shopping centers and attack Western diplomatic posts in the capital, Amman.

* At the debate, the Iran issue merges with the Israel issue Among the planned six topics at tonight's foreign policy debate, there's this one: "Red Lines - Israel and Iran."

* Israel will continue to target attackers, Netanyahu tells Blair Israel will continue to attack the groups that fire rockets on her citizens, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

* PM: No immunity for those firing rockets from Gaza Netanyahu meets Blair, vows retaliation to Gaza aggression as IAF strikes cells targeting South; Palestinians say 2 killed.

* Israel will continue to target attackers, Netanyahu tells Blair Israel will continue to attack the groups that fire rockets on her citizens, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

10/20/12

* Estelle intercepted: Israel navy stops Gaza-bound boat The Israeli navy has intercepted a boat of pro-Palestinian activists trying to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip.

* Jerusalem mayor Barkat slams EU's condemnation of Gilo plan Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat on Saturday night slammed the European Union's condemnation of plans to build 797 housing units in Gilo.

* Iran Blames Lebanese Assassination on Israel Iran on Saturday condemned a car bombing in Beirut that killed eight people.

* New cyber attacks on U.S. banks; Iran suspected Cyber attacks on U.S. banks continued this week from suspected hackers believed to be supported by the Iranian government.

* Deadly blast rocks Yemen military base At least 15 Yemeni troops were killed and more than a dozen injured when suspected al-Qaeda militants attacked a heavily guarded government military base in southern Yemen Friday.

* New Arab Party Will Support Israel In a change of direction from the current situation, a new Arab party being formed for the upcoming elections will support the State of Israel.

* Anger erupts as Lebanon mourns Beirut bomb victims A day of national mourning is being held in Lebanon amid opposition protests over a massive car bombing a day earlier in Beirut.

* Turkey says voluntary power transfer in Syria is impossible The international envoy to the Syria conflict pressed his call for a ceasefire Saturday with officials in Damascus.

* Gaddafi's daughter's Israeli lawyer says those who killed Libyan leader must be brought to justice The Israeli attorney for the daughter of Muammar Gaddafi says those responsible for the longtime leader's killing a year ago should be brought to justice.

* First Palestinian election in 6 years kicks off in W. Bank Palestinians begun voting for new mayors and local councils across the West Bank on Saturday morning in what constitutes their first chance to cast ballots in six years.

10/19/12

* Car bomb blast in Beirut kills at least eight A huge car bomb exploded in a street in central Beirut during rush hour on Friday, killing at least eight people and wounding about 80.

* Bounty on Al Qaeda The State Department on Thursday announced that it is offering $12 million in rewards for help in capturing two al Qaeda terrorist financiers in Iran who are helping fund and arm terrorists in Syria.

* Hezbollah jeopardizing regional peace, UN chief says in report UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday condemned Hezbollah’s continued armament in violation of UN resolutions and blamed the militant group for jeopardizing regional peace and stability.

* 'Al-Qaida ideals entrenched in Sinai jihadi groups' Dr. Mohammed Ghazlani, official mediator between the Sinai authorities and extremists, said Thursday that Salafist-Jihadi groups have embraced extremist ideology in the troubled peninsula.

* Iran: How long can debt-laden US remain world power? Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad predicted the impending downfall of the "US empire," blaming the collapse on a combination of the country's massive debt and its loss of legitimacy within the international community.

* EU summit: Compromise deal on eurozone bank supervisor EU leaders have agreed to set up a single eurozone banking supervisor - a major step towards a banking union.

* East China Sea tension: China conducts naval exercises China is conducting naval exercises in the East China Sea, state media report, amid heightened tensions with Japan over islands both claim.

* Alleged Maker of "Muslims" Movie Speaks From Safe House Eric Allen Bell originally wrote for the liberal Daily Kos and worked with leftist documentary filmmaker Michael Moore.

* Keeping cyberterrorists out of our 'digital Pearl Harbors' With America on the verge of experiencing a "digital Pearl Harbor" and Israel facing daily attempts to destroy its infrastructure - as described by US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described in separate speeches in recent days - it’s just a matter of time before cyberterrorists are able to reach a critical target.

* IDF tank battalion practices racing to war An IDF tank battalion stationed in the Jordan Valley held a major drill this week to practice racing to a war front during a simulated outbreak of hostilities.

10/18/2012

* Largest US-Israel missile defense drill to kick off US military forces have begun arriving in Israel to take part in the largest joint missile defense exercise of its kind, which will begin next week.

* Revolutionary Guard commander: Israel will be destroyed if Iran is attacked Israel will "definitely" face fierce retaliation if it attacks Iranian nuclear sites.

* Iran Sanctions Have Failed Economic sanctions yet to make a dent in the regime's nuclear program.

* Peres encourages Iranian people to revolt President Shimon Peres said Thursday that the people of Iran should be encouraged to overthrow their government.

* Russia protects Israel from UNESCO condemnations Russia's envoy to the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) intervened on Wednesday to defer voting on a series of condemnations of Israel.

* EU summit: Angela Merkel calls for national budget veto Angela Merkel said the economics commissioner should be given clear rights to intervene when national budgets violated the bloc's rules.

* Egypt sees 20% rise in tourists this year, despite insecurity Egypt projects a rise of about 20 percent in tourist numbers this year.

* Saudi-Funded UN Agency Seeks to Edit Textbooks Worldwide The UN agency that promotes education and which is heavily funded by Saudi Arabia, is seeking to edit school textbooks worldwide.

* Israel: Gaza getting missiles from Libyan war A top Israeli defense official says Gaza is being flooded with sophisticated weapons from Libya.

* Facebook Removes Hizbullah, Nasrallah Pages The Facebook social networking site has removing Hizbullah terrorist pages following a series of articles published by MEMRI, the Middle East Media Research Institute.

10/17/12

* PM warns of Syria transferring WMDs to terrorists Israel will weigh military action if it suspects Syria's chemical weapons might fall into the hands of terrorist organizations, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said.

* Iran claims its drones reached Israel dozens of times Israeli official rejects statement by Iranian military official that many drones entered Israeli airspace from Lebanon to collect intel.

* Sinai Islamists vow revenge for IAF Gaza strikes An Islamist group in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula bordering Israel said on Tuesday it will take revenge against the Jewish state for the killing of Palestinian terrorists in Gaza over the weekend.

* Hamas allows pro-Al Qaida Salafists to form political party in Gaza Strip The Al Qaida-aligned movement has formed a political party in the Gaza Strip.

* PA confiscates archive of Hamas's armed wing The Palestinian Authority has managed to confiscate the entire archive of Hamas's military wing in an early morning raid on Tuesday.

* Israel could send Iran 'back to the stone age' with electromagnetic bomb Israel could destroy Iran's electric network with a specially designed electromagnetic bomb in the event of a military conflict between the countries.

* Cold Economic Forecast for Iran Iran has urged its 75 million citizens to curb the use of foreign built cars and cellphones, and says it will slash the import of nonessential items.

* Palestinians: UN recognition would foster peace with Israel The Palestinians fended off on Tuesday U.S. criticism of their bid for upgraded status at the United Nations, saying the move would improve prospects for a peace accord with Israel, not damage them.

* Jordanian teachers in UN schools for Palestinian refugees say they'll refuse to teach the Holocaust Rumors of a UN decision to re-introduce Holocaust studies in schools run by UNRWA - the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees - have raised the ire of Jordanian teachers.

* Saudi Arabia: Hajj pilgrimage to start Oct. 25 Saudi Arabia has announced that the Islamic hajj pilgrimage, which attracts around 3 million Muslims worldwide each year, will begin on Thursday, Oct. 25.

10/16/12

* Netanyahu praises EU for bolstering sanctions against Iran Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Tuesday lauded the European Union on Tuesday for ramping up sanctions against Iran.

* U.S. Ambassador: Hizbullah Part of Assad's 'Killing Machine' Hizbullah is working to bolster Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime and its fighters are part of his "killing machine," the U.S. ambassador to the UN said.

* Rep. King: Al Qaeda a greater threat now than before 9/11 U.S. Rep. Peter T. King, New York Republican and Chairman of the House's Homeland Security Committee, said Tuesday that al Qaeda is a greater threat now than it was before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

* 'Hezbollah military build-up could devastate region' Days after Hezbollah head Hassan Nasrallah took responsibility for the recent drone sent over Israel, Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor warned the Security Council on Monday that "Hezbollah's continued provocation and military buildup could have devastating consequences for the region."

* China to Shoot at High Frontier China's military is set to conduct a test of a new and more capable anti-satellite missile that United States intelligence agencies say can knock out strategic satellites in high-earth orbit, according to U.S. officials.

* Will someone say, 'Holy War?' It was strange indeed to see the black flag of Islamic Jihad flying over the White House in Washington, DC.

* Hillary Clinton takes responsibility for Libya US deaths US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says she takes responsibility for the security failure at the Benghazi consulate that led to the killing of four Americans in Libya last month.

* 'Gaza Terrorists Fired Missile at Israeli Aircraft' Last Week Terrorists in Hamas-controlled Gaza last week fired a missile, smuggled from Libya, at an Israeli aircraft but missed it, the Hebrew-language newspaper.

* New 'miniFlame' Virus Hits Iran Computers A new cyberespionage tool linked to the Flame virus has been infecting computers in Lebanon, Iran and elsewhere, security researchers said .

* New: Talk to Your iPhone - in Hebrew! Nuance Communications, the company behind the Dragon applications for iPhone, announced on Monday that it is launching its Dragon Dictation and Dragon Search in the Hebrew language.

10/15/12

* An electromagnetic pulse attack - the "other" Iranian nuclear threat Some experts say Tehran may be preparing for an EMP strike - which could "fry" electrical grids, with devastating consequences.

* 'Drone Infiltration Amounts to Declaration of War' The Hizbullah UAV infiltration into Israel "amounts to a declaration of war" says former Lebanese Prime Minister Siniora.

* Iran: New Long-Range Drone Can Carry a Bomb Iran's Air Defense Base Commander has announced it has built an new unmanned long-range drone (UAV) that can carry a bomb.

* 'Troops in Sinai on high alert after Gaza strike' Egyptian security officials tell Palestinian news agency 'Ma'an' they expect retaliation after IDF assassinates Palestinian jihadi leader.

* The Region: Empowering the Middle East's radicals There are two problems with US policy toward the Middle East: both the analysis and response aren't just wrong, they make things much worse.

* 'Iran's Gestapo' Rounds Up Christians Iranian police, termed 'Iran's Gestapo' by a Christian news site, has arrested between 100 and 400 Christians and thrown them into prisons.

* EU to Tighten Screws on Iran The European Union is set to respond to Iran's lack of cooperation on inspections of its nuclear sites by tightening the economic screws.

* PM: Israel can deal with Iran threat Ahead of vote on 18th Knesset's dissolution, Netanyahu says Israel facing 'greatest security-related challenges since its inception.' Peres: Iran regime threatens entire world.

* Obama Urged to Cut Ties with Muslim Brotherhood Simon Wiesenthal Center urges Obama to cut off contacts with the Muslim Brotherhood after anti-Semitic call for Jihad against Israel.

* Turkey bans all Syrian flights over its territory Syrian planes have been banned from Turkish air space, the Turkish foreign ministry has announced.

10/13/12

* Turkey condemns UN inaction Syrian crisis deepens Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan rebuked the UN Security Council for inaction over Syria.

* Syria activists say jihadis seize missile base A shadowy jihadi group believed to be linked to al-Qaida fought alongside rebels who seized a government missile defense base in Syria on Friday.

* Al-Qaida leader urges Muslims to wage holy war against U.S., Israel Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri said a film made in the United States mocking the Prophet Mohammed showed Washington was waging a "crusader Zionist war" against Muslims.

* Muslim Brotherhood's Top Sheikh Urges Jihad for Jerusalem The supreme guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, the movement which Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi belongs to, called on Thursday for a jihad (holy war) to liberate Jerusalem from Israeli rule.

* Church leaders urge members of Congress to reconsider US aid to Israel Leaders of several major US Christian denominations - including Protestants, Presbyterians, Baptists, Lutherans and Methodists - have asked members of Congress to reconsider US aid to Israel.

* Nobel Peace Prize awarded to European Union The European Union has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for six decades of work in advancing peace in Europe.

* This WEEK: bank union to dominate EU summit EU leaders will descend on Brussels on Thursday (19 October) for a summit expected to be dominated by talks on the proposed EU banking union.

* Pride, confusion and sour grapes after EU wins Nobel EU officials weary of being sniped at for their handling of the crisis or their big salaries got a morale boost on Friday.

* China's yuan hits record high amid US pressure China's currency hit a record high against the US dollar on Friday, in what analysts said could be a response to US political pressure over claims the yuan is vastly undervalued.

* Al Qaida membership in Iraq has more than tripled since U.S. pullout Al Qaida's network in Iraq has grown dramatically in membership since the U.S. withdrawal in 2011.

10/12/12

* Muslim Brotherhood's Top Sheikh Urges Jihad for Jerusalem The supreme guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, the movement which Egypt's President Mohamed Morsi belongs to, called on Thursday for a jihad (holy war) to liberate Jerusalem from Israeli rule.

* Turkey scrambles fighter planes to Syria border Turkey scrambled two fighter planes to the border with Syria on Friday after a Syrian military helicopter bombed the Syrian border town of Azmarin.

* 'West inciting economic chaos to destabilize Iran' As Iran's currency crisis continues, both the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps and the Iranian Intelligence Ministry this week accused the West of deliberately inciting economic chaos in the Islamic Republic to destabilize the regime.

* Lebanese Bank Accused of Funding Hizbullah A lawsuit brought against a Lebanese bank accused of money laundering should be heard in New York, according to a lawyer for victims of rocket attacks in Israel.

* Hamas Advisor: Israel Must Disappear An advisor to the Hamas government in Gaza urged his movement this week to refrain from emulating the PLO in making political concessions and adopting pragmatist policies.

* PM addresses jealousy in second Torah study Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu spent two-and-a-half hours Thursday afternoon studying the Cain and Abel story, telling some 17 rabbis and academics gathered at his residence that the jealousy in the tale is a "powerful engine".

* Can Anti-Semitism Around the World be Combated? Anti-Semitism in Europe has been discussed in the media a good deal recently.

* Making aliya in their 80s, and just getting started Yakov and Moshet Pedagog's living room, with its soft armchairs, air conditioning and panoramic view of central Israel’s hills, seems the perfect place for a couple in their 80s to exhale after long careers in education.

* Nobel Peace Prize awarded to European Union The European Union has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for six decades of work in advancing peace in Europe.

* Clashes erupt between Muslim Brotherhood and Morsi's opponents in Tahrir Square For the first time since Egypt's new Islamist president took office, his supporters clashed with liberal and leftist protesters in Cairo.

10/11/12

* Russia says it will not renew arms agreement with U.S. Russia will not renew a decades-old agreement with Washington on dismantling nuclear and chemical weapons when it expires next year.

* Romney Camp: Obama 'Misled American People' on Libya Attack Mitt Romney's presidential campaign accused the Obama administration of misleading the American people by providing "incomplete and indirect" responses to questions regarding the terrorist attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

* Russia says Turkey risked lives of passengers Moscow accused Ankara of endangering Russian lives on Thursday after Turkey forced a Syrian passenger plane to land.

* 50 years later, Vatican II still divides Fifty years ago Thursday, the fourth child from a family of Italian sharecroppers convened a epochal meeting of Roman Catholic Church leaders designed to "open the windows" of the nearly 2,000-year-old institution and let some of the modern world's "fresh air" inside.

* Galilee int'l conference examines Holocaust studies Holocaust educators stressed the importance of speaking about the Shoah as a means of ensuring that such a tragedy never happens again.

* Gaza Salafists Fire Rockets into Israel Terrorists in Gaza fired two rockets into southern Israel on Wednesday evening.

* Report Follows the Decades-Long Saga of Obama's 'Muslim Ring' According to a news story on the respected Worldnet News Daily (WND) web site - with an accompanying array of photos as evidence - U.S. President Barack H. Obama has been wearing, since his days in college, a ring on which is inscribed the Shahada, the main Muslim prayer.

* Ministry: French Official Denies Jewish Connection to the Land The Foreign Ministry on Thursday upbraided the French Consulate General in Jerusalem over remarks made by France's Consul General in Jerusalem.

* Mali Islamists 'buying child soldiers, imposing Sharia' They are also buying child soldiers, paying families $600 per child, Ivan Simonovic said after a fact-finding visit to the country.

* 'EU warned PA of negative costs of UN bid' The European Union is advising the Palestinian Authority to "be careful" regarding its stated plan to ask the UN for non-member state observer status at its General Assembly.

10/10/12

* Khamenei: West lying that sanctions linked to nuke program Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, accused the US and EU on Wednesday of lying over sanctions being connected to Tehran's nuclear program.

* Elections: Netanyahu Outfoxes Everyone Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu checkmated every other political party and is likely to remain Prime Minister and even a stronger one after the elections.

* Iraq officially retreats from ambitious oil plans Iraq officially stepped back on Wednesday from its ambitious plans to more than triple its oil production by 2017.

* Panetta: US sends forces to Jordan The United States has sent military troops to the Jordan-Syria border to bolster that country's military capabilities in the event that violence escalates along its border with Syria.

* Turkey warns Syria of stronger response over shelling Turkey's top military commander has warned Syria that it will respond with greater force if it continues its cross-border shelling.

* Huge int'l space conference to convene in Jerusalem The International Space Conference will be held in Israel in 2015, the Science and Technology Ministry has reported.

* US church calls to reevaluate military aid to Israel Fifteen leaders of US churches and other faith-based organizations have asked Congress to reevaluate US military aid to Israel.

* Benghazi attack faces US Congress committee scrutiny A former top US security official in Libya wanted more security in Benghazi before a deadly attack on the US consulate.

* IDF Faces 'New Reality' of War along 'Peace Border' with Egypt The IDF's Sagi Brigade is training soldiers with tools to deal with new threats at the border with Egyptian, ruled by the Muslim Brotherhood.

* Iran to Have Weapons-Grade Nuclear Fuel in 2-4 Months A report published Tuesday in the Wall Street Journal has warned that Iran will be able to produce weapons-grade nuclear fuel in the next two to four months.

10/09/12

* U.S., Israel 'Nearing Agreement' on Joint Iran Strike The United States and Israel have come closer together in recent days.

* Russia to become Iraq's second-biggest arms supplier Moscow, the main supplier of arms to Iraq under Saddam Hussein, thus becomes the country's second-biggest arms supplier after the US.

* Merkel pledges support for Greece in Athens visit German Chancellor Angela Merkel has pledged her country's continuing support to Greece.

* UAE: Gulf must tackle Muslim Brotherhood threat Gulf Arab countries should work together to stop Islamist group the Muslim Brotherhood plotting to undermine governments in the region, the United Arab Emirates' foreign minister said.

* Ahmadinejad acknowledges threat of attack, promises 'crushing' response Any attack against Iran will precipitate a harsh retaliation, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad promised on Tuesday.

* Erekat: UNGA bid the only way to stop settlements Palestinian Authority chief negotiator Saeb Erekat said Monday that the Palestinian bid for non-member status at the United Nations is the only way to stop the expanding Israeli settlement enterprise in the West Bank.

* North Korea says its missiles can reach US North Korea has said its missiles can hit the US mainland, in an apparent riposte to Washington.

* Turkish president says "worst case" unfolding in Syria Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Monday the "worst-case scenarios" were now playing out in Syria and Turkey would do everything necessary to protect itself.

* Study: One-Third Of Adults Under 30 Have No Religious Affiliation One-fifth of American adults have no religious affiliation, and this number is increasing rapidly.

* 'Palestinians have not abandoned armed struggle' The Palestinians have not abandoned the option of armed struggle against Israel, a top Fatah official in the West Bank said on Monday.

10/08/12

* Israeli planes trigger sonic booms over Lebanon in possible response to drone dispatch Hezbollah silent on claims it sent the unmanned aircraft downed over Israel on Saturday.

* Eurozone rescue fund launched The eurozone's new permanent fund to bail out struggling economies and banks has been formally launched at a meeting of finance ministers in Luxembourg.

* Call to Separate Jews, Arabs on Temple Mount A movement of Temple Mount organizations is calling to completely separate Jews and Arabs on the site.

* Al Qaeda Winter Pakistan-based al Qaeda is secretly setting up sleeper cells and a clandestine network of jihadists to destabilize and take over Libya while hiding under a new cover name to prevent exposure and attacks, according to an internal Pentagon report obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

* 'Israeli death toll no less than 10,000 if it attacks Iran' Former chief of IRGC Mohsen Rezaei says in the event of an Israeli military strike against Iran, it will deal a "mortal blow" as deterrent power; adds Israel only speaks of war to "win concessions" from next US president.

* Israel to Host 2015 Int'l Space Conference Israel has become one of the world's aeronautic space powers - and in 2015, will step up to host an international space conference.

* 'Iran withdraws elite Qods Force brigade from Syria' 'The Sunday Times' reports Iran has withdrawn 275 members of elite brigade from Syria in face of domestic economic crisis.

* Afghanistan's government 'could collapse' after 2014 - report A new report on Afghanistan warns that the departure of Nato forces in 2014 could be followed by the government's collapse and even civil war, unless steps are taken now.

* Catholic leaders gather to counter decline of faith Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday opened a meeting of Roman Catholic Church leaders from around the world to debate how to counter rising secularism on the 50th anniversary of the momentous Second Vatican Council.

* U.S. Army Officers in Israel to Prepare for Joint Drill U.S. army officers have begun arriving in Israel ahead of joint military maneuvers between the countries' armed forces.

10/06/12

* Friday prayers end in riots on Temple Mount Riots broke out on the Temple Mount on Friday afternoon as hundreds of Muslim worshipers threw stones at police officers.

* IDF shoots down drone that penetrated deep into Israel The IDF shot down a foreign drone that had penetrated deep into Israeli airspace on Saturday afternoon.

* WSJ: Unrest in Tehran altering Israel's stance The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that the protests in Iran linked to the country's weakening currency are causing Israeli officials to reconsider the likelihood of a strike against Iranian nuclear targets in the coming months.

* Iran denies offering new plan on nuclear impasse Iran denied on Saturday a US media report that it had offered a "nine-step plan" aimed at solving its stand-off with the West over its disputed nuclear program.

* London council set to remove 'anti-Semitic' mural showing Jewish bankers A mural painted on a wall in East London depicting Jewish bankers apparently exploiting black men is set to be removed following complaints that it has anti-Semitic undertones.

* Turkey 'responds to fresh Syrian mortar fire' Turkey has fired into Syria for a fourth day after a Syrian mortar landed near a Turkish village.

* Number Of Gay And Bisexual TV Characters At Highest-Ever Level The number of gay and bisexual characters on scripted broadcast network TV is at its highest-ever level in the season ahead, according to the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation.

* Jordanians demand constitutional reform in mass rally More than 10,000 Jordanians demanded widespread constitutional reforms on Friday.

* Security and Defense: Fighting with faith The office of Lt.-Col. Amichai Segal at battalion headquarters in the middle of the northern West Bank, is surrounded by rocky, hilly agricultural country.

* 'Controversial anti-Islam ads set for Washington DC' A federal judge ordered the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Agency to begin displaying controversial anti-jihad advertisements beginning Monday in Washington DC.

10/05/12

* Friday prayers end in riots on Temple Mount Riots broke out on the Temple Mount on Friday afternoon as hundreds of Muslim worshipers threw stones at police officers.

* Gates: No blank check from US to Israel on Iran Former US Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated on Thursday that Washington must make it clear to Israeli leaders that the US must not permit Israel to harm American interests.

* 'Netanyahu's mind made up on calling early election' Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has already made a final decision to seek a February 12 election rather than try to pass the 2013 state budget.

* Revolt of the Spooks Weeks before the presidential election, President Barack Obama's administration faces mounting opposition from within the ranks of U.S. intelligence agencies over what career officers say is a "cover up" of intelligence information about terrorism in North Africa.

* Video, Photos: Thousands March in Jerusalem Thousands of people from around the world marched in Jerusalem on Thursday to express support for the State of Israel.

* US Rejected Iranian Compromise Iran offered a "nine-step plan" to defuse tensions over its unsupervised nuclear program.

* Kissinger: Iran Strike is an American Decision Former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger said on Thursday that a decision to attack Iran's nuclear facilities should be an American decision.

* Jordan's Islamists rally for elections boycott Thousands of Jordanians rallied on Friday to call for a boycott of upcoming legislative elections.

10/04/12

* Int'l Christian lawmakers vow to stop Iranian nukes Dozens of parliamentarians from around the world gathered in Jerusalem on Wednesday to throw their support behind an effort to put pressure on their respective governments to stop Iran from attaining nuclear weapons.

* Turkey okays military force, stresses int'l cooperation Turkey's parliament gave authorization on Thursday for military operations outside Turkish borders if the government deemed them necessary.

* Arabs Riot for Third Day on Temple Mount For the third morning in a row, Arabs rioted on the Temple Mount, attempting to attack groups of Jews who sought to visit the holiest site in Judaism during the Sukkot holiday.

* Experts: Iranian military stuck in the past ran may be technologically advanced but its military capabilities are so limited it can't risk war on its own soil, Israeli experts claim.

* UN scrambles to defuse tensions between Turkey, Syria UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was "alarmed by escalating tensions" between Syria and Turkey .

* Facebook surpasses one billion users as it tempts new markets Facebook now has more than one billion people using it every month, the company has said.

* Islamists versus Monarchy to Rally Friday in Amman A showdown is shaping up between Jordan's monarchy and Islamist forces, with rival demonstrations scheduled for this Friday.

* Israel's Vatican envoy: Offending Christianity harms Israel Zion Evrony, Israel's ambassador to the Holy See, the government of the Roman Catholic Church, stressed on Wednesday that the latest attacks on Christian holy sites in Jerusalem are damaging Israel's public image.

* IDF intel chief: Syria violence getting closer The fighting between Syrian rebels and forces that are loyal to President Bashar Assad has moved closer to the Israeli border, with some errant mortars landing in the area.

* UN: Palestinian statehood bid likely in November n November the Palestinians are likely to present to the United Nations General Assembly a resolution seeking to upgrade their statehood status.

10/3/13

* Armed Syrians Cause Evacuation at Hermon Site Armed Syrians were spotted near Israel's northern border on Wednesday.

* Fear of Israeli Attack had Iran Firing at its own Jets While an Israeli threat of an attack against Iran is speculated daily in the international media, classified Pentagon intelligence papers reveal that it was actually in 2008 that Iran was so fearful of an Israeli attack they mistakingly fired at their own airliners.

* Iran Claims it was Target of Cyber Attack Iranian officials claim cyber attackers targeted their country's infrastructure and communications companies Wednesday.

* Thousands Participate in Priestly Blessing at Western Wall The annual Priestly Blessing from Jerusalem, chanted by thousands of Kohanim, male descendants of Moses' brother Aaron the Levite, the first High Priest, went forth Wednesday.

* Easy living in the sacred space of the sukkah The sukkah of my youth was an elegantly makeshift affair.

* A late-blooming Arab Spring in Jordan? Muslim Brotherhood, opposition groups, call for massive rally in Amman to demand reform and boycott upcoming elections.

* Iran rehearsed attacking Haifa and Dimona The Iranian military is using firing ranges designed to resemble Haifa and Dimona to rehearse an air attack on Israel.

* Blessings and Celebrations as Thousands Gather in Hebron Thousands of Jews from across the country came to celebrate the holiday of Sukkot in the holy city of Hebron.

* 25 international MPs assert Israel's right to preemptively attack Iran A group of 25 non-Jewish parliamentarians from 17 countries on Wednesday signed a resolution justifying a potential Israeli strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.

* Human Rights Watch reports on 'severe' Hamas abuse of Palestinians An international rights group said Wednesday that Hamas security forces in the Gaza Strip commit rampant abuses against Palestinian prisoners.

10/02/12

* At Christian gathering, 25 international lawmakers to support 'red lines' on Iran Two dozen parliamentarians from 17 countries will come out in support of the Israeli government's Iran policy.

* Brotherhood calls on Jordanians to take to streets The Arab Spring blossomed - and sometimes wilted - in nearly every country in the region aside from Jordan.

* White House secret meetings examine al-Qaeda threat in North Africa The White House has held a series of secret meetings in recent months to examine the threat posed by al-Qaeda's franchise in North Africa.

* U.S. Consulate in Benghazi Bombed Twice in Run-Up to 9/11 Anniversary In the five months leading up to this year's 9/11 anniversary, there were two bombings on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi.

* 70% of Americans hold favorable view of Israel, new poll finds Seventy percent of Americans view Israel favorably, according to a survey conducted by the Foreign Policy Initiative.

* Peres: Best To Get Rid of 'Modern Haman' Ahmadinejad without War "All of us would prefer to get rid of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the modern Haman, without war," President Shimon Peres told former Chief Sephardi Rabbi Ovadia Yosef.

* Police Ignore Arab Death Threats at Jews on Temple Mount Police ignored threats by Arabs to butcher Jews ascending the Temple Mount but arrested an Arab for trying to stab a police officer.

* Hizbullah Threatens to 'Conquer the Galilee' A new Hizbullah video highlights the terrorist organization's latest campaign - "liberating the Galilee."

* US Pressures EU To Oppose PA Statehood Ploy at UN The Obama administration has warned European Union countries that granting the Palestinian Authority Non-Member Observer status in the United Nations would have "significant negative consequences."

* Russia warns NATO to stay away from Syria Russia told NATO and world powers on Tuesday they should not seek ways to intervene in the Syrian war or set up buffer zones between rebels and government forces.