01/31/13

* Why Israel might have felt the imperative to strike in Syria Some 24 hours after the air strikes in Syria, the facts and claims do not yet piece together into a coherent puzzle.

* Russia concerned with Israeli 'attack' in Syria Russia said on Thursday it was very concerned about reports of an Israeli attack in Syria and that any such action, if confirmed, would amount to unacceptable military interference in the war-ravaged country.

* 'Assad transferred chemical weapons to Hezbollah' The Saudi-based newspaper Al-Watan on Thursday reported that the Syrian regime has transferred non-conventional weapons to Hezbollah.

* Ban 'gravely concerned' over alleged Israel strike in Syria UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed "grave concern" on Thursday over reports that Israeli jets bombed a convoy near the Lebanese border.

* IAF Chief: 'Huge Weapons Arsenal' in Syria Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel, Commander of the IAF, described the chaotic threat facing Israel from its neighbors.

* Party leaders meet with president to nominate PM Even though it was a given that Labor would not enter a coalition led by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, party leader Shelly Yacimovich made the position clear Thursday after meeting with President Shimon Peres.

* EA boss denies video games encourage violent attacks The boss of Electronic Arts (EA) has denied there is any link between video game content and "actual violence".

* UN: Israel Must Withdraw From Judea, Samaria The United Nations says Israel must withdraw all of its citizens from the regions of Judea and Samaria.

* Netanyahu hints Israel can't destroy Iran nuke program Israel could do "significant damage" to Iran's nuclear program in a military strike.

* Nato chief: EU must spend more on military ato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen has urged EU countries to spend more on defence despite the economic crisis or risk losing US solidarity.

01/30/13

* 'Israel hit target on Syria-Lebanon border' "Israeli forces have attacked a target on the Syrian-Lebanese border overnight," foreign and Arab media sources alleged Wednesday.

* Iran, Hezbollah terror threat rising Iran's elite Quds Force and Hezbollah militants are learning from a series of botched terror attacks over the past two years.

* Mali conflict: France says its troops now in Kidal French forces now control Kidal airport after a number of aircraft, including helicopters, landed there overnight.

* Egypt's protests reveal deficit of trust in Muslim Brotherhood Five days of protests in Egypt, with dozens of people killed and entire cities in turmoil, have revealed a whopping deficit of public trust in the Muslim Brotherhood.

* CIA Adviser Warns of 'Financial Weapons of Mass Destruction' James Rickards, a top adviser for the Pentagon and CIA, is sounding the alarm that America is on the brink of a global "financial war."

* Number of Israelis updating gas masks nearly triples The defense establishment's concerns about the potential threat of chemical weapons from Syria and Hezbollah has not gone unnoticed by the Israeli public.

* IDF Arms Soldiers with Cameras In recent weeks the IDF has had to deal with the release of several video clips harmful to its image.

* Feiglin Ascends Temple Mount, With No Fear of Arrest Moshe Feiglin, newly elected as an MK with the Likud party, ascended the Temple Mount on Wednesday.

* First 'Space Week' gives down-to-earth look at the stars Israel has sent up numerous space satellites - as well as an Israeli, with tragic consequences - but now space is coming to Israel.

* Political parties drive hate in EU, commission says Far-right political discourse is feeding hatred throughout the EU and could harm the European project in the upcoming 2014 European Parliament elections.

* Aide to Egyptian President Morsi claims Holocaust a US hoax A key figure in Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi's government called the Holocaust a hoax cooked up by U.S. intelligence operatives and claimed the 6 million Jews who were killed by Nazis simply moved to the U.S.

01/29/13

* IAF Chief: Iran source of most threats to Israel Israel's need to deal with developing threats before they begin having an impact on the country's security is growing.

* Israel seen gearing up for possible war in north Israel is growing increasingly concerned that Syria's ongoing civil war is going to result in open conflict.

* IAF chief warns against complacency on Syria IAF Chief Maj.-Gen. Amir Eshel warned Tuesday that Israel cannot remain complacent vis-a-vis the growing chaos is Syria.

* Egypt's army chief warns of 'state collapse' amid crisis Egypt's armed forces chief has warned the current political crisis "could lead to a collapse of the state".

* EU: Extremism at its Highest Level Since World War II Violent extremism is at its highest level in Europe since World War II and is becoming the continent's top security threat.

* Iran sentences American pastor Saeed Abedini to 8 years in prison Christian pastor Saeed Abedini, an American imprisoned in Iran on charges of evangelizing, was sentenced this morning to eight years in prison.

* Israeli Troops Swap Guns for Computers as Cyber Attacks Rise At an army base outside Tel Aviv, soldiers sit in front of screens glued to scrolling colored computer code, keyboards at the ready to deflect attacks.

* Bethlehem bans contact with Israel In a further demonstration of Palestinian Authority intransigence, the mayor of Bethlehem on Sunday issued an order barring direct contact with Israel.

* US to Deploy Drone Near Mali to Surveil Al-Qaeda Terrorists The US military plans to set up a base for drones in northwest Africa to bolster surveillance of Al-Qaeda's affiliate in the region and allied Islamist extremists.

* Mashaal gearing for PLO bid The London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported Tuesday that Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal plans to seek the chairmanship of the Palestinian Liberation Organization.

01/28/13

* UK paper posts anti-Israel cartoon on Holocaust day On Holocaust Memorial Day,'Sunday Times' publishes cartoon depicting PM paving wall with Palestinian blood.

* Ex-CIA man: Iran blast largest sabotage in decades Former Revolutionary Guard tells 'Post' that such a blow to Fordow nuclear facility would harm Iran drastically.

* Israel warns of possible pre-emptive chemical weapons strike in Syria Israel could launch a pre-emptive strike to stop Syria's chemical weapons from reaching Lebanon's Hezbollah or al Qaeda inspired groups, officials said Sunday.

* Israeli sources reportedly confirm blast at Iranian nuclear facility London Times report cites intelligence officials who say Iran hasn't evacuated area around Fordo plant; unclear if explosion was 'sabotage or accident'

* Ahmadinejad: Muslims Should Mobilize to Destroy Zionism "Under the circumstances that the Zionists are occupying and killing oppressed people, we should not sit idly by," says Iranian president.

* Davos 2013: Kissinger says Iran nuclear crisis close Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has warned that a crisis involving a nuclear Iran is in the "foreseeable future".

* Report: Hizbullah Sets Up Bases Near Syria's Chemical Arsenal Hizbullah terrorists are setting up bases in Syria close to known chemical weapons storage facilities, according to an Israeli media outlet.

* Iranian space monkey successfully completes mission Two years after attempting to place monkey doll into orbit, Iran successfully launches live monkey into space, recovers it safely upon landing

* Indyk: Obama and Netanyahu have 'bad chemistry' Former US Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk says Israelis may want normal life but first they must end conflict with Palestinians; calls on Netanyahu to "reach out to President Obama and try to turn a new page."

* Dung beetles guided by Milky Way They may be down in the dirt but it seems dung beetles also have their eyes on the stars.

01/26/13

* Barak: US plans 'surgical strike' if Iran sanctions fail Ehud Barak is certain the US has plans for surgical strikes against Iran as a last-ditch measure if Tehran refuses to stop its development of a nuclear weapons capability.

* Iranian official: Attack on Syria is attack on us Iran considers any attack against Syria an attack on itself.

* 'Iran would definitely use nuclear weapon on Israel' If Iran makes a nuclear bomb "it would definitely use it against Israel or against any other enemy state," a former representative of the Iranian Foreign Ministry said.

* Egypt: Protesters Clash with Police on Anniversary of Revolt Egyptian protesters on Friday stormed a regional government headquarters and clashed with police.

* Iraq Sunnis threaten army attacks after protest deaths Sunni leaders in Anbar have threatened to launch attacks against the army in the western Iraqi province after five protesters were shot dead in Fallujah.

* Nasrallah: Israel facing a 'crisis of leadership' Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Friday said that following Tuesday's Knesset elections, Israel is facing a "crisis of leadership," and urged the Palestinians to increase their resistance.

* As UN marks Holocaust, Israel warns of Iran threat Holocaust survivors, their families and delegates of their cause flooded the General Assembly hall of the United Nations on Friday.

* Mali: French-led soldiers in control of Gao airport French-led troops in Mali have taken control of the airport in the northern town and Islamist stronghold of Gao, the French defence ministry has said.

* Door Closing on Peace, Warns Jordan's King The door is closing on the chances of a two-state solution to the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

* PA Arabs Re-enter Illegal Outpost Dozens of Palestinian Authority Arabs re-entered a demolished outpost near Jerusalem and started to rebuild it.

01/25/13

* 'Two state solution only viable as long as Obama in power' "The time to take action in the Middle East is now," was the resounding message of Jordanian King Abdullah II's speech to the World Economic Forum in Davos.

* Violence flares on anniversary of Egypt uprising Hundreds of youths clashed with Egyptian police in Tahrir Square on Friday in a violent start to the second anniversary of the uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak.

* Kerry wants to hit ground running on peace talks At John Kerry's confirmation hearings Thursday to be the next US secretary of state, the Massachusetts senator said he hoped the Israeli elections would help restart the peace process.

* Odds of military conflict between China, Japan increase as Xi calls for 'actual combat' training The likelihood of an at least small-scale military conflict between China and Japan over the Diaoyu-Senkaku islands has increased dramatically.

* Kerry wants to hit ground running on peace talks At John Kerry's confirmation hearings Thursday to be the next US secretary of state, the Massachusetts senator said he hoped the Israeli elections would help restart the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.

* Egyptians say F-16 deal proves Morsi passed U.S. test 'with flying colors' Egypt has concluded that the delivery of advanced F-16 multi-role fighters marked U.S. support for the Islamist regime of President Mohammed Morsi.

* 'Palestinians re-erect outpost northwest of J'lem' Palestinian media reported on Friday that dozens of Palestinian activists re-erected tents at an outpost northwest of Jerusalem on Friday.

* Russian MPs back 'gay propaganda' ban amid scuffles The Russian parliament has backed a ban on the promotion of homosexuality among children in its first reading, amid scuffles on the street outside.

* Syrian rebels detonate car bomb near Israeli border Eight members of Syria's military intelligence were killed by an Islamist militant car bomb on Thursday night near the southern frontier with the Golan Heights.

* French colonel: France better off alone in Mali A senior French military officer has said France is better off without Nato or EU help to reconquer north Mali.

01/24/13

* Antibiotic 'apocalypse' warning The rise in drug resistant infections is comparable to the threat of global warming, according to the chief medical officer for England.

* Panetta opens US military combat roles to women Senior US defense officials say Pentagon chief Leon Panetta is removing the military's ban on women serving in combat.

* White House calls for resumption of peace talks The White House on Wednesday renewed its call for a resumption of long-stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations in the wake of Israeli elections.

* Hamas to establish military academy for Gaza schoolchildren Hamas is planning to establish a military academy in the Gaza Strip for training and educating schoolchildren.

* Israel: Support for France's Mali incursion reveals world hypocrisy Israel on Wednesday suggested that the international community's overwhelming support for France's anti-terror military incursion into the west African nation of Mali reveals a clear double standard.

* Tribal lawmakers to dominate Jordan's parliament Pro-government tribal candidates strengthened their grip on Jordan's parliament after Wednesday's general election.

* North Korea 'plans third nuclear test' North Korea says it is proceeding with plans for a third nuclear test.

* Pope on social networking: the virtual is real Pope Benedict XVI put church leaders on notice Thursday, saying social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter aren't a virtual world they can ignore.

* US does not recognize use of 'State of Palestine' Participation in United Nations forums that refer to a "State of Palestine" does not constitute US recognition of Palestinian statehood.

* State School President Under Fire for Obama-Hitler Comparison The President of the Ohio State Board of Education has come under fire for comparing President Barack Obama's efforts to enact new gun control restrictions in the United States.

01/23/13

* PM: Election shows country still wants me at helm Despite suffering a significant setback at the polls, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Wednesday afternoon the elections show the country wants him to continue to lead the nation.

* Russia Orders Obama: Tell World About Aliens, Or We Will A stunning Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) report on Prime Minister Medvedev's agenda at the World Economic Forum (WEF) this week states that Russia will warn President Obama that the "time has come" for the world to know the truth about aliens.

* Hamas plays hardball ahead of unity talks with Fatah Wth unity talks between Hamas and Fatah set to resume in Cairo next week, Hamas is still insisting on maintaining its armed wing in Gaza.

* Russia Pulls Citizens from Syria Russia is beginning to evacuate its citizens from Syria.

* Russia warns Israel, West against attack on Iran Russia warned Israel and the West on Wednesday against any military strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities but suggested Tehran should be quicker to cooperate over inspections of its nuclear sites.

* Pessimism in PA Follows Israel's 2013 Elections Pessimism in the Palestinian Authority about the prospects for peace with Israel has followed the country's national elections on the "morning after."

* Hillary Clinton defends handling of Benghazi attack At a Senate committee hearing, Mrs Clinton lashed out at a senator who accused the Obama administration of misleading the public.

* EU leaders warn Cameron over membership referendum Mr Cameron said a poll would be held if the Conservatives were returned to power at the next general election, which is expected in 2015.

* Mali mission could increase risk of anti-EU terrorism A top counter-terrorism official has said the EU military training mission in Mali will increase the risk of revenge attacks in Europe.

* US 'looking forward' to work with new Israeli gov't US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro tweeted his congratulations to Israelis on a successful Election Day soon after polls closed across the country.

01/22/13

* Israel election: High turnout as Netanyahu eyes victory Israelis have been voting in large numbers in a general election in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to returned to office.

* Russian navy begins largest post-Soviet exercise in waters near Syria The Defense Ministry said Russia began its largest naval exercise in more than 20 years in the Mediterranean.

* Obama expedites delivery of F-16s to Morsi's Egypt The United States, despite opposition from Congress, has begun sending F-16 multi-role fighters as well as main battle tanks to Egypt.

* 'Forget the Rabbis, Think of God' When it comes time to vote, Israelis should think of one thing: what G-d wants from them, says Rabbi Shmuel Eliyahu.

* British Islamists During Protest: Islam Will Dominate France Islamists in Britain, who protested outside the French Embassy in London last week, threatened that Islam will dominate France and England.

* Russians flee Syrian conflict on planes from Beirut Buses carrying the Russians have crossed the Lebanese border heading for Beirut airport.

* As Roe v. Wade Turns 40, Foes Focus on State Capitols President Obama's reelection bid emphasized abortion rights more than any other presidential campaign in history.

* David Attenborough - Humans are plague on Earth The television presenter said that humans are threatening their own existence and that of other species by using up the world’s resources.

* Assad: 'I will win, even if Damascus is destroyed' The Israeli elections, President Obama's inauguration speech and the violence in Syria all feature prominently in Arab news Tuesday.

* Merkel and Hollande dream of EU 'utopia' The leaders of Germany and France encouraged young people to be "utopian" and dream of a European federal state with common taxation.

01/21/13

* Jerusalem Temple makes appearance as election topic Amid all the pre-election arguing over diplomatic, security and economic issues, the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem made a brief appearance as a topic of fiery debate between two Israeli candidates.

* Netanyahu: Iran, not settlements, the real security threat Prime minister reiterates promise not to uproot West Bank Jewish communities if reelected.

* Israel Quietly Lauded as 'Only Free State' in Middle East The State of Israel "remains the region's only Free country," according to a US democracy watchdog organization annual report.

* Khamenei aide: Toppling Assad 'red line' for Iran Ali Akbar Velayati warns against overthrow of Syrian president, says "line of resistance in the face of Israel will be broken."

* Abbas intimates that Israel wants to kill him PA head, in interview, also suggests Israel killed Arafat, says Zionism had links to Nazism before WWII; Israeli source dismisses accusations.

* Thousands of police to be deployed on Election Day Police spokesman says thousands of officers to fan out at some 10,132 polling stations in Israel, "ensuring public right to vote."

* Gamma-ray burst 'hit Earth in 8th Century' A gamma ray burst, the most powerful explosion known in the Universe, may have hit the Earth in the 8th Century.

* Analysis: Israeli vote least of neighbors' worries The region also has more compelling worries than a seemingly predictable parliamentary poll.

* Al Qaeda-Linked Terrorists Threaten More Attacks in Algeria Al Qaeda-linked terrorists in Algeria have threatened more attacks if France does not cease its military assistance to nearby Mali.

* Barkat: Netanyahu Has Kept Jerusalem United Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat on Monday endorsed Binyamin Netanyahu for reelection as Prime Minister.

01/19/13

* For Israeli voters, missile fire, money main issues in Tuesday election The pundits in Israel, the United States and the West Bank have pretty much forecast the winner of Tuesday's Israeli national elections.

* Algeria crisis: 'Captors and hostages die in assault' The hostages were summarily killed as the troops tried to free them, it said.

* Netanyahu vows he won't demolish settlements in next term Adopting a hard-line stance ahead of the elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a Friday interview promised that, if reelected, he would not uproot West Bank settlements in the coming four years.

* Keeping Hebrew Israel's living language Israel recently celebrated the 155th birthday of Eliezer Ben Yehuda, considered by many the father of modern day Hebrew.

* Newsweek: Obama is 'The Second Coming' According to the new issue of Newsweek online, President Obama, who this weekend begins his second term--the third president in a row to do so--is "The Second Coming."

* Hamas's star rising in the West Bank Hamas is steadily gaining strength among Palestinians in the West Bank.

* France's Fabius says Africa 'must' send troops to Mali West African leaders have been told they must "pick up the baton" in the military offensive to drive Islamist insurgents out of Mali.

* With Google and Apple services, Israel enters new digital era For the first time, Israelis are now able to join the "world digital party."

* Center-left slams right-winger's talk of 'blowing up' Muslim shrine Center-left party leaders Tzipi Livni and Yair Lapid castigated Naftali Bennett's Jewish Home party on Saturday.

* Syrian rebels tighten siege of two military bases Syrian activists report intense fighting on Saturday between government troops and rebels.

01/18/13

* Israel election: Netanyahu 'will not dismantle settlements' Israel's prime minister has said no Jewish settlements in the West Bank will be removed during his next term in office if he wins elections on Tuesday.

* Final polls give right wing narrowest lead of race Polls released Friday, the last date permitted by election law for publishing pre-election surveys, give the right wing-Orthodox bloc just 63 seats.

* Netanyahu: Obama and I differ on peace process He is in an enviable political position, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

* Palestinians despair over likely Netanyahu win Palestinian officials largely view Benjamin Netanyahu's expected re-election with despair.

* Iraq Sunnis rally against Shiite-led government Thousands of Sunnis rallied Friday in western and central Iraq, denouncing the Shiite-led government's policies they claim sideline their sect.

* 'Iran beefed up cyber capabilities after Stuxnet' Iran responded to a 2010 cyber attack on its nuclear facilities by beefing up its own cyber capabilities.

* Hamas, Fatah agree to implement unity agreements Hamas and Fatah agreed Thursday to implement, by the end of this month, previous reconciliation agreements signed between the two parties.

* Mali army 'regains Konna and Diabaly' from rebels Islamist fighters have withdrawn from two towns in central Mali following French air strikes.

* New and Improved: Katyusha Rocket Threat Graphic Mark Langfan's Katyusha Rocket Range All over Israel article is one of Arutz Sheva's most popular articles ever, with a over 5,400 Facebook "recommends."

* Jordan's Islamists, opposition rally against vote Hundreds of Jordanian Islamists, youth activists and other opposition groups rallied Friday in Amman.

01/17/13

* Algeria says military operation to free hostages 'over' The military operation to free hostages at a desert gas plant is now over.

* 'Inspiring' Hitler Apps Featured on Android Google Play Google's app store for Android cell phone products is offering at least half a dozen free and paid apps featuring information for those who seek the "inspiration" of former Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

* 'Iran to deploy warships to Mediterranean Sea' Naval commander says fleet is to patrol the Mediterranean sea in an attempt to defend against "threats to Islamic Republic."

* US says Morsi backtrack on anti-Semitic remarks lacking The Obama administration said Thursday that a statement issued by the Egyptian presidency is welcome but not enough to ease concerns about anti-Jewish and anti-Israel comments.

* Hamas says no unity with Fatah without armed wing Hamas will not agree to dismantle the Al-Qassam Brigades as part of a reconciliation deal with rival movement Fatah.

* Israel dismantles E1 Palestinian outpost, activists say Israel removed tents in an illegal Palestinian outpost Wednesday night.

* Dead Sea rises for first time in 10 years A test conducted Wednesday revealed that the Dead Sea rose 10 centimeters since its last monthly measurement.

* Red Sea-Dead Sea link feasible, World Bank says It is possible to use the Red Sea to replenish the shrinking Dead Sea, the World Bank has determined after years of studying whether such a connecting lifeline could work.

* EU Places Holocaust Remembrance Day on Official Calendar For the first time since its establishment, the European Union has incorporated International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Jan. 27, into its official calendar.

* Russia seeks agreement on nuclear talks with Iran Russia says it is working hard to firm up plans for a new round of talks between global powers and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program.

01/16/13

* Netanyahu hits back at Obama: I know what's best for Israel A day after US columnist Jeffrey Goldberg quoted US President Barack Obama as saying that Israel under Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu does not know what is in its own best interest, Netanyahu visited the Gaza border Wednesday.

* An 'Iranian Spring,' perhaps? Carnage in the Syrian city of Aleppo and projected unrest in Iran's periphery lead the news in Arab media Wednesday.

* Prosor: Time to Take Action on Syria's Chemical Weapons It is time for the United Nations Security Council to act, and not just talk, over the threat of Syrian chemical weapons.

* Mali conflict: French 'fighting Islamists in Diabaly' French troops have been fighting Mali's Islamist rebels in street battles in the town of Diabaly.

* Israel to UN: Prevent transfer of Syrian WMDs to Hezbollah Israel's ambassador to the United Nations Ron Prosor said Tuesday that the prospect of Hezbollah acquiring chemical weapons.

* EU enlargement: The next eight Croatia and Turkey started accession talks on 3 October 2005.

* Croatia to Join EU Though Flouting Rules Croatia is slated to become the 28th member of the European Union in July.

* Toronto Rally Calls 'Massacre of Shia Muslims' a 'Zionist Plot' The B'nai Brith Canada organization filed a complaint to police about an anti-Zionist protest which took place this past Monday at the Pakistan consulate in Vaughan, Ontario.

* French army to stay until 'Mali is safe' President Francois Hollande has said French troops in Mali are there to do much more than stopping rebels from taking Bamako.

* Judea and Samaria Lead the Charge in IDF Young men from Judea and Samaria are most likely nationwide to enlist as combat soldiers in the IDF.

01/15/13

* Syria ordered to attack Israel if Assad falls Embattled Syrian dictator Bashar Assad has ordered his military chiefs to launch ballistic missiles at Israel if he is killed by rebel forces.

* Fed up, Obama says Israel 'doesn't know its own best interests' US President Barack Obama, frustrated with continued construction in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, has reportedly become "inured".

* US condemns Morsi's 2010 anti-Semitic remarks The White House on Tuesday strongly condemned comments that Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi was reported to have made in 2010.

* Who killed Arafat? Possibly his closest colleagues Yasser Arafat waved goodbye to his supporters on a cold October morning in 2004.

* Jordan Islamists to step up anti-election campaign Jordan's powerful Islamists warned on Tuesday they will step up their campaign against next week's parliamentary elections.

* Temple Laver Moved to New Home The Temple Institute moved a giant copper laver, or wash basin, to the new home of its exhibit of Temple articles on Monday.

* Iran to launch a monkey into space It appears Iran has decided to play catch-up with the US and Russia in the space race.

* Israel to reconstruct King Herod's tomb The glory of King Herod, the Judean king famous for renovating the Temple Mount and building Masada, will rise again - or at least his tomb will.

* Egypt to Host Another Fatah-Hamas Meeting Egypt is set to host another meeting between Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction and its rival Hamas.

* Blasts at Syrian university kill more than 80 Twin blasts inside a university campus in Syria's largest city on Tuesday set cars ablaze.

01/14/13

* 'Iran may reach key point for nuclear bomb by 2014' US nonproliferation experts say America, allies should intensify sanctions, urge Obama to clearly threaten military action.

* 'Fortress mentality will leave Israel isolated' Jordan's Abdullah tells AIPAC delegates that stalemate in Palestinian-Israeli peace efforts will "plunge region into unknown."

* Data: Arab Growth Slows, Still Higher than Jewish Rate While the Arab growth rate continues to decline, it is still higher than that of the Jewish population in the country.

* Iran spying on Israel from Syria, says Pentagon Signals intelligence stations, including one in the Golan, are meant to supply information to Hezbollah.

* Mali-based Islamists pledge attacks on French soil A military offensive to reclaim Mali's north from Islamist forces entered a fourth day on Monday, as al Qaeda linked-rebels promised to launch attacks on French soil in retaliation to the government's decision to intervene in the unstable West African country.

* North Korea 'preparing for new nuclear test' North Korea vowed on Monday to strengthen its defences amid concerns the country may conduct a nuclear test as a follow-up to last month's long-range rocket launch.

* Assad 'Living on Warship' Unconfirmed report in Saudi newspaper says Syrian strongman travels to Syria by helicopter to attend meetings.

* EU reportedly to offer new Middle East peace plan Israeli sources fear European initiative for a two-state solution will force Israel "into a corner".

* EU countries back France on Mali air strikes Fellow EU countries and the US have backed France's decision to bomb rebels in north Mali.

* Hamas Tests Improved Long-Range Missiles Hamas recently test fired improved long-range missiles from a training base in what was once Gush Katif, PA media reported.

01/12/13

* Syrian rebels claim capture of strategic military base Syrian rebel fighters said Friday they have captured a strategic northern military base used by the government to bomb opposition strongholds.

* Ethiopia's last Jews prepare for 'Promised Land' It was one of the most daring operations in Ethiopian history: Israel's 1991 airlift of Ethiopian Jews, when nearly 15,000 people were crammed into a series of non-stop flights lasting 36 hours.

* French troops continue operation against Mali Islamists French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said rebels heading towards the central town of Mopti were attacked.

* Ahmadinejad to seek closer ties in visit to Egypt Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to visit Egypt in February.

* US, Russia at odds in Syria talks over Assad's fate Russia and the United States remained deadlocked Friday on the fate of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

* Ya'alon speaks against founding of Palestinian state Vice Premiere Moshe Ya'alon (Likud) ruled out the possibility of establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

* A Trail of Bullet Casings Leads From Africa's Wars Back to Iran The first clues appeared in Kenya, Uganda and what is now South Sudan.

* PM calls for eviction of Palestinian activists from E1 Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Saturday ordered the immediate evacuation of Bab al-Shams (Gate of the Sun).

* Where's Congess? 'Terror TV' buys Al Gore channel for access to U.S. households If Homeland Security Committee Chairman Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Texas) lets the Al Jazeera-Al Gore deal go through without scrutiny, then every broadcast entity or communications facility in America is ripe for the plucking.

* EU states urge the UN to refer Syria to the ICC Four EU member states urged the United Nations to refer Syria to the International Criminal Court (ICC).

01/11/13

* Preventing a nuclear Iran is top priority after elections, Netanyahu says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Friday that preventing Iran from getting a nuclear bomb will top his agenda if he wins the upcoming election.

* Syrian rebels seize key air base, activists say Syrian rebels and Islamic militants seeking to topple President Bashar Assad took full control of a strategic northwestern air base Friday.

* Mideast conflict's wallet Before going on their end-of-the-year vacation, the heads of the Dutch Foreign Ministry were asked to respond to a series of questions from members of parliament's foreign affairs committee regarding their office's budget for 2013.

* Almost impossible to prevent Assad from using chemical weapons, US Army chief says The United States has largely ruled out sending in ground troops to secure Syrian chemical weapons under hostile circumstances.

* Iranian president invites Egypt's Morsi to visit Tehran Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi on Thursday received an invitation from his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to visit Tehran.

* Iran sends jailed US pastor to 'hanging judge' Iranian authorities have recently assigned the case of imprisoned American-Iranian Pastor Saeed Abedini to a Tehran judge sanctioned by the European Union for human rights violations.

* Galaxy crash sparks large spiral Astronomers have spotted the largest known spiral galaxy - by accident.

* Palestinians build outpost in West Bank tract slated for settlement Palestinian activists and international supporters on Friday erected a tent city in the area known as E1, between Jerusalem and the settlement of Maaleh Adumim.

* US troops will end 'most' Afghanistan combat this spring They said US troops were expected to switch to a support role, slightly earlier than originally scheduled.

01/10/13

* Israel president warns of new Palestinian uprising Israel's president has warned that the Palestinians are liable to launch a new uprising if the Jewish state doesn't do more to try to reach a peace accord.

* Egypt's president invited to Iran, discusses Syria Iran's foreign minister on Thursday invited Egypt's president to visit Tehran again.

* Poll: Right to Get 71 Seats in Next Knesset With less than two weeks to the elections, a new poll shows that support for parties is stabilizing.

* U.S.-made pistols smuggled from Turkey to Yemen in cake, cookie boxes Turkey has determined that U.S.-origin firearms were smuggled to Yemen.

* Iran tries to improve ties with Egypt Shiite Iran, increasingly isolated over its nuclear program, tried to improve ties with Egypt on Thursday.

* Apophis asteroid: Large space rock flies past Earth Apophis - named after the Egyptian demon of destruction and darkness - has been put on a watch list by scientists.

* Istanbul: smuggler capital for EU-bound migrants Many of the groups which smuggle people into Europe are based in the migrant quarters of Turkey's vast city on the EU border - Istanbul.

* US warns Britain on EU referendum The Obama administration has warned Britain against sidelining itself in the EU as Prime Minister Cameron comes under increasing pressure to hold a membership referendum.

* NATO detects more missile launches in Syria A short-range ballistic missile was fired inside Syria on Wednesday, following similar launches last week.

* Fatah, Hamas take fresh stab at unity deal The Egyptians announced Thursday that Fatah and Hamas have agreed to start immediately implementing previous reconciliation agreements signed between the two rival parties.

01/09/13

* Israel Planning to Build Holy Temple, Claims PA Official The head of manuscripts at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, Najeh Bkeirat, has accused Israel of trying to "Judaize" the Temple Mount by building a new Holy Temple.

* Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood Infiltrated Obama Admin An Egyptian magazine has claimed that six American Islamist activists who work with the Obama administration are Muslim Brotherhood operatives who enjoy strong influence over U.S. policy.

* Jordan turns away Palestinian refugees fleeing violence in Syria Jordan has turned away dozens of Palestinian refugees on the Syrian border fleeing regime bombardment of the Yarmouk refugee camp south of Damascus.

* As Fatah, Hamas meet, Netanyahu vows not to cede more land Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said he would not cede any more land to the Palestinians.

* Egyptian minister fired over opposition to Iran meddling A secret meeting held recently between Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi's aide and the commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps' Al-Quds Force led to the dismissal of Egypt's former Interior Minister Ahmed Gamal El Din.

* US Congress 'Less Popular than Cockroaches' The US Congress, fresh off its fiscal cliff budget crisis, was in for new teasing Wednesday as a poll revealed it is now less popular than cockroaches and lice.

* Iran behind spate of cyber-attacks against American banking sites, US says The United States government is certain that a recent series of cyber-attacks against American banks was carried out by Iran.

* Iraq to quadruple refinery capacity with help of U.S. firm Iraq plans to oversee an imminent project to build a major oil refinery.

* Cables Show State Department Disregarded Muslim Brotherhood Threat The Obama administration chose to listen to voices suggesting that Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood was moderate rather than those who warned it would resort to violence if it came to power.

* 'Concern over possible uranium stockpile in Syria' Concern is heightening over the possible existence of up to 50 tons of enriched uranium in Syria.

01/08/13

* PM: 'Settlements' Do Not Threaten World Stability, Iran Does Iran's nuclear ambitions and Syria's chemical weapons are the real threats facing the Middle East and the stability of the entire international community.

* US, Russia plunging into new Cold War Tit-for-tat moves between Russia and the US are plunging the two nations into a new Cold War.

* Fighting flares in Palestinian camp in Damascus Palestinian factions in Syria called for a cease-fire Tuesday after fighting flared at a refugee camp.

* Egyptian Magazine: Muslim Brotherhood Infiltrates Obama Administration An Egyptian magazine claims that six American Islamist activists who work with the Obama administration are Muslim Brotherhood operatives who enjoy strong influence over U.S. policy.

* Iran hopeful in Hagel nomination; Israel 'concerned' Iran's foreign ministry said on Tuesday it hoped the appointment of Chuck Hagel as the next US defense secretary would lead to "practical changes" in Washington's foreign policy.

* Kepler telescope: Earth-sized planets 'number 17bn' Astronomers say that one in six stars hosts an Earth-sized planet in a close orbit - suggesting a total of 17 billion such planets in our galaxy.

* Obama Listened to Israel, Avoided Chemical War in Syria: Report Israeli surveillance that spotted Syria preparing chemical bombs to load them on airplanes spurred President Barack Obama into action to win rare support from Russia to stop the plan.

* Hezbollah sent 5,000 fighters to help Assad, daily reports Some 5,000 Hezbollah combatants entered Syria in December to aid the faltering regime of Bashar Assad.

* Encouraging our children to kill themselves for Palestine is a mother’s most glorious duty, says wife of Hamas MP The wife of a Hamas member of parliament hailed the role of Palestinian mothers in preparing their children to kill themselves in acts of terrorism against Israel.

* Towards a plausible EU response to breakaway regions Despite claims to the contrary, the EU is essentially a union of nation states.

01/07/13

* Iran Says Patriots in Turkey Are Meant to Protect Israel The deployment of Patriot missiles in Turkey is designed to protect Israel from Iranian threats, Iran charges.

* Deathwatch for dictator a timebomb in Venezuela Venezuela's ruling Partido Socialista Unido de Venezuela (United Socialist Party: PSUV) has, since mid-December 2012, been working on devising a plan to initiate President-elect Hugo ChÃvez Frias' new term in office without the president necessarily being physically able to govern.

* Egypt's Morsi remakes cabinet, increasing Islamist presence Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi rebuilt his cabinet Sunday, replacing 10 ministers and amplifying the Islamist presence in the government.

* Syrians expect war after Assad's speech of peace Hours after president addresses cheering loyalists, clashes raged in the Syrian capital; cabinet present plan to solve crisis.

* IN PICTURES: Israel battered by storms Israelis brace themselves for a week of torrential rains, thunderous winds; Modi'in mall flooded; snow expected Wednesday in J'lem.

* Morsi: Syrians must decide how to punish Assad Egyptian president pledges support for Syrian people, says he believes they will ultimately defeat embattled Syrian president.

* Israel to build 43-mile security fence in Golan Heights Israel is to build a 43-mile security fence along the armistice line of the occupied Golan Heights to prevent incursions by Islamist militants currently fighting against President Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria.

* President Obama to pick Chuck Hagel for Pentagon President Barack Obama has settled on Chuck Hagel, a Republican and former U.S. senator from Nebraska, to succeed Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, with an announcement expected Monday, Democratic officials told POLITICO.

* Shilo Find May Show It was Sacked by Philistines Evidence of destruction confirms conjecture that Shilo was destroyed after Even Ha'ezer war.

* Abbas: 'Mufti is My Hero' Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas spoke glowingly last Friday of the 'legacy' of infamous Nazi collaborator Hajj Amin al-Husseini,

01/05/13

* UN report predicts likely global economic downturn in 2013 The global economy risks sliding back into recession.

* Rebel strongholds bombarded in Syria Syrian ground and air forces bombarded rebel strongholds on the outskirts of Damascus and other areas around the country.

* 'Our mission is to save Jerusalem,' Abbas tells Fatah supporters in TV address to huge Gaza rally Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party staged a massive rally Friday in the Gaza Strip.

* Egypt's Islamic Jihad: Jews Deserve to be Killed The Islamic Jihad terrorist group has vowed to fight Jews if they return to Egypt.

* Morsi: No peace with descendants of apes and pigs Israeli-Palestinian negotiations are "a waste of time and opportunities" as Arabs and Muslims get nothing out of engagement with "the descendants of apes and pigs," current Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi asserted.

* 'PA officially changes name to State of Palestine' The Palestinian Authority officially changed its name to the State of Palestine.

* I'll make 'damn sure' big companies pay their tax, says David Cameron The world's most powerful leaders must mount a concerted effort to prevent multinational companies such as Starbucks and Amazon legally avoid large corporation tax bill.

* Construction is complete on behemoth airship; first flight planned A massive cargo-carrying airship has taken shape inside one of the 17-story wooden blimp hangars at the former military base in Tustin.

* 'Obama set to nominate Hagel for defense post' US President Barack Obama appeared poised on Friday to pick former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel as the next US defense secretary.

* US troops arrive in Turkey to man Patriot missiles U.S. troops have started to arrive in Turkey to man Patriot missiles meant to protect the NATO ally from potential Syrian warheads.

01/04/13

* Gaza: Fatah holds biggest rally since Hamas came to power Hamas, which governs Gaza, allowed rival Fatah to hold celebrations there for the first time since Hamas ousted Fatah forces five years ago.

* Russia to send 12 warships for exercise near coast of Syria Russia has been preparing for major naval exercises in the eastern Mediterranean.

* US urges EU to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution urging the European Union and its member states to designate Hezbollah a terrorist organization and impose sanctions on the group.

* Morsi in 2010: No Negotiations with 'Descendants of Apes' Long before he was elected as Egypt's president, Mohammed Morsi rejected negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority and referred to Jews as "apes and pigs".

* Netanyahu: Iran Remains the Number 1 Threat Iran's nuclear weapons program remains the number one threat over Israel, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said.

* Church of England drops gay bishop opposition The Church of England has dropped its prohibition on gay clergy in civil partnerships becoming bishops.

* Saudi jets bolster US drone attacks on Yemen Saudi Arabia has provided fighter jets to assist the United States with its drone strikes against Al-Qaeda targets in Yemen.

* 'Our mission is to save Jerusalem,' Abbas tells Fatah supporters in TV address to huge Gaza rally Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party staged a massive rally Friday in the Gaza Strip.

* Egyptian forces capture American-made missiles headed for Gaza Strip Egyptian security forces say they discovered and captured a store of American-made missiles headed for the Gaza Strip.

* Mighty mice: Israel finds better way to find hidden drugs, explosives Israel has been using mice to detect explosives.

01/03/13

* Jordanian minister accuses Israel of planning to erect the third Temple A Jordanian minister accused Israel on Wednesday of planning to partition the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem.

* After reverse-engineering U.S. drone, Iran bills itself world leader in UAV tech Iran has reported the export of indigenous unmanned aerial vehicles.

* Israel beefing up border with Syria, may look to Jordan frontier next Spurred on by fears of Syria's civil war spilling into the Golan Heights, Israel is ramping up works to improve the border fence between the two countries.

* Pakistan militant Mullah Nazir 'killed in drone attack' Senior Pakistani militant leader Mullah Nazir has been killed by a US drone strike.

* IDF preparing hospitals for chemical attacks The IDF Home Front Command is preparing all hospitals in Israel for a range of security threats.

* Fatah set to celebrate 48th anniversary in Gaza City Hamas and Fatah leaders on Wednesday discussed preparations for holding a rally to celebrate, in the Gaza Strip, the 48th anniversary of the "launch of the revolution" by Fatah.

* 'Wash. Post': Settlements not main peace obstacle Israeli settlements are not the main obstacle to peace and their prospective limited expansion does not preclude the eventual emergence of a Palestinian state.

* Officials: Iran's Ability to Hit Back at Israel Limited Iran's ability to attack Israel has been compromised significantly in the past year, Israeli diplomats meeting in Jerusalem were told by Defense Ministry intelligence officials.

* Iran Spy Network 30,000 Strong Iran's intelligence service includes 30,000 people who are engaged in covert and clandestine activities that range from spying to stealing technology to terrorist bombings and assassination.

* US deploying troops to 35 African countries The United States Army will be deploying troops to nearly three-dozen African nations in the coming year.

01/02/13

* Netanyahu Quotes Bible to Warn of Hamas Coup in Ramallah Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu quoted this week's Torah reading, which states, "Now There Arose a New King Over Egypt" and warned of a Hamas takeover of Ramallah.

* Abbas says 2013 will be year of Palestinian independence alestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rang in the New Year Monday night by declaring that 2013 would be the year that saw Palestinian independence.

* Palestinians to outnumber Jews by 2020 The number of Jews and Palestinians living between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean will be equal by 2016.

* Morsi Aide: Israel Will Cease to Exist Within Decade Deputy head of the Muslim Brotherhood's political arm in Egypt, the Freedom and Justice Party, announced Tuesday that Israel would cease to exist by the end of the decade.

* Expert: Israel Has an Historic Right to Judea and Samaria Alan Baker, an expert on international law and a member of the committee headed by Judge Edmond Levi measures to regulate building in Judea and Samaria, said at a conference discussing the matter Tuesday night that Israel would be fully in its rights to do so.

* Ireland's EU takeover bad news for Israel Israel's harshest critic in the EU assumes the organization's presidency in a time of diplomatic turbulence.

* Israel to host hundreds of foreign fighter pilots in largest ever multinational exercise Hundreds of foreign pilots are scheduled to arrive in Israel for the largest-ever multinational training session to be held in the country.

* Iraq cities hit by wave of deadly explosions At least 22 people have been killed and tens more injured in a series of explosions across Iraq.

* UN: Over 60,000 dead in Syria conflict At least 60,000 people have died in Syria's conflict, UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay said on Wednesday, citing an "exhaustive" UN-commissioned study.

* Worldwide Jewry numbers 14 million An extensive survey from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life has found that the worldwide Jewish community numbers some 14 million.