05/15/13

* Clashes in W. Bank and J'lem as Palestinians mark Nakba Day Palestinians on Wednesday marked the 65th anniversary of Nakba Day, the day after the Gregorian calendar for Israeli independence, with demonstrations and rallies.

* 'Assad said Hezbollah may fight Israel from Golan' Iran persuaded Syrian President Bashar Assad to allow Hezbollah to open a new front from which to attack Israel in the Golan Heights.

* Syrian rebel hacks dead soldier's body, eats heart on video In one of the more shocking videos released in the Syrian civil war, Syrian Rebel commander Abu Sakkar was shown on Sunday cutting organs out of a dead soldier and biting into his heart.

* EU peacekeepers alarmed by redeployment of Lebanese troops toward Syria The European Union has been mulling a withdrawal from the United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon.

* Attacks against Lebanese Alawites deepen fears Lebanese members of the Syrian leader's Alawite sect fear their tiny community will be a casualty of the civil war raging in the neighboring country.

* UN Rep Poses With Map of 'Palestine' - But Something's Missing The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) launched a German-funded project in southern Lebanon where the area's Director of UNRWA Affairs, Ann Dismorr, posed with a map devoid of any trace of the State of Israel.

* Nigeria declares 'massive' military campaign on borders Nigeria has announced a "massive deployment of men and resources" to combat Islamist militants in the country's border territories.

* Celebrating Shavuot in the rain Across the country, thousands of Israelis celebrated the holiday of Shavuot.

* German growth too weak to lift eurozone from recession The eurozone economy continues to shrink as Germany's economy grew by a meagre 0.1 percent in the past three months.

* Hamas, Fatah to form unity gov't within 3 months Fatah and Hamas announced on Tuesday that they have agreed on a timeline of three months to achieve reconciliation between the two rival parties.