Islam In The News
We'll soon avenge Mughniyeh's death
The Jerusalem Post
(August 22, 2008) - Hizbullah warned Friday
that revenge for the death of the group's terror chief Imad Mughniyeh
was not far off. "Hizbullah will soon avenge the assassination of Imad
Mughniyeh," said Sheikh Ahmad Morad, a member of the Hizbullah
leadership in southern Lebanon. "The revenge will be shocking and huge
surprises are in store," he added. "We will not allow Israel and its
generals to enjoy stability." Morad was speaking at a Hizbullah rally in
southern Lebanon. Mughniyeh was killed in February in a car bomb in the
heart of Damascus. Israel has denied involvement. On Wednesday, the
Prime Minister's Office issued a renewed warning to Israelis abroad
regarding Hizbullah's intent to attack and possibly abduct Israeli
citizens around the world. As part of its recommendations for Israelis,
the PMO urged them to be wary of "unusual events," to turn down any
tempting offers relating to business or pleasure, to avoid letting
suspicious people or unknown visitors into their hotel rooms or
apartments, to avoid staying in remote locations - especially after
dark, to be accompanied by reliable companions during business meetings
and recreational activities, and to avoid a regular pattern of activity
during lengthy stays. Nevertheless, Sheikh Na'im Kassem, Hizbullah's
deputy secretary-general, gave a speech in Beirut at the start of August
during a conference attended by Lebanese emigrants, in which he called
on Hizbullah supporters living abroad to respect the laws of their host
countries and not to fight Israel on their soil.
Hamas leader: We'll retrieve Jerusalem only by way of jihad
YNet News
(August 21, 2008) - 'Jerusalem will be
returned to the Palestinians not by way of negotiations or hugging and
kissing the enemy, but through blood, shahids and resistance,' Haniyeh
says, adding 'Muslims must protect Al-Aqsa Mosque.' Hamas leader Ismail
Haniyeh said Wednesday that the Islamist group will not accept any
future peace agreement that does not include the return of Jerusalem and
the Jordan Valley to Palestinians hands and the return of Palestinian
refugees to their homes in Israel. Speaking at a ceremony marking 39
years since the fire at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City,
Haniyeh said "no one can cede Jerusalem, the city from which the Prophet
Muhammad ascended to the heavens. "Jerusalem will be retrieved to the
Palestinians not through negotiations or by hugging and kissing the
enemy, but by way of jihad, blood, shahids and resistance. With Allah's
help, Jerusalem will be returned," he said. The Hamas leader added that
"the Israeli-Arabs are safeguarding the Al-Aqsa Mosque; it is as if they
are inside the belly of a whale. They represent the Islamic nation. We
send them our regards, especially to Sheikh Raed Salah (founder of
Islamic Movement in Israel)." Haniyeh said that "according to most all
reports on secret peace talks or agreements, Israel is refusing to
relinquish Jerusalem and the West Bank, refuses to accept the right of
return of Palestinian refugees, refuses to dismantle the settlements and
deems the Jordan Valley vital to its security." On behalf of the
Palestinian nation and Muslims everywhere, I say that we will not accept
any such agreements," he said. The Hamas chief continued to say that
Israel is looking to damage Al-Aqsa and called on all Muslims to
"protect Jerusalem".
Fear of new Mid East 'Cold War' as Syria strengthens military alliance
with Russia Times Online
(August 21, 2008) - Syria raised the
prospect yesterday of having Russian missiles on its soil, sparking
fears of a new Cold War in the Middle East. President Assad said as he
arrived in Moscow to clinch a series of military agreements: “We are
ready to co-operate with Russia in any project that can strengthen its
security.” The Syrian leader told Russian newspapers: “I think Russia
really has to think of the response it will make when it finds itself
closed in a circle.” Mr Assad said that he would be discussing the
deployment of Russian missiles on his territory. The Syrians are also
interested in buying Russian weapons. In return Moscow is expected to
propose a revival of its Cold War era naval base at the Syrian port of
Tartus, which would give the Russian Navy its first foothold in the
Mediterranean for two decades. Damascus and Moscow were close allies
during the Cold War but the Kremlin’s influence in the region waned
after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Yesterday’s rapprochement raised
the possibility that Moscow intends to re-create a global anti-Western
alliance with former Soviet bloc allies. Many in Israel fear that the
Middle East could once again become a theatre for the two great powers
to exert their spheres of influence, militarily and politically. And
with Israel and the US providing military backing to Georgia, Russia
appears set to respond in kind by supporting Syria. Already, Israeli
observers worry that the chaos in the Caucasus may disrupt gas supplies
to Europe and Turkey from the Caspian Sea region, creating a greater
energy reliance on Iran and its vast reserves. The crisis could in turn
allow Tehran to exploit splits in the international community and use
Russia as a backer to advance its nuclear programme. Russia has wooed
Syria in recent years, as it has tried to increase its influence in the
Middle East and increase arms sales. Syria and Israel recently confirmed
they had been holding indirect talks to reach a peace deal after decades
of hostility. Part of Syria’s motivation was to break the international
isolation it has suffered for its strategic alliance with Tehran. A
closer alliance with a resurgent Russia could afford Mr Assad a way out
of any binding commitment. Some Israeli analysts even fear that it could
encourage Syria to try to take back the Golan Heights, captured by
Israel in 1967, by force. The Georgia conflict sparked a mocking speech
with Cold War rhetoric by Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the Hezbollah leader,
over the performance of Israeli-trained Georgian troops. One of the
Israeli military advisers there was reserve Brigadier-General Gal
Hirsch, who commanded a division in Israel’s inconclusive war with
Hezbollah in 2006, and who resigned his commission afterwards. “Gal
Hirsch, who was defeated in Lebanon, went to Georgia and they too lost
because of him,” the Shia leader taunted. “Relying on Israeli experts
and weapons, Georgia learnt why the Israeli generals failed. “What
happened in Georgia is a message to all those the Americans are seeking
to entangle in dangerous adventures.”
Monitor: UN peacekeepers in Lebanon co-opted by Hizbullah
World Tribune
(August 20, 2008) - A consultant to the
United Nations said its peace-keeping force in Lebanon has been
effectively paralyzed. An independent monitoring group, registered as a
consultant to the UN, said UNIFIL could not act without permission of
Hizbullah and the Lebanese government it now controls. "They [UNIFIL]
mustn't accept Hizbullah blackmailing," Toni Nissi, general coordinator
of the Lebanese Committee for UN Security Council Resolution 1559 said.
[On Aug. 19, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Israel would lift
any limitations on military operations should Lebanon turn into what he
termed a Hizbullah state. Olmert said Israel had restrained itself
during the 2006 war with Hizbullah to avoid damage to Lebanon.] In a
briefing on Aug. 16, Nissi said UNIFIL has become a hostage of
Hizbullah. He said the government of Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad
Siniora has refused to grant permission to UN peace-keepers to halt
Hizbullah weapons smuggling or deployment south of the Litani River, a
key element of Security Council resolution 1701, which ended the
Israeli-Hizbullah war in 2006. "1701 also calls for the implementation
of [Security Council resolution] 1559, especially the disarmament of the
militias, and calls for sealing the border between Lebanon and Syria and
forbidding the entering of arms and weapons via the border, especially
to Hizbullah," Nissi said. "So Hizbullah is violating 1701 big time, and
not only by hiding its weapons in warehouses in the south. Also, we
haven't seen any weapons coming out of the south after the war of 2006.
So did Hizbullah throw its weapons used in the 2006 war into the sea?"
The monitoring group, with representatives in Lebanon and other
countries, disputed an assertion by UNIFIL commander Maj. Gen. Claudio
Graziano that Hizbullah was honoring resolution 1701. Graziano also said
UNIFIL maintained excellent relations with the militia. "Is the UNIFIL
mandate to coordinate with Hizbullah or to kick Hizbullah out south of
the Litani?" Nissi responded. Former UNIFIL adviser Timor Goksel said
the 13,500 international peace-keeping force has sought to avoid
friction with Hizbullah. Goksel told a briefing in Beirut that Hizbullah
has established a major presence in southern Lebanon. "I know they are
careful not to challenge UNIFIL and there is practically no visible
Hizbullah fighter to be seen," Goksel said. "As far as UNIFIL is
concerned, this is compliance."
Israeli missile defense system detects Syrian tests
World Tribune
(August 19, 2008) - Israeli officials said
the Syrian military conducted tests of both ballistic missiles and
tactical rockets in the spring and summer of 2008. "It was the kind of
test that Iran conducted earlier this year and meant to show that Syria
could fire missiles simultaneously from a range of batteries in the
southern and central parts of the country," an official said. The Syrian
tests were detected by Israel's Arrow-2 missile defense system. The
Arrow's Green Pine early-warning radar was said to have a range of more
than 800 kilometers, which covers most of Syria, Middle East Newsline
reported. Officials said the Syrian tests included that of the Scud D
ballistic missile, with a range of 700 kilometers and which can contain
a chemical warhead. They said North Korea has helped Syria develop a
two-stage Scud D meant to frustrate Israel's missile defense system.
They said the launches appeared to test Syria's command and control
network required to sustain a missile attack on Israel. Syria was also
said to have fired the Soviet-origin SS-21 rocket during the exercise.
The single-stage SS-21 has a range of more than 70 kilometers and was
said to be capable of striking Israeli strategic facilities. Officials
said Syria has about 1,000 short- and medium-range ballistic missiles,
including the Scud B and Scud C. They said Iran and North Korea have
been helping Syria integrate a range of missile and rocket batteries
into a nationwide network. Israel responded to the Syrian missile
launches with a missile defense exercise in August. Officials
acknowledged that neither Israel's Arrow-2 nor the U.S.-origin Patriot
systems could intercept most of Syria's missiles and rockets. Israel's
Channel 2 television disclosed the Syrian missile and rocket exercise on
Aug. 18, the eve of a visit by President Bashar Assad to Russia. Assad
was expected to discuss with his Russian hosts the prospect of
purchasing the Iskander-E rocket, with a range of 280 kilometers.
Report warns of global fallout from invasion of Georgia, faults U.S.
intelligence World Tribune
(August 19, 2008) - Russia's invasion of
Georgia demonstrated Moscow's growing power and is making waves in the
Middle East, a report by a leading U.S. analyst said. The report by the
Institute for Contemporary Affairs asserted that Iran would be
emboldened by Moscow's successful military campaign. "The long-term
outcomes of the current Russian-Georgian war will be felt far and wide,
from Afghanistan to Iran, and from the Caspian to the Mediterranean,"
the report, titled "The Russian-Georgian War: Implications for the
Middle East," said. "The war is a mid-sized earthquake which indicates
that the geopolitical tectonic plates are shifting, and nations in
the Middle East, including Israel, need to take notice." Authored by
Ariel Cohen, the report said Russia's strategic goals included
increasing control of energy pipelines to Turkey. Cohen also warned
Israel not to provoke Moscow or rely on U.S. support against Iran,
Middle East Newsline reported. "U.S. expressions of support of
the kind provided to Georgia — short of an explicit mutual defense pact
— may or may not result in military assistance if/when Israel is under
attack, especially when the attacker has an effective deterrent, such as
nuclear arms deliverable against U.S. targets," the report said. "In
the future, such an attacker could be Iran or an Arab country armed with
atomic weapons. Israel can and should rely on its own deterrent — a
massive survivable second-strike capability." The report criticized
the U.S. intelligence community, which failed to detect Russian
efforts to annex Georgia's Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Cohen, who
warned that Ukraine was Moscow's next target, said the Bush
administration did not prepare the Georgian military for a Russian
attack. "This is something to remember when looking at recent American
intelligence assessments of the Iranian nuclear threat or the
unsuccessful training of Palestinian Authority security forces against
Hamas," Cohen said. Cohen said a pro-Russian regime in Georgia would
result in Moscow's full control of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline
and the Baku-Erzurum natural gas pipeline, both of which reach Turkey.
Israel has been receiving some of its oil from Ceyhan and has a "stake
in the smooth flow of oil from the Caspian." The report said Russia
financed and armed the Russian ethnic community in Georgia to foment
unrest. Cohen compared this to Iran's use of proxies to attack Israel
from Lebanon and the Gaza Strip. "This use of small, ethnically-based
proxies is similar to Iran's use of Hizbullah and Hamas to continuously
attack Israel," the report said. "Tbilisi tried for years to deal
with these militias by offering a negotiated solution, including full
autonomy within Georgia." Cohen, a senior researcher at the
Washington-based Heritage Foundation, said Russia plans to extend its
influence throughout the Middle East. He cited Russian Navy bases in the
Syrian ports of Latakia and Tartous and plans to establish a presence in
Libya. "Clearly, with the renewal of East-West tensions as a result of
Russia's moves against Georgia, it will be much more difficult to obtain
Moscow's agreement to enhance sanctions and international pressures on
Iran," the report said. "The struggle to diplomatically halt its
[Iran's] nuclear program will become far more difficult."
Israelis: War With Hezbollah Inevitable
Newsmax
(August 18, 2008) - The Israeli army says
Hezbollah has re-armed with 40,000 rockets — triple the number it had at
the start of the Lebanon War two years ago. Therefore, many Israelis
believe another war with Hezbollah is inevitable. "The war set the stage
for a more comprehensive Middle East conflict," said Israeli analyst
Michael Oren. "It set into motion a dynamic in the Arab world, where
much of the Arab street believes that Hezbollah won that war, and there
is tremendous expectation on Hezbollah to continue the struggle."
Hezbollah fired 4,000 rockets into Israel during the 34-day conflict.
But a massive Israeli air and ground assault failed to deal a knockout
blow to 5,000 Hezbollah guerrillas in South Lebanon, prompting an
official Israeli inquiry to describe the government's and army's
handling of the war as a failure. Oren says there were failures, but
also achievements. "Israel wreaked tremendous havoc in Lebanon in 2006,"
Oren said. "We destroyed all of Hezbollah's infrastructure, much of its
civilian headquarters, we killed about a quarter of their fighters, that
is a prohibitive number of casualties for any modern fighting force, and
yet perception is everything in the Middle East and the perception was,
in the Arab world at least, that Israel was bested in that conflict."
Under the U.N. ceasefire resolution that ended the war, about 13,000
international peacekeepers have deployed in South Lebanon. But Israel
charges that they have failed to fulfill their mandate of preventing
weapons smuggling to Hezbollah from Syria and Iran. With a bristling new
arsenal of rockets, Oren believes a Hezbollah attack on Israel is just a
matter of time. "Israel would then have to reply into Lebanon, possibly
drawing in the Syrians and ultimately the Iranians," Oren said. And with
the possible involvement of regional superpowers, the next war could be
much worse than the last one.
Lebanon, Syria open diplomatic relations
The Jordanian Times
(August 15, 2008) - Syrian President Bashar
Assad and Lebanese President Michel Sleiman agreed on Wednesday to
establish diplomatic relations between their countries at ambassadorial
level, a Syrian official said. Damascus has been under pressure from the
United States and other governments including France to treat its
smaller neighbour more as a sovereign state by taking steps including
opening a Beirut embassy and demarcating borders with Lebanon. "The two
presidents... have instructed their foreign ministers to take the
necessary steps in this regard, starting from today," Buthaina Shaaban,
an adviser to President Assad said. Syria had dominated Lebanon until
the 2005 assassination of former prime minister Rafiq Hariri triggered
pressure for it to end a 29-year military presence in the country.
Sleiman, who had been army chief before his election, was received at a
hilltop palace overlooking Damascus. He was appointed head of Lebanon's
military when Syria still controlled the country and describes his ties
with Damascus as excellent. The two countries announced last month in
Paris that they intended to open diplomatic relations for the first time
since they gained independence in 1943. Wednesday's agreement formally
set those ties on the highest level. It was Sleiman's first visit to
Syria since his election in May as part of a Qatari-mediated deal that
defused a bitter political conflict between an anti-Syrian majority
coalition and an alliance of groups backed by Damascus. Syrian Foreign
Minister Walid Mouallem told Lebanon's As-Safir newspaper that Sleiman's
visit was "a starting point and a true foundation for future relations".
Syria's opponents in Lebanon, including Saudi-backed politician Saad
Hariri, have accused Damascus of assassinating Rafiq Hariri and other
anti-Syrian figures and fomenting instability since its withdrawal.
Syria denies the allegations. more...
Iran, Turkey fail to reach deal on new pipeline
Associated Press
(August 14, 2008) - Iran and Turkey signed
several cooperation agreements Thursday but failed to complete a deal
for building a new natural gas pipeline — a project the United States
has opposed. Washington argues an energy deal by NATO ally Turkey with
Iran would send the wrong message while the West threatens Tehran with
new economic sanctions over its refusal to halt uranium enrichment. The
West believe Iran is trying to develop nuclear weapons, which Tehran
denies. On Thursday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Turkish
President Abdullah Gul witnessed the public signing of a series of
agreements for cooperation in anti-drug efforts, environmental matters,
transportation, tourism and culture. The two nations also issued a joint
statement stressing their determination for further cooperation in
energy but they couldn't come to agreement on construction of the
proposed gas pipeline. "There are some snags," Turkey's interior
minister, Besir Atalay, said without providing any details. Turkish
Energy Minister Hilmi Guler said that "the negotiations will continue"
on the pipeline project, which is aimed at ensuring reliable supply of
Iranian natural gas to Turkey. Turkey already receives gas through an
existing pipeline from Iran, but its flow often is sporadic during the
winter. Relations between Turkey and Iran improved since Turkey's
Islamic-rooted governing party took power in 2002. Previous Turkish
governments had accused Iran of trying to export radical Islam to
secular Turkey, which hopes to join the European Union. The United
States also opposes plans for Turkish investment in Iran's South Pars
gas fields and the possibility of the Islamic Republic selling its gas
to European markets via an existing pipeline that carries gas to Europe
through Turkey.
Ahmadinejad in new Israel tirade before Turkey trip
Reuters
(August 13, 2008) - Iranian President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad launched a fresh verbal attack on Israel on
Wednesday on the eve of a visit to Israel's close ally Turkey, saying
Western countries should not support the Jewish state. The comments
highlight the difficult path which Turkey, a member of NATO, must follow
during the two-day visit which reflects its desire to remain on good
terms with its neighbor and secure future energy needs. "Western
countries should not support them (Israel) so much. The life of this
regime has come to an end," Ahmadinejad said in comments translated into
Turkish in a live interview broadcast by Turkey's NTV and CNN Turk
channels. "Our position is clear on this issue. A referendum should take
place in Palestine. If they withdraw from invaded lands it would be a
good step," he said. Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Prime Minister
Tayyip Erdogan have come under criticism at home and abroad for inviting
Ahmadinejad. Ankara has said his visit was necessary given a standoff
between Iran and the West over Tehran's disputed nuclear enrichment
program, but analysts said the visit was more about ensuring
centuries-old ties during a period of global tensions. Ahmadinejad said
the talks on Iran's nuclear program were on a "good path".
PA: Reported peace offer unacceptable
The Jerusalem Post
(August 12, 2008) - The Palestinian
Authority said on Tuesday it would reject an Israeli peace proposal
published in the Hebrew press a day earlier which included withdrawal
from most of the West Bank. They said such a plan, which they did not
confirm receiving, would be unacceptable because it did not call for the
establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its
capital. Under the proposal, which was published in Haaretz,
Israel would withdraw from 93 percent of the West Bank, in addition to
all of the Gaza Strip, after the PA regains control over the Gaza Strip.
Olmert had presented PA President Mahmoud Abbas with the proposal as
part of an agreement in principle on borders, refugees and security
arrangements between Israel and a future Palestinian state, the report
claimed. In exchange for West Bank land that Israel would keep, Olmert
proposed a 5.5% land swap giving the Palestinians a desert territory
adjacent to the Gaza Strip. Chief PA negotiator Saeb Erekat said the
Palestinians were unaware of the existence of such a proposal. "At no
time were the Palestinians presented with a detailed set of proposals by
[Prime Minister] Ehud Olmert or any Israeli official," he said. "All the
details mentioned in this report are either completely untrue or are not
linked to reality." The Prime Minister's Office neither confirmed nor
denied the Haaretz report. Its spokesman Mark Regev said that
progress had been made in the negotiations, including with respect to
borders, but that in other areas there was still important work that had
to be done. Nabil Abu Rudaineh, spokesman for
Abbas said "the Israeli proposal [in Haaretz] is not acceptable"
and called it a "waste of time." He added that "the Palestinian side
will only accept a Palestinian state with territorial continuity, with
Jerusalem as its capital, without settlements, and on the June 4, 1967
boundaries." Abu Rudaineh said the proposal showed that Israel was "not
serious" about reaching peace with the Palestinians on the basis of a
two-state solution. Erekat said the Palestinians
would not accept any solution that excludes the issues of Jerusalem and
the "right of return" for the Palestinian refugees. "The era of partial
agreements and phased tactics has gone," Erekat added. "The talks [with
Israel] are continuing despite the wide gap between the two sides."
more...
'Syria and Hizbullah gaining strength'
The Jerusalem Post
(August 12, 2008) - Defense Minister Ehud
Barak said on Tuesday that "it is not a coincidence that the IDF is
holding intensive drills in the Golan Heights," adding that UNSC
Resolution 1701 was not accomplishing what it set out to do. "Hizbullah
has gained significant strength in the last couple of years," said Barak
during an IDF Armored Corps drill in the North. "We are closely
following a possible violation [of the resolution] caused by the
transfer of advanced weapons systems from Syria to Hizbullah. The
necessary preparations have been made, and regarding all the rest - I
always prefer not to talk, rather to take action when the time comes."
Barak expressed optimism with regards to the IDF's capabilities. "The
army is regaining its strength, and coming back to the right morals,
carrying out the right exercises and it is our obligation as the
government to ensure that the proper means are available to carry out
such drills in a correct and intensive manner." Referring to a proposed
budget cut to the Defense Ministry, Barak said: "We live in a country
where security and defense consist not just of tanks and planes, but
also of fostering excellence and caring for the population through
education and social welfare." Nonetheless, Barak emphasized that
"security and defense take precedence over quality of life and in a
country such as ours, we do not have the luxury of cutting the defense
budget." The defense minister also addressed the Gaza ceasefire and the
strengthening of the group. "So far, the ceasefire has proved
promising," he said. "There have been ten instances where rockets were
launched in the past 6 weeks, compared to the hundreds of attacks that
occurred in the past. Every week that passes with the ceasefire in place
enables us to gain strength and to maximize the possibility or the
probability of bringing about the right conditions for the release of
[captured IDF soldier] Gilad Schalit. Barak added that "in the meantime,
the government must care for the social and economic infrastructure as
well as the preparation of the home front in the Gaza periphery and the
surrounding areas. more...
Exclusive: Hizbollah 'stronger than before' and ready to strike Israel
Telegraph UK
(August 2, 2008) - Hezbollah has
significantly built up its military arsenal on the Israeli border and is
ready to respond with force to any provocation, its senior commander has
told the Telegraph. The political and military group's senior commander
in southern Lebanon said in a rare interview that Hezbollah was far
stronger now than when it fought the Israeli army in a conflict in 2006.
Sheikh Nabil Kaouk, who leads Hezbollah's forces on Lebanon's border
with Israel - the crucial battlefront of any future war, was speaking in
the port city of Tyre. "The resistance is now stronger than before and
this keeps the option of war awake. If we were weak, Israel would not
hesitate to start another war," he said. "We are stronger than before
and when Hezbollah is strong, our strength stops Israel from starting a
new war... We don't seek war, but we must be ready." Hezbollah, whose
missiles killed 43 Israeli civilians during the war of 2006, is
considered a terrorist organisation by the US and Britain. Other sources
say Hezbollah has trebled its arsenal in the last two years – from
10,000 missiles to about 30,000. These new weapons have longer ranges
and heavier warheads. They include the Zelzal missile, which could
strike as far south as Tel Aviv, and the C802 anti-shipping missile,
capable of sinking Israeli warships. Any American strike on Iran, for
example, could be the trigger for a Hezbollah attack on Israel. Hassan
Nasrallah, Hezbollah's overall leader, started the 2006 conflict with
the kidnapping of two Israeli soldiers whose corpses were recently
returned to Israel. Mr Kaouk did not deny that Hezbollah was reliant on
Iran for military hardware and support. "We are proud of our friendship
with Iran and with Syria and every country which helps us to gain our
rights," he said. His remarks will be examined closely in Washington as
Iran presses ahead with its nuclear programme. Iran is currently
weighing its response to the West’s latest offer of incentives to
suspend the enrichment of uranium but has signaled that for now it is
not about to change its stance. Asked where Hezbollah's weapons came
from, Mr Kaouk said: "All parties in Lebanon are getting weapons. No one
asks from where." Iran is Hezbollah's supplier and paymaster. Tehran's
regime and Hezbollah are fellow Shias and their alliance is a crucial
power factor in the Middle East. Iran delivers the missiles to southern
Lebanon through Syria. Meanwhile, Hezbollah fighters travel to Iran for
military training. If the US attacked Iran's nuclear facilities,
Hezbollah could retaliate by firing its missiles into Israel. Hence Iran
possesses a vital interest in building this arsenal. Asked how Hezbollah
would respond to an attack on Iran, Mr Kaouk replied: "I doubt that
Israel will attack Iran because they know the consequences." Mr Kaouk
said the 2006 war, which claimed 1,100 Lebanese lives, had been a
success. "Israel didn't achieve any of its goals. The known goal of
Israel is 'death to Hezbollah'. Hezbollah is still here."
'Hizbullah received advanced launchers'
The Jerusalem Post
(August 10, 2008) - The senior aide to
Syrian President Bashar Assad who was assassinated last weekend had been
in charge of supplying Hizbullah with advanced anti-aircraft weaponry,
the Sunday Times reported. According to the report, Brig.-Gen. Muhammad
Suleiman had provided the guerrilla group with advanced Syrian SA-8
anti-aircraft missiles, Middle Eastern sources told the paper. Such
missiles could potentially challenge the IAF reconnaissance flights
which are currently conducted unhindered over Lebanon. Last week,
Lebanon's new Cabinet unanimously approved a draft policy statement
which could secure Hizbullah's existence as an armed organization and
guarantee its right to "liberate or recover occupied lands." "The
Cabinet unanimously approved the draft," Information Minister Tarek
Mitri told reporters after the five-hour meeting at the presidential
palace in a Beirut suburb last Monday. Government sources in Jerusalem
said the decision would make the government in Beirut an accomplice to
any Hizbullah aggression and give Israel the right to hold it
responsible. During the Second Lebanon War, Israel came under
international pressure not to harm Lebanon's infrastructure because it
was Hizbullah, not the Lebanese government, that killed several IDF
soldiers and kidnapped reservists Ehud Goldwasser and Eldad Regev in the
July 2006 cross border raid which sparked the conflict.
Michael Savage vows to take Islam fight to Supreme Court
WorldNet Daily
(August 10, 2008) - Talk-radio host Michael
Savage has announced he will bring his recently dismissed copyright
infringement lawsuit against the Council on American-Islamic Relations
to the U.S. Supreme Court in hopes of making public the Islamic group's
sources of funding. Savage's suit – originally filed in San Francisco
district court – alleged CAIR illegally published singled-out quotes and
audio excerpts from his show regarding Islam, misappropriated his words
and used the clips for its own fundraising purposes, damaging the value
of his copyrighted material. CAIR last year waged a public campaign
using excerpted Savage remarks to urge advertisers to boycott his
top-rated program. CAIR stated its campaign successfully resulted in
Savage losing $1 million in advertising. Part of Savage's lawsuit
alleged CAIR received millions in foreign funding and that it may have
been wrongfully acting as a lobbyist or agent for a foreign government,
violating the Islamic group's nonprofit status. Savage also alleged CAIR
was engaged in racketeering, describing the group as a "mouthpiece of
international terror" that helped fund the 9/11 attacks, a contention
strongly denied by CAIR. But his lawsuit was tossed last month by San
Francisco District U.S. Judge Susan Illston, who argued it is legal to
use excerpts of a public broadcast for purposes of comment and
criticism. Illston, nominated to her position by President Bill Clinton,
wrote in her ruling that Savage could try to rewrite the racketeering
portion of his suit to better fit the specifics of his case. Savage's
attorney Daniel Horowitz told WND he is reworking the suit to directly
address Illston's "respectful" ruling. He said the new suit includes
over 200 pages of supporting documents, including 200 pages of
transcripts of the meeting in which CAIR was founded. In May 2007, CAIR
was identified by the government as an unindicted co-conspirator in a
case involving the Holy Land Foundation, a charity allegedly affiliated
with Hamas. Federal prosecutors in the case listed CAIR under the
category: “Individuals/entities who are and/or were members of the US
Muslim Brotherhood’s Palestine Committee and/or its organizations.” The
government also listed Omar Ahmad, CAIR's founder and chairman emeritus,
under the same category. CAIR is registered as a nonprofit organization
recognized as tax-exempt under IRS codes, which restrict "lobbying on
behalf of a foreign government." CAIR's website claims it receives no
foreign government support. But CAIR's headquarters near the U.S.
Capitol until recently was owned by the ruler of Dubai, United Arab
Emirates, and the ruler's foundation has pledged $50 million to
capitalize a long-term CAIR public-relations campaign. The UAE formally
recognized the Taliban, and Dubai reportedly acted as the transit point
for cash for the 9/11 hijackers. Two of the hijackers were from the
Emirates, and one served in the UAE military. Until 2005, the Al Maktoum
Foundation run by Dubai's ruler Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid held the deed
to CAIR's headquarters just three blocks from the Capitol. The same
foundation reportedly has held telethons to raise money for families of
Palestinian "martyrs" during the intifada – or terrorist war – started
in September 2000 against Israel. It recently pledged a $50 million
endowment for CAIR. CAIR argues that any assertions it receives money
from foreign governments is "disinformation." "This is yet another
attempt to invent a controversy," the group said. "CAIR's operational
budget is funded by donations from American Muslims." CAIR, however, has
never publicly acknowledged $1 million controlling interest that the
ruler of Dubai's foundation took in its national headquarters just one
year after 9/11. The group also received $500,000 from Saudi Prince
Al-Waleed bin Talal, the sheik whose $10 million relief check after 9/11
was rejected by then-New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani after he blamed U.S.
policy toward Israel for the attacks. "There is nothing criminal or
immoral about accepting donations from foreign nationals," CAIR
asserted. "The U.S. government, corporations and non-profit
organizations routinely receive money from foreign nationals." "Bin
Talal is not a member of the Saudi Arabian government," the group added
in a statement. "He is a private entrepreneur and international
investor." This may be a distinction without a difference, Savage's
lawyers argue, since bin Talal is a member of the Saudi ruling family.
"CAIR is proud to receive support of every individual," CAIR argued, "as
long as they are not an official of any foreign government and there are
no strings attached to the bequest." The UAE endowment to CAIR was
specifically earmarked for public relations efforts to repair the image
of Arabs and Muslims in America after public outrage doomed a Dubai bid
to run U.S. ports. Lawyers for Savage argue that CAIR may have used UAE
funds and other foreign support to attack the radio host. more...
Siniora: We must regain occupied land
YNet News
(August 9, 2008) - The Lebanese people have
fought hard to liberate their land and now must "regain the land that
has remained occupied," Lebanon's Prime Minister Fouad Siniora said
Friday, referring to areas currently under Israeli control. The Lebanese
leader made the remarks during a festive session where the new Lebanese
government sought the endorsement of parliament. This included clause 24
of the new government platform that maintains the right to liberate
occupied land, meaning that Hizbullah would be able to continue its
struggle against Israel. "We view the establishment of this government
as a new stage in the joint work of the Lebanese people on behalf of
their homeland and country, and for the sake of the future of Lebanon's
democratic regime," Siniora said. The Lebanese unity government approved
earlier this week a platform that grants Hizbullah the right to use all
means possible in order to liberate "occupied Lebanese land." The clause
was a source of disagreement between the rival camps in Lebanon, yet
Hizbullah's demands were ultimately full accepted. The proposal was
approved unanimously on Monday, despite the reservations expressed by
four ministers.
Syria turned down IAEA inspection request, diplomats say
Newsday
(August 9, 2008) - Syria has blocked a new
visit by International Atomic Energy Agency experts seeking to follow up
on intelligence that Damascus built a secret nuclear program built with
the help of North Korea, diplomats told The Associated Press on
Saturday. The diplomats also said Washington was circulating a note
among members of the IAEA board opposing a Syrian push for a seat on the
35-nation board. The board normally works by consensus and a seat held
by Damascus could thus hamper any investigation into its alleged nuclear
activities. Syria fears a massive atomic agency investigation similar to
the probe Iran has been subjected to more than five years. "Syria's
election to the board while under investigation for secretly ...
building an undeclared nuclear reactor not suited for peaceful purposes
would make a mockery" of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty, said the
note, as read to the AP. Syria rejected the IAEA request for a visit
late last month, the diplomats said. The visit would have been a follow
up to an initial trip by IAEA inspectors in June. "The Syrians said that
a visit at this time was inopportune," said a senior diplomat, who, like
two others agreeing to discuss the issue, demanded anonymity because
their information was confidential. That appeared to leave open the
possibility of a later visit. But one of the other diplomats said
members of the Syrian mission to the IAEA were spreading the word among
other missions that further trips beyond the one in June were unlikely.
If so, that could cripple international efforts to probe U.S.
allegations that a site in a remote part of the Syrian desert, which
Israel destroyed last year, was a near-finished plutonium-producing
reactor built with North Korean help, and that Damascus continues to
hide linked facilities. IAEA experts came back June 25 from a four-day
visit, carrying environmental samples from the Al Kibar site hit by
Israel in September. Those are now being evaluated. But the results
might fall short of providing a conclusive results. A traditional method
at suspected nuclear sites — taking swipes in the search for radioactive
traces — was unlikely to have been of use at Al Kibar. That's because
none had been introduced into the alleged reactor before it was struck
by Israel, according to intelligence given to the agency by the U.S.,
Israel and a third country the diplomats declined to identify.
more...
Gaza
Terrorists Warn Truce May End in Three Weeks
Israel National News
(August 8, 2008) - The Popular Resistance
Committees (PRC) in Gaza warned Thursday that the temporary ceasefire
may end in three weeks, when the Muslim holy month of Ramadan begins.
The month is frequently marked by an increase in terrorism. PRC official
Abu Mujahed charged that Israel is violating the agreement by not making
progress in freeing terrorists and prisoners or opening up the border at
Rafiah. He also said Israel must allow free movement at Gaza crossings.
Israeli security sources said they have relaxed examinations of goods
and merchandise passing through Gaza crossings as the temporary
ceasefire enters its eighth week, although one rocket was fired on
Israel this week. PRC terrorists allowed several journalists to film a
training exercise in which bombs were exploded and live fire was used in
a raid on a mock Israeli army base built on the grounds of former Jewish
communities that Israel destroyed three years ago. Abu Mujahed told
Reuters that "politicians will stop talking and military men will act"
if Israel does not show progress in freeing hundreds of Arab terrorists
and prisoners and allowing free movement of good at Gaza crossings. "The
Zionist occupation has not yet agreed to the demand to release our
prisoners, so our fighters are preparing for the next round in which we
will try to abduct more Israeli soldiers to swap them for our hero
prisoners," a PRC spokesman told Reuters. Abu Mujahed said that the PRC
and other terrorist groups had agreed to abide by the truce, which began
in mid-June, for 10 weeks, when Ramadan begins. He did not say whether
Hamas also was looking towards Ramadan as a possible date for renewal of
attacks on Israel. The ceasefire officially calls for a halt in
terrorist attacks and Israel counterterrorist actions in Gaza for
several months, when it may be extended to Judea and Samaria. Hamas has
demanded that Israel allow Egypt and the Palestinian Authority (PA) to
re-open the border at Rafiah, where the international boundary runs
through the city. Israel and Hamas differ on the conditions of the
ceasefire, Hamas claiming that the border must be re-opened before talks
can advance on freeing kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit. Israel has
said that the agreement calls for the border to be opened up after
Shalit is returned home.
'2 US aircraft carriers headed for Gulf'
The Jerusalem Post
(August 7, 2008) - Two additional United
States naval aircraft carriers are heading to the Gulf and the Red Sea,
according to the Kuwaiti newspaper Kuwait Times. Kuwait began finalizing
its "emergency war plan" on being told the vessels were bound for the
region. The US Navy would neither confirm nor deny that carriers were en
route. US Fifth Fleet Combined Maritime Command located in Bahrain said
it could not comment due to what a spokesman termed "force-protection
policy." While the Kuwaiti daily did not name the ships it believed were
heading for the Middle East, The Media Line's defense analyst said they
could be the USS Theodore Roosevelt and the USS Ronald Reagan. Within
the last month, the Roosevelt completed an exercise along the US east
coast focusing on communication among navies of different countries. It
has since been declared ready for operational duties. The Reagan,
currently with the Seventh Fleet, had just set sail from Japan. The
Seventh Fleet area of operation stretches from the East Coast of Africa
to the International Date Line. Meanwhile, the Arabic news agency Moheet
reported at the end of July that an unnamed American destroyer,
accompanied by two Israeli naval vessels traveled through the Suez Canal
from the Mediterranean. A week earlier, a US nuclear submarine
accompanied by a destroyer and a supply ship moved into the
Mediterranean, according to Moheet. Currently there are two US naval
battle groups operating in the Gulf: one is an aircraft carrier group,
led by the USS Abraham Lincoln, which carries some 65 fighter aircraft.
The other group is headed by the USS Peleliu which maintains a variety
of planes and strike helicopters. The ship movements coincide with the
latest downturn in relations between Washington and Teheran. The US and
Iran are at odds over Iran's nuclear program, which the Bush
administration claims is aimed at producing material for nuclear
weapons; however, Teheran argues it is only for power generation.
Kuwait, like other Arab countries in the Gulf, fears it will be caught
in the middle should the US decide to launch an air strike against Iran
if negotiations fail. The Kuwaitis are finalizing details of their
security, humanitarian and vital services, the newspaper reported. The
six members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) - Kuwait, Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, the UAE and Oman - lie just across the Gulf from
Iran. Generals in the Iranian military have repeatedly warned that
American interests in the region would be targeted if Iran is subjected
to any military strike by the US or its Western allies. Bahrain hosts
the US Fifth Fleet, while there is a sizeable American base in Qatar. It
is assumed the US also has military personnel in the other Gulf states,
The Media Line's defense analyst said. Iran is thought to have
intelligence operatives working in the GCC states, according to
Dubai-based military analysts. The standoff between the US and Iran has
left the Arab nations' political leaders in something of a bind, as they
were being used as pawns by Washington and Teheran, according to The
Media Line analyst. Iran has offered them economic and industrial
sweeteners, while the US is boosting their defense capabilities. US
President George W. Bush and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad have
paid visits to the GCC states in a bid to win their support.
Energy ties deepen between Iran and Turkey
Gas And Oil
(August 7, 2008) - The United States has
maintained various sanctions against Iran since 1979, implemented in
aftermath of the seizure of the US embassy in Tehran. As relations
worsen between the US and Iran, Washington is seeking to have the United
Nations Security Council impose additional sanctions on Iran for its
nuclear enrichment activities, which Tehran insists are legal, entirely
peaceful, and intended for generating electricity. Among the sanctions
that most concern foreign energy companies and nations is the 1996
Iran-Libya Sanctions Act (ILSA), renewed in 2001, which provides for
punitive measures against entities that invest more than $20 mm (EUR 13
mm) annually in the Iranian oil and gas sectors. Many countries are
deeply ambivalent toward the US policy, none more so than Turkey, which
imports 90% of its energy needs. Now Ankara is pushing the limits by
increasing its natural gas purchases from Iran and considering possible
involvement in developing the world’s largest hydrocarbon reserves. On
July 29 Iranian Petroleum Minister Qolam Hosein Nozari said in Tehran
that Turkey and Iran were negotiating over Turkey being a transit
corridor for Iranian natural gas exports to Europe and that Iran would
provide increased amounts of natural gas to Turkey during the winter (Anadolu
Ajansi, June 30). According to Nozari, the pipeline, which would run
from Iran’s South Pars natural gas and oil fields to the border province
of Bazargan, was discussed during the OPEC summit held on June 22 in
Jeddah (Tehran Times, June 29). Even worse for administration officials
seeking to sustain and intensify the US sanctions regime, Nozari said,
“We have also spoken about the participation of Turkey in the
development of phases 14 and 23 of the South Pars field” (Hurriyet, June
30). The 3,745 sq-mile Persian Gulf South Pars-North Dome gas condensate
field, straddling Iranian and Qatari territorial waters, is the world’s
largest known gas field. Discovered by the National Iranian Oil Company
(NIOC) in 1990, Iran’s sector, known as South Pars, covers 1,428 sq
miles, with the site’s remaining 2,317 sq miles, North Dome, lying in
Qatari waters. South Pars-North Dome has estimated reserves of
approximately 51 tcm of natural gas and 50 bn barrels of condensate;
with in-place reserves equivalent to 360 bn barrels of oil. South
Pars-North Dome is the world’s biggest conventional hydrocarbon
accretion, dwarfing even Saudi Arabia’s 170 bn barrel Ghawar oil field
(Middle East Economic Survey, March 20, 2006). Phase 14, due to begin
production in 2014, is part of a $10 bn (EUR 6.5 bn) liquefied natural
gas (LNG) project, which already has foreign investors -- a partnership
of NIOC (50%), Anglo-Dutch firm Royal Dutch Shell (25%), and Spain’s
Repsol-YPF (25%). When operational, the project’s initial production
capacity will consist of two components, each capable of an annual
production of 8 mm tons of LNG. For Ankara, the choice of major natural
gas suppliers is difficult, Russia or Iran, while waiting for Azerbaijan
to ramp up production. Iran, which holds the world's second largest gas
reserves, currently provides over one-third of Turkey’s domestic demand,
while Turkey receives 63.7% of its imports from Gazprom with smaller
volumes coming from Azerbaijan. In 1996 Turkey signed a contract with
Iran for natural gas deliveries, which began in December 2001 via a
pipeline from Tabriz to Ankara. The South Caucasus pipeline, also known
as the Baku-Tbilisi-Erzurum natural gas pipeline, opened in December
2006 with an annual capacity of 8.8 bn cm and carries Azeri Caspian
natural gas to Turkey via Georgia. Energy imports from both nations are
critical to sustaining Turkish economic growth, even though Washington,
whose diplomatic relations are increasingly strained with Russia and
non-existent with Iran, is very unhappy about the situation. According
to Turkey’s Turkiye Istatistik Kurumu (Turkish Statistical Institute),
Turkey’s economic growth accelerated more than expected from January
through March, increasing to 6.6% from 3.4% in the fourth quarter of
2007 (www.tuik.gov.tr). The figure exceeded the market estimates by 35
to 40%, as the expected growth rate was around 4% (Milliyet, July 1). In
2007 Turkey's annual GDP growth rate was 4.5%. Rising energy costs,
however, are proving to be a significant drag on economic growth.
Earlier this year the Turkish government hiked electricity prices by
21%, and Ankara is preparing to raise natural gas prices in July by 9%
for residences and 11% for businesses (Radikal, July 1). In June,
Turkey’s Devlet Planlama Teskilati (State Planning Organization, or DPT)
prepared a comprehensive projection for Turkey’s economy from 2009
through 2011, which has been approved by the Cabinet and published in
the government’s official gazette, Resmi Gazete (http://rega.basbakanlik.gov.tr,
June 28). The plan includes measures to ensure energy supply security in
the long-term and gives top priority to decreasing the country’s
dependence on imported natural gas. At a time of record high oil prices,
when Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah said, "Consumer countries have to
adapt to the prices and the mechanisms of the market," Washington’s
efforts to compel its allies to respect its hard-line sanctions against
Tehran seem at best naïve, especially when the United States has no
alternative sources of energy to offer (Al-Siyassah, July 2). While
Washington’s threats of sanctions in June caused both Royal Dutch Shell
and Repsol-YPF to withdraw from the South Pars development, there is a
major difference between a multinational company and a sovereign
government bending to sanctions. For Turkey, displays of political
solidarity must take a back seat to financial considerations, as the
government is committed to economic growth to improve the lives of its
citizens. Ankara estimates that from Desert Storm in 1991 until the
March 2003 invasion of Iraq, it lost an estimated $80 bn in oil revenues
and increased energy costs as a result of supporting US and UN sanctions
and policies against Iraq. Washington can hardly expect Turkey to suffer
further financial losses for supporting its Middle East policies. With
no end to energy price increases in sight, Washington must acknowledge
the reality of Turkey’s pragmatic economic relations with its
energy-rich eastern neighbour, even if it does not agree with them.
Libya says
Mediterranean Union will divide Africa
EU Observer
(August 5, 2008) - Libya's leader Muammar
Gaddafi has reaffirmed his critical stance towards the Union for the
Mediterranean - the brainchild of French President Nicolas Sarkozy -
saying it will divide the 53-nation African Union. "We have good
relations with European countries, with the European Union, but I do not
accept integration into the Union for the Mediterranean," Colonel
Gaddafi said on Monday (4 July), AFP reports. Libya's head of state -
once isolated by the West - added he did not agree with "cutting up
Africa for hypothetical prospects with Europe" referring to a possible
split between north African countries and the rest of the African Union.
Muammar Gaddafi was the only leader who refused to attend the launch of
the Mediterranean union in Paris in July. Mr Sarkozy's plan brings
together 43 states - the 27-member EU as well as Algeria, Egypt,
Morocco, Tunisia, Jordan, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, Syria,
Turkey, Israel, Albania, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro,
Monaco and Mauritania. The aim is to boost ties between the EU and its
southern neighbours. At the moment, it is focussed on six specific
projects, including the cleaning up of Mediterranean pollution, the
development of maritime and land highways and the setting up of a joint
civil protection programme on prevention and response to disasters. But
Muammar Gaddafi, who came to power in 1969 and has become the Arab
world's longest serving leader, has labeled the participation of African
countries in the Mediterranean project a "violation" of resolutions by
the African Union. In addition, he has accused the EU of wanting to
dominate its southern partners, once under European colonial rule.
Saudis to Christians: Get out!
WorldNet Daily
(August 4, 2008) - More than a dozen
Christians in Saudi Arabia who were accused by government officials of
worshipping in their homes have been ordered deported. According to a
report from International Christian Concern, the Christians will be
expelled tomorrow for their part in a home worship service in Taif in
April. The deportation conflicts with the message stated just weeks
earlier by Saudi King Abdullah, who called for interfaith dialogue and
held a summit in Spain with a representatives from several major
religions. "Deporting Christians for worshipping in their private homes
shows that King Abdullah's speech is mere rhetoric and his country is
deceiving the international community about their desire for change and
reconciliation," said Jeff King, the president of ICC. The report from
the Washington-based human rights group said 15 Christians will be
deported. Sixteen had been arrested April 25 when a dozen Saudi Arabian
police officers raided a home during a prayer meeting. "The first
officer to enter the house after breaking down the main gate pointed a
pistol at the Christians and ordered them to hand over their resident
permits and mobile phones," the report said. "The other 11 police
followed quickly and started searching the entire house. The confiscated
an electronic drum set, an offering box with 500 Saudi Riyal in it
($130), 20 Bibles, and a few Christian books." The worshippers initially
faced accusations of preaching and singing. "They later changed the
charge to holding a 'dance party' and collecting money to support
terrorism," the ICC said. "During the raid, the police mocked,
questioned and harassed the Christians for four hours," ICC said.. "Then
they took them to a police station where the head of the station
interrogated them. The head of the police then wrote down their
'statements' in Arabic and forced the Christians, who are immigrants and
not able to read or write Arabic, to sign the statements." They were
released three days later, and one Christian immediately left the
country. The others returned to their work but soon got letters ordered
their departures tomorrow, ICC said. "Three weeks ago, Saudi Arabia
hosted an interfaith conference in Madrid, Spain. During the conference
that took place from July 16-19, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia called
for reconciliation among various religions," ICC said. According to an
International Herald Tribune report, King Abdullah's meeting drew about
200 representatives of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Taoism
and other religions. The reporter noted that the meetings had to be held
outside of Saudi Arabia, because "the mere fact that rabbis would be
openly invited to the kingdom, a country where in principle Jews are not
permitted to visit, would have constituted a turning point."
Lebanese gov't: Hizbullah can use force to 'liberate' territory
The Jerusalem Post
(August 1, 2008) - In a display of
Hizbullah's extended involvement in conflicts throughout the Middle
East, Coalition Special Forces captured two members of the group during
a raid over the weekend in eastern Baghdad. According to the
Multinational Force Iraq, the raid targeted the home of an individual
suspected of serving as a member of a Hizbullah cell - called "Kata'ib
Hizbullah" or "Hizbullah Brigades" - suspected of making videos of
attacks on coalition forces. The videos are then used to raise funds and
resources for additional attacks against coalition and Iraqi forces.
According to media reports, the Hizbullah Brigades have been active for
over a year in Iraq and like Hizbullah in Lebanon, the group is trained
and financed by Iran, likely via the Hizbullah's Al Kuds force, which
was commanded by its chief operations officer Imad Mughniyeh who was
assassinated in Damascus in February. "The Hizbullah Brigades receive
support from the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Command for financing,
weapons, training and guidance," the Multi-National Force in Iraq said
in a statement in response to a Jerusalem Post inquiry. "They have
claimed responsibility for attacks against coalition forces and Iraqi
Security Forces as early as late 2005." On videos that it has posted on
the Internet, the Hizbullah Brigades group uses a logo very similar to
the Lebanese Hizbullah flag, showing a raised arm holding a Kalashnikov
assault rifle, although coalition forces said they were not sure of the
nature of the relationship with the Lebanese Hizbullah. This is not the
first time that Hizbullah operatives have been captured in Iraq. In July
2007, coalition forces apprehended Ali Mussa Daqduq, a senior Hizbullah
leader and explosives expert, in Basra where he was reportedly training
forces and even participated in several deadly attacks against US
troops. Daqduq, a veteran of the Al-Kuds Force, was reportedly in Iraq
to train and evaluate the performance of anti-US Shi'ite militias. Also
Friday, Sheikh Nabil Kaouk, Hizbullah military commander in Southern
Lebanon, told the Daily Telegraph that the group was stronger today than
before the Second Lebanon War and was prepared for conflict with Israel.
"The resistance is now stronger than before and this keeps the option of
war awake," he told the paper. "If we were weak, Israel would not
hesitate to start another war... We are stronger than before and when
Hizbullah is strong, our strength stops Israel from starting a new
war... We don't seek war, but we must be ready." Israel has claimed that
since the war Hizbullah has tripled its missile arsenal and today has
more than 30,000 rockets, some of which are capable of reaching almost
anywhere within Israel and as far south as Dimona. Last week, Defense
Minister Ehud Barak met with United Nations Secretary-General Ban
Ki-Moon and warned him that Security Council Resolution 1701 had
collapsed and that UNIFIL was not effective in curbing Hizbullah's
military build-up. "To our disappointment we are witnessing that over
the past two years the number of missiles in Hizbullah's hands has
doubled and maybe even tripled," Barak told Ban. "The ranges of the
missiles have been extended and this is mainly due to close Syrian
assistance."
Official: Olmert to give Palestinians state before quitting
WorldNet Daily
(August 1, 2008) - Prime Minister
Ehud Olmert told the Palestinian Authority he intends to accelerate
negotiations the next few weeks to reach a deal on paper outlining a
Palestinian state before he steps down from office next month, a top PA
negotiator told WND. "Papers are very important. It puts limits on the
new prime minister. For example, the weak point of Israeli-Syrian
negotiations are papers signed by former prime ministers that now must
be abided during current negotiations," said the PA negotiator, speaking
to WND on condition of anonymity. "Olmert told us his goal is to reach
an agreement on paper," the negotiator said. He said the agreement will
likely encompass understandings regarding the transfer of much of the
West Bank to the Palestinians. He said he "hopes" the issue of Jerusalem
is broached but that it might not be mentioned on paper beyond a
declaration of agreement to negotiate further. Sending political
shockwaves through the country, Olmert yesterday announced he will
resign from office after his Kadima party holds internal elections next
month to choose a new leader. He said he is stepping down due to a
criminal investigation, described by police officials as "serious," in
which he is accused of corruption and financial improprieties. But
Olmert officials have been telling reporters here the prime minister
intends to continue negotiating with the PA as long as he remains in
office. One Olmert official told the Haaretz daily newspaper the prime
minister intends to "reach an agreement with the Palestinians during the
time he has left." "Any agreement he reaches with the Palestinians won't
be a personal agreement, and he will make sure that the (new) Kadima
leadership is briefed and on board," the official added. For his part,
PA President Mahmoud Abbas' announced he would negotiate with any
Israeli leader and that Olmert's departure shouldn't affect negotiations
started at last November's U.S.-backed Annapolis conference, which seek
to create a Palestinian state by January. Not everyone in Olmert's party
was happy with the continued talks. Transportation Minister Shaul Mofaz,
considered a frontrunner for the Kadima leadership primary, said it
would be wrong to reach agreements with the Palestinians on the core
issues of the conflict while Olmert's government is teetering. "At this
time of change in the government, we must not reach agreements on the
core issues in negotiations with the Palestinians," Mofaz said.
"Anything that is decided now is very problematic, because it is
happening before the change in the government and against the background
of instability on the Palestinian side."
Sarkozy: no Mideast peace without sharing Jerusalem
Arab News
(June 23, 2008) - French President Nicolas
Sarkozy said an agreement between Palestinians and Israelis is possible,
tomorrow, and that agreement would allow the two peoples to live
side-by-side in peace and security. During their meeting on diplomatic
affairs, Sarkozy stressed that the peace process between Israel and the
Palestinian Authority should progress. "Those who will make peace in the
end will be Israelis and Palestinians," the French president said. At
the start of a three-day visit to Israel, Sarkozy said it is important
for the Palestinians to establish a state of their own. Referring to the
settlements, Sarkozy said that it must be said loudly the decision to
build settlements in East Jerusalem is not good for Israel. "I believe
that the path to peace lies there before us, that the path to peace is
not blocked. I have come to bring my support and that of France and the
European Union, your partners in the negotiations." Meantime, Sarkozy
said according to the The Washington Post today that "there could be no
Mideast peace unless Israel drops its refusal to cede sovereignty over
parts of Jerusalem claimed by the Palestinians." This coincides with a
report of the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) that said
that the total Palestinian refugeed is more than six million. According
to UN organization UNRWA, Palestinian registered refugees totaled to
4.56 million at end of 2007, of whom about 41.7% in Jordan, 9.9% in
Syria and 9.1% in Lebanon. About 1.5 million Palestinians refugee are
estimated to be non-registered refugees.
Turkey's Ruling Party Escapes Ban
BBC News
(July 30, 2008) - Turkey's Constitutional Court has decided not
to ban the ruling AK Party, accused of undermining the country's secular
system. But the judges did cut half the AKP's treasury funding for this
year. The AKP, which won a huge poll victory last year, denies it wants
to create an Islamist state by stealth. It called the case an attack on
democracy. The powerful military sees itself as the guardian of the
modern secular state founded by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Court president
Hasim Kilic said the financial sanctions imposed on the AKP were a
"serious warning". At least seven of the 11 court judges would need to
vote in favour for the party to be banned. But six judges wanted a ban
and five did not want to do so. "I hope the party in question will
evaluate this outcome very well and get the message it should get," Mr
Kilic said. After the ruling, Turkey's Labour Minister Faruk Celik was
quoted as saying it was a "victory for Turkish democracy". The court
case followed a series of confrontations between the AKP, which has
Islamist roots, and the secular elite. Turkish secularists have staged
huge anti-AKP rallies. The party's attempt to allow Islamic headscarves
to be worn at universities was highly controversial. Last month the
constitutional court said the move to lift the existing headscarf ban
violated the secular constitution. Since the 1960s, more than 20 parties
- mostly pro-Islamist or pro-Kurdish - have been shut down by the courts
for allegedly posing a threat to Turkey's secularist principles.
However, this is the first time that a closure case has been brought
against a governing party with a huge parliamentary majority. EU
officials expressed some relief at the court's ruling on Wednesday. "It
is positive. Turkey is living a tense situation and we very much hope
that the decision by the court will contribute to restore political
stability," said Cristina Gallach, spokeswoman for EU foreign policy
chief Javier Solana, quoted by Reuters.
Hamas Uses Truce to Stock Missiles, Explosives, and Weapons
Bridges For Peace
(July 28, 2008) - Four tons of explosives, 50 anti aircraft
missiles, and large amounts of weapons as well as ingredients required
to manufacture rockets have been smuggled into the Gaza Strip by Hamas
since the recent tahdiya or so called truce with Israel went into
effect, Yuval Diskin head of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) told
the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday. Hamas, he said, is also in control
of the vast network of tunnels in Gaza used to smuggle the goods into
the narrow strip of land, and the truckloads of cement Israel permitted
to be transferred to Gaza, [which] have been used to build bunkers, he
said. Diskin also expressed concern that the recent swap between
Hizbullah and Israel may have a reverse effect, and encourage terror
organizations to increase their efforts to abduct Israeli soldiers or
civilians. Commenting on the situation in Gaza, Prime Minister Ehud
Olmert declared the situation must be monitored in order to ensure that
five years down the line, Israel will not find itself in the position of
asking how the situation got out of hand. Defense Minister Ehud Barak
noted that the truce has also provided Israel time to prepare for any
eventuality, a situation it should take advantage of. Barak admitted
that Hamas was doing far more than expected to prevent truce violations,
and supported Israel’s lack of response to Hamas violations. Barak
warned however that Israel’s lack of response does not mean that it will
be prevented from taking action when the time arises. Minister of
Foreign Affairs Tzipi Livni however shared a different opinion and
declared that Israel should respond every time Hamas violates the truce.
“Israel's response needs to give the message that we won't accept fire,
regardless of which organization it comes from," Livni declared. Diskin
also expressed concern that the recent swap between Hizbullah and Israel
may have a reverse effect, and encourage terror organizations to
increase their efforts to abduct Israeli soldiers or civilians. During
the same meeting, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni spoke of the shaky Gaza
cease-fire, telling the cabinet that "Israel needs to respond to truce
violations, fire against fire." "Israel's response needs to give the
message that we won't accept fire, regardless of which organization it
comes from," she said. Livni also declared that the border crossings
used to transfer goods into Gaza should remain closed until a deal
concerning the release of Gilad Shalit is sealed.
Iran's Ahmadinejad in Turkey In Next Month
Iran Mania
(July 26, 2008) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is
expected to pay an official visit to Turkey at the invitation of his
Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, PressTV reported. The visit would take
place late in August and diplomatic sources in Ankara have declared that
a date for the visit will be set soon, Turkish Daily reported on Friday.
During the meeting agreements would be signed to further strengthen
economic ties between the two neighboring countries. In May, Ahmadinejad
in a meeting with Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said the two
countries have the potential to turn into major economic powers in the
world. The Turkish state minister said that the trade volume between the
two countries could reach USD 20b by the end of 2011.
Israel to build new settlement in West Bank
Associated Press
(July 24, 2008) - A key committee has approved construction of
the first new Jewish settlement in the West Bank in a decade, an Israeli
official said Thursday. The news infuriated Palestinians, who said the
decision could cripple peace efforts. The only hurdle that remains is
Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who plans to approve the Maskiot settlement
within weeks, the official said. Barak had signaled to the national
planning committee that it should authorize the plan, the official said.
The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the Defense
Ministry did not officially announce the settlement would be built in
the Jordan Valley Rift, an arid north-south strip that forms Israel's
eastern flank with Jordan. Asked why Israel was moving ahead with the
politically charged plan, the official said that it has been in the
pipeline for years. Israel originally announced in 2006 that it would
build Maskiot, then froze the plan after international outcry. But
earlier this year, nine Israeli families settled in mobile homes at the
site, which Palestinians claim as part of a future state. A number of
Israeli politicians however, have said Israel needs to retain control of
the Jordan Valley as a buffer between a future Palestinian state and
Jordan. The issue remains to be resolved in negotiations between Israel
and the Palestinians. Settlers say around two dozen more families are
waiting to join them. Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat accused Israel
of undermining U.S.-backed peace talks. "This is destroying the process
of a two-state solution," Erekat said. "I hope the Americans will make
the Israelis revoke the decision. I think they can make the Israelis do
this." The U.S. Embassy had no comment. But on her last visit to the
region in June, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said settlement
building "has the potential to harm the negotiations."
IDF MI chief: Hamas, Hizbullah May be Planning Imminent Attack
The Jerusalem Post (July
20, 2008) - Head of Military Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin
warned on Sunday of a possible terror attack by Hamas or Hizbullah in
the near future along the Gaza Strip and Lebanon borders, respectively.
Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting, Yadlin said Hizbullah still had
many outstanding issues with Israel which could be used to justify such
an attack, such as the Shaba Farms, the village of Ghajar, IAF flights
over Lebanon and Imad Mughniyeh's assassination in February - for which
the group has blamed Israel. Of Gaza, Yadlin said some organizations
which have not signed on to the cease-fire are planning a major attack.
However, Yadlin said Hamas was succeeding in enforcing the cease-fire on
the Palestinian side but assessed that the fact that border crossings
were not open "according to Hamas's expectations, constitutes a
potential for eroding the cease-fire." While weapons smuggling
continued, Egyptian activity in Sinai "diminishes the amount of arms
smuggling, but quality weaponry still finds its way into the Gaza
Strip." Yadlin also said that Israel's enemies were continuing to arm
themselves. But he added those enemies were worried of the possibility
of a "hot summer" and did not intend to initiate a war with Israel
during US President George W. Bush's remaining time in office, or before
they had armed themselves sufficiently.
Iran, Turkey discuss ways
to further cooperation, nuclear issue
Mathaba (July
19, 2008) - The Iranian minister who visited Turkey at the
invitation of his Turkish counterpart Ali Babacan left Ankara on Friday
evening. During the meeting, Mottaki and Erdogan stressed the need for
broadening Tehran-Ankara economic ties by carrying out more projects in
energy field including construction of power plants. Mottaki also
briefed Erdogan on latest developments on Iran's peaceful nuclear
program hoping that the upcoming talks between nuclear Iran and the
Group 5+1 would lead to positive outcome. Iran's top nuclear negotiator
Saeed Jalili arrived in Geneva, Austria, on July 18 to take part in the
talks due to be held on Saturday. In a major shift from a long-standing
policy, the US State Department announced on Wednesday that Under
Secretary of State William Burns, the third-highest US diplomat, would
join the 5+1 talks with Iran. The Turkish prime minister told Mottaki
that Ankara was happy that the trend of talks between Iran and the West
was progressing. Erdogan stressed that peaceful negotiations was the
only solution to Iran's nuclear standoff with the West. Mottaki also
held two rounds of talks with his Turkish counterpart and also met
Turkish President Abdullah Gul. His visit to Turkey was part of a
regional tour which had earlier took him to Oman and Syria.
Iraqi Sunni bloc rejoins government
Associated Press (July
19, 2008) - Iraq's largest Sunni Arab political bloc returned to
the government fold Saturday after calling off a nearly one-year boycott
of the Shiite-dominated leadership — another critical stride toward
healing sectarian rifts. The return of the National Accordance Front
does more than politically reunite some of Iraq's main centers of power.
It was seen as a significant advance toward reconciliation and efforts
to cement security cooperation between Shiite-led forces and armed Sunni
groups that rose up against al-Qaida in Iraq. The United States has
pressured Iraq's government to work toward settling the sectarian feuds,
which brought daily bloodshed until recent months. The hope is that more
parties staked in the future of Iraq could mean a quicker exit for U.S.
and other foreign forces. Iraq's sharply improved security situation is
already bringing plans for a pared-down British force. more...
Hizbullah moves into 'every town'
The Jerusalem Post (July 17, 2008)
- Hizbullah is bolstering its presence in south Lebanon villages with
non-Shi'ite majorities by buying land and using it to build military
positions and store missiles and launchers, The Jerusalem Post has
learned. The decision to build infrastructure in non-Shi'ite villages -
where Hizbullah has less support - is part of the group's post-war
strategy under which it has mostly abandoned the "nature reserves,"
forested areas in southern Lebanon where it kept most of its Katyusha
rocket launchers before the Second Lebanon War. Behind the change is the
mandate given to UNIFIL by the United Nations after the war in 2006.
According to the mandate, the peacekeeping force can patrol freely
throughout southern Lebanon but cannot enter villages or cities without
being accompanied by soldiers from the Lebanese Armed Forces, which
regularly tips off Hizbullah ahead of the raids. News of the change in
Hizbullah strategy came as Israel is trying to persuade the UN to
strengthen UNIFIL's mandate to give it the right to patrol the villages
freely. "Hizbullah is moving into every town that it can," a senior
defense official told the Post. "This is in order to evade UNIFIL
detection." On Thursday, Lebanese complained they were receiving
recorded phone messages from Israel promising "harsh retaliation" for
any future Hizbullah attack. The automated messages also warn against
allowing Hizbullah to form "a state within a state" in the country. The
phone messages end with the words: "The State of Israel." There was no
immediate confirmation from Israel, though similar reports surfaced of
Israeli phone campaigns during the 2006 war trying to persuade Lebanese
not to support Hizbullah. Lebanon's official National News Agency said
residents in the country's south and east, as well as in Beirut
reporting receiving the calls. It said Telecommunications Minister
Jibran Bassil contacted the United Nations to complain, calling it a
"flagrant aggression against Lebanese sovereignty." Also Thursday,
defense officials warned that with the prisoner swap completed,
Hizbullah would no longer need to restrain itself and might decide to
avenge the assassination of the group's operations chief, Imad Mughniyeh,
who was killed by a car bomb in Damascus last February. As a result, the
IDF has slightly increased its level of alert along the border, based on
the assessment that even if a retaliatory attack took place abroad the
violence would spread to the Israeli-Lebanese border.
Waiting
For Islam's Messiah CBN
News (July 17, 2008) - Iran's
president believes Allah has chosen him to prepare the world for the
coming of an Islamic 'savior' called the Mahdi. But before the Mahdi's
return, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad believes there must be global chaos - even
if he has to create it himself. Whether it's his belief that Israel
should be wiped off the map, denials of the Holocaust, obsession with
going nuclear, or support for radical Islamic terrorist groups, Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad is a man on a divine mission. To understand him, and that
mission, you have travel to the small dusty village of Jamkaran tucked
in a corner of Iran's holy city of Qom. On a recent Tuesday afternoon,
CBN News made that journey heading south out of Iran's capital, Tehran.
Some 95 miles, and a couple of wrong turns later, we arrived at the
Jamkaran mosque on the outskirts of Qom. Behind the Jamkaran mosque
there is a well. According to many Shiite Muslims, out of this well will
emerge one day their version of an Islamic 'savior.' They call him the
Mahdi or the 12th Imam. Ron Cantrell has written a book about the Mahdi.
He explained, "The Mahdi is a personage that is expected to come on the
scene, by Islam, as a messiah figure. He is slotted to come in the end
of time, according to their writings, very much like how we think of the
return of Jesus." Shiite Muslims believe the Mahdi, a descendent of the
Prophet Mohammed, vanished in the middle of the 9th century. Cantrell
told us, "The 12th Imam disappeared, around the age of 9, with a promise
that he would return and he would bring Islam to its total fruition as
the world's last standing religion." Enter Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Since
becoming the president of Iran in August 2005, Ahmadinejad has emerged
as the Mahdi's most influential follower. Cantrell said, "[Ahmadinejad]
has stated that his mandate is to pave the way for the coming of this
Islamic 'messiah'." In almost all his speeches, Ahmadinejad begs Allah
to hasten the return of the Mahdi. At a recent military parade attended
by CBN News in Tehran, Ahmadinejad said, "Oh, Allah, please facilitate
Imam Mahdi's early return and make us one of his supporters." He said
something similar last September just before ending a speech at the
United Nations in New York. Ahmadinejad said, "Oh mighty Lord, I pray to
you to hasten the emergence of your last repository [a reference to the
Mahdi], the promised one, that perfect and pure human being, the one
that will fill this world with justice and peace." more...
Dinars for Dollars: Arabs Buying Out Collapsing Western Banks
Israel National News
(July 16, 2008) - First it was Citibank.
Now it's Barclay's and New York City's Chrysler Building skyscraper.
Muslim Arabs are buying out collapsing Western banks and businesses and
gaining growing international power, but some Arab investors are worried
their investments may go down the drain with the American economy. The
current financial crisis in the United States has spread to other
countries because of a massive debt that was not backed by enough real
and liquid collateral. Banks and businesses gasping for financial breath
are up for sale at basement prices, but no one is certain if the
basement is the bottom. "The possibility remains that more Arab white
knights will be sought to rescue ailing financial institutions," wrote
Dr. Mohammed Ramady, a former banker and Visiting Associate Professor at
the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in the Financial
Adviser magazine. He said he fears that Arab investors will end up
chasing their investments with more money to keep them from going under.
The Abu Dhabi Investment Council of the oil-rich United Arab Emirates
kingdom of Abu Dhabi last November announced it was bailing out the
mammoth Citibank financial institution, formerly headed by Bank of
Israel Governor Prof. Stanley Fischer, with $7.5 billion. Next in line
was Britain's Barclay's Bank, which raised $9 billion from investors in
the oil-rich kingdom of Qatar and in Asian countries. The Abu Dhabi
Investment Council last month forked out approximately $800 million for
a 75 percent stake in New York City's 1,046-foot-tall Chrysler Building,
which was the world's tallest building for a year until the Empire State
Building surpassed it in the 1930's. The purchase of American banks by
foreigners has been blocked in the past by security and political
considerations, but the barriers have come down, wrote Dr. Ramady. "How
long this lasts is only a matter of guesswork, as once again, the
specter of foreign takeovers of 'national' symbols will be hard to
accept," he added. In a more serious vein, The Australian
editor-at-large Paul Kelly wrote earlier this month that the foreign
investments, headed by Arabs, signal a major change in international
power. "The energy, financial and political woes that grip the U.S.
signal a decisive shift in world power, mocking the liberal delusion
that Barack Obama or John McCain can return American prestige and power
to its pre-Bush year 2000 nirvana," he wrote. "There is no such nirvana.
There is instead a new reality: the greatest transfer of income in human
history [and] the rise of a new breed of wealthy autocracies that
cripple U.S. hopes of dominating the global system and demands on the
U.S. to make fresh compromises in a world where power is rapidly being
diversified." more...
We only get one strike
The Jerusalem Post (July 16, 2008) -
An Israeli attack on Iran seems inevitable. If it succeeds, it will
return to Israel its deterrent power and send a clear message to the
saber-rattling jihadists that they were too early in beginning the
countdown for the disappearance of the Jewish state. If it fails, or
fails to achieve the majority of its objectives, it could amount to an
act of national suicide. Fanatical Muslims on every side will be
encouraged by the failure and outcome of an Iranian retaliation which
would cause heavy damage to the whole center of our country. Iran would
unquestionably be joined by its proxies on our borders, Hizbullah and
Syria on the north and Hamas on the south, the PLO jihad brigades under
various names, and the Arabs of Israel. The latter have already shown
their ability to block major traffic arteries and demonstrated that
their loyalties rest with their Arab brethren, not with the Jewish
state. The repeated declarations of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that
the aim of Iran is to wipe Israel off the world map should not be taken
as the empty, fiery words of a fanatical Muslim dictator, but as a plan
of action. True, Iran does not need a pretext, but an Israeli attack on
any nuclear installation in Iran, or just an invasion of Iranian air
space could be used as an excellent reason for mounting an all-out
missile attack. Since the late ninth century, the Shi'ites have been
expecting the emergence of the hidden imam-mahdi, armed with divine
power and followed by thousands of martyrdom-seeking warriors. He is
expected to conquer the world and establish Shi'ism as its supreme
religion and system of rule. His appearance would involve terrible war
and unusual bloodshed. Ahmadinejad, as mayor of Teheran, built a
spectacular boulevard through which the mahdi would enter into the
capital. There is no question that Ahmadinejad believes he has been
chosen to be the herald of the mahdi. Shi'ite Islam differs from Sunni
Islam regarding the identity of the mahdi. The Sunni mahdi is
essentially an anonymous figure; the Shi'ite mahdi is a divinely
inspired person with a real identity. However both Shi'ites and Sunnis
share one particular detail about "the coming of the hour" and the
dawning of messianic times: The Jews must all suffer a violent death, to
the last one. Both Shi'ites and Sunnis quote the famous hadith
attributed to the Prophet Muhammad: The last hour will not come unless
the Muslims fight against the Jews, and the Muslims would kill them
until the Jews hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and the stone or
the tree would say: "Muslim! Servant of Allah! Here is a Jew behind me;
come and kill him!" Not one Friday passes without this hadith being
quoted in sermons from one side of the Islamic world to the other.
more...
Ahmadinejad: We'll sever enemies' hands
The Jerusalem Post
(July 13,
2008) - Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad threatened on Sunday
to "cut off the hands" of any would-be attackers of the Islamic
Republic. "Before the enemies touch the trigger, the armed forces will
cut off their hands," the state-run IRNA news agency quoted the leader
as saying. Ahmadinejad said that missile tests conducted last week
exhibited "only a small part" of Iran's defense capabilities, and that,
if necessary, further capabilities would be revealed. Ahmadinejad's
statement comes amid a report that US President George W. Bush has given
Israel the "amber light" to carry out an attack on Iran if diplomatic
efforts are unsuccessful in causing the Islamic Republic to back down
and relinquish its nuclear program. According to a senior Pentagon
official quoted by the British Sunday Times on Sunday morning, Bush has
given Israel free rein to attack Iran's nuclear sites if sanctions fail
in spite of opposition from US generals and regardless of the possible
economic and political repercussions of such a strike. "Amber means get
on with your preparations, stand by for immediate attack and tell us
when you're ready," the official said, adding however, that Israel had
been told that it could not count on the US to lend it military support.
Contradicting recent reports to the contrary, he also said that the IAF
would not be permitted to take off from American military bases in Iraq.
The Jerusalem Post could not confirm the report. Ahmadinejad's
aggressive statements contrasted strikingly with a report on Iranian
state TV Sunday, which quoted him as saying that Iran would welcome the
idea of setting up a US diplomatic office in Teheran. The report quoted
the firebrand Iranian leader as saying he would consider an American
request to set up an interests section in Iran. He said he "welcomes any
move to expand ties." But Ahmadinejad said his government hasn't
received any official request for such an office. Last month, US
officials floated the idea but no formal requests were made. more... 43 nations creating Mediterranean union Associated Press (July 13, 2008) - French President Nicolas Sarkozy urged the disparate and conflicted countries around the Mediterranean Sea on Sunday to make peace as European rivals did in the 20th century, as he launched an unprecedented Union for the Mediterranean. Yet the summit did not mask all the divisions that crisscross the region: Syria's President Bashar Assad left the enormous table before Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert gave his speech to the more than 40 leaders seated around it, Israeli government officials said on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter. It was the first time the two men had sat at the same table. "The European and the Mediterranean dreams are inseparable," Sarkozy told leaders from more than 40 nations in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. "We will succeed together; we will fail together." The union Sarkozy championed as a pillar of his presidency brought together around one table for the first time dignitaries such rival natio |
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