FROM FEBRUARY 11  NO 338

Iranian diplomat warns US of reprisals for any attack

Seyyed Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi, Iran's ambassador to Russia, declared in a statement to reporters on Wednesday February 8,  that a military strike on his country would be "suicidal" for the United States because the Islamic Republic's response against US troops all over the world would be so devastating.       Also on Wednesday, international commodities traders reported that due to sanctions against the Islamic Republic's renegade nuclear program, Teheran is having serious difficulties paying for basic foodstuffs needed to feed its 74 million people.        With parliamentary elections looming on 2 March, Iranian officials are scrambling to stave off mass anger which could destabilize the regime, while also publicly denying that the sanctions are having any effect on the economy.

Iran reduced to bartering for food

In another sign of the deteriorating situation inside Iran, international commodity traders began reporting on Thursday February 9, that the Islamic Republic is desperately turning begging them to accept gold bullion stored in overseas banks or tankers of crude oil in barter for basic food staples such as rice, cooking oil and wheat.    The price of food has skyrocketed on the streets of Iranian cities, leading to severe hardship for many ordinary PEOPLE

Israel and USA test their radar links

Successful joint exercises carried out Friday, February 10,     demonstrated the interoperability of the US Aegis and Israel's Arrow 2 Block 4 ballistic missile defense systems and, most importantly, of their radar systems: the two US AN/TPY-2 X-band stations in Israel's Negev and Turkey's Kurecik air base, and Israel's new EL/M-2080 Super Green Pine       Sources report the test proved to be a key milestone in the development of the US missile shield's Middle East capabilities ahead of a potential war with Iran

Hizbullah Chief Boasts of Iran Military Support (AFP)
Lebanon's Hizbullah chief Hassan Nasrallah on Tuesday  February 7 acknowledged for the first time that his party was solely funded and equipped by Iran

Report: U.S. Won't Oppose Fatah-Hamas Deal - Elior Levy (Ynet News)
The U.S. administration has informed the Palestinian Authority that it has no objections to the reconciliation deal between Fatah and Hamas, the London-based Al-Hayat reported Friday February 10.      Israel has expressed vehement objection to the deal.      On Thursday the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank decided against resuming the Amman peace talks with Israel.

Prices Rise, Patience Thins in Sanctions-Hit Iran - Ali Akbar Dareini
The prices of many imported goods have doubled from last year, while the money to buy them has plunged in value.

France to Cut Its UNIFIL Contingent - Willow Osgood (Daily Star-Lebanon)
France will reduce its UN Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) regiment from 1,300 to 900 peacekeepers, a French diplomatic source told the Daily Star Tuesday February 7.       The source denied that the cut comes in response to two attacks on French peacekeepers last year.

Report: 137 Killed in Syria on Thursday - Roi Kais
A Syrian opposition group said at least 137 civilians, including 11 children, were killed by government forces throughout the country on Thursday February 9.      Hadi al-Abdullah of the Syrian General Revolutionary Council, based in Homs, told Al-Arabiya, "There are 107 casualties here.     Is this not a massacre?       Today the missiles are being launched from a military college in the area, and they are falling like rain on the Baba Amr neighborhood.       The city is also being bombarded from the air. Helicopters are targeting all those who are trying to help the wounded."  (Ynet News)

Turks Block Israel Navy Participation in NATO Operation - Yaakov Katz and Herb Keinon
Turkey tried to block an Israeli plan to contribute a missile ship to NATO's "Active Endeavor" mission in the Mediterranean which patrols against ships suspected of involvement in terrorism, diplomatic and defense officials told the Jerusalem Post on Thursday February 9       However NATO, in defiance of Turkey, did invite Israel to send a ship.

Eyeing the Arab Spring .       Economist---UK
Some Israelis fear the Arab spring is set to produce an Islamist winter.       Religiously inspired parties, mostly linked to the Muslim Brotherhood, have emerged as the strongest political force in half a dozen Arab states.       The Brotherhood now dominates Egypt, the largest Arab nation.      Its rise there in effect ends the isolation of the Brothers' offshoot in Gaza, the Palestinian group Hamas, which has warred with Israel for decades.       Jordan's wobbly king faces a rejuvenated Islamist opposition.         When the smoke clears in Syria, Islamist forces could emerge triumphant there too, seemingly completing Israel's encirclement by like-minded, hostile governments.       Yet Aviv Kochavi, the director of Israeli military intelligence, predicts that internal instability will enfeeble neighboring Arab states for several years to come.       Many Sunni Arab countries are in fact more worried by the threat coming from the Persian Shias of Iran than by Israel

Who Really Defames the Prophet? - Ahmed El Aswany

Those who defame the Prophet are not in the West, but rather we Muslims, for imposing a terrorist, hypocritical, and life-hating Islamic model that feeds on killing others in the name of jihad and fighting freedom of expression.      They [Western people] only defame and combat the model that we - and no one else - created. (Stonegate Institute)

"Guarrdsmen" Seek to Protect Israeli Farmlands - Gil Hoffman
Young Israelis from around the country come regularly to Avishai Bokovza's sheep ranch in the Negev to help him keep watch.       The volunteers are from an organization called Hashomer Hachadash, the New Israeli Guardians.        The organization was established in 2007 to help farmers and ranchers in the Negev and Galilee who tend vast tracts of state-owned land and had to deal with the theft of their livestock by local Bedouin or Palestinians from the West Bank, and illegal building by Bedouin and Israeli Arabs.

"Guardsmen" Seek to Protect Israeli Farmlands - Gil Hoffman
Young Israelis from around the country come regularly to Avishai Bokovza's sheep ranch in the Negev to help him keep watch.       The volunteers are from an organization called Hashomer Hachadash, the New Israeli Guardians.        The organization was established in 2007 to help farmers and ranchers in the Negev and Galilee who tend vast tracts of state-owned land and had to deal with the theft of their livestock by local Bedouin or Palestinians from the West Bank      More than 300 regular volunteers give over at least one night a month for guard duty.      The organization hopes to increase its corps of volunteers and operate 30 outposts protecting over 100,000 acres of land

Report: Assad's Forces Used Nerve Gas in Homs - Elior Levy (Ynet News)
Capt. Abd al-Salam Ahmed Abdul Razek, who served in Syria's chemical warfare administration, told Al-Arabiya that the Syrian military used nerve gas to assist forces in their raids on the city of Homs.        He said the nerve gas was used under the supervision of Russian and Iranian experts.

Bombers Target Israeli Diplomats in India, Georgia
Unidentified bombers attacked staff at Israeli embassies in India and Georgia on Monday. February 13.   In New Delhi, Tal Koren, the wife of Israel's defense attache, was injured by shrapnel, along with three Indians.      Delhi police commissioner B. K. Gupta said an eyewitness "saw a person on a motorcycle sticking some kind of device on the back of the car."     A blast followed and the car burst into flames.            Meanwhile, Shota Utiashvili, a spokesman for the Georgian Interior Ministry, confirmed that a bomb was affixed to the car of an employee of the Israeli embassy in Tbilisi.        "The police successfully defused it before it went off."  (New York Times)       Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday. "Iran is behind these attacks; it is the largest exporter of terrorism in the world."  (Ha'aretz)

Supertanker Owners Halt Oil Trade with Iran - Isaac Arnsdorf
Overseas Shipholding Group, based in New York, said February. 10 that the 45 supertankers from seven owners in which its carriers trade will no longer go to Iran.         Nova Tankers A/S and Frontline, with a combined 93 vessels, said February. 9 and 11 they won't ship Iranian crude.       The EU embargo on Iranian oil includes ship insurance.       About 95% of the tanker fleet is insured under rules governed by European law. "It's the insurance that's completed the ban on trading with Iran," said Per Mansson, the managing director of Norocean Stockholm AB, which handles tanker charters. (Bloomberg)

Hamas Leader in Iran: No Compromise, Only Armed Resistance
Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said Monday February 13,  in Iran, the "gun is our only response to the Zionist regime.        In time, we have come to understand that we can obtain our goals only through fighting and armed resistance and no compromise should be made with the enemy."

Hamas leadership dispute continues

Hamas' Gaza based Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh wrapped up a three day visit to Iran on Monday February 13, by telling a prominent TV station that Israel is the "main enemy" of the Arab and Islamic world, calling the Jewish State a "cancer" and praising "Iran's support for the resistance and the Palestinian people."      Reuters say,  "the Doha reconciliation agreement needs a miracle to be implemented.      The crack it caused in the integrity of Hamas is one that will be difficult to overcome."

FROM FEBRUARY 7  NO 337

FROM FEBRUARY 3  NO 336

Ya'alon: Iran Was Working on U.S.-Range Missile - Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)
Iran was working on developing a missile with 10,000-km. range that would put America in reach of a potential Iranian attack, Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon said Thursday.      According to Ya'alon, the missile was based on a solid-fuel propellant and would have been able to significantly increase Iran's offensive capabilities.      Last month, a mysterious explosion rocked an Iranian missile base near Tehran where Iran was working on developing this long-range missile.

Half of Syria No Longer Under Assad's Control, Opposition Says - (Ha'aretz)
Syrian opposition leader Colonel Riyad al-As'ad, commander of the Syrian Free Army, said on Wednesday February 1, that around half of the country is no longer under the control of President Bashar Assad's forces.       Despite an increase in the number of defectors, the highest ranks of the military are still loyal to the regime

Facebook Photo of IDF Soldier Was Faked (Ha'aretz)
A photograph on Facebook that became an Internet sensation - allegedly showing an IDF soldier pointing a weapon at a young Palestinian girl - was faked.        The soldier in the photo is carrying an AK-47 rifle, which is not used by the IDF

OECD: Israel Among World's Most Highly Educated Countries (Jerusalem Post)
Israel is among the world's most highly educated country, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).  #Iran More than Doubles Its Defense Budget
Iran's defense spending would more than double under plans set out by President Ahmadinejad on Wednesday February 1.       In the public budget for 2012-13, the defense budget is slated for an increase of 127%. (Journal of Turkish Weekly) 

Turkey and Hamas Grow Close - Christopher Torchia
Ties between Turkey and Hamas, the Islamic militant group that says Israel should not exist, are blossoming.      Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan made "very friendly statements" toward Hamas and absolved the group of responsibility for attacks on Israeli civilians.   

IDF Chief: Iran Calling for Israel's Destruction and Building the Tools to Do So -
"Israel is the only country in the world which someone is calling for its destruction and which someone is building the tools to do so.       "This is something that cannot be ignored."    It is correct to act and continue to disrupt processes associated with the development of the Iranian nuclear project and to work to enhance oversight over what is happening," Gantz said. (Ha'aretz)

Iceland's Foreign Policy: Alone and Adrift - Abraham H. Foxman
The Icelandic parliament voted on November. 29 to recognize Palestine "as an independent and sovereign state" based on the pre-1967 borders.          A report by the center-right minority on the Icelandic parliament's foreign affairs committee assailed the reasoning behind the proposal as unfair both to Israel and to history.     The minority also felt compelled to remind the Icelandic government that the conflict is fundamentally about "the mere existence of the State of Israel";

8 rockets from Gaza land in Israel
Terrorists based in the Hamas controlled Gaza Strip launched a salvo of 8 rockets into southern Israel on Wednesday February 1, the first day of relative visibility after several days of cloudy weather and rain.       There were no injuries or damages reported, but the attacks prompted authorities to remind residents that the Iron Dome system was unable to protect the area situated between 4.5 kilometers and 7 km. from the Gaza border and to reiterate requests for the government to provide funds for bomb shelters.

Ya'alon: All of Iran's Nuclear Faculties Are Vulnerable to a Military Strike       
All of Iran's nuclear facilities are vulnerable to a military strike, Israeli Vice Prime Minister and Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon said Thursday.       "Any facility protected by humans can be infiltrated by humans.       It's possible to strike all Iran's facilities, and I say that out of my experience as IDF chief of staff."        Ya'alon added: "If Iran obtains nuclear weapons, it would be a nightmare for the free world, a nightmare for Arab states...and of course a threat to the State of Israel."       "We'll see a more intense undermining of regional regimes and the acceleration of terror attacks against those regimes, as well as against Israel and Western states, with the United States at the forefront." (Ha'aretz)

Ya'alon: All of Iran's Nuclear Faculties Are Vulnerable to a Military Strike - Barak Ravid (Ha'aretz)
All of Iran's nuclear facilities are vulnerable to a military strike, Israeli Vice Prime Minister and Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon said Thursday February 2.         "Any facility protected by humans can be infiltrated by humans.        It's possible to strike all Iran's facilities, and I say that out of my experience as IDF chief of staff."           Ya'alon added: "If Iran obtains nuclear weapons, it would be a nightmare for the free world, a nightmare for Arab states...and of course a threat to the State of Israel."           "We'll see a more intense undermining of regional regimes and the acceleration of terror attacks against those regimes, as well as against Israel and Western states, with the United States at the forefront."

U.S. Group Calls to Provide More Arms to Israel (Sydney Morning Herald-Australia)
A policy group in the U.S. has called for providing Israel with 200 additional bunker-buster bombs and aerial refueling tankers to increase the credibility of a military strike aimed at thwarting Iran's nuclear program.

Panetta Believes Israel Could Strike Iran This Spring - Barbara Starr
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has come to the conclusion there is a growing likelihood Israel could attack Iran sometime this spring in an effort to destroy its suspected nuclear weapons program, according to a senior administration official.
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Iran Says It Launched Satellite - Thomas Erdbrink
Iran said Friday  February 3, it launched a microsatellite weighing 110 pounds into space carried by a homemade rocket.        Western nations fear the rockets in Iran's space program can be fitted with a nuclear warhead and be used for regional attacks. (Washington Post)

FROM JANUARY 31 NO 335

Assad Has Nothing to Fear at the UN - Zvi Bar'el (Ha'aretz)
Bashar Assad isn't going anywhere yet.     On Friday January 27, Russia made it clear that any resolution at the UN that included the demand to oust Assad would be vetoed.

Hamas Leader Abandons Longtime Base in Damascus - Fares Akram (New York Times)
Khaled Meshal, the leader of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, has effectively abandoned his longtime base in Syria and has no plans to return, Hamas sources in Gaza said Friday January 27.        "The situation there does not allow the leadership to be present," a Hamas official in Gaza said.       "There are no more Hamas leaders in Damascus."

U.S. Sends Commando "Mothership" to Middle East - Craig Whitlock (Washington Post)
The Pentagon is rushing to send a large floating base for commando teams to the Middle East by early summer as tensions rise with Iran, al-Qaeda in Yemen and Somali pirates, among other threats.         The Navy is converting the USS Ponce, an amphibious transport docking ship it had planned to decommission, into a makeshift staging base.       Unofficially dubbed a "mothership," the floating base could accommodate smaller high-speed boats and helicopters commonly used by Navy Seals.

Pentagon Seeks Mightier Bomb vs. Iran - Adam Entous and Julian E. Barnes
Pentagon war planners have concluded that their largest conventional bomb isn't yet capable of destroying Iran's most heavily fortified underground facilities, and are stepping up efforts to make it more powerful, according to U.S. officials.       Initial tests indicated that the 30,000-pound "bunker-buster" bomb, the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, wouldn't be capable of destroying some of Iran's facilities.< BR>        The Pentagon was particularly concerned about its ability to destroy bunkers built under mountains, such as Iran's Fordow site near Qom, according to a former senior U.S. official, and that a tactical nuclear weapon may be the only military option to destroy the facility. (Wall Street Journal)

Palestinian TV Airs Show Praising Fogel Family Murderer - Avi Issacharoff
Palestinian television aired an interview with the relatives of the Fogel family murderers earlier this month, praising the two cousins convicted of the brutal attack as "heroes."        The show featured the aunt and mother of Hakim Awad, who along with his cousin Amjad was convicted of brutally stabbing to death Ehud and Ruth Fogel, along with three of their young children, Yoav, 11, Elad, 4, and Hadas, 3 months old. (Ha'aretz)

Peres Blasts Turkey for Funding Terrorist Hamas - Yori Yalon, Shlomo Cesana and Daniel Siryoti
"Turkey has transferred resources to fund the infrastructure of Hamas, an organization controlled by Iran that has won astronomical donations -     nearly $900 million a year. $300 million comes from Iran, $200 million from Qatar and hundreds of millions from Turkey.     The Turkish support has strengthened terrorist networks in the region," Peres said.        Asked about Iran, Peres said: "Iran today is the most corrupt country on Earth, they hang people without trial, they send out arms and money to terrorist organizations. I would tell the Iranian people, save your own country, it is in your hands."  (Israel Hayom)

A Nuclear Iran and the Ramifications of a Poly-Nuclear Middle East - (Insti for Policy and Strategy-
What would a nuclear Middle East look like with an Iranian nuclear capability?      Certainly not a re-run of the Cold War.      We should expect that a nuclear Iran will move to assert its dominance in the Persian Gulf and to gain hegemony over the Gulf, including dictating oil production levels.      Iran will also assert itself in the heart of the Middle East by using terror with impunity.     These and the very potential of a nuclear confrontation in the region should bring the Western world to the conclusion that the best option remains prevention at all costs.

Ya'alon: Iran Seeks to Enrich Uranium to 90 Percent - Shlomo Cesana and Lior Yacoby (Israel Hayom)
Iran has asked the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to allow it to enrich uranium to 90%, Israeli Vice Prime Minister and Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon said recently, and warned that "Iran's nuclear development is clearly intended for military purposes."       90% enrichment is an indication of weapons-grade uranium.         During a visit to Washington last week, Ya'alon learned that Turkey was secretly helping Iran avoid American and European sanctions. Turkish companies have been helping Tehran export oil financed by Turkish banks, Y a'alon said.

Iran Renaming Ships to Circumvent Sanctions - Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)
The Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines has renamed 90 of its 123 ships since 2008 in efforts to dodge sanctions.

The Free Syrian Army Bleeds the Assad Regime - Jeffrey White
The Free Syrian Army (FSA) is now engaged in combat in at least six of the country's fourteen governorates. Both its ranks and its popular support are growing, and its forces have the types of weapons they need for the kind of warfare they are conducting.      The militia has at least temporarily forced government troops out of some areas, including near the capital

Netanyahu: Israeli Presence Necessary in Jordan Valley - Herb Keinon
Israel will only sign an agreement with the Palestinians if it includes an Israeli security presence in the Jordan Valley, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday January 30.        "We are acting responsibly and prudently and are seeing to the security of the State of Israel.       This requires Israel to remain in the Jordan Valley."

Ahmadinejad calls Israel 'Western plant to control oil'
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressed a conference of Iranian youth on Sunday January 29, rhetorically asking his young audience     "Why did they install the Zionist regime (Israel)?" and answering his own question by declaring it was       "to gain control over oil, as well as the popular and revolutionary uprisings in the Middle East!       It is clear that this was a historical scheme."

Canadian FM blasts 'new anti-Semitism'
Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird opened the 12th-annual Herzliya Conference on Monday night January 30, with a rousing speech, telling the conference that Canada was proud to call Israel a friend and "to stand for what is principled and just, regardless of whether it is popular, convenient or expedient" adding that Israel is "a beacon of light in a region that craves freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law."     Blasting the international campaign to delegitimize Israel as "the new anti-Semitism" he explained that by "harnessing disparate anti- Semitic, anti-American and anti-Western ideologies, it targets the Jewish people by targeting the Jewish homeland, Israel, as the source of injustice and conflict in the world, and uses, perversely, the language of human rights to do so."

Israeli Mossad Chief in Washington Last Week for Secret Talks on Iran - Majid Asgaripour (AFP)
Mossad chief Tamir Pardo, the head of Israel's intelligence service, paid a secret visit to Washington last week to discuss Iran's nuclear program,    

A Warning on Iran - Editorial
According to Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, not only is Iran prepared to use terrorism in retaliation for any military strikes against it, they're also prepared to get their retaliation in first.        "There is more to unfold here," he said.       "They're trying to penetrate and engage in this hemisphere."     If the regime is prepared to stage terrorist strikes in America when they don't have a bomb, what will they be capable of when they do have one? (Wall Street Journal)

Syrian Rebels Warn Hizbullah Leader Nasrallah - Roi Kais
The secretary general of the Free Syrian Army's military council warned Tuesday January 31, in an interview with Asharq al-Awsat      that Syrian rebels will settle the score with Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah and his group once Syrian leader Bashar Assad is deposed. (Ynet News)

IDF Arrests Palestinian Prisoner Released in Shalit Swap - Gili Cohen
The Israel Defense Forces arrested Mamun Ismyail Salame Stut, a Palestinian released from Israeli prison in October as part of the Gilad Shalit prisoner exchange.     Stut was arrested for being a security threat.      He was originally arrested in 2002 for attempted murder and assembling bombs. (Ha'aretz)

Putin Stands by Assad: The Last Battle of the Cold War - Fouad Ajami
Bashar Assad has Vladimir Putin's Russian autocracy by his side.         The Soviet empire has fallen, but defending a Syrian tyranny gives Russia the old sense that it still is a great power.          Syria feeds another Russian obsession: Islam.        If the Chinese see Tibet everywhere, the Russians are fixated on Chechnya.    In the Syrian inferno, the Russians see a secular tyranny at war with radical Islamists, and thus see in Syria a reflection of themselves.     The writer is a senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution. (Wa ll Street Journal)

Why Did Israeli-Palestinian Peace Negotiations Fail? - Zalman Shoval
The Palestinians' refusal to accept Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people is not a matter of semantics, but rather a declaration that they do not recognize the Jewish people's right to their own country.         Moreover, in their eyes the Jews are not a nation, they are only members of a religion -     and if they are not a nation they do not deserve a country and do not have the right to self-determination like other nations.         The recent peace talks in Amman, or the peace process in general, have not progressed not just because of borders or security, or the status of Jerusalem or Palestinian refugees,       but mainly due to the wholesale Palestinian refusal to recognize Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people. (Israel Hayom)<

Netanyahu wins Likud primary 
Turnout high despite rain     Israel's democracy was on display Tuesday January 31 as the Likud party primary ended with a solid victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who declared victory in the chairman's race late Tuesday evening and thanked everyone who had voted.        "Today the real Likud won," Netanyahu told supporters at the Tel Aviv fairgrounds.      "We proved that our strength is in our unity.       We will continue to lead responsibly for better education, economy, and security for all the citizens of the State of Israel.        Likud turns Israel into one of the most developed nations in the world, in education, culture, and environmental protection."(?)

 FROM JANUARY 26  NO 334

Muslim Brotherhood to Maintain Egypt-Israel Industrial Zones - Stephen Glain (Washington Post)
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, the dominant party in a new parliament, announced last week that it would not meddle with the industrial zones jointly managed by Egypt and Israel to promote trade between the two peace partners.

U.S. to Grant Three-Year Extension of Loan Guarantees to Israel - Barak Ravid (Ha'aretz)
The U.S. government has informed Israel that it will recommend a three-year extension of loan guarantees to Israel, worth $3.8 billion.      The loan guarantees agreement between the U.S. and Israel began in 2003, and Israel last raised money through it in 2004.       According to a senior Foreign Ministry official, the loan guarantees have importance to global credit agencies, who view them as a "safety net" for the Israeli economy.
"We consider the loan guarantees as preparation for a rainy day," he said. "This is a safety net for war, natural disaster and economic crisis, which allows Israel to maintain economic stability in unstable surroundings."

Obama: "America Is Determined to Prevent Iran from Getting a Nuclear Weapon"
In his State of the Union address Tuesday January 24, President Barack Obama said: "Look at Iran.     America is determined to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, and I will take no options off the table to achieve that goal.      Our ironclad commitment - and I mean ironclad - to Israel's security has meant the closest military cooperation between our two countries in history."  (White House)

Palestinians Say Amman Meeting with Israelis Wednesday Will B e the Last
Palestinian and Israeli negotiators are to hold a fifth meeting in Amman on Wednesday. Palestinian sources confirmed Wednesday January 21 the meeting in Amman would be the last.        They highlighted that the international Quartet placed huge pressure on the Palestinian side after the leadership said it wouldn't join further meetings with the Israelis. (Maan News-PA)

PA appointed Mufti investigated for incitement
Israeli Attorney-General Yehuda Weinstein moved on Tuesday January 24 to open an investigation into remarks made recently by the PA appointed Jerusalem Mufti, Sheikh Muhammad Hussein, which the AG suspects could be considered racist and incitement to violence.        During a recent event to mark the 47th anniversary of the founding of the Fatah political faction, Hussein quoted a hadith (from a book of teachings of Mohammed) which reads          "The Day of Judgement will not come about until Muslims fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees.        The stones and trees will say, O Muslims, servants of Allah, there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him."       The same hadith is incorporated into Article 7 of Hamas's 1988 Covenant.
Egypt's Tinderbox Economy - and Looming Economic Crisis - Bryan Balin (Huffington Post)
As the former Egypt desk officer at the U.S. Treasury, I have followed the Egyptian economy for years.       By most estimates, if the drawdown of foreign reserves continues at its present pace, Egypt has roughly three months before it must devalue its currency.

 Eyptian Muslim Brotherhood: No Talks with Israel - Oren Kessler
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood categorically rejects dialogue with Israel, the group's spokesman, Mahmoud Ghazlan, told Asharq Alawsat in an interview published Wednesday January 25.          Ghazlan said, "Our group is not prepared to conduct dialogue with Israel."

Iranian terror plot in Azerbaijan broken up
Reports surfaced in recent days of two Azerbaijani citizens, Rasim Farail Aliyev and Ali Huseynov, who have been arrested on suspicion of involvement in a plot to assassinate the Israeli ambassador in Baku, Michael Lotem, with plans to also attack a Jewish school in the city.         A third suspect, Balaqardash Dadashov, an Azerbaijani citizen and resident of the nearby Iranian city of Ardabil, is still at large.         Azerbaijan's Security Ministry announced that he had reason to beleive Iranian intelligence agencies offered the three Azerbaijanis $150,000 to carry out the plot.             Israeli President Shimon Peres thanked his Azerbaijani counterpart on Wednesday January 25 for successfully  thwarting the terrorist plan.
Iran Threatens to Act First on EU Embargo - Najmeh Bozorgmehr and Javier Blas (Financial Times-UK)
Iran has threatened to pre-empt a European embargo on its oil by halting its exports to the region immediately, a move that could hit economically weak southern European countries.       Emad Hosseini, spokesman for the Iranian parliament's energy committee, said lawmakers in Tehran were finalizing a draft bill to stop all oil trade with Europe before the EU begins its oil embargo against Iran.

Israeli Paratroopers Prepare for Airborne Strikes (UPI)
The Israeli military on Jan. 17 conducted its first full-scale parachute exercise in 15 years for at least 1,000 paratroopers in its airborne brigade as part of military preparations for "any possible scenario."      The most probable targets for airborne forces would be Hizbullah's fortified missile depots in the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon.      Hizbullah allegedly  possesses more than 42,000 missiles and rockets.

Egyptian Army Foils Gas Pipeline Attack (Egypt Independent-Al Masry Al-Youm)
The Egyptian military on Thursday January 26    countered an attack on a natural gas facility in northern Sinai located 10 km south of el-Arish.      Masked men in two vehicles approached the facility and attempted to plant explosives, but found the armed forces and local guards lying in wait.

Study Shows Anti-Semitism Still Flourishing throughout Germany - Ofer Aderet (Ha'aretz)
About 20% of Germans have a "latent" hatred for Jews, according to a new study published by an independent committee of experts appointed by the German parliament        However, the report noted that anti-Semitism is much worse in many other European countries, including Poland, Hungary and Portugal

Israel Senses Bluffing in Iran's Threats of Retaliation - Ethan Bronner
Israeli intelligence estimates, backed by academic studies, have cast doubt on the widespread assumption that a military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities would set off a catastrophic set of events like a regional conflagration, widespread acts of terrorism and sky-high oil prices.       The estimates, which have been largely adopted by the country's most senior officials, conclude that the threat of Iranian retaliation is partly bluff………a military attack remains a very real option; and post-attack situations are considered less perilous than one in which Iran has nuclear weapons. (New York Times)

Hamas Wants a "Branch" in Jordan - Taylor Luck
Jordan's King Abdullah will receive Hamas chief Khaled Mishaal next week (Early February) in the first official visit by the Hamas leader in over a decade.       According to a senior Hamas official, Mishaal is expected to request permission for a "permanent presence" in Jordan.       Jordanian Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Rakan Majali stressed that the reopening of Hamas' political office is "not on the current agenda."

Planning Genocide in Plain Sight - Lawrence Kadish
Much the way the Nazis assigned their strategic national assets to the destruction of a people, the rulers of Iran are focusing their considerable national resources on creating and fielding nuclear weapons, while publicly embracing a foreign policy that calls for literally wiping Israel off the map         On this 70th anniversary of Wannsee, let us contemplate how a disbelieving world can stand idly by as evil regimes coolly harness their bureaucracies to methodically achieve horrendous goals.

US rushing 'floating base' to the Middle East     By J Post Staff
The United States is rushing to send a large floating base to the Middle East in the midst of rising tensions with Iran, al-Qaida in Yemen, and Somali pirates, the Washington Post reported Friday.         The Pentagon is converting an aging warship, the USS Ponce, which had been previously slated for decommission, into a staging base for commando teams.        The report stated that the floating base could potentially provide shelter for smaller speed boats and helicopter, and could also be used as a base for mine-clearing operations.      One of the main advantages of a floating base is that it can stay stationary for months, providing definite and continuous shelter for military personnel in the area.           This is in contrast to other vessels, which usually patrol and change locations on a regular basis.

Argentina nabs Iranian-Hizballah cell, aborts third Habad attack   DEBKAfile)
San Carlos de Bariloche targeted for terror     Argentina has captured a three-man Iranian-Hizballah cell and is hunting for the rest of the network, according to exclusive debkafile sources.       Its counter-terror police were a step ahead of attacks plotted against several of the 10 Habad centers in the country, part of a worldwide joint terrorist offensive against Israeli and Jewish targets.       Two strikes were thwarted earlier this month in Thailand and Azerbaijan.                  The three-man cell was captured in the Argentine resort town of San Carlos de Bariloche, 1,680 kilometers from Buenos Aires, a favorite starting-point for Israeli backpackers touring Patagonia and the Andes.

FROM JANUARY 22  NO 333

Canada's Prime Minister: Iranian Regime "Frightens Me" - Robert Matas
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper says a consensus is growing among world leaders that Iran would have no hesitation using nuclear arms once they develop the weapons and the capability to deliver them.     "I've watched and listened to what the leadership in the Iran regime says, and it frightens me," Harper said in a CBC interview.        "In my judgment, these are people who have a particular, you know, fanatically religious worldview, and their statements imply to me no hesitation of using nuclear weapons if they see them achieving their religious or political purposes."          Harper said he has no doubt that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. "There is absolutely no doubt they are lying," he said.      "The evidence is just growing overwhelming."  (Globe and Mail-Canada)

Turkey Works to Cut Dependence on Iranian Oil
Turkish refiner Tupras is working to cut its dependence on imports of Iranian oil, industry sources said Thurs day.        Turkey imports more than 30% of its daily consumption from Iran.         One source said Tupras was planning to meet Saudi Arabian oil authorities this month with a view to switching to alternative crude sources by the summer.          A second industry source noted that Iranian threats to shut the Strait of Hormuz had prompted Tupras to approach new suppliers. (Reuters)

Palestinian Security Forces Joining Anti-Israel Demonstrations - Yaakov Katz
The IDF has identified an increase in the participation of PA security forces in anti-Israel demonstrations throughout the West Bank, senior military sources said this week.           According to one officer, the army recently arrested three Palestinian policemen in civilian clothes at demonstrations after they threw rocks at Israeli security forces.        The PA is financing the weekly demonstrations held near Bil'in, Ni'lin and Nabi Salih. (Jerusalem Post)

Syria-Funded Islamic Jihad Terror Cell Exposed in West Bank - Gili Cohen
In a joint operation of the IDF and the Israel Security Agency, ten Islamic Jihad militants were arrested near Jenin in recent months, the IDF said Thursday January 19.           The cell was in communication with Islamic Jihad in Syria, which transferred large sums of money to purchase weapons and fund operations.        The terror cell was planning attacks on IDF soldiers, shooting attacks in settlements, and abducting Israelis.

Iran Is Playing for Time - Ron Ben-Yishai
Iran's interest is to reach the "nuclear threshold" while at the same time completing the missile program and fortifying Tehran's nuke sites to make them immune to an aerial strike.        Iran aims to achieve this without facing stifling economic sanctions already formulated by the U.S. and the West but not yet imposed.       Iran is playing for time as it waves carrots and sticks in the West's face. The Iranians are also signaling their willingness to re-launch negotiations on their nuclear program.        However, Iran presented a condition:     No sanctions during the negotiations.       Israel's interest is to thwart Iran's plans.       By the time the Americans weigh their options and make a decision, the Iranians may complete their fortification project, thereby causing Israel to miss the last chance to launch a successful, effective preventative strike.          This is the reason why Israel pushes the U.S. and Europe to impose the gravest possible sanctions on Iran in the coming weeks. (Ynet News)

The End of the Affair between Hamas and Iran - Michael Weiss
Hamas has fallen out with its former puppet-masters in Iran.         The mullahs' new favorite proxy is Islamic Jihad.       These terrorists  are converting to Shia Islam in a bid to reclaim Iranian hegemony in Gaza.      The writer is communications director of the Henry Jackson Society. (Telegraph-UK)

Israel's Trade with the Muslim World - Shuki Sadeh
Israeli business quietly thrives in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, and in far-off countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. Company owners on both sides do all they can to avoid harmful publicity.      Contacts are made at international conferences overseas, through European and U.S. companies familiar with both sides, and directly over the Internet.       Quite a few companies in the Gulf states rely on sophisticated Israeli technology for security purposes.     Israel also exports medical, agricultural and water technologies to the Gulf states. (Ha'aretz)

The Egyptian Army's Economic Empire - Joseph Mayton
Egypt's army is the owner and operator of a vast empire of factories, tourist resorts and real estate developments.      The military loaned the central bank $1 billion to help support the sagging Egyptian pound last month, pointing up the relative wealth of the two institutions.        The armed forces own and run much of the food industry, including plants manufacturing olive oil, milk, bread and bottled water - all subsidized by the government.       They also run a number of cement factories, gas stations and refineries, clothing and kitchen facilities, vehicle production factories, as well as hotels.      Military businesses are free from government oversight and are not required to pay taxes. (Media Line-Jerusalem Post)

Video: IDF Aid Missions Save Thousands Around the World
Over the last 26 years, Israel has sent out 15 aid missions to countries struck by natural disasters. Immediately upon arriving to these countries IDF doctors set up field hospitals.      Overall, medical care was given to more than 2,300 people in afflicted areas, and 220 were saved from certain death. (Israel Defense Forces)

Hezbollah arming heavily from Syrian stocks
The Jerusalem Post reported on Thursday January 19,  that the IDF has received intelligence that the Iranian backed Shi'ite terror militia Hezbollah, which controls Lebanon, has taken advantage of the chaos in neighboring Syria to acquire stocks of highly sophisticated military equipment, including highly accurate air-defense and long-range surface-to-surface missiles.       IDF chief of the general staff, Lt. General Benny Gantz warned of the proliferation of advanced weapons to terrorist groups during his address at the NATO summit in Brussels on Wednesday.

Iran’s Quads force Suleimani boasts of his power…   ( I , Nebuchasnezzar !!!!)
"General Petraeus, you should know that Qassem Suleimani controls the policy for Iran with respect to Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza, and Afghanistan.     And indeed, the ambassador in Baghdad is a Quds Force member.      The individual who's going to replace him is a Quds Force member," The Guardian reported.        Petraeus had admitted that most of U.S. diplomatic efforts in Iraq and elsewhere in the Middle East were undermined by the work of Suleimani, according to the Guardian.         Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq's former national security minister, told the London-based asharq al-Awsat newspaper in July 2010,        "He (Suleimani) is the most powerful man in Iraq without question...Nothing gets done without him."

Hizbullah Guarded Assad During Rally Appearance - Yousef Diab (Asharq Al-Awsat-UK)
Lebanese Future movement Secretary-General Ahmad Hariri said in an interview that "when Bashar al-Assad appeared in the midst of supporters in Umayyad Square [in Damascus]... he was being guarded by members of the Hizbullah security apparatus."

Saudi Capacity Seen Sufficient to Cover Oil Sanctions on Iran (Bloomberg-Gulf Times-Qatar)
Saudi Arabia has the capacity to make up for Iranian oil exports to Europe should the region's leaders go ahead with an embargo, according to the International Energy Agency and the Centre for Global Energy Studies.  The kingdom has unused daily production of 2.2-2.5 million barrels.     The EU bought 450,000 bpd from Iran in the first half of 2011, U.S. Energy Department data show.

Report: Turkey Intercepts Material for Chemical Weapons on Iranian Trucks
Four Syria-bound Iranian trucks that were intercepted by Turkish authorities two weeks ago were carrying material for manufacturing missiles and chemical weapons, the Turkish Taraf newspaper reported Saturday January 14    . One of the trucks was carrying four six-meter-long cylindrical tanks and heat-resistant materials, while the other three were carrying 66 tons of sodium sulfate, all of which were possibly to be used in the making of chemical missiles. (Ynet News)

Azerbaijan Thwarts Terror Attack Against Israeli Habad Emissaries - Eli Shvidler
Three men were detained last week after planning to attack two Israeli Habad emissaries employed by a Jewish school in Baku, the Azerbaijan Ministry of National Security has revealed.      The men received smuggled arms and equipment from Iranian agents.

Axe-Throwing Palestinian Shot at West Bank Checkpoint - Yaakov Lappin
An axe-wielding Palestinian man was shot in the leg and lightly injured after attempting to attack Israeli security personnel with an axe at the Kalandia checkpoint in the West Bank on Sunday January 22.     Border Police on the scene also recovered a long commando knife in the man's bag. (Jerusalem Post)

FROM JANUARY 17  NO 332

Egypt's Next Parliament to Be Led by Islamist - Leila Fadel and Ingy Hassieb (Washington Post)
Liberals and Islamists in Egypt announced a temporary agreement Monday January 16 on a power-sharing plan that would install a Muslim Brotherhood leader as speaker of the country's newly elected parliament.     Egypt's military rulers have made clear that they would like to oversee the constitution-writing process.

Israel Raises Alarm over Sinai-Gaza Security Threat
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday January 16:        "The security problem which is developing as a result of changes in the Middle East is getting worse, and is expected to continue for years."        "Libyan arms continue to flow into Gaza through Sinai," he said.        There were "more than 10,000 missiles" in Gaza, some of which had a range "surpassing 40 km. (24 miles)."       "Fatah-Hamas unity would force us to demand that Gaza be demilitarized."       He accused Iran of using the Egyptian Sinai as a staging area for launching attacks on Israel.       "Terror elements have entered the region, they're using the area as a platform for terror, Sinai has become a destination for Iran," he said, noting that last summer a missile was shot at an Israeli helicopter. (AFP)

Thousands of Shoulder-Launched Surface-to-Air Missiles Smuggled into Gaza - Mohamed Fadel Fahmy
"We have smuggled thousands of shoulder-launched (surface-to-air) SAM missiles to Gaza," a Bedouin leader from Tarabeen tribe told CNN. (CNN)

IDF Preparing for Major Gaza Action - Yaakov Katz
The IDF General Staff has ordered the Southern Command to prepare for a possible large Gaza operation in the next few months.      Senior officers said such an operation could be significantly larger than Operation Cast Lead, launched in late 2008.       "Gaza has changed and the weaponry in Hamas' and Islamic Jihad's hands has significantly grown in quantity and quality," a senior officer explained.        Hamas is believed to have a fighting force number over 20,000 armed men, as well as anti-tank missiles, mortars and rockets, and anti-aircraft missiles.      In 2011, 680 rockets and mortar shells were fired into Israel, including 80 longer-range Grad-model Katyusha rockets, compared to just 2 Grads in 2010. (Jerusalem Post)

Palestinians Arrested with Bombs at West Bank Checkpoint - Gili Cohen
IDF forces arrested two Palestinians at the Salem checkpoint near Jenin in the West Bank on Monday January 16  after they were caught with 10 pipe bombs, a makeshift handgun, and ammunition.      Four Palestinians were arrested last week at the same checkpoint for carrying bombs to carry out an attack on a military court. (Ha'aretz)

Syria Collapsing in Slow-Motion - Ian Black
Syria is "collapsing in slow motion," in the words of one expert.       Half the weapons acquired by rebels are estimated to have been sold by army personnel.        Rumors persist of different branches of the secret police shooting at each other on clandestine operations.      Power cuts for several hours a day are now routine.   Shops in Damascus depend on generators on the pavement.      Petrol is in short supply, in part because of massive use by the security forces, and the prices of heating and cooking oil have risen steeply.        Foreign investment and tourism have collapsed.     Hotels are empty.      U.S. sanctions block most international financial transactions. The EU has stopped oil purchases.     Credit cards can no longer be used.      And the value of the Syrian pound h as been falling steeply.

Iran at the Epicenter - Dan Margalit
Some invisible force is waging a successful war against Iranian nuclear scientists.    The ayatollah regime has issued threats of harsh retaliation against the entire world, with Israel as the bull's-eye.    But for now, according to reports, more and more scientists are asking to leave Iran's nuclear program and go back to university research. The sanctions are beginning to work. It is a pity that the U.S. took so long to target Iran's central bank.
"Work Accident" in Home of Gaza Militant Leader Kills One (Reuters)
A Palestinian man who had been preparing an attack on Israeli targets was killed on Saturday January 14  in an explosion at the home of Zuhair Al-Qaissi, chief commander of the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC). Al-Qaissi himself was not hurt in the explosion.

Israeli Unmanned Naval Vessel (Israel Defense Forces)
The Protector unmanned surface vehicle (USV) is an Israeli-developed vessel, 9 meters long, that can reach a speed of 57 mph.      Deployed by the Israeli Navy since 2009, the highly accurate, stabilized weapon station has excellent hit-and-kill probability using various small caliber guns.      It can gather intelligence, take part in naval warfare and act as an anti-terror protection force.

What Abdullah and Abbas Hope to Achieve from Amman Talks - Khaled Abu Toameh
The Israeli-Palestinian negotiations which resumed in Amman are mainly intended to help PA President Mahmoud Abbas and Jordan's King Abdullah bolster their stature among their constituents and the international community.         For King Abdullah, the meetings are a way of distracting attention from street protests at home.        Abbas is hoping the talks will ease U.S. and EU pressure on him to resume the peace process. (Stonegate Institute)

Hizbullah Has Long-Range Surface-to-Air Missiles - Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)
According to Western intelligence assessments, Hizbullah has taken advantage of the ongoing upheaval in Syria to obtain advanced weapons systems, such as additional long-range rockets as well as sophisticated, Russian-made, long-range surface-to-air missile systems.       The IDF believes Hizbullah has received the SA-8, a truck-mounted Russian tactical surface-to-air missile system with a 30-km. range.       Hizbullah has also received several dozen more M600 long-range missiles, as well as additional 302 mm. Khaibar-1 rockets, which have a 100-km. range.

Israel: Iran Can Build Atomic Bomb Now If It Wants
"If the Iranians get together tonight and decide to secretly develop a bomb, then they have all the resources and components to do so," former Israeli military intelligence chief Amos Yadlin told Maariv in a report published Thursday January 19.

Terrorist Killed in IDF Strike in Gaza - Yoav Zitun
On Wednesday January  18, two Palestinian terrorists were spotted approaching the Gaza-Israel border fence in an attempt to plant explosive devices.     IDF forces opened fire, killing one of the terrorists and detonating one of the devices. (Ynet News)

Syrian General Killed by Own Troops (AGI-Italy)
An intelligence general in Syria named Adel Mustafa was killed by his own men who refused to obey his order to shoot protesting civilians in the Bab Qebli suburb in Hama.

A Leaner, Meaner Muslim Brotherhood - Michael J. Totten (American Interest)
Now that the Islamists in Egypt are no longer locked in a struggle with Mubarak's one-man regime, they are beginning to crack into factions.      Three main elements can already be identified:   1. the old hard core that predates the 1970s,    2   those who joined up in college and took the Brotherhood's ideas into civil society and professional organizations, and    3  the youth.

Muslim Brotherhood Website Rife with Anti-Semitism - B. Chernitsky (MEMRI)
The website of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Ikhwanonline.com, contains articles with anti-Semitic motifs, including Holocaust denial and descriptions of the "Jewish character" as covetous, exploitative, and a source of evil in human society

Israeli Census: 722,000 Jews Live Beyond 1967 Lines - Yori Yalon (Israel Hayom)
An Interior Ministry census report says that in 2011 the number of Jewish residents in the West Bank was 342,414.       These numbers do not include approximately 300,000 Jews who live in neighborhoods in north and east Jerusalem over the pre-1967 lines.        In addition, about 60,000 Jews study at educational institutions in Judea and Samaria.      The conclusion is that about 722,000 Jews are living beyond the "green line," including in the Golan Heights.

FROM JANUARY 16  NO 331

Russian Arms Ship Docks in Syria (Hurriyet-Turkey)
The Chariot, a Russian vessel laden with ammunition, docked at the Syrian port of Tartus January 12 after the owners of the ship, which made an unscheduled stop in Greek Cyprus, told Cypriot officials on Jan. 10 the ship would change its destination from Syria to Turkey.

U.S. Warns Top Iranian Leader Not to Shut Strait of Hormuz - E Bumiller, E Schmitt and Thom Shanker
The Obama administration is relying on a secret channel of communication to warn Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, that closing the Strait of Hormuz is a "red line" that would provoke an American response, according to U.S. government officials.           The secret communications channel was chosen to underscore privately to Iran the depth of American concern.             American naval officials fear that an overzealous Revolutionary Guards naval captain could do something provocative on his own, setting off a larger crisis.

U.S. Announces New Sanctions on Companies Supplying Iran
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday January 12  imposed sanctions on three companies for conducting business with Iran's energy sector:       Zhuhai Zhenrong of China,       Kuo Oil of Singapore, and FAL Oil of the UAE.       Zhenrong is the largest supplier of refined petroleum products to Iran, having brokered the delivery of over $500 million in gasoline between July 2010 and January 2011.        Kuo provided over $25 million in refined petroleum to Iran between late 2010 and early 2011.          FAL provided over $70 million in refined petroleum to Iran in late 2010. (U.S. State Department)

Critical EU Paper Draws Fire from Israeli Officials - Herb Keinon
Israeli diplomatic sources on Thursday slammed another EU report highly critical of Israeli policies.   A source said  "It's as if Israel does not exist, does not have its own version of events, reality, reasons, policy, or policy-making process."     The ‘Source’ said the report consisted of the EU and the Palestinians talking to themselves and then coming to conclusions that were belied by the situation on the ground.

Netanyahu to Birthright Group: Go Back and Tell the Truth about Israel
On Jan. 4, Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed a Birthright Israel group:        "This is your homeland, literally. This is where we all sprang up from.     This is where the Jewish people forged their identity.     This is where we lived for thousands of years until we were kicked out for thousands of years.       And then we did something no people has done in history.      A lot of people were kicked out and a lot of people disappeared.    We refused to disappear and we wanted to come back to our homeland and we did, against all odds."      "Go back to your respective countries and tell the truth about Israel.     There's so much slander about Israel and the only way to fight a lie is to tell the truth.     Tell them about a country where people are free: free to initiate, free to speak. It's a country where you can criticize the prime minister...    .This is a country in which Arabs have full rights, something they've been denied in all the vast lands around us.      This is a country where a woman is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, a woman is a general."  (Prime Minister's Office)

A Hizbullah Crack-Up? - Lee Smith
It is becoming increasingly unlikely that Hizbullah's patron in Damascus will survive the uprising. Some Lebanese observers are even wondering if the clerical regime in Iran, Hizbullah's main sponsor, will survive. If Hizbullah's regional partners are in trouble, its control over Lebanon's Shiite community seems to be unraveling. There's crime and social unrest in Shiite areas that the party is incapable of curtailing.     The party can't get a fix on how to package the revelations that Hizbullah has been infiltrated by foreign intelligence services.       If they boast about uncovering CIA assets in their midst, they admit that the Americans were able to penetrate an organization whose prestige rests on a reputation for tight security and lockstep discipline. ( Weekly Standard)

Arab and Islamic anti-Semitism a lasting barrier to peace
Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, probably the most popular Sunni cleric in the Arab world, has described the Holocaust as "divine punishment" for the Jews and expressed the hope that "Allah willing, the next time will be at the hands of the [Muslim] believers." He also stated he wants to die a martyr in the process of killing "Allah's enemies, the Jews."    ; To imagine this traditional anti-Semitism is going to evaporate if Israel signs a peace deal with the Palestinians is fantasy.       The pervasiveness of Muslim and Arab anti-Semitism is a significant barrier to a lasting peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors. (Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council)

In Europe, Free Speech Ends Where Islam Begins - Clifford D. May
Last month, the European Foundation for Democracy (EFD) held an event in Amsterdam featuring two speakers who favor liberalizing Islam.        More than 20 members of pro-Sharia groups pushed their way in shouting "Allahu Akhbar!"       They demanded the event be stopped, called the speakers apostates, spat on them, threw eggs at them and threatened to kill them.       Yet few Europeans have expressed outrage over this boot-stomping suppression of free speech.       In Europe, increasingly, free speech ends where Islamism begins.       Two months ago, the Paris offices of the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo were firebombed and its staff targeted with death threats after publication of an issue "edited" by the Prophet Mohammad.

Israeli Officials Reject Report Mossad Killed Iranian Scientist - L Yaakobi and  Hersch (Israel Hayo m)
Israeli officials rejected on Sunday U.S. media reports indicating that Israel was behind the recent assassination of another Iranian nuclear scientist in Tehran.       "The reports in the newspapers and in the media are completely disconnected from reality," Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yitzhak Ben-Israel told Army Radio on Sunday January 15.

Hizbullah "Calls Off Attacks"
Hizbullah cancelled its plan to attack targets in T hailand after one of its members was arrested in Bangkok and the authorities learned about the plot  National Police Chief Gen. Priewpan Damapong quoted the suspect as saying Saturday January 14, adding that the police would still be on guard.       Priewpan said a Lebanese man, Hussein Atris, 48, who was arrested for suspected links with Hizbullah, admitted the plot to police interrogators. (The Nation-Thailand)         A Lebanese suspect with links to Hizbullah militants led police to a warehouse housing boxes of urea fertilizer and liquid ammonium nitrate on Monday.      The man was traveling with two companions. (AP-Washington Post)

EU Commits in Principle to Iran Oil Embargo - Edward Cody
European governments have decided in principle to impose an oil embargo on Iran but plan to delay its implementation for six months or more so that vulnerable countries can arrange for alternate supplies, according to European diplomats.      Iran has starkly warned Gulf states not to make up for any shortf all in oil exports under new U.S. and EU sanctions.        If they compensate for a looming EU ban on Iranian imports, "we would not consider these actions to be friendly," Iran's representative to OPEC, Mohammad Ali Khatibi, said Sunday January 15        . "They will be held responsible for what happens," he said, adding ominously: "One cannot predict the consequences."  (AFP)

U.S., Israel Postpone Missile-Defense Exercise to Avoid Possible Escalation with Iran
The U.S. and Israel have postponed what was to be the largest-ever joint missile-defense exercise by the two countries, involving thousands of U.S. soldiers.        The drill was supposed to simulate missiles fired by Iran toward Israel.       Israeli defense officials told Israel TV Channel 2 on Sunday that the drill is now scheduled to take place in the summer.           According to an Israeli defense official, Washington wants to avoid an escalation of tensions with Iran. (Ha'aretz)

Islam ’s  view of Israel
At a Muslim Brotherhood rally in Cairo on Nov. 25, 2011, Islamic activists vowed to "one day kill all Jews." There were explicit calls for jihad and liberating all of Palestine as well as references to a well-known hadith concerning the future Muslim annihilation of the Jews. Dr. Rashad Bayoumi, the deputy leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, told the Arabic daily al-Hayat on Jan. 1, 2012, that Israel was a "criminal enemy" with whom Egypt should never have signed a peace treaty in the first place.
 
Bulgaria and Israel sign defense cooperation accords 
In the latest setback to international efforts to isolate Israel, Bulgarian defense officials signed accords for close cooperation and training with their Israeli counterparts on Sunday January 15.        The accords cover a wide array of issues from joint military training exercises to cooperation in the industrial production of defense products. 

Chinese leaders sign agreements with Saudi Arabia 
In a development which could have broad reaching consequences on the developing Iranian crisis, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, whose country has long been one of the Islamic Republic's foremost customers for oil and natural gas, signed a series of cultural and economic agreements over the weekend  of January 15, with the government of Saudi Arabia.
Turkey drops legal proceedings over Marmara.
Sources in the US State Department said that the Turkish attorney general has ordered that all legal proceedings against Israeli elements involved in the IDF raid on the Marmara ship in May 2010 to be halted, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Friday January 13

FROM JANUARY 13  NO 330

Suspected Islamic Extremist Arrested in Florida Bomb Plot (AP-Washington Post)
Sami Osmakac, 25, a naturalized U.S. citizen born in Kosovo, was charged with plotting to attack Tampa-area nightclubs and a sheriff's office with bombs and an assault rifle to avenge wrongs done to Muslims, federal authorities said Monday.       In a video recorded shortly before his arrest, Osmakac said Muslim blood was more valuable than that of people who do not believe in Islam. He said he wanted "payback" for wrong that was done to Muslims.

Israel Aerospace Sells $1.1 Billion in Arms to Asian Nation (Reuters)
Israel Aerospace Industries will sell weapons systems worth more than $1.1 billion to an Asian country over the next four years, IAI announced on Monday January 9

U.S. to Sell Israel 2,500 Used Hummers, Trucks - Yossi Yehoshua (Ynet News)
 The IDF will purchase 2,500 Hummer vehicles, trucks and other equipment used by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, Yediot Ahronot reported Sunday January 8.           Payment for the gear would come from the military aid provided by the U.S. to Israel..

Pressed by U.S., Asian Countries Look for Ways to Reduce Purchases of Iranian Oil – N. York Times
Under growing pressure from the U.S., some of Asia's largest economies are reluctantly looking for options to reduce the amount of oil they buy from Iran.      The decision by South Korea and Japan to try to accommodate Washington's demands follows reports that China has already reduced its purchase of Iranian crude in the past month in a pricing dispute with Tehran.      China, Japan, India and South Korea together import more than 60% of Iranian oil exports.

Israeli, PA Negotiators Meet in Jordan - Elior Levy
Israeli envoy Yitzhak Molcho and Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat met Monday January 9 in Amman, Jordan. According to the Arabic newspaper Al-Hayat        The encounter in Amman was kept at such a low profile that it was almost as if it had not happened at all - attesting to the minimal expectations each side has for progress. (New York Times)

Top U.S. Senator: An Attack on Israel Is an Attack on U.S. - Herb Keinon
"If you attack Israel, you are attacking the United States," visiting U.S. Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI) said in Jerusalem on Monday January 9.          Inouye is America's senior senator, serving since 1963.       "If one looks at most of this world, especially the Middle East, one country stands out as a foundation of stability and as a pillar of democracy.        And at a time like this, when you have revolution in Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, Egypt, Tunisia and Jordan, thank God we have Israel," he said.

UAE Strategic Oil Pipeline Bypassing Hormuz Delayed. (Financial Times-UK)
A strategic pipeline project that would allow the United Arab Emirates oil exports to bypass the Strait of Hormuz will not be ready until May or June, UAE Oil Minister Mohamed al-Hamli said on Monday January 9.
UAE officials said the 370 km. pipeline is complete and work only continues on the storage area and offshore export terminal in Fujairah, in the Gulf o f Oman.

Saudi Oil Output Nearing Capacity Limit - Amena Bakr and Reem Shamseddine (Reuters)
Top oil exporter Saudi Arabia is nearing its comfortable operational production limits and may struggle to do much to make up for shortages that arise from new sanctions imposed on Iran by the West, Gulf-based sources said.      The kingdom is now pumping just under record rates of 10 million barrels per day.

Nuclear Scientist Killed in Tehran Blast
An Iranian university professor and nuclear scientist was killed in a terrorist bomb blast in Tehran on Wednesday January 11.                 A magnetic bomb was planted by a motorcyclist under the car of Mostafa Ahmadi Roshan, a professor at Tehran's technical university.                 Ahmadi Roshan, 32, supervised a department at the Natanz uranium enrichment facility. (Fars-Iran)

India, Israel Pledge Cooperation on Counterterrorism, Trade
India and Israel are pledging greater cooperation in counterterrorism and trade. Indian Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna said Tuesday January 10, during a visit to Israel       Prime Minister Netanyahu said India and Israel are "two ancient peoples seizing the future in technology, in innovation, [and] in enterprise."  (VOA News)

Sharansky: Obama's New Chief of Staff "Staunch Israel Supporter" - Aviel Magnezi
Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky said that the new White House chief of staff, Jack Lew, has a "warm place in his heart that is reserved for Israel and Judaism."           Sharansky said Lew would not remain indifferent to Israel.        "For him, it's not just another country.       His faith and bond with Israel and the Jewish people is an important part of his life."       "He is a man who's open to Israel and the Middle East and has extensive knowledge on the subject.       He has worked in this field for many years, and it's always good to have someone who cares and is in the know."

Top U.S. Official Meets Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood - Andrew Quinn (Reuters)
Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Bill Burns met Mohamed Morsi, the head of the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), on Wednesday January 11.       "From our perspective it was an opportunity to hear from them and to reinforce our expectation that all the major parties will support human rights, tolerance, rights of women and will also uphold Egypt's existing international obligations," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

Recall Notice for the Turkish Model - Spengler (Asia Times-Hong Kong)
If you had invested in the Turkish model of Islamic government (that is, in the Turkish stock market) at the outbreak of the Arab revolts, you would have lost about half your money.      If you leave your money in Turkey, you probably will lose the rest of it.     Turkey is not a model. It is a bubble, and it is bursting, starting with the stock market and national currency.

Iran, Hizbullah Stepping Up Efforts to Save Assad Regime in Syria - Gili Cohen
Iran and Hizbullah are strengthening their efforts to ensure the survival of the Assad regime in Syria, IDF Military Intelligence Chief Maj.-Gen. Aviv Kochavi said Wednesday January 11.          "They are providing [Assad] with knowledge, weapons and other means and recently with active involvement."  (Ha'aretz)

The Muslim Brotherhood's Radical Plan for Egypt - Eric Trager
The Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party (FJP) is widely expected to dominate the next Egyptian legislature.        The FJP's political victory promises radical changes for Egypt, including a theocratic domestic program and a confrontational foreign policy.      The FJP's overriding aim is to establish an Islamic state in which sharia would be the primary source of legislation. Brotherhood Supreme Guide Muhammad Badie re cently declared that, after forming the new government, the organization would pursue its final goal of establishing a "rightly guided caliphate for the education of the world."

Sinai: A New Front - Ehud Yaari (Washington Institute for Near East Policy)
The Sinai Peninsula has emerged as a new hotspot with an expanding terrorist infrastructure      Recently, a growing number of terrorist networks have expanded their activities throughout much of Sinai.  These networks represent old smuggling gangs partly converted to terrorism, newly formed Bedouin factions adhering to Salafi jihadist doctrines, and affiliates of Palestinian organizations in Gaza.       Egyptian authorities have also uncovered Hizbullah penetration of Sinai.      In other words, it has become a huge arms depot with hundreds - perhaps thousands - of operatives bent on fighting for their causes.

Iran planning under ground nuclear test!
According to Iranian sources, Tehran is preparing an underground test of a one-kiloton nuclear device during 2012, much like the test carried out by North Korea in 2006.      Underground facilities are under construction in great secrecy behind the noise and fury raised by the start of advanced uranium enrichment at Iran's fortified, subterranean Fordo site near Qom.5

Israel allegedly recruiting Iranins
A top Iraqi security official claims that the Mossad has increased its recruitment efforts in country's Kurdish region, focusing mainly on Iranian refugees.                  According to France's Le Figaro, the move is part of Israel's efforts to wage an intelligence war against Iran's nuclear ambitions.       The refugees, which according to the paper's sources are Iranian dissidents, are recruited by Israeli agents to gather information about Iran's nuclear program, and to target nuclear experts in the Islamic Republic.

FROM JANUARY 9  NO 329

Red Sea Electronic Fence to Foil Sinai Terror Attacks - Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)
A virtual electronic fence in the Red Sea as well as new fortified military positions and a significant increase in the number of IDF units along the border with Egypt are some of the changes that have taken place in recent months amid concern over the growing terrorist presence in Sinai.       The navy has boosted the number of electronic sensors along the coast.      It can now detect and track targets the size of soda cans floating in the sea, said Lt.-Cmdr. Ronen, commander of the patrol ships in the Red Sea.

UN Slams Sharp Rise in Saudi Arabia Executions in 2011 (AP-Washington Post)
A spokesman for the UN's High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville, told reporters in Geneva on Friday that the number of executions carried out by Saudi Arabia in 2011 jumped to 70 compared with 29 in 2010.      The UN human rights office also criticizes the frequent use of "inhuman" double amputation for robbery offenses.

Hizbullah: Pious Coke Dealers? - Jonathan Schanzer (New York Post)
It's hard to uphold a reputation as a devoutly religious terrorist group if you make millions selling cocaine. Just ask Hizbullah.       Last month, a U.S. government indictment in Manhattan charged Hizbullah kingpin Ayman Joumaa with smuggling more than 100 tons of Colombian cocaine with the Mexican Zetas drug cartel, yielding hundreds of millions of dollars for the terror group.

Britain Threatens Military Action If Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz - Amy Willis
Britain has issued a stark warning to Iran saying that any attempt to block a key trade route in the Gulf will be met with military force from the Royal Navy.       Royal Navy ships based in Bahrain are already poised to ensure tanker traffic remains unrestricted. U.S. warships are also on patrol in the area. (Telegraph-UK)

Israel Gave PA Document of Principles at Jordan Talks - Herb Keinon
The London-based pan-Arabic daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported Wednesday January 4,  that Israel's document included a refusal to accept Palestinian refugees; a refusal to withdraw from all the settlements; a security presence in the Jordan Valley; that the Palestinian state not be allowed to forge alliances with countries hostile to Israel;   the continued presence of IDF forces at strategic West Bank sites;  and an implementation of the agreement gradually over a number of years.

As Feud with West Deepens, Iranians Brace for War - Thomas Erdbrink and Joby Warrick
Economists and businessmen say that after years of erratic economic policies by the government of President Ahmadinejad, each new round of sanctions increases fears of an overall economic meltdown.       According to the Iranian Labor News Agency, high prices for commodities and raw materials, caused by the rial's 1/3  plunge, have led to the closure of 50% of businesses in the biggest industrial zone near Tehran. (Washington Post)

The Palestinians Are Part of the Old Arab Order - Hillel Frisch
The Palestinians are part of the old Arab order because time and time again they have aligned themselves with the worst dictators of the Arab world.       Their own governments in the West Bank and Gaza are cut from the same cloth as the regimes of the old Arab order; they are one-party police-states where the opposition and the media are suppressed.     They demand the right to self-determination for themselves but deny it to others. They are also part of the old Arab order of terrorism.
Palestinian People - Children Especially - Are Being Indoctrinated in Hate - Richard Chesnoff
When the Palestinian political leadership preach in Arabic to their own public - and notably its school-age population - they loudly glorify terrorists, demonize Israelis and Jews and totally reject Israel's right to exist. On the Holy Land maps the Palestinian Authority prints for distribution among Palestinians, every inch of land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea is "Palestine."         School children are taught that Israeli cities like Jaffa (part of Tel Aviv), Haifa, Ashkelon, Beersheba, Ashdod, Tiberias, etc. are all "Palestinian.   Palestinian terrorists killed in attacks on Israeli civilians are honored as "brave martyrs."        We've feared for years that the current generation of Palestinians is unprepared to make peace with Israel. We now have strong and depressing evidence that the next generation may not be ready either. (New York Daily News)

680 missiles, rockets and mortars fired at southern Israel in 2011
In 2011, 680 rockets, mortars and Grad missiles were fired at southern Israel, according to data compiled by the Home Front Command.       80 Grad missiles were fired at Israel in 2011, compared to two the previous year. Grads have a longer range and more lethal explosive payload than other rockets fired at Israel.            In recent months, the Home Front Command completed preparations for the possibility of another military operation in the Gaza Strip, as well as a wide range of scenarios, including rockets striking areas more than 45 kilometers from the Gaza Strip.       The Home Front Command is also preparing for scenarios in which more than 1,000 rockets are launched at Israel.

Jordan under pressure from Islamists 
Islamist movements are gaining momentum in Jordan, to Israel's east, as representatives of the Hashamite Kingdom's branch of the Moslem Brotherhood met with Prime Minister Awn Khasawneh on Thursday January 5.     While billed as a simple effort by the government to reach out to different political groups, the Brotherhood in Jordan has been at the forefront of protests against many of the King's pro-Western policies, including the peace treaty with Israel.

Scores More Soldiers Defect from Syrian Army (Al Jazeera-Qatar)
Col. Afeef Mahmoud Suleiman, from the Syrian air force logistics division, announced his defection along with up to 50 of his soldiers, live on Al Jazeera's Arabic news channel on Saturday.       "We have defected because the government is killing civilian protesters. The Syrian army attacked Hama with heavy weapons, air raids and heavy fire from tanks," Suleiman said.        "We ask the Arab League observers to...uncover the three cemeteries in Hama filled with more than 460 corpses."

Report: Russian Naval Flotilla Docks in Syria (AFP)
A large Russian naval flotilla led by an aircraft carrier has docked in the Syrian port of Tartus in what Damascus state media hailed on Sunday January 8, as a show of solidarity by Moscow.

IDF to Protect Offshore Drilling Platforms - Gili Cohen (Ha'aretz)
The IDF is preparing to protect Israeli offshore drilling rigs at the Tamar, Leviathan and Yam Tethys natural gas fields, relying on the Israel Navy and Air Force.

U.S. Warns Iran to Keep Strait of Hormuz Open
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned Iran on Sunday January 8, that any attempt to carry out its threat to choke off the world's oil supply by closing the Strait of Hormuz would draw a quick U.S. military response.     Western powers this week readied a contingency plan to tap emergency stockpiles to replace nearly all the Gulf oil that would be lost if Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz, industry sources and diplomats said.        Senior executives of the International Energy Agency (IEA) discussed on Thursday a plan to release up to 14 million barrels per day (bpd) of g overnment-owned oil stored in the U.S., Europe, Japan and elsewhere.

Report: Uranium Enrichment Begins at New Iranian Site
"Iran has begun uranium enrichment at the Fordow facility" in Qom province, where Iran says it has 3,000 centrifuges in operation, the semiofficial Kayhan newspaper said January 8. "Fordow is located deep inside mountains”,  and Iran boasts its immune to any air attack!! (CNN)

Hamas: Palestinian Cause Is Winning Due to Arab Spring - Evgeny Lebedev
Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas prime minister of Gaza, said in an interview published Saturday: January 7,  "The Palestinian cause is winning....  With the Muslim Brotherhood part of the government [in Egypt], they [the Egyptians] will not besiege Gaza. They will not arrest Palestinians. They will not give cover to Israel to launch a war."        "Israel is in a security situation they have never been in before. The Palestinians are winning more than anybody else due to what's happening in the Arab countries.  THE FUTURE IS OURS!!"  (Independent-UK)

Israel Thwarts Major Terror Attack in West Bank - Yaakov Katz
Four Palestinians were arrested at the Salem Crossing near Jenin in the northern West Bank on Sunday January 8.           They were last in line to enter the Samaria Military Court when an IDF soldier spotted wires protruding from under one man's jacket.        The soldiers discovered that he was carrying three pipe bombs on his body.       Another eight were discovered in his bag together with a homemade pistol, several bullets and a commando knife. (Jerusalem Post)

FROM JANUARY 4  NO 328

Israelis celebrate new year
Israelis celebrated the New Year over the weekend by looking back with satisfaction on 2011, a year in which Israel avoided disasters in the diplomatic, political, economic and even military realms.       The Central Bureau of Statistics published some very encouraging economic numbers, showing that the Israeli economy bucked the trend of economic slowdown elsewhere in the Western world by growing an impressive 4.8%, with large increases in exports, consumer spending, capital investments, tourism and other growth engines. Unemployment also fell to 5.6%, one of the lowest levels in the OECD.        Israelis also celebrated diplomatic victories at the United Nations, the return of Gilad Schalit and the large numbers of new immigrants in 2011, which along with a healthy rate of natural increase has brought Israel's population to an all time high of 7.8 million, almost 80% of which are Jewish.

Erdogan hosts Hamas leader in his home
According to reports in the Turkish press, Gaza's Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, met with Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the Turkish prime minister's İstanbul home on Sunday, the latest stop in the Palestinian terrorist leader's regional tour.

Israeli cancer treatment gives patients new hope
A revolutionary new treatment developed by researchers at Tel Aviv University has given new hope to many people around the world who suffer from cancer.         "Surgery can eliminate 80 to 90 percent of a tumor", explained Dr. Yona Keisari of TAU's Sackler Faculty of Medicine.        "Chemotherapy another 5-15 percent and still there are often a small number of metastatic cells left in the body, and they kill about 85 percent of the patients."        Along with and Prof. Itzhak Kelson of TAU's Department of Physics and Astronomy, Dr. Keisari developed a method to destroy even more of the cancer cells without damaging the surrounding tissue, vastly improving the odds of survival for a cancer patient, as well as helping the body develop immunity to several types of cancer.  ( E Mail to GPL for full article)

IDF: Syrian Opposition May Soon Topple Assad - Yaakov Katz (Jerusalem Post)
There are growing signs that the Syrian opposition is stabilizing and will succeed in the coming months in toppling President Bashar Assad's regime, a top IDF officer predicted on Tuesday December 3.      The IDF has learned of the defection of thousands of Syrian soldiers, including dozens of officers, among them a number of colonels.      The IDF also has detected an increase in the number of Syrian troops patrolling the border with Israel in the Golan Heights.

As Israelis and Palestinians Talk, the Rise of a Political Islam Alters the Equation - Ethan Bronner
Israeli and Palestinian officials met in Amman, Jordan, on Tuesday December 3, their first encounter in more than a year, and while little emerged, the meeting said a great deal about the crossroads facing the Palestinians - and the entire Middle East -         as political Islam emerges as a potentially transformative force in the region.      The Israelis say they have competing interests that prevent them from yielding territory now to a future Palestinian state.         Given the rise of Islamism more widely, another territorial concession without ironclad security guarantees makes no sense, the Netanyahu government says. (New York Times)

White House: Iran Warning on Persian Gulf Shows "Weakness" - Kent Klein
President Barack Obama's press secretary, Jay Carney, brushed off Iran's warning to keep a U.S. aircraft carrier out of the Persian Gulf, saying it shows the Iranian government's "weakness."           "Iran is isolated and is seeking to divert attention from its behavior and domestic problems," he said.

U.S. Overtures to Muslim Brotherhood Reverse Longtime Policy - David D. Kirkpatrick
With the Muslim Brotherhood pulling within reach of an outright majority in Egypt's new parliament, the Obama administration has begun to reverse decades of mistrust and hostility toward an organization once viewed as irreconcilably opposed to U.S. interests.        The reversal also reflects the administration's growing acceptance of the Brotherhood's repeated assurances that its lawmakers want to build a modern democracy that will respect individual freedoms, free markets and international commitments, including Egypt's treaty with Israel.( NOTE: Other commentators say the MB is adopting a ‘softly, softly’ policy until it has full power)
Israel's National Security Council Questions U.S. Stance on Muslim Brotherhood - Shlomo Cesana
The U.S. needs to face up to the threat presented by the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood across the Middle East, Israel's National Security Council concluded during a strategic discussion several days ago.        The council, responsible for providing the prime minister with strategic assessments, said it was concerned about the Muslim Brotherhood's pronouncements, repeated this week, that call the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty into question.     The Brotherhood's second-in-command, Dr. Rashad Bayumi, said on Sunday December 1, that the Muslim Brotherhood, which is set to dominate Egypt's new parliament, will never recognize Israel and will even work to amend the Egypt-Israel peace treaty.     The council believes that the Muslim Brotherhood is not just a religious and cultural force, but also a reincarnation of the totalitarian fascist movements seen in Europe over the past century.

Abbas Warns of "Hard Measures" If Israel Doesn't Accept PA Demands - Herb Keinon & K Abu Toameh
PA President Mahmoud Abbas warned, before the Quartet-sponsored talks in Amman on Tuesday January 3, that Israel's failure to accept Palestinian demands would prompt him to take "hard measures."     He did not say what those ‘hard measures’  would be.

 Israel-South Korea ties growing stronger
Defense Ministry Dir.-Gen. Udi Shani left on  Thursday morning December 5,  for The Republic of Korea (South Korea) to conduct the final negotiations to decide if Israel will buy the Korean Aerospace Industries' (KAI) T50 Golden Eagle to replace its aging fleet of jet trainers.             Shani was in Italy last week to discuss the T50's competitor aircraft, the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master.           Analysts have given the T50 an edge in the competition.   Supporting South Korea will bring lucrative trade to Israel, whereas Italy is in the doldrums without much money ad is not in a position to buy much at all.

Egypt's Islamists Could Soon Challenge Generals - Leila Fadel (Washington Post)
The dominant showing by the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party in Egypt's first post-revolution elections puts the country on a collision course, analysts say, with emboldened Islamists and the entrenched military set to vie for power.

Europe Agrees in Principle to Ban Iranian Oil - Steven Erlanger
European countries have agreed in principle to impose an embargo on Iranian oil, French and European diplomats said on Wednesday January  4.          A final decision by the EU will not come before the end of January and would be carried out in stages to avoid major disruptions in global oil supplies.

Despite Threats, 74 Percent of Israelis Feel High Level of Personal Security - Itsik Saban
74% of the Israeli public feels a high level of personal safety, according to a new survey published by the Internal Security Ministry. Israel ranked fourth among Western countries in terms of personal security, ahead of Australia, Germany, Britain, and Spain. (Israel Hayom)

Iran Trying to Save Face, Not Wage War - Geneive Abdo
My sources inside Iran say the circle of regime insiders around Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei truly believes a military attack on the country is inevitable, perhaps even before the U.S. presidential election.        Therefore, to save face at home and in the region, Iran's saber-rattling has reached a fever pitch through military exercises, threats and hostile rhetoric.

Israeli Subs as a Strategic Deterrent - Ronald S. Lauder
Even without an atomic threat, Israel faces a dangerous new world.           While Iran is saber-rattling in the Straits of Hormuz, it has the means to launch an overwhelming barrage of conventionally armed ballistic missiles across Israel.     Israel has the means of firing what defense analysts say are nuclear-capable Harpoon cruise missiles from within retrofitted torpedo tubes, its secret warheads giving Iranian war planners a lot to think about when plotting the destruct ion of what they call "The Zionist entity."

Iran speaks loudly and carries a small stick     David Rosenberg, Jerusalem Post
Behind the display of military prowess is an army equipped with out-of-date equipment acquired when the Shah was still in power, supplemented with inferior hardware bought from China and North Korea. Analysts maintain that Iran's armed forces are more bluster than blast. 

FROM DECEMBER 30  NO 327

Saudi Arabia Posts $81.6 Billion Budget Surplus as Revenues Double (AFP)
Saudi Arabia on Monday December 26, posted a budget surplus of $81.6 billion for 2011, as revenues turned out to be double the forecast, the finance ministry said.       Revenues surged to $296 billion due to higher than expected oil prices.

Hamas Women March with Kalashnikov Rifles in Gaza (Times of Malta)
Palestinian women who are members of Hamas security forces march in formation during a graduation ceremony for new recruits in Gaza City, Tuesday December 27 (Times, Malta)

Arab Man Who Stoned Jewish Vehicle in Jerusalem Gets 4 Years - Aviad Glickman (Ynet News)
The Jerusalem District Court sentenced Mohammad Taha, 23, to four years in prison for hurling bricks and stones at a father and his daughter who accidentally entered the Silwan neighborhood in Jerusalem last May.     The judge said the defendant targeted the father and daughter "only because they were Jews who had mistakenly entered his neighborhood.".

Iran Threatens to Block Gulf Oil If Sanctions Applied
Iran has threatened to block the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz if Western governments attempt to impose sanctions on its petroleum exports in their dispute over its nuclear ambitions.

Mass Anti-Assad Protest in Homs as Monitors Visit - Mariam Karouny and Erika Solomon
Some 70,000 Syrians in Homs rallied on Tuesday December 27  against President Bashar al-Assad, emboldened by Arab peace monitors' first tour of the city after the army withdrew some tanks following days of unrest.

A Deadly U.S. Drone Network Grows for Killing Terrorists - Greg Miller
In the past three years, the U.S. has built an extensive apparatus for using drones to carry out targeted killings of suspected terrorists and stealth surveillance of other adversaries.       The apparatus involves dozens of secret facilities, including two operational hubs on the East Coast, virtual Air Force cockpits in the Southwest and clandestine bases in at least six countries on two continents.       A recent study counted 775 Predators, Reapers and other medium- and long-range drones in the U.S. inventory, with hundreds more in the pipeline. Over the past year, the CIA has erected a secret drone base on the Arabian Peninsula.       The U.S. military began flying Predators and Reapers from bases in Seychelles and Ethiopia, in addition to a long-standing drone base in Djibouti. (Washington Post)

Israel Thwarts Attack on Israel-Egypt Border - Gili Cohen
The Israel Air Force Tuesday December 27 struck two global Jihad terrorists in Gaza who were planning to attack from Israel's border with Egypt. Earlier Tuesday an airstrike killed an Islamic Jihad operative. (Ha'aretz)

Hamas Leader Haniyeh: Goal Is Destruction of Israel in Stages - Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik
At a ceremony marking the 24th anniversary of the founding of Hamas, Hamas leader in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh said that Hamas may work for the "interim objective of liberation of Gaza, the West Bank, or Jerusalem," but Hamas' long-term "strategic" goal is eliminating all of Israel.       “We won't relinquish one inch of the land of Palestine."

Weapons Sales to Iraq Move Ahead Despite U.S. Worries - M S. Schmidt & Eric Schmitt (New York Times)
The Obama administration is moving ahead with the sale of nearly $11 billion worth of arms and training for the Iraqi military despite concerns that Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki is seeking to consolidate authority, create a one-party Shiite-dominated state and abandon the American-backed power-sharing government.

U.S. to Sell $30 Billion Worth of F-15 Fighter Jets to Saudi Arabia (AP-Washington Post)
U.S. officials say the Obama administration is poised to announce the sale of nearly $30 billion worth of F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia.      The deal will send 84 new fighter jets and upgrades for 70 more.

Iran Unlikely to Block Oil Shipments through Strait of Hormuz, Analysts Say - Thomas Erdbrink
"We would be committing economic suicide by closing off the Hormuz Strait," said an Iranian Oil Ministry official. "Oil money is our only income, so we would be spectacularly shooting ourselves in the foot by doing that."  (Washington Post)

IDF Preparing for Future Gaza Military Action - Yanir Yagna and Gili Cohen
Four rockets were fired Wednesday  December 28 from Gaza into Israel.      The Israel Air Force killed three Palestinian terrorists in Gaza and wounded another nine on Tuesday.      Three years after Israel's Gaza military operation, the IDF is preparing for another possible large-scale incursion.       "We are preparing and in fact are ready for another campaign, which will be varied and different, to renew our deterrence, if we are called on to restore full quiet to the communities [in the south]," said Brig. Gen. Tal Hermoni, the head of the Gaza division's southern brigade.       Under a plan overseen by Chief of General Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, the next Gaza operation would be shorter than the previous one, but would employ far greater firepower. (Ha'aretz)

Jordan Discovers New Phosphate Reserves Worth $30 Billion (DPA)
Jordanian geologists have discovered 200 million metric tons of phosphate ores in northeast Jordan worth $30 billion, Bahjat Adwan, chairman of the Jordanian Geologists Association, said Thursday  December 29.

Israel's Population Stands at 7.8 Million - Moti Bassok (Ha'aretz)
Israel's population stands at 7.836 million, the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics reported on Thursday December 29.        Jews comprise 75.3% of the population, with 5.9 million, with Arabs comprising 20.5%, or 1.6 million. 4.2%, some 325,000, are non-Arab Christians and others.      2011 saw a 1.8% increase in Israel's population - 141,000 people - a rate comparable to the figures of the last decade. 166,800 new babies were born and 17,500 new immigrants arrived.

Israeli Economy Expanded 4.8 Percent in 2011 - Nadav Shemer (Jerusalem Post)
The Israeli economy grew 4.8% in 2011 despite a gradual slowdown as the year wore on, according to a preliminary report released Thursday by the Central Bureau of Statistics.      Most advanced economies are forecast by the International Monetary Fund to grow an average 1.6% this year.      Exports advanced 4.5% in 2011, after gaining 13.4% in 2010.

Israel's Anti-Missile Iron Dome Successful in Downing 75 Percent of Rockets - Yaakov Katz
The Iron Dome counter-rocket defense system has succeeded in intercepting rockets from Gaza 75% of the time it fired interceptors at incoming enemy projectiles, according to an analysis of its performance obtained on Thursday by the Jerusalem Post.      The system was activated in April, August and October against Palestinian rocket fire from Gaza.       Israel currently has three Iron Dome batteries in operation and plans to deploy the fourth in the coming months.       It plans to deploy a total of nine batteries by mid-2013. (Jerusalem Post)

The Moslem Brotherhood:
\The Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is hostile to Israel.      It regards all the land of Palestine as an Islamic endowment (waqf), rejects the State of Israel's right to exist, promotes an uncompromising jihad against Israel, and absolutely rejects peace treaties and normalization with Israel.      In addition, it is consistently anti-Semitic. (Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center)

PLO  to disengage from Israel:
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) officials said Friday December 30,  their decision to return to 'popular resistance' is aimed at 'disengaging' from Israel.     PLO Executive Committee member Tayseer Khalid said the new unified Fatah-Hamas strategy will be based on 'popular resistance' which will spread into PA enclaves in Judea and Samaria. "The popular resistance will reshape the Palestinian relationship with Israel... to reach total disengagement with Israel," Khalid said. "We will never accept to be an agent for the Israeli occupation," he added

Turkey's Spy Satellite to Zoom In on Israeli Secrets (RT-Russia)
High-resolution photos of Israel, which are currently unavailable to the public, may soon turn up in the hands of its many enemies.      Turkey is putting the finishing touches to the Gokturk military satellite it plans to launch within the next two years.       "Turkey could sell directly or indirectly some of these images to enemies of Israel," explains Mohammed Najib, defense analyst at Jane's Defense Weekly.
U.S. to Provide UAE with $3.48B in Weapons (AP-Washington Post)
The U.S. will sell the United Arab Emirates a THAAD missile defense system for $3.48 billion as part of a massive buildup of defense technology among friendly Mideast nations near Iran, the Pentagon announced Friday December 30.

U.S. Targets Iran's Central Bank - Carole E. Lee and Keith Johnson
President Barack Obama signed into law on Saturday  December 31, sanctions against Iran's central bank, marking the sharpest economic confrontation between Washington and Tehran yet and potentially stoking tensions in the Persian Gulf.       The measure, which Congress passed as part of the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, penalizes foreign financial institutions that do business with Iran's central bank, Bank Markazi

Muslim Brotherhood: Israel Peace Deal Isn't Binding - Roi Kais
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood will not recognize Israel under any circumstances and might put the peace treaty with the Jewish state up to a referendum, Rashad al-Bayoumi, the movement's second in command, told Al-Hayat on Sunday January 1       "On no condition will we recognize Israel. It is an enemy entity," he added. "We won't cooperate with Israel in any situation."  (Ynet News)

Palestinians Fire Mortar Shells Containing Phosphorous at Israel - Yaakov Lappin
Two mortar shells fired from Gaza at Israel on Sunday January 1 contained phosphorous, security forces confirmed. Phosphorous is designed to ignite a fire around the impact zone.     The chemical is banned by international law for use near civilians. (Jerusalem Post)

Palestinians Plan Diplomatic Steps to Put Israel under "International Siege" - Barak Ravid
According to an Israeli Foreign Ministry document, Fatah Central Committee member Nabil Sha'ath has said that 2012 "will be the start of an unprecedented diplomatic campaign on the part of the Palestinian leadership, and it will be a year of pressure on Israel that will put it under a real international siege....    The campaign will be similar to the one waged against apartheid in South Africa."       The Palestinian campaign may include asking the UN Security Council to condemn settlement construction and impose international sanctions on Israel;      urging the International Criminal Court in The Hague to try Israel for war crimes related to the 2009 Gaza Operation,         encouraging Palestinians to file lawsuits against Israel in Western courts;      convening the signatories of the Geneva Convention to discuss the construction of Israeli communities in the West Bank;        sending a UN fact-finding committee to look into the settlement issue;        renewing efforts in the UN Security Council to secure full membership;         and organizing mass rallies against Israel in the West Bank. (Ha'aretz)

Security Fence to Be Built Along Israeli-Jordan Border - Ben Hartman
When the security fence along the border with Egypt is complete, a fence will also be built along the border with Jordan, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Sunday January 1.         2,931 migrants illegally entered Israel in December 2011, part of 16,816 who entered during the year.        As of Nov. 25, 2011, 28,205 "infiltrators" were from Eritrea, 13,066 from Sudan and 9,855 from elsewhere in Africa.          Defense officials said the increase in infiltrations in recent months was due to an effort by migrants to reach Israel before the fence is completed.       None of the infiltrations have taken place where there is a fence. (Jerusalem Post)

Tehran's Hollow Hormuz Strait Threat - Michael Rubin
While the threat from a resurgent Iran is real, its bluster about closing the Strait of Hormuz is more diversion than danger.       The waterway may be an economic chokehold, but it is also a vital passage for Iran's survival. Any Iranian challenge to the strait would be suicide.       The overwhelming bulk of Iran's oil exports flow through the Strait of Hormuz.        Oil is virtually Iran's only export and the only thing keeping up its moribund economy.        It is inconceivable that Iran would shut down the strait, unless the regime faced its own demise.

Iran Threatens Action If U.S. Carrier Returns to Gulf (Reuters)
Iran's army chief Ataollah Salehi said Tuesday January 3 that Iran will take action if a U.S. aircraft carrier   USS John C Stennis, which left the area because of Iranian naval exercises returns to the Gulf, the state news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday January 3.     "Iran will not repeat its warning...the enemy's carrier has been moved to the Sea of Oman because of our drill. I recommend and emphasize to the American carrier not to return to the Persian Gulf."       Salehi did not give details of the action Iran might take if the aircraft carrier returned.

Iran's Currency Hits Record Low after Latest U.S. Sanctions - Thomas Erdbrink
Iran's currency declined by 12% on Monday against foreign currencies after President Obama on Saturday December 31 signed a bill that places the Islamic republic's central bank under unilateral sanctions.       The rial has lost 35% of its value since September.         The slide of the rial is a huge blow to Iran's leaders, who have been claiming that the sanctions aren't hurting the country.         Housing prices have risen 20 percent in the past few weeks, the semiofficial Mehr News Agency reported.         Private companies and importers say they are in deep trouble. (Washington Post)

Israeli Society Is Not Unraveling - Caroline B. Glick (Jerusalem Post)
Despite a sudden flood of gloom and doom stories, Israeli society is extremely healthy.     Unemployment is at record lows.       Israeli Jewish women have the highest fertility rate in the Western world.       Education levels have risen dramatically with dozens of private colleges opening their doors.

FROM DECEMBER 24  NO 326

Israeli Intelligence Played Role in Recent U.S. Warnings Against Iran - (Israel Hayom)
Intelligence recently provided to the U.S. by Israel regarding developments in Iran, and threats of the use of force by the Israel Defense Forces against Tehran's nuclear program, played a central role in the uptick of comments by senior U.S. defense officials against Iran this week.         U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Chief of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey said that Iran's drive for nuclear weapons would be a "red line" and that a military option against Iran "is executable."        Furthermore, the assessment in Israel is that several other U.S. allies in the Middle East have made it clear to Washington that if it does not seriously intend to stop Tehran's nuclear march, these countries would have to conduct a reassessment of their strategic positions - messages that apparently impacted on U.S. defense officials.         Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak noted, "The change in American statements on Iran is a very important development."

The Plight of Palestinian Christians - Justus Reid Weiner (Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs)
"The plight of Palestinian Christians living under Palestinian rule is a very disturbing and virtually hopeless situation.      If current trends continue there won't be a significant Christian population in the West Bank and Gaza."

U.S. Sets $10M Reward for Qaeda Financier in Iran (CNN)
The U.S. is offering a $10 million reward for the capture of al-Qaeda financier Yasin al-Suri, the State Department said Thursday December 22.       The Syrian-born al-Suri is a senior al-Qaeda operative based in Iran, suspected of moving money and terrorist recruits from across the Middle East into Iran, and then to Pakistan to aid the terrorist group's leadership.

Syrian "Bloodbath" on Eve of Arab League's Mission - Matthew Kalman
A team from the Arab League arrived in Syria Thursday December 22, amid an international outcry over a "bloodbath" that saw more than 200 people killed by President Bashar al-Assad's regime in just two days. Activists have accused government forces of a major escalation in violence ahead of arrival of foreign observers.      "They are trying to buy time, one hour after another, hoping to gain the upper hand on the ground," said an activist. (Independent-UK)

U.S. Earmarks $235 Million for Israel's Anti-Missile Defense Systems - Yitzhak Benhorin
The U.S. has announced the allocation of $235 million for the development of Israel's David's Sling system, designed to intercept medium- to long-range rockets and cruise missiles, and the Arrow 2 and 3 systems against long-range ballistic missiles. (Ynet News)

Welcome to Cairostan - Guy Bechor
L'Institut d'Egypte, the famous scientific institute in the center of Cairo established by Napoleon, housed some 200,000 original and rare books, exhibits, maps, archeological findings and studies from Egypt and the entire Middle East, based on the work of generations of Western researchers.       Last Saturday, December 17, violent groups of Islamic Salafi radicals burned the institute.      Most of the artifacts were lost forever.       Torching it was a symbolic, intentional act.      Anything that dates back to the Pharaohs, that is ancient, or that is Western is destined to be destroyed.        This is a catastrophe similar to the destruction of the ancient  Library in Alexandria in AD 391, when 400,000 ‘rolls’ and priceless ancient papers were destroyed .

Israeli Started U.S. Drone Industry - Peter Finn (Washington Post)
In 1980, Abraham Karem, an engineer who had emigrated from Israel, retreated into his garage outside Los Angeles and began to build an aircraft.       When Karem finished a year later, he wheeled into his driveway an odd, cigar-shaped craft that was destined to change the way the U.S. wages war.        More than a decade of development later, Karem's drone became the Predator, whose controllers thousands of miles away in the U.S. launch Hellfire missiles toward targets they are watching on video screens.

Abbas Postpones Unity with Hamas Due to Threat of Western Aid Cutoff - Saleh al-Naami
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas stressed during a meeting in Cairo last week, late DEcemeber, that moves toward the formation of a new Palestinian unity government that included Hamas might lead the U.S. to stop offering aid.      Sources said that this explains the decision to postpone the discussions on forming a Palestinian unity government until after 26 January 2012.

Syria Pulls Tanks from Homs as Arab Monitors Arrive
After days of punishing assaults, Syria's army began withdrawing tanks from the city of Homs on Tuesday December 27, as a team of Arab League observers was on its way to the city.         For days, Syrian military forces had pounded Homs with artillery.      On Monday, security forces killed at least 42 people, most of them in Homs. (AP-Washington Post)
Mostashar Mahgoub, a member of the Arab League observer team in Damascus, told Al Arabiy a on Monday that "what's happening in Syria is a genocide....This is a regime that is taking revenge on its people."  (DPA)

Israel's Unemployment Rate Falls to All-Time Low
Israel's unemployment rate fell to 5% of the civilian labor force in October 2011, an all-time low, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported Monday December 26. (Globes)