Category Archives: Top 10 News Stories

05/25/11

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* US: Hezbollah has more missiles than most states Hezbollah is armed with more missiles and rockets than most states.

* PA Charges Netanyahu ‘Declared War on Peace Process’ The Palestinian Authority slammed the door on renewed negotiations with Israel Wednesday.

* Video Series: Israeli High-Tech Makes the United States Stronger Israel hi-tech is in every U.S. fighter jet and helps America fight its war on terror.

* Obama: The UN can’t give the Palestinians a state U.S. president says during London press conference that he is confident two-state solution is possible, if Palestinians and Israelis agree on a ‘just peace.’

* Israel preparing itself for Twitter war over Palestinian state Come September, in just three months, the State of Israel is likely to find itself facing a diplomatic onslaught of a totally new kind.

* Diplomats: Syria’s nuclear technology violated IAEA rules Western states are expected to push for Syria to be referred to the UN Security Council.

* Daunting Task for NATO in Libya as Strikes Intensify Just after midnight on Sunday, an allied Mirage 2000 fighter jet prowling the Libyan coastline attacked a Libyan missile patrol boat.

* Russia Wants a Finger on Europe’s Nuclear Shield On Friday, before an audience of military officers from around the world, Russia’s top generals made a startling admission of weakness.

* Ashton goes against US and Israel on Hamas EU foreign relations chief Catherine Ashton has indicated the bloc is willing to work with the new Palestinian unity government.

* EU reaches uneasy compromise over nuclear ‘stress tests’ The European Union has reached a broad agreement on the criteria for ‘stress testing’ the region’s 143 nuclear power plants.

05/24/11

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* Netanyahu to Congress: Ready to make painful compromises, but Jerusalem will not be divided Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu opened his speech at the United States Congress on Tuesday by reiterating Israel’s strong ties with the U.S.

* Palestinians: Netanyahu speech to U.S. Congress is obstacle to peace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s vision for ending conflict with Palestinians put “more obstacles” in front of the Middle East peace process.

* Video: Survival Map of Israel An animated video prepared by senior IDF generals for the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA) graphically describes Israel’s territorial needs for self-survival.

* Petition to 10 Jordanian Embassies: Jordan is Palestine National Union Knesset Member Aryeh Eldad’s petition that “Jordan is Palestine” was presented to 10 Jordanian embassies throughout the world.

* Palestinian Statehood Vote Looms Over U.S.-Israel Rift Though Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly clashed with President Barack Obama on Friday and held firm in his stance Monday night, the Israeli leader still needs American help on a looming test.

* Rapture: Harold Camping issues new apocalypse date The evangelical broadcaster who left followers crestfallen by his failed prediction that last Saturday would be Judgement Day says he miscalculated.

* Egypt: Hosni Mubarak and sons to be tried over deaths Egypt’s ousted President Hosni Mubarak and his two sons are to be tried over the deaths of anti-government protesters, judicial officials say.

* Robots develop language to ‘talk’ to each other Robots are developing their own language to help them navigate and improve their intellectual ability.

* Key Internet summit to discuss online rules The world’s most powerful Internet and media barons gathered in Paris on Tuesday in a show of strength to leaders at the G8 summit, amid rows over online copyright, regulation and human rights.

* NATO Bombs Libyan Capital in Heaviest Strikes Yet In the heaviest attack yet on the capital since the start of the two-month-old NATO bombing campaign, alliance aircraft struck at least 15 targets in central Tripoli early Tuesday.

05/23/11

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* Does Obama Think Jerusalem is Outside Israel? The United States State Department is standing behind the wording of an official statement that implied that Jerusalem – including its western parts – is not a part of Israel.

* Syria adopts two-faced strategy with social media Instead of blocking the Internet, embattled regime fights cold war-style battles with activists.

* Maritime Lawfare Victory: Lloyd’s Won’t Insure Gaza Flotilla Leading insurance market Lloyd’s of London has stated it will not insure boats headed toward Gaza in another flotilla designed to assist the Hamas government there.

* Hamas: Russia pledges to back Palestinian bid for state recognition A top Hamas official said that Russia has pledged its support if the Palestinians seek recognition as a United Nations member-state.

* Hamas Sees Obama’s ’67 Borders and Raises Him: ’48 Borders US President Barack Obama “hallows” the June 4, 1967 borders in two speeches this past week, and Hamas is already asking for negotiations based on the May 13, 1948 borders.

* Canada Rejects Obama “1967” Intervention Canada refuses to join the US in calling for Israel to return to 1949 Armistice borders.

* Gunbattle in Yemen as transition deal collapses Yemeni loyalist forces fought a gunbattle on Monday with opponents of entrenched President Ali Abdullah Saleh one day after he backed out of an accord for him to step down.

* A “misrepresented” Obama tries to set the record straight But even the US president’s improved formulations will still leave many Israelis feeling uneasy.

* EU backs Obama’s call for ’67 borders Swedish minister slams Israeli claim borders are “indefensible”, says peace only possible defense

* European Union Puts Sanctions on Syrian Leader Five days after the United States imposed sanctions on Syria’s president, Bashar al-Assad, the European Union followed suit.

05/21/11

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* What Should Prime Minister Netanyahu Say to the US Congress? Dear Friends, Senators and Congressmen, Representatives of the American people.

* Mideast Quartet supports Obama’s vision for peace The Quartet of Middle East peace negotiators, the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations, on Friday voiced strong support for US President Barack Obama’s vision of Israeli-Palestinian peace.

* Apocalypse not now: The Rapture fails to materialise Christian doomsday prophet Harold Camping had predicted the world would end at 6pm on Saturday.

* ‘Obama knows Israel won’t retreat to ’67 lines’ American officials tell Washington Post US president opted to shift negotiations’ starting point.

* Netanyahu rejects any Israeli return to the 1967 lines US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu acknowledged the differences that divide them.

* Palestinians kill suspected Israeli collaborator in W. Bank Masked Palestinians shot dead a West Bank man suspected of spying for Israel on Saturday.

* Israel PM defiant over Obama border proposals After tense talks at the White House, a defiant Mr Netanyahu said Israel was prepared to compromise but there could be no peace “based on illusions”.

* New method ‘confirms dark energy’ Dark energy makes up some 74% of the Universe and its existence would explain why the Universe appears to be expanding at an accelerating rate.

* Turkey warns Israel over new Gaza flotilla Turkey on Saturday warned Israel against another act of bloodshed in international waters.

* China Is Now Top Gold Bug Chinese investors are snapping up gold bars and coins, buying more than ever before in the first quarter of 2011.

05/20/11

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* Middle East: Obama and Netanyahu hold Washington talks Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived for talks at the White House with US President Barack Obama amid sharp differences on the way forward for the Middle East peace process.

* Obama and Netanyahu, Distrustful Allies, Meet As Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel heads to the White House on Friday for the seventh meeting since President Obama took office, the two men are facing a turning point in a relationship that has never been warm.

* Religion – the overlooked motive behind Syria’s uprising Throughout the Syrian uprising of the last two months, the dominant media narrative has followed the now-familiar arc of a freedom-seeking populace mustering the courage to finally confront an autocratic, anti-democratic regime.

* What rankled Netanyahu in the Obama speech In 2004, US President George Bush, in exchange for then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s plan to withdraw from the Gaza Strip, wrote a letter saying in any future agreement between Israel and the Palestinians it would be “unrealistic” to expect a full Israeli withdrawal to the 1949 Armistice lines.

* NATO airstrikes cap week of rising pressure on Libya NATO aircraft struck eight Libyan warships overnight Thursday, just hours after President Obama capped a week of increasing international pressure with a vow that Libyan leader Col. Muammar Qaddafi would fall from power.

* PA to Pay Terrorists in Israeli Prisons Salaries The Palestinian Authority passed a law last month granting all PA residents and Israeli Arabs imprisoned by Israel for terror crimes a monthly salary.

* US takes EU line on final borders in Israel US President Barack Obama has said future Israeli-Palestinian borders should be based on lines established before the 1967 war.

* IMF head: Europe to make ‘common choice’ soon Germany’s finance minister says Europe will decide soon on a common candidate as its choice to lead the IMF.

* Vatican protocol favours Van Rompuy, snubs Barroso The Vatican snubbed EU commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso at a ceremony for the late Pope John Paul II earlier this month in favour of EU Council head Herman Van Rompuy.

* EU institutions to create new cyber defence unit EU institutions are setting up a joint team of internet security experts some three months after the European Commission was hacked in a bid to get sensitive data on external relations and monetary issues.

05/19/11

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* Obama’s vision for Mideast peace: Israel, Palestine based on 1967 borders with land swaps U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday that the U.S. endorses the Palestinians’ demand for their future state to be based on the borders that existed before the 1967 Middle East war.

* Right wing MKs: Obama is the new Arafat Knesset members on the Right expressed outrage on Thursday night at US President Barack Obama’s call for the creation of a Palestinian state based on the 1967 lines.

* Osama Bin Laden: Al-Qaeda releases posthumous message A recording purported to have been made by Osama Bin Laden shortly before he died has been released by al-Qaeda.

* Bin Laden successor: U.S.-trained colonel plotted long-term strategy in Iran Around May 15, jihadist circles reported that Saif al-Adel (Sword of Justice) had been appointed caretaker leader of Al Qaida.

* China ‘will not match’ US military power – general China has no intention to match US military power, a top Chinese general has said.

* Abbas calls emergency meeting over Obama address Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday called an emergency meeting of the PA leadership to discuss US President Barack Obama’s speech on peace in the Middle East.

* New economies challenge EU claim to IMF throne Brazil, China, Russia and Turkey have indicated they want their people to run for the top job at the International Monetary Fund.

* Obama says Gaddafi’s departure from Libya inevitable President Barack Obama said on Thursday it was inevitable Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi would have to leave power and only then could a democratic transition in the North African state proceed.

* In Arab world, disappointment Obama didn’t go further Barack Obama on Thursday invoked the killing of Osama bin Laden as a chance to recast relations with the Arab world.

* Netanyahu: 1967 borders can’t be defended Israel’s prime minister has rejected a key aspect of President Barack Obama’s policy speech, saying that a return to his country’s 1967 borders would spell disaster for the Jewish state.

05/18/11

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* Hamas MP: Jews Ingathered for Us to Annihilate Them Yunis al Astal, a member of the Palestinian Authority parliament, spelled out his organization’s vision for the genocidal annihilation of the Jewish people.

* The Hot-Money Cowboys of Baghdad “My friend, Iraq is a rich, virgin country!” one of its richest men, Namir al-Akabi, told me with a startling enthusiasm.

* NATO rethinking strategy as Gadhafi survives, oil prices soar NATO is seeking options on how to end its no-fly zone mission over Libya.

* Netanyahu: Abbas is Distorting History Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu criticized Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday.

* Obama calls Israeli and Palestinian peace talks ‘vital’ US President Barack Obama has said it is “more vital than ever” for Israelis and Palestinians to restart negotiations on a peace deal.

* Knesset commemorates 66th anniversary of Nazi defeat The Knesset commemorated the 66th anniversary of Nazi Germany’s defeat in a special Knesset Plenum sitting on Wednesday.

* Russia’s Medvedev promises election decision ‘soon’ Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has promised journalists he will reveal whether or not he will stand for re-election in 2012 “soon”.

* Syria Christians fear for religious freedom Syria’s minority Christians are watching the protests sweeping their country with trepidation, fearing their religious freedom could be threatened.

* Turkey takes permissive stance on new Gaza flotilla Turkey has warned pro-Palestinian Turkish activists of the risks of trying to break an Israeli naval blockade of Gaza.

* EU ‘not marginal’ on world stage, Ashton says EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton on Tuesday (17 May) said the bloc’s response to events unfolding in the southern neighbourhood is not at all “a marginal activity”.

05/17/11

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* Fatah Official: We Agree with Hamas A Fatah official says that Hamas and Fatah agree on everything.

* British queen makes historic peace trip to Ireland Undeterred by real or fake bombs, Queen Elizabeth II on Tuesday began the first visit by a British monarch to the Republic of Ireland.

* Israeli Leader Sees Rising Arab Threat Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a stark assessment of how he sees changes in the Arab world threatening his country.

* Abbas urges UN: Recognize Palestinian state, pave way for legal action against Israel United Nations member states should support the move to declare Palestinian independence in September of this year.

* ‘Die Welt’: Iran building rocket bases in Venezuela The Iranian government is moving forward with the construction of rocket launch bases in Venezuela.

* PA: Israel not interested in peace Nabil Abu Rudeina, spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, commented on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech Monday and said it “proved once again that Israel is not interested in peace.”

* King Abdullah of Jordan Lauds Fatah-Hamas Reconciliation King Abdullah of Jordan, preceding Binyamin Netanyahu to Washington, meets today with U.S. President Barack Obama after having met yesterday at the State Department, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

* Abbas and Netanyahu Agree: War of 1948 Has not Ended Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas agree at least on one point: The “conflict” between Arabs and the Jewish state was not settled in the 1948 War for Independence.

* Glenn Beck announces J’lem rally Conservative US media figure Glenn Beck will hold a rally to “restore courage” in Jerusalem this August, he announced on his radio show Monday.

* Exoplanet near Gliese 581 star ‘could host life’ A red dwarf star 20 light-years away is again providing hints that it hosts the first definitively habitable planet outside our Solar System.

05/16/11

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* Netanyahu: Israel willing to cede “parts of our homeland” for true peace Prime Minister tells Knesset that a Palestinian government including Hamas is no partner for peace.

* Egypt police fire at rally outside Israel Embassy Protestors set fire to Israeli flag, call for Israeli ambassador’s expulsion. At least 185 arrested

* Netanyahu Adds Settlement Blocs to Peace Conditions Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu laid down five conditions for a peace treaty with the Palestinian Authority Arabs.

* US blames Syria for violence; UN condemns Israel White House stresses Israel has right to defend itself, while UN rep claims IDF used disproportionate force

* Syrian Border Violence May Hold Message for Israel For 37 years the border between Israel and Syria, still technically at war, has proven as quiet as any of the Arab-Israeli frontiers silenced by peace agreements.

* Iran president takes over oil ministry temporarily Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said he has temporarily assumed the duties of the oil ministry, as the oil cartel OPEC prepares for a biannual meeting in Vienna.

* Palestinian nakba protests turn deadly. Israel sees Iran’s fingerprints. Eight people were reportedly killed in separate incidents along Israel’s borders with both Syria and Lebanon during the Palestinians’ annual nakba protest against Israel.

* Americans Fear Terror will Survive Bin Laden Americans may be happy their soldiers killed Osama Bin Laden but a new poll shows they think that his elimination will have “no impact” on worldwide terrorism.

* Hamas and Fatah begin talks on new Palestinian unity government The discussions center on the make-up of an interim government unifying the Fatah-run West Bank with the Gaza Strip controlled by Hamas, and on preparations for a general election within a year.

* Member states responsible for EU single voice abroad The EU’s ability to speak with one voice on foreign policy is ultimately dependent on member states, with the European External Action Service to act as a “facilitator”.

05/14/11

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* Israel’s neighboring Arab states prepare to mark Nakba Day Israeli security forces prepared to be on high alert Sunday while the Palestinians commemorate Nakba Day.

* Police brace for Nakba Day as tensions soar over death Tensions soared in east Jerusalem this weekend following the shooting death of a Palestinian youth during disturbances.

* Arab Affairs: Tehran to the rescue Evidence is beginning to emerge of an active Iranian role in aiding the Syrian crackdown on protests.

* UN: Iran, North Korea trading missile technology North Korea and Iran appear to have been regularly exchanging ballistic missile technology in violation of UN sanctions.

* Abbas: Palestinians will never neglect “right of return” The Palestinian Authority leadership would never neglect the “right of return” for Palestinians to their original homes inside Israel.

* ‘Obama’s ME speech won’t focus on Israeli-PA talks’ US President Barack Obama’s speech on the Middle East, scheduled for May 19, will not focus on Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

* Gaddafi hiding in Tripoli caverns A recent report suggests that the embattled Libyan leader is hiding in underground caves in Tripoli.

* Turkey’s Erdogan slams Facebook Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan lashed out at Facebook Thursday, dubbing it an “ugly technology”.

* Iran warns West it will allow transit of drugs to Europe if criticism continues A senior Iranian official has threatened to allow the transit of illegal drugs through its territory to Europe.

* Netanyahu: Sorry to See Mitchell Go, PA Torpedoed Peace The Palestinian Authority’s refusal to negotiate with Israel is what led to the failure to reach a final status agreement.