* Netanyahu urges Shas to ‘save Jerusalem’ Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu visited the settlement of Ma’aleh Adumim on Tuesday.

* Nasrallah: The Zionist entity can be wiped out of existence Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah on Monday told tens of thousands of supporters in Beirut that Israel could be eliminated.

* Food prices rising across the world From subsistence farmers eating rice in Ecuador to gourmets feasting on escargot in France, consumers worldwide face rising food prices.

* Saudis lead boycott of Syrian summit Syria’s hopes of hosting an Arab summit in Damascus next week suffered a major setback.

* Egypt tries to tackle deadly bread crisis Clashes have been breaking out among Egyptians waiting in long lines for subsidized bread.

* Turks praise jihad to protest Cheney visit Thousands of Turks chanted anti-American and anti-Israel slogans, sang jihadist songs and pledged to follow the path of Hamas’s Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.

* Iraq forces battle Basra militias Heavy fighting has been raging in Basra as thousands of Iraqi troops battle Shia militias in the southern city.

* Analysis: Cairo climbs the nuclear pyramid The announcement that Egypt is going to cooperate with Russia to develop its nuclear energy program should not come as a surprise.

* Medvedev warns on Nato expansion The incoming Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, has said his country is not happy about the prospect of Ukraine and Georgia joining Nato.

* Saudi King plans first interfaith conference to include Jews In a rare departure from government practice, Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah is planning to convene an interfaith conference for Muslims, Christians and Jews.

* Zawahiri calls for attacks on Israel “Israel and additional Western targets must be attacked as revenge for Israel’s aggressive policy in the Gaza Strip,” Osama bin Laden’s deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri said in a recording released by an al-Qaida-affiliated Website on Sunday night.”

* Hezbollah calls for Beirut rally Hezbollah is to hold a rally in Beirut to mark the end of the 40-day mourning period for its assassinated commander Imad Mughniyeh.

* Netanyahu: J’lem Withdrawal Will Bring Iran to Capital Opposition leader Benyamin Netanyahu warned Sunday that an Israeli withdrawal from any part of Jerusalem would lead to the creation of an Iranian base in the heart of Israel.

* ‘Don’t take any options off the table’ Late Sunday, US Vice President Dick Cheney met with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who told him that while Israel supports sanctions against Iran, “none of the options should be taken off the table,” according to a Defense Ministry statement – a reference to possible military action.

* Cheney strongly backs Olmert before meeting with Abbas Vice President Dick Cheney met Sunday with Israeli and Palestinian leaders here and in the West Bank city of Ramallah in what U.S. officials said was an effort to move the Mideast peace process forward.

* Mubarak heads to Moscow for nuclear deal President Mubarak scheduled to arrive in Russia to sign agreement with Moscow set to boost country’s nuclear program.

* Anti-missionaries suspected in attack Police investigating the sending of a package which exploded in the home of a Christian pastor in Ariel are leaning toward the theory that a Jewish anti-missionary was behind the attack, the preacher told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday.

* ‘Israeli Gestures attempt to pry Fatah from Hamas’ A list of goodwill measures Defense Minister Ehud Barak is considering for the Palestinians may be intended as a message to the Palestinian Authority that if it gets too close to Hamas, it risks “losing everything,” government officials said Sunday.

* Pope baptizes prominent Muslim A prominent Italian Muslim – an iconoclastic writer who has condemned Islamic extremism and defended Israel – converted to Catholicism this weekend, in a baptism by the pope at the Vatican Easter service.

* Barak: All options should be weighed on Iran Defense minister meets with US Vice President Cheney, stresses Iran poses threat to stability of region, world.

* Taiwan Elects a Leader Who Seeks Closer China Ties Taiwan elected on Saturday its first president who had campaigned for closer economic relations with Beijing.

* Cheney in oil talks with Saudis US Vice-President Dick Cheney has met Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah to discuss ways of stabilising the oil market.

* Pakistan awaits naming of new PM The party that came top in recent elections in Pakistan is expected to name its candidate for prime minister.

* Yemen: Breakthrough in talks between Fatah and Hamas Fatah officials have agreed to Yemen’s reconciliation initiative and are prepared to sign.

* Nuclear plans attract fresh fire Anti-nuclear groups have expressed their disappointment at reports that Britain is poised to join France in creating new nuclear generators.

* PA to receive Russian armored vehicles Israel has agreed to let Russia deliver 25 armored vehicles to Palestinian security forces in the West Bank.

* China steps up pressure on Tibetans China has said that Tibetan rioters killed 18 “innocent” civilians and one police officer during protests against Chinese rule.

* Kassams shatter Negev Purim festivities Three Kassam rockets fired from Gaza landed in open areas in the Sdot Negev region.

* Saudi king urges U.S. to press Israel over peace with Palestinians King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia on Friday urged U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney to pressure Israel to seal a peace deal with the Palestinians before President George W. Bush leaves office.

* ‘End Gaza blockade, settlement activity’ Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Friday called for an end to the blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

By: Solomon Moore – International Herald Tribune

After the Iraqi Army increased patrols in this northern city this year, Colonel Haji al-Zibari found himself chasing two insurgents in a weapons-laden truck.

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* ‘Palestine to be freed only with force’ Pan-Arab Al-Jazeera TV on Thursday broadcast what it described as excerpts from a new audio tape by Osama bin Laden.

* Christian pilgrims mark Good Friday in Jerusalem Thousands of Christians are walking the stone alleyways of Jerusalem’s Old City to mark Good Friday, retracing the route Jesus took to his crucifixion.

* Israel, Germany plan int’l summit to stop Iran nuke program Germany and Israel will try to initiate an international conference aimed at stopping Iran’s nuclear program.

* Saudis to retrain 40,000 clerics Saudi Arabia is to retrain its 40,000 prayer leaders – also known as imams – in an effort to counter militant Islam.

* Cheney, Saudis to discuss oil crisis High oil prices socking U.S. consumers will be a key topic of Vice President Dick Cheney’s talks Friday with Saudi King Abdullah.

* Palestinian rivals’ talks ‘fail’ Talks between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have collapsed, Palestinian Authority and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas has said.

* Irreversible pollution looms at key Israeli water sources Israel’s natural water sources will drop so dangerously low by the end of this year that there is a major risk of some of them becoming irretrievably polluted and thus unusable.

* US lawmaker speaks out on Tibet A senior US lawmaker, Nancy Pelosi, has called on the international community to denounce China’s rule in Tibet.

* Horrific Arab Twist on an Ancient Blood Libel Palestinian Authority children in Gaza are being raised to believe the ancient Eastern European blood libel myth about Jews.

* Vatican Security Worries Over bin Laden Tape The Vatican on Thursday rejected an audiotaped accusation from Osama bin Laden that Pope Benedict XVI was leading a “new Crusade” against Muslims.

* Israel to Disengage from Gaza Within Two Years According to a new Israeli-Egyptian agreement, Egypt will take over from Israel in supplying electricity to Gaza, beginning in 2010.

* US ‘reassures Russia on shield’ The US has offered Russia assurances over parts of a missile shield it wants to deploy in Europe.

* Bin Laden warns EU over Prophet cartoons Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden threatened the European Union with grave punishment.

* Jews Around the World to Rally With Israel Purim Night As did the Jews of ancient Persia when faced with the prospect of annihilation by their enemies, Jews and others across the world will stand together on Thursday.

* Poll: 84% of Palestinians back yeshiva attack The vast majority of Palestinian Authority residents support the terror attack on Jerusalem’s Mercaz Harav Yeshiva that killed eight students earlier on March 6.

* Tracking a reborn Iraqi Army After the Iraqi Army increased patrols in this northern city this year, Colonel Haji al-Zibari found himself chasing two insurgents in a weapons-laden truck.

* McCain in Holy Land; Evangelicals satisfied John McCain’s “Holy Land pilgrimage” was aimed at gaining the support of the Jewish community in Israel.

* Jewish Agency mulls closing its historic immigration department The Jewish Agency is planning to close one of its most historically important branches.

* Iraq and the EU: five years on It has been five years since the United States began its military operation dubbed ‘Iraqi Freedom’.

* Water shortage looms in Israel after drought Israel is suffering its greatest drought in the past decade and will have to stop pumping from one of its main drinking water sources by the end of the summer.

* Most Palestinians favor violence over talks, poll shows A new poll shows that an overwhelming majority of Palestinians support the attack this month on a Jewish seminary in Jerusalem that killed eight young men.

* Merkel: A nuclear Iran would be disastrous German Chancellor Angela Merkel told the Knesset on Tuesday that her countrymen’s hearts were filled with shame over the Holocaust.

* Bush to hail prospect of Iraq “strategic victory” President George W. Bush will acknowledge on Wednesday the Iraq war has been fought at a high cost but will insist a U.S. troop buildup.

* ‘Terrorists threaten all we hold dear’ The success of Hamas and Hizbullah in the region is not only a danger for Israel, but also a threat to US national interests.

* Russia Says ‘Nyet’ to US Missile Defense Russia had a short answer Tuesday for President Bush’s top national security advisers.

* Second Temple Half-Shekel Found in Jerusalem Dig A half-shekel coin from the Second Temple was found in excavations in the City of David, just below and east of Jerusalem’s Old City.

* EU presidency condemns violence in Kosovo The European Union has “strongly condemned” violence that erupted in the northern part of the town of Mitrovica, Kosovo.

* Settlements face heavy security cuts Security officers in West Bank settlements have warned that government cutbacks to their security budget was greatly hindering their operational capability.

* Protesters ‘surrender in Tibet’ More than 100 people have turned themselves in to police following anti-China riots in Tibet’s main city, Lhasa.

* ‘Try Ahmadinejad for genocide calls’ Former Canadian Justice Minister Irwin Cotler on Monday called on the world community to act against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

* Dozens killed near Iraqi shrine A female suicide bomber has killed at least 42 people and injured 58 in the Shia Iraqi holy city of Karbala, Iraqi health officials say.

* Livni, Qurei try to restart peace talks Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s announcement Monday that Israel would continue building in the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Homa cast a shadow on talks later in the day between Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Palestinian negotiator Ahmed Qurei, according to government officials.

* PA urges Palestinians to ‘return’ The Palestinian Authority is planning to mark Israel’s 60th anniversary by calling on all Palestinians living abroad to converge on Israel by land, sea and air.

* Ukrainian officer dies in Kosovo A Ukrainian policeman wounded in fierce clashes on Monday with Kosovo Serbs on Monday has died of injuries he suffered when a hand grenade was thrown.

* Haniyeh beats Abbas in popularity poll A Palestinian public opinion poll published on Monday showed that Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh would defeat Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas if presidential elections were held these days in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

* ‘US concerned over building in J’lem’ On Monday during a tour of Mea Shearim, a haredi neighborhood bordering on Arab neighborhoods in east Jerusalem, US Ambassador to Israel Richard H. Jones told The Jerusalem Post that the US was “concerned about where things are built in Jerusalem.”

* Egypt army to tackle bread crisis Egypt’s president has ordered the army to increase the production and distribution of bread, in an attempt to cope with serious shortages.

* China and Tibet protesters must both show restraint says EU Hours away from a midnight deadline from the Chinese government warning Tibetan protesters to surrender or face violence, the European Commission has called on both the protesters and Beijing to show restraint and rejected a boycott of the upcoming Beijing Olympics.

* China’s premier blames Dalai Lama ‘clique’ for violence in Tibet Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Tuesday blamed supporters of the Dalai Lama for recent violence in Tibet, and said Chinese forces exercised restraint in confronting unrest there.

* Bush sends Putin missile defense offer President Vladimir Putin of Russia on Monday endorsed portions of a private proposal from President George W. Bush that could lead to a new strategic framework between their nations, including progress on troubling issues like missile defense, nuclear arms control and nonproliferation.

* 1st Temple remains uncovered in dig near Temple Mount The remains of a building from the First Temple period have been uncovered in an archeological excavation just west of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, the Israel Antiquities Authority said on Sunday.

* Merkel lays wreath at Yad Vashem memorial During visit to museum, German chancellor stresses her commitment to preserving memory of Holocaust.

* Syrian FM: War with Israel possible A war between Syria and Israel is certainly a possibility, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem was quoted as saying Sunday.

* Israel to hold massive emergency drill In the face of a possible escalation with Syria and Iran’s efforts to obtain a nuclear weapon, parts of the country will shut down next month in what security officials say will be the largest emergency exercise in Israel’s history.

* New parliament opens in Pakistan Pakistan’s new parliament has convened for the first time since President Pervez Musharraf and his allies suffered a heavy blow in elections.

* Conservatives win Iran election Conservative candidates in Iran’s general election have kept control of parliament, in line with expectations.

* Pope: Enough With Slaughters in Iraq Pope Benedict XVI issued one of his strongest appeals for peace in Iraq on Sunday, days after the body of the kidnapped Chaldean Catholic archbishop was found near the northern city of Mosul.

* Profits from stolen oil help sustain insurgency in Iraq The Bayji refinery may be the most important industrial site in the Sunni Arab-dominated regions of Iraq. On a good day, 500 tanker trucks will leave the refinery filled with fuel with a street value of $10 million.

* Cheney in Baghdad for key talks US Vice-President Dick Cheney is in the Iraqi capital Baghdad for a previously unannounced visit, ahead of the fifth anniversary of the US-led invasion.

* EU backs Turkish PM in battle with courts The EU is supporting embattled Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan in his struggle with prosecutors who want his moderate Islamist party shut down, with the bloc’s enlargement chief saying the accession process will go ahead despite the ongoing constitutional crisis.

By: Ezra HaLevi – Arutz Sheva

Tzviya Sariel of Elon Moreh, who has been held in jail since December for refusing to recognize the authority of the secular court system, was allowed to testify before a Torah court set up by the nascent Sanhedrin Friday. The Sanhedrin Court for Matters of People and State ordered her immediate release.

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