Michael Freund, THE JERUSALEM POST

The warning signs are everywhere, yet no one wishes to see them. Israel’s foes are gearing up for war, and it’s time that we opened our eyes to the danger that confronts us.

The conflict may be just weeks or even months away, or perhaps a bit longer. How it will start is anyone’s guess, but make no mistake, a major outbreak of hostilities is almost certainly around the corner.

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By: Elliot Jager, THE JERUSALEM POST

Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, ends next Monday at sunset with the festival of Id al-Fitr. Muslims worldwide have been marking the “handing down” of the Koran through obligatory daytime fasting.

These last days of the month are filled with heightened religious significance making it – for Islamists – a fine time for “martyring.”

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PM to Putin: Help resolve Iran crisis Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said on Wednesday that Russia should use its influence to help resolve the standoff over Iran’s nuclear program.

US stands firm over NK sanctions Japan and the US have pledged to work together to implement UN sanctions on North Korea.

Rice Tries to Head Off Nuclear Arms Race North Korea’s nuclear test could set off an atomic arms race in Asia.

Bush Sets Defense As Space Priority President Bush has signed a new National Space Policy that rejects future arms-control agreements that might limit U.S. flexibility in space.

Iraqi official to hold talks in Jordan Tariq al-Hashimi, Iraq’s vice president, arrived in Amman on Tuesday for talks with Jordanian officials that will focus on Iraqi security developments and bilateral ties.

Sharansky’s formula As Prime Minister Ehud Olmert left for Russia yesterday to meet with President Vladimir Putin and other officials.

EU picks birthday logo saying countries are ‘together’ A young Polish designer has won the logo design competition for the EU’s 50 year anniversary celebrations.

Rabbis tout Jewish option to courts A group of leading religious Zionist rabbis and experts in Jewish law met in Jerusalem Tuesday evening for the official launch of a chain of rabbinic courts that aspires to replace the civil court system.

Iraq reconciliation conference date set A much-anticipated conference aimed at stemming the cycle of sectarian violence in Iraq will take place on November 4.

Ramadan realities Ramadan, the Muslim holy month, ends next Monday at sunset with the festival of Id al-Fitr.

Ahmadinejad: God told me we would win Iranian president says he has been in touch with God, who reassured him Tehran victory against West is guaranteed.

EU to celebrate subdued 50th birthday party The EU has ditched plans to hold big-style celebrations for its 50th anniversary next year.

Hamas: Israel’s tanks will be destroyed The military wing of Hamas announced Monday evening that it had completed its preparations towards a possible all-out conflict with Israel.

PM hopes for sympathetic ear in Russia Prime Minister Ehud Olmert traveled to Moscow Tuesday for three days of talks.

N Korea condemns ‘war’ threats North Korea has said that a United Nations resolution imposing new sanctions on the country following its nuclear test amounts to a declaration of war.

Bush praises US Muslims for working to defeat terrorism President George W. Bush welcomed Muslims living in the United States and from Islamic nations that are helping in the war on terror to an iftar meal.

U.S. population now 300 million and growing At 7:46 ET Tuesday morning, the United States became a nation of 300 million people.

Amateur ‘video bloggers’ under threat from EU broadcast rules The Government is seeking to prevent an EU directive that could extend broadcasting regulations to the internet, hitting popular video-sharing websites such as YouTube.

PA Survey Shows: Peace Still Far Off A poll carried out in the Palestinian Authority by the Al-Mustaqabal Research Institute shows that nearly 2/3 of PA Arabs object to normalized relations with Israel.

Mubarak-Assad meeting in cards Syrian President Bashar Assad and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak are set to meet in the coming days.

Islamic State of Iraq Has Been Proclaimed According to Islamic Web sites, the newly formed alliance Hilf Al-Mutayibeen that includes many of the fighting groups in Iraq has announced that an Islamic State has been declared in many parts of Iraq.

Moscow tells Israel it will tighten its export controls on weapons Moscow has told Israel that it intends to tighten its export controls on arms.

Israel to up its offensive in Gaza Israel warned Sunday it would step up its offensive in the Gaza Strip, which has killed at least 22 people in recent days, with the aim of stopping rocket fire and arms trafficking from Egypt.

Pyongyang and the ‘p’ word Now that North Korea has apparently brought its nuclear weapons program out in the open, all sorts of forbidding rhetoric and scenarios are being offered about what it might do with its nuclear weapons.

China in rural birth control bid China is to bring in new financial incentives to encourage people in rural areas to have fewer children in another bid to control its rising population.

Turks and Serbs face EU scrutiny Turkey’s and Serbia’s unsteady progress towards joining the EU is to come under scrutiny at meetings in Luxembourg.

Saddam verdict expected within 3 weeks A verdict against Saddam Hussein and seven co-defendants charged in connection with an anti-Shiite crackdown in the 1980s will be issued by early next month.

Descendants of King David plan Israel reunion An international foundation is seeking to gather Jewish descendants of King David, the second biblical king of Israel, for a reunion next year in Jerusalem aimed at fostering Jewish unity.

2nd warning for Muslims to leave U.S. before attack Another Pakistani journalist is reporting receiving another threat – this one from a senior Taliban leader – warning all Muslims to leave the U.S. in anticipation of a major terrorist attack before the end of Ramadan.

Minaret that can’t rise above politics Plans for a 130ft tower on the holiest site of two religions will have to overcome some big problems.

Hundreds of Palestinians riot over Temple Mount restrictions Hundreds of Palestinians rioted outside Jerusalem on Friday morning to protest restrictions on Palestinian entry to the Temple Mount for Friday prayers during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Lebanon: We’ll shoot Israeli planes Lebanon’s Defense Minister Elias Murr said that four divisions of the Lebanese Army have been deployed along the Syrian-Lebanese border.

Hamas may send operatives to Iran Hamas representatives were in Teheran on Thursday discussing the possibility of training its operatives in Iran.

Ahmadinejad: Palestine is the Front Line Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared Thursday, “Palestine is the front line of the Islamic nations in their struggle against the aggressive superpowers.”

Seoul, Beijing debate NK sanctions Presidents of China and South Korea met Friday to discuss possible sanctions against North Korea for its claimed nuclear test.

UN pulls staff out of Somalia The United Nations has pulled out its international staff from parts of Somalia controlled by Islamic fighters.

America’s Iran-Watchers Flock to Dubai A handful of U.S. diplomats here on Iran’s doorstep have quietly opened a diplomatic mission to monitor the Islamic republic and reach out to its people despite a three-decade-old freeze in formal relations.

Mishaal speaks out on Israel Hamas sees no political gain in recognising Israel and will resist doing so despite sanctions imposed on the Palestinian government.

Over 35,000 Christians have fled Iraq More than 35,000 Iraqi Christians have fled to Syria to escape the violence in their country.

UK army chief pleads for Iraq pullout The chief of Britain’s army says that the presence of British troops in Iraq is exacerbating the security situation on the ground.

Mashaal okays state with 1967 borders Hamas politburo leader Khaled Mashaal reiterated Wednesday that his group would not recognize Israel.

US General: Strikes on Iran possible by 2007 Is it possible to halt Iran’s nuclear program by military means? For years, this question has been asked by Israeli and US military officials.

Israel won’t seek military solution for Iran nuclear crisis Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Thursday said Israel supports efforts in the UN Security council to impose sanctions on Iran to punish Teheran for its defiance in pursuing a nuclear program.

Germany plans to revive EU treaty German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said her government will be “very ambitious” in trying to revive the European Union constitution in 2007.

Poll: Support sinks for trading Golan The recent bellicose declarations by Syrian President Bashar Assad were heard much more loudly by the Israeli Jewish ear than his statements calling for peace.

Iraqi MPs approve federalism Iraq’s parliament has approved a law that sets out the mechanics of forming federal regions.

General: Iran sending millions to Iraq’s Mahdi fighters Iran has transferred millions of dollars as well as weapons and expertise to Iraq’s Mahdi Army.

Jordan plans new Temple Mt. minaret Israel has not objected to Jordanian plans to construct a fifth minaret on the Temple Mount, and the Hashemite Kingdom is pressing ahead with plans to do so early next year.

Syria rejects Peres’ invitation for Bashar Assad to visit Jerusalem Syria on Thursday rejected Vice Premier Shimon Peres’ invitation for President Bashar Assad to visit Jerusalem.

Russia ‘not neutral’ in Black Sea conflict, EU says Russia’s actions in the Georgia spy row have damaged its credibility as a neutral peacekeeper in the EU’s Black Sea neighbourhood.

‘Huge rise’ in Iraqi death tolls An estimated 655,000 Iraqis have died since 2003 who might still be alive but for the US-led invasion, according to a survey by a US university.

N Korea: Sanctions ‘an act of war’ North Korea says it regards US pressure to curtail its nuclear weapons program as a declaration of war.

Al-Qaida escapee from U.S. prison urges followers in new video to go nuclear An al-Qaida member who escaped from a U.S. prison in Afghanistan urged his followers in a new video aired Tuesday to acquire nuclear technology.

Congo: 11,000 child soldiers ‘missing’ At least 11,000 children in Congo are still missing or in the hands of armed groups three years after the end of the country’s bloody civil war.

Jews at Risk as Turkey Goes Radical Throughout the centuries, the sultans of Ottoman Turkey never issued edicts, firmans or fatwahs against the Jewish people living in their dominions.

Lebanese parliament speaker: Hizbullah to remain armed Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said in an interview published Wednesday with the British newspaper Guardian that Hizbullah will remain armed and fully operational in southern Lebanon.

Future ‘radicalized’ Islamists trained in U.S. prisons Many “radicalized” Islamists capable of committing terrorist attacks in the future are acquiring their jihad beliefs and training right now.

Abbas: Recognizing Israel not required Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said in an Arabic-language interview neither Hamas nor his own Fatah party is required to recognize the Jewish state.

Explosions rock Baghdad as US arms dump catches fire US soldiers battled a blaze Wednesday in an ammunition depot that caught fire overnight, causing a thunderous series of explosions that rocked Baghdad.

Jordan’s King warns Palestinian statehood at risk due to feuding Jordan’s King Abdullah warned feuding Palestinians on Wednesday that their hopes of statehood could be permanently wrecked within months unless they step back from the brink of civil war.

Synagogue Planned For Temple Mount, Hashemites to Add Minaret MK Uri Ariel (National Union) is drawing up plans to construct a synagogue on the Temple Mount, Judaism’s holiest site. Jordan’s King Hussein plans to build a fifth minaret on the site as well.

China’s ‘nightmare scenario’ A North Korean nuclear test has long been a nightmare scenario for China.

S. Korea: Israel has important role As a strong regional power, Israel has a key role to play in demonstrating a firm international consensus opposing North Korea in the wake of its claimed nuclear test Monday.

Kurds accuse Saddam of slaughtering families Kurdish witnesses accused Saddam Hussein Monday of cramming their starving families into disease-ridden death camps and casting the bodies of the fallen into mass graves.

Largest Priestly Blessing Crowd Since Temple Mount Liberation A record number of Jews gathered Monday at the Western Wall of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem’s Old City for the traditional massive Birkat Kohanim, priestly blessings.

Amid civil war fears, Fatah and Hamas stockpile arms When hundreds of Fatah gunmen paraded past his West Bank supermarket last week, Mohammed Zahi stared unbelieving at their sparkling black M16 assault rifles.

Somali Islamists declare ‘jihad’ on Ethiopia Somalia’s powerful Islamists on Monday declared holy war against Ethiopia.

Iran warns of retaliation if sanctions imposed President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has vowed to impose retaliatory sanctions on world powers if the UN Security Council carries out threats to penalize Iran over its nuclear program.

Syria: US lacks Mid-East vision Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said the United States does not have “the will or vision” to pursue peace in the Middle East.

EU ‘must face TB threat’ Health agencies are urging the European Union to tackle an “alarming” outbreak of drug-resistant tuberculosis among its eastern neighbours that they say poses a major threat to the continent.

‘Israel has cause for concern over N. Korea’s nuclear test’ “Israel should be very concerned by North Korea’s nuclear test,” Uzi Eilam, former head of Israel’s Atomic Energy Commission (IAEC) told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.

Olmert: Jerusalem as capital forever After meeting this past weekend with MK Avigdor Lieberman regarding the possibility of the Israel Our Home party joining the government coalition, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Sunday once again appealed to the nationalist front.

Outcry at N Korea ‘nuclear test’ North Korea’s claim to have successfully carried out a nuclear weapon test underground has sparked international condemnation.

British Historian Claims to Have Found the Temple Treasures What happened to the 50 tons of gold, silver and sacred treasures looted from Herod’s Temple following the Roman legionnaires’ sack of Jerusalem on Tisha b’Av in the year 70 CE?

Sudan ‘kills hundreds in Darfur’ Hundreds of Sudanese have been killed in attacks in Darfur, with the apparent knowledge and support of the government.

Christianity studies introduced into Israeli schools Starting from this school year, high school students will be able to take matriculation exam in ‘Christian religion.’

Japan’s Abe meets China’s leaders Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister, has met China’s president and prime minister in Beijing in an attempt to mend ties between the two Asian giants.

Abbas to present Hamas ultimatum Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas plans to present the Hamas-led Cabinet with an ultimatum in the coming days.

America ponders cutting Iraq in three An independent commission set up by Congress with the approval of President George W Bush may recommend carving up Iraq into three highly autonomous regions.

NU MK Uri Ariel visits Temple Mount National Union Faction chairman MK Uri Ariel ascended Jerusalem’s Temple Mount on Monday morning.