‘Attacks planned on Israelis, Jews’ “The Foreign Ministry is aware of attempts by Muslim extremist groups to carry out attacks on Israeli representatives and Jewish communities throughout the world.

Rice meets Iraqi Kurdish leaders US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has held talks with leaders in the Kurdish area of northern Iraq.

Sukkot: Full closure on Gaza, West Bank A general closure was imposed Friday on Palestinian territories and will remain in affect until the end of Sukkot.

Diplomats Meet to Decide Action on Iran Top officials from the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China gathered in London on Friday to decide a next step in the nuclear standoff with Iran.

Hamas urges Abbas to resume talks Hamas has issued a statement calling on the Palestinian president and Fatah leader, Mahmoud Abbas, to resume power-sharing talks.

EU ‘wise’ group welcomes Sarkozy constitution initiative Members of a select group of EU politicians tackling the bloc’s constitutional deadlock have told EUobserver they are open to changes to the EU constitution.

Sudan’s Darfur threat condemned UN Security Council members have branded “offensive” a letter sent by Sudan warning African and Arab nations not to send peacekeepers to Darfur.

Mubarak: Egypt’s new ‘Pharaoh’ and great survivor Twenty-five years after being catapulted into Egypt’s top job by the assassination of his mentor Anwar Al Sadat, President Hosni Mubarak has such a tight grip on power that he is widely seen as a new Pharaoh.

‘No Future for the Jews in the Diaspora’ Netanyahu cited assimilation and intermarriage as the main reasons for the statement on Thursday.

Poll: Most Israelis believe in God According to the results of last week’s poll by Ynet and the Smith Institute, seven out of ten Israelis believe in the existence of God.

Rice fails to get Israel to ease Palestinian restrictions US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice failed Thursday to secure a pledge from Israel to ease restrictions on the beleaguered Palestinian territories.

Merkel Visits Erdogan Amid Concern Turkey Is Turning From EU German Chancellor Angela Merkel embarks on her first official visit to Turkey for talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan today.

Nato takes over Afghan security Nato has taken charge of Afghanistan’s eastern provinces, which have been under the control of US forces since the Taleban were ousted five years ago.

Hanegbi: Disengagement was a mistake Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman Tzahi Hanegbi (Kadima) said in an interview with Israel Radio Thursday afternoon that the disengagement from Gaza was a mistake.

Russia turns screw on Georgians Russia has ordered a crackdown on Georgian-owned businesses and tighter visa measures as part of the nations’ escalating diplomatic dispute.

Report: Oil discovered in Dead Sea area Oil has been discovered in the Dead Sea area, Dr. Eli Tenenbaum, an official from Genco, the national company responsible for drilling in the region, reported on Wednesday.

Opec ‘to cut oil production’ Opec is considering holding an emergency meeting to discuss the possibility of cutting output, Nigeria’s oil minister has said.

Report: Turkey to deploy troops in southern Lebanon next week Turkey, the only Muslim member of NATO and a country with close ties to both Israel and Arab states, will become the first Muslim nation to deploy peacekeepers in Lebanon.

Israel Leads in Developing Alternatives to Oil Israel is taking the lead in the effort to attain energy alternatives to oil.

‘Bulge’ yields new planet class Astronomers have discovered a new class of planets that take less than a day to whiz round their parent stars.

Rice to meet Middle East leaders US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to meet Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas as part of her Middle East tour.

Fatah member: Abbas recognition of Israel political Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’ stated recognition of Israel’s right to exist is part of a “political calculation” aimed at ultimately destroying the Jewish state.

Abbas: Coalition talks with Hamas have broken down Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Wednesday that talks with Hamas on forming a more moderate coalition government have broken down.

Peres: Iran also has a human bomb Vice Premier Shimon Peres said Wednesday morning during a press conference in Berlin that “Iran constitutes a danger due to two bombs, one nuclear and the other human – Ahmadinejad.”

Retiring General: Disengagement Led to IDF Failure in Lebanon Speaking with Voice of Israel Radio this morning, Ron-Tal said that the army’s active participation in the expulsion of the Jews of Gush Katif and northern Shomron last year harmed its readiness for the war in Lebanon.

A revolution in Jewish genealogy They are coming from all over the world to claim their royal heritage. They say they are descendants of King David. They have the oral family traditions, rabbinic texts and historical research to back up their claims. And the way Jewish genealogy is thriving, their ranks may swell in the coming years.

U.S. duo win physics Nobel for backing up Big Bang Americans John Mather and George Smoot won the 2006 Nobel prize for physics on Tuesday for work on cosmic radiation which helped pinpoint the age of the universe and supported the Big Bang theory of its birth.

Iran to activate ‘nuclear tourism’ After marvelling at Isfahan’s magnificent architecture and admiring the ruined city of Persepolis, how about checking out a nuclear installation?

Google boss warns politicians about Internet power Imagine being able to check instantly whether or not statements made by politicians were correct. That is the sort of service Google Inc. boss Eric Schmidt believes the Internet will offer within five years..

Iraqi minister escapes deadly blasts At least 12 people have been killed in a series of bomb blasts in central Baghdad which interior ministry sources said targeted the Iraqi industry minister’s convoy.

Rice begins ME tour; calls for end to Palestinian violence US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters, “The international community will have no option but to force sanctions on Iran if it does not suspend its uranium enrichment program.”

Euro area hits six year record in economic growth Eurozone countries have recorded the highest rate of economic growth for the past six years – 3.4 percent of GDP – in the first half of 2006.

Palestinian territories on brink of chaos Palestinian territories teetered on the brink of chaos Tuesday after unprecedented internecine violence between the ruling Hamas movement and President Mahmoud Abbas’ party left 10 dead.

Al-Maliki intends to end sectarian rifts Iraq’s prime minister has announced a plan to end the deepening divisions between Shia and Sunni parties in his government.

Report: Hamas weighing large-scale conflict with Israel Hamas has succeeded in smuggling “hundreds of tons” of weapons from Egypt into the Gaza Strip and is preparing for the possibility of launching a large-scale conflict with Israel.

Sukkot Extravaganza in Russia – and Israel Too Over 3,000 sets of Four Species for the Sukkot holiday are being sent, gratis, to Jewish communities all over Russia.

Iran newspaper: Gaza riots Zionist criminals’ plot An editorial published in Iranian newspaper Jomhury-e Eslami on Tuesday blamed Israel and the West for the internal fighting in the Palestinian Authority.

Peace Now Report Shows Progress in Yesha, Despite All Tenders for nearly 1,000 housing units in Judea and Samaria have been announced so far this year.

Profile: Ban Ki-moon The case for South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon to become the next UN Secretary General is founded, his supporters say.

EU heading for single UN seat, UN official says The UN’s deputy secretary general believes the European Commission will in future represent the EU in the United Nations as the voice of the European bloc worldwide.

Analysis: Iran overshadows Rice’s Mideast ‘peace visit’ US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice left on a Middle East tour Sunday with the looming nuclear crisis with Iran likely to overshadow timid efforts to rekindle the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Hamas closes government offices The Palestinian government says work will cease in all government offices a day after its headquarters in Ramallah were stormed by protesters.

Lebanon army deploys on border as Israel leaves Lebanon deployed its army on its southern border with Israel for the first time in almost 40 years Monday.

Al-Qaeda HQ ‘based in Pakistan’ A letter found when al-Qaeda’s chief in Iraq was killed said the group’s leadership was based in Waziristan, Pakistan.

EU chief calls for Darfur solution The head of the European Commission urged Sudan’s president on Sunday to help the African Union keep peace in the troubled Darfur region.

Arms traders ‘dodging embargoes’ The lack of a legal framework governing the arms trade is allowing weapons to reach states under embargo like Sudan and Uganda.

Russian oil grab ‘puts western supplies at risk’ A former government adviser has warned it is “only a matter of time” before BP or Shell faces a bid from a Russian state-owned group such as Gazprom which could threaten western oil supplies.

Rice: No sign of Iran halt to enrichment U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she has seen nothing to indicate that Iran is prepared to suspend uranium enrichment.

Iraq Lawmakers Renew State of Emergency Parliament extended Iraq’s state of emergency Monday as gunmen snatched 14 employees from shops in downtown Baghdad in the second mass kidnapping in as many days.

Iraq’s al-Qaeda leader in video Iraq’s national security adviser has said that security forces were closing in on Abu Ayyub al-Masri, the leader of al-Qaeda in Iraq.

Friday Temple Mount prayers uneventful The first Friday prayers of the month-long Muslim fast of Ramadan finished without incident at Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

Iraq prays as Al Qaeda threatens new offensive Iraqis headed to their mosques for the first weekly prayers of Ramadan Friday under a threat from Al Qaeda to step up attacks in the war-torn country.

Abbas, Mashaal to meet in unity talks Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is expected to hold talks with Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal on a proposed Hamas-Fatah government and the release of kidnapped Cpl. Gilad Shalit.

Rice to visit Mid-East for talks US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to travel to the Middle East next week to try to revive peace moves between Israel and the Palestinians.

‘Settlements can’t be evacuated’ Vice Premier Shimon Peres said on Thursday that “the government cannot evacuate more settlements in Judea and Samaria.”

Suicide bombers follow Quran, concludes Pentagon briefing With suicide bombings spreading from Iraq to Afghanistan, the Pentagon has tasked intelligence analysts to pinpoint what’s driving Muslim after Muslim to do the unthinkable.

UN ‘must drop’ Darfur peace force Top UN officials say the world body must abandon efforts to pressure Sudan to accept UN peacekeepers in Darfur.

Iran rules out suspending nuclear activities Iran said Friday that there was no reason to suspend its nuclear activities.

Turkish PM rejects ceasefire call Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has rejected a ceasefire call from jailed Kurdish rebel leader Abdullah Ocalan.

Hussein judge brother-in-law shot dead Gunmen in western Baghdad have shot dead the brother-in-law of the new chief judge in the Saddam Hussein trial.

Middle East summit ‘within days’ Israel’s prime minister says he hopes to meet the Palestinian Authority president for a summit within days, but warned against expecting quick results.

EU and Iran continue ‘intense talks’ Talks between the European Union and Iran over Tehran’s nuclear plans will continue in Berlin on Thursday.

Bush seeks truce in leaders’ spat US President George W Bush has appealed to the presidents of Pakistan and Afghanistan to put aside their differences and fight terrorism.

Military Intelligence: Syrian Front Now Cause for Concern For the first time in many years, IDF intelligence officials are signaling concern that President Bashar al-Assad�s administration may be contemplating a military offensive across Israel’s northeastern border.

Sheikh: All must convert to Islam Prominent Palestinian preacher says pope’s meeting with Islam delegates this week is ‘Crusaders conspiracy’ to force ‘Christian-Zionist’ worldviews upon Muslims.

New US security strategy launched A new national security strategy for the United States in the 21st century that would cut back sharply on the US veto at the United Nations was launched in Washington.

Vatican minister slams extremists’ ‘new barbarism’ The Vatican’s foreign minister said that misunderstanding between cultures is breeding a “new barbarism” of violent extremists.

Poll: Iraqis Back Attacks on U.S. Troops About six in 10 Iraqis say they approve of attacks on U.S.-led forces, and slightly more than that want their government to ask U.S. troops to leave within a year,.

Saniora, Merkel to discuss UN mission Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Saniora and German Chancellor Angela Merkel were to discuss the deployment of German UN peacekeepers during talks in Berlin Thursday.

Oil fuelling Islamic finance sector The Islamic finance sector is prospering due to a growing demand from investors, both Muslim and non-Muslim, and the flow of oil money from the Gulf.

Analysis: Taliban upgrades jihad strategy As Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai arrives in Washington to press for long-term support from the United States, the fiercest fighting between NATO forces and Taliban militants rages in the south.

Diskin: Egypt allowing arms smuggling Shin Bet chief tells cabinet some 19 tons of standard explosives, hundreds of rifles smuggled from Egypt to Gaza Strip since disengagement.

Pakistan explains stance on Israel Pakistan’s government will eventually have to recognize Israel.

Iran TV: ‘Pirates of Caribbean’ a Zionist plot A new campaign on Middle East television tells viewers that Disney is linked to Zionism and its newest “ammunition” is “Pirates of the Caribbean.”

Muslim anger fear halts opera A leading opera house called off a production of Mozart’s “Idomeneo” that features the severed head of the Prophet Mohammed.

Assad: Syrians, return to Golan Heights A presidential decree published by Syrian President Bashar Assad offers monetary incentives to citizens returning to reside permanently on the “occupied” Golan Heights.

Olmert Addresses Religious-Zionist Public A day-long conference on the role of religious-Zionism in Israel was held yesterday at the Jerusalem-based Israel Democracy Institute.

Romania and Bulgaria hail EU deal Romania and Bulgaria have welcomed the announcement that they will be admitted to the EU in January 2007.

Iraq war a ‘jihadist cause celebre’ The Iraq conflict has become a “cause celebre” for militant Islamists that is attracting increasing numbers to their movements.

S Africa is losing its way – Tutu Nobel Prize winner Desmond Tutu has warned that South Africa is in danger of losing its moral direction.

Researcher: Temple treasure is in West Bank British expert on archeology of holy land says that despite claims that treasures of Temple are in Vatican, they are actually located in Palestinian Authority.

PM: Bush won’t allow nuclear Iran US President George W. Bush will stop the Iranians from getting a nuclear bomb.

Russia to send nuclear fuel to Iran Russia has agreed to ship nuclear fuel to Iran for its atomic power plant in the city of Bushehr.

EU approves Bulgaria and Romania The European Commission has announced that Romania and Bulgaria will be admitted to the EU in January 2007.

UN urges Jews, Muslims to use religious holidays for peace moves The United Nations issued appeals to coincide with the Jewish New Year and Ramadan, the month-long Muslim season of fasting.

Analysis: Nuclear power may spread in Mideast At a time of slowing oil production in some Middle Eastern countries, and the growing influence of a nuclear Iran, those states may turn to nuclear power to supplement oil and gas supplies.

Bin Laden’s friends say he is alive: Taleban Afghanistan’s Taleban movement said Tuesday that friends of Osama bin Laden had told it he was still alive.

China rolls out next generation Internet: report China has built its own version of an ultra-fast, next-generation Internet network that promises to reduce the nation’s dependency on foreign firms.

Crises Make Mideast Peacekeeping Possible A series of crises, not a burst of goodwill, has made long moribund Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking possible again.

In Pharaohs’ footsteps, Egypt eyes gold-mining era After a 2,000-year lapse, Egypt is looking to acquire a gold-mining industry again by revisiting ancient deposits of the precious mineral that symbolized the glory of the Pharaohs.

Pope stresses respect for Muslims Pope Benedict XVI has expressed “total and profound respect” for the Muslim faith, as he attempts to defuse a row between Islam and the Catholic Church.

African Union to expand Darfur force The African Union is to expand its peacekeeping force in western Sudan’s Darfur province.

EU chief urges enlargement pause The EU Commission president has called for a pause in EU enlargement after Bulgaria and Romania join the bloc.

Iran: Busher reactor ready within 6 months Iran’s vice president, who arrived in Moscow to request further assistance for construction of nuclear power plant in Busher, says that plant will be completed within six months.

Egypt unveils nuclear power plan Egypt is to revive the civilian nuclear power program it froze 20 years ago following the accident at the Chernobyl plant in Ukraine.

Abbas cancels meeting with Haniyeh Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has cancelled his planned visit to Gaza.

Oil below $60 as supply grows, economy worries Oil dropped under $60 to a six-month low on Monday.

Olmert denies talking with Saudi king A senior Saudi government official has flatly denied reports that a member of the desert kingdom’s royal family recently held secret talks with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

Iraq Forms Panel on Constitution Changes Iraq’s feuding ethnic and sectarian groups moved ahead Monday with forming a committee to consider amending the constitution.

EU giving relief to 40,000 PA families The European Union said Monday it has begun paying social allowances to 40,000 needy Palestinian families.