Mid-East News

With UK Retreat, France Supports U.S. Military Intervention in Syria

U.S. initiative to intervene militarily in Syria was received with French backing following the British parliament’s rejection of UK forces participation in the U.S.-led offensive.

By Ari Soffer

French President Francois Hollande gave a boost Friday to US hopes of forging an international coalition for possible strikes against Syria after British lawmakers rejected any involvement in military action.

UN Chemical weapons experts inspecting site of attack in Syria – Reuters

The White House had signalled Thursday that President Barack Obama, guided by the “best interests” of the United States, was ready to go it alone on Syria after deadly chemical weapons attacks last week. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: France, Syrian unrest, UK, US

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Israel steaming after UK justifies Hezbollah’s terrorism

UK’s ambassador to Lebanon said Europe does not view Hezbollah ‘resistance’ to Israel as terrorism.

By Yossi Aloni

Israel filed a strong protest with the British government after the UK ambassador in Lebanon, Tom Fletcher, stated that the inclusion of Hezbollah’s military wing on the European Union’s list of terrorist organizations had nothing to do with Hezbollah’s “resistance” against Israel.

UK ambassador in Lebanon, Tom Fletcher

Flether made his remarks in an interview with Al-Monitor in Lebanon following the EU’s decision last month to finally include the military wing of Hezbollah in its list of terror organizations, a step most Arab states had taken long ago. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Hezbollah terrorism, UK

Feature: Safe or Free

In Israel, with the Arab Middle East exploding around us, with gov’ts from Egypt to Syria gleefully slaughtering their own citizens, with poison gas & G-d knows whatever horrific chemical weapons, the harbinger of a new war is ever present.

By Irwin Blank

Years ago someone defined the Cold War between the USA and the USSR as MAD-Mutually Assured Destruction. That both sides, having more than enough nuclear weapons to destroy each other several times over, an open armed conflict involving both nations, would end up with no victors, only losers. That to engage in a direct clash of arms between these two super powers could only end in the total eradication of not only both nations, but exterminate life on Earth as we know it. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News |

Egyptian marine security shoot 2 Gaza fishermen & detain 5 others

This armed confrontation is an example of deteriorating relations between Hamas and Egypt since ouster of Islamist Morsi and rejection of the Muslim Brotherhood.

By REUTERS

Egyptian naval police shot and wounded two Palestinian fishermen and detained five off the Gaza Strip on Friday, medics said, an incident that hinted at increased tension between Gaza’s Islamist Hamas rulers and Cairo.

A Palestinian boy fishes at the Gaza Seaport – Photo: REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa

Fishermen from Gaza have often brought in catch from Egyptian territory to sidestep restrictions imposed by Israel’s naval blockade of the enclave. But Egypt has grown less tolerant of this practice since Islamist president Mohamed Morsi was toppled by the military almost two months ago.

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Egypt-Gaza, Egyptian security, fishermen, Gazans

Washington Post exposes U.S. counterintelligence operations against Israel

Washington Post revealed top secret files leaked by Snowden that show U.S. spy agencies devoted considerable funds & attention not just on America’s foes, but also to one of its closest allies.

By Haaretz

The United States conducted counterintelligence operations against Iran, China and Cuba, but also against Israel, classified documents obtained by the Washington Post reveled on Thursday.

NSA headquarters building in Fort Meade, Maryland. – Photo: Reuters

The top secret 178-page summary for the U.S. government’s National Intelligence Program, which was leaked by former CIA contractor Edward Snowden, maps a bureaucratic and operational landscape that has never been subject to public scrutiny. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Iran, Israel US, Syria

israelandstuffcom | August 29, 2013

UN Chief Urges US & UK: Postpone Attack

UN Secretary-General Ban tells US & UK to delay strike on Syrian targets & give inspectors more time to investigate.

Syria takes advantage of ‘advanced warning’ to evacuate top military posts & prepare for attack.

By Maayana Miskin

The United States and Britain have come under pressure to delay military intervention in Syria, with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon urging both countries to hold fire.

UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon – AFP file

Speaking at a press conference at The Hague, Ban called to give UN inspectors more time to examine the scene of the chemical weapons attack near Damascus last week. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Ban Ki-moon, Syrian unrest, UK, UN, US

israelandstuffcom | August 29, 2013

Russian leader: The West acts ‘like a monkey with a grenade’…again

China reminds everyone how the current affair ‘is reminiscent of the lead-up to the Iraqi War,’ which was also based on allegations that proved false.

As Moscow sends emergency supplies to Damascus the Russian deputy premier criticizes the looming Western attack on Syria.

By Dan Lavie and News Agencies

Russian officials on Tuesday unleashed scathing criticism of the looming U.S.-led strike on Syria.

Critical of the West: Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin – Photo: Reuters

“The West behaves towards the Islamic world like a monkey with a grenade,” Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin posted on his Twitter account.

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: China, Russia, Syrian unrest

Turkey military on alert, possible ‘engagement’ with NATO allies

Turkey’s Foreign minister in Ankara says “all options on the table…Turkey will take whatever measures necessary within the framework of its own strategic interests,”

By MICHAEL WILNER, MAYA SHWAYDER

WASHINGTON/ NEW YORK — Turkey has placed its armed forces on alert in light of possible security threats from Syria as the West continues to discuss military action on the Damascus regime in response to a supposed chemical weapons attack, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Wednesday.

Turkish soldiers. – Photo: REUTERS

Davutoglu asserted that “all options are on the table” for Turkey to address the use of chemical weapons in Syria on a massive scale.

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: NATO, Syrian unrest, Turkey

LIVE TIMELINE: US readies strike on Syria as GB drafting UNSC resolution

Video: UN inspectors arrive outside Damascus at site of chemical attack.

Israeli cabinet convenes to discuss probable U.S.- U.K. attack.

By Haaretz

Momentum appeared to build Wednesday for Western military action against Syria, with the U.S. and France saying they are in position for a strike, while the government in Damascus vowed to use all possible measures to repel it.

A U.S. Navy F/A 18 Hornet fighter jet lands on the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier. – Photo: Reuters

The prospect of a dramatic U.S.-led intervention into Syria’s civil war stemmed from the West’s assertion – still not endorsed by UN inspectors – that President Bashar Assad‘s government was responsible for an alleged chemical attack on civilians outside Damascus on August 21 that the group Doctors Without Borders says killed 355 people. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Bashar Assad, Benjamin Netanyahu, Chemical Weapons, Syria, UNSC

Report: Assad & Family now in Iran

Daily Lebanese newspaper reports President Bashar al-Assad & his family safely arrived in Tehran for talks on a possible U.S.-U.K. Strike.

By Gil Ronen

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and members of his family are in Tehran, after they arrived at Homeini Airport in the presidential plane Tuesday night, sources in Iran’s foreign ministry told the website of Lebanese newsaper a-Nahar. The news did not receive confirmation from other official sources.

Assad on state television channel Al-Ikhbariya – AFP photo

Daily newspaper Israel Hayom, which cites the report, notes that a-Nahar is considered close to Hezbollah as well as to the leadership in Syria and Iran. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Bashar al-Assad, Iran Syria

Lebanese Jihadists: Rocket attack indicates resumption of war against the Jews

The Lebanese-based terrorist group that officially claimed responsibility for the rocket attack on northern Israel last week, said more attacks against the ‘Jewish conquerors’ will be forthcoming.

By Roi Kais

The Lebanon-based Azzam Abdullah Brigades, which claimed responsibility for the launching of four rockets toward the Western Galilee region last week issued a statement Tuesday saying the Ziad al-Jarah Battalion fired four 122-millimeter Grad rockets on its behalf toward “the cities of Nahariya and Akko in occupied Palestine.”

Exploded Grad rocket shot into the Galilee (archive) – Photo: IsraelandStuff /PP

The Azzam Abdullah Brigades further mentioned that the “green light given by Israel and the Western countries to Hezbollah in the fight against our people in Syria so that Israel could safeguard its security will not provide it with security. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Jihadists, Lebanon, Rocket attacks

Senior Syrian official: If Damascus attacked, Tel Aviv will be ‘set on fire’

Top Assad army officer tells Iranian news agency, ‘Israel will also be set on fire’ if anyone wages war against Syria.

By Roi Kais

“If Damascus is attacked, Tel Aviv will become a target and a full-scale war against Syria will essentially justify an attack against Israel,” a senior Syrian army official told Iranian news agency Fars on Tuesday.

Trying on my gas-mask – Photo: IsraelandStuff/PP

“If Syria is attacked, Israel will also be set on fire and such an attack will, in turn, engage Syria’s neighbors,” the source added.

The source also warned the US and other western states that if Syria “becomes weak,” certain “irresponsible” groups will be formed which will endanger Israel’s security. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Syrian unrest

israelandstuffcom | August 27, 2013

WATCH Video: PM Netanyahu tells Syria, Israel will retaliate forcefully if attacked

Israeli PM records clear & stern warning for Syria on possible eve of joint US-British strike against chemical weapons storage facilities.

By Israel Today Staff

Israeli Prime Minsiter Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday held emergency consultations with his security cabinet ahead of an expected American-British attack on Syria.

Embattled Syrian dictator Bashar Assad has threatened to retaliate against Israel if Western powers intervene in Syria’s bloody civil war.

Following Tuesday’s meeting, Netanyahu recorded the short video below in which he sternly warns Assad against targeting Israel.

The video is in Hebrew. The following is a translation of Netanyahu’s statement:

“We are prepared for any scenario. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Syrian missiles, Syrian unrest

israelandstuffcom | August 27, 2013

Pro-Palestinian hackers change Google’s Palestine Web page

Google.ps, has been ‘redesigned’ by hackers, apparently objecting to the Google Maps labeling of Israel and the Palestinian borders.

By JTA

JERUSALEM — Pro-Palestinian hackers calling for changing Israel to Palestine on Google Maps hacked the Google Palestine Web page.

Hack

The hackers on Monday diverted traffic from google.ps and redirected users to a hacked version of Google’s homepage.

“uncle google we say hi from Palestine to remember you that the country in google map not called israel. Its called Palestine,” the hacked page read.

The hackers also said on the page that changing “Isreal” on Google Maps to “Palestine” would be “revolution.”

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: Google, hackers, Palestinians

israelandstuffcom | August 27, 2013