Tuesday, August 7, 2007

The Middle East in Focus

This week, for all the headlines cited below, please join us in proclaiming THIS DECREE:

"All your words are true; all your righteous laws are eternal." (Psalm 119:160)

1. Israel-PA Open Talks on Palestinian State -ICEJ News; Jerusalem Post

Historic Olmert-Abbas summit signals momentum

In the latest sign the Israeli-Palestinian peace track has gathered an unexpected new momentum, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert met in Jericho on Monday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss the "skeleton" of a future agreement on Palestinian statehood ahead of a US-sponsored regional conference to be held this fall.

2. Security and Defense: Barak's plan for winning the next war - Jerusalem Post

Since taking up his post a month-and-a-half ago, Barak has rarely been seen in public, let alone to speak. Unlike past defense ministers Shaul Mofaz and Amir Peretz, who visited IDF bases every Tuesday together with a large entourage of reporters and cameramen, Barak conducts his tours discreetly and behind the scenes.

3. Israeli media reports Syria prepping for war - WND

Israeli media today reported on a series of Syrian military moves aimed at preparing for a confrontation with the Jewish state - all of which were first exclusively reported by WND, in some cases almost one year ago.

4. IDF says air strike foiled terror attack - Jerusalem Post

A massive terror attack was foiled Saturday night when an IAF air strike on two vehicles near the southern Gaza Strip's border with Egypt killed two Palestinians, including an Islamic Jihad operative, and wounded 21 others, the IDF said.

5. Orthodox troops refuse to evacuate Hebron families - ICEJ News

The IDF came down hard on Monday on thirty yeshiva students serving in the army who are refusing on religious grounds to take part in the evacuation of two Jewish families from a disputed area of Hebron.

6. UNSC Voices "Grave Concern" Over Arms Smuggling to Lebanon - ICEJ News

In a move welcomed by Israel, the United Nations Security Council on Friday expressed "grave concern" over persistent reports of arms smuggling to Lebanon, but refused to single out Syria and Iran over their violations of the UN arms embargo imposed in UNSC Resolution 1701 following last year's Second Lebanon War.