Friday, Oct 23 '09, Cheshvan 5, 5770 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
1. Report: Israel, Iran Meet in Cairo by Maayana Miskin Israeli and Iranian officials met in Cairo last month to discuss regional nuclear issues, according to international media reports based on statements from Israeli and Egyptian officials. Iranian officials later denied the reports. Israeli officials declined to discuss the alleged talks on Thursday. The talks allegedly took place in late September, during a Middle East disarmament conference. The conference was attended by both Iranian delegate Ali Asghar Soltanieh and Israel Atomic Energy Commission director Meirav Zafary-Odiz; the two reportedly held a dialogue while there. The conference was also attended by delegates from around the Middle East, as well as European and United States officials. Iranian Official Rejects Western Offer The Deputy Speaker of Iran's Parliament, Mohammed Reza Bahonar, announced Thursday that Iran has rejected a Western offer under which Russia would enrich uranium on Iran's behalf in exchange for the placement of limits on Iran's nuclear program. Bahonar's statements were reported in Iranian media. The offer, made during a recent international summit in Vienna, is aimed at preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon while allowing the use of uranium for civilian purposes. It was not clear if Bahonar's statements in fact reflected the position of the Iranian government. Iranian leaders have not yet issued a response to the offer. Israel Concerned, Silent Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gathered his top seven cabinet ministers this week to discuss the offer extended to Iran. Israeli leaders are reportedly concerned that the offer would merely delay the development of Iran's nuclear capabilities, but would not prevent the Islamic Republic from creating nuclear weapons at a later stage. However, Israeli officials have chosen not to respond in public to reports surrounding Iran's talks with the United States and Europe.Major-General Aharon Zeevi-Farkash, the former Director of Military Intelligence, said Thursday that he sees the latest contacts between Iran and the West as “a good sign.” However, he said, “We still need to be careful. I do not want to say at this stage that the threat has passed.” Comment on this story 2. Expert: Iran Buying Time with Shoddy Deal by Gil Ronen Dr. Emily Landau, Head of Weapons Control Project at the Institute for National Security Studies, said in an interview with Arutz Sheva that the U.S., Russia and France's agreement to a deal with Iran in which 75 percent of its uranium will be enriched outside the country allows Iran to buy more time. "If you take a look at the arrangement, which has not yet been ratified, then it is true that 75 percent of the uranium will be transferred to Russia and France, but Iran on its end has not committed to stop its enrichment activity at Natanz, so even if the delivery of enriched uranium outside Iran decreases the stockpile in its possession, it could replenish it in less than a year's time.” Iranian success The fact that such an “shoddy arrangement” with Iran is being set up will prevent the West from conducting effective negotiations that could halt the nuclear project, she said. “Iran has actually succeeded now in deflecting the world's attention from the main problem for which the talks were started on October 1 2009, namely – Iran's continued enrichment of uranium and its possible achievement of military nuclear capability in the foreseeable future. Iran, meanwhile, continues to enrich additional uranium, and even if this is done in small quantities, in the end they will succeed in replenishing their stocks. There was no statement in this arrangement calling for them to stop the activity.” Iran has received greater legitimacy now, Landau said. “According to this arrangement, the Iranians are now only receiving a stamp of approval for the fact that they are enriching uranium. Beyond that it needs to be said that all of these small steps that talk of a certain level of cooperation with Iran will only lower the West's motivation to fight Iran. If in the past they were talking about sanctions agsint Iran, now they are not even talking about that. This arrangement only lowers the tension. US President Obama decided on a certain direction of diplomacy, and that is why he is now trying to show that he has accomplished something, but he is stepping into a trap because he is losing in the big picture.” Israel has no choice now but to let the diplomatic process play itself out, Landau opined. “We need to wait and see what the US will do now. Israel can express its opinion in talks with the Americans, but as far as military action, I do not see a possibility for Israel to act in the middle of a diplomatic move.” Comment on this story 3. Goldstone Challenges Obama over Bias Claims by Maayana Miskin Jurist Richard Goldstone, whose report to the United Nations accused Israel of war crimes, challenged United States President Barack Obama on Thursday over charges of bias. Obama's administration expressed concern that the report was both biased against Israel and flawed. "I have yet to hear from the Obama administration what the flaws in the report that they have identified are. I would be happy to respond to them,” Goldstone told the pan-Arab news network Al Jazeera. Goldstone noted that despite its criticism, the Obama administration had joined him in calling on both Israel and Hamas to conduct investigations in wake of the report. Goldstone's report focused on Israel's Cast Lead counterterror offensive in Gaza in December 2008 and January 2009. The report mainly focused on Israel, which was accused of violating international law in a variety of ways, and also touched on terror group Hamas, which was accused of human rights violations as well. The report was based largely on individual testimony and on information given by human rights organizations, among them groups known for their criticism of Israel such as Adalah and B'Tselem. Israel refused to cooperate with the report in an official capacity due to fears that the UN committee sent to research Cast Lead was fundamentally biased. Hamas: Goldstone Never Blamed Us Meanwhile, senior Hamas terrorist Moussa Abu Marzuk told the pan-Arab network Al-Arabiyya that Hamas had not come under Goldstone's criticism for its attacks on Israel. Marzuk, whose group was referred to in the report by the neutral term “Gaza authorities,” claimed that Goldstone had expressed concern over Hamas's treatment of political opponents, but had not accused the group of war crimes in connection to the firing of rockets at Israeli civilians. The Goldstone report stated that: “It is the Mission’s view that the mortars and rockets [fired at Israel – ed are uncontrolled and uncontrollable, respectively. This indicates the commission of an indiscriminate attack on the civilian population of southern Israel, a war crime, and may amount to crimes against humanity.” However, the report did not accuse Hamas in particular of launching these attacks, but rather expressed concern that Hamas had failed to prevent attacks conducted by “armed groups” within Gaza. Marzuk said, therefore, that Hamas would conduct an investigation into the crimes which it was charged with in the report – namely, oppressing members of the rival Fatah movement. The attacks Hamas carried out against Israeli civilians will not be included in the probe. Comment on this story 4. Israel Plans Major Excavation at Western Wall by Samuel Sokol Israel is planning a major archaeological dig under the Western Wall (Kotel) plaza, opposite the Temple Mount, officials announced Thursday. The excavations will create an archaeological park directly underneath the area where worshippers currently stand while praying at the Kotel. The current prayer area will remain open, supported by pillars, while a new area will be added underneath, at the level at which worshippers at the ancient Temple stood in the past. The dig may be met with harsh reactions from Muslim and Arab leaders in Israel and the Palestinian Authority, many of whom have accused Israel of attempting to damage the Al-Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount. Jerusalem-area Muslims recently rioted for several days after it was rumored that “Jewish settlers” had planned to pray on the Temple Mount. The Government Press Office gave foreign journalists a tour of Kotel-area excavations this week. The tour, ostensibly an apolitical opportunity to view new historic findings, appeared to be aimed at countering Muslim criticism of Israeli excavations as well. See drawing of planned archeological park A reference to Salah Kotel Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch met with the journalists and criticized religious leaders who use the Kotel excavations as an excuse for violence. When asked, the rabbi said that he was referring to Sheikh Raed Salah, among others. Sheikh Salah, leader of the extremist Islamic Movement, has been involved in many of the anti-Israel riots centered around the Temple Mount. Rabbi Rabinovitch informed the reporters that Jewish law forbids digs directly underneath the Temple Mount, where the Al-Aksa mosque is located. Digs take place around the mount, not beneath it, he said. The journalists also met with engineers and others involved in the archaeological digs, who assured them that despite accusations to the contrary, Israel's excavations do not cause harm to structures in the area. In fact, they explained, the excavations have improved structural stability in the Temple Mount area, as they led to discovery and strengthening of areas in which there was a danger of collapse. Maayana Miskin contributed to this report. Comment on this story 5. Unprecedented IDF Mutiny at Kotel by Gil Ronen An unprecedented mutiny took place at the swearing-in ceremony of Shimshon Battalion soldiers at the Kotel Thursday evening. Immediately after being sworn in, some of the soldiers raised large signs which said “Shimshon Battalion does not carry out evictions at Homesh.” Parents of soldiers also raised similar signs at the same moment. [weJe Email readers, please click here to view the film. Video shows soldiers shouting out vow of allegiance and unfurling sign, subsequent talk with commanders. / Arutz Sheva. The anger and frustration within the ranks of the Shimshon soldiers and their families reached a boiling point after the battalion carried out numerous evictions at Homesh – a Shomron (Samaria) community that was razed in the “Disengagement”. Just as the Kfir Regiment Commander began his speech at the ceremony, soldiers from the battalion and raised two large signs against the evictions. Similar signs were raised by the soldiers' relatives in the audience. The “Disengagement” carried out in 2005 by the government of now-comatose Ariel Sharon included the destruction of all Jewish communities in Gaza. It was carried out in the hope of bringing about peace with the Arabs. However, no peace has materialized, and Jewish activists have been persistent in their attempts to return to Homesh. The military, on its side, has been evicting these Jews from the ruins time and time again – sometimes in a violent manner, and often on the Jewish Sabbath. Col. Oren Abman / Israel news photo: Kfir amuta website IDF officials warned Friday that the soldiers could face expulsion from Shimshon for their actions. "This was a shameful and anomalous breach of IDF discipline," a spokesman said. "Kfir Regiment Commander Colonel Oren Abman will consider terminating their service in the regiment." Comment on this story 6. From Destruction to Renewal in 12 Hours by IsraelNN staff The families living in Mitzpeh Avichai, near the city of Kiryat Arba in the Hevron region, managed to rebuild a number of homes on Thursday within a few hours of their total destruction. The homes were demolished the night before. The story began at 1:30 a.m. Thursday, when security forces arrived unannounced in the outpost and proceeded to demolish three houses. Residents of Mitzpeh Avichai accused police of destroying the buildings without official authorization to do so. One family, a couple with two children, was given only five minutes to leave their home, residents reported. The family was removed from the building by force and their belongings thrown on the ground outside, then the building was demolished. Land of Israel activists published a notice Thursday accusing new Judea and Samaria commander Avi Mizrachi of “continuing with the destructive policies set forth by his predecessor, Gadi Shamni.” Outposts that are destroyed will be rebuilt, they announced, in accordance with the biblical verse “But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and the more they spread abroad” (Exodus 1:12). The process of demolition and reconstruction was documented by residents of the Hevron region, and the pictures were placed on the Eretz Yisrael – Mamshichim U'b'gaon (“Land of Israel – Continuing with Pride”) website. A home in Mitzpeh Avichai, prior to Thursday's demolition The home is destroyed The family's belongings are thrown on the ground outside A Mitzpeh Avichai resident watches the demolition while cradling his child Newly homeless, a child sleeps next to the ruins of Mitzpeh Avichai On Thursday morning, the families prepare to begin anew Three-year-old Nahala assists in the reconstruction of her home All photos courtesy of “Eretz Yisrael – Mamshichim U'b'gaon.” Comment on this story 7. Thousands of Israeli, American Soldiers begin 'Juniper Cobra' by Maayana Miskin More than 2,000 officers and soldiers from the Israeli and American armies began a joint military exercise on Thursday morning. The drill, titled “Juniper Cobra,” is being conducted for the fifth time since 2001, and will focus on defensive measures against ground-to-ground missiles. Air, land, and sea forces from both the Israeli and United States militaries are taking part in the exercise. [weJe Email readers, please click here to view the video report. IDF Brigadier-General Doron Gavish said the exercise would not include aggressive maneuvers. Gavish spoke at a joint press conference with U.S. Rear Admiral John Richardson. Both Gavish and Richardson denied that the exercise was connected to recent international events, including concerns of a missile threat facing Europe and talks between Western powers and Iran over the latter country's nuclear program. The drill “is the fifth of its kind, and has been in the works for a year and a half. It is not in any way tied to current regional developments,” Gavish said. While the exercise was not planned in response to recent threats, the lessons learned may be implemented in developing situations, Richardson said. "This exercise is not directly related to recent announcement about ballistic missile defense in Europe, but the lessons and the insights that we gain from this exercise will certainly relate to developing that capability,” he explained. "Most importantly,” he said, “we will advance the trust and the confidence in the relationship between our two forces.” Richardson: Israel Can Defend Itself In response to a question from the press, Richardson said he is confident that Israel is capable of defending its citizens. Calling the IDF a “highly capable force,” Richardson expressed confidence that the Israeli military can handle whatever challenges it faces without outside help. Comment on this story |
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