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1. High-Noon Showdown in Jerusalem over Migron
by Gil Ronen
Residents of Migron are angrily converging on the Prime Minister's residence in Jerusalem as the government tries to explain why it is reneging on the deal it struck with them.
Minister Benny Begin, who is the government's point man for dealing with the Migron residents, began a news conference at noon, while residents were to start a demonstration outside Binyamin Netanyahu's home two hours later.
Begin opened the news conference with a repetition of a famous statement by his father, the late Menachem Begin: "With G-d's help," he said, "there will be many Elon Morehs." The statement "there will be many Elon Morehs" was made by his father at the community of Elon Moreh in the days when the first Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria were being built, and Benny Begin's repetition of it is an attempt to assure present-day settlers that he is on their side.
"If things develop, by the end of 2012 there will be 360,000 Jews in Judea and Samaria, one third of them on the Road of the Patriarchs along the mountain ridge. This enterprise is dear to us all and the deeper-rooted the communities become in their land, the better for the State of Israel."
The residents are asking citizens to join their struggle. MK Danny Danon (Likud) called upon Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu not to allow the demolition of homes at Migron. "Twenty years after the death of Menachem Begin," he said, "the State of Israel under the Likud must make a clear, sharp statement: Settling Judea and Samaria and safeguarding the settlement is our raison d'être."
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by Gil Ronen
Residents of Migron are angrily converging on the Prime Minister's residence in Jerusalem as the government tries to explain why it is reneging on the deal it struck with them.
Minister Benny Begin, who is the government's point man for dealing with the Migron residents, began a news conference at noon, while residents were to start a demonstration outside Binyamin Netanyahu's home two hours later.
Begin opened the news conference with a repetition of a famous statement by his father, the late Menachem Begin: "With G-d's help," he said, "there will be many Elon Morehs." The statement "there will be many Elon Morehs" was made by his father at the community of Elon Moreh in the days when the first Jewish settlements in Judea and Samaria were being built, and Benny Begin's repetition of it is an attempt to assure present-day settlers that he is on their side.
"If things develop, by the end of 2012 there will be 360,000 Jews in Judea and Samaria, one third of them on the Road of the Patriarchs along the mountain ridge. This enterprise is dear to us all and the deeper-rooted the communities become in their land, the better for the State of Israel."
The residents are asking citizens to join their struggle. MK Danny Danon (Likud) called upon Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu not to allow the demolition of homes at Migron. "Twenty years after the death of Menachem Begin," he said, "the State of Israel under the Likud must make a clear, sharp statement: Settling Judea and Samaria and safeguarding the settlement is our raison d'être."
Tags: Migron ,Benny Begin
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2. University Closes Doors on "Israel Apartheid Week"
by Rachel Hirshfeld
A French university, Paris Sorbonne No.8, will be closing its doors for two days in an attempt to prevent “Israel Apartheid Week” events from taking place on campus grounds.
The president of the university, Pascal Binczak, decided to close its doors for two days, as a result of a conference entitled “Israel: an Apartheid State?” that purportedly aims to discuss new "social, historical and legal methods of internationally boycotting Israel."
Binczak’s decision to close the university on Monday and Tuesday received the backing of the French courts. Anti-Israel activists have said, however, that they will nonetheless hold the event by force. In response to charges by the 'activists' that not allowing the event will impair 'academic freedom,' the university has said that there is no academic freedom at an event where the other side cannot respond, Israel Radio reported.
While the anti-Israeli group did originally receive permission to hold the event, the university withdrew the decision due to the event’s “highly polemic nature” and likelihood to cause “disturbances to public order.”
The university suggested, however, that while the event cannot be held on campus grounds, the group can host the event in another location.
The group filed a petition to the administrative court in an attempt to override president Binczak's decision, but the court rejected the request.
The group stated: "Is it no longer possible to exercise freedom of speech in French universities in relation to the field of the politics of Israel and Palestine? The cancellation of the upcoming conference is a clear demonstration of how the management of a public academic institution will yield to the injunctions and threats from a corpus that presents itself as the voice of the entire Jewish community in France but is in reality a mouthpiece for the Israeli embassy."
Binczak published an article in the French newspaper Le Monde defending his decision. He cited a recent surge in anti-Semitic incidents on campus including graffiti and other defacements linking the Jewish Star of David to a Nazi swastika. He said such instances and the hostile and biased tone of the event were cause for concern and reason to close university grounds. He said that the group was taking advantage of academic freedom.
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by Rachel Hirshfeld
A French university, Paris Sorbonne No.8, will be closing its doors for two days in an attempt to prevent “Israel Apartheid Week” events from taking place on campus grounds.
The president of the university, Pascal Binczak, decided to close its doors for two days, as a result of a conference entitled “Israel: an Apartheid State?” that purportedly aims to discuss new "social, historical and legal methods of internationally boycotting Israel."
Binczak’s decision to close the university on Monday and Tuesday received the backing of the French courts. Anti-Israel activists have said, however, that they will nonetheless hold the event by force. In response to charges by the 'activists' that not allowing the event will impair 'academic freedom,' the university has said that there is no academic freedom at an event where the other side cannot respond, Israel Radio reported.
While the anti-Israeli group did originally receive permission to hold the event, the university withdrew the decision due to the event’s “highly polemic nature” and likelihood to cause “disturbances to public order.”
The university suggested, however, that while the event cannot be held on campus grounds, the group can host the event in another location.
The group filed a petition to the administrative court in an attempt to override president Binczak's decision, but the court rejected the request.
The group stated: "Is it no longer possible to exercise freedom of speech in French universities in relation to the field of the politics of Israel and Palestine? The cancellation of the upcoming conference is a clear demonstration of how the management of a public academic institution will yield to the injunctions and threats from a corpus that presents itself as the voice of the entire Jewish community in France but is in reality a mouthpiece for the Israeli embassy."
Binczak published an article in the French newspaper Le Monde defending his decision. He cited a recent surge in anti-Semitic incidents on campus including graffiti and other defacements linking the Jewish Star of David to a Nazi swastika. He said such instances and the hostile and biased tone of the event were cause for concern and reason to close university grounds. He said that the group was taking advantage of academic freedom.
Tags: Israel Apartheid Week ,France ,University
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3. Qatar Says UN Should Investigate 'Judaization' of Jerusalem
by Elad Benari
Qatar urged the United Nations on Sunday to investigate the “Judaization” by Israel of east Jerusalem and that Israel's “occupation of the Palestinian territories” was unacceptable, AFP reported.
The remarks were made by the Qatari leader at the International Conference for Defense of Jerusalem being held in Doha.
“We must act quickly to stop the Judaization of Jerusalem,” Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, was quoted by AFP as having said at the conference.
Sheikh Hamad also called on the UN to “investigate the measures Israel has taken to Judaize Jerusalem since its occupation in 1967.”
According to the report, he warned that public opinion in the Arab world, where months of popular protests overthrew four long-time strongmen in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen, “has awakened and will not accept” anything “less than a just peace based on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”
He added, “Is it conceivable that the people that could no longer tolerate oppression at home will accept the oppression of a foreign occupation?”
Speaking at the same conference, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of trying to remove Jerusalem’s Arab and Christian character.
Abbas charged Israel with “using the ugliest and most dangerous means to implement plans to erase and remove the Arab-Islamic and the Christian character of east Jerusalem.”
He charged that Israel’s alleged apartheid wall has isolated Arabs from Jerusalem and said that Arabs find it “almost impossible” to enter because of the lack of permits. In fact, thousands of Arabs from Judea and Samaria enter Jerusalem every day.
Dozens of Palestinian Authority clerics have denied any Jewish connection to the holy site, and the Muslim custodians at the Temple Mount have used backhoes and tractors to remove tons of dirt that might contain Jewish artifacts.
Abbas said, “Jerusalem belongs to all of us and no one can stop us from accessing it.”
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu condemned Abbas’ remarks on Sunday, calling his speech “a harshly inflammatory speech from someone who claims that he is bent on peace.”
“The time has come for the Palestinian leadership to stop denying the past and distorting reality,” Netanyahu said. “For thousands of years Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jewish People. Jerusalem, under Israeli sovereignty, will continue to be open to believers of all faiths. There is freedom of worship for all and Israel will continue to carefully maintain the holy places of all religions.
“Abu Mazen [Abbas -- ed.] knows full well that there is no foundation to his contemptible remarks, including his baseless and irresponsible claims regarding the al-Aqsa Mosque. The State of Israel expects that one who supposedly champions peace would prepare his people for peace and coexistence and not disseminate lies and incitement. This is not how one makes peace."
The conference in Doha is also being attended by at least two Israeli Arab MKs, Ahmed Tibi, and MK Taleb El-Sana. Despite them being members of Israel’s parliament, they were listed as representatives of “Palestine.”
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by Elad Benari
Qatar urged the United Nations on Sunday to investigate the “Judaization” by Israel of east Jerusalem and that Israel's “occupation of the Palestinian territories” was unacceptable, AFP reported.
The remarks were made by the Qatari leader at the International Conference for Defense of Jerusalem being held in Doha.
“We must act quickly to stop the Judaization of Jerusalem,” Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, was quoted by AFP as having said at the conference.
Sheikh Hamad also called on the UN to “investigate the measures Israel has taken to Judaize Jerusalem since its occupation in 1967.”
According to the report, he warned that public opinion in the Arab world, where months of popular protests overthrew four long-time strongmen in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and Yemen, “has awakened and will not accept” anything “less than a just peace based on the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.”
He added, “Is it conceivable that the people that could no longer tolerate oppression at home will accept the oppression of a foreign occupation?”
Speaking at the same conference, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas accused Israel of trying to remove Jerusalem’s Arab and Christian character.
Abbas charged Israel with “using the ugliest and most dangerous means to implement plans to erase and remove the Arab-Islamic and the Christian character of east Jerusalem.”
He charged that Israel’s alleged apartheid wall has isolated Arabs from Jerusalem and said that Arabs find it “almost impossible” to enter because of the lack of permits. In fact, thousands of Arabs from Judea and Samaria enter Jerusalem every day.
Dozens of Palestinian Authority clerics have denied any Jewish connection to the holy site, and the Muslim custodians at the Temple Mount have used backhoes and tractors to remove tons of dirt that might contain Jewish artifacts.
Abbas said, “Jerusalem belongs to all of us and no one can stop us from accessing it.”
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu condemned Abbas’ remarks on Sunday, calling his speech “a harshly inflammatory speech from someone who claims that he is bent on peace.”
“The time has come for the Palestinian leadership to stop denying the past and distorting reality,” Netanyahu said. “For thousands of years Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jewish People. Jerusalem, under Israeli sovereignty, will continue to be open to believers of all faiths. There is freedom of worship for all and Israel will continue to carefully maintain the holy places of all religions.
“Abu Mazen [Abbas -- ed.] knows full well that there is no foundation to his contemptible remarks, including his baseless and irresponsible claims regarding the al-Aqsa Mosque. The State of Israel expects that one who supposedly champions peace would prepare his people for peace and coexistence and not disseminate lies and incitement. This is not how one makes peace."
The conference in Doha is also being attended by at least two Israeli Arab MKs, Ahmed Tibi, and MK Taleb El-Sana. Despite them being members of Israel’s parliament, they were listed as representatives of “Palestine.”
Tags: Qatar ,Doha ,Mahmoud Abbas ,Jerusalem
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4. Israel: Arab MKS 'Deliberately Spread Dangerous Libel'
by Chana Ya'ar
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev strongly condemned statements made by Arab Mks Ahmed Tibi and Taleb El-Sana in Doha on Sunday.
The two lawmakers, both of whom draw salaries supported by Israeli taxpayers, are listed as representatives of “Palestine” at the International Conference for Defense of Jerusalem in Qatar.
Both Israeli Arab MKs made statements to the Qatari media claiming that Israel is an “occupying power” in the holy city. El-Sana warned that Israel is threatening the existence of the al-Aqsa mosque, located in Jerusalem's Old City.
“Anyone who states there is a threat to the al-Aqsa mosque is deliberately spreading a dangerous libel,” Regev stated bluntly in a conversation with Arutz Sheva on Sunday night.
The spokesman for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Regev then went even further. “This behavior is both dishonest and irresponsible, and should be condemned,” he said flatly.
However, Regev sidestepped the question on the legality of the two Israeli lawmakers' presence in an enemy nation, in a forum that aligns itself against the State of Israel, listed as official representatives of a hostile entity.
“They are both Knesset members,” he pointed out. “Ask the Speaker of the Knesset. That is the correct address for that question.”
Several efforts to reach spokespersons for Speaker Reuven Rivlin immediately following the conversation with Regev, however, met with failure. A female aide who was reached, after hearing the question, informed Arutz Sheva that “at this hour, the office is closed.”
The conference, jointly organized by Qatar and the Arab League, is aimed at reinforcing Jerusalem as the capital of a hoped-for independent Arab nation, to be created from the Palestinian Authority.
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by Chana Ya'ar
Israeli government spokesman Mark Regev strongly condemned statements made by Arab Mks Ahmed Tibi and Taleb El-Sana in Doha on Sunday.
The two lawmakers, both of whom draw salaries supported by Israeli taxpayers, are listed as representatives of “Palestine” at the International Conference for Defense of Jerusalem in Qatar.
Both Israeli Arab MKs made statements to the Qatari media claiming that Israel is an “occupying power” in the holy city. El-Sana warned that Israel is threatening the existence of the al-Aqsa mosque, located in Jerusalem's Old City.
“Anyone who states there is a threat to the al-Aqsa mosque is deliberately spreading a dangerous libel,” Regev stated bluntly in a conversation with Arutz Sheva on Sunday night.
The spokesman for Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Regev then went even further. “This behavior is both dishonest and irresponsible, and should be condemned,” he said flatly.
However, Regev sidestepped the question on the legality of the two Israeli lawmakers' presence in an enemy nation, in a forum that aligns itself against the State of Israel, listed as official representatives of a hostile entity.
“They are both Knesset members,” he pointed out. “Ask the Speaker of the Knesset. That is the correct address for that question.”
Several efforts to reach spokespersons for Speaker Reuven Rivlin immediately following the conversation with Regev, however, met with failure. A female aide who was reached, after hearing the question, informed Arutz Sheva that “at this hour, the office is closed.”
The conference, jointly organized by Qatar and the Arab League, is aimed at reinforcing Jerusalem as the capital of a hoped-for independent Arab nation, to be created from the Palestinian Authority.
Tags: Mark Regev ,Ahmed Tibi ,Taleb El-Sana ,Doha ,Qatar ,PA ,Jerusalem ,Al-Aqsa
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Qatar Says UN Should Investigate 'Judaization' of Jerusalem
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Netanyahu Slams Abbas' 'Contemptible' Doha Speech
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5. Netanyahu Slams Abbas' 'Contemptible' Doha Speech
by Chana Ya'ar
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had fiery words for Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas Sunday evening after a day in which the Fatah and PLO leader delivered a speech that attempted to deny the ancient Jewish roots of Jerusalem. Abbas told Arab leaders in Doha that visiting "occupied Jerusalem" was the goal of every Muslim, Arab and Christian.
Speaking at the International Conference for Defense of Jerusalem on Qatar, Abbas said “The Israeli occupation authorities are using the ugliest and most dangerous means to implement plans to erase and remove the Arab-Islamic and the Christian character of east Jerusalem.”
He accused Israel of surrounding Jerusalem with “an apartheid wall and a band of settlements in order to isolate the city from its surroundings in the West Bank.” Abbas added that Israel had made it “almost impossible to obtain” permits for PA Arabs to enter the city and said that visiting “occupied Jerusalem” was the goal of every Arab, Muslim and Christian.
"This is a harshly inflammatory speech from someone who claims that he is bent on peace,” Israel's prime minister responded. “The time has come for the Palestinian leadership to stop denying the past and distorting reality."
“For thousands of years Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jewish People. Jerusalem, under Israeli sovereignty, will continue to be open to believers of all faiths. There is freedom of worship for all and Israel will continue to carefully maintain the holy places of all religions.
“Abu Mazen [Abbas -- ed.] knows full well that there is no foundation to his contemptible remarks, including his baseless and irresponsible claims regarding the al-Aqsa Mosque. The State of Israel expects that one who supposedly champions peace would prepare his people for peace and coexistence and not disseminate lies and incitement. This is not how one makes peace."
Comment on this story
by Chana Ya'ar
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had fiery words for Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas Sunday evening after a day in which the Fatah and PLO leader delivered a speech that attempted to deny the ancient Jewish roots of Jerusalem. Abbas told Arab leaders in Doha that visiting "occupied Jerusalem" was the goal of every Muslim, Arab and Christian.
Speaking at the International Conference for Defense of Jerusalem on Qatar, Abbas said “The Israeli occupation authorities are using the ugliest and most dangerous means to implement plans to erase and remove the Arab-Islamic and the Christian character of east Jerusalem.”
He accused Israel of surrounding Jerusalem with “an apartheid wall and a band of settlements in order to isolate the city from its surroundings in the West Bank.” Abbas added that Israel had made it “almost impossible to obtain” permits for PA Arabs to enter the city and said that visiting “occupied Jerusalem” was the goal of every Arab, Muslim and Christian.
"This is a harshly inflammatory speech from someone who claims that he is bent on peace,” Israel's prime minister responded. “The time has come for the Palestinian leadership to stop denying the past and distorting reality."
“For thousands of years Jerusalem has been the eternal capital of the Jewish People. Jerusalem, under Israeli sovereignty, will continue to be open to believers of all faiths. There is freedom of worship for all and Israel will continue to carefully maintain the holy places of all religions.
“Abu Mazen [Abbas -- ed.] knows full well that there is no foundation to his contemptible remarks, including his baseless and irresponsible claims regarding the al-Aqsa Mosque. The State of Israel expects that one who supposedly champions peace would prepare his people for peace and coexistence and not disseminate lies and incitement. This is not how one makes peace."
Tags: Mahmoud Abbas ,Doha ,Netanyahu ,Qatar ,Jerusalem
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Israel: Arab MKS 'Deliberately Spread Dangerous Libel'
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Abbas Declares Diplomatic War on Jerusalem
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Congressmen and Hoenlein Attacked on Mount of Olives
Comment on this story
6. Jewish Leaders: Synagogues Should be More Accessible
by Elad Benari
Hundreds of synagogue gabbais (sextons), heads of religious local authorities and rabbis from Israel and around the world participated in a special conference in Jerusalem on Sunday evening.
The conference was organized by the Besheva group, which includes the weekly Hebrew newspaper Besheva as well the Arutz Sheva website. Other co-organizers included the Israeli Chief Rabbinate and the Union of Synagogues in Israel.
At the center of the conference was a call by the synagogue leaders to open the gates of the synagogues to the general public.
“Synagogues must open to everyone, and the gabbais and community members should invest in an endless effort for unity among the people of Israel,” Dudu Saada, the chair of the Besheva group, said during the conference. “This is an important call which unfortunately is not obvious to many people in Israel. This perception must be changed from its foundation.”
Rabbi Avichai Katzin, Dean of Beit Midrash Reisheet in Ra'anana, spoke of a feeling of alienation among many secular visitors to the synagogues, which he said must be changed by connecting the public to the synagogue and making the synagogue service accessible and user-friendly to those who are unfamiliar with the liturgy.
The participants in the conference brought forth ideas for new projects that would be implemented in the coming year, in Israel and in Jewish communities worldwide, in order to connect the secular public to the religious public and give access to synagogues to the population at large. Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Rav Shlomo Amar, joined the call and noted that the synagogue is a place of brotherhood and friendship between all parts of the nation, and that hearts must be opened for the unity of Israel.
The climax of the evening was the handing out of awards to selected gabbais from across the country in recognition of their leadership. Among those gabbais who were selected following the recommendations of a special committee headed by the Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi, Rav Yona Metzger, were also two women. The two are Nitza Smilansky of Kibbutz Ein Harod and Tikva Tzemah-Shavit from Kibbutz Ayelet Hashachar, both secular kibbutzim which have had active synagogues for years, as part of their desire to maintain Jewish tradition.
The Kibbutz synagogues hold prayer services for those members who wish to pray. Bar Mitzvah ceremonies are held for children, classes are held for the entire public, and other activities revolving the Jewish life cycle are held throughout the year.
Comment on this story
by Elad Benari
Hundreds of synagogue gabbais (sextons), heads of religious local authorities and rabbis from Israel and around the world participated in a special conference in Jerusalem on Sunday evening.
The conference was organized by the Besheva group, which includes the weekly Hebrew newspaper Besheva as well the Arutz Sheva website. Other co-organizers included the Israeli Chief Rabbinate and the Union of Synagogues in Israel.
At the center of the conference was a call by the synagogue leaders to open the gates of the synagogues to the general public.
“Synagogues must open to everyone, and the gabbais and community members should invest in an endless effort for unity among the people of Israel,” Dudu Saada, the chair of the Besheva group, said during the conference. “This is an important call which unfortunately is not obvious to many people in Israel. This perception must be changed from its foundation.”
Rabbi Avichai Katzin, Dean of Beit Midrash Reisheet in Ra'anana, spoke of a feeling of alienation among many secular visitors to the synagogues, which he said must be changed by connecting the public to the synagogue and making the synagogue service accessible and user-friendly to those who are unfamiliar with the liturgy.
The participants in the conference brought forth ideas for new projects that would be implemented in the coming year, in Israel and in Jewish communities worldwide, in order to connect the secular public to the religious public and give access to synagogues to the population at large. Israel's Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Rav Shlomo Amar, joined the call and noted that the synagogue is a place of brotherhood and friendship between all parts of the nation, and that hearts must be opened for the unity of Israel.
The climax of the evening was the handing out of awards to selected gabbais from across the country in recognition of their leadership. Among those gabbais who were selected following the recommendations of a special committee headed by the Chief Ashkenazi Rabbi, Rav Yona Metzger, were also two women. The two are Nitza Smilansky of Kibbutz Ein Harod and Tikva Tzemah-Shavit from Kibbutz Ayelet Hashachar, both secular kibbutzim which have had active synagogues for years, as part of their desire to maintain Jewish tradition.
The Kibbutz synagogues hold prayer services for those members who wish to pray. Bar Mitzvah ceremonies are held for children, classes are held for the entire public, and other activities revolving the Jewish life cycle are held throughout the year.
Tags: synagogues ,secular ,religious
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7. Iran’s Gamble – The Proliferation Sprint
by Gavriel Queenann
Iran stands at the threshold of a nuclear weapons capability as the world watches in indecision.
Sanctions, covert action, and diplomacy have failed to alter Iran’s nuclear policy. Nor have they had a visible effect Iran's the enrichment program – including Tehran's growing stockpile of 19.75% low-enriched uranium (LEU).
Obtaining weapons-grade high-enriched uranium (HEU) is the most difficult and technically challenging obstacle to acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Assessing the “breakout” time – the time required to convert LEU to weapons-grade HEU – is therefore a critical component of determining progress toward a nuclear weapons capability.
Iran’s bank of rapidly spinning centrifuges has produced a growing stockpile of low-enriched uranium, able to fuel nuclear reactors, but able also to fuel nuclear weapons if further enriched. Enrichment raises the concentration of the uranium isotope U-235, which fissions in first-generation nuclear weapons.
As Iran increases its stockpile of low-enriched uranium, and its stockpile of uranium is enriched to 20 percent U-235, it will consolidate its status as a "virtual" nuclear weapon state.
Iran's enrichment activities occur at its facilities in Natanz and Fordow. The Natanz facility is above ground and – despite Iran's attempts to protect it with anti-aircraft defenses and a fighter screen – remains vulnerable to attack.
As a result, Iran has accelerated its uranium enrichment activities at the Fordow facility. The site – once covert and grossly mischaracterized by US officials as a façade – is buried in the side of a small mountain outside Qom.
Considered a "hard target" by military analysts, Fordow is the focus of intense scrutiny by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the subject of the nuclear watchdog’s detailed analysis of Tehran's weaponization work.
According the IAEA, Fordow began producing uranium enriched to 20 percent earlier this year and has recently seen an expansion of its advanced centrifuges – the key and difficult-to-obtain component in enrichment activities.
These developments reduce the time Iran needs to produce fuel for a nuclear weapon and accelerate the stockpiling of weapons grade uranium. Should Iran choose to make a dash for a nuclear weapon, the world will be faced with a narrow window in which both to discover the move and take action to stop it.
The most recent IAEA report published earlier this month predicts Iran will possess enough 19.75% LEU for a 15 kiloton nuclear bomb – sufficiently large to be strategically useful – by 1 June 2012.
The worst case scenario is that Iran could reach the 90% HEU threshold for weapons grade uranium within one month of beginning its proliferation sprint. However, this scenario is considered highly unlikely and relies on contested technical assumptions about Iran's enrichment capabilities.
Proliferation experts say the most likely scenario would be Iran's reaching 90% HEU within 2.5 to 3 months of beginning its break-out.
A second concern is Iran's attempts to render its critical centrifuge operations both more diffuse and impenetrable, which would take Iran into Defense Minister Ehud Barak's "immunity zone."
At present the destruction of the Fordow and Natanz sites could set Tehran's enrichment program back years, giving sanctions time to have their desired effect. While the Natanz site is vulnerable to attack, US officials have recently said neither Washington nor Jerusalem have the ability to penetrate the Fordow facility.
Simply destroying the Natanz facility while Fordow remains operational would only extend the window for an Iranian nuclear break out – to perhaps one year – rather than stopping it. According to Air Force officials, its current 20.5 foot-long Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) carries over 5,300 pounds of explosive material and is designed to penetrate up to 200 feet underground before exploding.
The mountain above the Iranian enrichment site at Fordow is estimated to be at least 200 feet tall, which has raised doubts about the MOPs ability to effectively destroy Fordow. Those doubts have prompted Pentagon officials this month to secretly submit a request to Congress for funding to enhance the bomb's ability to penetrate deeper into rock, concrete and steel before exploding.
The push to boost the power of the MOP is part of stepped-up contingency planning for a possible strike against Iran's nuclear program, say U.S. officials. US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has said the current generation of MOPs could cause "a lot of damage" to the Fordow facility, but wouldn't necessarily destroy it outright.
"We're developing it. I think we're pretty close, let's put it that way. But we're still working at it because these things are not easy to be able to make sure that they will do what we want them to." he said. Panetta added: "But I'm confident, frankly, that we're going to have that capability and have it soon."
As a result, Tehran finds itself facing a ticking clock of its own and will have to time its nuclear sprint – should it choose to make one – to beat Washington's own rush for a bigger and better bunker-buster. The Air Force has so far contracted to buy 20 of the new bombs and more deliveries are expected in early 2013.
Israel has large bunker-buster bombs, but the US hasn't provided the MOP to Jerusalem. Nor is Washington likely to provide Israel with its replacement in 2013. Analysts believe it is highly unlikely repeated strikes with Israel's current bunker-busters would prove effective in destroying Fordow. Those doubts render an Israeli strike on Iran fraught with difficulty and potential failure.
This stark reality that Israel's leaders must confront is rendered even more complicated and dangerous by the Obama administration's diffident posture vis-a-vis taking direct military action against Iran. Washington has declared an Iranian nuclear bomb is "unacceptable," but refuses to commit to a strike on Natanz and Fordow should Iran choose to make a nuclear sprint.
That leaves leaders in all three capitals – Jerusalem, Tehran, and Washington – watching the clock and waiting for the starter's gun to fire.
Comment on this story
by Gavriel Queenann
Iran stands at the threshold of a nuclear weapons capability as the world watches in indecision.
Sanctions, covert action, and diplomacy have failed to alter Iran’s nuclear policy. Nor have they had a visible effect Iran's the enrichment program – including Tehran's growing stockpile of 19.75% low-enriched uranium (LEU).
Obtaining weapons-grade high-enriched uranium (HEU) is the most difficult and technically challenging obstacle to acquiring a nuclear weapon.
Assessing the “breakout” time – the time required to convert LEU to weapons-grade HEU – is therefore a critical component of determining progress toward a nuclear weapons capability.
Iran’s bank of rapidly spinning centrifuges has produced a growing stockpile of low-enriched uranium, able to fuel nuclear reactors, but able also to fuel nuclear weapons if further enriched. Enrichment raises the concentration of the uranium isotope U-235, which fissions in first-generation nuclear weapons.
As Iran increases its stockpile of low-enriched uranium, and its stockpile of uranium is enriched to 20 percent U-235, it will consolidate its status as a "virtual" nuclear weapon state.
Iran's enrichment activities occur at its facilities in Natanz and Fordow. The Natanz facility is above ground and – despite Iran's attempts to protect it with anti-aircraft defenses and a fighter screen – remains vulnerable to attack.
As a result, Iran has accelerated its uranium enrichment activities at the Fordow facility. The site – once covert and grossly mischaracterized by US officials as a façade – is buried in the side of a small mountain outside Qom.
Considered a "hard target" by military analysts, Fordow is the focus of intense scrutiny by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the subject of the nuclear watchdog’s detailed analysis of Tehran's weaponization work.
According the IAEA, Fordow began producing uranium enriched to 20 percent earlier this year and has recently seen an expansion of its advanced centrifuges – the key and difficult-to-obtain component in enrichment activities.
These developments reduce the time Iran needs to produce fuel for a nuclear weapon and accelerate the stockpiling of weapons grade uranium. Should Iran choose to make a dash for a nuclear weapon, the world will be faced with a narrow window in which both to discover the move and take action to stop it.
The most recent IAEA report published earlier this month predicts Iran will possess enough 19.75% LEU for a 15 kiloton nuclear bomb – sufficiently large to be strategically useful – by 1 June 2012.
The worst case scenario is that Iran could reach the 90% HEU threshold for weapons grade uranium within one month of beginning its proliferation sprint. However, this scenario is considered highly unlikely and relies on contested technical assumptions about Iran's enrichment capabilities.
Proliferation experts say the most likely scenario would be Iran's reaching 90% HEU within 2.5 to 3 months of beginning its break-out.
A second concern is Iran's attempts to render its critical centrifuge operations both more diffuse and impenetrable, which would take Iran into Defense Minister Ehud Barak's "immunity zone."
At present the destruction of the Fordow and Natanz sites could set Tehran's enrichment program back years, giving sanctions time to have their desired effect. While the Natanz site is vulnerable to attack, US officials have recently said neither Washington nor Jerusalem have the ability to penetrate the Fordow facility.
Simply destroying the Natanz facility while Fordow remains operational would only extend the window for an Iranian nuclear break out – to perhaps one year – rather than stopping it. According to Air Force officials, its current 20.5 foot-long Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) carries over 5,300 pounds of explosive material and is designed to penetrate up to 200 feet underground before exploding.
The mountain above the Iranian enrichment site at Fordow is estimated to be at least 200 feet tall, which has raised doubts about the MOPs ability to effectively destroy Fordow. Those doubts have prompted Pentagon officials this month to secretly submit a request to Congress for funding to enhance the bomb's ability to penetrate deeper into rock, concrete and steel before exploding.
The push to boost the power of the MOP is part of stepped-up contingency planning for a possible strike against Iran's nuclear program, say U.S. officials. US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta has said the current generation of MOPs could cause "a lot of damage" to the Fordow facility, but wouldn't necessarily destroy it outright.
"We're developing it. I think we're pretty close, let's put it that way. But we're still working at it because these things are not easy to be able to make sure that they will do what we want them to." he said. Panetta added: "But I'm confident, frankly, that we're going to have that capability and have it soon."
As a result, Tehran finds itself facing a ticking clock of its own and will have to time its nuclear sprint – should it choose to make one – to beat Washington's own rush for a bigger and better bunker-buster. The Air Force has so far contracted to buy 20 of the new bombs and more deliveries are expected in early 2013.
Israel has large bunker-buster bombs, but the US hasn't provided the MOP to Jerusalem. Nor is Washington likely to provide Israel with its replacement in 2013. Analysts believe it is highly unlikely repeated strikes with Israel's current bunker-busters would prove effective in destroying Fordow. Those doubts render an Israeli strike on Iran fraught with difficulty and potential failure.
This stark reality that Israel's leaders must confront is rendered even more complicated and dangerous by the Obama administration's diffident posture vis-a-vis taking direct military action against Iran. Washington has declared an Iranian nuclear bomb is "unacceptable," but refuses to commit to a strike on Natanz and Fordow should Iran choose to make a nuclear sprint.
That leaves leaders in all three capitals – Jerusalem, Tehran, and Washington – watching the clock and waiting for the starter's gun to fire.
Tags: Iran ,Iran nuclear
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8. Netanyahu: Talks with Obama to Focus on Iran
by Gil Ronen
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Iran's nuclear program will be at the focus of his talks with United States President Barack Obama next week.
"At the end of the week, I will leave for North America," he said at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting. "I will meet with President Barack Obama in Washington and, before that, with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Ottawa."
"Of course, our region is in an unsettled state and is quickly changing in all directions, including the deplorable massacres that we see being perpetrated against innocent civilians in Syria. While we will discuss all of these issues, there is no doubt that one issue will be at the center of our talks, and that is, of course, the continued strengthening of Iran and its nuclear program.
"Whoever needed it, received additional, biting proof in the form of the IAEA's latest report, which proves that Israel's assessments were correct: i.e., that Iran is continuing to make rapid progress in its nuclear program, without let-up, while defying and grossly ignoring the decisions of the international community. We will certainly discuss this issue, as well as many others related to the Middle East. "
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by Gil Ronen
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Iran's nuclear program will be at the focus of his talks with United States President Barack Obama next week.
"At the end of the week, I will leave for North America," he said at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting. "I will meet with President Barack Obama in Washington and, before that, with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper in Ottawa."
"Of course, our region is in an unsettled state and is quickly changing in all directions, including the deplorable massacres that we see being perpetrated against innocent civilians in Syria. While we will discuss all of these issues, there is no doubt that one issue will be at the center of our talks, and that is, of course, the continued strengthening of Iran and its nuclear program.
"Whoever needed it, received additional, biting proof in the form of the IAEA's latest report, which proves that Israel's assessments were correct: i.e., that Iran is continuing to make rapid progress in its nuclear program, without let-up, while defying and grossly ignoring the decisions of the international community. We will certainly discuss this issue, as well as many others related to the Middle East. "
Tags: Binyamin Netanyahu ,Barack Obama
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