Under the current deteriorating economic situation, it seems that certain decision has not been made rationally…well..that’s my take... you?
Israel shocked by Obama's approval of large Turkish arms sale to Lebanon (Debka)
DEBKAfile quotes senior Israeli military circles as staggered by the discovery that US president Barack Obama had approved a large Turkish arms sale to the Lebanese army, including the services of Turkish military instructors. This was taken as further proof that the US president is deaf to Israel's immediate security concerns. Lebanese president Gen. Michel Suleiman has more than once threatened neighboring Israel. When he signed the arms deal in Ankara Tuesday, April 21, he once again pledged publicly to place the Lebanese army at the disposal of the Shiite terrorist Hizballah in any confrontation with Israel.
If that happened, said one Israeli source, Israel could find itself under attack not just by Hizballah as in the past, but by a Lebanese army, well trained and armed by Turkey. He noted that more than 50 percent of Lebanon's fighting manpower are Shiites loyal to Hizballah.
The conviction is growing in Jerusalem that the US president endorsed the transaction as a means of breaking up the long-standing military pact between Israel and Turkey, because it interferes with his Middle East objectives. Our sources note that neither Washington nor Ankara bothered to inform Israel of the transaction or its scope.
After meeting Turkish president Abdullah Gul, Suleiman at the head of a large Lebanese military delegation signed the contracts for the sale and declared with deep satisfaction: "We reviewed the new [US] policies towards the region in the light of President Obama's recent visit to Turkey."
Read more...
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Iran canceled air show when Russia warned Israel planned to destroy all 140 warplanes (Debka)
Interesting news...But I am always wondering if this will ever happen? Any insider story?
Iran canceled air show when Russia warned Israel planned to destroy all 140 warplanes (Debka)
Link
DEBKAfile's Iranian and intelligence sources disclose that Moscow warned Tehran Friday April 17 that Israel was planning to destroy all 140 fighter-bombers concentrated at the Mehr-Abad Air Force base for an air show over Tehran on Iran's Army Day the following day. The entire fleet was accordingly removed to remote bases and the display cancelled.
In the first week of April, Tehran announced it would stage its biggest air show ever to dramatize a ceremonial military parade in the capital on April 18. Iran would show the world that it is capable of fighting off an Israeli attack on its nuclear facilities. Instead only four aircraft flew over the saluting stand. Iranian media explained that the big show was cancelled due to "bad weather and poor visibility," when in fact Tehran basked in warm and sunny weather.
Moscow had informed the Iranians that its spy satellites and intelligence sources had picked up preparations at Israeli Air Force bases to destroy the 140 warplanes, the bulk of the Iranian air force, on the ground the night before the display, leaving its nuclear sites without aerial defense. A similar operation wiped out the entire Egyptian air fleet in the early hours of the 1967 war.
Read more...
Iran canceled air show when Russia warned Israel planned to destroy all 140 warplanes (Debka)
Link
DEBKAfile's Iranian and intelligence sources disclose that Moscow warned Tehran Friday April 17 that Israel was planning to destroy all 140 fighter-bombers concentrated at the Mehr-Abad Air Force base for an air show over Tehran on Iran's Army Day the following day. The entire fleet was accordingly removed to remote bases and the display cancelled.
In the first week of April, Tehran announced it would stage its biggest air show ever to dramatize a ceremonial military parade in the capital on April 18. Iran would show the world that it is capable of fighting off an Israeli attack on its nuclear facilities. Instead only four aircraft flew over the saluting stand. Iranian media explained that the big show was cancelled due to "bad weather and poor visibility," when in fact Tehran basked in warm and sunny weather.
Moscow had informed the Iranians that its spy satellites and intelligence sources had picked up preparations at Israeli Air Force bases to destroy the 140 warplanes, the bulk of the Iranian air force, on the ground the night before the display, leaving its nuclear sites without aerial defense. A similar operation wiped out the entire Egyptian air fleet in the early hours of the 1967 war.
Read more...
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Mishaal to House of Commons: The only door to peace is to end the occupation (PIC)
I thought this is what Israel is driving for since day-1: self determination & 2-states solution?
But again, borderline has to be drawn consensusly & fairly to not create dispute in later stage. Seems to me there is a glimpse of hope...but we have to wait and see...
Mishaal to House of Commons: The only door to peace is to end the occupation (PIC)
DAMASCUS, (PIC)-- Khaled Mishaal, the head of the Hamas political bureau, told Wednesday evening a number of members of the British House of Commons through video conferencing that the only door to peace in the Middle East is to end the Israeli occupation and enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination.
Link
Mishaal told the audience that the resistance is a means and not a goal, saying that if Hamas found a way other than the resistance to end the occupation, it would use it.
He added that Hamas is a national liberation movement seeking to dispose of the occupation and enable the Palestinian people to restore their freedom and legitimate rights.
The political leader of Hamas underlined that the Israeli occupation would not be able to defeat the Palestinians despite its possession of massive military force, noting that Israel tried many times to settle the fight militarily, but it failed.
Mishaal noted that Europe is an important player in the region and has experience not owned by others, stressing that his Movement expects a positive role from the Europeans towards the Palestinian cause.
The video conferencing encountered technical problems that prevented Mishaal from communicating properly with the British lawmakers.
The televised meeting with Mishaal was organized by British MP Clare Short, a former minister in Tony Blair's labor government.
Read more...
But again, borderline has to be drawn consensusly & fairly to not create dispute in later stage. Seems to me there is a glimpse of hope...but we have to wait and see...
Mishaal to House of Commons: The only door to peace is to end the occupation (PIC)
DAMASCUS, (PIC)-- Khaled Mishaal, the head of the Hamas political bureau, told Wednesday evening a number of members of the British House of Commons through video conferencing that the only door to peace in the Middle East is to end the Israeli occupation and enable the Palestinian people to exercise their right to self-determination.
Link
Mishaal told the audience that the resistance is a means and not a goal, saying that if Hamas found a way other than the resistance to end the occupation, it would use it.
He added that Hamas is a national liberation movement seeking to dispose of the occupation and enable the Palestinian people to restore their freedom and legitimate rights.
The political leader of Hamas underlined that the Israeli occupation would not be able to defeat the Palestinians despite its possession of massive military force, noting that Israel tried many times to settle the fight militarily, but it failed.
Mishaal noted that Europe is an important player in the region and has experience not owned by others, stressing that his Movement expects a positive role from the Europeans towards the Palestinian cause.
The video conferencing encountered technical problems that prevented Mishaal from communicating properly with the British lawmakers.
The televised meeting with Mishaal was organized by British MP Clare Short, a former minister in Tony Blair's labor government.
Read more...
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
DEMONISATION (Chedet)
You will able to see 2 sides of “story” on this post by 2 authors.
As the nature of everything, always there are 2 ends 1n 1 stick.
Do read & ponder…Happy reading…
RPK Piece
DEMONISATION (Chedet)
1. The Western Press launched a concerted effort to demonise the new Prime Minister. From France to Britain to Australia, the articles are identical and carried the same message. The in-coming PM is said to be corrupt and involved in a murder case. The Australian writer says Malaysia is a "pariah" nation. I cannot believe that this demonisation by so many at the same time is a coincidence.
2. Included in the condemnation of the new PM is the allegation that he would bring back "Mahathirism". By this the Western press seem to imply that the fourth PM was a dictator who detained for no reason, manipulated the judiciary, controlled the Press etc etc.
3. As the person concerned I will leave it to Malaysians to judge and to define "Mahathirism". They are the constituents which Najib should care about. The foreign press has an agenda of their own. And their friends in Malaysia are feeding them with the anti-Najib stories as they fear Najib would put a stop to their control of the media.
4. Najib can expect to hear more of this kind of demonisation from the foreign press but it is what Malaysians think that counts. It is with them that Najib has to clear his name.
Read more...
As the nature of everything, always there are 2 ends 1n 1 stick.
Do read & ponder…Happy reading…
RPK Piece
DEMONISATION (Chedet)
1. The Western Press launched a concerted effort to demonise the new Prime Minister. From France to Britain to Australia, the articles are identical and carried the same message. The in-coming PM is said to be corrupt and involved in a murder case. The Australian writer says Malaysia is a "pariah" nation. I cannot believe that this demonisation by so many at the same time is a coincidence.
2. Included in the condemnation of the new PM is the allegation that he would bring back "Mahathirism". By this the Western press seem to imply that the fourth PM was a dictator who detained for no reason, manipulated the judiciary, controlled the Press etc etc.
3. As the person concerned I will leave it to Malaysians to judge and to define "Mahathirism". They are the constituents which Najib should care about. The foreign press has an agenda of their own. And their friends in Malaysia are feeding them with the anti-Najib stories as they fear Najib would put a stop to their control of the media.
4. Najib can expect to hear more of this kind of demonisation from the foreign press but it is what Malaysians think that counts. It is with them that Najib has to clear his name.
Read more...
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Ahmadinejad prompts walkout from U.N. racism summit (Reuters)
I wonder where will this leads to? The basic principle of issue resolution is the willingness to compromise & the willingness to sacrifice for better good...probably no one has the same "better good" definition...
Ahmadinejad prompts walkout from U.N. racism summit (Reuters)
GENEVA (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad prompted a rare walk-out at the United Nations on Monday when he called Israel a "cruel and repressive racist regime" in his remarks to a conference on race.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon deplored the address which prompted dozens of delegates to leave their seats, further undermining the summit which some Western powers including the United States are boycotting.
Link
"It was a very troubling experience for me as secretary-general," he told a news conference at the day's end. "I have not seen, experienced, this kind of disruptive proceedings of the assembly, the conference, by any one member state. It was a totally unacceptable situation."
Washington announced on Saturday it would sit out the Geneva forum on fears it would be dominated by unfair criticism against Israel. Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands then followed suit.
Their boycott left Ahmadinejad, who has in the past cast doubt on the Nazi Holocaust, in the spotlight as the only head of state at the conference.
His speech produced exactly the kind of language that they feared, which had also caused Canada and Israel to announce months ago they would stay away.
"Following World War Two they resorted to military aggressions to make an entire nation homeless under the pretext of Jewish suffering," Ahmadinejad told the conference, on the day that Jewish communities commemorate the Holocaust.
"And they sent migrants from Europe, the United States and other parts of the world in order to establish a totally racist government in the occupied Palestine," he said, according to the official translation.
"And in fact, in compensation for the dire consequences of racism in Europe, they helped bring to power the most cruel and repressive racist regime in Palestine."
U.S. CALLS SPEECH "VILE"
Washington decried Ahmadinejad's speech as "vile and hateful," while the Vatican called it "extremist and unacceptable." Navi Pillay, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, called the address both "unsavory" and "obnoxious."
"I was shocked and deeply saddened by everything he said," she told journalists. "I don't think, though, that his behavior provided any justification for any other member state to walk out from this conference."
Dozens of diplomats in the audience promptly got up and left the hall for the duration of the speech. While most returned when Ahmadinejad finished speaking, the Czech Republic said its delegation would no longer take part in the conference.
"Such outrageous anti-Semitic remarks should have no place in a U.N. anti-racism forum," said British ambassador Peter Gooderham, whose country chose not to send a minister to Geneva.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store told the plenary after Ahmadinejad's speech that Iran had isolated itself. "Norway will not accept that the odd man out hijacks the collective efforts of the many," he said.
However, a number of the delegations that remained behind applauded Ahmadinejad.
Ban, who had held a meeting with Ahmadinejad before the address, said it was "deeply regrettable" that the Iranian leader had ignored his plea to avoid causing upset.
"I deplore the use of this platform by the Iranian President to accuse, divide and even incite," he said. "We must all turn away from such a message in both form and substance."
Earlier on Monday, Israel recalled its ambassador to Switzerland in protest about the conference and Israeli officials also voiced anger at a meeting that Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz held on Sunday with Ahmadinejad.
Arab and Muslim attempts to single out the Jewish state for criticism had prompted the United States to walk out of the first U.N. summit on racism, in South Africa in 2001.
Although a declaration prepared for the follow-up conference does not refer explicitly to Israel or the Middle East, its first paragraph "reaffirms" a text adopted at the 2001 meeting which includes six paragraphs on those sensitive issues.
(Additional reporting by Robert Evans, Jonathan Lynn and Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva, James Mackenzie in Paris, Philip Pullella in Rome, and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Read more...
Ahmadinejad prompts walkout from U.N. racism summit (Reuters)
GENEVA (Reuters) - Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad prompted a rare walk-out at the United Nations on Monday when he called Israel a "cruel and repressive racist regime" in his remarks to a conference on race.
U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon deplored the address which prompted dozens of delegates to leave their seats, further undermining the summit which some Western powers including the United States are boycotting.
Link
"It was a very troubling experience for me as secretary-general," he told a news conference at the day's end. "I have not seen, experienced, this kind of disruptive proceedings of the assembly, the conference, by any one member state. It was a totally unacceptable situation."
Washington announced on Saturday it would sit out the Geneva forum on fears it would be dominated by unfair criticism against Israel. Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands then followed suit.
Their boycott left Ahmadinejad, who has in the past cast doubt on the Nazi Holocaust, in the spotlight as the only head of state at the conference.
His speech produced exactly the kind of language that they feared, which had also caused Canada and Israel to announce months ago they would stay away.
"Following World War Two they resorted to military aggressions to make an entire nation homeless under the pretext of Jewish suffering," Ahmadinejad told the conference, on the day that Jewish communities commemorate the Holocaust.
"And they sent migrants from Europe, the United States and other parts of the world in order to establish a totally racist government in the occupied Palestine," he said, according to the official translation.
"And in fact, in compensation for the dire consequences of racism in Europe, they helped bring to power the most cruel and repressive racist regime in Palestine."
U.S. CALLS SPEECH "VILE"
Washington decried Ahmadinejad's speech as "vile and hateful," while the Vatican called it "extremist and unacceptable." Navi Pillay, the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights, called the address both "unsavory" and "obnoxious."
"I was shocked and deeply saddened by everything he said," she told journalists. "I don't think, though, that his behavior provided any justification for any other member state to walk out from this conference."
Dozens of diplomats in the audience promptly got up and left the hall for the duration of the speech. While most returned when Ahmadinejad finished speaking, the Czech Republic said its delegation would no longer take part in the conference.
"Such outrageous anti-Semitic remarks should have no place in a U.N. anti-racism forum," said British ambassador Peter Gooderham, whose country chose not to send a minister to Geneva.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store told the plenary after Ahmadinejad's speech that Iran had isolated itself. "Norway will not accept that the odd man out hijacks the collective efforts of the many," he said.
However, a number of the delegations that remained behind applauded Ahmadinejad.
Ban, who had held a meeting with Ahmadinejad before the address, said it was "deeply regrettable" that the Iranian leader had ignored his plea to avoid causing upset.
"I deplore the use of this platform by the Iranian President to accuse, divide and even incite," he said. "We must all turn away from such a message in both form and substance."
Earlier on Monday, Israel recalled its ambassador to Switzerland in protest about the conference and Israeli officials also voiced anger at a meeting that Swiss President Hans-Rudolf Merz held on Sunday with Ahmadinejad.
Arab and Muslim attempts to single out the Jewish state for criticism had prompted the United States to walk out of the first U.N. summit on racism, in South Africa in 2001.
Although a declaration prepared for the follow-up conference does not refer explicitly to Israel or the Middle East, its first paragraph "reaffirms" a text adopted at the 2001 meeting which includes six paragraphs on those sensitive issues.
(Additional reporting by Robert Evans, Jonathan Lynn and Stephanie Nebehay in Geneva, James Mackenzie in Paris, Philip Pullella in Rome, and David Ljunggren in Ottawa; Editing by Mark Trevelyan)
Read more...
Monday, April 20, 2009
Holocaust Remembrance Day in Europe (Ynetnews)
The One thing I hate the most as human being myself is the way we look at people & the pre-assumption we make when we look at other homo-sapiens in this world.
I am not a perfect human being but I was raised to respect other’s believe & treat all human being the same irrespective of skin color nor religion.
I find it intriguing when you have so many variants or flavor for human being that makes us so “special”. But it is also in this variant we separated....another sad facts!
Holocaust Remembrance Day in Europe (Ynetnews)
Jewish Agency envoys say anti-Semitism can still be felt throughout Europe as ceremonies are held
Yael Levy Published: 04.20.09, 00:30 / Israel News
Jewish communities in Europe began to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day on Sunday, to be held in Israel on Tuesday. Some of the ceremonies held throughout Europe were accompanied by anti-Semitic protests.
A torch procession held in Budapest was secured by large police forces due to protests held by local residents. "There is an extreme right-wing party here in Budapest that officially works against foreigners and unofficially against Jews," Jewish Agency envoy Amit Davidson told Ynet.
Link
He said supporters of the party carried pro-Palestinian signs reading: 'Palestinian holocaust'. "You feel far from home, like you are a foreigner," he said. "Everyone here has mixed emotions."
In Norway a ceremony planned by Bnei Akiva and the Jewish community is scheduled to take place Monday evening, during the course of which participants will meet with a Norwegian Holocaust survivor who escaped to Sweden during the war.
Jewish Agency envoy Deborah Geldman says anti-Semitism can be felt in Norway as well. "People here are afraid to walk around with Jewish or Israeli symbols, and Jewish children are constantly harassed. During the Gaza war I didn't even dare to speak Hebrew outside the community," she said.
A ceremony is also planned to take place in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Monday evening, during which Jewish children will read out names of residents who perished during the Holocaust.
In addition, Bnei Akiva have launched a pro-Israel public relations campaign following the imminent UN racism conference in Geneva, shunned by Israel, the US and a number of other Western countries.
Members of the movement will tie blue and white ribbons on cars, bags, buildings, and synagogues throughout the world, to symbolize unity with Israel until its 61st anniversary in 10 days.
Read more...
I am not a perfect human being but I was raised to respect other’s believe & treat all human being the same irrespective of skin color nor religion.
I find it intriguing when you have so many variants or flavor for human being that makes us so “special”. But it is also in this variant we separated....another sad facts!
Holocaust Remembrance Day in Europe (Ynetnews)
Jewish Agency envoys say anti-Semitism can still be felt throughout Europe as ceremonies are held
Yael Levy Published: 04.20.09, 00:30 / Israel News
Jewish communities in Europe began to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day on Sunday, to be held in Israel on Tuesday. Some of the ceremonies held throughout Europe were accompanied by anti-Semitic protests.
A torch procession held in Budapest was secured by large police forces due to protests held by local residents. "There is an extreme right-wing party here in Budapest that officially works against foreigners and unofficially against Jews," Jewish Agency envoy Amit Davidson told Ynet.
Link
He said supporters of the party carried pro-Palestinian signs reading: 'Palestinian holocaust'. "You feel far from home, like you are a foreigner," he said. "Everyone here has mixed emotions."
In Norway a ceremony planned by Bnei Akiva and the Jewish community is scheduled to take place Monday evening, during the course of which participants will meet with a Norwegian Holocaust survivor who escaped to Sweden during the war.
Jewish Agency envoy Deborah Geldman says anti-Semitism can be felt in Norway as well. "People here are afraid to walk around with Jewish or Israeli symbols, and Jewish children are constantly harassed. During the Gaza war I didn't even dare to speak Hebrew outside the community," she said.
A ceremony is also planned to take place in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Monday evening, during which Jewish children will read out names of residents who perished during the Holocaust.
In addition, Bnei Akiva have launched a pro-Israel public relations campaign following the imminent UN racism conference in Geneva, shunned by Israel, the US and a number of other Western countries.
Members of the movement will tie blue and white ribbons on cars, bags, buildings, and synagogues throughout the world, to symbolize unity with Israel until its 61st anniversary in 10 days.
Read more...
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Zahhar: Hamas will never recognize Israel (PIC)
No recognition for Israel....what's next?
Zahhar: Hamas will never recognize Israel (PIC)
GAZA, (PIC)-- MP Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahhar, a prominent Hamas leader, has said that his Movement would never recognize the "Zionist entity".
During a Friday Khutba (sermon), Zahhar revealed that his Movement's armed wing has better weapons at present than before the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip.
He pointed out that four minor issues were still obstructing the conclusion of a national unity agreement.
Hamas studied all proposals, including the one tabled by Egypt, and would head with its replies to Cairo by the end of this month, the Hamas leader elaborated.
Zahhar further underlined that Hamas would not change its conditions for the release of the Israeli captured soldier Gilad Shalit topped by the release of 450 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences.
Read more...
Zahhar: Hamas will never recognize Israel (PIC)
GAZA, (PIC)-- MP Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahhar, a prominent Hamas leader, has said that his Movement would never recognize the "Zionist entity".
During a Friday Khutba (sermon), Zahhar revealed that his Movement's armed wing has better weapons at present than before the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip.
He pointed out that four minor issues were still obstructing the conclusion of a national unity agreement.
Hamas studied all proposals, including the one tabled by Egypt, and would head with its replies to Cairo by the end of this month, the Hamas leader elaborated.
Zahhar further underlined that Hamas would not change its conditions for the release of the Israeli captured soldier Gilad Shalit topped by the release of 450 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences.
Read more...
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