Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Yaalon: War will Continue Until Quiet is Restored
Aug 4th, 2014
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Moshe Yaalon

Flash 90

Speaking Monday, Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said that Operation Protective Edge was not over, and would not be over until there was a complete cease-fire from Hamas – and that meant a complete cessation of rocket attacks on Israel, one that would remain intact. On a visit to Ashkelon, Yaalon said that the IDF needed “a little more time” to finish up its operations to destroy Hamas' terror tunnels.

Yaalon said that the tunnel threat would be removed from Israel after the war was over. In any case, he said, the defense establishment was prepared to ensure that Hamas terrorists who tried to sneak into Israel via tunnels or other methods would be stopped. In addition, he said, Israel would insist that all rocket fire at Israel be stopped.

Yaalon added that residents of Gaza would do well to take stock of their situation, and to think about who they wanted leading them. Had Hamas used the cement Israel allowed into Gaza for the construction of homes and schools instead of terror tunnels, things might have turned out different.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, also said Monday afternoon that Operation Protective Edge is not over, despite a redeployment of forces. He spoke after heading a discussion at IDF Southern Command headquarters, with the participation of Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz and GOC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Sammy Turgeman:

"The campaign in Gaza is continuing,” he said. “What is about to conclude is the IDF action to deal with the tunnels but this operation will end only when quiet and security are restored to the citizens of Israel for a lengthy period. We struck a very severe blow at Hamas and the other terrorist organizations. We have no intention of attacking the residents of Gaza. In practice, it is Hamas that is attacking them and denying them humanitarian aid. I think that the international community needs to strongly condemn Hamas and also demand, just as we are demanding, that the rehabilitation of Gaza be linked to its demilitarization.

On Monday night, Israeli media outlets, quoting Egyptian sources, said that Hamas and Islamic Jihad had agreed to an Egyptian demand for a three-day cease-fire. The sources said that the cease-fire could go into effect as soon as Tuesday morning.

According to UN officials, Gaza sustained at least $5 billion in damage over the past month and a half of IDF shelling and ground action. In an interview with the Palestinian Authority news agency Ma'an, the PA's Labor Minister, Dr. Mufid Al-Hasayena, said that the PA would be appealing to interactional donors for funds to rebuild, and demanding that Israel fund construction efforts as well.

The $5 billion relates only to physical damage to buildings and infrastructure, he said. It does not measure personal losses. Few Gazans had home insurance, and there was no way to estimate the amount of losses Gazans sustained. The sum was likely to rise significantly as the scope of losses becomes clearer, he said.

UN General Assembly to Discuss Gaza
Aug 4th, 2014
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United Nations General Assembly

Reuters

With criticism mounting of UN inaction in the Gaza conflict, envoys from all 193 countries of the United Nations will meet Wednesday to hear top officials report on the crisis, AFP reported on Monday.

The meeting of the UN General Assembly was requested by Arab countries who are pushing for a toughly-worded resolution to be adopted by the Security Council.

Top UN officials will brief ambassadors including Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay, who has said Israel's offensive in Gaza could amount to war crimes.

The head of the UN agency UNRWA, Pierre Krahenbuhl, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's Middle East envoy Robert Serry and the head of humanitarian relief in Gaza, Kyung-wha Kang, are also to speak to the assembly, the Ugandan presidency of the General Assembly said.

The move by Arab countries to push for a General Assembly meeting on Gaza follows growing criticism that the Security Council has failed to take a strong stand to press Israel and Hamas to stop the fighting.

Jordan has circulated a draft resolution to the UN Security Council calling for an immediate ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, but the document has yet to come up for formal discussion.

The 15-member Council adopted a statement on July 27 calling for a ceasefire and expressing support for Egypt's mediation efforts after the United States dropped its reservations that such a text would single out Israel.

U.S. Enhances Nuclear Strike Capability At Guam: Sankei Shimbun
Aug 4th, 2014
Daily NewsWant China Times
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Bombers at Anderson Air Force Base, Guam. (Photo/US Air Force)

The United States is enhancing its nuclear strike capability at Guam for a potential confrontation against China in the Far East, the Tokyo-based Sankei Shimbun reported on July 30.

General John M Paxton Jr, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, said at a Navy hearing that the US military forces in Japan are improving their capability to launch amphibious operations against the China coast should conflict break out in the East or South China seas. He said the US Marine Corps has a total of four amphibious assault ships and amphibious transport docks under its command at United States Fleet Activities Sasebo.

Paxton said that with the support of those vessels, the Seventh Fleet of the US Navy is capable of launching a strike against crucial targets on the China coast. Equipped with 36 aircraft including AV-8 Harrier fighters and AH-1W assault helicopters, the USS Essex amphibious assault ship was recently sent to the South China Sea for a joint exercise with the Philippine Navy. Sankei Shimbun said this is a move aimed against Chinese ambitions in the disputed region.

In addition to B-2 stealth bombers, the United States Air Force Global Strike Command is preparing to deploy more than 20 advanced B-52H strategic bombers to Anderson Air Force Base on Guam. Though President Barack Obama has declared that the United States does not want war with China, the bombers with nuclear strike capability are there to prevent the People's Liberation Army from taking the disputed Diaoyutai islands (Senkaku to Japan, Diaoyu to China) by force.

Liu Jiangping, a Chinese military expert, told China's Global Times that the Sankei Shimbun report should be seen as a strong warning to Beijing. Liu said it is time for the PLA to strengthen the defense of its military facilities in eastern and southern China. However, he also claimed that Japan is the only nation in the world which would want to see a war between China and the United States and that the leadership in Beijing should not set too much stock by the report.

Russia Calls on Israel to Agree to Permanent Ceasefire
Aug 4th, 2014
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Russia said Monday it had called on Israel to agree to a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, in a phone call between the foreign ministers of the two countries.

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also told his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Liberman that the foes "should reach an agreement that excludes the return to violence in which mostly innocent civilians suffer".

Netanyahu: Gaza Op is Continuing
Aug 4th, 2014
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Netanyahu at Central Command

Flash 90

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, said Monday afternoon that Operation Protective Edge is not over, despite a redeployment of forces. He spoke after heading a discussion at IDF Southern Command headquarters, with the participation of Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon, IDF Chief-of-Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz and GOC Southern Command Maj.-Gen. Sammy Turgeman:

"The campaign in Gaza is continuing,” he said. “What is about to conclude is the IDF action to deal with the tunnels but this operation will end only when quiet and security are restored to the citizens of Israel for a lengthy period. We struck a very severe blow at Hamas and the other terrorist organizations. We have no intention of attacking the residents of Gaza. In practice, it is Hamas that is attacking them and denying them humanitarian aid. I think that the international community needs to strongly condemn Hamas and also demand, just as we are demanding, that the rehabilitation of Gaza be linked to its demilitarization.

“I would like to express special appreciation for the Defense Minister, the Chief-of-Staff, GOC Southern Command, our heroic soldiers and commanders, and also the ISA which has been assisting them. There has been very strong teamwork here, the goal of which is to bring security to the citizens of Israel and the State of Israel.

“I express deep appreciation to all of our soldiers for their fighting spirit under difficult conditions, in urban areas with tunnels. There are many stories of heroism here. I am impressed by the effort and by the operations in the field.

“I would like to congratulate the commanders and soldiers on what they have achieved. I visited with wounded soldiers in Be'er Sheva today. I wish them a quick recovery; they have tremendous spirit. Along with the Defense Minister, the Chief-of-Staff and all of Israel, I would like to again send my condolences to the families of the fallen."

Mashaal: No Ceasefire Unless Our Demands are Met
Aug 4th, 2014
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Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal told CNN on Sunday that he would support a temporary humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza, but would support a permanent ceasefire only if Israel changes its policy regarding the passage of goods and people into Gaza.

"A sustainable ceasefire is based on an agreement that is acceptable to both sides, ensuring our demands will be met, primarily the lifting of the siege on Gaza," Mashaal said.

Let the Headlines Speak
Aug 4th, 2014
Daily NewsFrom the internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Illegals Hail from Countries with Ebola Outbreaks, Terror Ties
Illegal immigrants from more than 75 countries are attempting to enter the United States, including some from countries with outbreaks of the Ebola virus and others from terrorist hotbeds.  

Over 11,000 jump on European 'class action' privacy suit against Facebook
A lawsuit filed in Austria against Facebook over the company’s privacy policies has gathered over 11,500 participants since Friday, raising the claim against the company to €5.75 million (US$7.7 million), complainant Europe-v-Facebook said Monday. “It is much more than we expected,” said privacy campaigner and Europe-v-Facebook front man Max Schrems. The group is trying to get €500 in damages on behalf of every backer.  

Ebola scare: S. Korea cancels Nigerian students’ visit
A university in South Korea has “politely withdrawn” invitations for three Nigerian students to attend a conference. Also canceled were trips by medical volunteers to West Africa, stricken by the Ebola virus, which has claimed over 700 lives since March.  

Russia staging military exercises near Ukraine: Interfax
Russia announced new military exercises involving bombers and fighter jets on Monday in a show of strength near the border with Ukraine.  

Kurds plan counter-offensive against Islamic State: Kurdish officials
One of the officials told Reuters the Kurds had been overstretched in a vast region but were now calling in a large number of fighters to hit back. "It is a very dangerous situation for the region. Something needs to be done soon."  

Hacker says to show passenger jets at risk of cyber attack
Cyber security researcher Ruben Santamarta says he has figured out how to hack the satellite communications equipment on passenger jets through their WiFi and inflight entertainment systems - a claim that, if confirmed, could prompt a review of aircraft security.  

Gaza cease-fire window opens hours after Israeli strike kills militant leader
The group said that its commander in the northern part of the strip, Daniel Mansour, died when the Israeli strike hit his home just before dawn Monday. The Islamic Jihad group is an ally of Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip.  

Thousands stranded, at least 1 killed by Southern California mudslides
Authorities made reverse 911 calls to urge residents to stay put while crews clear the roads with bulldozers. The muck was so thick it submerged a van in Forest Falls, while on Mount Baldy water swept a hot tub into the road.  

Diseases carried by illegals 'coming to your town'
An agent stationed at the McAllen, Texas, Border Patrol station told a radio host Sunday that diseases carried by illegal aliens crossing the Rio Grande are “slipping through the cracks” and will soon begin affecting the entire nation, possibly even “coming to your town.”  

AMAZING NEW PHOTO OF THE ROSETTA COMET
This weekend the ESA released a new image of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko as seen from the Rosetta probe only 1000 km away. It shows the rough surface of the comet's double nucleus in amazing detail.  

China joins plans to build 'Panama Canal on land'
China has recently agreed to join in the construction of a railway linking the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, running through the world's most important shipping routes, including Pakistan, Myanmar, the Silk Road economic belt and Greece's Piraeus Port, the Guangzhou-based Southern Weekend reports.  

US enhances nuclear strike capability at Guam: Sankei Shimbun
The United States is enhancing its nuclear strike capability at Guam for a potential confrontation against China in the Far East, the Tokyo-based Sankei Shimbun reported on July 30.  

Ebola terror at Gatwick as passenger collapses and dies getting off Sierra Leone flight
The woman, said to be 72, became ill on the gangway after she left a Gambia Bird jet with 128 passengers on board. She died in hospital on Saturday.  

Obama throws tantrum over GOP border bill
As has become standard for Obama, whenever he doesn’t get what he wants he reverts to natural state of a spoiled and petulant nine year-old.  

Turkey's Erdogan lashes out at Israel at election rally
Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel on Sunday of deliberately killing Palestinian mothers and warned it would "drown in the blood it sheds"... Addressing hundreds of thousands of supporters at his biggest rally...Erdogan again likened Israel's actions to those of Hitler, comments that have already led Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accuse him of anti-Semitism...  

UN warns of 'tragedy' as militants take over Iraq towns
The UN has warned that up to 200,000 people have been forced to flee their homes after militants took over more towns in northern Iraq. Islamic State (formerly known as Isis) militants are reported to have taken over the town of Sinjar near Syria. It follows the IS takeover of the town of Zumar and two nearby oilfields from Kurdish Peshmerga forces on Saturday.  

Gaza conflict: Israeli partial ceasefire under way
A seven-hour "humanitarian window" announced by Israel has come into effect in parts of Gaza. A senior Israeli military official said the ceasefire would not apply to the town of Rafah and that Israeli troops would respond if they were attacked. Palestinian officials have already accused Israel of breaking the truce with a strike on a house in Gaza City.  

Nato to strengthen military exercises after Russia 'aggression'
Nato chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen has said the transatlantic military alliance will draw up new defence plans following Russia's "aggression" in Ukraine. In an interview with French regional newspaper Midi Libre, published Sunday (4 August), he said that “Russia's aggression was a warning and created a new security situation in Europe”.  

5 police officers injured during riot on Temple Mount
At least five police officers were lightly injured Monday morning on the Temple Mount when hundreds of masked Muslims rioted and erected roadblocks in an attempt to block reinforcements from dispersing the mob. According to police, at approximately 7:30 a.m. officers charged with opening Mughrabi Gate for Jewish and Christian visitors were pelted with rocks and fire crackers.  

Liberman calls for UN mandate in Gaza
If Israel destroys Hamas, a UN mandate can control Gaza, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman said Monday at the opening of a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting, emphasizing that Operation Protective Edge is not yet over. There are three options for Gaza, Liberman said: Destroying Hamas, a diplomatic arrangement, or "limbo, something undefined where they shoot and we respond."  

Ukrainian forces advance to edge of rebel stronghold Donetsk
Ukrainian government forces advanced to the edges of the rebel-held city of Donetsk on Sunday as civilians fled the conflict close to the MH17 crash site. There was fierce fighting between Ukrainian army units supported by irregular forces and the pro-Russian rebels, whose two self-proclaimed "people's republics" in eastern Ukraine are shrinking before the onslaught.  

Second American with Ebola to return Tuesday
A second American stricken with the Ebola virus is expected to return to the USA Tuesday, three days after a doctor being treated for the disease arrived at an Atlanta hospital for intensive care. Nancy Writebol, a medical missionary aiding in the treatment of Ebola victims in Liberia, is scheduled to leave that African nation around 1 a.m. Tuesday on a specially equipped medical evacuation plane, Liberian Information Minister Lewis Brown said, according to the Associated Press.  

Quake death toll rises in southern China
A strong earthquake struck a remote, mountainous part of China's southwest Sunday, killing at least 381 people, injuring more than 1,800 and toppling more than 12,000 homes, state-run media reported.  

German magazine reports Israel spied on Kerry last year
German magazine Der Spiegel reported on Sunday that Israel and at least one other intelligence agency were listening in on U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's unsecured phone calls last year when he was holding nearly daily negotiations for peace with various leaders in the Middle East.  

Iraqi Militants Capture Two Oil Fields in North, Kurdish Towns
Militants from Islamic State, a breakaway al-Qaeda group, took control of two oil fields and some predominantly Kurdish towns in northern Iraq following clashes, according to the Northern Oil Co.  

Israel Confirms Acceptance of 72 - Hour Ceasefire
Aug 4th, 2014
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Ground offensive in Gaza

Flash 90

Israel confirmed on Monday night that it has agreed to Egypt’s proposal for a 72-hour ceasefire in Gaza, to begin Tuesday morning at 8:00 a.m. local time.

The confirmation came after the ministers in the Security-Diplomacy Cabinet held a telephone discussion during which they voted to agree to the ceasefire.

According to Channel 10 News, the ministers also decided that an Israeli delegation, headed by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s envoy Yitzhak Molho, would make its way to Cairo for talks on a permanent ceasefire.

Earlier Monday, a senior Egyptian official said that both sides had agreed to the ceasefire.

"Egypt's contacts with relevant parties have achieved a commitment for a 72-hour truce in Gaza starting from 0500 GMT tomorrow morning, and an agreement for the rest of the relevant delegations to come to Cairo to conduct further negotiations," the official told AFP.

Hamas has taken advantage of past temporary ceasefires to continue to fire rockets at Israeli citizens.

On Friday, the group violated a 72-hour ceasefire shortly after it went into effect, killing two IDF soldiers and kidnapping a third, Hadar Goldin, who was declared dead by the IDF on Saturday night.

On Monday, Israel announced a seven-hour humanitarian ceasefire. Hamas took advantage of this ceasefire as well, firing rockets at southern Israel just two hours after it began.

Islamic Jihad Commander Killed Minutes Before Ceasefire
Aug 4th, 2014
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The Islamic Jihad terrorist group confirmed that its northern commander, 44-year-old Daniel Mansour, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his home just before dawn Monday, shortly before a unilateral truce declared by Israel.

ISIS Seizes Iraq's Biggest Dam
Aug 4th, 2014
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Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

(CNN) -- Fighters with the militant group the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria reached the triangle border between Iraq, Syria and Turkey, it said in a message posted on Twitter on Sunday.

ISIS took control of Iraq's largest hydroelectric dam on Iraq's Tigris River, which provides power to the city of Mosul about 50 kilometers (31 miles) to the south, the commander of the Peshmerga Kurdish fighters who had been defending the facility said Sunday.

The dam workers remained inside the facility, which fell after a 24-hour battle, Lt. Col. Herash said.

A "horrendous prospect"

ISIS -- known for killing dozens of people at a time, while carrying out public executions, crucifixions and other acts -- has taken over several cities as it seeks to create an Islamic caliphate that encompasses parts of Iraq and Syria.

Daniel Pipes, the president of the Middle East Forum, said seizing dams is a tactic the group uses to gain control of a town and its people.

No dam, however, is as formidable or as important to Iraq as the one in Mosul.

"If you control the Mosul Dam, you can threaten just about everybody," Pipes told CNN's Jonathan Mann.

Pipes said the militant group now has the potential to create a flood so massive and catastrophic that it would not only cause death, destruction and chaos locally in the city of Mosul, but more than 450 kilometers (280 miles) away in Baghdad as well.

"It's a horrendous prospect," he said.

Peshmerga Kurdish fighters also pulled out of the towns of Zumar and Wana after being surrounded by ISIS fighters and isolated from any support, Kurdistan Democratic Party regional official Ismat Rajab told CNN on Sunday.

FAA restricts flights over Iraq as conflict with ISIS rages

The United Nations in Iraq warned that 200,000 civilians were trapped in a dire circumstances after ISIS and associated armed groups "seized control of nearly all of Sinjar and Tal Afar districts in Ninewa Province, including the oil fields of Ain Zala and Batma, bordering the Kurdistan Region of Iraq."

Most of the refugees are from the Yezidi sect and have fled to Jabal Sinjar, the United Nations said.

"The humanitarian situation of these civilians is reported as dire, and they are in urgent need of basic items including food, water and medicine.  An unknown number of civilians are also reported to have moved towards Dahuk and Zako in the Kurdistan Region."

ISIS to Christians in Mosul: Convert, pay or die

ISIS took control of Sinjar, a small town inhabited by the Yezidi sect, on Saturday, according to police officials.

An ISIS Twitter posting linked to a statement referencing "the battle of opening the borderline between state of Ninawa and Dohuk provinces."

"The Islamic Caliphate legions have launched since this morning" operations towards the northwestern regions bordering state of Nineveh," the statement said. "God facilitated for the mujahedeen to break into many important areas controlled by the Kurdish gangs and secular militias."

The State Department said Sunday that it was "actively monitoring the situation" in Sinjar and Tal Afar, and said that the U.S. is supporting both Iraqi security forces and Peshmerga forces in the fight against ISIS. "The (ISIS) assault over the past 48 hours on territories along the border of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and focusing on towns and villages populated by vulnerable minorities, demonstrates once again that this terrorist organization is a dire threat to all Iraqis, the entire region, and the international community," spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement.

U.S. agrees to send 5,000 more Hellfire missiles to Iraq

ISIS Claims Gains, Takes Control of Iraq's Largest Hydroelectric Dam
Aug 4th, 2014
Daily NewsCNN
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

(CNN) -- Fighters with the militant group the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria reached the triangle border between Iraq, Syria and Turkey, it said in a message posted on Twitter on Sunday.

ISIS took control of Iraq's largest hydroelectric dam on Iraq's Tigris River, which provides power to the city of Mosul about 50 kilometers (31 miles) to the south, the commander of the Peshmerga Kurdish fighters who had been defending the facility said Sunday.

The dam workers remained inside the facility, which fell after a 24-hour battle, Lt. Col. Herash said.

A "horrendous prospect"

ISIS -- known for killing dozens of people at a time, while carrying out public executions, crucifixions and other acts -- has taken over several cities as it seeks to create an Islamic caliphate that encompasses parts of Iraq and Syria.

Daniel Pipes, the president of the Middle East Forum, said seizing dams is a tactic the group uses to gain control of a town and its people.

No dam, however, is as formidable or as important to Iraq as the one in Mosul.

"If you control the Mosul Dam, you can threaten just about everybody," Pipes told CNN's Jonathan Mann.

Pipes said the militant group now has the potential to create a flood so massive and catastrophic that it would not only cause death, destruction and chaos locally in the city of Mosul, but more than 450 kilometers (280 miles) away in Baghdad as well.

"It's a horrendous prospect," he said.

Peshmerga Kurdish fighters also pulled out of the towns of Zumar and Wana after being surrounded by ISIS fighters and isolated from any support, Kurdistan Democratic Party regional official Ismat Rajab told CNN on Sunday.

FAA restricts flights over Iraq as conflict with ISIS rages

The United Nations in Iraq warned that 200,000 civilians were trapped in a dire circumstances after ISIS and associated armed groups "seized control of nearly all of Sinjar and Tal Afar districts in Ninewa Province, including the oil fields of Ain Zala and Batma, bordering the Kurdistan Region of Iraq."

Most of the refugees are from the Yezidi sect and have fled to Jabal Sinjar, the United Nations said.

"The humanitarian situation of these civilians is reported as dire, and they are in urgent need of basic items including food, water and medicine.  An unknown number of civilians are also reported to have moved towards Dahuk and Zako in the Kurdistan Region."

ISIS to Christians in Mosul: Convert, pay or die

ISIS took control of Sinjar, a small town inhabited by the Yezidi sect, on Saturday, according to police officials.

An ISIS Twitter posting linked to a statement referencing "the battle of opening the borderline between state of Ninawa and Dohuk provinces."

"The Islamic Caliphate legions have launched since this morning" operations towards the northwestern regions bordering state of Nineveh," the statement said. "God facilitated for the mujahedeen to break into many important areas controlled by the Kurdish gangs and secular militias."

The State Department said Sunday that it was "actively monitoring the situation" in Sinjar and Tal Afar, and said that the U.S. is supporting both Iraqi security forces and Peshmerga forces in the fight against ISIS. "The (ISIS) assault over the past 48 hours on territories along the border of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region and focusing on towns and villages populated by vulnerable minorities, demonstrates once again that this terrorist organization is a dire threat to all Iraqis, the entire region, and the international community," spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a statement.

Iran Accuses Israel of 'Genocide' in Gaza
Aug 4th, 2014
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Iran's President Hassan Rouhani

Reuters

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani denounced Monday the "inaction" of the UN Security Council on Gaza, describing the conflict as a "genocidal massacre" of Palestinians by Israel, according to AFP. 

His comments came at a meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement's (NAM) committee for Palestine, with several foreign ministers among officials from Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, Venezuela, Bangladesh, Sudan, Uganda and other member states.

"The savage aggression by the army of this child-killer regime (Israel), continues with a deliberate policy to commit genocide and massacre civilians and destroy infrastructure, houses, hospitals, schools and mosques," Rouhani said in Tehran.

"The inaction of international bodies, in particular the Security Council, to prevent the crimes against humanity of the Zionist regime" is to be condemned, he added.

Iran does not recognize Israel's existence and supports terrorist groups that fight it, including Hamas.

Ahead of a temporary unilateral truce, Israel early Monday launched further strikes on Gaza, killing at least 16 people, including an Islamic Jihad commander Danyal Mansour.

The four weeks of violence have also killed 64 Israeli soldiers and three civilians, who were hit by rocket fire.

Iran has provided Hamas and Islamic Jihad with long-range missiles such as the Fajr-5 and M302 - the latter of which is believed to have been used in the attack on Hadera in north-central Israel last month.

Earlier this year, Israeli naval commandos seized the Klos C ship, and discovered weapons including long-range rockets destined for terrorist groups in Gaza.

Despite its active role in providing the rockets raining down on Israeli population centers, Iran condemned the IDF operation aiming to stop the rockets as "savage aggression" in July.

Imam Blasts Hamas for Using Civilians As Human Shields
Aug 4th, 2014
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During a recent televised debate, a French-Moroccan Imam lashed out at Hamas for using civilians as human shields.

The Imam, Rachid Birbach, said that Gazans were caught between a rock and a hard place: between the Israeli bombardments and the "even more terrible" abuse and siege by Hamas.

“We reject extremism, be it Islamic or Israeli extremism,” he said in the debate, which aired on France 24 TV on July 24 and was translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

“I cry my heart out at night over the [plight] of the Palestinians, but unlike those who say that this is an Israeli-Palestinian conflict, I say that it is a conflict between Israel and Hamas. We must understand this,” said Birbach.

“I don't understand why Hamas opposes peace in such an insane manner. They reject this. When Egyptian diplomacy intervened and proposed a ceasefire, Hamas rejected it,” he added.

“I'd like to make myself clear: I support Gaza and Palestine. I am against oppression. The Palestinian people are caught between a rock and a hard place: between the Israeli bombardments, on the one hand, and the abuse and siege by Hamas, on the other hand – and the latter is even more terrible. Hamas has been using them as human shields,” he said.

Hamas has openly boasted about the "success" of its strategy of using civilians as human shields during Operation Protective Edge, and the IDF has published extensive evidence of the practice.

By contrast, the IDF has dropped leaflets, sent phone messages, and issued general warnings to all civilians within range of upcoming airstrikes to prevent further harm.

Hundreds Gather in Susiya to Discuss Holy Temple
Aug 4th, 2014
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As Jews around the world mark the fast of Tisha B’Av, hundreds gathered Monday night at the ancient synagogue in the community of Susiya, south of Mount Hevron, for a discussion about the significance of the Holy Temple.

The synagogue in Susiya served as a Jewish gathering place after the Temple was destroyed.

Yehoshua Rosenfeld, Director of Education at Mount Hevron, said, "This is another way to connect. To gather in this special place, on this evening, creating a completely different experience for our youth."

Hamas: We Don't Trust Israeli Ceasefire
Aug 4th, 2014
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Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri

Reuters

Hamas on Sunday night rejected the seven-hour humanitarian ceasefire announced by Israel and scheduled to begin Monday morning at 10:00 a.m.

In a statement quoted by AFP, the group’s spokesman said that the terrorist group “does not trust” the ceasefire.

"The unilateral ceasefire announced by Israel is an attempt to divert the attention from Israeli massacres," the spokesman, Sami Abu Zuhri.

"We do not trust this ceasefire, and call on our people to be very cautious," he said, according to AFP.

The Coordinator of Government Activities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza (COGAT), General Yoav Mordechai, announced earlier that Israel will hold its fire in most of Gaza for a seven-hour "humanitarian window" on Monday.

Mordechai also warned that "if the truce will be violated, the army will respond with fire toward the source of the fire.”

Hamas has taken advantage of past temporary ceasefires to continue to fire rockets at Israeli citizens.

On Friday, the group violated a 72-hour ceasefire shortly after it went into effect, killing two IDF soldiers and kidnapping a third, Hadar Goldin, who was declared dead by the IDF on Saturday night.

Hamas Calls for '3 Day Uprising' During Ceasefire
Aug 4th, 2014
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Riots on the Temple Mount

Flash 90

Hamas on Monday specifically called on Arabs in Judea and Samaria to conduct attacks on Israelis, urging them to start the “third intifada” that would start with attacks on Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, and eventually move into the rest of Israel.

In a message sent out by Hamas Monday to “the Palestinians of the Occupied West Bank,” Hamas called on Arabs to “conduct mass riots” over the next three days as a “sign of support” for Gaza, and of “resistance” to “violence” by Israel.

On Monday night, Israeli media outlets, quoting Egyptian sources, said that Hamas and Islamic Jihad had agreed to an Egyptian demand for a three-day cease-fire. The sources said that the cease-fire could go into effect as soon as Tuesday morning.

In its message, Hamas called on residents of Hevron, Ramallah and Shechem to converge on the main square in their cities and demand that Hamas retain the right to keep its weapons – rockets and tunnels – agains Israel.

Hamas on Monday praised the terrorist who killed an Israeli and injured four others with a tractor in Jerusalem. Hamas said that it “congratulated the free Palestinian of Jerusalem for his attack. This attack is a natural response to the occupation of our people,” Hamas said. In a statement, Hamas spokesperson Fawzi Barhoum said that “the action in Jerusalem was very brave, a natural response to the occupation.”

Hamas Accepts 72 - Hour Ceasefire
Aug 4th, 2014
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Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri

Reuters

Hamas has accepted an Egyptian proposal for a 72-hour ceasefire with Israel set to begin Tuesday, a spokesman for the group told AFP on Monday night.

"Hamas informed Cairo a few minutes ago of their approval of the truce for 72 hours from tomorrow," spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said.

The Islamic Jihad, which along with Israel and Hamas is to attend truce talks in Cairo, confirmed the imminent end to fighting.

"The ceasefire is arriving in the coming hours," the group’s deputy leader, Ziad al-Nakhale, said in a statement quoted by AFP.

Earlier, Israel confirmed as well that it has agreed to Egypt’s proposal for the 72-hour ceasefire to begin Tuesday morning at 8:00 a.m. local time.

The confirmation came after the ministers in the Security-Diplomacy Cabinet held a telephone discussion on the issue.

An Israeli official later told AFP that Israel “will be honoring the ceasefire from tomorrow (Tuesday) at 8:00 a.m. (0500 GMT)."

The official confirmed an Israeli delegation would be heading to Cairo for talks.

According to the official, the Egyptian proposal had already been accepted by Israel three weeks ago.

"It was Hamas that rejected it, it is Hamas that is responsible for the violence we've seen over the past three weeks," he told AFP.

The official noted that both sides had agreed to a three-day truce on Friday, but asserted that "Hamas made commitments and didn't keep them," referring to a Hamas attack in which three soldiers were killed and which took place soon after the truce began.

"We'll be there watching very closely tomorrow morning (Tuesday) if Hamas doesn't honor the ceasefire," he stressed.

On Monday, Israel announced a seven-hour humanitarian ceasefire, of which Hamas took advantage, firing rockets at southern Israel just two hours after the ceasefire began.

Erdogan: Israel will 'Drown in the Blood It Sheds'
Aug 4th, 2014
Daily NewsYNet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Turkish leader slams Israel before hundreds of thousands of supporters; opponents accuse Erdogan of 'populist' rhetoric ahead of historic election.
Reuters

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan accused Israel on Sunday of deliberately killing Palestinian mothers and warned it would "drown in the blood it sheds", pulling foreign policy to center stage as a presidential race enters its final week.

Addressing hundreds of thousands of supporters at his biggest rally so far ahead of the Aug. 10 election, Erdogan again likened Israel's actions to those of Hitler, comments that have already led Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to accuse him of anti-Semitism and drawn rebuke from Washington.

"Just like Hitler, who sought to establish a race free of all faults, Israel is chasing after the same target," Erdogan told the sea of cheering supporters at an Istanbul arena.

"They kill women so that they will not give birth to Palestinians; they kill babies so that they won't grow up; they kill men so they can't defend their country ... They will drown in the blood they shed," he said.

Pro-Palestinian sentiment runs high in mostly Sunni Muslim Turkey, and protesters have repeatedly taken to the streets in recent weeks to demonstrate against Israel's offensive in Gaza.

Over 50 million Turks are expected to vote next Sunday, electing their president directly for the first time. Two polls last month put Erdogan on 55-56 percent, a 20-point lead over the main opposition candidate, Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu.

Ihsanoglu, a diplomat and academic who was at the helm of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation for nine years, has accused Erdogan of populism with his anti-Israeli rhetoric.

"I think the foreign policy issues are used in domestic politics to rally people, but it creates problems and pushes governments into corners," Ihsanoglu, who has run a much lower-key campaign than Erdogan, told Reuters in an interview last week.

Kurdish candidate Selahattin Demirtas, running a distant third in the polls, urged Erdogan on Sunday to cut economic and military ties with Israel instead of "screaming and shouting". Turkey was once Israel's closest regional ally.

"Forget the shouting ... If you want to provide help to the Palestinian people, stop fooling the people. With a serious boycott, let's all together stop the Israeli state's policies of massacres," he told tens of thousands of supporters at a rally that was also held on the Asian side of Istanbul.

Israel began its offensive against Gaza on July 8 following a surge of cross-border rocket salvoes by Hamas and other guerrillas. Sunday's fighting pushed the Gaza death toll given by Palestinian officials to over 1,800, most of them civilians. Israel has confirmed that 64 soldiers have died in combat, while Palestinian rockets have also killed three civilians in Israel.

Historic Vote

Erdogan began his speech by reciting all 40 lines of the Turkish national anthem to roars from supporters who waited hours for him in scorching heat in the newly-built rally arena in Istanbul's Maltepe district.

Local media said more than 4,600 buses and 75 boats had carried his supporters to the site from across Istanbul.

"August 10 will be a cornerstone," Erdogan said in a speech broadcast live on a dozen national television channels.

"Do you know what you will say to your children, to your grandchildren in the future? That you have voted for the first president that the people voted for," he said.

Erdogan may not yet have engineered the full presidential system he wants for Turkey. But he has made clear that the direct nature of this vote will enable him to exercise stronger powers than past incumbents who were appointed by parliament to a role that was largely ceremonial.

A "council of wise men" - made up partly of close allies in his current cabinet - is likely to help oversee top government business, senior officials have told Reuters, effectively relegating some ministries to technical and bureaucratic roles.

Erdogan's rivals say his domination of the Turkish media and his profile as a sitting prime minister have made for an unfair race. Both Ihsanoglu and Demirtas have challenged him to a live televised debate, which has so far met with no public response.

"The earth and sky are full of your posters," Demirtas told his rally on Sunday. "You are experiencing a boom in confidence, so why are you scared of a two-hour TV show?"

Erdogan: Israel Deliberately Killing Palestinian Mothers
Aug 4th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Reuters

In yet another verbal tirade against Israeli, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday accused the Jewish state of “deliberately killing Palestinian mothers”, Reuters reported.

Addressing hundreds of thousands of supporters at his biggest rally so far ahead of the August 10 election, Erdogan again likened Israel's actions to those of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

"Just like Hitler, who sought to establish a race free of all faults, Israel is chasing after the same target," Erdogan told the sea of cheering supporters at an Istanbul arena, according to Reuters.

"They kill women so that they will not give birth to Palestinians; they kill babies so that they won't grow up; they kill men so they can't defend their country ... They will drown in the blood they shed," he charged.

The relations between Turkey and Israel are already strained ever since the Marmara incident in 2010, but the Turkish Prime Minister has upped the rhetoric against Israel since it launched the self-defense Operation Protective Edge in Gaza.

Erdogan has become increasingly vocal over the operation, and threatened to end the normalization process with Israel over "state terrorism."

He has also accused Israel of "lies" because "not enough" Israeli Jews have died in the conflict and has compared Jewish Home MK Ayelet Shaked to Adolf Hitler.

Erdogan's comments on Sunday drew a sharp rebuke from a Jewish leader in the United States, who called the Turkish prime minister "the Joseph Goebbels of our time," referring to Hitler's chief propagandist.

"The time has come for world leaders to say that he has now crossed a line, and has crossed a line into the area of anti-Semitism and the world won't tolerate it," Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, told Reuters.

The American Jewish Congress has asked Erdogan to return an award it gave him in 2004 due to his criticism of Israel. The Turkish leader responded by saying he would be “glad” to return the award.

Deputy Finance Minister: We are Here Forever
Aug 4th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Deputy Finance Minister Mickey Levy (Yesh Atid) welcomed on Monday night the announcement that a 72-hour ceasefire will start Tuesday morning, saying that it was symbolic that a ceasefire was reached on Tisha B'Av.

“No more destruction of the Temple, we are here forever,” he told Channel 2 News.

Anglican Vicar: With Attention on Israel and Gaza, Isis will 'Kill At Will'
Aug 4th, 2014
Daily NewsBreitbart
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The jihadist terror group Islamic State is still waging a war in Syria and Iraq with minimal international attention. As columnist Kirsten Powers pointed out, the Iraqi Christians are “begging the world to help,” and no one is listening. Andrew White, the vicar of the only Anglican church in Iraq, believes the jihadists will “kill at will” due to a lack of awareness in part fueled by the high level of interest in the Israel-Palestine conflict.

"The Islamic State simply said we can do anything now the world is just looking at Gaza," he wrote in a newsletter. "In reality that is true. Iraq seems like old news, yet things just get worse and worse here.”

Mosul was home to one of the largest Christian communities in the world before the conquest of the Islamic State. Christians co-inhabited the city with Muslims for 2,000 years. Upon taking over the city, the Islamic State told the Christians to convert to Islam, pay a protection tax, or die. The people fled; for the first time in history there are no Christians in Mosul. The jihadists imposed Sharia law on the remaining residents and destroyed shrines held dear by Muslims and Christians. All 45 Christian institutions in Mosul are occupied by terrorists or destroyed.

"It is as if hell has broken out here and nobody cares, that is, apart from you, our supporters, who never leave us and keep supporting us in every way," he wrote. "The situation is so serious, and it is very easy to feel forgotten.”

IS also targets Muslims, especially from the Shi’ite sect, in Syria and Iraq. The men perpetrate mass executions and severely abuse their prisoners, including publicly crucifying nine people. According to Amnesty International, these prisoners include very young children. In Raqqa, Syria, the "capital" of the Islamic State, two women accused of adultery were stoned to death. It was the first time that type of punishment was carried out in the city. The terrorists celebrated Eid, which marks the last day of Ramadan and a day for unity, with a 30-minute video of their numerous executions of fellow Muslims.

White and other Christian congregations are doing what they can to help Christian and Muslim refugees from Mosul and Ninevah. But according to White, there is a growing concern in Baghdad.

"Even here in Baghdad, people are terrified of what is happening around us," he said. "The Islamic State has established their hidden cells within Baghdad, and people are seriously under threat even though they are not in the areas controlled by the Islamic State. The number of kidnappings here has soared, and people simply do not know what is going to happen next."

ISIS crept into south Iraq and took control of the Jurf Al-Sakhar district, which is 40 miles southwest of Baghdad. The group took responsibility for suicide bombs in Baghdad, which have left over 50 dead and hundreds wounded. Without protection, Christianity could end in Iraq. On July 26, White said the end is near.

“Things are so desperate, our people are disappearing,” he said. “We have had people massacred, their heads chopped off. The Christians are in grave danger. There are literally Christians living in the desert and on the street. They have nowhere to go.”

"Are we seeing the end of Christianity?” he continued. “We are committed come what may, we will keep going to the end, but it looks as though the end could be very near."

Iraqi Christian Sermed Ashkouri, 37, said it is impossible to have an Iraq without Christianity.

"We as Christians, we get stronger when there is crucifixion, when there is sacrifice," he said. "Imagine Iraq without Christians. It's nothing. Even the Muslim people say that.”

'God Has a Call on My Life': U.S. Doctor Infected With Ebola Explains
Aug 4th, 2014
Daily NewsMail Online
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Before relocating his family from Texas to West Africa last year to work in a clinic trying to help contain the Ebola virus epidemic - where he inevitably caught the incurable and highly-deadly disease - Dr. Kent Brantley gave a sermon in his hometown explaining his decision.

The religious reasons for the missionary trip have been revealed as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the father-of-two 'seems to be improving', 24 hours after landing in Georgia from Liberia on Saturday for treatment.

Brantly was transferred amid high security to Emory University Hospital in Atlanta, which is fitted out with one of the most sophisticated containment facilities in America.

He was pictured being helped out of a special ambulance in a hazmat suit and walking into the hospital.

CDS chief Tom Frieden told Face the Nation on CBS on Sunday they hope Brantley will 'continue to improve', but could not say whether they think he will survive the virus.

Ebola: Seemingly uneasy on his feet, Dr Kent Brantly (left) is helped into Emory University Hospital in Atlanta by medical staff

+15

Fight of their lives: Dr. Kent Brantly (above) and hygienist aid worker Nancy Writebol are both in grave conditions as they battle incurable Ebola

Now it's being pressed into service for the two seriously ill Americans who worked at a hospital in Liberia, one of the three West Africa countries hit by the largest Ebola outbreak in history.

CDC Director Dr Tom Frieden acknowledged that many Americans are terrified about bringing Dr Brantly and hygienist Writebol back to the U.S. to continue the treatment of their incurable Ebola infections but insisted there was no risk.

'But I really hope that people's fear won't outweigh their compassion. We've got a real challenge in Africa and what we need to focus on is stopping the outbreak there. We will be able to stop it, but its going to take supporting people,' he told CNN.

'And that means if people who are on that supporting mission get sick, we care for them.'

Dr Frieden added: 'Ebola is a huge risk in Africa. It's not going to be a huge risk in the U.S.'

According to WXIA, Emory's isolation unit is on the ground floor and has three beds with the highest standards in negative pressure air handling, HEPA filtration and exhaust.

However, on Thursday charity SIM said in a statement that Mrs Writebol's condition had worsened, despite the serum.

Her husband, David, is close by but can only visit his wife through a window or dressed in a haz-mat suit.

'We continue to pray for Nancy's full and complete recovery,' said Bruce Johnson, president of SIM USA. 'Even though her condition has worsened, we know she is receiving the best possible medical care, and we are thankful that she has access to this experimental drug.

'We believe in the power of prayer and ask people around the world not only to pray for Nancy and Kent, but also for everyone affected by this terrible virus.'

Last week Dr Brantly, 33, was identified as the first American to be diagnosed with Ebola, which kills up to 90 per cent of those it infects.

Mrs Writebol, 60, an educator turned missionary from Charlotte, North Carolina, was the second.

The first stage of the illness is characterised by fever, headaches, nausea, vomiting, a rash and diarrhea.

The second however is haemorrhagic fever in which patients endure difficulty breathing and swallowing and agonising bleeding inside their body.

Blood pours out of their ears and nose and turns their eyes from white to red. They die an agonising death. Generally patients who enter the second stage do not survive.

Mr Johnson said that SIM USA had not yet identified how Dr Brantly and Mrs Writebol had become infected but said that they take ‘extreme safety measures’ and follow guidelines from the Centre For Disease Control.

He said: 'Our hearts just break for them.'