Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Washington Prepares to Attack Islamic State Targets in Syria
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Jerusalem Post
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

WASHINGTON – The United States intelligence and defense communities are preparing a long list of possible military targets in Syria for President Barack Obama belonging to the Islamic State, a terrorist organization holding ground throughout eastern Syria and northern Iraq.

The US government has stepped up its efforts to increase its knowledge of Islamic State activities and assets in and around Raqqa, the group’s nominal capital, after it finished taking over the region from the Assad government last week.

The US understanding of the reality in the portion of Syria under Islamic State control – what the intelligence community calls “visibility” – has been poor, as evidenced most publicly by a covert rescue operation in July that incorrectly identified the whereabouts of several Americans held captive by the group.

Islamic State has killed thousands of Christians and Muslims in the way of its march throughout Iraq, down the Euphrates and up the Tigris rivers, in an effort to form a caliphate that will extend from Baghdad to Tel Aviv.

The US lists the group as a terrorist organization, but its public beheading last week of James Foley, an American journalist, shook Washington and prompted Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Martin Dempsey to call the group “beyond anything we’ve ever seen.”

Obama, too, called the group a “cancer” that poses a direct threat to the Muslims of Iraq, to US allies in Europe and to the American homeland.

"America does not forget," Obama said on Tuesday. "Our reach is long. We are patient. Justice will be done."

State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki repeated on Tuesday that, despite sharing a common enemy in the Islamic State, the US would not coordinate with President Bashar Assad should it choose to strike within Syrian territory.

“Certainly we would not view it as being on the same side just because there is a common enemy,” she said. The US has repeatedly called for Assad to step down, and in recent days has blamed him for creating conditions that have allowed Islamic State to metastasize.

“When it comes to the interests of the American people, the interests of the United States, we’re not going to ask for permission from the Syrian regime,” Psaki continued, adding, “We would obviously have a legal justification for any action taken.”

Psaki said the political justification for striking Islamic State would be the protection of American lives. The threat is not restricted to borders, and thus US military options would not adhere to such restrictions, she said.

Nearly a year ago, Obama weighed striking Syria after Assad used sarin gas against a civilian town, killing 1,400 people.

Some 500 were children, and it was the deadliest attack in the three-year-old civil war to date.

During that debate, Obama took a consequential walk through the White House grounds with his chief of staff, Dennis McDonough, to discuss how to proceed. The president decided on that walk to seek authorization from Congress to use force, prompting a dramatic flurry of activity on Capitol Hill, rare during the August summer recess.

Obama took a similar walk on Monday with McDonough through those same grounds, though the White House did not provide a readout of the conversation. On Capitol Hill, no such flurry has matched what occurred last year.

Administration officials have not said whether the president would, once again, request authorization for the use of force from Congress.

Vladimir Putin Meets Ukrainian President for Peace Talks As War in Eastern Ukraine Escalates
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily Newsnews.com.au
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

THE Interfax news agency is quoting Ukraine’s president as saying the leaders he met with in Minsk, which included Russian President Vladimir Putin, support his peace plan.

It was not immediately clear if the support prefigured a quick end to the fighting in eastern Ukraine between pro-Russia separatists and Ukrainian forces.

Putin, whose country is accused by Kiev and the West of arming and supporting the rebels, was to speak to reporters separately.The presidents of Russia and Ukraine have sat down to crunch one-on-one talks over heavy fighting in east Ukraine as the Kremlin admitted for the first time its troops had entered its neighbour’s territory.

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Vladimir Putin began a key bilateral meeting on Tuesday after six hours of difficult negotiations alongside top EU officials in Minsk aimed at defusing a crisis some fear could lead to all-out war between Kiev and Moscow.

Crisis talks ... Vladimir Putin met Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko after six hours of difficult negotiations alongside top EU officials in Minsk. Picture: AFP

 

Show of force ... Ukrainian soldiers arrive to reinforce their positions in the village of Bezimenne, eastern Ukraine. Picture: AP Source: AP

There had seemed little hope for a major breakthrough after the conflict appeared to escalate when Ukraine released footage hours ahead of the talks purporting to show 10 Russian soldiers it had captured on its territory.

A Moscow military source claimed the soldiers had crossed into Ukraine “by accident”.

“In Minsk at this meeting the fate of the world and Europe is being decided,” Poroshenko said in Russian as the earlier roundtable meeting started with Putin alongside top EU representatives and the leaders of Kazakhstan and Belarus.

 

Patrols ... Kiev has accused Moscow of trying to open up a “new front” into government-held territory. Picture: AP Source: AP

Putin, however, barely mentioned the brutal fighting that has killed some 2,200 people in the east of Ukraine since April in remarks at the start of the group talks, focusing instead on the damage Kiev’s recent agreement with the EU could have on Russia’s economy.

On Tuesday it was announced that the Russian economy is nearing recession. At the same time it was also reported that the Ukrainian currency slid to a new record low against the dollar.

On the ground, battles raged in east Ukraine, an AFP journalist reported fierce shelling in a town close to the Russian border where Kiev accuses Moscow of trying to open up a “new front” into government-held territory.

 

Time for change ... Russian President Vladimir Putin, back right, and Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko, left, attend talks in Minsk, Belaru. Picture: AP Source: AP

Kiev’s security service said on Monday that paratroopers from Russia’s 98th airborne division had been captured by Ukrainian forces about 50km southeast of the main rebel stronghold of Donetsk.

Ukrainian media aired footage purporting to show the Russians telling an interrogator that they crossed into Ukraine in armoured convoys.

A Russian defence ministry source on Tuesday said soldiers had been “taking part in patrolling a section of the Russian-Ukrainian border”.

“They crossed it most likely by accident, on an unequipped, unmarked section”, Russian news agencies quoted the source as saying.

Ukraine’s forces accused Russian troops of trying to open a “new front” after an armoured convoy crossed onto government-held territory Monday in the south of Donetsk region.

Kiev also accused Russian army helicopters of launching a ferocious missile attack on a Ukrainian border position further to the north, killing four border guards and bringing the death toll to 12 soldiers in the past 24 hours.

UN Sends First Convoy from Egypt to Gaza Since 2007
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Rafah border between Egypt and Gaza

Flash 90

A United Nations humanitarian aid convoy crossed into Gaza from Egypt on Wednesday, for the first time since Israel imposed a security blockade on the Hamas-ruled terror haven in 2007. Egypt since last year has imposed a siege of its own on Gaza.

The World Food Program (WFP) said the convoy, which entered Gaza through the Rafah Crossing, carried enough food to last 150,000 people for five days. As part of the ceasefire deal reached Tuesday night, Egypt agreed to ease passage through the Rafah Crossing.

"It is extremely important that we have access to the Gaza Strip to ensure a constant flow of humanitarian supplies to meet the growing needs of the people affected by the recent violence," said Mohamed Diab, WFP Regional Director for the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and East Europe.

The convoy was carrying 15,650 food parcels, including ready-to-eat canned meat, canned beans, tea and dates, according to a statement from the UN agency in Geneva. Another 10,000 parcels are to be delivered in the next few days.

Since Hamas escalated its rocket war on Israel causing the IDF to launch Operation Protective Edge on July 8, WFP reports having provided daily food rations to around 350,000 people in Gaza. Israel kept the Gaza borders open to goods for nearly all of the operation.

WFP said it will need around $70 million in order to continue supplying the Hamas stronghold for the next three months.

Palestinian Authority (PA) delegation head Azzam al-Ahmed revealed on Tuesday night the details of the long-term ceasefire deal that Israel agreed to with the terrorist organization Hamas, a deal that went into effect that night at 7 p.m.

According to the deal, Israel would immediately open the borders to humanitarians goods as well as some construction goods, despite the fact that such materials were used to build Hamas's terror tunnel network and domestically produced rockets. Israel also agreed to lift the closure of Gaza's fishing zone, which was implemented due to the security threat.

Major Hamas demands, such as the opening of a sea and airport in Gaza, and a swap of hundreds of terrorists for the bodies of IDF soldiers Second Lt. Hadar Goldin and First Sgt. Oron Shaul hy''d, who were killed in the operation, are to be discussed in talks in a month's time.

Israel's lone demand, the disarmament of Gaza, was flatly rejected in the ceasefire talks, and will be raised for discussion in the negotiations occurring within a month.

UN Accuses is of Expanding Atrocities Against Civilians
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsDebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Ukraine President Holds Direct Talks With Putin
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsDebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Qatar Credits Ceasefire to Palestinian Resistance
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Qatar announced that it intends on taking part in the restoration of the Gaza Strip, and that the agreement between Israel and Hamas was achieved because of the merits of the resistance and the sacrifices of the Palestinian Authority.

The statement also made it clear that Qatar hopes that the agreement will put an end to the suffering of the “Palestinian people” and will attend to their “Legitimate demands.”

Putin Admits: Our Soldiers Entered Ukrainian Territory
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Russian President, Vladimir Putin, admitted on Tuesday night that his soldiers entered Ukrainian soil, but claimed that the goal of the forces’ entry was to tour the border.

Putin indicated that tens of Ukrainian soldiers also crossed the border into the Ukraine during the last round of clashes and added, “There was never a problem with this and I hope there will be no problem with this in the future.”

Netanyahu Hails 'Great Diplomatic Blow' on Hamas
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Binyamin Netanyahu

Flash 90

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday night attempted to respond to the outpouring of criticism to his unilateral decision the night before, in which he sealed a ceasefire deal with the terrorist group Hamas.

"With the establishment of the ceasefire I can say that this is a great military and diplomatic achievement," claimed Netanyahu, accompanied by Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz.

Netanyahu stated "Hamas has been hit critically and didn't receive any of the demands it set."

Palestinian Authority (PA) officials revealed that in the deal Gaza received an immediate ease of the blockade and an opening of its fishing zone. Discussions on the Hamas demand for a sea and airport, as well as a swap of hundreds of terrorists for the bodies of IDF soldiers Second Lt. Hadar Goldin and First Sgt. Oron Shaul hy''d, are to be held within a month.

The IDF destroyed over 30 terror tunnels that were lethally used against Israel in the operation, although it remains unclear if more yet undiscovered tunnels may remain.

Nevertheless, Netanyahu said "when the mission of destroying the tunnels was completed, we pulled the forces back so as to prevent Hamas from killing our soldiers or abducting them - goals they were waiting for. Still we continued to strike form the air and killed around 1,000 terrorists of the enemy - including officials in the command echelon."

"The damage that Hamas absorbed is a blow that it hasn't absorbed in its history - a military and diplomatic blow," commented Netanyahu. "It demanded a seaport, an airport, the release of (Gilad) Shalit prisoners, Qatari and Turkish intermediaries - and didn't get it."

Many have noted that Israeli didn't receive its lone demand in the ceasefire either, namely a disarmament of Gaza, which is to be discussed in negotiations within a month.

When confronted with the fact that he did not toppled the Hamas terrorist regime, something he vowed to do in 2009 if faced with constant rocket fire while he was campaigning, Netanyahu said "even the US didn't topple Al Qaeda. To topple a terror organization is not simple."

Speaking about the road forward in terms of security, Netanyahu said "we will not suffer a drip (of rockets) on any part of the state of Israel, and what we've responded - we will respond even stronger."

Despite Netanyahu's positive spin on the campaign, Gaza Belt leaders slammed the ceasefire as surrender. 

Ashkelon Mayor Itamar Shimoni stated "we did not lose 64 fighters and five civilians, including a four-year-old boy, for this 'achievement'. We did not sit in the shelters and protected spaces for almost two months for this 'achievement'. We did not take a harsh economic blow, in which businesses collapsed, for this 'achievement'. We expected a lot more than this.”

Even Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud), a close confidante of Netanyahu, told BBC on Wednesday that the operation was "for nothing," and that Israel paid a "heavy price."

Several ministers in the Security Cabinet opposed the deal, but were not given the opportunity to vote on it. Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) on Wednesday voiced his opposition to the ceasefire, saying Israel is in danger as long as Hamas exists.

Former MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari likewise attacked the deal on Tuesday night. Quoting Netanyahu, who recently said "Hamas is ISIS, ISIS is Hamas," Ben-Ari stated "that means that Netanyahu held negotiations with ISIS."

Nearly All Palestinians Favor Gaza Rockets Against Israel
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsDebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Likud Minister Says Gaza Operation Was 'For Nothing'
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Yuval Steinitz

Flash 90

Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud) spoke in an interview on Wednesday about Operation Protective Edge, which reached a somewhat anti-climatic conclusion the night before at 7 p.m., when a ceasefire was signed between Israel and the terror organization Hamas.

Talking to BBC's HARDtalk TV program, Steinitz summarized the 50 day operation as being "for nothing. This was an unnecessary round of violence between us and the Palestinians - the Hamas in Gaza - that brought only misery and suffering on both sides, without any significant cause, without any significant effect."

Nevertheless Steinitz, a close associate of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, rejected the interviewer's assertion that the operation was a "strategic failure" for Israel, noting that the goal was to protect Israel's citizens.

 "If we now will have a long ceasefire, and if we did resume our deterrence capacity vis-a-vis Hamas and similar organizations, then we achieved our goal," remarked the minister.

However, he noted that any possible benefits in terms of security came at a very "heavy price."

"We paid a very expensive price with 70 casualties on our side, with people that have to flee their homes in the south of Israel because of the daily barrages of rockets and mortars. This is a heavy price for a democratic state to pay," concluded Steinitz.

While Netanyahu's office has declared the operation a victory, noting that Hamas was seriously damaged in the clash and didn't receive it's extravagant demands, the details of the ceasefire agreement have raised serious criticism in Israel.

Palestinian Authority (PA) delegation head Azzam al-Ahmed revealed Tuesday night that Israel agreed to ease the borders on Gaza and allow humanitarian and even some construction goods in immediately, as well as lifting restrictions on the fishing zone.

The deal also paves the way for talks in a month in which Hamas will demand a sea and airport in Gaza, and will negotiate a swap of hundreds of terrorists for the bodies of IDF soldiers Second Lt. Hadar Goldin and First Sgt. Oron Shaul hy''d, who were killed in the operation.

Israel's lone demand of disarming Gaza was flatly rejected in the deal, putting discussions on the request off until later discussions in a month's time.

Liberman Rejects Ceasefire Deal With 'Hamas Murderers'
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Avigdor Liberman

Flash 90

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman (Yisrael Beytenu) on Wednesday launched a verbal barrage on the ceasefire deal reached with the Hamas terrorist organization the night before.

"It is forbidden to make peace with Hamas, and as long as Hamas exists it's impossible to make peace," wrote Liberman on his Facebook page. "As long as Hamas rules in Gaza, it is impossible to ensure the security of Israeli citizens, and impossible to reach a peace agreement."

Liberman was one of at least four ministers on the Security Cabinet who voice opposition to the ceasefire deal; joining him was Gilad Erdan (Likud), Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home), and Yitzchak Aharonovich (Yisrael Beytenu). Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu skirted a Cabinet vote on the deal through a legality, avoiding the strong opposition.

In fact, according to Liberman, all six Yisrael Beytenu ministers oppose any ceasefire deal with Hamas and call on Israel not to give the terrorist group any achievements as a reward for its terror war on Israel.

"It's impossible, and we must not, rely on lowly murderers," Liberman said of Hamas. "Therefore, we opposed a ceasefire under whose cover Hamas will be able to continue and grow, and manage additional campaigns against Israel at a time convenient to it."

Hamas as early as two weeks ago clarified that any truce deal would only be so as to plan the next terror war on Israel. That planning likely would include rebuilding the terror tunnel network lethally used against Israel in the operation; the IDF took out over 30 tunnels but others may remain unidentified.

"As long as the Hamas regime is not overthrown - the threat of rockets and tunnels remains. We must stand firm on Hamas not receiving any diplomatic achievement thanks to this ceasefire," emphasized Liberman, calling for a war without compromise against the terror group.

Let the Headlines Speak
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsFrom the internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

IRS lawyer: Lois Lerner's Blackberry deliberately destroyed after start of congressional probe
Thomas Kane, Deputy Assistant Chief Counsel for the IRS, wrote in the declaration, part of a lawsuit filed by Judicial Watch against the IRS, that the Blackberry was "removed or wiped clean of any sensitive or proprietary information and removed as scrap for disposal in June 2012." "If you intentionally destroy evidence, that is a crime. If you make a statement in court saying the evidence is not available and it is, that is also a crime,"  

Biotech firm's GM mosquitoes to fight dengue in Brazil
Oxitec's new factory in the Brazilian city of Campinas, outside Sao Paulo, is the first in the world to launch production of genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes to target dengue.  

Holes in Mount Baldy still a mystery as Park Service keeps landmark closed
Geologist Erin Argyilan has in the past 10 months studied sediment, analyzed wind patterns and mapped terrain, but she hasn’t solved the mystery of the holes that appear and vanish in the beige sands of Mount Baldy at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. “We’re seeing what appears to be a new geological phenomenon,” she said.  

Canada pulling Ebola lab team from Sierra Leone
Canada is evacuating a three-member mobile laboratory team from Sierra Leone after people in their hotel were diagnosed with Ebola. The World Health Organization earlier announced it is pulling a team out of the country.  

Iran's Supreme Leader calls for more enrichment capacity
Ali Khamenei said his country needs to significantly increase its number of centrifuges, underlining a gap in positions between Tehran and world powers as they hold talks aimed at clinching a nuclear accord.  

Islamic State executes soldiers, takes hostages at Syria base: social media
slamic State militants have executed Syrian army soldiers and are holding a group hostage after capturing an air base in northeast Syria at the weekend, pictures posted on social media by supporters showed on Wednesday.  

U.S. Drafts UN Resolution on Gaza Ceasefire
Diplomats told the news agency that Washington is now working with European powers and Jordan on a joint text for the resolution. "The U.S. has come up with its own draft," said one UN diplomat, who declined to be named. "It's quite different from the two others. Now they're working to combine the drafts and come up with a common text."  

Satanic 'black mass' gets green light from U.S. city
The Catholic Archbishop of Oklahoma City has agreed to drop a lawsuit against a satanic cult that plans to perform a “black mass” in the city now that the cult has returned a stolen consecrated host to the church. An Oklahoma-based satanic group called Dakhma of Angra Mainyu has leased space in the Civic Center Music Hall, which is owned and operated by the city, for a black mass on Sept. 21.  

More Voices Warn of ISIS Threat
This weekend we saw a distressed retired Lt. General McInerney issue a dire warning of a possible 9/11 style ISIS attack on, or around, September 11 2014. In addition to McInerney we also saw warnings from Rep. Mike Rogers – Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, former Deputy CIA Director Michael Morel, and Rep. Michael McCaul – Chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, on not only the possibility of ISIS attempt another 9/11 style attack in the United States, but also the more general threat of ISIS on the rise.  

WHO: High death toll of medics hampering Ebola control efforts
"On Ebola, the World Health Organisation says that the heavy toll on health care workers in this outbreak further impedes control efforts. To date, more than 240 health care workers have developed the disease in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone, and more than 120 have died," spokesman for UN secretary-general Stephane Dujarric said.  

'Google-like' search engine puts NSA snooping back in the spotlight
The National Security Agency’s surveillance machinery is again in the spotlight after a media report claimed that it is secretly providing data to almost two dozen U.S. government agencies via a powerful “Google-like” search engine. Details of the search engine, known as ICREACH, are revealed in classified documents obtained by The Intercept website from NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.  

3.2 Magnitude Earthquake Recorded Near Guthrie
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, this earthquake was recorded at 11:05 a.m. Its epicenter was located three miles southwest of Guthrie and 13 miles north of Edmond. It was about three miles deep.  

2.3 magnitude earthquake hits south of New Madrid
A 2.3 magnitude earthquake centered seven miles south of New Madrid, Missouri hit the Heartland Tuesday morning. The micro earthquake hit at 9:06 a.m. eight miles north, northwest of Tiptonville, Tenn.,  

Why isn't the media covering the killing of an unarmed white youth by a black police officer?
The case of Michael Brown, the unarmed, black teenager shot and killed by a white police officer, continues to make headlines weeks after the incident sparked riots and outrage in Ferguson, Missouri, and prompted a national debate. Meanwhile, the case of Dillon Taylor, an unarmed, white 20-year-old shot and killed by a black policeman outside a 7-Eleven in Utah has received virtually no media coverage beyond local news reports.  

One in six French people say they support ISIS
Two polls released this week both ask a question that you would hope wouldn't need asking: how many people support the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS)? Unfortunately, in all four countries surveyed, the answer is greater than zero, and by a lot.  

American 'fighter' dies in Syria battle
An American man, believed to be fighting alongside Islamist militants in Syria, has been killed, the White House has confirmed.  

Gaza conflict: Israel and Palestinians agree long-term truce
A long-term ceasefire has been agreed between Israel and Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip. The truce, ending seven weeks of fighting that has left more than 2,200 people - mostly Palestinians - dead, was brokered by Egypt and began at 19:00 local time (16:00 GMT).  

Ebola has 'upper hand' says US health official
Ebola still has the "upper hand" in the outbreak that has killed more than 1,400 people in West Africa, but experts have the means to stop it, a top American health official said during a visit to the hardest-hit countries.  

ISIS Demands $6.6M Ransom for 26-Year-Old American Woman
A third American hostage held by ISIS has been identified as a 26-year-old American woman who was kidnapped a year ago while doing humanitarian relief work in Syria. The terror group is demanding $6.6 million and the release of U.S. prisoners for the life of the young woman, who the family requested not be identified.  

Iceland volcano struck by biggest earthquake yet, still no eruption
A magnitude 5.7 earthquake hit Iceland's Bardarbunga volcano overnight, the biggest since tremors began 10 days ago, but there is still no sign of an eruption, the country's Meteorological Office said on Tuesday.  

Israel Claims 'Victory' Following Gaza Operation
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem

Reuters

Israel is claiming victory in the 50-day war with Hamas, which temporarily ended in a ceasefire that went into force Tuesday.

"We were victorious in the negotiation phase,” said Liran Dan, Head of the National Information Directorate in the Prime Minister's Office, in an interview with IDF Radio Wednesday. “The military blow that the IDF dealt Hamas – the hardest it has experienced since it was founded – was heavy and meaningful. What we saw is that in a prolonged and well executed campaign, Hamas suffered a harsh military blow and damage to the most heavily constructed arrays it built.”

Idan said that Hamas built up networks of rockets, attack tunnels and terror forces over years with the intent of using them against Israel, and these have been smashed by the IDF. 

"We should ask the opposite question,” Dan said. “What has Hamas achieved with this campaign? It set out with a very clear goal and did not achieve it.” Hamas wanted sea and air ports, it wanted funding allowed into Gaza, it wanted the blockade of Gaza lifted, it wanted the terrorists who were released in the Schalit deal and recently rearrested released, it wanted Turkey and Qatar to mediate in the negotiations, and received none of these things, he noted. Hamas thought that the Israeli public's spirit would break after one week's fighting, and was proved wrong, he insisted. 

Dan also noted that Hamas's order of battle is larger than that of the entire Islamic State.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu did not hold a Cabinet vote on the decision to cease fire. He relied on a legal opinion that allows him to make the decision on his own, without Cabinet approval. Netanyahu preferred not to bring the matter to a vote because he would have faced opposition from four ministers – Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home), Avigdor Liberman and Yitzchak Aharonovich (Yisrael Beytenu) and Gilad Erdan (Likud).

Residents of the Gaza Belt are very unhappy about the cease fire, but Brigadier General Motti Almoz, the IDF Spokesman, promised the residents that IDF forces will not be withdrawn from the Gaza Belt any time soon.

"We are present around the Gaza Belt all of the time and we will not leave it until we see the situation stabilizing,” he assured. “We are doing this with a lot of love and there is no argument or disagreement with the residents of the Gaza Belt. The residents have experienced something. The burden of proof is on us, and we understand this. We will not budge from there until trust is restored.”

The celebrations in Gaza are not surprising but they do not represent the true feelings in the leadership of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, he added. “It will take ten years to repair the damage caused to Gaza in this operation, but it has the potential to create a completely different security reality. The fact that entire strategic arrays of Hamas have collapsed is very clear.

Iran Hails Hamas 'Victory', Qatar Offers Money
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad  and Mashaal

Reuters

Two of Hamas's major sponsors and backers, Iran and Qatar, have hailed the ceasefire agreement it reached with Israel Tuesday as a victory for the Gaza terror organization.

Iran said Wednesday that Palestinians had emerged the victors and brought their Israeli foe "to its knees" during the 50-day conflict.

"The heroic Palestinian people have forged a new era with the victory of the resistance which has brought the Zionist regime to its knees," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"This victory prepares the way for the final liberation of all the occupied lands especially Quds (Jerusalem)," it said, congratulating the Palestinian people and the terror groups in Gaza that Iran supports.

Iran used to give Hamas over $20 million per month but scaled back its support two years ago, when Hamas sided publicly with the Syrian rebels fighting President Bashar Assad. Assad enjoys the support of Iran and its proxy, Hezbollah. There has been a recent rapprochment, however, between Hamas and Iran, which continues to actively back the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terror group. Weapons sent from Iran to Gaza on the Klos C vessel, which was intercepted by Israel, appear to have been meant mostly for the PIJ.

Qatar, a key backer of Hamas, hailed the Gaza ceasefire accord and offered to help rebuild the

enclave battered by seven weeks of Israeli bombardment.

The accord for a long-term ceasefire was thanks "firstly to the resistance and the sacrifices" of the Palestinians, the gas-rich Gulf emirate said in a statement.

It said Qatar, which is home to Khaled Meshaal, the exiled chief of the Islamist movement Hamas, was "ready to contribute to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip as soon as possible".

The conflict, which began on July 8 when Israel launched Operation Protective Edge in a bid to stamp out cross-border rocket fire, cost the lives of 2,143 Palestinians and 70 on the Israeli side.

Iran Applauds PAs Win in Gaza
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

The Iranian Foreign Ministry applauded the Palestinian Authority for their “victory” in battle against Israel.

A statement from Tehran made it clear that “The victory paves the way for the final freedom of all occupied lands, including Jerusalem, from the Zionists.”

Indyk: Gaza Op. Adversely Affected Israeli - U.S. Relations
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Former American Peace Envoy, Martin Indyk, told Foreign Policy magazine that the military operation in Gaza adversely affected relations between Israel and the United States.

Iceland: Earthquake Rocks Volcano Site, No Sign of Eruption
Aug 27th, 2014
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A 5.7 magnitude earthquake was sensed on Tuesday night at the site of Bardarbunga, Iceland’s local volcano.

At this time, no sign of volcanic activity or impending eruptions have been noted.

Iceland Volcano: New Quakes Raise Concern Over Large Eruption
Aug 27th, 2014
Daily NewsBBC
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

A volcanic system close to Iceland's Bardarbunga's volcano was hit by a magnitude 4.5 earthquake in the early hours of Wednesday.

It adds to concerns that magma from Bardarbunga could feed into the nearby Askja volcano.

British and Icelandic scientists say that 50 million cubic metres of molten rock has moved in a 24 hour period.

If it continues to head north, it could link up with the Askja system and trigger a large eruption.

Scientists working in the area have said that they will be withdrawing from the exclusion zone on Wednesday after they have deployed some more instruments.

Prof Bob White, from the University of Cambridge, said "It's headed straight for it."

But he cautioned that volcanoes were hard to predict.

"It's moving at about 4km a day towards Askja, and if it keeps going it could get there in a few days," he told BBC News.

"We know there is a lot of molten rock sitting under the ground beneath Askja, which is a major volcanic system. If this molten rock hits that, we know it is likely to trigger it to erupt.

"But who knows, it may just stop. It is still at 5km-depth, and it is possible it could freeze there and not a lot more will happen. That is perfectly plausible."

The Cambridge seismology group and researchers from Iceland have been monitoring volcanoes in the area since 2006 with more than 70 seismometers.

Over the last 10 days, they have detected large numbers of earthquakes, which have been moving north over a distance of about 40km. They are caused as magma flows beneath the ground, cracking the rocks as it moves.

On Tuesday morning the Bardarbunga volcano was hit by a magnitude 5.7 earthquake, the largest since tremors began in the area last week.

About 350 million cubic metres of magma have moved in this period, which is about twice the amount of molten rock that was blasted into the air during Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull eruption in 2010.

Prof Simon Redfern, an earth scientist from the University of Cambridge, said: "It is a huge amount of magma, creating an enormous subterranean channel of molten rock."

He said that the dyke - the underground "plumbing system" that carries the molten rock - could join up with other underground fissures, creating a large network of magma.

Prof White added that several scenarios were possible.

"One is that it erupts under the glacier," he said.

"That is bad news because this kind of eruption can drive the big ash clouds that can go up 35,000-40,000ft, and that is what happened in 2010 with Eyjafjallajokull."

However that scenario is looking less likely because the magma is moving beyond the thick ice of the glacier into shallower terrain beyond.

If it erupts in this region, with less ice-cover, it could create "fire-fountains" - spectacular plumes of lava, which can be dangerous, but carry less ash.

Prof White said: "The third scenario is that it keeps going north, it keeps feeding molten rock and it hits the Askja system and triggers that - then goodness knows what will happen. It could make a lot of disruptive ash all over Iceland."

The last time that the Askja volcano had a major eruption was in 1875. The ash-fall caused crops to fail and killed livestock, triggering a wave of migration away from the north east of Iceland.

'Curtain of fire'

Commenting on the team's findings Prof David Rothery, from the Open University, said that while the magma could head for Askja, it may also change its route.

"Magma could be heading along a dyke towards Askja, which last erupted in 1961, or it might bypass it and be injected northwards along a fissure that passes to the east of Askja, where there have been several earthquakes in the past week," he told BBC News.

"In neither case is an eruption inevitable. Many dykes never reach the surface.

"An eruption along a dyke could be a spectacular affair, beginning as a 'curtain of fire' feeding an expanding lava field. That sort of eruption is most unlikely to produce a column of fine ash that would get high enough to be a hazard to more than a local aviation.

"I would anticipate a bigger problem if an eruption of stored, gas-rich magma were to begin at Bardarbunga itself, but even that would cause major disruption to air travel only if it was powerful enough to reach about 20 km high and if the wind carried the ash southeast over the UK and mainland Europe."

On Saturday, Iceland raised its level of alert to the aviation industry to red, warning of an imminent eruption, but then lowered it on Sunday to its second-highest level, orange.

Airspace over the site has been closed, but all Icelandic airports currently remain open, authorities say.

The Eyjafjallajokull eruption in April 2010 caused the largest closure of European airspace since World War Two, with losses estimated at between 1.5bn and 2.5bn euros (£1.3bn-2.2bn).

However since the eruption, the Civil Aviation Authority has relaxed its rules to allow planes to fly in areas with a low density of volcanic ash.

Gaza Belt Leaders See Ceasefire As Surrender
Aug 27th, 2014
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Soldier in abandoned Nahal Oz

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The heads of local government in the Gaza Belt region are sorely disappointed with the prime minister for accepting a ceasefire with Hamas.

Tamir Idan, who heads the Sdot Negev Regional Council, said that “if the reports in the mdeia are right, and the agreement for a ceasefire is for one month only, in which Hamas's demands for constructing ports will be discussed, then this is a surrender to terror.”

He also refused to accept Israel's lack of response to a last minute attack by Hamas that killed two men in Kibbutz Nirim Tuesday.

"Israel's tacit acceptance that it is alright [for Hamas] to fire without limits, and without a response, before the ceasefire goes into force, is a very grave matter. We demand that the Israeli government and the IDF stand behind their commitment to respond in a meaningful way to any fire.”

Itamar Shimoni, Mayor of Ashkelon, said that any conmpromise with Hamas is a surrender to terror. “The residents of Israel and the south wanted to see a decision in this campaign, but this will apparently not happen,” he stated.

"We wanted to see Hamas defeated and begging for its life; instead we see Israel running to the negotiating table at every opportunity,” he added. “We did not lose 64 fighters and five civilians, including a four-year-old boy, for this 'achievement'. We did not sit in the shelters and protected spaces for almost two months for this 'achievement'. We did not take a harsh economic blow, in which businesses collapsed, for this 'achievement'. We expected a lot more than this.”

"Hamas raised demands through violence, and it seems they can expect to get what they wanted. The conclusion is that the path of terror pays off, and therefore the next round of fighting is just a matter of time. As far as I am concerned, a ceasefire agreement in this reality means starting to prepare the systems in Ashkelon for the next round, and it will be more grave and lethal than anything we have known up to now.”

The head of the Eshkol Council, Haim Yelin, said that he will not ask the residents of his region to return to their homes. “In Jerusalem there appears to be a ceasefire. I don't know what they are talking about,” he told Channel 10 news. “In Jerusalem they feel safe, and in some neighborhoods of Gaza they feel safe, but not us. We went into a war of attrition in which we paid with the lives of families and deep pain of the wounded. The government was unprepared for this war.”

Ex - MK Slams Netanyahu for 'Negotiating With ISIS'
Aug 27th, 2014
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Dr. Michael Ben-Ari

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Former MK Dr. Michael Ben-Ari slammed the ceasefire deal between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas on Tuesday night, in a video message on his Facebook page shortly after the deal went into effect at 7 p.m. 

"It's clear to all of us that when a mouse fights with a lion, and the lion pleads for a ceasefire - even if the mouse leaves this campaign with a damaged tooth and eye, the mouse feels like it won, because both the tooth and the eye it can repair and replace in the near future," said Ben-Ari in parable.

The ex-MK warned "in the next campaign the mouse will no longer be a mouse, and the lion will no longer be a lion." He lambasted the Israeli government for "holding negotiations under fire with a gang of terrorists," something which Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu swore he would not do a mere two weeks ago.

Ben-Ari quoted Netanyahu, who recently said "Hamas is ISIS, ISIS is Hamas," referencing the extremist Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terror group rapidly conquering Iraq and Syria.

"That means that Netanyahu held negotiations with ISIS," commented Ben-Ari, following through the implications of Netanyahu's comparison.

"Why didn't we win the war? ...We didn't win this war, because winning was not the goal. Not once did we hear that the goal of the IDF and the Israeli government was to win the campaign. They spoke about quiet, they spoke about ceasefires," lamented Ben-Ari.

The former MK bashed the fantasy "that Israel is succumbing to," under which Gaza can exist "quietly" next to the state of Israel through the false notion that "they have nothing against us, after all we gave them every last centimeter" of Gaza.

"They aren't willing to listen to what they're saying in Gaza; they want to destroy the state of Israel up to the last zionist," said Ben-Ari, reminding that "zionists" according to Gaza also include far-left Israelis, "who aren't zionists at all."

"Learn from the Munich Agreements"

Dr. Ben-Ari then gave a quick history lesson, referencing the Treaty of Versailles that after World War I placed "all kinds of limitations on Germany. But they didn't destroy the murderous, imperialistic German regime that wanted to conquer all of Europe."

He noted how the situation continued downhill as the world offered Germany appeasement, giving them the Sudetenland in the Munich Agreements, which he compared to Gaza and the Gaza Belt communities "that have been abandoned (by the government) for 14 years."

Citing the German precedent, Ben-Ari warned "this submission to Hamas - and it is submission - will bring ISIS here."

Therefore, the former MK said as he has consistently called for since the start of Operation Protective Edge on July 8: "it's not us AND Gaza, it's us OR Gaza; if we don't destroy Gaza...they will destroy us."

"We have a responsibility to our children. We have a responsibility to the Jewish state that was reestablished here after two thousand years," remarked Ben-Ari.

Responding to the claims of Israeli victory given that it will take "ten years" to rebuild the damage in Gaza, Ben-Ari stated "and what about our three-year-old children, they won't celebrate a bar mitzvah (at age 13)? The next offensive will be (a) chemical (war)? ...That's not leadership."

Ben-Ari reiterated the need to wipe out Gaza, and move its residents to "all the countries in the world. And the only thing that will be in Gaza is the reconstruction of the Jewish community. Because there's no difference between Gaza and Ashkelon; that's what they (the Arabs) say, and that's what we must understand."

China - Russia Team Challenges U.S.-japan Militarization of Space
Aug 27th, 2014
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President Xi Jinping of China said in April that China is capable of responding to the militarization of space by the United States and other countries. In the meantime, Xi is committed to allocating more budget so that the military has the power to counter threats posed by various space deployments.

The Strategic Assessment 2013 pointed out that threats coming from the placement and development of weaponry and military technology in outer space include space reconnaissance and surveillance, limited or deprived freedom in space operations, and space-to-land attacks.

At present, the United States and Japan are proactively extending their cooperation in forming a real-time space-to-Earth combat system, which has threatened China's important political, economic and military strongholds.

Russia and China have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together in the area of satellite navigation. The countries plan to build the GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) and Beidou Navigation Satellite System in each other's territory.

The Russian Federal Space Agency has requested permission to build eight ground stations in the United States, which was rejected by the country citing national security concerns. However, the United States has set up more than ten ground stations for GPS in Russia. Russia announced in May that it will suspend military signals to be sent through the stations in Russia from June 1 and plans to completely shut down the stations from Sept. 1 if the two sides fail to reach an agreement.

Additionally, China and Russia will cooperate in areas, such as terrestrial GPS reception equipment and other related infrastructure. Such cooperation will improve the development and application of long-range precision weapons that require satellite positioning and navigation and will also shatter the market structure of the US GPS-led precision guided weapons.

A new world in which a China-Russia guided weapon system competes with a US-Japan guided weapon system will likely be formed as a result.

In response to Russia and China's rising threat of space militarization, Japan has removed provisions that restrict space development for peace purposes in 2012. In the meantime, it has also strengthened its cooperation with the United States and the United Kingdom in space technology.

In addition, Japan will launch nine marine reconnaissance satellites to protect Japanese vessels on the sea. Japan's aerospace defense forces are purchasing radars and telescope equipment and working with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency to share obtained information with the United States and the United Kingdom.

Japan will also work with the United States to monitor Chinese vessels on the sea through satellites, and strengthening their cooperation over the Guidelines for Japan-US Defense Cooperation.

With intensifying US-China competition globally, worsening US-Russia ties and escalating tension between China and Japan, the competition between China-Russia and US-Japan has emerged and is reflected in the militarization of space.

Blair Welcomes Gaza Ceasefire
Aug 27th, 2014
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Quartet Envoy Tony Blair

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Former British prime minister Tony Blair welcomed on Tuesday the announcement of an open-ended ceasefire in Gaza but expressed regret at the "tragic" loss of so many innocent lives, reports the Press Association.

Blair, who serves as the Quartet’s Middle East peace envoy also congratulated the Egyptian government on its successful negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Arab factions.

"The Quartet will now concentrate on a long-term plan for Gaza and for its reconstruction, including the effective and efficient reopening and reconnection to the outside world under the authority of the Palestinian Authority government,” said Blair.

"Such a plan will enable a proper and decent life for the people of Gaza, as well as protect the security of the people of Israel,” he added, according to the Press Association.

"It is only tragic that such a ceasefire has come too late to save the lives of so many innocent people," said Blair.

Under the agreement announced Tuesday, there will be an immediate easing of restrictions on the two main crossings between Israel and Gaza to allow in aid and reconstruction supplies.

Significantly, construction materials needed to repair the water network, electricity grid and mobile phone networks will be allowed in along with humanitarian aid, food and medical supplies. It should be noted that Israel continued supplying humanitarian goods throughout most of Operation Protective Edge.

As for the Gaza fishing zone, restrictions will be lifted immediately to extend the zone to six nautical miles from the shore, to be extended later to 12 miles. Over the past eight years, Israel has set a six-nautical-mile limit for Gaza's fishermen when tensions were lower, restricting it to three miles when hostilities have escalated.

Hamas declared victory and bursts of celebratory gunfire erupted across Gaza following the announcement of the ceasefire.

The ceasefire does not include Hamas’s demand that an airport and seaport be built in Gaza, but Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar declared that the movement will build those anyway, even without permission.

"We will build our airport and our seaports and we will not ask for anyone's permission, and whoever will attack our ports and our airport we will attack their own ports and will once again attack again their airport," he said.

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon, like Blair, also called for the return of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to Gaza. PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah movement was chased out of Gaza by Hamas, which staged a bloody coup of the territory in 2007.

Analysis: New Turkish PM's 'Pan - Islamic' Foreign Policy
Aug 27th, 2014
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New Turkish prime minister Ahmet Davutoglu

Reuters

Turkey's new premier and outgoing foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu leaves his successor a troubled legacy after a bold policy to expand Turkish influence across the ex-Ottoman empire left the country painfully exposed to the Syria and Iraq crises.

Critics accuse Davutoglu of pursuing ideas that backfired disastrously by backing Islamic rebels in Syria who then went on to create the brutal Islamic State (IS) jihadist group.

Moderates are calling for a recalibration of Turkish foreign policy when outgoing Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan takes the presidency on Thursday to mend fences with the West and pursue more realistic goals in the Middle East.

Yet this is far from guaranteed under Erdogan, who said his election victory was not just for Turkey but the Muslim world from Sarajevo to Islamabad.  

"With this approach, Turkey has increased its profile but also found itself a part of many conflicts in the region," said Ozgur Unluhisarcikli, director at the German Marshall Fund think-tank in Ankara.

The identity of Turkey's new top diplomat is yet to be revealed but reports it could be the head of Turkey's secret service Hakan Fidan, an Erdogan loyalist, hardly suggest a sharp about-turn in policy.

Davutoglu's unassuming and smiley demeanor belied his reputation as a steely idealogue who was the architect of Turkish foreign policy for most of the past decade.

His thinking is based on his 2001 book "Strategic Depth", where he argues that Turkey should embrace its Ottoman past and use its unique geo-strategic position to restore its influence throughout the Balkans, the Caucasus and the Middle East.  

But initial successes in asserting Turkey's power were cancelled out after the Arab Spring uprising when interventionist Turkish policies only brought more strife.  

'Crazy and irresponsible'

Turkey stands accused of arming radical groups fighting against the Syrian regime, in the hope that it would quickly bring down President Bashar al-Assad.  

"Incapable of convincing its former ally Assad to engage in reforms, Turkey took the crazy and irresponsible decision to support - directly or indirectly - the jihadists," said Bayram Balci of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

He said Turkey's ambiguous relations with the jihadists contributed to their growth in Syria and Iraq.

In a huge personal embarrassment for Davutoglu, IS militants are now holding 49 Turks hostage, including diplomats and children, abducted from the Turkish consulate in Mosul on June 12.

Critics have expressed bewilderment that despite such failures, Davutoglu has been promoted.

"You, yourself, handed over the hostages to IS. You have molded IS into its current shape," said the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu.

"It's amazing how he has been rewarded," he said.

As the world takes on IS, Ankara has remained silent in order not to endanger the lives of the hostages who are believed to be kept as human shields.  

A Western diplomat said it was Davutoglu's unrealistic assumptions about Turkey's power that pushed the country to become a part of the problem.  

"Turkey cannot pursue an ambitious foreign policy in the region anymore because it has so many security concerns right now. It can only do damage control and try to minimise the losses that can occur from the crisis on its doorstep," he told AFP on condition of anonymity.  

NATO member Turkey's relations with Israel have eroded almost to breaking point, in the wake of Erdogan's blistering attacks on the Jewish state.

EU, US relations soured

Meanwhile, Erdogan's periodic clampdowns on social media and anti-government protests have also soured relations with the United States and the European Union.  

"Improving relations with the US and the EU will take improving democracy, freedom of expression and rule of law in Turkey," said Unluhisarcikli.  

Political scientist Behlul Ozkan - who has analysed academic articles Davutoglu penned in the 1990s - describes him as "a pan-Islamist who uses Islam to achieve his foreign policy goals".

"He (Davutoglu) believes that the nation-states that were formed in 1918 were artificial... He wants to go back in time to an order based on Islamic unity," Ozkan told the Taraf newspaper.

Still, his policies remain hugely popular among the AKP's pious voters, who hail Davutoglu for raising the country's international profile.  

"Davutoglu has opened a new chapter in foreign policy thinking by positioning Turkey as a country of the center" Ibrahim Kalin, one of Erdogan's advisors, wrote in the pro-government Sabah newspaper.

"He has refused to confine Turkey just to the East or to the West."

Abu Marzouq: Israels War Crimes Wont be Overlooked
Aug 27th, 2014
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Musa abu Marzouq, the Deputy Chief of Hamas’ Diplomatic Offices, declared on Tuesday that “The Zionistic aggression against sources of livelihood and residential locations are war crimes, but the nation stands together and embraces the resistance.”

Abu Marzouq added that “The deplorable crimes are attempts to avenge and frighten the nation, and to hinder the ‘Palestinians’’ faith in the resistance, but they will not succeed in breaking the nation’s resolve.”