U.S. State Department Strengthening Hamas

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH, GATESTONE— The U.S. Administration has sought to downplay the significance of this week’s visit to the Gaza Strip by the Emir of Qatar, Hamad al-Thani. “We have seen the reports that Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa visits Gaza today on a humanitarian mission,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. “We share Qatar’s…

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Annihilation or redemption?

By DAVID PARSONS, ICEJ— Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu was spot on in denouncing as “a disgrace and a stain on humanity” the appearance of so many world leaders in Tehran for the recent summit of the Non-Aligned Movement. Given Iran’s relentless demonization of Israel and its renegade quest for nuclear weapons, the attendance of…

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Sudan threatens Israel after Khartoum arms factory hit

By ELI LEON, ISRAEL HAYOM— A mysterious explosion at a state-owned military factory complex rocked the southern reaches of the Sudanese capital Khartoum early Wednesday, prompting the Sudanese government once again to blame Israel for violating its sovereignty and attacking its facilities. Sudanese Information Minister Ahmed Belal Osman told reporters on Wednesday that four aircraft…

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Israel halts war games to deploy troops, resources in escalating Gaza sector

By DEBKAFILE— Defense minister Ehud Barak and Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz decided Wednesday, Oct. 24, that the heavy Palestinian missile assault from the Gaza Strip, which escalated to 60 rockets on Israeli civilian locations, in a few hours, must be stopped. The bulk of the personnel taking part in the joint Israeli-US…

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IDF Retaliates, Barak Vows to 'Return Quiet to South'

By CHANA YA’AR, ARUTZ 7— The IDF retaliated — again — against Gaza terrorist rocket and mortar attacks Wednesday morning with tank fire and air strikes, as Defense Minister Ehud Barak vowed to “return the quiet to the south.” Two explosions struck Gaza City, according to Palestinian Authority Arab witnesses in the area quoted by…

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Two different views for changing Middle East

By ILAN BERMAN, USA TODAY— Monday night’s debate on foreign policy between President Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney, saw plenty of tactical agreement on issues such as strengthening sanctions against Iran and the need for a U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. But at least one topic — how America should approach the Middle East…

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Israel, Iran appear as top issues in presidential debate

By HILARY LEILA KRIEGER, JPOST— During the debate, which was devoted to foreign policy, both candidates said they would stand by Israel should it be attacked by Iran. “If Israel is attacked, America will stand with Israel,” US President Barack Obama said when asked that question by moderator Bob Schieffer. GOP challenger Mitt Romney echoed…

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Jimmy Carter says Mideast peace is 'vanishing'

By AP— Former US President Jimmy Carter said Monday during a visit to Jerusalem that the prospect of an Israel-Palestinian peace accord is “vanishing,” blaming Israeli settlement of the West Bank. Carter, a longtime critic of Israeli policies, called the current situation “catastrophic” and blamed Israel for the growing isolation of east Jerusalem from the…

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Libya, Jordan and Obama's guiding lights

By CAROLINE GLICK, JPOST The operational, intelligence and political fiascos that led to and followed the September 11 jihadist assault on the US Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, all derive from the same problem. That problem is the failure of US President Barack Obama’s conceptual framework for understanding the Middle East. The Islamic revolutionary wave sweeping…

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Political Memory- Aryeh Deri and the Oslo Agreement

By RON JAGER– The popular ultra-Orthodox Israeli politician Aryeh Deri is preparing a comeback after a 13-year hiatus that included a prison term for accepting bribes. The charismatic Deri, 53, was a rising young star who transformed Shas from a small, niche party into a major factor in Israeli politics before he went to prison.…

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