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| Week ending Shabbat, December 17, 2005 |
16 Kislev, 5766 |
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Israeli Government denies planned attack on Iranian reactors:
Over the weekend in London the Sunday Times reported that Israeli Prime Minister Sharon is preparing for a possible strike on uranium enrichment sites in Iran. The report quoted unnamed military sources and stated that Israeli intelligence warned its government that Iran was operating small enrichment facilities concealed in civilian locations. The report also claimed that Sharon has ordered preparation for a strike by the end of March. Sharon's staff members said the report is completely untrue. Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said, "Israel is dealing with the Iranian issue only with diplomatic tools."
Scientists known that Iran will be able to build a nuclear warhead in less than four years from the time it receives the technical expertise to enrich sufficient quantities of uranium. This is known as the "point of no return." Bombing a reactor after this point is reached would potentially cause radioactive fallout that would harm or kill thousands of civilians. MK Yuval Shteinitz (Likud), chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee said, "The Iranian threat is a global one, and not only upon Israel, but against the West and entire world. It is therefore desirable that the enlightened world, led by the US, take care of this threat. The world is doing too little, too late. Iran has passed the half-way mark and is coming close to nuclear weapons. The world has sufficed up to now with diplomacy and rhetoric." The paper also quotes IDF Intelligence Chief General Aharon Ze'evi-Farkash as having warned the Knesset this month that "if by the end of March the international community is unable to refer the Iranian issue to the United Nations security council, then we can say the international effort has run its course."
A Petition to the United Nations to censure Iran:
The Simon Weisenthal Center has presented a petition addressed to Dr. Jan Eliasson, President of the United Nations General Assembly. They are asking all who agree to sign it. The petition identifies the Hitler-like rhetoric of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who this week "publicly denied the Holocaust by calling it a 'myth' used by Europeans to create a Jewish state in the heart of the Islamic world." The petition urges UN President Eliasson to "convene the 191 member states in order to censure Iran and to declare President Ahmadinejad persona non grata." If you agree, please
sign the petition.
Aumann Receives Nobel Prize:
Saturday evening, Israeli Professor Israel (Robert) Aumann of Jerusalem's Hebrew University received the Nobel Prize in Stockholm, Sweden. Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf (on the right side of the photo [the one without a kippah])presented him with the prize. Ran Yaakovi, Israel's Deputy Ambassador in Stockholm, said that Aumann "brings great honor to Israel. From where I was sitting during the ceremony, I was proud to see many kippot (Yarmulkes)." Aumann shared the award with Thomas Schelling, of Maryland University, "for having enhanced our understanding of conflict and cooperation through game theory analysis." Aumann stated that he was very excited, but added: "I don't really know that much about economics." He is the eighth Israeli to have won the prestigious prize.
Unfortunately, nearly one thousand "intellectuals" submitted a petition to the Royal Swedish Academy of Science to protest the "monstrous" act of awarding the prize to Professor Aumann. Their charge is that he is using the game theory to "justify the Israeli occupation and the oppression of the Palestinians." A British newspaper stated that Professor Aumann said that Israel made a mistake in expelling Jewish residents from the Gaza and northern Samaria regions. "From a game theory point of view it was a very bad move. But if I didn't study game theory, I would also say the same thing." "It was a bad move theoretically, because it sends a signal to the other side that if you apply enough pressure, then we will respond in a way that you are applying pressure... It sends the wrong signal," the professor said.
Anti-missile FlightGuard System being implimented:
Meir Sheetrit, Israeli Transportation Minister, announced the successful test of the Israeli-developed FlightGuard system, manufactured by Israel Aircraft Industries and Elta together with the Israeli Defense Ministry and the General Security Service. The Israeli Transportation Ministry oversaw and funded the development. According to U.S. State Department estimates, over the past thirty-five years shoulder-fired missiles have brought down twenty-five airplanes and killed over 600 people. MANPADs (man-portable, air defense systems) – are favored among terrorist groups, since they are relatively inexpensive, easy to transport and conceal. MANPADs pose a genuine threat to passenger, commercial, and military aircraft around the world.
An official of Northrop Grumman reported on Friday that the MANPAD threat has grown over the past year. He said that just recently, there have been three missile-related reports. Northrop Grumman Infrared-Countermeasures Business Director, Jack Pledger, identified that such missiles need not be used only near an airport. "They can be used any time the target plane is 15,000 feet (~3 miles) and under," he said, "which means within a 300-square mile area around a runway." The basic idea of the defensive systems is to create another source of heat so that the heat-guided missiles will be misled away from jet engines and diverted away from the plane. The FlightGuard developers are about to begin work on another system, based on electro-optics, which will use a laser ray to divert enemy missiles.
U.S. ambassador defends Israel:
The United States ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, fervently opposed the UN Security Council's refusal to pass a resolution condemning the suicide bombing in which a "Palestinian" murdered five Israelis in Netanya on the 5th of December. Several of the council members voiced concerns about "language" in the US-drafted document. Ambassador Bolton blamed Algeria for squelching the measure by objecting to a statement that only urged Syria to close offices of the "Palestinian" Islamic Jihad (who claimed responsibility for the attack). Afterward, Bolton read the statement to reporters and lashed out at the Council for what he called "failing to speak the truth. You have to speak up in response to these terrorist attacks. It's a great shame that the Security Council couldn't speak up to this terrorist attack in Netanya, but if the Council won't speak, the United States will."
Endangered Elephant Born:
In Jerusalem's Biblical Zoo an endangered Asian Elephant has given birth after fertility treatment and an arduous labor. The mother elephant, who's name is Tamar, was in labor for four hours. The event was being broadcast over the internet live, but the veterinary staff halted the broadcast with the decision to hasten the birth. Two hour later a very healthy 198-pound calf was born. This event was the first of its kind for Israel and the 11th Asian Elephant on earth to be born through the complex fertility method. Zookeepers expressed concern that Tamar, raised in captivity, may not know how to bond with her baby. This proved to not be the case however, and they can be seen on the zoo's web site.
IAF strike kills four terrorists:
On Wednesday, four "Palestinian" terrorists were killed when the Israeli Air Force fired missiles at a car near Gaza City. Another four terrorists were wounded in the strike. An IAF representative said that they targeted a vehicle known to be carrying terrorists on a mission to carry out an attack. Witnesses identified that the attack took place near the Karni crossing, a site of "Palestinian" attacks in the past. The car was filled with explosives, which caused an intensely large blast when hit by the missiles. Dozens of "Palestinians" gathered outside the hospital where the bodies were taken, chanting, "Allah is Greater" (than the God of Judaism, Christianity, or any other religion) and "Destroy Israel."
Thursday the IDF continued its offensive on terrorist targets in Gaza, striking a three-story building belonging to Amar Karmout, a leader of the Popular Resistance Committee. The "PRC" is a coalition of "Palestinian" terrorists who specialize rocket fire across the border into Israel. Apparently Karmout was not at home at the time of the attack. In another assault an Israeli aircraft fired a missile into the office of a charity linked to Islamic Jihad. There were no casualties. An IDF spokesperson said the office had been used to plan attacks.
"Palestinian" hothouses grow bugs:
The desert sands of Gaza have refused to grow bug-free produce for their new owners. Gaza "Palestinians," who have taken over the hothouses of what used to be Gush Katif, reported to the Israel-Palestinian Authority Coordination Office that they have failed to raise bug-free produce. The "Palestinian" workers also complained that their wages are substantially lower than what they had received from the previous Israeli owners. When Jews first arrived in Gaza (about thirty years ago) they were repeatedly told by the Arabs (who then welcomed them) that the land was "cursed" and that they would never be able to grow anything there. The farmers of Gush Katif were considered to be among the most successful in Israel. Their annual exports exceeded $100 million, approximately fifteen percent of the nations agricultural exports.
Many of the Israeli greenhouses were severely damaged or destroyed by the Arabs immediately following the disengagement. Since then the "Palestinian" Authority has been able to rebuild them. As of now, strawberries are the only produce the Arabs are growing successfully.
Isaiah 35:1-7 (New American Standard translation)
1: The wilderness and the desert will be glad, And the Arabah will rejoice and blossom; Like the crocus
2: It will blossom profusely And rejoice with rejoicing and shout of joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, The majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They will see the glory of the LORD, The majesty of our God.
3: Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble.
4: Say to those with anxious heart, "Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you."
5: Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped.
6: Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the dumb will shout for joy. For waters will break forth in the wilderness And streams in the Arabah.
7: And the scorched land will become a pool, And the thirsty ground springs of water; In the haunt of jackals, its resting place, Grass becomes reeds and rushes.
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