Middle East Update

by Ezra HaLevi Arab terrorists fired eighteen Kassam rockets at Jewish towns in the western Negev Wednesday December 26. Gaza terrorists also fired five mortar shells toward western Negev communities Wednesday afternoon. IDF soldiers arrested 19 wanted terrorists overnight Wednesday. Arabs tried to kill an Israeli who entered [...]

by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz
Terrorist factions based in Damascus are working to convene a summit of all Palestinian Authority terrorist groups early next year. The meeting, in Syria, would also include the participation of several Arab states. The intention of the multi-party meeting is to promote unity among the various PA The initiative for [...]

by Hillel Fendel For the third time in less than five months, the Olmert government has released convicted Arab terrorists from Israeli prison in “goodwill” gestures to PA chief Abbas. A total of 771 Arab terrorists have been freed since July 20 of this year. On that date, Israel [...]

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas is standing firm in his refusal to recognize Israel as a Jewish State. Abbas visited Egypt and Jordan for talks and was headed to Saudi Arabia when, speaking to reporters, he said

“Historically there are two states, Israel and Palestine. Israel is inhabited by Jews and others. We are willing to [...]

Quartet envoy Tony Blair said in an interview in Washington on Wednesday November 28, he no longer believes that “land for peace,” in and of itself, is sufficient. What is no less important, in his view, is the character of the Palestinian state. He constantly warns senior PA officials:

“There won’t be a Palestinian state [...]

The US has asked the United Nations Security Council to endorse by resolution this week’s Annapolis understanding between Israel and the Palestinians to reach a peace settlement by the end of 2008. Meantime, Israeli defense sources are voicing concern that the new US special security envoy to the region, retired general James Jones, will spend [...]

A day after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said that east Jerusalem is the key to a lasting agreement with Israel, Prime Minster Ehud Olmert stated that the Temple Mount will remain under Israel sovereignty, and that it was not up for discussion. A senior Palestinian negotiator has called Olmert’s claims “absolutely false,” [...]

Herb KeinonSpeaking with reporters following his final meeting with President Bush at the White House on Wednesday November 28, Prime Minister Olmert said Israel had not committed itself to any deadline whatsoever to reach an agreement with the Palestinians.

by Hillel Fendel
Just one day after the Annapolis conference at which the PA recognized the State of Israel’s right to exist in peace and security, the PA’s official television station screened a map that shows a Palestinian state in place of Israel

Israeli security assessment dampens post-Annapolis mood
The Annapolis conference may have just proclaimed the birth of a Palestinian state in 2008, but an Israel security official said on Wednesday November 28 that it will also be the year of a new war in Gaza. Israel TV Channel 10 carried the dour assessment just hours after the [...]