Middle East Update

Due to concerns over large-scale terror attacks that might coincide with the Annapolis peace summit, Israeli police raised the security alert status to level 3, the second highest level. Road blocks were set up on access roads to Jerusalem and the western suburb of Mevasseret Zion following a warning that a Palestinian terrorist was on [...]

Earlier this month, North Korean experts secretly met with Syrian officials to give advice on how to develop and load chemical weapons into Syria’s medium-range “Scud C” missiles. Since July, missile testing has been halted in Syria after a surface-to-surface missile exploded at a military complex near the northern City of Aleppo during a joint [...]

How does heritage, age and political affiliation factor in?Only 20% of Jewish Israeli citizens define themselves as secular, according to a new study. The data shows that in the majority, the traditional sector accounts for 47% of the population while the ultra-Orthodox and other religious sectors make up 33%.

Nationalist camp hits streets on eve of Annapolis
The Israeli Right TOOK to the streets of Jerusalem in a series of protests on (Nov 26) the eve of the Annapolis summit, insisting that the Olmert government has no mandate to make concessions on the capital city or other ‘core’ issues in the conflict with the Palestinians.

by Gil Ronen
The IDF is intensifying its operations against terror tunnels from Gaza to Israel, out of concern that terrorists may opt to use this weapon against Israel in order to derail the Annapolis summit. Bulldozers and other digging machinery are being used to try and locate the tunnels.

Emmanuel Sivan
This is the real story of Annapolis: a story of fierce personal emotions, disappointment, affront and desperation. But what action did Rice set in motion, and to what end? The action is not based on an American assessment that the conflict is ripe for resolution and/or that there are leaders in the region capable [...]

by Hillel Fendel An Israel Democratic Institute (IDI) demographic survey finds religious growth and secular decline - but most significant is that the proportion of religious in the public is highest among the youth.

A recent Shavakim Panorama poll of eligible Israeli voters published Thursday November 22, shows that Opposition leader and Likud party chairman Benjamin Netanyahu would be elected as Israel’s next prime minister if balloting were held now.

Iraqis are returning to their homeland by the hundreds each day, by bus, car and plane, encouraged by weeks of decreased violence and increased security, or compelled by visa and residency restrictions in neighboring countries. (By Sudarsan Raghavan, The Washington Post)

David A. Fulghum and Robert Wall The U.S. provided Israel with information about Syrian air defenses before Israel attacked a suspected nuclear site in Syria on Sep. 6. The main attack was preceded by an engagement with a single Syrian radar site at Tall al-Abuad near the Turkish border.