Middle East Update

Youssef Ibrahim
Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, which represents the Islamists’ most significant political opposition force, published its first detailed political program, a manifesto that sent Arab progressives into deep shock. Among its highlights: The revision of “every article” of Egypt’s constitution in order to replace civil laws with Islamic sharia laws.

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UPI/SCIENCE DAILY
Tel Aviv University geologist Shmulik Marco said earthquake patterns along the Dead Sea fault recorded in historical documents indicate the region’s next significant quake might be imminent. Major earthquakes were recorded along the Jordan Valley in 31 BCE, and in 363, 749 and 1033 CE. “So roughly we are talking about an interval of every 400 years,” said Marco.

“If we follow the patterns of nature, a major quake should be expected any time because almost a whole millennium has passed since the last strong earthquake of 1033.” “When it strikes - and it will - this quake will affect Amman, Jordan, as well as Ramallah, Bethlehem and Jerusalem,” he said.

Aaron Lerner (Imra)
Israel Radio correspondent Mickey Gurdis reported that on Thursday, October 4, Simhat Torah holiday, Israeli airport communication frequencies were frequently jammed, creating a very dangerous situation for planes landing and taking off.Only Israeli frequencies were being jammed and the phenomenon could not be attributed to illegal Israeli radio stations since they did not broadcast during the holiday. Gurdis suggested the jamming was an intentional act of sabotage by hostile elements.

More than a year after the Israel-Hizbullah war, Hizbullah appears to be solidly entrenched across Lebanon’s south - looking, in fact, as if its fighters never really left but merely went underground. The Shiite militia’s banners hang everywhere, boasting of the “divine victory” over Israel and thanking its chief sponsor, Iran, for helping with post-war reconstruction.
It is estimated that the recent war in Lebanon cost Syria/Hizb’Allah/Iran billions of dollars.

Tens of thousands of Iranians marched through Tehran on Friday October 5 proclaiming solidarity with Palestinians and chanting “Death to Israel” in Iran’s annual protest against the Jewish state. Colored bibs were handed out to protestors with the legend “Death to Israel, Death to United States.”

Nissan Ratzav-Katz
A meeting between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority head Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem on Wednesday led to few official statements. Reports indicated that Abbas expressed dissatisfaction with Olmert’s continued refusal to discuss a fixed timeline for the resolution of final-status issues.

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A report on Ocober 4 reveals that President Bush has issued Syria with a warning against interfering in Lebanon’s Presidential elections. It was announced too that he is sending US’s top military commander in the Middle East, to Beirut to see how Washington could do more to help Lebanon fight extremists.

79 U.S. senators signed a letter Tuesday October 2, asking Secretary of State Rice to insist that Arab governments stop their support of terrorism, recognize Israel’s right to exist, end the Arab League economic boycott of Israel, and pressure Hamas to reject terror and recognize Israel.

A report on October 4 reveals that Iran is showing concern over the failure of the Syrian air defence systems, which Israel/USA was able to render ineffective. One report claims Israel used an electronic device installed in a plane that circled the area.

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by Nissan Ratzlav-Katz and Hillel Fendel
The IDF partially lifted a thick veil of secrecy on Tuesday October 2 and confirmed reports by foreign media last month that the Israeli Air Force attacked at least one target deep inside Syrian territory. Information regarding what was hit, exactly when and how remains classified. Just yesterday (Tuesday October 2), Syrian President Bashar Assad told BBC that Syria does not plan to retaliate for the attack militarily: Kuwaiti paper, Al-Watan, quoted diplomatic sources in Europe as saying that US jets circled above the Israeli planes, giving them cover.