Israel op ed calling for Arab world to join in defeating extremism printed in Arab daily.

Today, 15th December, Asharq Alawsat, one of the largest pan-Arab daily newspapers printed an op-ed in Arabic by the Deputy Foreign Minister of the State of Israel, Danny Ayalon. The op-ed was titled "An Open Letter to the Arab World".

The Deputy Foreign Minister calls on the Arab world to step forward and join with Israel to defeat the forces of extremism and destruction in the Middle East.

An Open Letter to the Arab World
By Danny Ayalon    excerpt
 

Since the reestablishment of our state, Israeli leaders have sought peace with their Arab neighbors. Our Declaration of Independence, Israel’s founding document that expressed our hopes and dreams reads, “We extend our hand to all neighboring states and their peoples in an offer of peace and good neighborliness, and appeal to them to establish bonds of cooperation and mutual help.” These words are as true today as when they were first written in 1948. Sadly, 61 years later, only two nations, Jordan and Egypt, have accepted these principles and made peace with the Jewish State.


Recently the Israeli government has made significant steps to restart negotiations with the Palestinians and reach out to the Arab world. In his Bar-Ilan speech in June, Prime Minister Netanyahu clearly stated his acceptance of a Palestinians state living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel. My government has removed hundreds of roadblocks to improve access and movement for Palestinians and has assisted the facilitation of economic developments in the West Bank, through close cooperation with international parties to expedite projects and remove bottlenecks.

Secret document exposes Iran’s nuclear trigger
Catherine Philp in Washington. The Times [London] December 14, 2009

Confidential intelligence documents obtained by The Times show that Iran is working on testing a key final component of a nuclear bomb.

The notes, from Iran’s most sensitive military nuclear project, describe a four-year plan to test a neutron initiator, the component of a nuclear bomb that triggers an explosion. Foreign intelligence agencies date them to early 2007, four years after Iran was thought to have suspended its weapons programme.

An Asian intelligence source last week confirmed to The Times that his country also believed that weapons work was being carried out as recently as 2007 — specifically, work on a neutron initiator.

The technical document describes the use of a neutron source, uranium deuteride, which independent experts confirm has no possible civilian or military use other than in a nuclear weapon. Uranium deuteride is the material used in Pakistan’s bomb, from where Iran obtained its blueprint.

“Although Iran might claim that this work is for civil purposes, there is no civil application,” said David Albright, a physicist and president of the Institute for Science and International Security in Washington, which has analysed hundreds of pages of documents related to the Iranian programme. “This is a very strong indicator of weapons work.”

The documents have been seen by intelligence agencies from several Western countries, including Britain. A senior source at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed that they had been passed to the UN’s nuclear watchdog.

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokeswoman said yesterday: “We do not comment on intelligence, but our concerns about Iran’s nuclear programme are clear. Obviously this document, if authentic, raises serious questions about Iran’s intentions.”

Responding to The Times’ findings, an Israeli government spokesperson said: “Israel is increasingly concerned about the state of the Iranian nuclear programme and the real intentions that may lie behind it.”

In France: antisemitic incidents double over last year

As reported in Le Figaro, 12/ 13/09


Forte hausse des actes antisémites en France [links via israelmatzav.blogspot.com]

Selon Brice Hortefeux, 704 faits ont été recensés sur les neuf premiers mois de 2009 contre 350 à la même période en 2008. Un préfet chargé de la lutte contre le racisme et l'antisémitisme va être nommé.

704 incidents were registered during the first 9 months of 2009 compared to 350 during the same period of 2008. The government appointed a special envoy (or Czar, if you will) to combat Antisemitism specifically.

Le ministre de l'Intérieur, Brice Hortefeux, a annoncé dimanche soir à Paris une forte hausse des actes antisémites au cours des neuf premiers mois de l'année 2009. «704 faits ont été recensés : 123 'actions' et 581 menaces, qu'il s'agisse d'agressions verbales, de dégradations de bâtiments ou d'inscriptions», a souligné Brice Hortefeux qui s'exprimait devant l'Union des patrons et des professionnels juifs de France (UPJF).

According to the Interior Minister, there were 123 acts of antisemitism and 581 threats (adding up to 704).

Cela représente plus du double des manifestations d'antisémitisme recensées lors des neuf premiers mois de 2008: «350, dont 99 actions et 251 menaces», selon les chiffres communiqués par le ministère de l'Intérieur.

This represents a more than double the figure of manifested antisemitism from the first 9 months of 2008 when there were 99 acts and 251 threats, again reported by the Interior Ministry.

Zionist Israeli rabbis condemn vandalization of WB mosque.

Rabbi of Tekoa Menachem Froman said halacha prohibits doing harm to religious sites. "This deed was a serious religious crime," he said, adding that mutual respect between Jews and Muslims could bring peace. "If we keep hiding our heads in the sand and denying that the conflict (with the Palestinians) is religious, we will never get anywhere," Froman said. (Ynetnews, 12/13/09)

White House unhappy with Iranian nuke proposal

The White House is expressing unhappiness over Iran's announcement that it is ready to exchange uranium for nuclear fuel.

Such a deal would meet a key demand of a UN-sponsored effort to defuse fears over Iran's nuclear ambitions. But instead of shipping most of its uranium abroad for processing before it is returned to Tehran, Iran's foreign minister said Saturday that the material instead would be exchanged in batches. (AP) 12/12/09

Rosner: Current Israeli gov't represents will of Israel's majority

It is true that the Left/liberal American critics of Israel (those particularly who tend to literally express hatred of Netanyahu) would rather Israel move to the Left to facilitate maximal concessions to what they perceive as moderate Palestinian leadership. What columnist Shmuel Rosner implies, however, is that at least 58% of Israelis don't want to go there, for reasons involving Israeli security.

Rosner says that it is inaccurate, in Israeli terms, to paint the Israeli electorate as right-wing and at the same time over-estimate the constituency of the Israeli left. Most Israelis are centrists, whose political will is reflected in the current national-unity government. //Mark Finkelstein

[Based on its most recent poll, discussed by Rosner in his column, ]the [left-liberal US] pollsters have concluded that in Israel 43% belong to the "right" and 20% to the "left". I think their way of breaking down the numbers does not reflect Israeli reality.

In the US, where there are only two parties, one has to be on the right, the left, of in the center - namely, the independent voter. But a parliamentary system like the one Israel has requires a more nuanced understanding of the numbers at hand.

I'd argue that all those on the "somewhat right" (22%), "center" (26%), and "somewhat left" (10%) should be counted as supporters of the Israeli broad consensus.

That is 58% of all Israelis - Arabs included - belonging to camps that can easily join a broader coalition of national unity, not unlike the one Israel now has.

It really leaves an inch more than 20% on the "right" and less than 10% on the "left".

All others, being most Labor, Likud, Kadima and Israel Beiteinu voters agree more than they disagree.

JTA: Vandals sacked a West Bank mosque and left settler graffiti on its walls.

--Absolutely deplorable.  JCRC Des Moines Jewish Federation