Semaine 13 / 2011

          Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met Saturday with his rivals in Hamas in an attempt to end nearly four years of infighting.Saturday's meeting in the West Bank - the first to involve Abbas in a year - had a relatively modest goal, to arrange a trip by Abbas to Hamas-ruled Gaza for more talks. He has not set foot in the territory since the Hamas takeover. During the meeting Abbas said there will be no peace with Israel until Fatah and Hamas reconcile. The Palestinian president... [Lire la suite]

           Southern Command chief Major-General Tal Russo visited the house that was hit by a Qassam rocket Friday night in Eshkol Regional Council and advised Palestinian terror organizations to "come to their senses." Following the recent escalation in rocket and mortar fire from the Gaza Strip into Israel, Maj. Gen. Russo noted that "there is anarchy inside the organizations in Gaza and also within Hamas. There is no control over there," he said. Asked whether Israel was preparing... [Lire la suite]

           UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called on Friday for "maximum restraint" by Syria, in a telephone call with President Bashar Assad, whose forces have killed dozens of pro-democracy demonstrators. A statement issued by Ban's office said he told Assad that "governments had an obligation to respect and protect their citizens fundamental rights." Ban "urged maximum restraint by the authorities and expressed his hope in a meaningful response to the expression of legitimate... [Lire la suite]

Canada "vigorously condemns" a spate of rocket fire by Gaza groups against Israel, Foreign Minister Lawrence Cannon said Friday. "Canada vigorously condemns the rocket attacks on Israel launched from the Gaza Strip. These terrorist attacks, which indiscriminately target civilian areas, are abhorrent and criminal," he said in a statement. "Israel has a right to defend itself against such terrorist acts," the statement added. "Terrorism is never justified. We call on all parties in Gaza to cease these criminal attacks. Those responsible... [Lire la suite]

          Security forces and anti-government protesters clashed at various locations in Syria on Friday, leaving at least 23 dead, witnesses said. Syrian security forces opened fire in protesters in the town of Sanamein, killing 20 people, a witness told Al Jazeera television on Friday. "There are more than 20 martyrs… they [security forces] opened fire haphazardly, the witness said. Sanamein is 50 kilometers north of Daraa, the hub of the protests that came to a head earlier this week... [Lire la suite]

Reuters shies away from characterizing Jerusalem bombing as terror attack, referring to it as ‘Palestinian strike.’ Responding to Ynet inquiry, news agency says ‘it is not up to Reuters to say who carried out attack’ In covering Wednesday's terror attack in Jerusalem the Reuters news agency was loath to declare a Palestinian terrorist group was behind the bombing. "Police said it was a 'terrorist attack' – Israel's term for a Palestinian strike," Reuters reported Wednesday. Many foreign media outlets based their reports on Reuters... [Lire la suite]

         Amid the worst violence Israel has faced since he came to power two years ago, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said in Moscow Thursday that it was not clear whether Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas genuinely wanted to end the conflict with Israel. "Abu Mazen [Abbas] speaks pace to the world, but domestically there is incitement and education toward hate," Netanyahu said. "And who do they blame? The settlers. That is not the problem; The first thing that needs to be... [Lire la suite]

             Egypt's foreign minister told an Israeli official on Thursday that Cairo was committed to its international treaties, Egypt's foreign ministry said, reiterating that the countries' peace accord is secure. It was the first publicly announced meeting between an Egyptian and an Israeli official since Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak was toppled from power on Feb. 11 and handed power to the military. A day after it took power, the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed... [Lire la suite]

          As missile fire from the Gaza Strip escalated on Thursday, the IDF is preparing for the possible deployment of the Iron Dome counter-rocket defense system along Israel’s border with Gaza. In late February, the Israeli Air Force held a test of the counter-rocket defense system, Iron Dome, which was supposed to serve as the final stage before declaring the system operational. While a month has passed since then, the system is nowhere to be found despite the recent escalation and... [Lire la suite]

            PM Benjamin Netanyahu said in Moscow on Thursday that Russia and Israel will face a common threat if "radical Islamist" states acquire nuclear weapons, Russian news agencies reported. Netanyahu, whose government has urged Russia to increase pressure on Iran over its nuclear program, spoke to Russian media bosses before talks with President Dmitry Medvedev. "There is a now a big risk that radicalization of Islamist regimes will begin in the Middle East," state-run... [Lire la suite]