Semaine 29 / 2012

        Israel is preparing for a possible military intervention in Syria in case the Syrian government hands missiles or chemical weapons to Hezbollah, Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Friday. "I have instructed the military to increase its intelligence preparations and prepare what is needed so that... (if necessary)... we will be able to consider carrying out an operation," Barak said in an interview on Channel 10 News. "We are following... the possible transfer of advanced munitions systems,... [Lire la suite]

             US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro commented Friday on the terror attack in Bulgaria, which claimed the lives of five Israelis and left 32 injured, saying that Israel has the right of self-defense. Shapiro conveyed Washington's condolences to the families of the victims, adding that the US is cooperating with Israel and Bulgaria on the investigation, so to ensure those responsible will be brought to justice. Asked whether the United States was concerned about... [Lire la suite]

Hezbollah was behind Wednesday's terror attack in Bulgaria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said a day after an explosion ripped through a tour bus at an airport in the city of Burgas, killing five Israelis and a Bulgarian national. "It's time that all the world's countries speak the truth clearly and say that Iran is behind the wave of terror," the PM told a press conference Thursday afternoon. "A terror state should not have nuclear weapons. The most dangerous country in the world will have the most dangerous weapon on the face of... [Lire la suite]

             "All the signs are pointing to Iran. Only in the past few months we've seen Iran try to target Israelis in Thailand, Indian, Georgia, Cyprus and more, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said following the deadly terror attack on a bus in carrying Israeli tourists in Burgas, Bulgaria. "The murderous Iranian terror continues to target innocent people. Iranian terror is spreading worldwide... Israel will react to it with force," he said. "Exactly 18 years after the... [Lire la suite]

         The rising tensions between the West and Iran, prompted by the latter's refusal to suspend its nuclear program, has prompted the United States to bolster its defenses in the Persian Gulf, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday. The Islamic Republic has also threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world's oil supply is shuttled. According to the WSJ, the Pentagon "is building a missile-defense radar station at a secret site in Qatar and organizing its... [Lire la suite]

            Syrian President Bashar Assad will use chemical weapons against opposition forces and may have already deployed them, Nawaf Fares, the first Syrian ambassador to defect, told the BBC on Monday. Fares, the most prominent politician to defect since the uprising against Assad began, insisted that the president's days were numbered but warned he would be prepared "to eradicate the entire Syrian people" to remain in power. When asked by the BBC's Frank Gardner whether that... [Lire la suite]

           The US will "use all elements of American power" to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton told reporters in Jerusalem Monday night. The veiled threat was delivered at the end of a day of meetings with Israeli and Palestinian leaders. The comments come at a time when the US and Israel debate how best to deal with Iran's nuclear program. The US is seeking more time for negotiations and sanctions, while Israel has repeatedly... [Lire la suite]

        President Shimon Peres and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton met in Jerusalem Monday. The two discussed the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the Iranian threat and regime changes in Egypt and the dire situation in Syria. During a press briefing held after the meeting, Peres said: "I want to thank you very much for the great efforts you have invested in trying to make peace between us and our neighbors. "Israel is very interested in keeping peace with our neighbors, especially... [Lire la suite]

         Ties with the United States, which provides Egypt with an annual $1.3 billion in military aid, were strained this year when Egyptian judicial police raided the offices of several US-backed non-governmental organizations on suspicion of illegal foreign funding and put several Americans on trial. The spat ended when Egyptian authorities allowed the US citizens and other foreign workers to leave the country. During her speech, Clinton said: "When we talk about supporting democracy, we mean... [Lire la suite]

           US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton landed at Ben-Gurion Airport Sunday night for a two day visit. During her stay, Clinton is expected to meet with top level officials. Clinton arrived on a flight from Egypt shortly along with US Middle East envoy David Hale and Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman, who represents Washington at the talks between world powers and Iran. Before arriving in Israel, Clinton held her first visit to Egypt since the... [Lire la suite]