Mideast News Spotlight 11-9-09
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The Alpha-Omega Report's
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Mideast News Spotlight
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For 11-9-09
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Editor's Note: See our separate section this week for news related directly to the Iranian Nuclear Crisis.
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Israeli PM Now In D.C.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in Washington for talks with the President but at press-time President Obama has given no indication that he will meet with the Israeli leader.
A spokesman for the Israeli PM stated the main purpose for the Prime Minister's visit to America was to give a speech to a forum of North American Jewish leaders in Washington. The Prime Minister's office is attempting to arrange a meeting with President Obama to discuss the latest turn of events regarding potential peace talks. Last week, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas announced he would not seek re-election in January. His departure from the scene leaves no "moderate" candidates running for the PA Chairmanship, meaning that Israel no longer has anyone in the PA that is can engage in peace negotiations.
For mroe on this developing story, LINK HERE.
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Late Update:
Netanyahu To Meet Obama
On Monday
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German Chancelor Allies w/ Israel
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke before a joint session of the US Congress last week that any attakc on Israel by Iran will be considered an attack on Germany. Her remarks indicated that Germany would be willing to go to war in defense of Israel should Iran take military action against Israel.
The German leader also warned that Iran must not be allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. Merkel stated:
"zero tolerance needs to be shown when there is a risk of weapons of mass destruction falling, for example, into the hands of Iran."
"Whoever threatens Israel also threatens us. Not just Israel is threatened, but the whole of the free world is threatened. Whoever threatens Israel, threatens us.” More details, LINK HERE.
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Iran Warns Germany
"Don't Let Zionists Harm Your Interests"
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Hezbollah Readying For War
Getting Ready to Go Again
Fearing Israel will launch an assault on Hizbullah before a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, the Lebanese guerrilla group is getting ready for a new war according to the British newspaper, The Observer.
Last week, Israeli commandos seized a ship in the Mediterranean loaded with almost 400 tonnes of rockets and small arms – which Israel claimed was being sent from Iran to its Hezbollah allies. In dramatic further evidence of growing tensions, the Observer has learned that Hezbollah fighters have been busy reinforcing fixed defence positions north of the Litani river. Read the full story, LINK HERE.
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Iran Warns Russia
If Russia Doesn't Sell To Iran
The S-300 Air Defense System
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Netanyahu Calls Illegal Arms
Smuggling to Hezbollah
A War Crime
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UN Votes For War Crimes
Probe Against Israel
The UN voted to require the Israeli government to conduct a criminal probe into allegations that Israeli military and government leaders may have committed war crimes during military operations conducted in the Gaza Strip last January.
Israel responded to the UN vote by rejecting the vote out of hand. More details, LINK HERE.
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Palestinian Nation Next Year?
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Israeli Civil Defense Plans
Cellphone Rocket Alerts
As new war tensions grow in the Middle East, Israeli civil defense officials are planning to use cell phone call alerts to warn israelis of incoming rocket attacks. More details, LINK HERE.
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Jordan's King Warns Israel
On Jerusalem Issues
"Don't Play With Fire"
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Pentagon Chiefs Go Public
Iran An Existential Threat To Israel
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US Christian Leaders Want
Increased Pressure on Iran
Key U.S. religious leaders have called on the White House to increase the pressure on Iran to halt its nuclear program by engaging in 'real diplomacy' on the nuclear issue to force Iran to abandon its nuclear weapons program. The leaders called for new sanctions.
The latest call for a get tough approach matches a similar request back in September when 50 conservative religious leaders sent a letter to President Obama asking the US government to take quick action against Iran.
One of the more prominent religious leaders calling for action is Richard Land, of the Southern Baptist Convention's "Ethics and Religous Liberty Commission." Land likened Iran's President Ahmadinejad to a modern-day Hitler. For more on the religious leaders's request to the White House, LINK HERE.
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PA Leader Retiring From Politics
The leader of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas announced last week that he will not seek re-election in January as president of the Palestinian Authority.
The announcement was widely anticipated as Abbas has repeatedly stated that he didn't want to continue nd had in the past tried to resign.
The departure of Abbas, considered a moderate by many leaves Israel and the US without a suitable replacement for continued peace negotiations. In fact, it is almost certain that someone far more radical will win election making any successful peace negotiations nearly impossible. For more on this story, LINK HERE.
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Turkey's President Says:
Turkey Moving To Be The Mideast Leader
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NY Times:
The Rise of Turkey
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Iran Prez Visits Turkey
For 2nd Summit meeting
In Past 2 Weeks
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is in Istanbul for a one-day Islamic summit today (11/9) as pressure mounts on Tehran to agree to a UN-brokered plan on its nuclear programme.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has held meetings with Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul.
Iran's president is among the speakers at a meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, a 57-state bloc. More details, LINK HERE. Iran's Coverage - LINK HERE.
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Iran's Inner Turmoil Resumes
As thousands of Iranians took to the streets last Wednesday to mark the 30th Anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the US Embassy in Tehran, the celebrations turned into an excuse to protest against the current regime.
Rival demonstrations erupted into clashes with police and militia rushing in to break up the violence with tear gas and gunfire. The week's events underscored a deep undercurrent of anger and dissatisfaction with the ruling Iranian regime. More details, LINK HERE.
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Iranian TV Channel Banned
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Iran Halts Gov't Subsidies
For Food and Fuel
For Iranian Citizens
Food and fuel prices are slated to soar as Iranian lawmakers agreed to halt consumer subsidies for food and fuel. The move is bound to exacerbate the growing inner turmoil sparked by last June's presidential election results.
The money for subsidies will now be able to be diverted to Iran's nuclear program which means $30 to $50 billion dollars more to fund nuclear weapons programs. More details on this explosive development - LINK HERE.
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Tehran Faces A
Winter of Discontent
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What Does Subsidy Cut-off
Mean for Iran?
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Saudis Bomb Yemeni Rebels
Saudi warplanes have come to the aid of the Muslim-Sunni central government of Yemen in that nation's battle against rebels being supported by Iran. The rebels seek to overthrow the government and establish close relations with Iran.
The Saudi government views the rebel threat to Yemen to be a threat to Saudi Arabia, primarily because of the Iranian connection. The last thing the Saudi Royal Family wants is an Iranian base of operations on the other side of their border.
There are new reports from intelligence sources that as the weekend came, Saudi Arabia dispatched a column of armored tanks and a mechanized infantry brigade to assist Yemen in putting down the Iranian-backed rebel forces. For more details on this story, LINK HERE.
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Iran Arrests Foreign Journalists
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UK PM Says:
Real Risk of Defeat in Afghanistan
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