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The A-O Report's

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Middle East News Spotlight

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For January 25, 2010

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Editor's Note: We'll be adding a special Op-ed article by midweek concerning what appears to be major prophetic developments behind the scenes involving war in the Middle East.  You'll see flashes of this down below in this week's headline listings and also in the brand new edition of The A-O Intelligence Digest posting later today within the donor section of this website - The A-O Insider Report.

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Tensions were heightened after the press conference of Secretary of State Hilary Clinton when, on Friday, the A-Sharq al-Awsat daily paper reported that Syria and Hezbollah had gone on high alert in anticipation of an Israeli attack on Lebanon. The London-based newspaper said that Hezbollah has been alarmed by recent IDF reinforcements to the Israel – Lebanon border, and quoted Hezbollah deputy general secretary Naeem Kassem as saying that the group’s armed wing had prepared plans to retaliate. Syria has begun to mobilize reserve troops, including nationals residing in Lebanon.

According to analysts , Clinton hinted in the press conference that the US has enough international support to act against the Iranian nuclear facilities just like it did in 1991 ( Gulf War) against Saddam Hussein following his occupation of Kuwait. She said that Iran had a ‘clear choice’ between isolation and ‘living up to its international obligations’ and added ‘it is important to send [the] message to the Iranian leadership, that the world will act, and the world will act together.’

Meanwhile, French FM Bernard Kouchner said Thursday during his meeting with Lebanese P Saad Hariri “: If there was a threat to Lebanon, it will only come from a military adventure carried out by Hezbollah in the best interest of Iran”   LINK HERE.

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Syria and Hezbollah have gone on alert anticipating an Israeli attack on Lebanon, the London-based A-Sharq al-Awsat daily reported on Friday.

According to the report, Hezbollah has been monitoring with caution the reinforcement of Israel Defense Forces troops along the Lebanon border.

Hezbollah's deputy secretary general, Naeem Kassem, said the group was preparing to retaliate although it had no proof of any such Israeli plans.

Syria has meanwhile begun to call up reserves troops, including nationals residing in Lebanon.

The IDF responded to the report by denying any plans for renewing conflict against Lebanon.

LINK 1

LINK 2

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French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner has warned that Hizbullah is likely to attack Israel on orders from Iran, which wants to distract global attention from its own domestic crisis.

Kouchner made the statements after meeting with Lebanese Prime Minister Sa'd Al-Hariri, who demanded that Israel stop threatening Iran.

The London daily Al-Hayat reported that Al-Hariri had requested a supply of French missiles for Lebanese army helicopters, but that the French commanders had hesitations about the request for fear that the missiles would reach Hizbullah's hands to be used against Israel. More details, LINK HERE.

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy at the weekend joined a growing number of world leaders convinced that Israel will soon attack Iran if diplomatic efforts continue to fail to bring the Islamic Republic's nuclear program to an end.

That according to a report in the London-based Arabic newspaper Al Hayat, which cited Sarkozy as telling visiting Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri that Israel "would not stand by while Iran develops nuclear weapons."

Sarkozy reportedly told Hariri that France has evidence that Iran is developing nuclear weapons, contrary to Tehran's claims that its nuclear program is purely for civilian purposes.

The report came just one day after Sarkozy called on the UN Security Council to impose harsher sanctions against Iran for violating previous resolutions. He noted that US President Barack Obama and the rest of the international community had made great efforts to work together with Iran, only to be slapped in the face repeatedly. LINK HERE.

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Minister Yossi Peled (Likud), speaking at an event in Beersheba, said that he believes Israel is likely to face another conflict on the northern border, although it is unclear exactly when.

 
"Although Hezbollah is part of the (Lebanese) government, it is unaffected by it. If there is another confrontation in the north, we will hold Syria and Lebanon alike responsible."  LINK HERE.

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According to the Jerusalem Post a major breakthrough is beginning to emerge. The Post cites a "senior representative" of Hamas, Aziz Dwaik, who has indicated the Hamas terror group is willing to nullify its charter, which calls for the destruction of Israel.

Dwaik's latest remarks were made during a meeting he held in Hebron with British millionaire David Martin Abrahams, who maintains close ties with senior Israeli and British government officials. It is all part of an effort by Hamas to gain the necessary international recognition necessary if the world is going to accept Hamas as a legitimate political power permitted to rule in a new nation of Palestine.

Dwaik is teh elected speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, who spent three years in Israeli prisons until being released just a few months ago. For more on this story, LINK HERE.

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French President Nicolas Sarkozy informed Lebanese officials that "France vows to try to prevent Israel from bombarding the basic infrastructure of Lebanon, but not more than that," stressing to those he met on the need to "control the internal Lebanese situation and prevent any provocations," according to well-informed Lebanese sources.
Sources close to the French presidency told the pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat daily that Sarkozy answered the concerns of PM Saad Hariri from a possible Israeli attack on Lebanon by saying "Lebanon can depend on France's friendship and support."

According to the pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, Sarkozy stressed that "France supports Lebanon's independence and sovereignty," in addition to being a friend to Israel.

"However, France demands Israel to respect the sovereignty of Lebanon because it is keen on that matter, as Sarkozy told the Israelis," added al-Hayat.

Hariri clarified in comments to the Lebanese press that the French president "was clear and honest, as he confirmed that Paris will do all the possible contacts and will talk with the Israelis" in order to prevent an attack on Lebanon.

Hariri added that France considers such acts as "unaccepted and unjustified," and that it "will do the needed steps to prevent them." The premier added that U.S.' stance "resembles" the French one.

Asharq al-Awsat did not conceal the Arab and international fears of a possible Israeli strike on Lebanon. It added that there are "concentrated Arab and regional efforts toward the U.S. to pressure Israel not to carry out a military operation against Lebanon."

MP Okab Sakr told Asharq al-Awsat: "Friendly countries, among them Saudi Arabia, are exerting major efforts to convince the U.S. administration to prevent an Israeli strike against Lebanon," calling Hizbullah "not to give Israel any chance to turn it into an alibi to strike Lebanon." More details, LINK HERE.

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President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad hinted on Sunday that Tehran would itself pursue uranium enrichment to higher levels if the West spurns its offer of a phased fuel swap, promising Iranians "sweet" news soon.

Ahmadinejad said Iran will make an announcement regarding the enrichment of uranium to 20 percent purity when the nation next month marks the 31st anniversary of the Islamic revolution which toppled the US-backed shah.

Earlier last week, news that Iran was moving to the 20 percent, "breakout" level of enrichment prompted an emergency meeting of the Prime Minister's cabinet in Jerusalem, but no work on any Israeli decision was forthcoming.

More details - LINK 1 -- Debka Report - LINK 2.

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The Iranian president said on Sunday that good news on 20 percent enrichment of nuclear fuel will be announced during the Islamic Revolution anniversary by the next two weeks.

Attending the Majlis (Parliament) session for presenting the next year’s budget plan, Ahmadinejad referred to this good news in response to questions of reporters on lack of any reaction from the West to Iran’s proposals about supply of 20 percent enriched nuclear fuel for Iran’s nuclear research plant which is used for medical and agriculture projects. More details, LINK HERE.

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Turkey is slowly re-orienting its entire foreign policy to align with the Iran-Syria-Lebanon Axis and also with Russia. More details, LINK HERE.

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As we reported two years ago in the A-O Intelligence Digest, WorldNetDaily is now reporting that Saudi Arabia may have a secret stash of nuclear weapons, courtesy of Pakistan.

In reality, Pakistan's nuclear program was partially funded by Saudi Arabia with a convenient arrangment that in the event of an emergency, Saudi Arabia would have access to their use, against a nation such as Israel or Iran.

For more details on this story, LINK HERE.

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