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Visit our Web site: www.bridgesforpeace.com | March 11, 2011 |
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1. "No Palestine without Jordan Valley"
2. Palestinian Street Wants Unity, but Leaders Look to Buy Time
3. Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad Criticizes US "Extortion"
4. Anti-Defamation League Rebuts Israel Apartheid Week
5. Israel Sees First Worrying Sign of New Mideast-Cut Gas Supplies
6. Newspaper: Iran's Lebanon Policy "In Hands of Nasrallah"
7. Terror Attack Threat in Spain
8. British Show "Demonizes" Israel
9. On the Road Again for Old Tires
1. "No Palestine without Jordan Valley"
While Prime Minister [PM] Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking international support for continued Israeli military presence in the Jordan Rift Valley, even in the event of a peace agreement, Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said Tuesday [March 8], "There is no Palestinian state without the Jordan Valley."
Since the civil unrest began spreading throughout the Arab world, Netanyahu has increased his efforts to garner support from Western leaders for continued Israeli presence in the Jordan Valley. He claims the region is vital for Israel's security, particularly in light of the recent uprisings in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and other countries.
However, the PM said the issue of sovereignty over the Jordan Valley will be determined during the peace negotiations, should they resume. "Without Israeli presence in the Jordan Valley, a truck will be able to travel freely from Iran to Petah Tikva [a city in central Israel]," he said during a tour of the region. Without military presence in the Jordan Valley, the PM continued, Israel will not be able to thwart the smuggling of arms to the territories or prevent terrorists from infiltrating.
In response to Netanyahu's comments, Fayyad said there is no other solution than the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders [which would include the Jordan Valley, as well as the rest of the West Bank-or Judea and Samaria-the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem].
It appears that Netanyahu would agree to greater Palestinian control in the West Bank and the easing of restrictions on the Palestinian population in the area. Israeli officials have expressed concern lately that the US will demand that Netanyahu clearly address the issue of a possible withdrawal to the 1967 borders.
The prime minister plans to significantly increase Israel's defense budget. One official said Israel "must have an answer to the missile threats and the new technological threats, as well as to compensate for any concessions it may have to make."
(Excerpts of an article by Attila Somfalvi, Elior Levy contributed, Ynetnews, March 8, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that Netanyahu will continue to be strong and stand firm against any pressure that would compromise Israel's security.
Scriptures
"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6).
Since the civil unrest began spreading throughout the Arab world, Netanyahu has increased his efforts to garner support from Western leaders for continued Israeli presence in the Jordan Valley. He claims the region is vital for Israel's security, particularly in light of the recent uprisings in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, and other countries.
However, the PM said the issue of sovereignty over the Jordan Valley will be determined during the peace negotiations, should they resume. "Without Israeli presence in the Jordan Valley, a truck will be able to travel freely from Iran to Petah Tikva [a city in central Israel]," he said during a tour of the region. Without military presence in the Jordan Valley, the PM continued, Israel will not be able to thwart the smuggling of arms to the territories or prevent terrorists from infiltrating.
In response to Netanyahu's comments, Fayyad said there is no other solution than the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders [which would include the Jordan Valley, as well as the rest of the West Bank-or Judea and Samaria-the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem].
It appears that Netanyahu would agree to greater Palestinian control in the West Bank and the easing of restrictions on the Palestinian population in the area. Israeli officials have expressed concern lately that the US will demand that Netanyahu clearly address the issue of a possible withdrawal to the 1967 borders.
The prime minister plans to significantly increase Israel's defense budget. One official said Israel "must have an answer to the missile threats and the new technological threats, as well as to compensate for any concessions it may have to make."
(Excerpts of an article by Attila Somfalvi, Elior Levy contributed, Ynetnews, March 8, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that Netanyahu will continue to be strong and stand firm against any pressure that would compromise Israel's security.
Scriptures
"Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you" (Deuteronomy 31:6).
2. Palestinian Street Wants Unity, but Leaders Look to Buy Time
Like their counterparts throughout the Arab world, Palestinians have fixed a date for mass popular protests. But while most opposition movements are demanding the ouster of autocratic rulers and democratic reforms, Palestinians are focused on bringing together their warring leadership.
Through Facebook and other social media, Palestinians in the street are calling for "ending the split" between Fatah and Hamas, the two rival factions governing Palestinians in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria] and Gaza Strip, respectively. As of Sunday [March 6], over 11,000 Palestinians showed their backing for a rally planned for March 15 to "end the divide" by "liking" the [Facebook] page.
While both sides want a Palestinian state, Fatah wants to achieve it through negotiations while Hamas is sworn to Israel's destruction. In the meantime, they run parallel governments. "This happens only in Palestine," wrote the anonymous administrator of the Facebook page. "Two Health Ministries and no health; two Social Affairs Ministries and half the population lives under the poverty line; two Finance Ministries and we live on foreign aid …O divided parties, prepare for national unity before your credit runs out. Time is short."
The focus on unity is an odd twist amid the unrest roiling the Middle East. But it would complicate diplomacy for Israel and the West, which refuse to recognize Hamas, an Islamist organization until it recognizes the agreements the Palestinians have reached with Israel and forswears violence. The Fatah-controlled PA [Palestinian Authority] received substantial Western aid that would be shared with Hamas.
But Samir Zaqout, field work coordinator at Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights in Gaza, estimated that about 1.5 million people supported the on-line campaign, 75-80% of whom are Palestinian.
Among Palestinian leaders, unity is less popular. A peaceful demonstration calling for national unity was violently crushed by Hamas' security apparatus on February 28. Only 20 Gazans had the courage to heed the on-line call to join a "national campaign" and arrived at Gaza's Square of the Unknown Soldier. Campaign organizer Ahmad Atawnah was beaten and then arrested by Hamas police.
Over the weekend, however, the mounting popular pressure seems to have influenced Hamas. On Friday [March 4], the Hamas government launched its own demonstrations calling, among other things, for an end to the divide. Yousef Rezqa, a political adviser to Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, told the Maan News Agency that his government would present a new initiative within days to end the divide, including a cabinet reshuffle.
On Friday, a group of Hamas prisoners held in Israeli jails issued a statement outlining Hamas' conditions for reconciliation. It stated that Hamas was interested in unity more than anyone else, but this could only be achieved after the PA halts its security cooperation with Israel, releases all political prisoners and includes Hamas elements in the national security apparatus. Elections, the statement added, can only take place two years from now, after parliament has convened and an election committee is re-established.
But Nashat Aqtash, a media professor at Ramallah's Bir-Zeit University, said he is skeptical about the prospects of reconciliation. "There's no way reconciliation will take place," Aqtash told The Media Line. "Both Fatah and Hamas are both more focused on their personal agendas than on the national interest."
(Excerpts of an article by David E. Miller, The Media Line, March 6, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the people's voices will be heard and for the safety of those who speak out for reform. Pray for the Palestinian people who live under the oppression of an unjust government. Pray that they will realize that Allah is not the answer and will turn to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Scripture
"To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock: do not be silent to me…Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You…Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts" (Psalm 28:1-3, and following).
Through Facebook and other social media, Palestinians in the street are calling for "ending the split" between Fatah and Hamas, the two rival factions governing Palestinians in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria] and Gaza Strip, respectively. As of Sunday [March 6], over 11,000 Palestinians showed their backing for a rally planned for March 15 to "end the divide" by "liking" the [Facebook] page.
While both sides want a Palestinian state, Fatah wants to achieve it through negotiations while Hamas is sworn to Israel's destruction. In the meantime, they run parallel governments. "This happens only in Palestine," wrote the anonymous administrator of the Facebook page. "Two Health Ministries and no health; two Social Affairs Ministries and half the population lives under the poverty line; two Finance Ministries and we live on foreign aid …O divided parties, prepare for national unity before your credit runs out. Time is short."
The focus on unity is an odd twist amid the unrest roiling the Middle East. But it would complicate diplomacy for Israel and the West, which refuse to recognize Hamas, an Islamist organization until it recognizes the agreements the Palestinians have reached with Israel and forswears violence. The Fatah-controlled PA [Palestinian Authority] received substantial Western aid that would be shared with Hamas.
But Samir Zaqout, field work coordinator at Al-Mezan Center for Human Rights in Gaza, estimated that about 1.5 million people supported the on-line campaign, 75-80% of whom are Palestinian.
Among Palestinian leaders, unity is less popular. A peaceful demonstration calling for national unity was violently crushed by Hamas' security apparatus on February 28. Only 20 Gazans had the courage to heed the on-line call to join a "national campaign" and arrived at Gaza's Square of the Unknown Soldier. Campaign organizer Ahmad Atawnah was beaten and then arrested by Hamas police.
Over the weekend, however, the mounting popular pressure seems to have influenced Hamas. On Friday [March 4], the Hamas government launched its own demonstrations calling, among other things, for an end to the divide. Yousef Rezqa, a political adviser to Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, told the Maan News Agency that his government would present a new initiative within days to end the divide, including a cabinet reshuffle.
On Friday, a group of Hamas prisoners held in Israeli jails issued a statement outlining Hamas' conditions for reconciliation. It stated that Hamas was interested in unity more than anyone else, but this could only be achieved after the PA halts its security cooperation with Israel, releases all political prisoners and includes Hamas elements in the national security apparatus. Elections, the statement added, can only take place two years from now, after parliament has convened and an election committee is re-established.
But Nashat Aqtash, a media professor at Ramallah's Bir-Zeit University, said he is skeptical about the prospects of reconciliation. "There's no way reconciliation will take place," Aqtash told The Media Line. "Both Fatah and Hamas are both more focused on their personal agendas than on the national interest."
(Excerpts of an article by David E. Miller, The Media Line, March 6, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the people's voices will be heard and for the safety of those who speak out for reform. Pray for the Palestinian people who live under the oppression of an unjust government. Pray that they will realize that Allah is not the answer and will turn to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
Scripture
"To You I will cry, O LORD my Rock: do not be silent to me…Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry to You…Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, who speak peace to their neighbors, but evil is in their hearts" (Psalm 28:1-3, and following).
3. Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad Criticizes US "Extortion"
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced a US $150-million grant to the Palestinian Authority [PA] four months ago, raising the 2010 total to nearly US $600 million. She said that US aid "underscores the strong determination of the American people and this Administration to stand with our Palestinian friends."
She also praised PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad "for being a consistent voice for progress and common sense." However, Fayyad recently referred to US foreign aid as "extortion."
The following is PM Fayyad's statement on official PA TV: "We have never referred to this [US] aid as a replacement for our legitimate aspiration to achieve all our national rights. Absolutely [not]. Because our national rights are not for sale or trade for a handful of dollars." [PA TV (Fatah), Feb. 22, 2011]
The following is Salam Fayyad's statements calling US aid "extortion" as reported in the official PA daily: "Yesterday Prime Minister Salam Fayyad attacked the US in an unprecedented manner. He emphasized his opposition to American 'extortion,' which is expressed in the threat to halt aid to the PA if it insists on appealing to the Security Council to denounce Israeli settlement.
"Fayyad said: 'We did not agree, and will not agree, to extortion, and our people will never agree to that. We are not interested in the first place in receiving assistance from any source that threatens to halt its aid for political reasons…I emphasize that we do not view the assistance offered to us as an alternative to liberty for our people. Justice is on our side, and our rights are not for sale, barter, or trade for a handful of dollars.'" [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Feb. 21, 2011]
(Excerpts of an article by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik, Palestinian Media Watch, March 3, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the US government will take note of how their exorbitant gifts are viewed by ungrateful hearts and understand that peace cannot be bought.
Scripture
"Go from the presence of a foolish man, when you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is deceit" (Proverbs 14:7-8).
She also praised PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad "for being a consistent voice for progress and common sense." However, Fayyad recently referred to US foreign aid as "extortion."
The following is PM Fayyad's statement on official PA TV: "We have never referred to this [US] aid as a replacement for our legitimate aspiration to achieve all our national rights. Absolutely [not]. Because our national rights are not for sale or trade for a handful of dollars." [PA TV (Fatah), Feb. 22, 2011]
The following is Salam Fayyad's statements calling US aid "extortion" as reported in the official PA daily: "Yesterday Prime Minister Salam Fayyad attacked the US in an unprecedented manner. He emphasized his opposition to American 'extortion,' which is expressed in the threat to halt aid to the PA if it insists on appealing to the Security Council to denounce Israeli settlement.
"Fayyad said: 'We did not agree, and will not agree, to extortion, and our people will never agree to that. We are not interested in the first place in receiving assistance from any source that threatens to halt its aid for political reasons…I emphasize that we do not view the assistance offered to us as an alternative to liberty for our people. Justice is on our side, and our rights are not for sale, barter, or trade for a handful of dollars.'" [Al-Hayat Al-Jadida, Feb. 21, 2011]
(Excerpts of an article by Itamar Marcus and Nan Jacques Zilberdik, Palestinian Media Watch, March 3, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that the US government will take note of how their exorbitant gifts are viewed by ungrateful hearts and understand that peace cannot be bought.
Scripture
"Go from the presence of a foolish man, when you do not perceive in him the lips of knowledge. The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way, but the folly of fools is deceit" (Proverbs 14:7-8).
4. Anti-Defamation League Rebuts Israel Apartheid Week
The seventh annual Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) has officially launched, with events actually occurring during multiple weeks in March, as it seeks in cities and on college campuses around the world to condemn Israel over its approach to the Palestinians. But while the IAW events have returned, so too have efforts to combat their anti-Israel rhetoric.
Adina Holzman, analyst at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Center on Extremism, in an interview with Bridges for Peace, noted "the most inaccurate" aspect of Israeli Apartheid Week is actually its name. "Apartheid South Africa was a uniquely repressive system that had a legal system of discrimination and separation of the black majority in South Africa, until 1994 that is. And in Israel, no such laws exist," said Holzman.
"Israel is a democracy that pledges to guard and safeguard the security and freedom of all its citizens whether they be Jewish, Christian, [or] Arab. And this allegation is really just an attempt by the anti-Israel movement to further demonize Israel and to galvanize international support against Israel."
In addition to Israel's support for the freedom of its citizens, citizens in minority groups also hold public office in the country. As an example, there are multiple Arab members of Israel's Knesset [parliament], who express opinions quite contrary to the perspective of the current governing coalition.
As for some of the content concerns about Israeli Apartheid Week, Holzman said Holocaust analogies, such as comparing Israelis soldiers to Nazis, have often been seen at IAW events. She said protestors have also in the past expressed support for the terror group Hamas as "a legitimate resistance movement."
Holzman described some of the response to Israel Apartheid Week, which includes providing students with "language and strategy tactics" for responding to IAW. Holzman said pro-Israel events before and after IAW to counter the anti-Israel claims could also be set up. She said ADL tries to "demonstrate as much as we can that Israel is a vibrant and thriving democracy."
She also responded to some of the specific accusations against Israel, noting for example that Israeli checkpoints and the security fence in Israel that separates most of Israel's towns and cities from the West Bank [Judea and Samaria], and which is sometimes referred to as an apartheid wall, are actually based on "legitimate security concerns." She pointed out that the security fence has reduced Palestinian terrorism, and that the checkpoints have "done a lot to ensure Israeli and Palestinian security and safety."
(By Joshua Spurlock, BFP Israel Mosaic Radio, March 9, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that God will bless the efforts of the ADL to counter the lies of anti-Semitism. Pray especially for college campuses during the month of March and for the safety of Jewish students and those who will be promoting Israel. Pray against all violent acts.
Scripture
"Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many against me" (Psalm 55:17-18).
Adina Holzman, analyst at the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) Center on Extremism, in an interview with Bridges for Peace, noted "the most inaccurate" aspect of Israeli Apartheid Week is actually its name. "Apartheid South Africa was a uniquely repressive system that had a legal system of discrimination and separation of the black majority in South Africa, until 1994 that is. And in Israel, no such laws exist," said Holzman.
"Israel is a democracy that pledges to guard and safeguard the security and freedom of all its citizens whether they be Jewish, Christian, [or] Arab. And this allegation is really just an attempt by the anti-Israel movement to further demonize Israel and to galvanize international support against Israel."
In addition to Israel's support for the freedom of its citizens, citizens in minority groups also hold public office in the country. As an example, there are multiple Arab members of Israel's Knesset [parliament], who express opinions quite contrary to the perspective of the current governing coalition.
As for some of the content concerns about Israeli Apartheid Week, Holzman said Holocaust analogies, such as comparing Israelis soldiers to Nazis, have often been seen at IAW events. She said protestors have also in the past expressed support for the terror group Hamas as "a legitimate resistance movement."
Holzman described some of the response to Israel Apartheid Week, which includes providing students with "language and strategy tactics" for responding to IAW. Holzman said pro-Israel events before and after IAW to counter the anti-Israel claims could also be set up. She said ADL tries to "demonstrate as much as we can that Israel is a vibrant and thriving democracy."
She also responded to some of the specific accusations against Israel, noting for example that Israeli checkpoints and the security fence in Israel that separates most of Israel's towns and cities from the West Bank [Judea and Samaria], and which is sometimes referred to as an apartheid wall, are actually based on "legitimate security concerns." She pointed out that the security fence has reduced Palestinian terrorism, and that the checkpoints have "done a lot to ensure Israeli and Palestinian security and safety."
(By Joshua Spurlock, BFP Israel Mosaic Radio, March 9, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that God will bless the efforts of the ADL to counter the lies of anti-Semitism. Pray especially for college campuses during the month of March and for the safety of Jewish students and those who will be promoting Israel. Pray against all violent acts.
Scripture
"Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many against me" (Psalm 55:17-18).
5. Israel Sees First Worrying Sign of New Mideast-Cut Gas Supplies
Israel's energy industry looks like it's on its way to becoming the country's first casualty of the emerging new Middle East, where governments are responding to public pressure for an end to secret deals and taking a harder line on the Jewish state.
More than a month after militants attacked a key pipeline in Egypt's Sinai Desert, the flow of natural gas to Israel has yet to be resumed. In Israel, industry officials and experts now admit that the shutdown isn't due to technical problems but the changing political environment in Egypt since Husni Mubarak was forced to step down last month.
Ampal-American Israel Corp., which owns a 12.5% interest in the pipeline running from Egypt's Al-Arish to the Israeli port city of Ashkelon, said last Thursday [March 3] that repair work on the pipeline was complete, but that final testing has been delayed. After promising repeatedly over the last month that supplies would be resumed shortly, Ampal conceded it could no longer offer any assurances.
"In the short term, there will probably be a renewal of gas deliveries, but in the long term, it's going to be a big problem. I don't think Egypt will be a reliable source for Israel," Brenda Shaffer, an energy expert at the School of Political Science of Israel's University of Haifa, told The Media Line.
The gas crisis has major economic and political implications for Israel. Over the last several years, the country has made a rapid switch from oil and coal to natural gas for electric power, and it was counting on Egypt as a major source of energy. But just as critically, the cutoff may also signal cooling political ties with Egypt, which Israel has seen as a key regional ally.
The two countries signed a gas accord in 2005 under which Israel agreed to import 1.7 billion cubic meters (60 billion cubic feet) of Egyptian gas annually. Since then, Israel has found increasingly large quantities of its own gas off its Mediterranean coast, but the government encouraged imports to create competition in the gas market and as a stopgap until domestic supplies can come on stream.
Until last month, pipeline operator East Mediterranean Gas (EMG) supplied 45% of the energy needs used by Israel Electric Corporation (IEC), the country's government-owned power monopoly. Without the gas, IEC has been forced to burn coal and diesel fuel at a cost of about US $1.5 million more a day.
Higher costs and increased air pollution aside, Israel can manage for now, analysts said. But if Egyptian supplies don't resume by the summer, when electricity demand peaks as Israeli switch on their air conditioners, the country could face a power shortage. The only solution will be to relax environmental regulations, said an industry source who asked not to be identified. He said Israel will only be able to breathe easier when its next big field, Tamar, begins to pump gas sometime in 2013.
The gas deal with Israel faces a further problem because it is secret. No one knows the price Israel pays or other key terms, but industry sources suspect it is probably low by global standards and less than Egypt's other neighbors (Jordan, Syria and Lebanon) are paying for their imported Egyptian gas. Even when Mubarak was in power, the matter of the price was fuel for lawsuits and opposition grievances in Egypt.
(Excerpts by David Rosenberg, The Media Line, March 7, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that plans for the Tamar gas find will progress rapidly and successfully so that Israel does not need to be dependent on an unstable Egypt.
Scripture
"The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you…if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways" (Deuteronomy 28:8-9).
More than a month after militants attacked a key pipeline in Egypt's Sinai Desert, the flow of natural gas to Israel has yet to be resumed. In Israel, industry officials and experts now admit that the shutdown isn't due to technical problems but the changing political environment in Egypt since Husni Mubarak was forced to step down last month.
Ampal-American Israel Corp., which owns a 12.5% interest in the pipeline running from Egypt's Al-Arish to the Israeli port city of Ashkelon, said last Thursday [March 3] that repair work on the pipeline was complete, but that final testing has been delayed. After promising repeatedly over the last month that supplies would be resumed shortly, Ampal conceded it could no longer offer any assurances.
"In the short term, there will probably be a renewal of gas deliveries, but in the long term, it's going to be a big problem. I don't think Egypt will be a reliable source for Israel," Brenda Shaffer, an energy expert at the School of Political Science of Israel's University of Haifa, told The Media Line.
The gas crisis has major economic and political implications for Israel. Over the last several years, the country has made a rapid switch from oil and coal to natural gas for electric power, and it was counting on Egypt as a major source of energy. But just as critically, the cutoff may also signal cooling political ties with Egypt, which Israel has seen as a key regional ally.
The two countries signed a gas accord in 2005 under which Israel agreed to import 1.7 billion cubic meters (60 billion cubic feet) of Egyptian gas annually. Since then, Israel has found increasingly large quantities of its own gas off its Mediterranean coast, but the government encouraged imports to create competition in the gas market and as a stopgap until domestic supplies can come on stream.
Until last month, pipeline operator East Mediterranean Gas (EMG) supplied 45% of the energy needs used by Israel Electric Corporation (IEC), the country's government-owned power monopoly. Without the gas, IEC has been forced to burn coal and diesel fuel at a cost of about US $1.5 million more a day.
Higher costs and increased air pollution aside, Israel can manage for now, analysts said. But if Egyptian supplies don't resume by the summer, when electricity demand peaks as Israeli switch on their air conditioners, the country could face a power shortage. The only solution will be to relax environmental regulations, said an industry source who asked not to be identified. He said Israel will only be able to breathe easier when its next big field, Tamar, begins to pump gas sometime in 2013.
The gas deal with Israel faces a further problem because it is secret. No one knows the price Israel pays or other key terms, but industry sources suspect it is probably low by global standards and less than Egypt's other neighbors (Jordan, Syria and Lebanon) are paying for their imported Egyptian gas. Even when Mubarak was in power, the matter of the price was fuel for lawsuits and opposition grievances in Egypt.
(Excerpts by David Rosenberg, The Media Line, March 7, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that plans for the Tamar gas find will progress rapidly and successfully so that Israel does not need to be dependent on an unstable Egypt.
Scripture
"The LORD will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the LORD your God is giving you…if you keep the commandments of the LORD your God and walk in His ways" (Deuteronomy 28:8-9).
6. Newspaper: Iran's Lebanon Policy "In Hands of Nasrallah"
Iran's policy toward Lebanon is "in the hands of Supreme Ruler Ayatollah Ali Khamenei" who "entrusts it" to Hizbullah chief Sheikh Sayid Hasan Nasrallah according to Beirut's Daily Star newspaper. Reporting from Tehran where Lebanese journalists and media figures were visiting, the newspaper wrote that Iran's strategic policy not only goes through Nasrallah, but that "he is a key figure in actually determining that policy."
While [Lebanese] caretaker Prime Minister Sa'ad Al-Hariri has notched up his rhetoric against Hizbullah and opposition voices argue that too much of Lebanon's scarce resources are wasted on the terrorist organization, the newspaper quoted an Iranian analyst as saying that Iran's leaders see Hizbullah as "an extension of the Islamic Republic, a powerful and reliable ally."
(By The Media Line, March 8, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that God will give courage to those in Lebanon, especially the Christian population, who speak up against Hizbullah. Pray for their safety.
Scripture
"…Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses" (Nehemiah 4:14b).
While [Lebanese] caretaker Prime Minister Sa'ad Al-Hariri has notched up his rhetoric against Hizbullah and opposition voices argue that too much of Lebanon's scarce resources are wasted on the terrorist organization, the newspaper quoted an Iranian analyst as saying that Iran's leaders see Hizbullah as "an extension of the Islamic Republic, a powerful and reliable ally."
(By The Media Line, March 8, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that God will give courage to those in Lebanon, especially the Christian population, who speak up against Hizbullah. Pray for their safety.
Scripture
"…Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, great and awesome, and fight for your brethren, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses" (Nehemiah 4:14b).
7. Terror Attack Threat in Spain
Four leading Israeli chefs were invited to the Basque region in Spain in honor of Israeli food month, but just days before the chefs set out, they received a call from the Israeli embassy in Spain: "Don't come. The food month is cancelled due to terror threats from the Basque terror group." Wednesday [March 9] was supposed to mark the grand opening of the Israeli food month in the tourist city of Hondarribia in the Basque region of Spain. It was meant to be a unique project organized by the Israeli embassy in Madrid in cooperation with the Basque region government, the Hondarribia hoteliers and restaurateurs association and the local municipality.
The plan-four Israeli chefs would spend a month working at two local restaurants, one of which is a Michelin starred restaurant [a noteworthy ranking in a prestigious European guidebook] and serve Israeli gourmet cuisine. From the embassy's perspective, it was an opportunity to present Spaniards with a new facet of Israel, one beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The embassy worked tirelessly to organize the event and arranged for four of Israel's leading chefs-Rokach 73's Eyal Lavie, The Dining Hall's Omer Miller, Mika catering's Mika Sharon, and Mahneyuda's Yossi Elad-to attend. However, last Thursday [March 3], four days before the first chef, Omer Miller, was set to leave for Spain, the chefs received a call notifying them that the Israeli food month was cancelled following threats from the Basque terror group ETA [an acronym in Spanish].
"It's always sad to find out that the world doesn't like us," Chef Omer Miller was quoted by the Yedioth Ahronoth daily as saying. "We live in a bubble, and when something like this happens, it proves that we are suffering from [a] sweeping lack of sympathy on a global level. The political aspect doesn't interest me; I just wanted to cook, make people happy, and introduce them to Israeli cuisine."
Apparently the call from the embassy was preceded by real-life drama. The restaurant owners, who were supposed to act as hosts to the Israeli chefs, got threats from the Basque terror group, which supports the Palestinian struggle against "Israeli occupation." The group told the restaurant owners that if the Israeli chefs were to stay there, it would harm the restaurants. The threat caused a panic and led the restaurant owners to announce that they refuse to host the event.
Israeli sources said that the threats against the Israeli event expose what Israel has been claiming for a while now-that there is a connection between Basque terror groups and Palestinian terror groups. According to the sources, Israel has proof that ETA trained together with Palestinian terror elements in Lebanon and Venezuela."It saddens us to know that terror threats and violence lead to the cancellation of a cultural event," noted Israeli diplomatic sources.
(By Itamar Eichner, Sarit Sardas-Trotino contributed, Ynetnews, March 10, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Praise God that lives were spared from this very real threat. Pray that the Spanish government will locate and take control of all ETA cells in Spain.
Scripture
"Your hand will find all Your enemies; Your right hand will find those who hate You" (Psalm 21:8).
The plan-four Israeli chefs would spend a month working at two local restaurants, one of which is a Michelin starred restaurant [a noteworthy ranking in a prestigious European guidebook] and serve Israeli gourmet cuisine. From the embassy's perspective, it was an opportunity to present Spaniards with a new facet of Israel, one beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The embassy worked tirelessly to organize the event and arranged for four of Israel's leading chefs-Rokach 73's Eyal Lavie, The Dining Hall's Omer Miller, Mika catering's Mika Sharon, and Mahneyuda's Yossi Elad-to attend. However, last Thursday [March 3], four days before the first chef, Omer Miller, was set to leave for Spain, the chefs received a call notifying them that the Israeli food month was cancelled following threats from the Basque terror group ETA [an acronym in Spanish].
"It's always sad to find out that the world doesn't like us," Chef Omer Miller was quoted by the Yedioth Ahronoth daily as saying. "We live in a bubble, and when something like this happens, it proves that we are suffering from [a] sweeping lack of sympathy on a global level. The political aspect doesn't interest me; I just wanted to cook, make people happy, and introduce them to Israeli cuisine."
Apparently the call from the embassy was preceded by real-life drama. The restaurant owners, who were supposed to act as hosts to the Israeli chefs, got threats from the Basque terror group, which supports the Palestinian struggle against "Israeli occupation." The group told the restaurant owners that if the Israeli chefs were to stay there, it would harm the restaurants. The threat caused a panic and led the restaurant owners to announce that they refuse to host the event.
Israeli sources said that the threats against the Israeli event expose what Israel has been claiming for a while now-that there is a connection between Basque terror groups and Palestinian terror groups. According to the sources, Israel has proof that ETA trained together with Palestinian terror elements in Lebanon and Venezuela."It saddens us to know that terror threats and violence lead to the cancellation of a cultural event," noted Israeli diplomatic sources.
(By Itamar Eichner, Sarit Sardas-Trotino contributed, Ynetnews, March 10, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Praise God that lives were spared from this very real threat. Pray that the Spanish government will locate and take control of all ETA cells in Spain.
Scripture
"Your hand will find all Your enemies; Your right hand will find those who hate You" (Psalm 21:8).
8. British Show "Demonizes" Israel
A British mini-series that slams the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the State of Israel has been slammed by the Jewish state's embassy spokesman, Amir Ofek, as "a new category of hostility towards Israel." The mini-series, which provoked accusations of demonization and hate-mongering, has been hailed by British TV critics as the year's best drama.
The show, which was mostly filmed in Israel, provoked fury among many British Jewish. Ofek told the Jewish Chronicle that "In my 15-year career, I have never seen anything like it in the Western media. I'm aware of artistic freedom, but nevertheless I feel this is worse than anything I've seen. It's obvious there was a special attempt to demonize Israelis," he said. "They used every tool available-visuals especially-to undermine the Israeli perspective."
The show's heroine is a young British woman who travels to Israel ahead of her Israeli friend's enlistment with the IDF. Before the trip, she comes across a diary written by her dying grandfather, who during the 1940s helped save Jews from death camp and was later sent to the Land of Israel at the service of Her Majesty. In Israel, the young Londoner searches for Muhammad, a friend of her grandfather. While at it, she helps the Palestinians smuggles arms to Gaza, just like her grandpa helped the Arabs earlier.
Embassy Spokesman Ofek said IDF troops were portrayed as blood-thirsty, while the Palestinians were mostly in the role of helpless victims. The diplomat also slammed the portrayal of wealthy Israeli families spending their time in the swimming pool as unrepresentative of Israeli society.
"In my time here, we have never had as many complaints from people as we have had for this program. When I asked people if they had watched all the episodes, they said they had given up because it was so upsetting," he said. Close to 2 million people watched the first episode of the show.
(Excerpts of an article by Aviel Magnezi, Ynetnews, March 10, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that Israel lovers who view this program will respond and the series will be short-lived and removed.
Scripture
"For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, 'Peace be within you.' Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good" (Psalm 122:8-9).
The show, which was mostly filmed in Israel, provoked fury among many British Jewish. Ofek told the Jewish Chronicle that "In my 15-year career, I have never seen anything like it in the Western media. I'm aware of artistic freedom, but nevertheless I feel this is worse than anything I've seen. It's obvious there was a special attempt to demonize Israelis," he said. "They used every tool available-visuals especially-to undermine the Israeli perspective."
The show's heroine is a young British woman who travels to Israel ahead of her Israeli friend's enlistment with the IDF. Before the trip, she comes across a diary written by her dying grandfather, who during the 1940s helped save Jews from death camp and was later sent to the Land of Israel at the service of Her Majesty. In Israel, the young Londoner searches for Muhammad, a friend of her grandfather. While at it, she helps the Palestinians smuggles arms to Gaza, just like her grandpa helped the Arabs earlier.
Embassy Spokesman Ofek said IDF troops were portrayed as blood-thirsty, while the Palestinians were mostly in the role of helpless victims. The diplomat also slammed the portrayal of wealthy Israeli families spending their time in the swimming pool as unrepresentative of Israeli society.
"In my time here, we have never had as many complaints from people as we have had for this program. When I asked people if they had watched all the episodes, they said they had given up because it was so upsetting," he said. Close to 2 million people watched the first episode of the show.
(Excerpts of an article by Aviel Magnezi, Ynetnews, March 10, 2011)
Prayer Focus
Pray that Israel lovers who view this program will respond and the series will be short-lived and removed.
Scripture
"For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, 'Peace be within you.' Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good" (Psalm 122:8-9).
9. On the Road Again for Old Tires
Old, used tires are an environmental nuisance. But now a new "green" project in Israel intends to recycle the rubber from old tires, and use as many as 1,400 tires per kilometer of new paved highway. In a pilot trial, a 1.1 kilometer [0.68 mile] section of road was paved using an experimental mixture that included hundreds of recycled tires and a blend of asphalt.
At no greater cost than paving a regular road, this new product can increase the life of the pavement by one-third without, the developers believe, compromising safety. Developers anticipate that their technology can be applied in countries in the Middle East and elsewhere with similar climates and conditions as Israel.
About 3 million tires go out of service in Israel every year, and they are often found discarded and scattered at various locations. "We are talking about 15% of the total wasted tires in Israel. Something like 700 tires in one kilometer of lane; in one experiment, we doubled this figure up to 1,400 tires," says Israel National Roads Company R&D branch director Adrian Valentin Cotrus.
While the idea to reuse shredded rubber on roads came through a technology transfer meeting between Israel and America back in 2005, the results from the pilot trial on a highway section of Road 85 in the Galilee, up north, will benefit its Israeli developers. Expect the compound and equipment needed to produce the recycled tire asphalt to be ready for sale by the end of this year, Cotrus says.
Recycled tires are now being incorporated into roads in Arizona and Texas. "We found we have the same problems as the US when tires go out of service. Soon it will be forbidden to bury them in landfills," Cotrus tells ISRAEL21c.
However, when the company tried a US blend, it disintegrated on the Israeli roads, which can be scorched with temperatures hot enough to fry an egg in the summer, without the benefit of rain to cool them down. Israel's climate and raw materials are different than those in the United States. So although making asphalt from recycled materials is just like baking a cake, says Cotrus, "We are not working with the same flour, oven and local temperatures.
"Our local rubber is the same, but in order to implement the technology, we have to consider the surface bitumen [element in the road], the different climate and what's being provided by the local asphalt factories." So it was back to the drawing board. "Since our company is seeking the use of recycled materials in many other fields, we thought recycling the rubber tires into asphalt would be a real possibility, but we needed to do extra R&D here."
(Excerpts from an article by Karin Kloosterman, Israel21c, March 7, 2011)
At no greater cost than paving a regular road, this new product can increase the life of the pavement by one-third without, the developers believe, compromising safety. Developers anticipate that their technology can be applied in countries in the Middle East and elsewhere with similar climates and conditions as Israel.
About 3 million tires go out of service in Israel every year, and they are often found discarded and scattered at various locations. "We are talking about 15% of the total wasted tires in Israel. Something like 700 tires in one kilometer of lane; in one experiment, we doubled this figure up to 1,400 tires," says Israel National Roads Company R&D branch director Adrian Valentin Cotrus.
While the idea to reuse shredded rubber on roads came through a technology transfer meeting between Israel and America back in 2005, the results from the pilot trial on a highway section of Road 85 in the Galilee, up north, will benefit its Israeli developers. Expect the compound and equipment needed to produce the recycled tire asphalt to be ready for sale by the end of this year, Cotrus says.
Recycled tires are now being incorporated into roads in Arizona and Texas. "We found we have the same problems as the US when tires go out of service. Soon it will be forbidden to bury them in landfills," Cotrus tells ISRAEL21c.
However, when the company tried a US blend, it disintegrated on the Israeli roads, which can be scorched with temperatures hot enough to fry an egg in the summer, without the benefit of rain to cool them down. Israel's climate and raw materials are different than those in the United States. So although making asphalt from recycled materials is just like baking a cake, says Cotrus, "We are not working with the same flour, oven and local temperatures.
"Our local rubber is the same, but in order to implement the technology, we have to consider the surface bitumen [element in the road], the different climate and what's being provided by the local asphalt factories." So it was back to the drawing board. "Since our company is seeking the use of recycled materials in many other fields, we thought recycling the rubber tires into asphalt would be a real possibility, but we needed to do extra R&D here."
(Excerpts from an article by Karin Kloosterman, Israel21c, March 7, 2011)
Note: All Scripture is taken from the New King James Version, unless otherwise noted.
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