by Hana Levi Julian(IsraelNN.com) Cinnamon may spice up more than cuisine, perfume, air fresheners and pharmaceutical products, according to a study by Tel Aviv University Professor Michael Ovadia.
The Israeli scientist began his research into the medicinal properties of cinnamon after pondering the weekly Torah reading he heard at synagogue seven years ago.
"There is a passage that explains how the High Priests, the [Kohanim] would prepare a holy oil used to be on their bodies before they made a ritual animal sacrifice," recalled Ovadia in an interview published by Israel21c. "I had a hunch that this oil, which was prepared with cinnamon and other spices, played a role in preventing the spread of infectious agents to people."
Research by the university's Department of Zoology found the fragrant spice, used in everything from cooking to aromatherapy and perfume, could neutralize viruses and immunize against certain infections.
Avian Flu H9, Sendai virus, HIV and Herpes Simplex 1, and Newcastle disease virus were all found to respond in Ovadia's experiments. It is important to note, however, that the cinnamon extract used in the studies was from a particular variety of cinnamon using coumarin and cinnamon aldehyde, which are byproducts of the actual ...   more »

The Israeli army will hold a major exercise simulating an explosion of Palestinian terrorist activity in Judea and Samaria (the so-called West Bank) next week, reported Ha'aretz.
Army officials stressed that the exercise is not necessarily an anticipation that the upcoming US-hosted Israeli-Palestinian peace summit in Annapolis, Maryland will fail, though top military sources have been predicting for months that the talks will break down resulting in a new outbreak of Palestinian terrorism.
The simulation will pit limited Israeli forces against widespread Palestinian violence in the West Bank, while the remainder of the Israeli army is pinned down in the north and south of the country in response to ongoing threats from Syria and Hamas-controlled Gaza.
Similar exercises in the past have predicted outbreaks of Arab violence with astonishing accuracy, despite the fact that they are designed to be an exaggeration of expected reality. For instance, Ha'aretz noted, a June 2006 exercise simulated the abduction of Israeli soldiers to Gaza and Hizballah-controlled southern Lebanon. Several weeks later, that exact scenario became a reality.
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The Palestinian negotiating team has rejected the option of referring to Israel as a Jewish state in the Annapolis Declaration. Jerusalem is worried that the Palestinians will renege on their commitment to fight terror after the conference.
A meeting between the two negotiating teams set for Sunday evening was cancelled when the lead Palestinian negotiator, Former Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia (Abu Ala) was delayed at a military checkpoint on his way to Jerusalem. It now appears that the groups will meet on Monday. (Roni Sofer)
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by Hillel Fendel(IsraelNN.com) A dozen Jewish organizations have united to hold a "summit" calling for Jewish sovereignty over all of the Land of Israel, meeting on the same day as the Annapolis summit.  The title: Sovereignty for the Jewish Nation Over the State of the Land of Israel.
Spokesperson Susie Dym explained, "What is happening in Israel, and consequently among passive Jewish leaders elsewhere, is that our political leadership has abandoned the goal of furthering the Jewish people in the Jewish state, and has gone towards the goal of building a Palestinian state and advancing the Palestinians' interests. The situation has become absurd, in that our government is working towards the antithesis of what it should be."
"Recognizing that the Jewish Nation does not have a representative body," the formative statement begins, "and greatly fearing that the government in Israel is undermining the fundamental interests of Jewish existence (based on its declarations and actions in anticipation of the Annapolis summit), we - many right-wing movements and organizations - have united together to convene a counter-summit.  Our goal is to emphasize what we stand 'for,' not 'against.'"
"Our door is open to all those who want to further the interests of ...   more »

Palestinian, Israeli presidents, along with Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul, sign deal for establishment of industrial parks in West Bank to provide 5,000 new jobs for Palestinians. Abbas promises peace if Israel ends occupation
Aviram Zino
ANKRA - "If peace comes and the occupation comes to an end, Israel will live in a sea of peace," Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas promised the citizens of Israel in anticipation of the US-sponsored Mideast peace conference scheduled to take place in Annapolis, Maryland at the end of the month.
Israeli President in Turkey  
Peres: Israel is not Iran's enemy  / Aviram Zino  
Israeli President meets with his Turkish counterpart, Abdullah Gul, who says he will not deny Iran ability to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Peres: Iran does not need nuclear energy, and is developing long-range missiles which it apparently intends to use    
Abbas spoke at a joint press conference with his Israeli counterpart, Shimon Peres, in the Turkish capital of Ankara on Tuesday.  
Peres also sounded optimistic regarding the prospects for peace, stating his belief that peace with the Palestinians and al interested countries was a definite possibility, but warned that peacemaking is a slow, cautious process.
The ...   more »