Militant leader claims Israeli residents recruited to carry out bombings
By Aaron Klein
JERUSALEM – The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the declared military wing of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah organization, has formed a terrorist cell living in the vicinity of Jerusalem consisting of Israeli residents ready to carry out attacks within the Jewish state, according to a top Brigades leader speaking to WND.
"We have Israeli Arab brothers who are members of the Brigades who live in Israel and will make in the coming days and weeks shootings and suicide bombings," said the Brigades leader, who spoke on the condition his name be withheld.
"Even in the case that there will be a cease-fire in Gaza, will keep attacking Israel. They will see the importance of our cells in Jerusalem with more attacks in the near future," the Brigades leader said.
The claim follows a shooting attack this weekend in an eastern Jerusalem neighborhood targeting Israeli policemen and carried out by two Arab men who were permanent Israeli residents living in the Jabel Mukaber neighborhood on Jerusalem's periphery. On Saturday, the two opened fire at close range on an Israeli border policeman and a security guard. The policeman ...   more »

The Chief Rabbinate has had a 59-year monopoly on many aspects of the religious life of the State of Israel. It controls marriages, divorces and conversions to Judaism; it regulates public kashrut as well as offering kosher supervision to private establishments.
It operates a network of rabbinic courts. It has a visible, public platform for teaching the ideas and ideals of Judaism to Israeli society, and for serving as a religious beacon of inspiration to world Jewry.
One would think that after these 59 years, then, the Chief Rabbinate would be one of the most beloved and revered institutions in Israeli society. The rabbis have had daily opportunity to interact with all Israelis - religious and otherwise - and to show them the beauty of Judaism, the kindness of Torah, the pleasantness of the Orthodox message.
Yet, amazingly and tragically, the Chief Rabbinate seems to be one of the least beloved and revered institutions in Israeli society. It has little or no authority in the haredi community; it generates little or no enthusiasm among religious Zionists; it is of little positive significance to the remainder of Israelis.
Although the Chief Rabbinate and its many functionaries include some fine, sincere and ...   more »

Ministerial committee wants Knesset to pass bill giving Jerusalem city council power to ban gay pride parade in city Neta Sela
The Ministers Committee for Legislation voted Sunday in favor of a bill that would prevent gay groups from holding pride parades in Jerusalem.  
The draft bill will be put up for a vote in the Knesset on Wednesday and if approved will effectively render next month's gay pride parade in the capital illegal.  
Justice Minister Daniel Friedmann said he would lobby MKs to reject the bill.  
Religious parties are pushing for legislation that would make it more difficult for gay groups to hold the annual gay pride parade in Jerusalem by investing the city's municipal council with enough power to reject public gatherings it deems a danger to public security or harmful to the feelings of the religious public.  
Four ministers voted in favor of a Knesset vote on the bill while three opposed the move.  
Friedmann threatened to bring the draft bill for a cabinet vote.  
National Union-NRP MK Eliahu Gabbay who presented the bill wrote that the new law was meant "to strengthen Jerusalem's status through the elected officials in the ...   more »

My 15-year-old son played in the Home School World Series held in Pensacola, Florida this past week. Unfortunately, his team, the Dallas Angels, suffered a heartbreaking eighth-inning loss in the semi-final game to finish third in the tournament. Culled from regional tournaments--eight home school varsity teams competed in Florida for the championship. Begun in 2000, the Home School World series boasts an impressive alumnus. Many former players have gone on to play at the collegiate level and some have even gone on to play in the Majors. However, there is one young man, in particular, who has risen above them all: Ryan Adam Miller from Pearland, Texas, a suburb of Houston.
Ryan played in the 2004 Home School World Series with the Houston Eagles. Unlike many former players, Ryan was unable to continue his baseball career because on his 18th birthday he entered the United States Marine Corps. Despite the fact that Ryan was eligible to play another year of High School baseball, he felt a strong need to graduate early so he could enlist in the Marines like his father and grandfather before him.
On September 14, 2006, Lance Corporal Ryan Adam Miller, age 19, was killed in action ...   more »

by Hillel Fendel
(IsraelNN.com) The International Atomic Energy Commission (IAEA) released a report on Wednesday showing that not only has Iran not fulfilled its international demands, but it has also expanded the scope of its uranium enrichment.
"Iran is speeding towards a nuclear bomb," lamented an unnamed senior Israeli diplomatic figure, "and no one is stopping her." So reported Maariv.
Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni responded to the report with a show of diplomatic concern: "The international community must concentrate on preventing Iran from attaining nuclear weapons. The report shows that the time element is critical, and the entire world must be united in understanding that we must not stray from this goal."
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert assumed a more undaunted pose. "Iran's continued uranium enrichment is a source of concern," according to a statement from Prime Minister Olmert's Bureau, "even though it is insufficient to indicate that Iran has already achieved an industrial-level enrichment capability."
The statement expressed Israel's regret at "Iran's systematic and open violation of the resolutions of the UN Security Council and the IAEA... We view with utmost gravity the continuing deterioration in the level of Iranian cooperation with the IAEA's inspectors."
IRNA, the Iranian press agency, ...   more »