For the nation and kingdom which will not serve you shall perish, And those nations shall be utterly ruined. (Isaiah 60:12)
Chief Rabbi of London Jonathan Sacks told a special Internet rally held in solidarity with the citizens of rocket-ravaged Sderot Thursday that Purim has a message for Israel’s enemies:
They will suffer “the fate of Haman.”
This, the rabbi said, has been “throughout history, the fate of individuals and nations who try to destroy the Jewish people; that - in the end - they destroy themselves.”
On my laptop screen I have a poster bearing the following two-column list under the heading: “Civilizations, nations and empires that have tried to destroy the Jewish people.”
The left-hand column bears the following names:
Ancient Egypt, Philistines, Assyrian Empire, Babylonian Empire, Persian Empire, Greek Empire, Roman Empire, Byzantine Empire, Crusaders, Spanish Empire, Nazi Germany, Soviet Union, and Iran.
In the right-hand column, across from each nation name except for the last, is the single word, “Gone.”
A question mark stands opposite “Iran.”
To this list I would add the names of all the Arab states, all Muslim nations, all communist countries.
I would also add the names of the states comprising the ...   more »

Opposition leader meets with US Vice President Cheney, two discuss need to remove Iranian threat before Islamic republic obtains nuclear bomb. Following meeting, Netanyahu tells Ynet, 'We must prevent Iran from building their main bases in the region, and particularly in Jerusalem
Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu called on Shas once again to quit the government following his meeting with US Vice President Richard Cheney in Jerusalem on Sunday morning.  
"I say to my friends in Shas, don't allow these negotiations on Jerusalem, which were confirmed by Foreign Minister (Tzipi) Livni on Friday. Quit the government now and prevent this danger," Netanyahu told Ynet.  
US VP in Jerusalem    
The opposition leader said that he had warned Cheney against the Iranian danger.  
"I spoke to him about the need to remove the Iranian threat before (the Islamic republic) arms itself with a nuclear bomb. There are additional Iranian issues which must be prevented, including the need to prevent Iran from building its main bases in the region, from Gaza to Lebanon, and particularly in Jerusalem," he noted.  
"I made it clear to him that if we leave Jerusalem, Hamas, Iran and other forces affiliated with them will ...   more »

President Mubarak scheduled to arrive in Russia to sign agreement with Moscow set to boost country's nuclear program. Nuclear reactor to be constructed by Russia scheduled to be operational by 2017. Jerusalem officials say Israel has no problem with plan  
nuclear power for civilian needs. In accordance with the framework of the agreement the Russians may construct an operational nuclear reactor on Egyptian soil. 
Mubarak announced last October that Egypt was searching for contractors for the project, in which Cairo is expected to invest some $1.8 billion.
 Russia, which is responsible for the Iranian nuclear plant in Bushehr and which recently signed a similar deal with Bulgaria, is determined to infiltrate the Egyptian market – which has thus far been dominated by France and the United States.  
Mubarak is scheduled to meet with both outgoing president Vladimir Putin and his successor Dmitry Medvedev, who will take office on May 7.  
Egyptian daily al-Masri al-Youm reported over the weekend that Washington is applying enormous pressure on Egypt not to sign the burgeoning deal. The report, attributing the comments to "sources in the know," said the US was actively trying to put obstacles in the path of nuclear cooperation ...   more »

 The youth from Ariel who was wounded Thursday by a booby-trapped Purim basket is still hospitalized in very serious condition. Doctors at Schneider Hospital had to amputate one of his limbs during the night and he may never regain sight in his eyes.
The police are looking into the possibility that the bomb was sent to the home because the boy's parents are missionary Christians.
Original Source
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Israel to let Russia deliver 25 armored cars to Palestinian security forces in West Bank, after Moscow agreed not to mount vehicles with guns, Defense Ministry spokesman says. Move meant to bolster Palestinian President Abbas
Israel has agreed to let Russia deliver 25 armored vehicles to Palestinian security forces in the West Bank, a Defense Ministry spokesman said Friday - a move meant to bolster moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in his fierce struggle with Islamic Hamas militants.  
Russia had proposed shipping the armored vehicles to Palestinian security forces two years ago, but Israel initially balked, fearing the cars would fall into Hamas' hands.  Criticism  
'Olmert lubricating wheels of terror with his bare hands' / Amnon Meranda   
Prime minister slammed over agreement to supply armored vehicles, ammunition to Palestinian security organizations despite defense establishment's objection. 'Olmert is making dangerous gestures on a daily basis for the Annapolis photo-ops,' Likud MK says   
 Israel agreed in November to allow the Palestinians to
receive up to 50 lightly armored vehicles but a dispute emerged over a Palestinian demand that they have guns mounted on them.
After months of delay, Moscow agreed to Israeli conditions regarding the delivery of armored ...   more »

By Amir Oren, Haaretz Correspondent  
The Israel Defense Forces and the United States European Command (EUCOM) completed a military headquarters training exercise in Tel Aviv on Wednesday night.
The exercise was part of Juniper Falcon, an ongoing series of training exercises conducted by the U.S. Air Force in Europe and Israel.
The four-day exercise was held at the Aviv camp, situated near the Palmach History Museum in Ramat Aviv. Officers from the IDF General Command and from the Israel Air Force and Israel Navy participated in the exercise.
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The head of the Israeli team was Brigadier-General Yossi Heiman, head of the Division for Strategic Planning and Foreign Relations in the Planning directorate. The U.S. team was headed by Marine Brigadier General Mark Brilakis, deputy director for Operations Directorate EUCOM Plans and Operations Center.
Wednesday night also marked the end of an IDF Southern Command exercise, Coiled Spring, which was based on a scenario of escalation in the sectors in the command, in particular the Gaza sector. This exercise, like Juniper Falcon, involved mainly command headquarters and not operational forces.
Juniper Falcon is part of the strategic cooperation agreement signed between Israel and the United States in 1984. ...   more »

The Rev. Rod Parsley, who runs a megachurch in suburban Columbus, is a Christian Zionist whose support for Israel has become a problem for some Jewish leaders.
In recent years, conservative Christians have emerged as some of the most vocal supporters of the state of Israel -- support that many Jewish groups have welcomed at a time when they feel Israel is under siege.
One of the loudest voices has been John Hagee, the San Antonio megachurch pastor who recently endorsed John McCain's White House bid and raised the ire of Catholic groups with statements that even some Jews called vicious and inflammatory.
The Catholic flap has sparked a new round of questions among Jewish groups over the support from Christian Zionists like Hagee and the Rev. Pat Robertson. Where is the line between embracing their support and keeping their politics at arm's length?
"On the one hand, there's a desire to have as strong a support for Israel as possible," said Rabbi Joel Meyers, who heads the Rabbinical Assembly, an umbrella group of Conservative rabbis. "On the other hand, there's concern that no one wants to back any religious extremist. And some of the comments coming from some of ...   more »