By Dr. Richard Booker
    As a Christian minister, living in America, I recognize the great civil, moral, spiritual, and material debt I owe to the Jewish people and Israel. There is no way I can ever repay this debt. I can only show my gratitude by loving and serving the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, speaking out against anti-Semitism and standing in solidarity with the people of Israel.
    The LORD called Abraham and his descendants through Isaac and Jacob to be His redemptive people on the earth. This is the highest possible calling and honor. The Jewish people gave the world the Word of God; they gave witness to His existence, nature and character and will ultimately bring redemption to the world. Jews have suffered greatly because of their unique role, and we can certainly understand why some wish that the Almighty would choose someone else for a change. Those of us who are non-Jews can only say “thank you” and show our love and support when needed, even when it is not wanted nor sought.   
    Because the LORD chose the Jewish people for His redemptive purposes, they have been the primary targets of evil ...   more »

Diplomats say Islamic Republic installing new centrifuges in Natanz weapons facility in move said to show it has no intention of suspending nuclear program despite demands by UN Security Council
Reuters
Iran has begun installing advanced centrifuges in its main uranium enrichment plant, accelerating activity that could give it the means to make atom bombs in future if it chooses, diplomats said on Thursday.
Iran says it is wants to produce nuclear fuel only for electricity so it can export more oil; but has been hit with three sets of United Nations sanctions for hiding the work until 2003, failing to prove to inspectors since then that it is wholly peaceful, and refusing to suspend the disputed program.
Sanctions  
UN imposes new sanctions on Iran / Reuters  
Fourteen Security Council member states vote in favor of third round of sanctions on Tehran for refusing to suspend sensitive nuclear activities; Israel lauds decision, British envoy calls on EU foreign policy chief to meet Iran's nuclear negotiator to resolve crisis     
Iran launched 3,000 centrifuges, a basis for industrial scale enrichment, in the underground Natanz production hall last year, but they are a 1970s-vintage design prone to breakdown so Iran ...   more »

By Tim Butcher i Jerusalem
Israel has admitted for the first time that an air strike in Syria last year was aimed at a nuclear facility built with assistance from North Korea.
The Japanese daily newspaper Asahi Shimbun cited sources at the Japanese foreign ministry for its report of a meeting between Ehud Olmert, the prime minister of Israel, and Yasuo Fukuda, his Japanese opposite number.
Mr Olmert is reported to have admitted that Israel carried out the bombing last September and that the target was a nuclear-related facility built using technical assistance from Pyongyang.
There has been extensive speculation about the air attack last year, although the Israeli authorities have been uncharacteristically reticent about discussing the details.
Only after Turkey announced the discovery on its territory of a number of long-range fuel tanks jettisoned by Israeli warplanes did Israeli sources admit taking part in an operation in neighbouring Syria.
However, Israel never confirmed an air strike had taken place and there was no official word on the target.
According to the paper's sources, Mr Olmert told Mr Fukuda that the site was a nuclear-related facility under construction with advice and assistance from North Korean technicians.
The sources added that ...   more »