US Congressman addresses Knesset Christian Allies Caucus about greater cooperation with American group
The Knesset Christian Allies Caucus (KCAC) met on Thursday with US Congressman Dave Weldon, co-Chairman of the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus (CIAC), a pro-Israel organization comprised of members of the US House of Representatives. The CIAC was established in July 2006 in response to the initiative of its sister caucus, the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus.  
Opposition leader and Chairman of Likud, MK Benjamin Netanyahu, as well as many Christian leaders attended the meeting. The participants discussed cooperation between the KCAC and the CIAC. At the event, MK Benny Elon (National Union), chairman of the KCAC, and Congressman Weldon ratified a joint resolution between the two sister groups.  
“This resolution will act as a blueprint for political cooperation between the KCAC and its sister caucuses.” Josh Reinstein, the director of the CIAC, said. The resolution is set to be signed by all of the chairmen of the 11 sister caucuses later this year.
Congressman Weldon called for the “unity of all peoples of good will to declare that those who stand together for freedom, democracy and justice must stand with Israel in its hour of greatest ...   more »

Mark Weiss
IDF Chief of General Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi warned the army on Wednesday to be ready for a new conflagration in the region.
"There are dangers to our survival on the horizon and great challenges to Israeli security. The IDF needs to ensure a rapid victory in any conflict and I cannot guarantee that we won't need to act in the near future," Ashkenazi said at a graduation ceremony for a ground forces officers training course at the Officer Training School near Mitzpe Ramon.
The army chief said the IDF's job was and remained to serve as "a safety net" for the continued existence and success of the State of Israel.
Also attending the ceremony was Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who told the soldiers that the lessons of the Second Lebanon War had been internalized, and that Israel was now better prepared for any conflict.
"The lessons of the war are being implemented at all levels of command in the IDF: in the branches, corps, commands and the departments of the General Staff," Olmert said. "Unprecedented resources today allow the IDF to train more, prepare better for a time of trouble, and train commanders and fighters at all ...   more »

Jpost staff and michal lando
In yet another verbal attack against Israel, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called the Jewish state a "filthy bacteria" whose sole purpose was to oppress the other nations of the region.
"The world powers established this filthy bacteria, the Zionist regime, which is lashing out at the nations in the region like a wild beast," the Iranian president told supporters at a rally in southern Iran.
"[Israel] won support [from the other nations] which created it as a scarecrow, so as to keep the people of this area under control," Ahmadinejad said.
Referring to the assassination of Hizbullah terror chief Imad Mughniyeh, the Iranian leader said that Israel "uses terror as a threat every day, and afterwards is happy and joyful."
Meanwhile, the Israeli mission to the United Nations has written a letter of complaint to the UN Security Council, protesting recent remarks by two senior members of the Iranian regime threatening Israel.
Last week, the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that Commander-General Muhammad Ali Jafari of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps wrote in a letter to Hizbullah head Hassan Nasrallah that he was convinced "that Hizbullah's might is increasing with every passing day, and ...   more »

By SHEERA CLAIRE FRENKEL   
Talkbacks for this article: 4
Israel and the US see nearly eye-to-eye on the threat of a nuclear Iran, differing only on when Teheran will be able to build an atomic bomb, a key American senator told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.  
US Sen. Jon Kyl, right, shakes hands with Knesset speaker and acting President Dalia Itzik during their meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem.
Photo: AP
"There is now and always has been a slight difference of opinion about the precise timing of the threat of [a nuclear] Iran, but in response to the fundamental nature of Iran's desire to acquire nuclear weapons, and its ongoing development of fuels for that purpose, there is no difference of opinion in that regard," said Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Arizona).
Recent intelligence assessments provided to the Knesset's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee suggested that Iran could have a nuclear weapon by the end of 2009. US intelligence estimates, however, say it will take the Islamic Republic at least one year longer.
Kyl is the Senate minority whip and a close ally of Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona), the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination.
Kyl, who led a ...   more »

'The Gemara mentions a number of causes of earthquakes, one of which is homosexuality, which the Knesset legitimizes,' Benizri says regarding last Friday's tremor
Amnon Meranda
The recent earthquake that was felt across Israel was the result of the "homosexual activity practiced in the country", Knesset Member Shlomo Benizri said Wednesday.
During a special Knesset session on Israel's preparedness for the possibility of another earthquake hitting the region, the Shas member said "the Gemara refers to earthquakes as disasters, but you are searching only for the practical solutions how to prevent and repair.  
"But I no of another way to prevent earthquakes; the Gemara mentions a number of causes of earthquakes, one of which is homosexuality, which the Knesset legitimizes," Benizri said.  
An earthquake registering 5.3 on the Richter Scale was felt by residents across Israel at 12:36 pm Friday. The trembling lasted for 19 seconds and shook structures in many major towns and cities.  
Reports of shaking were received from Nahariya in the north down to Beersheba. Magen David Adom emergency services said there were no reports of injuries, but several people suffered from shock.  
Last month fellow Shas member Nissim Ze'ev stirred controversy when ...   more »

Panel had asked state board to teach ideas as fact
A decision by the Florida Board of Education to qualify evolution as a "theory" when the concept is taught in public schools has triggered a gusher of outrage from those faithful to Darwinian philosophy.
"Creationism is NOT science and is for fools who believe in fairy tales," wrote boston85 on a Tampa Bay Online forum after the state board simply voted to describe evolution as a "theory." It wasn't even considering allowing teaching alternative beliefs about the origins of the universe, such as creationism or intelligent design.
Added Brian06, "What is the problem? Darwin's theory of evolution by means of natural selection has stood the test of SCIENTIFIC studies and investigations. Why are the people against the writings in Darwin's book and have yet NEVER read it and yet they 'claim' to live their live (sic) by bible (sic) which they have also NEVER read!"
And lornoborno wrote: "You religious fanatics make us look like backwards fools to the rest of the world. Asia will overtake us in science and technology – you are hurting the USA worse than any terrorist or communist regime. Your stupid medieval myths do not ...   more »

By Daniel Pipes
Westerners opposed to the application of the Islamic law (the Shari‘a) watch with dismay as it goes from strength to strength in their countries – harems increasingly accepted, a church leader endorsing Islamic law, a judge referring to the Koran, clandestine Muslim courts meting out justice. What can be done to stop the progress of this medieval legal system so deeply at odds with modern life, one that oppresses women and turns non-Muslims into second-class citizens?
A first step is for Westerners to mount a united front against the Shari‘a. Facing near-unanimous hostility, Islamists back down. For one example, note the retreat last week by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in a dispute concerning guide dogs used by the blind.
Muslims traditionally consider dogs impure animals to be avoided, creating an aversion that becomes problematic when Muslim store-owners or taxi drivers deny service to blind Westerners relying on service dogs. I have collected fifteen such cases on my weblog, at "Muslim Taxi Drivers vs. Seeing-Eye Dogs": five from the United States (New Orleans, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Brooksville, Fl.; Everett, Wash.); four from Canada (Vancouver, twice in Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Alberta); three from the United Kingdom (Cambridge, twice ...   more »