By News Agencies  
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert would welcome the participation of German soldiers in a stabilization force in South Lebanon, he said in an interview with a German newspaper published on Friday.
"I have informed (German) Chancellor Angela Merkel that we have absolutely no problem having German troops in South Lebanon," Olmert told the daily Suddeutsche Zeitung."There is no other nation that Israel considers more of a friend that Germany ... I would be very happy if Germany participated," he said. 
The German government has not ruled out sending troops to the Middle East but many citizens are uneasy about sending soldiers to the region.
Those in Germany opposed to the deployment of German troops along the Israeli border say they fear it would hurt the feelings of Holocaust survivors and that the troops would find it difficult to be impartially and operate against Israel if necessary.
But Olmert said he does not consider this to be problematic. "Why would German troops need to fire at Israelis for? They would be part of a force operating to defend Israel. There is no nation acting in a friendlier manner towards Israel than Germany," he said.
The prime minister said ...   more »

By Jim Kouri
Aug 3, 2006
 
A leaked European Union secret report advises European government officials that they should "consider direct intervention in an attempt to curb the systematic measures being undertaken by Israel to increase its control and population in the historically -- and legally -- Arab eastern sector of Jerusalem
The classified report warns that the chances of a two-state solution are being eroded by Israel's "deliberate policy" -- in breach of international of law -- of "completing the annexation of East Jerusalem".
But European foreign ministers decided against releasing the report -- which also warns that rapid expansion of Jewish settlements in and around East Jerusalem, along with use of the separation barrier to isolate East Jerusalem from the West Bank, "risk radicalizing the relatively quiescent Palestinian population of East Jerusalem." They risk radicalizing the Palestinian population? Is there anything more radical than suicide bombers?
No where in the report is there mention of terrorist attacks by groups such as Hamas and Hezbullah.  In fact, the report claims East Jerusalem belongs to the Palestinians and sees it as the eventual capital of the a new Palestinian state.
The EU report also distorts the history of Jewish ...   more »

  
Decisions after the Ninth of Av
Posted 08/01/06
During the month of August last year, I was conducting a regional conference in Huntington, West Virginia. One afternoon I turned on the television to check out the news, only to see Jewish settlers who live in southern Israel near the Gaza Strip, preparing to stand against their own military forces. The Israeli military had been instructed by then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, to remove about 9,000 Jewish people from their homes.
In an attempt to make peace with the Palestinians in Gaza, Sharon had agreed to remove the settlers and dismantle their homes. As I watched Jewish settlers scream, cry and even curse the prime minister, I was suddenly aware of what day it was on the Hebrew calendar—the 9th of Av! This day—the 9th of Av—is recognized by Jews throughout the world as the worst day in their history. In fact, if something bad occurred to the Hebrew people and the Jewish nation, it will usually happened in or around the 9th of Av. According to Jewish history and tradition:
The 12 spies returned with an evil report on the 9th of Av.
The Exodus generation was condemned to ...   more »

Thu Aug 3, 9:22 PM ET
 


The Australian government said it was investigating a claim that hundreds of Southeast Asian suicide bombers had been deployed to attack Jewish interests in countries that support Israel.
The claim was made by the leader of the radical Jakarta-based Asian Muslim Youth Movement (AMYM), Suaib Bidu, The Australian newspaper reported.
"The minister for foreign affairs and the department of foreign affairs are investigating what is reported in the papers today and we are treating it very, very seriously," said Human Services Minister Joe Hockey.
Bidu warned that thousands more militants were preparing to die as martyrs in revenge attacks over Israel's military operations against Lebanon's Hezbollah militia, The Australian said.
He warned that attacks would be launched against Jewish targets in countries such as Britain, the United States and possibly Australia.
The group had already despatched 217 suicide bombers, including 72 Indonesians as well as citizens of six other Southeast Asian nations, Bidu told the newspaper.
A "passing out" ceremony for more than 3,000 "jihadis" would be held Saturday in the Indonesian city of Pontianak on Kalimantan island, he said, with 200 being sent immediately to targets abroad.
Bidu said the bombers were ...   more »