Minister for strategic affairs not expected to carry out his threats to leave coalition despite decision to jumpstart negotiations on core issues with Palestinians, including Jerusalem's status. Lieberman plans to ask Prime Minister Olmert for clarifications
Roni Sofer
Minister for Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman will not announce his resignation from the government before the end of US President George W. Bush's visit to Israel.
Lieberman has said that he will not respond to the results of Tuesday's meeting between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, in which the two leaders decided to jumpstart the negotiations on the core issues, including Jerusalem's status.
Original Source   more »

If Olmert makes a decision to divide Jerusalem, we'll quit the government - and so will Yisrael Beiteinu." So says Shas party leader Eli Yishai.
Speaking on Monday on Arutz-7's Hebrew newsmagazine, Yishai - Deputy Prime Minister, leader of the Shas hareidi-religious Shas Party, and the Minister of Industry and Trade - said, "It's true that the Prime Minister has talked about Jerusalem, but I have told him that if Jerusalem is raised as a negotiating issue, we will no longer be in his government."
"The Prime Minister has to make a decision," Yishai said.  "Either he brings up Jerusalem - and then he won't have a government, or he retains Jerusalem as the 'pinnacle of our joy' [based on Psalms 137,6] and doesn't discuss it.  We [Shas] prevented Jerusalem from being brought up at Annapolis; if we can continue to do so, we'll stay, and if not, we'll leave."
Letter to Bush About Pollard
During US President George W. Bush's visit to Israel this week, Yishai plans to give him, via Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, a letter from Shas spiritual leader and Israel's former Sephardic Chief Rabbi Ovadiah Yosef, appealing for freedom for Jonathan Pollard.
Jonathan Pollard is serving ...   more »

by Hana Levi Julian
(IsraelNN.com) U.S. President George W. Bush has declined to meet with former Prime Minister and current Likud Opposition Leader MK Binyamin Netanyahu during his upcoming visit to Israel, slated to begin on Wednesday, according to the Jerusalem Post. 
Sources in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s Kadima party quoted in the report offered this explanation: “At the White House, they think [Mr. Netanyahu] is a liar because of his behavior when he was prime minister.”
Outraged Likud officials accused Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of sabotaging what would normally be a routine meeting between a visiting U.S. President and an Israeli Opposition Leader, a long-established diplomatic custom.
“Given the extent to which the prime minister is willing to endanger the country to survive politically, it is not surprising that the Prime Minister’s Office is going out of its way to prevent Bibi (Netanyahu) from meeting with Bush,” said senior Likud sources.
A spokesman for Olmert stated that he was unaware of any efforts to block a meeting between Bush and Netanyahu.
Bush has no plans to meet with any politician or other officials opposed to the Annapolis process.
Original Source   more »

Hillel Fendel(IsraelNN.com) A historic document is planned to be submitted to visiting US President George Bush upon his arrival this week, calling upon him to choose to be remembered like Cyrus, and not like Nebuchadnezzar.
The document, grandly transcribed on parchment and furled into a scroll, is addressed to the the "Leader of the West." It reminds President Bush to "declare to the world" that he will honor G-d's word and act "towards settling the Jewish People throughout their entire Land."
The document was signed by three figures, including the world-renowned Torah scholar, philosopher, social critic and author Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, once termed by Time magazine as a "once-in-a-millennium scholar."  Rabbi Chaim Richman, representing the Temple Mount movements, and Dr. Gadi Eshel of the New Jewish Congress are also signed upon the proclamation.
The scroll is likely to be presented to Mr. Bush during his visit this week to Israel by a prominent political and social figure.
Bush Can Choose His Historic Record
The impressive document includes a detailed reminder to Bush that he has the chance to help G-d's eternal word be fulfilled, and thus pave the way for world peace, or to take the opposite path.
It begins ...   more »

In meeting with religious leaders, Hizbullah secretary-general warns Israel that if it launches an attack, his organization will deal Jewish state 'a defeat more severe than the defeat in the last war'
Roee Nahmias
Hizbullah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah said Monday that his militant Shiite organization was ready for any future confrontation with Israel.  Nasrallah's Influence 
Nasrallah, who spoke during in a meeting with a delegation of Lebanese religious leaders, was quoted as saying that Hizbullah was "ready for any attack or foolish adventure that the Zionist enemy initiates."
He warned that, in the case of an Israeli attack, Hizbullah would deal the "Zionist enemy a defeat more severe than the defeat it dealt (Israel) in the last war."
Nasrallah went on to claim that "the 'resistance' today is stronger, more resolute, and much more experienced."
During the meeting, the militant cleric emphasized his commitment to unity among all Muslims and his continual effort to "cause the failure of all attempts to provoke a civil war by the United States and Israel."
He added that "the American plan that was designed for the whole Islamic world failed and there is no way it will be able to succeed in Lebanon."
Nasrallah ...   more »

By Lucia Mutikani
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The dollar rose on Monday as dealers speculated that growing inflationary pressures could prevent aggressive Federal Reserve interest rate cuts despite surprisingly weak jobs growth in December.
News on Friday that the United States' unemployment rate jumped to 5 percent last month, a two-year high, sparked talk of a recession and prompted some institutions to call for the benchmark fed funds rates to be slashed by 50 basis points to 3.75 percent later this month.
But analysts said inflation concerns would likely see the Fed opt for a quarter point cut when it meets on January 30, giving the dollar some respite for the day.
"Inflation is becoming a more important issue ... it might limit how many times they (Fed policy-makers) might continue cutting rates," said Matthew Strauss, senior currency strategist at RBC Capital Markets in Toronto.
"We are still looking for 50 basis points in the first quarter. Because of the underlying inflationary pressures, it would be difficult for the Fed to go much beyond that except if the economy slows down significantly."
In late New York trading, the dollar index .DXY was up 0.4 percent on the day at 76.175 ...   more »

Jonathan Watts  
The risks of food riots and malnutrition will surge in the next two years as the global supply of grain comes under more pressure than at any time in 50 years, according to one of the world’s leading agricultural researchers.
Recent pasta protests in Italy, tortilla rallies in Mexico and onion demonstrations in India are just the start of the social instability to come unless there is a fundamental shift to boost production of staple foods, warned Joachim von Braun, the head of the International Food Policy Research Institute.
The growing appetite of China and other fast-developing nations has combined with the expansion of biofuel programmes in the United States and Europe to transform the global food situation.
After decades of expanding crop yields and falling food prices, the past year has seen a sharp rise in the cost of wheat, rice, corn, soya and dairy products.
“Demand is running away. The world has been consuming more than it produces for five years now. Stocks of grain and of rice, wheat and maize are down at levels not seen since the early 1980s,” said Von Braun, whose organisation is the world’s largest alliance of agricultural researchers, economists and ...   more »

by Paul Craig Roberts
What was the greatest failure of 2007? President Bush's "surge" in Iraq? The decline in the value of the US dollar? Subprime mortgages? No. The greatest failure of 2007 was the newly sworn in Democratic Congress.
The American people's attempt in November 2006 to rein in a rogue government, which has committed the US to costly military adventures while running roughshod over the US Constitution, failed. Replacing Republicans with Democrats in the House and Senate has made no difference.
The assault on the US Constitution by the Democratic Party is as determined as the assault by the Republicans. On October 23, 2007, the House passed a bill sponsored by California Democratic congresswoman Jane Harman, chairwoman of a Homeland Security subcommittee, that overturns the constitutionally guaranteed rights to free expression, association, and assembly.
The bill passed the House on a vote of 404-6. In the Senate the bill is sponsored by Maine Republican Susan Collins and apparently faces no meaningful opposition.
Harman's bill is called the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act. When HR 1955 becomes law, it will create a commission tasked with identifying extremist people, groups, and ideas. The commission will hold hearings around ...   more »

Chuck Baldwin
What is it about Ron Paul that the Establishment finds so disturbing? This is a man who perhaps personifies Christian character and integrity, American patriotism, and family values more than any other public figure. Ron Paul is a committed family man whose marriage to Carol has lasted for more than 50 years. He is a lover of families and children. As an OB/GYN physician, Dr. Paul has delivered more than 4,000 babies into this world. His life demonstrates a commitment to life and marriage.
Furthermore, Ron Paul's devotion to Christ is very personal and deep. Unlike many politicians (especially in the Republican Party), Ron Paul does not wear his religion on his sleeve. He doesn't need to. Anyone who knows him knows his faith is exhibited on a daily basis. His life and family are testaments to his Christian faith.
Beyond that, Ron Paul's record in Congress is so unblemished, so honest, so full of integrity that it is difficult to describe. This is a man who actually takes his oath to the Constitution (an oath every congressman, senator, and President also takes — but then ignores) seriously. So much so that he has never voted to raise ...   more »

Today, the Space and Science Research Center, (SSRC) in Orlando, Florida announces that it has confirmed the recent web announcement of NASA solar physicists that there are substantial changes occurring in the sun's surface. The SSRC has further researched these changes and has concluded they will bring about the next climate change to one of a long lasting cold era.
Today, Director of the SSRC, John Casey has reaffirmed earlier research he led that independently discovered the sun's changes are the result of a family of cycles that bring about climate shifts from cold climate to warm and back again.
"We today confirm the recent announcement by NASA that there are historic and important changes taking place on the sun's surface. This will have only one outcome - a new climate change is coming that will bring an extended period of deep cold to the planet. This is not however a unique event for the planet although it is critically important news to this and the next generations. It is but the normal sequence of alternating climate changes that has been going on for thousands of years. Further according to our research, this series of solar cycles are so predictable ...   more »

By Yossi Melman,
A Britsh newspaper on Sunday published allegations by a former FBI translator that Israel has planted "moles" in United States institutions dealing with nuclear technology.
According to the report in The Sunday Times, Sibel Edmonds worked on translating "thousands of hours of conversations by Turkish diplomatic and political targets" that had been secretly taped by the FBI.
The report says that the recordings, which go back more than 10 years, were used in an FBI investigation "into links between the Turks and Pakistani, Israeli and U.S. targets."   The Times also says that Edmonds had claimed there were "senior officials in the Pentagon" who had provided assistance to Israeli and Turkish agents.
Edmonds also claims, according to The Sunday Times, that the "moles," mainly PhD students, received assistance from a "high-ranking State Department official" who gave them security clearance to work in "sensitive nuclear research facilities."
The paper says that among these institutions was the Los Alamos nuclear laboratory in New Mexico, which is "responsible for the security of the U.S. nuclear deterrent."
According to Edmonds, the FBI investigation also stretches to the Pentagon. She also claims the involvement of former Pentagon analyst Lawrence Franklin, jailed in 2006 ...   more »

Establishment finds so disturbing?
This is a man who perhaps personifies Christian character and
integrity, American patriotism, and family values more than any other
public figure. Ron Paul is a committed family man whose marriage to
Carol has lasted for more than 50 years. He is a lover of families and
children. As an OB/GYN physician, Dr. Paul has delivered more than
4,000 babies into this world. His life demonstrates a commitment to
life and marriage.
Furthermore, Ron Paul's devotion to Christ is very personal and deep.
Unlike many politicians (especially in the Republican Party), Ron Paul
does not wear his religion on his sleeve. He doesn't need to. Anyone
who knows him knows his faith is exhibited on a daily basis. His life
and family are testaments to his Christian faith.
Beyond that, Ron Paul's record in Congress is so unblemished, so
honest, so full of integrity that it is difficult to describe. This is
a man who actually takes his oath to the Constitution (an oath every
congressman, senator, and President also takes--but then ignores)
seriously. So much so that he has never voted to raise taxes, never
voted for an unbalanced budget, never voted for a congressional ...   more »

TO PRIME MINISTER OLMERT AND PRESIDENT BUSH    
In the light of God's warning to the nations through His prophet Joel that He will one day bring them to judgment for dividing the land He repeatedly vowed to give to just one nation - His own beloved and Chosen People - it is appalling to read Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's expressed belief that he can almost see the hand of God behind the crazy idea* being pushed upon Israel by the nations of the world: that a 23rd Muslim Arab state - Palestine - be established in the heart of this already tiny little land.
As you must know, Mr. Olmert, this is not the advice of friends but of self-serving politicians who are afraid or unable to withstand the immense pressures of the whole Muslim world (of more than 40 nations) and also the millions of Muslims within their own borders. No, this is not the kind advice of friends, but unconscionable exploitation for reasons of expediency. And it is certainly not the hand of God behind all this pressure, but the sinister influence of your combined enemies-or should we say, the Enemy?
Therefore, together with millions of ...   more »

Herb Keinon
The US is preparing a plan to station third party troops in the West Bank to secure the area after an Israeli withdrawal and before the Palestinian Authority can take over full security control, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
The issue of how to deal with the period between when Israel leaves large swaths of the West Bank and the PA is able to take over control is likely to be discussed during talks President George W. Bush will hold in Jerusalem and in the PA on Wednesday and Thursday.
US Special Envoy for Middle East Security James Jones has been assigned the task of preparing a plan on this issue within six moths.
A number of options are being considered, including the involvement of NATO troops or Jordanian and Egyptian forces. Jones, a former Marine Corps general, was NATO's top military commander from 2003 to 2005.
He visited here on December 18, and discussed the concept with his Israeli interlocutors. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who appointed Jones immediately after November's Annapolis Conference, hinted at this role in a briefing she gave reporters on her way to the PA donors' conference in Paris in mid-December.
Rice ...   more »

Senior ruling party source says Kadima likely to opt for replacing Olmert if Winograd war report's conclusions do not allow him to remain in office. 'Early elections are out of the question, Livni or Mofaz can replace him in post,' he states
Amnon Meranda
As the release of Winograd Commission's final report on the Second Lebanon War approaches, speculations in the political arena are mounting and MKs begin preparing for the report's aftermath.   
A senior Kadima official told Ynet Monday that many in the faction have already agreed to promote the election of a new chairman in case the report's conclusions do not allow Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to remain in office.  
"The members agree that early elections are out of the question," he said. "If the final report does not allow Olmert to continue in his position, we will have to elect a new chairman that will replace him as prime minister."   
The senior official stated that Olmert was expected to resign if the report indicated that he should do so. "There is no reason why we should go to early elections. There are good forces in Kadima that can contend over leadership, such as (Foreign ...   more »

Political-diplomatic forum at Prime Minister's Office convenes for special discussion ahead of US president's visit to Jerusalem this week. Defense Minister Ehud Barak to brief Bush on Israeli interpretation to intelligence information on Tehran's nuclear program
Roni Sofer
Israel does not have any evidence which could turn the tables on a recent US intelligence report which concluded that Iran has stopped developing nuclear weapons, according to the senior political-diplomatic forum at the Prime Minister's Office.  
The forum convened Sunday afternoon in order to decide on Israel's stance on the Iranian issue ahead of US President George W. Bush's visit to Israel, which is scheduled to being Wednesday.     
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Minister for Strategic Affairs Avigdor Lieberman, Mossad chief Meir Dagan, IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi, Director-General of the Israel Atomic Energy Commission Shaul Horev, Military Intelligence chief Amos Yadlin, Director of Policy and Political-Military Affairs at the Defense Ministry Amos Gilad, and a senior Shin Bet official.  
The Mossad and the IDF Intelligence branch briefed the forum on the information obtained by Israel on the Iranian nuclear issue.  
A report submitted ...   more »