Likud chairman says he informed Rice that he would not endorse declaration of principles calling for a return to 1967 borders. 'Israel would be taking a great risk if it currently commits to territorial concessions,' Netanyahu says
Roni Sofer
Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu (Likud) met with Condoleezza Rice Sunday, and stated that he informed the visiting US secretary of state that he would not endorse a declaration of principles calling for a return to 1967 borders and the division of Jerusalem.
Concessions   
Barak says will allow establishment of Palestinian city  / Roni Sofer   
Israeli source says US Secretary of State Rice was 'amazed' by Israeli gestures to Palestinians presented during three-way meeting with defense minister, Palestinian prime minister      
"Security establishment estimates indicate that if we withdraw from the West Bank, Hamas will set up base there. I told the secretary that I do not plan on supporting the transfer of the responsibility for Israel's security to subcontractors," the Likud chairman told reporters following the meeting.
"Time is not on our side because Hamas, under Iran's leadership, is taking control of more and more territories. The situation is very similar to Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon," he said.
"The ...   more »

By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent and The Associated Press
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Monday that Israeli-Palestinian peace talks were on the right track and she believed a deal was still possible by year's end.
The comments came as the Palestinian foreign minister said Israel had removed checkpoints in the West Bank town of Jericho as part of commitments made to Rice.
"I have to say I find very impressive the work that is being done and the seriousness of the process and I think it's all moving in the right direction," Rice said at a news conference with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Jordan.
Commenting on U.S. hopes for an agreement before U.S. President George W. Bush leaves office in January, she said: "I fully believe that it is a goal that we can reach."
Abbas likewise expressed confidence despite differences with Israel over what the outcome of the negotiations should be.
"I am confident, God willing, we will reach a comprehensive peace in 2008. We, the Israelis and the Americans and all the concerned parties in the region, are working to achieve this," Abbas said.
Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Malki said that Israel had notified ...   more »

Defense establishment, government and cabinet all to participate in exercise simulating crisis situation as part of upcoming national emergency drill to be held in April. Drill part of implementation of lessons from Second Lebanon War
Hanan Greenberg P
Defense Minister Ehud Barak authorized on Sunday evening the plans for a national emergency drill, which is scheduled to take place in two weeks time.  
The exercise, which will be led by Barak's deputy Matan Vilnai, was conceived as part of the lessons learned following the Second Lebanon War in 2006 and will incorporate all government offices and public bodies.
The drill will simulate a series of emergency situations and require those participating – ranging from local    
municipalities, schools, firefighters and paramedics, the IDF Home Front Command and even the cabinet itself – to respond to the developing events.  
The Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv took part in a drill simulating a chemical missile attack several days ago.  
Both Home Front Command and Health Ministry officials stressed the importance of preparing for any possible scenario. 
See More  Egypt saves Palestinian smuggler trapped in tunnel  Settlement's rabbi attends Arab-Israeli Land Day event   
Original Source
 
 
 
 ...   more »

Many Christians pass over the word She'ol in the Bible without realizing what they're reading. Do we nag our children with, "You are bringing my gray head down to She'ol?" What would we tell someone who asked where She'ol was? Despite the fact that She'ol isn't a part of our vocabulary the way heaven and hell are, it still has — or should have — a place in our theology. She'ol is one of the concepts that links the presence of God to a place, the place of non- and anti- worship, the place of no peace and no joy. In the Bible, the word She'ol, occurs most often in the context of righteous people seeking against opposition to worship in the temple. She'ol is the place antithetical to the place of worship, which is the temple.Speaking Out
Going Down to She'ol
Is death a place?
Rajkumar Boaz Johnson
 Many Christians pass over the word She'ol in the Bible without realizing what they're reading. Do we nag our children with, "You are bringing my gray head down to She'ol?" What would we tell someone who asked where She'ol was?
Despite the fact that She'ol isn't a part of our vocabulary ...   more »

By Alister Bull
Al Qaeda is training fighters that "look western" and could easily cross U.S. borders without attracting attention, CIA Director Michael Hayden said on Sunday.
The militant Islamist group has turned Pakistan's remote tribal areas along the border with Afghanistan into a safe haven, and is using it to plot further attacks against the United States, Hayden said.
"They are bringing operatives into that region for training -- operatives that wouldn't attract your attention if they were going through the customs line at Dulles (airport outside Washington) with you when you were coming back from overseas," Hayden said during an interview on NBC's television show Meet the Press.
"(They) look western (and) would be able to come into this country without attracting the kinds of attention that others might," Hayden said, without offering further details.
The United States went to war in Afghanistan after the September 11 attacks on U.S. cities in order to crush al Qaeda and hunt down its chief, Osama bin Laden, who Hayden confirmed was still believed by the United States to be hiding in the rugged Afghan border area.
The Washington Post reported on Thursday that the United States had stepped up unilateral ...   more »