Analysis: Iran Predicts Terrorism—So What Does that Say?

The Iranians have never been shy about their support for terrorist groups attacking Israel. But their latest rhetoric, which implied that they would either use or at least expect these terror groups to retaliate against Israel over the death of an Iranian commander, remind us the Iranians are more than …

Israel Builds A Modern Highway and Finds an Ancient Village

Highway expansions can result in traffic jams, and in Israel it can turn into archaeology as well. That’s what happened to a recent project, after an Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) inspector found pottery shards during the Highway 1 project, a discovery that has since led to the uncovering of an …

US Again Accuses Syrian Regime Brutality of Being ‘Recruiting Tool’ for ISIS

The Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad is thought to have killed 12,000 people through the use of barrel bombs, most of them civilians, in that nation’s lengthy civil war. And the United States believes tactics such as that one are fueling the rise the of the extremist ISIS (ISIL) …

Israel and Arab Nation Work Together to Save the Dead Sea

Israel and Jordan signed a win-win-win agreement on Thursday that will provide additional water to Israel’s Aravah desert region and Jordan, while also renewing the water supply of the Dead Sea in an effort to save the historic salt-water body from slowly dwindling away. The deal, reported in a press …

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Israel and Arab Nation Work Together to Save the Dead Sea

February 26, 2015 News
Photo courtesy of the Israel Ministry of Tourism

The Dead Sea. Photo courtesy of the Israel Ministry of Tourism

Israel and Jordan signed a win-win-win agreement on Thursday that will provide additional water to Israel’s Aravah desert region and Jordan, while also renewing the water supply of the Dead Sea in an effort to save the historic salt-water body from slowly dwindling away. The deal, reported in a press release by Israel’s Regional Cooperation Ministry, will involve building a desalination plant to turn seawater into fresh water and pump the “residual saline brines” into the Dead Sea.

“I stand here very moved by this historic signing of an agreement on a joint project to build a canal between the seas…This is the most important and significant agreement since the peace treaty with Jordan,” said Israeli Regional Cooperation Minister Silvan Shalom in the release. … Continue Reading

US Again Accuses Syrian Regime Brutality of Being ‘Recruiting Tool’ for ISIS

February 26, 2015 Peace and Conflict
Syrian actions have killed the smiles. Is that helping ISIS? UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) meets Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Illustrative. Photo Courtesy of UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.

Syrian actions have killed the smiles. Is that helping ISIS? UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (left) meets Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Illustrative. Photo Courtesy of UN Photo/Eskinder Debebe.

The Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad is thought to have killed 12,000 people through the use of barrel bombs, most of them civilians, in that nation’s lengthy civil war. And the United States believes tactics such as that one are fueling the rise the of the extremist ISIS (ISIL) terror group. “We’ve been clear that there’s no better recruiting tool for ISIL than the brutality of the Assad regime,” US spokesperson Jen Psaki said on Thursday in comments released by the State Department.

“As we have long said, Bashar al-Assad lost legitimacy long ago and will never be an effective counterterrorism partner.” Psaki’s comments came after she pointed out that two human rights groups have demonstrated the regime is using barrel bombs. These weapons, according to past comments by US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power, are “packed with high explosives and shards of metal, deliberately designed to kill as many people indiscriminately as possible.” … Continue Reading

Think Tank: Iran Nuclear Work ‘Poses A Challenge’ to Negotiated Safeguard

February 22, 2015 Iran Nuclear Program, News
Radiation Warning Symbol. Public Domain.

Radiation Warning Symbol. Public Domain.

Iran is researching technology that could enable them to partly reverse a process used to convert medium-grade nuclear fuel into peaceful medical use, according to a new report from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog. In light of the above, a think tank is recommending questions be answered about this move to determine if it’s undermining the agreement in place to prevent Iran from expanding it’s nuclear capabilities. That arrangement, the Joint Plan of Action (JPA), was put in place while a long-term nuclear deal is being negotiated with major world powers.

The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) released a report on their website analyzing the latest review on Iran’s nuclear program by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The review noted that while Iran had made one step to reduce concerns they are working around the JPA, a new effort could help them recover research-grade nuclear material that was supposed to be cut down as part of the plan. … Continue Reading

Netanyahu to Argue against Iran Nuke Deal ‘Before It’s Too Late’

February 16, 2015 Peace and Conflict
Netanyahu. Photo Courtesy of UN-Photo/Marco Castro

Netanyahu. Photo Courtesy of UN-Photo/Marco Castro

Reports have claimed that the major world powers are getting closer to a nuclear deal with Iran, with roughly five weeks to go before the next deadline for achieving the general framework of a deal. As the time counts down, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explained his plan to argue against what he called a “very bad deal” before Congress in two weeks.

“Now is the time for Israel to make its case—now before it’s too late,” said Netanyahu in comments released by his office. “Would it be better to complain about a deal that threatens the security of Israel after it’s signed? I believe it’s more responsible to speak out now to try to influence the negotiations while they’re still ongoing.” … Continue Reading

ISIS War Spreads as Egypt Fights in Libya, Hezbollah in Iraq

February 16, 2015 Egypt, News
Regional fight? The war with ISIS is spreading in every direction. Middle East educational sign post showing distance between major locations. Illustrative. By Joshua Spurlock

Regional fight? The war with ISIS is spreading in every direction. Middle East educational sign post showing distance between major locations. Illustrative. By Joshua Spurlock

Egypt launched air strikes in Libya this week, and the Libyans called for the attacks to continue. The reason? The Egyptians were targeting ISIS (ISIL) camps in Libya, following the release of a video showing 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians being beheaded by ISIS. Daily News Egypt reported that the Egyptians said the strikes were successful, hitting ISIS weapons and training camps.

The Daily News Egypt report cited an article from the Al-Ahram newspaper as saying that 64 ISIS members were killed in the strikes. The Daily News Egypt also reported that Libyan air force commander Saqr Jeroushi told Sada El-Balad television that the Egyptian strikes should continue since the two nations have “the same enemy.” Turns out that Hezbollah and Iraq do as well, and Hezbollah is now openly fighting in yet another Middle Eastern country. The target? ISIS again. … Continue Reading

After Denmark Terror Attack, Israel Encourages Jews to Come Home

February 15, 2015 Peace and Conflict
Will 2015 be a big year for Israeli immigration? Israeli flags. Illustrative. By Joshua Spurlock

Will 2015 be a big year for Israeli immigration? Israeli flags. Illustrative. By Joshua Spurlock

Following the second terror attack in Europe targeting Jews in as many months, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced a 180 million shekel ($46.3 million) initiative to encourage and assist Jews in several European nations to immigrate to Israel. “Jews have been murdered again on European soil only because they were Jews and this wave of terrorist attacks—including murderous anti-Semitic attacks—is expected to continue,” said Netanyahu in comments released by his office.

“Of course, Jews deserve protection in every country but we say to Jews, to our brothers and sisters: Israel is your home. We are preparing and calling for the absorption of mass immigration from Europe. I would like to tell all European Jews and all Jews wherever they are: ‘Israel is the home of every Jew.’” … Continue Reading

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