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A Homeland for the Palestinians?
Why they? How about
all those others?
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STRATFOR GLOBAL INTELLIGENCE UPDATE
Uniting Jordan, Iraq post-war goal?
(a blast from the past ...or is it?)
Establishment of Hashemite kingdom being floated in diplomatic circles
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A Children's Cartoon From the Middle East Has a New Mideast Peace Plan
The New York Times 2006/4/30
...the real goal of "Ben and Izzy" is more serious: to help young
Americans and Arabs steer clear of the prejudices of their parents and
grandparents, which may have been reinforced by the Sept. 11 attacks
and the war in Iraq. In promotional materials,
Ben the American is described as "a symbol
for his country" who is "big" and "energetic," but "on the negative
side, he is a bit xenophobic, self-centered, needs-to-win
competitive." "Like his native land," the creators write,
"he sometimes blunders into situations without thinking."
Izzy the Jordanian, by
contrast, is "slight of build, sinewy and studious," but "on the
downside, Izzy can be a little too serious, self-righteous,
superior, even devious."
The boys don't like each other at first — they argue but don't
fight with guns or knives, the promotional materials point out —
but they will ultimately learn "that as a team, they can outsmart
almost anyone." ...
How much more true
to life can this be? ...and even his queen, who knows her king better
than all, is promoting this! I thought this old cartoon (right)
from days past, which is not associated with this story, was very
appropriate here.
Jordan, Egypt push for peace
The Jordan Times 2006/4/30
...During their talks, King Abdullah and Mubarak stressed the
importance of intensifying world efforts to revive the peace
process and deliver aid to the Palestinians, who are suffering
an economic crisis, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The two
leaders also discussed Iraq as well as means to enhance relations
between Jordan and Egypt. ...The Egyptian foreign minister, meanwhile,
called for an international conference to discuss “counter terrorist
operations.” He said Egypt — battered by terror attacks
earlier this week — had sent letters to the US and EU governments
urging them to reconsider an Egyptian proposal for a
UN meeting that would discuss how to “uproot
terrorism in the region and in the world.”
DEBKAfile
Exclusive: The Mubarak-Abdullah Aqaba summit was dominated by extreme
concern over branching out of Abu Musab al Zarqawi’s network
DEBKAfile
2006/4/30
DEBKAfile’s sources report Israel was not invited to the
summit, although squarely in Zarqawi’s sights, because its new leaders
show scant interest in the encroachment of his cells right up to
Israel’s borders. ...Friday night, April 28, Zarqawi’s cell in Gaza
announced it is waiting for the final signal to execute the order
received in mid-week to “revive the traditional sacrifice of
apostates” against four Palestinian targets. They
are identified as Fatah followers of Mahmoud Abbas: former interior
minister and Gaza strongman Muhammad Dahlan, prominent West Bank
figure Yasser Abd Rabbo, deputy chief of Gaza’s Preventive Security
Service Samir Mashrawi, and Abu Ali Shihin, an old Yasser Arafat crony
from Rafah.
National Dialogue, ‘Quartet’ Meeting to Tackle Palestinian Crisis
Palestine Media Center
2006/4/30
In internal, regional and international arenas, the Palestinian crisis
will be tackled in an inter-Palestinian national dialogue,
Egyptian-Jordanian-Israeli summit encounters and a meeting of the
Quartet on May 9. ...
Ismail
Haniyeh: PA's financial crisis to end 'very very soon'
Haaretz 2006/4/30
...Arab League sends emergency aid
Arab League foreign ministers met February in Algiers in an attempt to
revive a funding plan they originally agreed to in 2002 . That called
for sending the Palestinian Authority $50 million a month.
Arab countries have consistently failed to meet those pledges,
either because they lack funds or because of political differences
with the Palestinians.
Syria launches fundraiser for Palestinians
Also Sunday Syria began a weeklong campaign to collect money for the
Palestinians, following a visit by the Palestinian foreign minister 10
days ago. ...
Looks like
the Arab 'leadership' is stepping up to the plate, behind the King in
line, to garner favor and a following of the Palestinians, in the eyes
of the world.
King Sends
Message to Labors
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/30
...King Abdullah II on Sunday sent a message to Jordan's labors in the
national labor community congratulating them on the occasion of Labors
Day. The King expressed appreciation for labors over their
distinguished efforts exerted to enhance the development and
production and to build the 'Jordan First' now and for the future. ...
When the king says
'Jordan First', if you aren't a part of Jordan, where
does that leave you? Be careful to whom you give power!
PNA chief, Jordan's king to discuss ways out of crisis
ITAR TASS 2006/4/30
Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestine National Authority (PNA) and
King Abdullah II of Jordan meet on Sunday to discuss urgent steps for
the PNA to get out of the humanitarian crisis. ...
Al-Qaeda leader plans an Iraq army
Times Online 2006/4/30
THE leader of Al-Qaeda in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, is
attempting to set up his own mini-army and move away from
individual suicide attacks to a more organised resistance movement,
according to US intelligence sources. ...
Palestinian Ambassador commends King's endowment to Palestinians
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/29
...The Palestinian Ambassador to Amman Atallah Khairi hailed King
Abdullah's efforts to help alleviate the suffering of Palestinian
people. ...The ambassador whished all friendly and brethren countries
to emulate Jordan's example in offering assistance to the Palestinian
people, urging the int'l community to continue the assistance to
Palestinian people to alleviate their suffering and exert efforts to
ensure the flow of human assistance.
King
orders aid shipment for Palestinians
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/29
...Upon directives from His Majesty King Abdullah, the
Jordanian Hashemite Charitable Organization (JHCO) dispatched
the third urgent shipment of human assistance to the Palestinian
people. The shipment comprises of 27 trucks laden with 400
tones of food supplies, medicine, and other medical equipments.
The King has ordered the medical equipments to be sent to Al Shefaa
hospital in Gaza due to acute shortage in such equipments as the
Palestinian people are suffering of hardships nowadays. ...
Much like the part
Absalom played between his father David and his people Israel, so King
Abdullah II is garnering the favor of the Palestinian and Iraqi
people, as well as all the Arab and Muslim people, despite their own
rulers. Just another aspect to how he wins the crown given him
in honor.
Turmoil surrounds Aqaba meeting
Monsters & Critics 2006/4/29
...The meeting in southern Jordan came amid growing turmoil and
terrorism in the region and as Arab leaders` anxieties over the fate
of their regimes continue to grow. ...King Abdullah and
President Mubarak may have sealed an agreement not to recognize the
Hamas government. ...A Hamas government successfully ruling the
Palestinian territories could further empower the mainstream Islamic
movements in Egypt and Jordan, where the influential Muslim
Brotherhood poses the largest and most-organized opposition force
that could ultimately weaken their regimes. ...
Military Intelligence: Syria poised to spend petrodollars on weaponry
Haaretz 2006/4/29
...Syrians continued to focus their arms
production on rockets and longer-range SCUDS. Production, he
said, was continuing on 200 to 300 millimeter rockets with a range of
dozens of kilometers. Some of these weapons are apparently being
transfered to Hezbollah, including the array Hezbollah has deployed
along the border between Lebanon and Israel. ...
U.S. heaps more pressure on Syria
The Daily Star 2006/4/29
The United States increased its pressure
on Syria Friday, including the country on a shortlist of nations whose
governments "sponsor terrorism." The U.S. State Department's annual
report on terrorism, released Friday, named six countries as terrorism
hubs or sponsors, four of which are Islamic states and three Arab
countries: Syria, Iran, Libya, Sudan, Cuba, and North Korea.
The report said the Syrian government "continued to provide
political and material support to both Hizbullah and Palestinian
terrorist groups." ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Jibril warns against Syria, Iran attack
The Jerusalem Post 2006/4/29
The leader of a Palestinian group
warned the United States and Israel on Friday that if they attacked
Syria or Iran, his guerrillas would fight them. "We will
not allow any aggression against Syria or the Islamic Republic of
Iran," leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine-General Command Ahmed Jibril told a rally of about 1,000
supporters in a Palestinian refugee camp in the Syrian capital.
"I say it frankly, we will not only be on their side, we will be in
the forefront," said Jibril. ...
Abdullah, Mubarak meet in Jordan
The Jerusalem Post 2006/4/29
Jordan's King Abdullah II hosted
Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak at this Red Sea resort Saturday
to discuss Mideast peacemaking and Iraq. ...
Israel Insider 2006/4/28
Bringing Jordan back into the West Bank means having a sovereign
entity stretching from the border of Iraq to the backyard of Kfar Sava.
And given the virtual impossibility to predict the future
viability and/or orientation of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,
putting the West Bank under Jordanian sovereignty ultimately means
that Allah-knows-what-regime would have the sovereign right to move
divisions of tanks, position heavy artillery pieces, mobile
anti-aircraft equipment etc. within earshot of my home in Raanana and
all of this without Israel being able to do much more than go on alert.
As options go, the "Jordan option" isn't much different from
"surrender and appeasement." ...
Iraq VP warns Americans against striking Iran
Khaleej Times Online 2006/4/28
NAJAF, Iraq - An
Iraqi vice president warned the United States on Friday against
attacking Iran. Adel Abdul Mahdi, the Shia member of the three-man
Presidency Council, was asked about speculation US forces might strike
to prevent Iran developing nuclear technology:
“We will not allow
anyone to attack anyone,” he said after a meeting in the holy city of
Najaf with Grand Ayatollah Ali Al Sistani, Iraq’s senior Shia cleric.
“We think that the use of force is not appropriate for solving any
problem.” ...
They
can't even stop their own Muslims from attacking their own selves,
much less anyone else attacking the Iranians. How absurd a
statement!
Hezbollah, Illegal Immigration, and the Next 9/11
FrontPageMag.com 2006/4/28
...longtime Hezbollah terror chief, Imad
Mugniyah, has been tapped by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to
initiate attacks against the West, especially the U.S., in the event
that any preemptive strikes are made against Iran's nuclear
facilities. ...
Al-Qaeda calls for Pakistan coup
BangkokPost.com 2006/4/28
For the third time this week, al-Qaeda has
broadcast a message, this time from the so-called al-Qaeda second in
command Ayman al-Zawahiri, aimed at Pakistan's US-friendly government.
...
Welch: US
Syrian relations 'bad to worse'
YaLibnan 2006/2/28
...U.S. President George Bush issued an executive order Wednesday
authorizing the U.S. Treasury Department to freeze the assets of
anyone involved in the truck bombing that killed Hariri and 22 others
on Feb. 14, 2005. It authorizes the same action against anyone found
to have obstructed the work of U.N. investigators, and underscored
suspicions of Syrian involvement. The U.S.
official said his country has urged Syria on several occasions
to "change its behavior" but Damascus chose instead to continue
intervening in Lebanon's internal affairs and supporting "terror
groups." ...
Lure of Babylon is powerful draw
The Detroit News 2006/4/27
Iraq, U.N. undertake project to restore city, transform it into center
for cultural tourism. ...Babylon, the mud-brick
city with the million-dollar name, has paid the price of war. It has
been ransacked, looted, torn up, paved over, neglected and roughly
occupied. Archaeologists said American soldiers even used soil thick
with priceless artifacts to stuff sandbags. But Iraqi
leaders and U.N. officials are not giving up. They are working
assiduously to restore Babylon ...
EurAsiaNet.org 2006/4/27An upsurge in attacks against Turkish security forces by
militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and a recent
three-day outbreak of protests in Turkey’s primarily-Kurdish southeast
are raising concerns that the region could again spiral into the kind
of violence experienced during the dark days of the 1980’s and
1990’s.An upsurge in attacks against Turkish security forces by
militants of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and a recent
three-day outbreak of protests in Turkey’s primarily-Kurdish southeast
are raising concerns that the region could again spiral into the kind
of violence experienced during the dark days of the 1980’s and 1990’s.
...
Islamic scholars agree on measures to promote moderation
The Jordan Times 2006/4/27
...In the final communiqué of the conference entitled “The Practical
Role of the Moderate Current in Reform and the Revival of the Umma,”
participants gave the go-ahead for practical steps
to establish global institutions to propagate “the
voice of moderation in the world.” As part of the
measures; participants endorsed the establishment of a satellite
channel, but said the plan hinges on the “availability of
financial and technical capabilities.” ...
Get ready to be
propagandized! A saying often used by Missourians is
very well applied in this case ..."...Don't Tell Me, Show Me!"
It would be best if Moslems first learned to get along with their own
kind, before they attempt to try to preach to the rest of us.
Islam, in my opinion, is the farthest thing from
being "The Voice Of Moderation In The World" See the
story below titled "How Has Islam Enriched Your Life".
Jordan sends support for Gaza hospital
Bahrain News Agency
2006/4/27
Jordanian Monarch, King Abdullah II,
ordered today an assistance caravan to Al Shefa hospital in Gaza which
includes medical equipment and medicine. Jordanian News
Agency said that King Abdullah took the decision after he was
briefed on the situation the hospital was suffering from due to
shortage of medical requirements due to stopping of international
financial support. ...
How Has Islam Enriched Your Life?
Israel Hasbara committee 2006/4/27
Have any of you noticed over the past few years
that page after page in your daily newspapers is filled with the
latest dysfunctional happenings caused by, or as a result of the
seemingly maniacal Muslim world? Honestly, I cannot open a paper or
turn on the television without seeing mobs of Muslim savages
celebrating in front of burning embassies , a school, a restaurant or
those stupid tires they seem to think are so impressive to burn ...
A saying often used
by Missourians is well applied in this case ..."...Don't Tell
Me, Show Me!" It would be best if Moslems first learned
to get along with their own kind, before they attempt to try to preach
to the rest of us.
US, France
Prepare Security Council Resolution Pressuring Syria
Voice Of America 2006/4/27
...Washington's U.N. Ambassador John Bolton
says the United States has concluded that another Security
Council resolution is needed to pressure Syria to comply with previous
Council requirements. ...Ambassador Bolton Wednesday said the
proposed draft resolution would also include a call for Syria's
cooperation in the U.N. investigation into the death of former
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. The probe has implicated senior
Lebanese and Syrian security officials.
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
UN envoy rejects Syria’s claim that diplomatic ties with Lebanon,
border are not UN issues
Khaleej Times Online 2006/4/27
...UNITED NATIONS -
The top UN envoy for Lebanon and Syria rejected Damascus’ claim that
establishing diplomatic relations with Lebanon and marking their
border are issues to be settled between the two countries, not by the
United Nations. ...“In
doing so, we do not wish to interfere with matters that are the
prerogative of the parties, and of the parties alone,” Roed-Larsen
said in an interview. “But these two steps ... are important
indicators of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political
independence of Lebanon. They are thus important steps in the
implementation of resolution 1559.” ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Majali
Receives Bangladeshi Ambassador
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/27
...The ambassador expressed his
country's interest to enhance relations with Jordan. He also
hailed Jordan's wise policies under His Majesty King Abdullah II
leadership. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
King
Congratulates President of South Africa
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/27
...King Abdullah II on Thursday
sent a cable to President of the Republic of South Africa Thabo Mbeki
congratulating him in his name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in
my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall
come
"in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.
And thank
you to Hamas
Haaretz 2006/4/27
...it is good for Israel that the unfriendly Hamas
is in power. Finally, there is a disciplined, hierarchical body on the
Palestinian side that can observe a cease-fire - even if it is a
fragile and imperfect one - and gradually enforce "one law and one
weapon," rather than Fatah's institutionalized anarchy. The quiet
understanding that former prime minister Ariel Sharon reached with
Hamas, with Abbas' mediation, enabled Israel's withdrawal from Gaza,
and is allowing for a normal life in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv today.
Under the present conditions, holding fire is more important than
publicized meetings and speeches about peace. ...
Spanish royal couple conclude state visit
The Jordan Times 2006/4/27
...King Abdullah and Queen Rania accompanied King Carlos and
Queen Sofia and the accompanying delegation on a tour of
Aqaba, which included Tala Bay and other sites.
During the tour, Dahabi reviewed the port city's achievements
after it was turned into a special economic zone to attract
investments from all over the world. He said
investments in Aqaba, which has already exceeded $7 billion, had
so far created more than 70,000 job opportunities. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
Abbas calls
for int'l conference to jump-start peace process
The Jordan Times 2006/4/27
...“I am ready to immediately resume negotiations with the Israeli
government,” Abbas said in a speech at the Nobel Institute in Oslo.
“It is important for me to clarify that the Palestinian legislative
elections, which brought Hamas to power, are not an obstacle to
negotiations.” ...
Syria still acting like Lebanon's caretaker
The Daily Star 2006/4/27
...Asked "What does Syria want from
Lebanon?" one March 14 politician said: "It wants to take hold of
Lebanon and keep it under its authority. That is what the Lebanese
people refuse." ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
As we have been
seeing, the uprooting of the Assad regime is taking plenty of time,
but the handwriting has been on the wall for years.
Arab prince is Brandeis speaker
The Boston Globe 2006/4/27
Graduates of Brandeis University will be getting their final lecture
from an Arab prince noted in the international community for his
commitment to fostering understanding among Muslims, Jews, and
Christians. Brandeis President Jehuda Reinharz
said he chose Prince El Hassan bin Talal of Jordan as this year's
commencement speaker and as an honorary degree recipient because he is
''a standard bearer for religious tolerance, human rights, and
religious peace." ...
Syria Continues Interference in Lebanon, State Department Says
USINFO.STATE.GOV 2006/4/26
...We call on the international community to continue to hold
the Syrian regime accountable until it responds completely to
concerns about its cooperation with the UN International Independent
Investigation Commission, interference in Lebanon,
insufficient action on the Iraqi border, sponsorship of Palestinian
terrorist groups, and harsh crackdown on civil society. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Hamas
and the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood
Judeoscope 2006/4/26
...The results of the Palestinian elections constitute
a new test for Jordan’s identity. However, this time the test is
focused on the degree to which the Brotherhood is Jordanian and the
issue will not remain limited to the group’s internal organization. It
has become a debate between writers on both sides of the contested
identity issue, individuals who are close to the Brotherhood’s
circles. However, Hamas’ influence within the Brotherhood predates the
Palestinian election results by several years. It also seems that this
influence has not taken place in isolation from small setbacks
suffered by Jordanians in the Brotherhood. The movement has seen its
influence in Palestinian circles in Jordan outstrip its influence in
"East Jordanian" parts of the country. It was natural for this
development to be strengthened in the leadership of the movement,
until Hamas was formed. The Brotherhood "environment" in Jordan is a
pro-Hamas extension for Palestinians in Jordan, just as Hamas was an
extension of the Brotherhood in the West Bank and Gaza. ...
US blocks
Hariri suspects' assets
BBC News 2006/4/26
...President Bush's executive order said the move would
affect anyone "involved in planning, sponsoring, organising, or
perpetrating the terrorist act in Beirut, Lebanon.. related to
Hariri's assassination". He said additional steps were
being taken "concerning certain actions of the government of Syria".
...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
First Arab-Euro Dialogue Forum Starts in Paris
Syrian Arab News Agency
2006/4/26
Activities of the first Arab-Euro Dialogue Forum started on Wednesday
in Paris under the Title, “ Towards an Arab-Euro Strategic
Partnership” ...The forum, which takes place in the Paris-based Arab
World Institute, involves the participants from the private sector as
well as public officials from Europe and the Arab world. It includes
14 workshops, and will debate the role of the private sector
supporting social development; youth education and development
policies; economy and partnership for development; the role of
non-governmental organizations; investment constraints and
opportunities and cooperation in the energy sector. ...
Iran Bolstering Alliance With Syria, Hamas
CNSNews.com 2006/4/26
Increasingly isolated by the international community, Iran, Syria and
Hamas are strengthening ties with each other in order to challenge the
West, said Israeli prime ministerial spokesman Dr. Ra'anan Gissin.
...Iran, Syria and Hamas share the strategic goals of derailing the
Israeli-Palestinian peace process and destroying Israel. That means
that the Hamas election victory in January was also a victory for
Syria and Iran, Karmon said. ...
King
Abdullah, King Juan Carlos attend military exercise
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/26
...King Abdullah II accompanied on Wednesday his
guest King Juan Carlos to one of Jordanian Armed Forces' training
site. ...
'Hamas
cell in Jordan acted on Mashaal's orders'
YNetNews.com 2006/4/26
...The Jordanian authorities announced
that the Hamas cell they arrested last week in the kingdom has been
receiving orders from one of the movement's "top leaders,
who is currently staying in Syria," to target Jordanian
officials and facilities. It appears that this Hamas leader Jordan
referred to is none other than head of the movement's politburo,
Khaled Mashaal. ...
One up for
Tehran in Its Secret Bout with Washington
DEBKAfile
2006/4/26
According to DEBKAfile’s Iran experts, Tehran
feels confident enough to adopted a belligerent posture because ...1.
...Tehran is confident that its influence in Iraqi politics outweighs
Washington’s by virtue of its ties with Iraqi parties and Shiite
militias and its intelligence network. ... 2. ...Tehran’s
dissatisfaction with the progress of its secret diplomatic track with
Washington ... 3. ...Tehran is increasingly confident that Moscow and
Beijing will continue to block Washington’s initiatives for UN
Security Council sanctions ... 4. ...As perceived from Iran, the Bush
administration is losing ground in the Middle East, whereas the
Islamic Republic is in the middle of a forward thrust ...
Second
conference of Nobel Laureates to be held in Petra
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/26
Nobel Laureates and national and religious leaders will convene in
Petra, Jordan in June to discuss and define their roles in responding
to global crises. The conferees have been invited to
Jordan by the King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD) and the
Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity for the second Petra Conference of
Nobel Laureates. ...“For more than 100 years, Nobel Laureates
have represented excellence in the pursuit of humanity’s advancement,”
said His Majesty King Abdullah. “Elie Wiesel and I have invited this
distinguished group, along with a number of leaders from different
disciplines to convene once again in Petra and carry forward our
promise to this and future generations to address the inequalities,
asymmetries and threats to peace that abound.” ...
? Daniel 7:8,
Revelation 13:5 …And there was given unto him a mouth speaking great
things…
Jordanian king for Iran dialogue, nuke free ME
IranMania 2006/4/25
Peace in the Middle East requires all states in the
region, including Israel, to renounce nuclear arms and only dialogue
will rein in Iran's nuclear ambitions, Jordan's King
Abdullah II said ..."I consider dialogue to be the way to deal with
Iran. Any threat of using force against Iran will only unite
Iranians," the king insisted, saying western nations should "extend
their hand" to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, AFP noted
"If there is peace (in the Middle East) there is no need for the
bomb. "If the Israeli-Palestinian problem is resolved, the
Israeli-Arab problem is resolved," Abdullah said. ...
Egypt bombings draw sharp Arab condemnation
Globe and mail 2006/4/25
...“The attack on Egypt brings back bad memories,” Jordanian
businessman Muhannad Abul-Ghanam said. “Even the result is the same –
mainly Muslim Arabs died, and there's more public hatred toward these
militants.” ...Arab governments were quick to condemn the attacks – as
were radical Muslims who have tried to distance themselves from
al-Qaeda and other global Islamic radical groups that deliberately
attack Muslim and Arab civilians. ...
Viewpoint: Hardly a savory combination
Middle East Times 2006/4/25
Situated between Israel and Iraq, Jordan has tended to vacillate
strategically between its Arab hinterland to the east, in which Iraq
has been the linchpin, and the US-Israeli protective umbrella to the
west. This was well illustrated in the late 1980s and early 1990s,
when Jordan was at first heavily reliant on Iraq both strategically
and economically, as rightwing governments set the tone in Israel. ...
Dutch Plan to
Supply Jordan With F-16s
Arutz Sheva 2006/4/25
The Netherlands and Belgium intend to sell 20 F-16 fighter jets to the
Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. According to a Dutch statement, the
aircraft will be delivered to the Royal Jordanian Air Force by 2008.
...
Jordan Links Israeli Nukes to Peace Process, Says Israel Should Disarm
Israel Hasbara committee 2006/4/25
“For peace to be achieved in the region, Israel has to disarm its
nuclear weapons [since] if there is peace, Israel will not need
nuclear weapons,” Abdullah said in a recent interview with El Pais.
“If the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is resolved, the Arab-Israeli
conflict will also be resolved,” he said. Abdullah added
that if the international community is demanding that Iran not develop
nuclear weapons, “it should also demand that countries which possess
nuclear weapons disarm” referring to Israel. ...
?
Daniel 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the
transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and
understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
Jordan says Hamas leaders in Syria ordered attacks
Reuters 2006/4/25
...U.S. ally Jordan has over the years accused Damascus-based radical
Palestinian groups opposed to Middle East peacemaking of either
plotting attacks inside the kingdom or trying to smuggle arms to
launch attacks against Israel from its territory. ...Jordanian
officials privately support U.S.-led efforts to isolate the Hamas
government diplomatically and financially unless it embraces Middle
East peacemaking. ...
Jordan Announces
Arrest of Hamas Terrorists Planning Attacks
Arutz Sheva 2006/4/25
Jordan has announced the arrest of Hamas terrorists it says
planned to carry out attacks in the Hashemite Kingdom at the behest of
Syrian terror chiefs.
According to the report, Jordanian officials and "strategic points"
were supposed to be assassinated by the terrorists, who were in the
final stages of preparation. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
HAMAS WEAPONS TO JORDAN LINKED TO PA DEPUTIES
Middle East Newsline 2006/4/25
Jordanian security sources said five members of the Palestinian
Legislative Council were found to have helped procure and smuggle
rocket launchers, automatic weapons and ammunition into Jordan. The
sources said the legislators employed their connections to procure the
weapons and transport them to the kingdom. ...
?
Daniel 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the
transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and
understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
U.N. Interviews Assad on Hariri's Death
The Washington post 2005/4/25
DAMASCUS, Syria -- A U.N. investigator interviewed Syria's leader
Tuesday about the assassination of a former Lebanese prime minister, a
long-sought encounter that President Bashar Assad had twice declined.
...The United States warned Syria that the Security Council would take
action unless it cooperated fully with the commission. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
King Juan
Carlos, Queen Sofia Visit Parliament
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/25
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia are currently on a visit to Jordan to
increase economic cooperation between Spain and Jordan and stress the
role of the EU in the Middle East. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
When Arabs oppose jihadists
The Washington Times 2006/4/24
Within the past week, two Sunni Muslim leaders made clear that they
won't be cowed by the likes of Hamas and Tehran's rogue-state ally,
Syrian strongman Bashar Assad. One was Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad
Siniora, who met President Bush at the White House on Tuesday. During
his visit to the United States last week, Mr. Siniora spent much of
his time trying to mobilize international pressure to end Damascus's
interference in Lebanon. And the Jordanian government headed by
King Abdullah II last week demanded that Syria and its ally Hamas
cease their efforts to use the Hashemite kingdom as a transit point
for weapons smuggling. ...
?
Daniel 8:23 And in the latter time of their kingdom, when the
transgressors are come to the full, a king of fierce countenance, and
understanding dark sentences, shall stand up.
Lebanon's Battle for Independence
The Washington Post 2006/4/24
Lebanon's new prime minister, Fouad Siniora, visited President Bush
last week as Lebanon struggles to emerge as a free and democratic
country. Although Syria has withdrawn its troops from Lebanon, it has
not given up the battle to influence the country through the
intelligence agents it left behind. Last week
Newsweek-Washington Post's Lally Weymouth talked with Siniora in New
York. ...
Lebanese PM: Al-Assad threatened Hariri
CNN 2006/4/23
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad threatened to "break"
Lebanon if the late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri did not
support a longer term for President Emile Lahoud, a pro-Syrian
politician, Lebanon's prime minister claimed Sunday. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Jordan's King Abdullah appoints ex-finance minister to head office
Monsters and critics news 2006/4/23
Amman - Jordan's King Abdullah II on Sunday appointed controversial
former finance minister, economist Bassem Awadallah, as director of
his office, the royal court confirmed in a statement.
Awadallah was forced to resign last year as finance minister after a
number of parliament deputies threatened to withdraw their support for
former Prime Minister Adnan Badran if Awadallah remained on in the
cabinet. ...
Can a new
government rescue Iraq?
BBC News 2006/4/23
...In tackling the insurgency, the new regime should be better placed
than the outgoing interim administration to win over disaffected Iraqi
Sunnis and to win ground away from the hardcore Islamic jihadi
militants, many of whom have come from outside. ...
King
receives Pakistani Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/23
...King Abdullah II received on Sunday Pakistani Chairman of
the Joint Chiefs Staff Gen. Ihsan Al Haq. King Abdullah
and the visiting General discussed means of cooperation between the
two friendly countries, particularly the defense cooperation and
exchanging expertise and training. ...
King
receives UAE Foreign Minister and Chairman of National Iraqi List
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/23
...King Abdullah also met with Chairman of National Iraqi List
Iyad Alawi, who highly appreciated the King's initiative for convening
the Iraqi Islamic reconciliation conference which was postponed upon
the Iraqi request. King Abdullah II was content that the
latest development took place in Iraq by nominating a president for
Iraq, Prime Minister and Parliament Speaker were important steps to
put an end for violence and tension and bring peace and security to
Iraq.
King
congratulates Talabani, Maliki, Mushadani
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/23
...His Majesty expressed Jordan's keenness to develop
cooperation relations with Iraq and put its all capacity to support
efforts aim to build Iraq and achieve security, stability and
prosperity for its people.
Lebanese
sectarian militias mushroom after US and France drop sanctions
campaign against Damascus and ouster of president Michel Lahoud
DEBKAfile
2006/4/23
...The vacuum left by the withdrawal of the United States and France
has sent Lebanon’s Sunnis, Shiites and Christians, running back to
their armed militias for protection, while Damascus returns to
asserting mastery over its small neighbor.
King
urges Arabs, Muslims to help Iraq overcome crisis
The Jordan Times 2006/4/23
...“Our objective in convening this conference was to reach a
religious reconciliation based on solid and common religious ideology
that strengthens the unity of the Iraqi people and that contributes
towards the achievement of a political solution that ultimately would
relieve Iraq of its state of violence, foster its unity and stability
and redirect the energy of the Iraqis to build a new Iraq whose people
enjoy security and a better life.” ...
King
calls on Iraqi leaders to resort to dialogue
The Jordan Times 2006/4/23
...At a banquet held in honour of a group of Iraqi leaders yesterday,
the King said the only language that should now prevail in Iraq is
dialogue. The Monarch told the visiting Iraqi leaders, who
were in Amman to attend the Iraqi Islamic Reconciliation Conference
scheduled for Saturday, that Jordan would continue consultations with
religious and political leaderships to hold the gathering. ...
World oil prices
breach $ 75 a barrel as tension mounts
The Manila Bulletin Online
2006/4/23
Oil prices vaulted to a new peak over $ 75 a barrel on Friday as
investment funds snapped up crude futures and tension mounted over
Iran’s nuclear intentions. ...
Hamas says a new era in relations with Syria has begun and Israel
threatens to assassinate a newly appointed Palestinian official
Al-Manar TV 2006/4/22
In the latest move against the palestinian Hamas-led government,
France refused to give an entry visa to the Palestinian planning
minister Samir Abu Eisheh to attend a Paris conference on
European-Arab dialogue. The foreign minister said this was because of
an EU suspension of political level contacts with Hamas also boycotted
by the US for refusing to recognize Israel and halting the resistance.
...
King
Affirms on Jordanian Iraqi Deep Relations
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/22
King Abdullah II affirmed that Jordan and Iraq are historically
enjoying friendly and close relations and the families that have roots
in Iraq or vise versa are factors that foster the strength of
Jordanian Iraqi relations. In an interview with
Editor-in-Chief of Al Sabah Al Jadid Newspaper Ismail Al Zayer on
Saturday, His Majesty said the Jordanians and Arab brothers are pained
by the blood that is being shed and by what they see happening in
Iraq, a country that has enriched humanity with its ancient
civilization, stressing that Jordan is using all available means to
help Iraq overcome this situation. ...
Lebanon's Geagea calls Lahoud 'mine planted by Syria'
YaLibnan 2006/4/22
Beirut- Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea, speaking Saturday on the
occasion of his arrest 12 years ago, called President Emile Lahoud a
"mine" that was planted by Syria and this mine should be defused. ...
Between Iraq and Israel, Jordan sees clouds with no silver lining
The Daily Star 2006/4/22
...Jordanian resilience...should not be
underestimated. Jordanian staying power still rests on three main
pillars: the cohesion and determination of its political elite; the
strength and effectiveness of the country's armed forces and security
establishment; and the value of the kingdom's geopolitical centrality,
due to which many powers, in the region and outside, continue to
support the Hashemite regime politically, strategically and
economically as an essential link in the chain of broader regional
security. ...
contributed by J Greco
King
Receives Iraqi Religious and Political Leaders
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/21
...Jordan will resume consultations with Iraqi political and
religious leaders to hold the Iraqi Islamic Reconciliation conference
(IIRC) soon to reach a common ground that could help establishing
peace and security and ending tension in the country, King Abdullah
said on Friday during a lunch banquet in honor of Iraqi political,
religious and tribal leaders and media persons. ...
contributed by J Greco
Abbas
in Jordan for Talks on PA Relations
Arutz Sheva 2006/4/21
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was set to meet with
Jordanian officials to discuss current relations between the Hashemite
Kingdom and the PA. Abbas headed for Jordan in an effort
to allay diplomatic tensions after a secret Hamas arms cache was
discovered there. ...
US Ultimatum in Secret Talks with
Iran: Give Up Nuclear Weapon Goal or Face an Arab Race for an N-Bomb
Debka-Net-Weekly 2006/4/21
...The Iranian side was thus confronted with the daunting
prospect of a Middle East arms race being triggered by its
nuclear weapons aspirations and branching out from the
Iran-US, Iran-Israel tracks to co-opt Arab players. ...
The UN
versus Hezbollah
Haaretz 2006/4/21
Six years minus one month after the Israel Defense
Forces completed its withdrawal from southern Lebanon and the UN drew
the "blue line" as the Israeli-Lebanese border, UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan this week took the next required step. Annan called on the
Lebanese government to implement previous decisions and disarm
Hezbollah - an armed militia in the guise of a political and social
movement. Annan also demanded completing the implementation of the
Security Council resolutions to end the Syrian presence and influence
in Lebanon. ...
LIBYA : Qadhafi invites Christians, Jews to Mecca
Africa News Dimension
2006/4/21
Chirac urges Syria to stop interfering in Lebanon
YaLibnan 2006/4/21
"France has nothing against Syria, but it simply wants Syria to cease
any form of interference in Lebanon. It's unacceptable," he said at a
joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak in
Cairo Wednesday. ...
TA Attack Orders
Came From Damascus
Arutz Sheva 2006/4/21
...Olmert told Friday’s meeting in Jerusalem that “Orders to carry out
the last attack at the old central bus station in Tel Aviv came out of
Damascus, and a report on the execution was sent back to Damascus.”
...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Israel Threatens to Retake Gaza Strip
ABC News 2006/4/21
In a growing barrage of Israeli pressure against Hamas, a senior
military commander said Israel is actively preparing to reoccupy the
Gaza Strip and a powerful lawmaker said the entire Palestinian Cabinet
could be targeted for assassination after the appointment of a wanted
militant to head a new security force. ...
U.S. blames Damascus, Tehran for Beirut's woes
The Daily Star 2006/4/21
State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said Thursday that
Syria and Iran pose a big problem to Lebanon and are not averse to
interfering in the country's affairs. Speaking during an
interview with LBC Thursday, Ereli said: "Syria poses a big problem to
Lebanon," adding that "Iran and Syria both have a common interest in
interfering with Lebanon's affairs." "Syria is trying to
determine what happens in Lebanon and intimidating Lebanese
politicians," he said. He added that the "Shebaa Farms are being
used to keep the situation in Lebanon unsettled."
Commenting on Hizbullah's weapons, he said: "You cannot have democracy
and a mafia; that is why you need to disarm all mafias." ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
U.N.'s Annan Calls on Syria, Iran To End Hizballah Support
USINFO.STATE.GOV 2006/4/21
United Nations – Secretary-General Kofi Annan again has called on
Syria and Iran to stop interfering in Lebanon. In a
written report to the Security Council April 18, Annan also repeated
"with urgency" that Security Council call on Syria to take measures to
stop the illegal movement of weapons and people into Lebanon. ...
The “Great
Kurdistan” threat
Uruknet 2006/4/20
Numbering 30 millions, Kurds are distributed over four countries,
Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria. In Iraq, Massud Bargain and Jalal
Talabani are said to be in a position to declare the independence of
Kurdistan. The map of the new State as submitted last July to the
"National Assembly" comprises territories over which the Kurds cannot
have any claim…but which are oil-soaked. No doubt that such a "Great
Kurdistan" if unilaterally founded would generate a string of
conflicts which will destabilize the whole of the Middle East. ...
Jordan's rising Islamists demand more of a say in governance
The Daily Star 2006/4/20
...The government ...called for
pre-emptive war on militant forms of Islamism, which the IAF and
Muslim Brotherhood feared might be used against them. In January 2006,
the government charged IAF leader Jamil Abu Bakr with "harming the
dignity of the state." The charges stemmed from articles on the IAF
Web site that criticized the government's tendency to appoint
officials thanks mainly to their connections rather than based on
expertise or parliamentary consultations. The charges were dropped the
following month, but the sense of harassment remained.
Arab Worries of a Rising Iran
Council On Foreign Relations 2006/4/20
...King Abdullah II of Jordan has famously warned of a "Shiite
crescent" spanning Iran, Iraq, and Lebanon that could someday engulf
its Sunni Arab neighbors. Arab leaders bristle at the thought of U.S.
and Iranian diplomats meeting behind their backs to discuss Iraq's
future. ...
Iraq Shias move to end deadlock over PM
Financial Times (FT.com)
2006/4/20
Iraqi prime minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari on Thursday opened the
way to the formation of a new government by agreeing to let his Shia
allies reconsider his candidacy. ...As
late as Wednesday, Mr Jaafari - who won the nomination by a single
vote in February - had insisted that he would remain in his post
despite the growing calls for him to step down not just from from
Kurds and Sunnis but also secularists, and even some fellow UIA
members. ...
IIRC
Postponed Upon Request from Iraqi President
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/20
contributed by J Greco
Lebanon president rejects call to disband Hizbollah
Reuters 2006/4/20
Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, an ally of Syria, dismissed on
Thursday a U.N. suggestion that Hizbollah guerrillas merge into the
army as a ploy to weaken Lebanon against its enemy Israel. ...
Ljbc.net 2006/4/20
Times of Oman 2006/4/20
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Middle East Times 2006/4/20
...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Erdogan tied to Islamic forces
The Washington Times 2006/4/20
Mr. Sezer's latest broadside was a statement to the War Academy that
"religious fundamentalism has reached dramatic proportions." Islamic
fundamentalism "is trying to infiltrate politics, education and the
state, it is systematically eroding values," Mr. Sezer said.
"Religious people also have a right to politics. ... If you want to
keep the faithful out of politics, the people will never forgive you,"
Mr. Erdogan said in response. "Anti-secular forces are
threatening Turkey and its institutions," headlined the
mass-circulation Istanbul daily Cumhuriyet. ...
Mideast
'axis' forms against West
Christian Science Monitor 2006/4/20
...The alliance, which is ad hoc and tactical
rather than a formalized strategic pact, includes Syria and groups
such as Lebanon's Hizbullah, the Iran-backed militant Shiite
organization, radical Palestinian organizations such as Islamic Jihad
and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command
as well as some Iraqi allies. So far the strategy appears
to be working in their favor ...
Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts continues to build on the pillars of
success
AME Info
2006/4/20
...The Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea Jordan, one of four superior
hotels managed in the Hashemite Kingdom by MH&R, embarked on an
ambitious project to enhance its leisure facilities last summer. The
first phase comprised of the upgraded beach and a theatrical infinity
pool overlooking the Dead Sea are already operating with the further
amenities scheduled for completion this summer. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
U.S. ambassador commends King's efforts to unite
Iraqi rank
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/19
U.S. Ambassador in Amman David Hale
paid tribute to His Majesty King Abdullah II TO unite the Iraqi people
with the aim of building a secure, stable and prosperous country.
Jordan has become a leading country at the international and
regional levels in its drive to restore stability to Iraq,
said Hale who lecturing on the U.S.-Jordanian relations at the
International Affairs Council on Wednesday. ...
UN's
Annan: Lebanon must set its final borders with Syria
Haaretz 2006/4/19
UNITED NATIONS - Lebanon must set its borders with Syria and establish
full diplomatic relations with its neighbor before it can be master of
its own nation, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said. In a
UN report obtained by Reuters late on Tuesday, Annan said that in
turn, Syria should take up Beirut's offer of establishing diplomatic
relations as well as demarcating the entire 250 km boundary between
the two countries. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Lebanon's
Hizbollah dismisses UN demand to disarm
Scotsman.com 2006/4/19
Lebanon's Hizbollah dismissed on Wednesday a new United Nations report
asking Lebanon to disarm the guerrilla group and set its borders with
Syria as pandering to Israeli demands. The report,
obtained by Reuters on Tuesday and prepared by U.N. envoy Terje Roed-Larsen,
was in response to Security Council resolution 1559, which demands
foreign troops leave Lebanon and all militias in the country disband.
...
Hamas:
Jordanian Accusations Completely Contradict Our Policy
Jordan Postpones ‘Until Further Notice” Al-Zahhar’s Visit
Palestine Media Center 2006/4/19
...Judeh told the official news agency Petra that, “rocket
launchers, explosives and automatic weapons” had been seized recently
by Jordanian security forces from a Hamas arms cache they discovered
on Jordanian soil. Jordan said the discovery was a serious
breach of pledges by the Hamas-led Palestinian government not to
meddle in Jordan's internal affairs. “These
activities contradict the positive commitments by the new Palestinian
government not to use the Jordanian arena for any purposes that harm
Jordan's security or for meddling in its internal affairs,” Judeh was
quoted as saying. Judeh said a planned visit by Al-Zahhar
was cancelled until “further notice in light of the latest
developments and the seizure of weapons.” This was
proof the Hamas movement was using double language in its dealings
with Jordan, Judeh added. The discovery of the weapons is “proof
that the Hamas movement uses different double language in its behavior
with Jordan,” Petra cited Judeh as saying. ...
contributed by J
Greco
Syria and CIA's little secret
The Washington Times 2006/4/19
...After September 11, the CIA had praised Syria for its help
in the war on terror. There is some indication, however, that Syria
conned CIA into thinking it was sincere on the war on terror by
purposely training al Qaeda members only to turn them over to the
United States. Nevertheless, the CIA jealously covets its
direct ties through the Syrian intelligence service that may reach to
Bashar Assad's brother Maher who regards Bashar as weak. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Wurmser knew
uruknet.info 2006/4/18
'The residual unity of [Iraq] is an illusion projected by the extreme
repression of the state.’ After Saddam, Iraq will 'be ripped apart by
the politics of warlords, tribes, clans, sects, and key families,’ he
wrote. 'Underneath facades of unity enforced by state repression,
[Iraq’s] politics is defined primarily by tribalism, sectarianism, and
gang/clan-like competition.’ Yet Wurmser explicitly urged the United
States and Israel to 'expedite’ such a collapse. 'The issue here
is whether the West and Israel can construct a strategy for limiting
and expediting the chaotic collapse that will ensue in order to move
on to the task of creating a better circumstance.’ Later, with former
cia director James Woolsey and others, Wurmser proposed
restoring the Jordan-based Hashemite monarchy in Iraq.
...
Real bad news in Afghanistan
Taliban regains control of much of country, Pakistan
WorldNetDaily.com
2006/4/18
While the Bush administration is on the defensive for its conduct of
the war in Iraq, the real setback in the U.S. war effort is coming in
Afghanistan where the Taliban is alive, well and thriving throughout
the countryside and even in much of neighboring Pakistan ...
Israel´s UN
Ambassador: "Declarations of War" by PA, Syria and Iran
Arutz Sheva 2006/4/18
Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations told a Security
Council session on Monday that actions by the Palestinian Authority,
Syria and Iran constitute "declarations of war". Dan Gillerman
cited Syria and Iran's financing of terror groups Hamas and Hezbollah,
comments from Hamas leaders based in Syria and the PA, and the call by
Iran's President to wipe Israel off the map as proof of their
intentions to take their words to the battlefield. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
SYRIA: EX-DEPUTY PRESIDENT, MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD IN ANTI-ASSAD APPEAL
Adnkronos International 2006/4/18
Syria's exiled former deputy president Abd al-Halim Khaddam in
a letter signed together with the leader of the Syrian Muslim
Brotherhood - the first such joint appeal - has called on Syrians to
stand up to the government of president Bashar al-Assad. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Regent
Receives U.S. Delegation
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/18
...Prince Faisal briefed the delegation,
which comprises members of U.S. Congress, on the efforts His Majesty
King Abdullah II exerts to achieve peace and
security in the Middle East.
Qatar pledges $50 million for Palestinian Authority
The Daily Star 2006/4/18
Qatar said on Monday it would give $50
million in aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) despite calls from
Washington and the European Union to halt funding unless the Hamas-led
government recognizes Israel. The Gulf Arab state said the aid
decision "stems from Qatar's support for the Palestinian people." ...
Ruined Treasures in Babylon Await an Iraq Without Fighting
The New York Times 2006/4/18
...Iraqi leaders and United Nations officials are not giving up on it.
They are working assiduously to restore Babylon, home to one of the
Seven Wonders of the World, and turn it into a cultural center and
possibly even an Iraqi theme park. No one is saying this
is going to happen anytime soon, but what makes the project even
conceivable is that the area around Babylon is one of the safest in
Iraq, a beacon of civilization, once again, in a land of chaos. ...
contributed by J
Greco
Terrorists recruiting 'white Muslims'
SeattlePI.com 2006/4/17
...What they planned, investigators believe, was to blow up a European
embassy. But compounding their concern, they say, was the ringleader's
background: Maximus turned out to be Mirsad Bektasevic, a 19-year-old
Swedish citizen of Serbian origin with ties to a senior al-Qaida
operative. ...
Attack
on Tel Aviv Part of International Terror War on Israel
Arutz Sheva 2006/4/17
A suicide blast in Tel Aviv that killed at least 9 Israelis and
wounded over 60 others is not an isolated PA terror incident, but
rather part of a larger-scale war against Israel organized by Iran.
According to WorldNetDaily’s Jerusalem Bureau Chief Aaron Klein, Iran
is bankrolling and providing additional support for operatives of
multiple terror networks to carry out attacks on the Jewish State.
“Iran is the paymaster for Hamas, as well as for Islamic Jihad and Al
Aksa Martyr’s Brigades,” Klein stated in an interview with
IsraelNationalRadio’s Yishai Fleisher and Alex Traiman. ...
Syrian
official: Syria will regain every inch of the Golan Heights
Haaretz 2006/4/17
QUNEITRA - Syria will regain every inch of the Golan Heights, a Syrian
official said Monday as thousands of people rallied against Israel's
occupation in a war-wrecked town at the foot of the plateau.
"Zionist occupiers, leave now," said a protest banner, referring to
the Israel Defense Forces troops and Israeli residents who have been
on the Golan Heights since it was captured in the 1967 Arab-Israeli
war. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Syria Pledges to Restore the Occupied Golan
Syrian Arab News Agency 2006/4/17
Syria undertook today to restore the occupied Golan saying the
independence, which was made by our people due to sacrifices and
heroism, is now unaccomplished and our happiness is not complete. “
This will never be realized while the occupied Golan is under the
occupation and since his folks want to go back to their houses and
home as well as to their ancestors land … It is a legitimate right
that should be made real by all available means,” Assistant Regional
Secretary of the Baath Arab Socialist Party Mohammed Said Bkhetan said
in a ceremoney on the national day representing President Bashar al-Assad.
...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
The Media Line 2006/4/17
Iran and Syria are the first Muslim countries to accept the
Palestinian plea for financial aid following the United States and
European cessation of their non-humanitarian aid to the Palestinian
Authority (P.A.). ...During the conference, Hamas leader Khalid
Mash'al declared that "the Palestinians will never recognize Israel,"
adding that there was no point in initiating talks with Israelis. ...
Middle East Times 2006/4/17JERUSALEM -- Thousands of Christians
from around the world attended church services in Jerusalem on Easter
Sunday, in the busiest Easter weekend since the start of the
Palestinian uprising five years ago. ...
The Dangers - Then and
Now - of a Pre-Emptive Strike
History News Network 2006/4/17
Reports that Pentagon officials are actively
discussing plans for using nuclear weapons to prevent Iran from
building its own A-bomb reveal that President Bush is falling victim
to the same lack of imagination that led John F. Kennedy to think he
could attack China to keep it from getting the bomb without igniting a
major war. ...if the United States were to enlist Israel's
considerable expertise and knowledge of Iran to assist in an attack,
the consequences would multiply exponentially. Just imagine: Two
nations already suspected in the Middle East of collusion against the
Arab world actually be joining forces to attack a Muslim nation in the
first use of nuclear weapons since World War II. ...
Pope pleads for peaceful end to nuclear stand-off
Irish
Examiner.com 2006/4/17
POPE BENEDICT XVI yesterday urged the use of diplomacy to defuse
nuclear crises, in a clear reference to worries over Iran, and prayed
that Palestinians would have their own state alongside that of Israel.
...
Joel 3:2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring
them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with
them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom
they have scattered among the nations, and parted my
land.
Secular Iraqis Propose Emergency Government
LA Times 2006/4/17
Iraqi leaders worked Saturday to resolve their impasse over who will
rule the country, with a secular coalition proposing an emergency
government that would supersede election results and Shiite clerics
conferring on how best to preserve their sect's newfound power. ...
A Doomsday Scenario
FrontPageMag.com 2006/4/17
On a clear spring day in Washington, televisions, radios and the
Internet explode with shocking news -- assassination attempts on world
leaders have taken place from Paris to Athens. In the span of only a
few hours, high-level Western politicians, corporate executives and
military personnel are kidnapped or simply disappear. Throughout the
U.S., Europe and the Middle East, bomb blasts in major cities and
random acts of violence by armed gangs are reported. Unexplained
illnesses in schools, businesses and public transportation centers
leave thousands of people literally “falling down” sick.
Severe atmospheric disturbances ...
King, Queen in
UK
The Jordan Times 2006/4/17
King Abdullah and Queen Rania on Sunday left for
the United Kingdom on a three-day visit ...
Qatar
commends economic transformation process in Jordan
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/16
Qatar paid tribute to Jordan's economic
policies that have made Jordan a hub for foreign investors and boosted
trust in the country's economy. Chairman of Qatar's
Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mohammad al-Man'e said economic
transformation, which included updated legislation and a highly
developed service projects has attracted more foreign investment to
the country. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
Jordanian
company purchase government share in Yugoslavian Sugar processing
plant
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/16
A Jordanian investment firm has purchased
all of the Serbian (former Yugoslavia) government 25 per cent share of
the biggest sugar production plant in Serbia and Mount Negro, a deal
that makes the plant completely owned by the company. Al Masri Group
for Investment (MGI) bought the 75 per cent share in 2002. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
King
congratulates President of Zimbabwe
Jordan News Agency
2006/4/16
King Abdullah II sent on Sunday a cable to
President of the Republic Of Zimbabwe Robert G. Mugabe
Congratulating him in His name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in
my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall
come
"in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.
King
congratulates President al-Assad
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/16
King Abdullah II sent on Sunday a cable to
President of the Republic Of Syria Bashar al-Assad
Congratulating him in His name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in
my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall
come
"in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.
King visits Circassian charitable society
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/16
...King Abdullah II on Sunday paid tribute to remarkable contribution
of the Circassian and Chechnya community in Jordan to back development
efforts in the Kingdom. During a visit to the Circassian Charitable
Society where he met notables and public figures representing the
Circassian and Chechnya tribes, King Abdullah looked into programs and
activities being carried out by the society, the first charitable
organization to be established in Jordan in 1932.
King meets
Board of Trustees of HFBD
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/16
..."It's important to set up criterions that are applicable for
measurement, evaluation and reviewing for all projects," King Abdullah
said, adding these projects should have positive impacts on the
citizens. ...King Abdullah called for conducting a study
to allocate agricultural land in the Badia in the name of HFBD to
establish generating income projects under the supervision of the
Fund. "The government will implement King's directives and
put Badia citizens' demands at its forefront priorities," Bakhit said.
...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
Announcement of the Bureau of the Royal
Household Concerning the Royal Visit of HRH Princess Maha Chakri
Sirindhorn to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan
Thais News 2006/4/16
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will pay a Royal
Visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan at the invitation of Their
Majesties the King and Queen of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan from
the 17th to the 22nd of April 2006. During this trip, Her
Royal Highness will be received in audience by Their Majesties the
King and Queen of the Hashmite Kingdom of Jordan who will graciously
host a dinner in honour of Her Royal Highness on the 18th of April
2006....
Now it appears that
King Abdullah II can be in two Kingdoms at once. Isn't he
amazing! How does he do that? See above Jordan Times
article.
Tensions rise in Iran stand-off after US invasion plans revealed
The Post.IE 2006/4/16
...in early winter, the Pentagon presented
the White House with an attack plan against Iran. According to Hersh,
the Pentagon’s plan depends heavily on the use of bunker-buster
nuclear bombs against Iran’s underground nuclear facilities.
Son of Jordan's American-born Queen Noor marries Saudi woman
Pravda 2006/4/16
Prince Hashim, the half-brother of Jordan's King Abdullah II, married
a Saudi woman, the official Petra news agency reported. ...Hashim, 25,
is the son of the late King Hussein and American-born Lisa Halaby, who
took the name of Queen Noor when she converted to Islam upon her
marriage on June 15, 1978. Hussein died of cancer in February 1999.
...
Iran
Threatens to Destroy Israel, Elected to UN Commission
Arutz Sheva 2006/4/15
...Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reiterated Iran's goal
of "wiping Israel off the map." Speaking at a conference of
visiting heads of Arab terrorist groups operating in areas under
Palestinian Authority control, Ahmadinejad said, "Whether you like it
or not, the Zionist regime is on the road to being eliminated." ...Ahmadinejad
announced last Tuesday that Iran had successfully enriched uranium in
order to produce nuclear fuel, in violation of a call by the UN
Security Council for Iran to end the project. The
day before, the UN's Disarmament Commission elected Iran's Mehdi
Danesh-Yazdi as one of its three vice-chairs. ...
OIC body calls to contain ‘Islamophobia’
Khaleej Times Online 2006-4-15
JEDDAH — ‘Islamophobia’
featured high on the agenda of the fourth conference of the
Parliamentary Union of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
that began in Istanbul on Wednesday.
Referring to the
recent cartoon crisis triggered by the publication in European
newspapers, OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, urged Muslim
countries to increase their efforts to contain the rise of
‘Islamophobia’ in Europe, according to information made available to
Arab News here on Thursday. ...
Policy Watch: Putin and Castro
MENAfn.com 2006/4/15
At a time when Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to be cozying
up to anti-American rulers such as Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Iran, Bashar
Assad in Syria, and Hugo Chavez in Venezuela, it is highly remarkable
that he does not have close relations with Cuba's Fidel Castro who
remains as anti-American as ever. If anything, Russian-Cuban relations
have gotten worse since Putin came to power at the end of 1999. Why is
this? ...
Hezbollah leader: 'There will be no return to civil war'
YaLibnan 2006/4/15
..."America's real plan is to fuel a civil war, while the national
plan is for all Lebanese to live in peace with one another," Hassan
Nasrallah said Saturday. "There will be no return to civil war. All
the political powers as well as the media must work to reduce
religious tensions and make everyone understand that they will not
allow Lebanon to be destroyed again." ...Nasrallah, who met on
Thursday with the former president of Iran, Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani
in Damascus was given a good advice by Rafsanjan : Don’t let your
disputes transform Lebanon into a "battle field". ...
ZARQAWI,
AL-QAIDA ARE HEADING OUT
Free Market News Network
2006/4/14
Al-Qaida in Iraq and its presumed leader,
Abu Musab Zarqawi, have conceded strategic defeat and are on their way
out of the country, a top U.S. military official contended yesterday.
The group's failure to disrupt national elections and a constitutional
referendum last year "was a tactical admission by Zarqawi that their
strategy had failed," said Lt. Gen. John R. Vines, who commands the
XVIII Airborne Corps. ...
King
Abdullah follows up on Rweished development projects
The Jordan Times 2006/4/14
Dead
Sea tourism hit by fears of nearing ecological disaster
Haaretz 2006/4/14
...a new hole half-a-meter across and at least 20 meters deep.
Geologists agree that the reason accounting for the appearance of the
sink holes is the drop in the Dead Sea level, combined with the flow
of fresh ground water that dissolves the salt in the soil. More than
1,000 holes have appeared since the phenomenon was first identified in
the mid-1990s. The Geological Survey of Israel has published a map of
risk areas for sink holes that includes the entire eastern coast of
the Dead Sea, from the Qalia beach to the Masada area and including
large parts of the road along the Dead Sea. The situation
is expected to worsen as the sea continues to sink. ...
Russia, China risk much by not cooperating on Iran
PensacolaNewsJournal.com
2006/4/14
...although Iran is Islamic and shares Arab antipathies to
Israel, it is not an Arab nation. Given its bellicosity and
ties to terrorism, it might welcome greater turmoil throughout
the Middle East. Iran might see that as a way of keeping the Arab
world off balance, leaving it -- outside of Israel -- the dominant
indigenous military power in the region. If Iran's
radicalism is further inflamed by a sense of religious mission in
striking at the "foes" of Islam, it will truly be a dangerous
situation for the world. ...Russia and China might find tactical
advantage in using Iran to complicate U.S. efforts in Iraq. But they
should understand just how much they risk in hampering international
efforts to contain Iran.
Iran rebuffs request by the UN nuclear agency
Pravda 2006/4/14
...Ahmadinejad said enrichment was a line in the sand from which the
Iranians would not retreat. ''We won't hold talks with anyone
about the right of the Iranian nation (to enrich uranium), and no one
has the right to retreat, even one iota," the president was
quoted as saying by Islamic Republic News Agency.
''Our answer to those who are angry about Iran achieving the full
nuclear fuel cycle is just one phrase. We say: 'Be angry at us and die
of this anger,' " Ahmadinejad said. ...
Saddam and Osama: The New Revelations
FrontPageMag.com 2006/4/14
...One IIS document, in particular, has received significant
attention. The document was apparently authored in early 1997 and
summarizes a number of contacts between Iraqi Intelligence and Saudi
oppositionist groups, including al Qaeda, during the mid 1990’s. The
document says that in early 1995 bin Laden requested Iraqi assistance
in two ways. First, bin Laden wanted Iraqi television to carry al
Qaeda’s anti-Saudi propaganda. Saddam agreed. Second, bin Laden
requested Iraqi assistance in performing “joint operations against the
foreign forces in the land of Hijaz.” That is, bin Laden wanted Iraq’s
assistance in attacking U.S. forces in Saudi Arabia. ...
King calls
for helping low- income citizens
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/13
His Majesty King Abdullah II called on the government to speed
up searching for effective ways to alleviate suffering of low- income
citizens. ...King Abdullah said that the government should accelerate
the Implementation of the housing project designed for low-income
citizens, calling for widening the umbrella of the project to cover
2,000 families. ...
King
Visits Rweished
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/13
His Majesty King Abdullah II visited on Thursday Rweished area
in northern Badia to inspect projects being implemented there, such as
the water- harvesting project. ...''Our priorities focus on
implementing projects and programs that improve the standard of
citizens' living,'' King Abdullah II said during the visit.
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
Jordanian Royals Forge SA Trade Links
South African WINE.co.za 2006/4/13
During a whirlwind, private visit to South Africa this week,
the royal family of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan spent a day at the
Hazendal wine estate in the Bottelary Hills. King Abdullah II, Queen
Rania and Prince Hussein enjoyed a leisurely day exploring the
historic Hazendal Wine estate, which dates back to 1699. ...Since
he came to the throne in 1999, King Abdullah II has been actively
promoting the need for private investment and solid private-public
partnerships as the only foundation for sustainable economic and
social development. In February 2001, he instated special bylaws in an
effort to transform the city of Aqaba into a Special Economic Zone.
This economic status is expected to foster investments to the value of
six billion dollars within the next 20 years and simultaneously create
over 70,000 new jobs. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
Pres. Assad congratulates Iran for joining world nuclear club
Islamic Republic News Agency 2006/4/13
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad congratulated the Iranian nation and
government on the occasion of IRI's joining of the world nuclear club
here Wednesday in a meeting with Chairman of Iran's Expediency Council
Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani. Hojatoleslam Rafsanjani who had
arrived in Damascus atop a political delegation on Wednesday morning
met and conferred with the Syrian leader in the afternoon.
According to IRNA correspondent in Damascus, President Assad added,
"The announcement of that good news was delighting for the Syrian
nation as it was for our brethren Iranian nation." ...The
Syrian leader added, "We hope to hold very positive and significant
rounds of talks on issues of mutual interest." Considering all
regional Islamic countries as "civilized and deep-rooted",
Assad reiterated, "The occupiers, particularly the Americans and
Israelis, have to leave this region one day, while the regional
countries would remain here constantly, and strongly."
...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Khaddam Offers to be Jumblatt's attorney
YaLibnan 2006/4/13
...Khaddam made his proposal during a telephone conversation with
Jumblatt, who answered that he had no objections. A Syrian
military court in Feb. issued a lawsuit against Jumblatt for "inciting
the U.S. administration to occupy Syria" as well as "defaming"
Damascus by blaming it for attacks on anti-Syrian figures. ...
Iran will 'not give in to pressure': Rafsanjani
IranMania.com 2006/4/13
Influential former Iranian president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani said
Tehran would not give in to UN pressures to halt its enrichment of
uranium, which he hailed as a great achievement, AFP reported.
"Iran will not give in to pressure," the powerful clergyman said at
the beginning of a four-day visit to close Iranian ally, Syria, the
official SANA news agency reported. ...
Al-Qaeda no. 2: We must eliminate Israel
YNetNews 2006/4/13
Al-Qaeda's deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahri
praised insurgents in Iraq – particularly Jordanian terrorist Abu
Musab al-Zarqawi - and called on all Muslims to support them in a
video posted Thursday on the internet. ...
Al-Qaeda no. 2 urges Hamas to fight on
YNetNews 2006/4/13
In video footage broadcast on Al-Jazeera,
Ayman al-Zawahiri calls on group to continue armed struggle, not to
accept 'surrender accords' between Israel, PA ...
King
visits Royal Air forces Headquarters
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/13
...King Abdullah II, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces on
Wednesday visited the Royal Air Forces Headquarters.
King Abdullah listened to a briefing by Royal Air Forces Commander on
tasks assigned to air force personnel and other training and
administrative issues. ...
Majali's
remarks at OIC parliament meeting
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/12
Speaker of the House of Deputies Abdel Salam al-Majali on Monday
called upon Islamic parliaments to back King Abdullah's call
to Iraqi religious leaders and top figures to convene in Amman later
this month to discuss means of ending the mounting tension in Iraq and
to come up with a united stand that could preserve Iraq's unity and
territorial integrity. In his remarks before the OIC
parliamentary meeting currently held in Istanbul, Majali urged
the parliamentarians to contribute to the success of the King's
initiative ...
Olmert: Convergence within 18 months
The Jerusalem Post 2006/4/12
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert says he intends to
finalize plans for a large pullout from parts of the West Bank within
the next 18 months. ..."The State of Israel will change the face of
the region," Olmert said of his plan. "I will not miss this
opportunity." Olmert rejected the possibility of sharing
control of Jerusalem and its main holy sites with a future Palestinian
state, though he left open the option that some Arab neighborhoods
surrounding the capital could eventually fall under Palestinian
sovereignty. "Dividing Jerusalem will not bring peace, only more
fighting," he said. ...
Latin Patriarch calls for Israel-Hamas dialogue
The Jerusalem Post 2006/4/12
Israel should initiate diplomatic relations with
Hamas without preconditions, said Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah during
his Easter message Tuesday. "Dialogue is the only way to
go if Israel wants peace and security and wants to put an end to the
never-ending tragedy of the Palestinian and Israeli peoples," said
Sabbah ...
The Royal Film Commission
(RFC) announces its participation in the e-Village Project at Mleih
and Lib
AME Info 2006/4/12
...The e-Village Project is a multi-stakeholder partnership that
aims to establish a vibrant and economically independent rural
community where information and communications technology is deployed
to achieve a better quality of life for all its citizens,
particularly women and girls. The project is implemented by the Arab
States Regional Office of the United Nations Development Fund for
Women (UNIFEM) as part of their partnerships with the Government of
Jordan and the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology (MoICT).
...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
Middle Eat Times 2006/4/12
Israel reacts to perceived Iran 'nuke plan'
Middle East Times 2006/4/12
JERUSALEM -- Shortly after Iran said that it managed to enrich
uranium, Israel called for "a broad and determined international
coalition" to stop Tehran's nuclear project. ...Military action "could
last days, possibly weeks and needs a logistic backup accompanied by a
prolonged diplomatic activity. It is going to be a campaign ... [and
in it] we will have a weighty respectable role that would accompany
the diplomatic moves," Ben-Eliyahu said. The 1981 bombing
of Iraq's nuclear reactor was an Israel-only operation and lasted a
few minutes but the Iranian case will be different, he added. "We need
very thorough preparations ... So we wait another week, prepare a
better plan. It's better to reduce the risks," he said.
DEBKAfile:
Iran’s ex-president Hashemi Rafsanjani in Damascus to redouble
pressure on Washington
DEBKAfile
2006/4/12
...They describe Tehran’s motives as being to try and put the
Americans on the spot of having to appeal to its clerical leaders for
a key to a political solution and calm in Iraq. Israel is to be taught
a lesson by being shown forcefully who controls Hizballah’s terrorist
campaign and apprised of Tehran’s deepening grip on the Palestinians.
Iran seeks to drive home its ability to open yet another front against
Israel. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Saudis Plan Longest Wall
in the World
The New York Sun 2006/4/11
Saudi Arabia intends to try to isolate itself from Al Qaeda terrorists
based in Iraq by building a "security fence" along the 560-mile border
it shares with its troubled neighbor, the London Times reported.
The purpose of the barrier, which would be the longest wall in the
world, was reported to be "an attempt to improve internal security and
bolster its defenses against external threats." ...
Democracy in the Arab World, a U.S. Goal, Falters
The New York Times 2006/4/11
...Analysts and officials say the political rise of Islamists, the
chaos in Iraq, the newfound Shiite power in Iraq with its implication
for growing Iranian influence, and the sense among some rulers that
they can wait out the end of the Bush administration have put the
brakes on democratization. "It feels like everything is
going back to the bad old days, as if we never went through any
changes at all," said Sulaiman al-Hattlan, editor in chief of Forbes
Arabia and a prominent Saudi columnist and advocate. "Everyone
is convinced now that there was no serious or genuine belief in change
from the governments. It was just a reaction to pressure by the
international media and the U.S." ...In Jordan, where King Abdullah II
has made political change and democratization mandates, proponents see
their hand weakened, with a document advocating change put on the back
burner. Parliamentary elections in Qatar were postponed again,
to 2007, while advocacy groups say that laws regulating the emergence
of nongovernmental organizations have stymied their development. ...
Israel calls on world to stop Iran
World Peace Herald 2006/4/11
JERUSALEM -- Shortly after Iran said it managed to enrich uranium,
Israel called for "a broad and determined international coalition" to
stop Teheran's nuclear project. The Israeli call followed
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's report that on Sunday Iran
produced enriched uranium with the purity needed for a nuclear power
station. ...
ICCI
President Highlights King's Efforts in Achieving Investment
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/11
President of the Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI)
Sheikh Saleh Kamel hailed efforts being exerted by His Majesty
King Abdullah II to achieve comprehensive economic development
and increase Arab, Islamic and foreign investments in the Kingdom. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
King
Patronizes Celebration on the Occasion of Prophet Muhammad's Birthday
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/11
His Majesty King Abdullah II patronized on
Tuesday a ceremony on the occasion of Prophet Muhammad's Birthday.
The ceremony was held at Late King Hussein bin Talal Mosque,
which was opened by King Abdullah II today. The
King joined worshippers in performing the noon prayers at the
Mosque, which is the largest in the Kingdom.
The Mosque, located near Al Hussein Park, was established by a
donation from His Majesty King II. ...He also
that Amman Message, which was launched by the King, aims at
clarifying the true image of Islam, pointing to the Hashemite family's
role in rebuilding mosques and renovating religious
sits in the Kingdom. ...
Perhaps the King
should spend some of our US dollars to tutor their news press in
spelling, English grammar, composition, and ...oh yes...proof reading.
Israeli Army
storms the headquarters of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem
International Middle East Media Center
2006/4/11
...The soldiers targeted archbishop Atallah Hanna's house, and
delivered a military notice from the Intelligence Bureau, ordering
Hanna to report to Al-Maskobiya detention center west of the city for
interrogation. ...
Iran priming Hezbollah for war with U.S., Israel?
WorldNetDaily 2006/4/11
Iran is attempting to draw Lebanon into a conflict with the U.S. and
Israel and is priming the Hezbollah militia to assault the Jewish
state in the event of an attack against Iran's nuclear facilities,
Lebanon's Druze leader Walid Jumblatt said in an interview...."Lebanon
is being used by the Iranians as a front which could be used if the
Americans retaliate against Iran's nuclear facilities. Lebanon is now
entangled in a greater axis. It is no longer independent," said
Jumblatt ...
Assad back to square one in cooperation
YaLibnon 2006/4/11
...Damascus has returned to square one on cooperation with the UN and
with the Lebanese. Even those political observers that
felt Detlev Mehlis was tough on Syria ...when he accused them of lack
of cooperation...are now of the opinion that Syria can no longer hide
the fact that they are behind the murder of Hariri and that is why the
leadership there is extremely nervous about meeting with Brammertz or
any senior investigators. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
America Asia Petroleum Applies for Development Grant in Jordan
PRNewswire 2006/4/11
America Asia Petroleum (OTC Pink Sheets: AAPM), announced today that
it has been requested to give a proposal to the Country of Jordan for
a grant in the development of Jordan's oil shale resources.
The $310,000 technical assistance grant from the Ministry of Planning
and International Cooperation of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan will
be used to analyze current shale oil extraction and recovery processes
and technologies and to apply the best international expertise to the
development of the shale oil industry in Jordan. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
Next Year in West Jerusalem
Israel Hasbara Committee
2006/4/10
The pattern of media distortion and apathy of this Jewish generation,
who has adopted "peace at any price," is paving the way for the
abandonment of Jerusalem, the writer declares. Jerusalem,
which has been mentioned hundreds of times in the Jewish Bible [about
645 times] and not once in the Koran, may soon be thrown away
to appease Arafat's heirs in Hamastan. The successive stages of the
absurd "peace processes," beginning with the Madrid Conference, then
Oslo, then Barak's concessions, accompanied by Arab terror, have eaten
away at the sap of the Israelis' resolve. Little by little they
relinquished portions of Judea and Samaria, in Jericho, Hebron, and
more. Now, Olmert is planning to uproot 70,000 to 80,000 Jewish
residents and give up what is left, for nothing. These insane
concessions, urged on by American administrations, the European Union,
and the United Nations, are now threatening to divide Jerusalem and
establish an Arab capital at the gates of the City, giving up the
Temple Mount, which is the holiest Jewish site. ...
Joel 3:2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring
them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with
them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom
they have scattered among the nations, and parted my
land.
Hamas: Israel severing security ties with PA is 'declaration of war'
Haaretz 2006/4/10
The Palestinian leadership reacted furiously Monday to Israel's
decision to sever ties with the Palestinian government, with Hamas
calling the move "a declaration of war," and Palestinian Authority
Chairman Mahmoud Abbas accusing Israel of breaking international law.
Prime Minister-designate Ehud Olmert said Sunday that Israel would end
relations with the PA, which it now viewed as a "hostile" entity, and
would act to prevent Hamas from becoming an established government.
...
Jordan
calls for end of violence in Iraq and resumption mideast negotiations
Bahrain News Agency 2006/4/10
Jordanian government's official spokesman,
Nasser Juda, said contacts WERE still on to push for holding the
Conference on Iraqi Religious Leaders, called for by Jordanian Monarch
King Abdullah II, asserting that the Jordanian attitude champions a
political solution to the current sectarian violence. ...
Jordanian
Monarch calls for joint Islamic action
Bahrain News Agency 2006/4/10
During a meeting in Amman, today, with Chairman of OIC 57-member
Islamic Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Shaikh Salah Kamil, the
Jordanian Monarch stressed the need to eliminate the setbacks impeding
commercial and investment activities between Islamic countries,
asserting that Jordan, with its strategic geographical location in the
centre of the Islamic world, can play an effective role in this
respect. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
Our World: The Jordanian option
The Jerusalem Post 2006/4/10
...there is little reason to think that a
confederative or federative arrangement that would place Jordan in
charge of the Palestinians in Judea and Samaria would necessitate any
limitation on the right of Israel to remain responsible for the
Israelis who live in the areas. Clear and straightforward
arrangements regarding citizenship and security responsibilities for
both the Palestinians and the Israelis can be reached with little more
than a handshake given the depth of both Israel and Jordan's shared
interests. ...
Jumblatt scoffs at subpoena, threatens to 'sue all of Syria'
The Daily Star 2006/4/10
BEIRUT: Progressive Socialist Party leader Walid Jumblatt fired back
at Damascus Sunday, vowing to "sue all of Syria." The Syrian penal
tribunal that issued subpoenas against him announced on Saturday that
lawyers from five different Arab countries are prepared to take part
in the trial against Jumblatt, Telecommunications Minister Marwan
Hamade and Journalist Fares Khashan. ...
Sunnis reaffirm opposition
to prime minister
MSNBC 2006/4/10
BAGHDAD, Iraq - Shiite politicians failed Monday to persuade Sunni
Arabs and Kurds to soften their opposition to a second term for Prime
Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari, leaving the Shiites with little choice
but to replace him if they want to break the deadlock on a new
government. ...
Jordan is preparing to host Iraqi Islamic
reconciliation conference
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/10
...The IIRC is expected to be held in Amman under the patronage of
His Majesty King Abdullah in cooperation of the Al al Bayt Foundation
for Islamic Thought and the Arab League with participation of key
Iraqi religious clerics representing Sunnis, Shi'is and Kurds in Iraq.
contributed by J Greco
Syrian court charges ex-vice-president Khaddam with plotting to
overthrow government
Chron.com 2006/4/9
DAMASCUS, Syria — A military court has charged a former vice
president who defected last year with inciting a foreign attack
against Syria and plotting to take power, an official close to the
court told The Associated Press today. ...
Democracy in the Arab World, a U.S. Goal, Falters
The New York Times 2006/4/9
Steps toward democracy in the Arab world, a crucial American goal that
just months ago was cause for optimism — with elections held in Iraq,
Egypt and the Palestinian areas — are slowing, blocked by legal
maneuvers and official changes of heart throughout the Middle East.
Analysts and officials say the political rise of Islamists, the chaos
in Iraq, the newfound Shiite power in Iraq ...
King meets Ma'an dignitaries
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/9
...Addressing tribal leaders and notables from Ma'an at the
Royal Court, King Abdullah said "I can see that poverty and
unemployment form a big barrier to you and we have a strategy for
Ma'an and numerous ideas about specific projects."The government is
serious in improving your living conditions and we hope the people of
Ma'an will feel the change clearly on the ground through development
projects investors will be directed to launch in Ma'an," His
Majesty said. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
$5 billion urban regeneration project to be launched in Aqaba
Strategiy
2006/4/9
Under the Patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II, one
of the largest urban regeneration projects to be undertaken in the
history of Jordan and the region ...Crystallising the vision of
HM King Abdullah II, this partnership between Horizon and
ASEZA presents a strategic partnership between the public and private
sectors, to put into operation Aqaba's local urban regeneration. Its
vision is aligned with the overall development strategy and mission
that ASEZA is implementing in Aqaba, to enhance the community
quality of life through sustainable development in order to create a
globally competitive investor friendly environment that will act as
the catalyst for the overall economic growth of Jordan.
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
Kazakhstan Delegation Begins Visit to
Jordan
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/9
...Director General of the Jordan
Tourism Board (JTB) Mazin Humoud briefed the delegation ..."His
Majesty King Abdullah II visit to Kazakhstan and his meeting
with the Kazakhstan President Nour Sultan Nizar Baeive contributed to
promoting cultural, health, industrial and tourism relations
between the two countries," he said. ...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
Mubarak warns
Iraq war could spill over into entire Middle East if US withdraws its
troops.
DEBKAfile reveals
secret conference in Cairo
DEBKAfile
2006/4/8
... DEBKAfile’s Exclusive Sources reveal: Arab
intelligence chiefs conferred in Cairo urgently and secretly a few
hours earlier on ways to put a stop to Iran’s advancing takeover of
Iraq. Egyptian intelligence minister Gen. Omar Suleiman called
together colleagues of the key Middle East and Gulf Sunni regimes to
align positions on the US-Iranian talks opening in Baghdad on Iraq’s
future. They fear Tehran will make the running
because of the ground Washington lost when on April 4 US secretary of
state Condoleezza Rice and UK foreign secretary Jack Straw failed to
achieve a breakthrough in the stalled Iraqi talks on a national unity
government four months after Iraq’s general election.
...
This could very
well be the catalyst that brings to pass the prophecy of Revelation
6:2 ..."a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and
to conquer"... at a time somewhere shortly down the road, in order to
prevent what they now fear is beginning to happen regarding Iran's
"takeover of Iraq".
The Question of
Jerusalem
Oregon Magazine 2006/4/8
...From a racial standpoint, Jerusalem
is probably best described as "Semitic" in origin -- assuming the
Jebusites were from that human group. If that is the case, then since
both Arabs and Jews are Semitic peoples, it seems they have an equal
right to the town. But, from a religious standpoint, it is most
certainly the Jews, not the Moslems, who have the edge. Jerusalem was
theirs thousands of years before Islam was born.
Iraqi official:
'It's civil war'
ITV.com 2006/4/8
A senior official in the Iraqi
government has for the first time admitted the country is in a state
of civil war. ..."On a daily basis Shias, Sunnis, Kurds and Christians
are being killed and the only undeclared thing is that a civil war has
not been officially announced by the parties involved. Civil war is
happening but not on a wide scale." Mr Kamal's admission
mirrors the words of former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi who last
month said Iraq was in civil war. ...
Now more than
ever it seems to be the perfect time for King Abdullah II
of Jordan to step in and work his Peace magic.
A 5bln
development project to kick off in Aqaba
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/8
Under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II,
a memorandum of understanding was signed between Aqaba Special
Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) and Horizon Holding company for
Development to launch a five-billion dollar project in Aqaba, deemed
to be one of the biggest developmental project in the region.
...
? Daniel 8:25 And through his policy also he
shall cause craft to prosper in his hand
Assad won't see Siniora but Bush will!
YaLibnan 2006/4/7
US President George W. Bush has invited Prime Minister Fouad Siniora
to visit Washington in a show of U.S. support to the fledgling
Lebanese government that is seeking to liberate itself from Syrian
influence and implement a challenging economic reform program. ...
Egypt penetrates Israeli air space for first time since 1967 War
WorldTribune.com 2006/4/7
...The sources said over the last few months Egyptian military
helicopters have entered Israeli air space several times. They
said the Egyptian flights sparked an alert of the Israel Air Force,
which sent fighter-jets to intercept the Egyptian aircraft.
In one case, the sources said, an Egyptian military
French-origin Gazelle helicopter crossed the Israeli border and
appeared headed toward the nuclear reactor at Dimona. ...
A Palestinian al
Qaeda operative is captured in IDF raid of Hizme village northeast of
Jerusalem
DEBKAfile
2006/4/7
...DEBKAfile
adds: The Palestinian detained at Hizme is the second al Qaeda
operative Israeli security has detained, bound for attacks in Israel.
This week, Jordanian intelligence briefed Palestinian Authority
chairman Abu Mazen on the al Qaeda networks established in the Gaza
Strip and West Bank, which call themselves Salahedin’s Victory
Brigades. He was warned that they had taken to using Palestinian women
as couriers for moving instructions, weapons and explosives, a method
employed by Abu Musab al Zarqawi in Iraq. ...
Column One: The rise of the Islamist axis
The Jerusalem Post 2004/4/7
On Monday, Russia's Novaya Gazeta
newspaper reported that part of Ukraine's Soviet-era nuclear arsenal
may well have found its way to Iran. With the breakup of the Soviet
Union, the Ukrainians agreed to transfer the Soviet nuclear arsenal
that remained in Ukraine after its independence to Russia. According
to Novaya Gazeta, some 250 nuclear warheads never made it
to Russia and are thought to have been sent to Iran instead.
The report further noted that the warheads will remain operational
until 2010. ...
Israel Insider 2006/4/7
...Simply by making King Abdullah change the name of his Kingdom from
Jordan to Palestine, Mr. Bush will go a long way toward establishing
true peace in the Middle East -- peace based on historic truth,
justice, and God's will as stated in the Bible. ...
U.S. condemns issuance of warrants by Syria for Lebanese officials
Kuwait News Agency 2006/4/7
The United States condemns the reported issuance of warrants by a
Syrian military court for Lebanese Parliamentarian Walid Jumblatt,
Telecommunications Minister Marwan Hamadeh and journalist Fares Kashan
to appear for questioning in a case accusing them of "inciting the
U.S. administration to occupy Syria" and "defaming" Damascus, State
Department spokesman Sean McCormack said on Thursday. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
DEBKAfile
Reveals: A Saudi al Qaeda operative captured ten months ago is in an
Israeli jail. Saudis want him handed over
DEBKAfile
2006/4/6
Sources in Riyadh report the Saudis seek custody of Abdul
Rahman Al-Atwi, 36. If the handover takes place, it will be the first
time Israel has ever passed an Islamic terrorist to Saudi Arabia, a
country which has no diplomatic relations with the Jewish state.
DEBKAfile’s counter terror sources reveal how the
episode developed ...
Bakhit
Stresses Jordan's Support to Palestinians
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/6
Prime Minister Marouf Bakhit stressed that Jordan will remain
the closest to the Palestinians and their issue. ...''
We are one family and we have to preserve the security and stability
of Jordan,'' said the premier, noting that having a stable and
strong Jordan is very important to serving the Palestinian issue. ...
King
Receives RCP Fellowship Certificate
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/6
King Abdullah II received on Thursday President of the British Royal
College of Physicians (RCP) Professor Carol Black and the RCP
international director professor Roger Williams. During
the meeting, the King was awarded RCP's fellowship certificate
in recognition of His Majesty's efforts in supporting the medical
sector in Jordan. ...For his part, Professor Williams
presented a briefing on the College. He also praised the King's
efforts to establish peace and stability in the region.
The
New Hamas Government: Between Tactical Pragmatism and Al-Qaeda
Jihadism
Juseoscope 2006/4/6
The establishment of the first Palestinian Islamic
government constitutes the culmination of the “Green Revolution” that
Hamas has led in recent years in the Palestinian Authority. ...This
was the first time that the Muslim Brotherhood has used the
electoral process successfully to take virtually exclusive control of
an Arab regime in the very heart of the Arab world. ...Unlike
the Hashemite kingdom, which has not succeeded in creating a Jordanian
identity that unites Jordanians and Palestinians, the Muslim
Brotherhood offers an outlook that could unite Muslims under the flag
of Islam without regard to ethnic origin.
Pope will visit Israel, says Peres
ANSA.it 2006/4/6
Pope Benedict has said he will visit
Israel early in 2007, veteran Israeli politician Shimon Peres
said after a meeting with the pontiff on Thursday . ...
US says Iraqi militant behind kidnapping caught
The Washington Post 2006/4/6
Iraqi forces have captured the prime suspect in the kidnapping of
Italian journalist Guiliana Sgrena, the U.S. military said on Thursday
The statement said Muhammad al-Ubaydi, a former senior intelligence
official under Saddam Hussein with close ties to the al-Qaeda leader
in Iraq Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, was arrested on March 7. ...
Analysis: Summit may be Iraq's last chance for peace
World Peace Herald 2006/4/6
...The conference expects to build upon the International Islamic
Conference on "True Islam and its Role in Modern Society" hosted
by
King Abdullah in July 2005. ...The Amman Declaration recognized the
legitimacy of all eight of the traditional schools of Islamic
religious law (madhhabs): the Sunni, Shiite and Ibadi branches of
Islam, as well as traditional Asharite theology, Islamic mysticism
(Sufism) and moderate Salafi thought. The declaration
exposed the illegitimacy of the so-called fatwas justifying terrorism
as being outside of orthodox Islamic religious law and in clear
violation of Islam's core principles. This consensus was adopted by
the entire Islamic world at the Organization of the Islamic Conference
summit held in Mecca in December 2005. The forthcoming
conference will utilize the Mecca agreement on religious principles as
the doctrinal basis for the Iraqi Islamic Reconciliation Summit's
final declaration.
Peace-Making?
contribution and comments by Joseph Greco
12 Holy Land Christian, Catholic leaders call Israeli, Palestinian
gov’ts to peace
Catholic Online 2006/4/6
Twelve church leaders representing Christian faith communities here
have called on Israeli government officials to resume to peace
negotiations and on Palestinian leaders to send a clear message of
peace to Israeli citizens. ...“The vast majority of
the Israelis and Palestinians are tired of the conflict and eager to
live in security, peace and justice.” ...
How Will Rome Face Mecca?
FrontPageMag.com 2006/4/6
...Cardinal Renato Martino -- the president of the Pontifical Council
for Justice and Peace and the Vatican's former ambassador to the
United Nations -- said that the Italian government should allow the
Koran to be taught during the hour mandated for Catholic religious
instruction. "If there are 100 Muslim children in a
school, I don't see why they shouldn't be taught their religion,"
Martino said in a press conference March 9. "If we said 'no' until we
saw equivalent treatment for the Christian minorities in Muslim
countries, I would say that we were placing ourselves on their level."
Iraq is Splitting
ZNet 2006/4/6
Iraq is splitting into three different parts.
Everywhere there are fault lines opening up between Sunni, Shia and
Kurd. ...It is strange to hear George Bush and John Reid deny that a
civil war is going on, given that so many bodies - all strangled, shot
or hanged solely because of their religious allegiance - are being
discovered every day. ...Most probably war is coming, but it will not
be fought in all parts of Iraq. It will essentially be a battle for
Baghdad between Sunni and Shia Arabs. ...
Jordan to host Iraqi Islamic
reconciliation summit
Jordan News Agency
2006/4/5
...The conference also will be attended by a number of major
religious figures from the Islamic world including the top religious
figures from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Syria, the Gulf and Iran.
Egypt's Shaykh al-Azhar Mohammad Sayyed Tantawi and Arab League
Secretary General Amr Musa are expected to join the King in denouncing
extremist misinterpretation of Islam that feed the sectarian
violence in Iraq. Together they will reaffirm the underlying values
and principles shared by all branches of Islam. ...The King is
uniquely poised to facilitate this summit because as a forty-third
generation direct descendent of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and thus a
member of the Aal al-Bayt (the household of Prophet Pbuh), he enjoys
unique statues among all Muslim. Also, he is scion of oldest ruling
dynasty in the Islamic world. ...
ZARQAWI MOVES INTO PA ARENA
Middle East Newsline 2006/4/5
..."Zarqawi is very busy these days," an intelligence source said.
"But his attention is moving from Iraq to the Gaza Strip." ...
Jordan and Palestine (part 1)
Israel Hasbara Committee 2006/4/5
...For Jordan, the issue of Palestine is more of a domestic issue than
anything else. That is because slightly more than half of the young
King Abdullah's subjects are Palestinian Arabs. The remainder of the
Jordanians are Bedouins, fiercely loyal to the Hashemite dynasty.
There is tension between the two components of the population, which
the king is attempting to overcome through Jordanism. ...
Jordanian and
Iraqi audit offices sign landmark training agreement
Jordan Embassy US 2006/4/5
AMMAN (JT) — Iraq took the first much-needed step towards
modernising its public accountability systems with the signing of a
partnership agreement between the Supreme Audit Board (SAB) and
Jordan's Audit Board of Jordan. ...
Russian Orthodox says Pope should shed more titles
Reuters 2006/4/5
Pope Benedict, who has dropped his title "patriarch of the West" to
boost ties with Orthodox Christians, should scrap more terms tagged to
his name if he wants real progress, a senior Russian Orthodox bishop
has said. ..."Only renouncing titles stressing the universal
jurisdiction of the pope, and the ecclesiological doctrine hidden
behind that, would be a real step on the path toward reconciliation
between the Orthodox and Catholic churches," he wrote. ...
Syria's ruling party solidifies its power
International Herald Tribune 2006/4/5
Just months ago, under intense international pressure to ease its
stranglehold on neighboring Lebanon, the Syrian government was
talking about diluting the ruling Baath party's grip on power at home
and opening the way for a multiparty system. Things have
moved in the opposite direction. Syrian officials
are aggressively silencing domestic political opposition while
accommodating religious conservatives to shore up support across the
country. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Sfeir: Lahoud has tied his fate to Syria, cannot lead
The Daily Star 2006/4/5
BEIRUT: Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Butros Sfeir said the
"isolated" President Emile Lahoud is no longer qualified to hold the
country's top executive post. Speaking to French magazine Le Point,
the leader of the influential Christian Maronite Church said Lahoud
had linked his fate to Syria and is not ready to succumb to the
pressures exerted on him to resign. "Lahoud cannot
fulfill his duties as a president anymore because he is isolated and
boycotted by local and international figures," Sfeir was
quoted as saying. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Bomb hits Turkey PM's party office
CNN International 2006/4/5
A bomb blast at an Istanbul
branch of the party of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has
been struggling to put an end to Kurdish riots across the country, has
injured at least two people. ...
Jordan urges
Quartet to revive peace talks
The Jordan Times 2006/4/4
PRIME MINISTER MAROUF Bakhit on Monday urged the Mideast Quartet
members, particularly the US, to help the Palestinians and Israelis
resume peace talks. ...Welch, a career diplomat who
served in key positions involved in the Arab-Israeli conflict and the
peace process, praised King Abdullah's role at regional and
international levels as well as his efforts to push forward the Middle
East peace process. ...
Envoys: Mideast Nations Held Secret Talks
The Washington Post 2006/4/4
Top intelligence officers from several Arab countries and Turkey have
been meeting secretly to coordinate their governments' strategies in
case civil war erupts in Iraq and in an attempt to block Iran's
interference in the war-torn nation, Arab diplomats said Tuesday.
...Government officials in Egypt and Jordan declined to answer
questions on the meetings. ...
Report: Saudis secretly launched nuke program in 2003
WorldTribune.com 2006/4/4
Saudi Arabia launched a nuclear
program with assistance from Pakistan, according to a new report.
On Saturday, the German magazine Cicero, quoting Western intelligence
sources said, Saudi Arabia launched its nuclear program in 2003. The
magazine said Pakistani scientists arrived in the Saudi kingdom to
make preparations for a nuclear program. ...
Salafi-Jihadist Movement Becoming a New Force in Lebanon
Global Terrorism Analysis 2006/4/4
...While the recruitment of Salafi-Jihadists in Lebanon is not
restricted to Palestinians and includes some Lebanese nationals, young
men from refugee camps are more fertile material for recruitment.
Following the news of the arrest of Salafi-Jihadists in Lebanon and
the announcement made by the movement of its responsibility for
blowing up a location for the Lebanese army on February 1 (the
movement delivered the threat through a phone call to the Sada al-Balad
newspaper a day before, according to the paper), Lebanese authorities
arrested 31 suspected jihadists. In light of this claim of
responsibility and the arrests, it is important to examine the forms
of recruitment that the Salafi-Jihadists use in Lebanon ...
Exclusive: Qadhafi's 9/11 Fears
Time 2006/4/4
The Libyan strongman was "hysterical" with fear of retaliation after
the World Trade Center attacks, according to a newly released cable
...Qadhafi — who was behind the 1988 Pan Am 103 bombing that killed
270, as well as the 1986 bombing of a Berlin disco that killed three —
was "hysterical" with fear that he'd be targeted by the U.S. for
vengeance after the worst terrorist attack on U.S. soil, according to
a newly declassified Sept. 20, 2001, cable from the U.S. Embassy in
Egypt. ...
UN aid
workers: Gaza on verge of disaster
Haaretz 2006/4/4
David Shearer, head of the UN Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told Foreign Ministry
officials that if there is no significant change in the situation,
Gaza will face a humanitarian crisis as bad as the one in Kosovo. ...
Chinese deny forming ties with Hamas
The Jerusalem Post 2006/4/4
Chinese embassy spokesman Lu Jing on Tuesday
denied Hamas Palestinian Authority foreign minister Mahmoud al-Zahar's
claim that he had been invited to China. "No, never," Lu
replied when asked if Beijing had followed Turkey and Russia's lead
and invited a high-ranking Hamas official for talks in Beijing. ...
Abu Musab al
Zarqawi’s Gaza cell is gearing up for a major terrorist attack against
Palestinian target
DEBKAfile
2006/4/4
...Zarqawi’s agents from Jordan and Egypt are positioning
operational cells on the West Bank too, ready for strikes against both
Israel and the Hamas-ruled Palestinian Authority.
Jordanian prime minister Maarouf Batiah and intelligence chiefs warned
PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas of this threat in a four-hour conference
they held in Amman on April 3. In consideration of the Palestinian
leader’s passive tendencies, Jordan made sure the warning would appear
publicly by releasing some details to the London Arab daily Al-Hayat.
...
Tafakji Warns of Growing Loop of Land Dealers, Israeli Elad Seizes Two
Residential Buildings in E. Jerusalem
Palestinian National Authority
Information Press Center 2006/4/4
JERUSALEM, Palestine, April 4, 2006 (IPC+ Agencies) - -Dr. Khalil
Tafakji, Palestinian from Jerusalem, expert on settlement and the head
of the maps and land survey department warned of the growing loop of
the land dealers making easy for the extremist Jewish group to take
over the Palestinian houses in Occupied East Jerusalem referring to
the seizure of two residential buildings in Al Tur neighborhood by the
Jewish Elad settlement organization last Wednesday.
America Says It's Prepared To Listen to Syrian Muslim Brotherhood
The New York Sun 2006/4/4
CAIRO, Egypt - America
is open to widening its contacts among opponents of the Syrian regime
of Bashar al-Assad following the setting up of an alliance between a
former Syrian vice president and the country's militant Muslim
Brotherhood. ...Last week the assistant secretary of state for near
east affairs, David Welch, told Arab newspaper reporters that he was
interested in what Mr. Khaddam has to say. Yesterday, a State
Department spokesman, Gregg Sullivan, reiterated that view. "This
political union is an internal Syrian political development. I would
note that we are interested in hearing a wide array of views from
Syrian opposition figures to gauge how we can best bring reform and
democratization to Syria as well as a definitive change in Syrian
behavior." ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Two activists jailed in Syria
Gulf Times 2006/4/4
Two political activists have been sentenced to jail in
Syria, where the government has been clamping down on dissent in
recent weeks, human rights lawyers said yesterday. The
State Security Court sentenced Islamist politician Abdul Satar Qatan
to 12 years on Sunday on charges of belonging to the banned Muslim
Brotherhood, his lawyers said. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
Syria issues warrants against Lebanese MP, minister, journalist
Khaleej Times Online 2006/4/4
A Syrian court has issued
warrants for prominent anti-Syrian Lebanese MP Walid Jumblatt,
telecommunication minister Marwan Hamadeh and journalist Fares Khashan,
Hamadeh said yesterday. ...
? Daniel 7:8 I considered
the horns, and, behold, there came up among them
another little horn, before whom there
were three of the first horns plucked up by the roots
YEK- KOM: Erdogan gives licence to kill Kurdish children and women
Kurdish Media 2006/4/4
In recent days violent confrontations and clashes between Kurdish
citizens and the Turkish army and authorities have erupted in several
Kurdish and Turkish cities including Diyarbakir, Batman, Siirt, Mardin,
Kiziltepe, Istanbul and Yüksekova. Turkish police and military have
attacked Kurdish civilians using tear gas, batons, firearms and tanks.
The results are terrifying and alarming: seven civilians killed,
hundreds seriously injured, hundreds of people were arrested the
majority of which are minors. ...Preceding these murders were the
peaceful funeral and mourning processions for members of the Kurdish
Peoples Defence Forces (HPG) who were killed with poison gas by the
Turkish army during one of its most recent military operations in the
region of Mus-Bingöl. ...
A
silver bullet aimed at Iraq's head
Asia Times Online 2006/4/4
An important aspect of the United States' quest for government
stability and for resolving the ever-escalating sectarian violence in
Iraq is the campaign to have Ibrahim al-Jaafari dumped. The incumbent
premier was chosen by the dominant Shi'ite bloc, the United Iraqi
Alliance (UIA), after January's elections to continue for another
term. The Sunnis, the Kurds and secular Shi'ites now fully
support the US in wanting to fire the silver bullet that would get
Jaafari out, but the overarching question ought to be whether his
replacement will result in the emergence of a national-unity
government - something that Jaafari has been unable to facilitate. ...
Disintegration of Iraq would pose multiple problems for Israel
The Daily Star 2006/4/4
...The disintegration of Iraq along sectarian
lines would be the first such development of its kind in the Arab
state system since its creation in the 1920s. Others could follow,
like Lebanon and Syria, leading to sectarian shifts of power to the
Shiites in Lebanon and, in Syria, to fundamentalist Sunnis bent on
unseating the Alawites who dispossessed them a generation ago.
...Considering the alternatives, none appears more appealing than the
restoration of the integrity of an independent, unoccupied,
Arab-Kurdish Iraqi state, which would probably be more inclined to
restrain Iranian influence than an occupied and fragmented Iraq.
'Fit for a king'
KBSD.com 2006/4/3
He calls it nature's art. What started out as a hobby is now a
full-time job for a Wilson man who molds trees into furniture. Now his
small town operation is attracting big names. Mike Just
owns Treetables.com. "I just see things in wood and like to make
that," said Just. ...Even one fit for a king -who Just can talk about.
"One day I just happened to look at his signature. I hadn't paid much
attention to it and it said Director of Public Affairs for the King of
Jordan," said Just. Just is making a 13-foot
conference table for the King Abdullah II's new palace. The
table's base is his signature tangle style. "I call the tangle
'peaceful grace.' I really think that's what people are
striving for to bring that peace and grace of nature indoors because
when you enter a room that's literally been graced by nature it feels
good. It's comfortable," said Just. ...
The US sends our
taxed dollars, and they build bigger and better palaces.
Prime Minister's interview with Jordan television
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/3
As a result of fuel price hike, the Jordanian
government and upon directives from His Majesty King Abdullah II, will
be keen on providing financial support to underprivileged groups, who
are the most affected by the increase in fuel price, Prime Minister
Marouf al-Bakhit stated Monday. ...His Majesty the King, an advocate
of the poor, has ordered the government to protect interests of the
poor and middle class people, said the Prime Minister . ...
Settler
group takes over two compounds in E. Jerusalem
Haaretz 2006/4/3
Last Wednesday, the day after Election Day, the Elad
organization took control of two large, populated and sensitive
compounds in two East Jerusalem neighborhoods, Silwan and A-Tur (on
the Mount of Olives). Elad members intend to put between
15 and 20 families there. "Our goal is to hold on to
outposts in East Jerusalem and create an irreversible situation in the
sacred basin around the Old City," said Adi Mintz, a member of Elad's
management board. ...
Al Qaeda's
Master Plan
TCSDaily 2006/4/3
Palestinian Authority's President Abu Mazen's recent interview with
the pan-Arabic daily Al Hayat is getting lots of attention. In
fact, his recognition of Al Qaeda's presence in Gaza and the West Bank
coupled with his warning of the "destruction of the whole region"
because of the terrorist entity, is only confirming what Israeli
security services have been saying for months: Al Qaeda is fast
expanding in the neighborhood. Signs of Al Qaeda's
infiltration in the Palestinian territories have been increasing in
the past few months. ...
Archeologists Return
to Syria to Uncover Secrets of Ancient Settlements
University of Arkansas 2006/4/3
For a time in 2003, it looked like archeological
exploration in the Middle East might come to a halt, leaving thousands
of years of history buried. In the past year, University of Arkansas
assistant professor Jesse Casana has successfully resumed excavation
in a little-studied area in northwestern Syria, and is uncovering a
rich record of human settlement. What Casana and his team
learn about the formation of Tell Qarqur could serve as a model for
understanding the formation of "tells," the ancient mounds that are
common in the Orontes River Valley where Qarqur is located and
throughout the Middle East. That knowledge could be an important link
to understanding the organization of human settlements in the ancient
world. ...
Syria, Jordan began border demarcation
UPI 2006/4/3
Syria and Jordan recently began to demarcate their border, ending
years of border disputes and occasional clashes ...
Iraq conflict grows ever more confusing
Daily Times 2006/4/3
The latest violence in Iraq suggests the conflict has entered an
ominous new stage where crime gangs, Sunni Arab insurgents and
pro-government Shi’ite militias, overlap as violence pushes the
country closer to sectarian civil war Gunmen in police
uniforms kill and kidnap at electronics shops. A mosque raid draws
government charges that US troops run Iraqi forces beyond its control.
Bodies turn up on streets as militia death squads roam freely. ...
Jordan Sends Humanitarian Aid to Pakistan
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/3
...The aid is sent by the Jordanian Hashemite
Charity Organization (JHCO) in implementing of Royal directives to
provide aid to Pakistan.
Minister of Awqaf meets Russian Ambassador
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/3
...Russian ambassador, for his part praised the
Jordanian-Russian relations and the existing cooperation
between the two countries.
Urgent aid heads for Palestine
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/3
Nearly twenty five trucks laden with 400 tones of essential food
supplies; such as Lentils, flour, sugar, tea leaves, grits and
check-peas were dispatched by Jordan Hashemite Charitable Organization
upon directives from His Majesty King Abdullah II to Palestinian
territories. ...
Lebanon leaders set deadline to agree on president
Reuters 2006/4/3
Lebanon's political leaders, meeting to end a political crisis that
has paralysed the country, set their next session on April 28 as the
deadline to try to agree on the fate of pro-Syrian President Emile
Lahoud. "We have agreed to delay the dialogue session
until Friday April 28 to decide the issue of the presidency,
positively or negatively," Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri said after
the latest round of talks on Monday. ...
'I dream of a map without Israel'
The Jerusalem Post 2006/4/2
Newly-installed Palestinian Authority
Foreign Minister Mahmoud Zahar on Sunday reiterated Hamas's desire to
eliminate Israel and replace it with an Islamic state. ...
Arab press more anti-Semitic than ever
The Jerusalem Post 2006/4/2
The Muhammad cartoon controversy greatly
increased the amount of anti-Semitic material in Arab and Muslim
newspapers, according to a report issued by the Anti-Defamation League
over the weekend. ...ADL national director Abraham Foxman said that
Muslim and Arab leaders have a "blind spot" and a "level of tolerance"
for "blatant anti-Semitism" in the media. "While the
Muslim world acts out violently in response to the Muhammad cartoons
and suggests that Western freedom of speech has gone too far, the
plain fact is newspapers in the Muslim and Arab world continue to
engage in vicious stereotyping of Jews."
U.S.
Policy at a Crossroads: The Relevance of the Roadmap in the Aftermath
of the Hamas Victory
Judeoscope 2006/4/2
...Can an American administration rally the world
against terrorism when it maintains a Mideast policy that promises to
reward terrorism? Hardly. The Quartet, under whose auspices the
Roadmap was issued, appears to be torn over how to react to the Hamas
victory, with Russia hosting Hamas, France supporting the Russian
move, and the U.S. seeking to maintain a firm counterterrorist policy
with respect to Hamas. In the search for a new political
paradigm for the future, one that reflects Bush’s
insistence on a Palestinian leadership "not compromised by terror," a
new road with a different map must be found.
`Zarqawi replaced at head of Iraq resistance`
Zeenews.com 2006/4/2
Iraq's resistance has replaced Jordanian-born Abu Musab al-Zarqawi as
political head of the rebels, confining him to a military role, the
son of Osama bin Laden's mentor said today in Jordan. "The
Iraqi Resistance's high command asked Zarqawi to give up his political
role and replaced him with an Iraqi, because of several mistakes he
made," said Hudayf Azzam, who claims close contacts with the rebels.
"Zarqawi's role has been limited to military action," said Azzam,
whose late father Abdullah Azzam was the mentor of bin Laden, the
al-Qaeda boss. "Zarqawi bowed to the orders two weeks ago
and was replaced by Iraqi national Abdullah bin Rashed al-Baghdadi,"
Azzam said. Azzam, 35, whose father was known as the "Prince of
Mujahedeens", said he regularly receives "credible information on the
resistance in Iraq". He said Zarqawi "made many political
mistakes", including "the creation of an independent organisation,
al-Qaeda in Iraq". ...
King Congratulates Iranian President
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/2
His Majesty King Abdullah II sent a
cable on Sunday to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
congratulating him in his name...
? John 5:43 "I am come in
my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall
come
"in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.
King Congratulates Iranian Supreme Leader
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/2
His Majesty King Abdullah II sent a
cable on Sunday to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatullah Ali Khamenei
congratulating him in his name...
? John 5:43 "I am come in
my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall
come
"in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.
Russian Official Praises King's Endowment
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/1
The Ambassador of the Special Missions at the
Russian Foreign Ministry praised on Saturday His Majesty
King Abdullah's endowment that allocated five scholarships for
the Chechen students at the Jordanian universities to study Islamic
sciences. ...
King Condoles Iranian President
Jordan News Agency 2006/4/1
...In a cable sent on Saturday to President of Iran
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, His Majesty the King expressed
grief and heart-felt condolences in his name ...
? John 5:43 "I am come in
my Father's name (HASHEM), and ye receive me not: if another shall
come
"in his own name" (HASHEMITE), him ye will receive.
Islam’s Imperial Dreams
CommentaryMagazine.com 2006/4/1
As a historical matter, the birth
of Islam was inextricably linked with empire. Unlike Christianity and
the Christian kingdoms that once existed under or alongside it, Islam
has never distinguished between temporal and religious powers, which
were combined in the person of Muhammad. ...Though sectarianism
and civil war divided the Muslim world in the generations after
Muhammad, the basic dynamic of Islam remained expansionist. ...the
fact is that the fuel of Islamic imperialism remains as volatile as
ever, and is very far from having burned itself out. To deny its force
is the height of folly, and to imagine that it can be appeased or
deflected is to play into its hands. Only when it is defeated, and
when the faith of Islam is no longer a tool of Islamic political
ambition, will the inhabitants of Muslim lands, and the rest of the
world, be able to look forward to a future less burdened by Saladins
and their gory dreams.
Can Hamas Be Tamed?
Foreign Affairs
March/April 2006
Summary: Optimists argue that Hamas' participation in
mainstream Palestinian politics will spur the group to moderate its
radical goals and terrorist tactics. But history shows that political
participation co-opts militants only under very specific conditions --
and almost none of those exist in the Palestinian Authority today.
Michael Herzog (this article's author) is a Brigadier General in
the Israel Defense Forces and a Visiting Fellow at the Washington
Institute for Near East Policy. He was formerly the senior military
aide to Israel's Minister of Defense and the head of strategic
planning for the IDF. ...
Re-energizing a West
Bank-Jordan Alliance
Middle East Quarterly 2006/March
...During a June 2005 trip to Washington, Palestinian publisher Hanna
Seniora said, "The current weakened prospects for a two-state solution
forces us to revisit the possibility of a confederation with Jordan."
...U.S. policymakers should not be bound by a roadmap that may exist
in diplomatic parlors but has no basis in the Israeli, Jordanian, or
Palestinian reality. The Oslo process failed to create a viable and
democratic Palestinian state. The end of the Arafat and Sharon era as
well as the degeneration of Gaza into anarchy has made the roadmap
moot. While the push for reconsideration of a Jordan-West Bank
federation has come from Jordanians and Palestinians, Washington could
play a valuable role in supporting and directing the process. Such a
federation may not only be key to the security of both Jordan and
Israel in the face of well-organized and well-financed jihadism, but
it may also be the Palestinians' last best chance to have a viable
state.
contributed by Bob
Anderson
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