WarSclerotic

Cairo rally: One day we’ll kill all Jews – Israel News, Ynetnews.

Muslim Brotherhood holds venomous anti-Israel rally in Cairo mosque Friday; Islamic activists chant: Tel Aviv, judgment day has come

Eldad Beck

Arab hate: A Muslim Brotherhood rally in Cairo’s most prominent mosque Friday turned into a venomous anti-Israel protest, with attendants vowing to “one day kill all Jews.”

Some 5,000 people joined the rally, called to promote the “battle against Jerusalem’s Judaization.” The event coincided with the anniversary of the United Nations’ partition plan in 1947, which called for the establishment of a Jewish state.

However, most worshippers who prayed at the mosque Friday quickly left it before the Muslim Brotherhood’s rally got underway. A group spokesman urged attendants to remain for the protest, asking them not to create a bad impression for the media by leaving.

‘Treacherous Jews’

Speakers at the event delivered impassioned, hateful speeches against Israel, slamming the “Zionist occupiers” and the “treacherous Jews.” Upon leaving the rally, worshippers were given small flags, with Egypt’s flag on one side and the Palestinian flag on the other, as well as maps of Jerusalem’s Old City detailing where “Zionists are aiming to change Jerusalem’s Muslim character.”

Propaganda material ahead of Egypt’s parliamentary elections was also handed out at the site.

Hate in Cairo (Photo: AFP)

Spiritual leader Dr. Ahmed al-Tayeb charged in his speech that to this day Jews everywhere in the world are seeking to prevent Islamic and Egyptian unity.

“In order to build Egypt, we must be one. Politics is insufficient. Faith in Allah is the basis for everything,” he said. “The al-Aqsa Mosque is currently under an offensive by the Jews…we shall not allow the Zionists to Judaize al-Quds (Jerusalem.) We are telling Israel and Europe that we shall not allow even one stone to be moved there.”

‘We have different mentality’

Muslim Brotherhood spokesmen, as well as Palestinian guest speakers, made explicit calls for Jihad and for liberating the whole of Palestine. Time and again, a Koran quote vowing that “one day we shall kill all the Jews” was uttered at the site. Meanwhile, businessmen in the crowd were urged to invest funds in Jerusalem in order to prevent the acquisition of land and homes by Jews.

Throughout the event, Muslim Brotherhood activists chanted: “Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, judgment day has come.”

Speaking to Ynet outside the mosque following the prayer, elementary school teacher Ala al-Din said that “all Egyptian Muslims are willing to embark on Jihad for the sake of Palestine.”

“Why is the US losing in Afghanistan? Because the other side is willing and wants to die. We have a different mentality than that of the Americans and Jews,” he said.

Eldad Beck is reporting from Cairo on behalf of Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth

Roee Nahmias contributed to the story

Syria: 10 troops killed in strike on base – Israel News, Ynetnews.

Blaming Israel? Syrian military says killed soldiers include six pilots, charges ‘enemies of nation’ benefited from strike, particularly Israel

Reuters

The Syrian military said on Friday that 10 air force personnel, including six pilots, were killed in an attack on a base and said the action proved foreign involvement in the eight-month revolt against President Bashar al-Assad‘s rule.

“An armed terrorist group undertook an evil assassination plot that martyred six pilots, a technical officer and three other personnel on an air force base between Homs and Palmyra,” a military spokesman said on state television.

The attack took place on Thursday afternoon but the spokesman gave no other details about how the assault took place.

“This confirms the involvement of foreign elements and their support of these terrorist operations in an effort to weaken the fighting capabilities of our forces,” he said.

The Syrian army has been struggling to quash what began as peaceful protests against the Assad family’s 41-year rule, in which some 3,500 people are estimated to have died.

But they are facing an increasing number of attacks by army defectors who say their aim is to protect demonstrators. Damascus says some 1,100 of its security forces have been killed.

The spokesman said the “enemies of the nation” had benefited from the attack, particularly Israel.

“The army is always ready to protect the security of the nations and its citizens and to cut of the sinful hand that targets Syrian blood and threatens the security of its homeland,” he said.

Earlier this week, the US embassy in Damascus urged all Americans to leave Syriaimmediately while there are still commercial flights. The number of airlines operating in Syria has dropped considerably since the summer, a statement posted on the embassy’s website on Wednesday noted.

The US stated it believes Syria is descending into a civil war and foreigners are therefore in danger.

Nuke carrier leads US strike force into Syrian waters — RT.

US, Norfolk: This US Navy photo shows the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush. (AFP Photo/US Navy)

Nuclear aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush has anchored off the Syrian coast. As an Arab League deadline to allow observers into the country passes with no response from Damascus, the possibility of intervention in Syria seems to be growing.

The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group along with additional naval vessels are to remain in the Mediterranean to conducting maritime security operations and support missions as part of Operations Enduring Freedom and New Dawn.The US 6th Fleet is also patrolling the area.

Meanwhile, America and Turkey are urging their citizens to leave Syria. The US released a statement on Wednesday urging American citizens to “depart immediately while commercial transportation is available.”

Against this backdrop, the prospect of humanitarian intervention in Syria no longer looks like such an impossible scenario. And pressure is growing on the issue.

Paris is urging the creation of a secure zone to protect civilians “that would allow aid groups and observers into Syria” and is seeking support from the US, UN and the Arab League. French foreign minister Alain Juppé said he was speaking with partners in the United Nations, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and the Arab League on the issue. However the EU stopped short of endorsing a French proposal for EU-backed humanitarian corridors on Thursday, acknowledging, however, that protection of civilians in Syria remains a top priority.

The imposition of a no-fly zone over Syria by the Arab League with US logistical support, is also being discussed, according to the Jordan-based Al Bawaba news website. A strong sense of déjà vu prevails, with the specter of a Libyan scenario repeating itself.

Rumors about the no-fly zone over Syria came in the wake of Tuesday’s United Nations General Assembly resolution which condemned human rights abuses by the Syrian regime, including the killing, arbitrary imprisonment and torture of civilians.

Meanwhile, an Arab League deadline for Syria to allow an observer mission into the country or suffer crippling sanctions passed on Friday without a response from Damascus, a League source told AFP.

“Until now, there has been no response from the Syrian government,” the source said after the 1 pm (1100 GMT) deadline. Damascus has been given until the end of the day to respond, if it is to avoid sanctions.

Earlier this month Russia, the most powerful opponent of the West’s push for “international intervention,” also anchored its warships in the Syrian port of Tatrus. According to unconfirmed reports, the warships were carrying technical advisors who will help Syria set up and run advanced S-300 missiles supplied by Russia. However, there is no official confirmation that the S-300 missiles have actually been delivered to Syria by any side.

Meanwhile, Moscow has announced it opposes a military scenario for resolving the Syrian problem and the use of a human rights argument as an excuse for foreign intervention in the affairs of a sovereign state. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Lukashevich said that “under no circumstances must human rights issues be used as a pretext for interfering in the internal affairs of a state.”

Moscow has also abstained from voting on the resolution by the UN General Assembly Human Rights Committee thanks to “the humanitarian focus of the draft’s text,” said Lukashevich.

Experts say that even the armed opponents of Bashar al-Assad’s regime would strongly oppose any interference from outside.

“Even among the opponents of the ugly Assad regime, many in Syria will actually not welcome an intervention by Western forces,” even if it comes in the shape of fellow-Muslims in the Turkish army, predicts Dr. Pierre Guerlain, a professor of political science at Paris West University.

Earlier this month, Arab League foreign ministers suspended Syria in response to its violent suppression of anti-government rallies.

An uprising against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad started eight months ago. Since then, an estimated 3,500 people have died in clashes with government forces.

Ahmadinejad calls on Iranians to remain united against Western sanctions – Haaretz Daily Newspaper | Israel News.

Iran president tries to downplay sanctions, says British decision to cut ties with Iran banks and French decision to stop importing oil from Iran is irrelevant.

By DPA

Syria – warfare ushers in transition.

Al Arabiya

The trend of events inside Syria these days is towards a troubling increase in organised military operations by both the government and opposition groups, with breakaway troops from the state armed forces now attacking state institutions.
This is both a worrying escalation that can push Syria into destructive domestic strife which could escalate into civil war, and a more or less routine rite of passage for modern Arab states that ultimately find themselves dealing with the consequences of their own contradictions, incompetence and even some criminality.

Many Arab countries endured severe internal strife of some sort, including all-out civil war, because they failed to provide their citizens with other means of organizing their national political life. Yemen, Iraq, Palestine, Sudan, Algeria, Lebanon, Libya, Jordan, Somalia, Tunisia, Egypt, Oman and Bahrain are examples of Arab countries that endured some kind of serious domestic strife, sustained terrorism, or outright civil war. Syria now joins that sad list, the last holdout against civil war, perhaps because the consequences of this spilling over into other countries are so frightening for the region as a whole.

Whatever the reason, it now appears that what had started as a localized protest movement in southern Syria, demanding limited political reforms, has grown into a full-blown national uprising that seeks to remove the regime headed by President Bashar Assad.

The ruling regime proved itself unable to deal with the protests in a credible political manner and conducted harsh military attacks against protesters, which caused resistance against it to increase and now to become militarized.

It has simultaneously proved as incompetent in engaging with regional diplomatic initiatives as it has in responding to domestic challenges. The result has been a steadily increasing isolation of the Syrian leadership, a total loss of trust in it by both domestic challengers and regional interlocutors, tightening sanctions from the international community and a lack of options all around – which is why the country is now on the path towards increased military confrontation.

This is coupled with robust regional interventions in Syrian affairs, designed either to protect civilians and stop the killings by all parties or to pressure the regime in order to force it to change radically or leave.

Actions by the Arab League and Turkey are the most significant in this respect, and will definitely show results in the weeks ahead.

A civil war in Syria remains unlikely, though, in my view, because once things start moving in that direction, we will see the collapse or defection of one or more of the regime’s five pillars of its incumbency (military, business class, Alawites, minorities, Aleppo-Damascus silent middle classes). This would probably trigger a Romanian-style sudden collapse of the existing order, as the regime’s thin support systems are exposed – as happened in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya already.

Unlike Lebanon, Somalia, Algeria or other Arab lands that endured years of destruction and death, I would expect that any civil war-like strife in Syria would be short lived, as domestic and regional responses will quickly lead to an overthrow of the regime and the ushering in of a new political era.

Every Arab citizen revolt had its characteristics to date, and no two regime changes have been identical. Syria will follow this pattern, reflecting elements of the popular resistance and foreign military or political intervention that defined the regime changes in North Africa, along with some uniquely Syrian and Levantine dimensions.

The role of Turkey is the major novelty in the Syrian case, as this powerful non-Arab neighbor explores the most appropriate way to pressure the Damascus regime and help the transition to a more democratic governance system.

It is not surprising that Syria has reached this point of home-grown military battles around the country, because the grievances of the Syrian people mirror closely those of other Arabs who rebelled. The combination of mediocrity and wide disparities in material life conditions with chronic poverty in political rights reached the point where millions of ordinary citizens made a simple but fateful calculation: Is it worth risking our lives to stand up and demand our citizen rights and a better governance system?

Across the Arab world, the answer is an unequivocal “yes”. Thousand have paid with their lives, and others will do so in the years ahead.

A fascinating aspect of the situation in Syria today is how local, regional and international forces combine to drive the process of change, with critical roles being played by the diverse opposition groups that are trying to coordinate and unify, the breakaway military units, the local demonstrators, the Arab League, Turkey and half a dozen other major actors. Their actions and options will continue to evolve, but the direction of their common drama is now clear, as more and more discussion about Syria is only about the question of how the transition to a post-Assad Syria will happen, 42 years after it began.

(Published in the Jordan Times on Nov. 25)

Arab League says ultimatum given to Syria has passed without response.

Al Arabiya

Friday, 25 November 2011

The seat of the Foreign Minister of Syria is seen empty during a meeting for Arab foreign ministers in Cairo. (Reuters)

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‘LAF will fight against Israel in next conflict’ – Israel News, Ynetnews.

IDF commander estimates Lebanese army will join Hezbollah in next conflict in backdrop of mysterious blast in South Lebanon earlier this week

Yoav Zitun

A mysterious blast in a Hezbollah depot in South Lebanon rocked the relatively quiet northern sector this week prompting reports that Israel was behind the explosion. On the other side of the border, the IDF is ready for any development which may involve Hezbollah or even the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).

Commander of the Herev Battalion Lieutenant-Colonel Shadi Abu Fares oversaw a drill simulating border clashes earlier this week. Abu Fares says that Lebanese troops deployed on the border prevented pro-Palestinian protesters from approaching the border fence on Naksa Day last June, but are unlikely to flee to the north in the next conflict.

“It is our estimate that they will take part in the fighting. They are regarded as the enemy. We have no intention of opening fire at them and they are aware of their responsibilities on the border,” Abu Fares told Ynet.

Main scenario: Infiltration and abduction (Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)

Tensions between Israel and the LAF have grown in the past year and a half, as Lebanon moved from pro-Western rulers to a Hezbollah-affiliated regime.

Last August, an IDF patrol driving along the border was attacked. Some Lebanese reports claimed that a Lebanese soldier was injured in the incidence which occurred exactly one year after Lieutenant-Colonel Dov Harari was killed in a fire exchange on the border.

Druze Battalion drill (Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)

No other battalion is as familiar with the Lebanese border as the Druze Battalion. Its combatants have spent the last decade deployed in the area.

But even they cann’t predict what shape the next conflict will take. “The main scenario we are preparing for is one of infiltration which also entails an abduction threat,” Lt. Col. Abu Fares says.

“The war has greatly deterred Hezbollah and Nasrallah is still hiding in bunkers fearing a targeted killing. Since the war Hezbollah has not fired one shot but its men are still hidden on the line.”

Iran’s Khamenei presents war scenarios – Israel News, Ynetnews.

In an unusual step, Iran’s spiritual leader publishes commentary on official website outlining three scenarios for strike against Islamic Republic. Meanwhile, Yedioth Ahronoth reports Israel has taken in shipment of Patriot missiles

Dudi Cohen

n an unusual step that comes on the heels of Iran’s threats and warnings to the US and Israel over the consequences of a possible strike on its nuclear facilities, the official website of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khameneipublished an analysis written by Dr. Amir Mohebian, a senior political commentator.

Related stories:

• Khamenei warns US, Israel against strike

Activity spotted at alleged Iran nuke site

• Iran conducts 4-day air defense drill  

The article details three possible war scenarios Iran could be faced with if Israel or the US proceed with a strike:

1. An all out war of attrition that would combine aerial and ground forces attack.

2. Limited war as a preparatory action for political proceedings. This would include hitting Iran’s control centers for the purpose of disrupting the stability of the Islamic regime. The best case scenario here would be that war leads to the regime’s fall; the worst case would see Iran surrendering at the negotiating table.

3. A war on specific targets with the aim of destroying the regime’s assault capabilities, especially against the “Zionist regime.”

Ready for action? Netanyahu and Obama (Photo: Reuters)

The Iranian commentator goes on to assess the possibility of likelihood of each scenario. He believes the feasibility of the first option is due, among other things to the fact that “the western countries’ capabilities to carry out such a complex operation are very limited and nearly nonexistent.”

Mohebian also mentioned the upcoming US presidential elections and the fact that the west doesn’t have sufficient intelligence on Iran. In light of these problems Mohebian believes that the chances of an all out war against Iran are close to nothing.

He goes on to point out the main problems of the second and third scenarios: The Iranian regime is prepared for an attack on its centers of power, the Iranian response to such an attack could be unexpected, the attack could turn the regime to an even more extreme path and encourage it to set the Middle East on fire, which would endanger the western world.

Mohebian claims that even the third and most likely scenario has a relatively small likelihood of happening. He notes that the scenario’s execution would be complicated. It would be impossible to attack all of the country’s nuclear facilities due to its size; a limited war could develop into a regional war.

Patriot protection

For example, an attack on Bushehr could lead to harsh ecological consequences for the region. Attacking only certain nuclear sites would not lead to a complete shutdown of Iran’s technological nuclear capabilities.

Meanwhile, it would seem that Israel is also preparing for every possible scenario. Yedioth Ahronoth on Friday revealed that “a friendly country” has in the past few weeks secretly sent Israel anti-aircraft Patriot missile batteries that also serve as a missile defense system.

The new battery arrived at the Ashdod Port, the first Patriot missile battery to arrive in Israel in eight years. Nevertheless, the IDF claims there is no connection between the current shipment and recent talk of the possibility of a strike against Iran’s nuclear sites.

Turkey says it won’t tolerate Syria bloods… JPost – Middle East.

    ISTANBUL – Turkey said on Friday it could tolerate no more bloodshed in Syria and it was ready to take action with Arab powers if President Bashar Assad failed to take steps towards ending the crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a news conference that he hoped the Syrian government would give a positive response to Arab League plan on resolving the conflict.

“If it doesn’t, there are steps we can take in consultation with the Arab League,” he said. “I want to say clearly we have no more tolerance for the bloodshed in Syria. The attitude of friendly and fraternal countries on this subject is clear”.

The Arab League has set a Friday deadline for Syria to agree to comply or else face sanctions, including halting flights, curbing trade and stopping deals with the central bank.

Davutoglu said he was ready to attend a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers that could take place on Sunday, depending on Syria’s response. He was also consultating with the European Union, NATO and UN Security Council members.

Davutoglu also held talks with Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, who had attended a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo on Thursday.

Speaking alongside the Turkish minister, Judeh said he hoped Syria would sign a protocol to accept observers as a first step to ending the violence that has gripped the country for eight months.

“This is the collective wish of the Arab world and if they don’t, God forbid, we have to meet again,” he said.

Non-Arab Turkey, Syria’s largest trading partner and formerly a close friend, has strongly backed the stance taken by the Arab League towards Syria.

Turkey and Jordan both border Syria and potentially have a important part to play if French proposals for a humanitarian zones in Syria gather support.

This week Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan bluntly told Assad to quit or risk facing the same fate as Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed last month after being caught by rebels.

‘Iran has no oil export to Franc… JPost – Iranian Threat – News.

    TEHRAN – Iran said on Friday it had no crude exports to France which could be subjected to sanctions over the Islamic state’s disputed nuclear program, the semi-official Mehr news agency reported.

This week France’s foreign ministry first suggested and then back-tracked on the imposition of a unilateral ban on oil from Iran, making clear it would only act over Iran’s nuclear program as part of an EU-wide plan.

“The National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) does not export any crude oil to France to get subjected to sanctions,” head of NIOC Ahmad Qalebani told Mehr.

France imported 20,000 barrels per day of Iranian crude in the first half of 2011, according to United States government data. European Union countries accounted for 18 percent of Iranian crude oil sales in that period, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) also said.

The French remarks provoked a wave of comment across Europe, suggesting a growing determination to toughen sanctions — an issue that is likely to be central to an EU foreign ministers’ meeting on Dec. 1. The European Union’s energy commissioner said a ban on Iranian oil imports would not be a problem for the European Union’s energy security.

Italy believes sanctions should be tightened against Iran, and is seeking to persuade its companies to stop buying Iranian oil, the spokesman for Italy’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

Italy relies on Iran for around 13 percent of its crude oil needs, equivalent to over 10 million tons per year (around 200,000 barrels per day).

“We are deeply convinced that we need to strengthen the pressure of sanctions on Iran and we are ready to discuss sanctions measures with our partners,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Maurizio Massari told Reuters.

“We are applying moral persuasion on our companies to diversify their supplies of oil imports,” he added

The United States and its allies say Iran is trying to build bombs under cover of a civilian nuclear program. Tehran denies this, saying it needs nuclear technology to generate electricity.