Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

Rivlin: Israel Has a 'Responsibility' to Fight ISIS
Sep 13th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

President Reuven Rivlin

Flash 90

Israel has a "responsibility" to stop Islamic State (IS; formerly known as ISIS), President Reuven Rivlin stated Friday.

"Fighting evil, in the form of ISIS and those like it, is not simple," Rivlin stated, at an event honoring fallen Druze soldiers held in the village of Muhraka. 

"The West has already understood that it could not sit back and let these horrible forces rule, and we hope to combat this nightmare - and make it clear to everyone that there is no future for terrorism," he added. 

"In this vein, not only is all Israel responsible for each other, but all countries are responsible for each other; the whole world is responsible [for responding to terror]." 

Israel has expressed both confidence and cooperation regarding IS, stating that it would be able to tackle the threat despite the many other terror organizations looking to attack Israel closer to its borders. 

On Thursday, US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro confirmed that Israeli intelligence agencies are working with Washington to fight the terror group in Iraq and Syria, as part of an ongoing effort by over 40 countries to combat global jihad.

Hours earlier, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu vowed to fight Islamist extremism in general, including against Iran and Palestinian terror groups. 

“Clarity and courage, alliances as broad as we can make them with those who understand that we're in a common battle, and courage to see this through, to roll back an ultimate victor," he noted. "I'm confident that militant Islam will perish, but we must not allow anyone to perish with it before it goes down. That's our task.”

Israel's Police Commissioner Yohanan Danino also stated recently that all local terrorists found to be supporting IS would be prosecuted to the full extent of the law, after Israeli Arabs told Channel 2 that they hoped to see Israel under the "Caliphate." 

“Over the last few days I have instructed police to act sternly against any display of support, in any way, with this murderous organization," Danino said. "That includes posting notices, waving flags and banners, posting messages on Facebook and other online service. ISIS is a terror organization, and its supporters will be treated harshly."

Mashaal: No Direct Talks With the 'occupier'
Sep 13th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Khaled Mashaal

Reuters

Hamas’s exiled leader, Khaled Mashaal, declared on Friday that his group would not hold direct negotiations with Israel, AFP reported.

The comments come a day after another Hamas leader, Moussa Abu Marzouk, hinted that direct negotiations with Israel might be needed.

"If the situation remains as it is now... Hamas could find itself forced to do this," he told the Palestinian Al-Quds TV.

Mashaal, however, said this would not happen.

"Direct negotiations with the Israeli occupier is not on the agenda of Hamas; if negotiations are necessary they must be indirect," he said, speaking in Tunis.

The exiled leader of Hamas also denied that his group was running a "shadow government" in Gaza as charged by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

"There is a national unity government; talk of a parallel government is totally against reality," Mashaal said after meeting Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki, speaking days after Abbas threatened to break off a unity agreement with Hamas.

He said government ministries were still "operating normally" in Gaza even if the "government is absent from" the coastal enclave and urged the cabinet to be present.

"We welcome the government of national unity to work in Gaza, to take charge of crossing points and assume all its responsibilities in line with what we agreed upon," said Mashaal, according to AFP.

Hamas forcibly took over the Gaza Strip in 2007, ousting forces loyal to Abbas and sparking a bitter and bloody split with his Fatah movement.

The two rival factions formed a unity government several months ago but there have been multiple indications over the past several months that the union has been slowly crumbling.

Differences of opinion have surfaced over several issues, including the war in Gaza, reactions to the abduction and murder of three Israeli teenagers, and the delayed payment of wages for government workers in Gaza in the weeks leading up to Operation Protective Edge.

But last week Abbas accused Hamas of running a parallel administration in Gaza.

"We won't accept a partnership with them if the situation continues like this in Gaza, where there is a shadow government... running the territory," he said.

"The national consensus government cannot do anything on the ground," he charged.

On Monday Hamas accused Abbas of trying to sabotage the unity deal.

Let the Headlines Speak
Sep 13th, 2014
Daily NewsFrom the internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Ebola in the air? A nightmare that could happen
Today, the Ebola virus spreads only through direct contact with bodily fluids, such as blood and vomit. But some of the nation's top infectious disease experts worry that this deadly virus could mutate and be transmitted just by a cough or a sneeze.  

Analysis: US strikes unsettling for Damascus
Syrian President Bashar Assad's government is angry Washington has not taken it on as a partner in the international campaign to hit the Islamic State group, likely for a very significant reason: It is worried that once the United States has crossed the Rubicon of airstrikes in Syria, it could next turn its sights on Assad himself, aiming for his eventual downfall.  

Over 100 trucks of Russia’s second Ukraine aid convoy cross border
The first 100 trucks in Russia’s 2nd convoy carrying long-awaited humanitarian aid for devastated areas of eastern Ukraine have crossed the border after weeks of delays that occurred despite an agreement on relief corridors in the Minsk ceasefire deal.  

Islamic State: John Kerry visits Egypt for coalition talks
US Secretary of State John Kerry will arrive in Egypt on Saturday amid US attempts to form a broad coalition to tackle Islamic State (IS) militants. Mr Kerry will meet Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi in Cairo on the latest leg of his Middle East tour.  

US judge orders Arizona to list same-sex spouse on death certificate
A federal judge on Friday ordered Arizona officials to ignore the state’s ban on same-sex marriages and issue a death certificate to the surviving spouse in a gay marriage.  

Kerry opposes Iran role in anti-Islamic State coalition
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday it was "not appropriate" for Iran to join talks on confronting Islamic State militants, as he appeared to play down how fast countries can commit to force or other steps in an emerging coalition.  

China urges central Asian neighbors to step up extremism fight
China's President Xi Jinping urged Central Asian states to step up the fight against religious extremism and cyber terrorism, state media said, as Beijing reaches for help across its borders in addressing security concerns in its restive Xinjiang region.  

US gives Lebanon Hellfire missiles, pledges aircraft
The United States has delivered Hellfire missiles to the Lebanese army and will also provide it with light aircraft including an armed Cessna, the US ambassador to Lebanon said Friday.  

Kerry Rules Out Iran's Involvement in IS Campaign
Sep 13th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Commentary

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry

Reuters

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Friday it would be inappropriate for Iran to attend an upcoming meeting in Paris on how to defeat the Islamic State group, The Associated Press (AP) reported.

Speaking to reporters in the Turkish capital, Kerry said he has not been formally asked about whether Iran should participate in the meeting of diplomats set for Monday.

However, he added, Iran should not be there, given its support for Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad in his three-year war against rebels that are trying to oust him from power.

Kerry is in Ankara to press Turkey to join an international coalition against the Islamic State, a day after he received the backing of 10 Arab countries for a "coordinated military campaign" against Islamic State fighters.

Those 10 countries are Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon and six Gulf states, including rich rivals Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Kerry held talks with the Arab countries in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, but Iran was excluded from the, as was Syria.

Kerry met the Arab leaders to drum up support a day after President Barack Obama announced his plans to strike fighters in Iraq and Syria.

Last week, it was reported that Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei had authorized his army to coordinate joint military operations with the United States against IS in Iraq.

The State Department later clarified it has "no plans" for any military coordination with Iran in the fight against Islamic State.

Haniyeh: No to Disarmament
Sep 13th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh

Flash 90

Ismail Haniyeh, head of Hamas's Gaza government, has joined Hamas politburo head Khaled Mashaal's call to indict Israel at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague.

In a meeting with reporters in Gaza, Haniyeh expressed opposition to direct talks with Israel, and stressed that the Palestinian terrorist groups will not disarm.

He called on the Palestinian Authority (PA) to reconsider its position on the matter of negotiations with Israel, and added that Hamas would like to build strategic ties with western and Arab countries, and especially Egypt.

Like Mashaal, he called on PA head Mahmoud Abbas to sign the ICC's "Rome statute" so that it can file lawsuits against Israel's leaders, whom he called “war criminals,” at the Hague.

Haniyeh sees great importance in cooperation with “human rights” groups by Hamas – which is, of course, a genocidal terrorist organization. In a speech on October 19, 2013, he explained the role of liberal forces and human rights groups in Hamas's strategy against Israel.

"We place our trust in the support of the liberals in the world, who oppose the occupation and the injustice that the Zionists perpetrate against our people,” he said. “Blessings to all of the committees, the personages, the civil society organizations and the human rights organizations, which worked to break the siege on Gaza and for the struggle against the fence and the settlements.”

"Additionally, we remember some of the world's liberals, who stood beside us against the Zionist war against our land, and this matter reflects the nations' awareness of the justice of our cause and the extent of the injustice and racism that the Zionsit entity perpetrates against our nation.”

Haniyeh Urges Abbas to Take Action Against Israel At ICC
Sep 13th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Ismail Haniyeh

Flash 90

Senior Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh on Friday urged the Palestinian Authority’s leadership to sign the Rome Statute and hold Israel accountable for its “crimes in Gaza” at the International Criminal Court.

Haniyeh said in a statement quoted by the Ma’an news agency that "signing the Rome Statute is the right for every victim and stalling is neglecting their rights and an offense to the image of Palestinians."

The Palestinian Arab leadership must not "neglect" the rights of the victims of “Israel's military assault on Gaza”, Haniyeh said, urging PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to sign the Rome Statute.

Hamas signed a proposal for the PA to apply to join the ICC in August.

There has so far been no probe as the PA is not an ICC member state and its status as a state is uncertain in some international institutions.

However, the PA in late November 2012 unilaterally obtained the status of an observer state at the United Nations, opening the door for a possible ICC investigation.

The PA has been threatening for years that it will sue Israel at the ICC. The PA’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Riyad al-Maliki, recently met with ICC officials and inquired about the legal procedures necessary for the PA to join the ICC and sign the Rome Statute, thus allowing it to take action against possible Israeli war crimes in Gaza.

PA officials realize, however, that joining the ICC is a calculated risk because it would give Israel a forum to pursue war crimes charges against the PA as well and particularly against Hamas.

In a recent interview, the PA's envoy to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) admitted the PA has no hope of pressing charges against Israel in international courts - because Palestinian terrorist groups are far worse violators of international law themselves.

Noting concerns that Israel could launch legal offensives of its own against the PA should it sign up to the ICC, the presenter asked whether such a move would be realistic. The response was unequivocal.

"The missiles that are now being launched against Israel - each and every missile constitutes a crime against humanity, whether it hits or misses, because it is directed at civilian targets," he said.

Hamas: We'll Turn Israel Into a Western Liability
Sep 13th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

International Criminal Court

Reuters

Hamas politburo head Khaled Mashaal, an undisputed war criminal of the highest degree, said in a news conference in Tunisia that Hamas would like to utilize the current period of time to consolidate what it sees as its accomplishments in the latest confrontation with Israel.

Mashaal spoke of several steps that must be taken simultaneously: rebuilding the Gaza Strip; national reconciliation; the creation of a mechanism for managing the conflict and “hounding the Occupation,” by which he means a diplomatic and legal campaign.

Mashaal called upon the Palestinian Authority to hurry up and sign the ICC's "Rome Statute," in order to file lawsuits against the leaders of Israel at the Hague International Court.

Mashaal said that hounding Israel will increase its isolation and relay a message that Israel has turned into a burden on the western countries, because it acts in an immoral fashion and can no longer serve any role for the “Imperialist powers.”

Eastern Ukraine: Fighting Renewed Despite Truce
Sep 13th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The Ukrainian military says it has repelled an attack by pro-Russian separatists on Donetsk airport. Gunfire was heard from the area on today (Saturday) despite the eight-day cease-fire between rebels and government forces in the eastern Ukraine. The Russians have also sent in a convoy of 220 trucks to the other major separatist stronghold of Luhansk, claiming them to be carrying humanitarian aid, according to reports by Reuters and AFP as cited by Radio Free Europe.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk has said that the Kremlin wants to “eliminate” the Ukraine as an independent country. While speaking at a conference of Western and Ukrainian lawmakers and businessmen in Kiev today, Yatsenyuk claimed that Putin was trying to “restore the former Soviet Union.”

Archerfish More Amazing Than Previously Thought
Sep 13th, 2014
Daily Newsfbns@wayoflife.org,
Categories: Creation - Evolution

Scientists have learned more about how the amazing archerfish can hit land-based targets up to 6.5 feet away with a stream of water it shoots from beneath the surface. Using high-speed cameras, scientists discovered that the jet of water that the fish spits from its mouth is constantly and perfectly tweaked so that a focused blob of water congregates just in front of the target ("Spitting fish 'adjust for distance,'" BBC News Science & Environment, Sept. 5, 2014). The fish accomplishes this complicated task, not by adjusting the pressure of the water created by squeezing its gill covers, but by micro adjusting the diameter of its mouth. It perfectly adjusts the water jet stream for each target, regardless of the distance. Prof. Stefan Schuster of the University of Bayreuth in Germany says, "They just do it with the mouth opening diameter. It is not a simple maneuver... The diameter is continuously changing. I've never seen anything in which they use a nozzle that changes its diameter. The most standard approach is adjusting the pressure. ... It means that the physics the fish is using is much more complicated than previously thought." Sadly, the scientists did not reach the reasonable conclusion that the animal must have been created by an intelligent Being that both understands physics and has the ability to create such amazing living creatures. This is the only sound conclusion since a fish doesn't know anything about physics and since there is no evolutionary creative mechanism (e.g., mutations, natural selection) that could produce such complexity in animals at the DNA level.