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Vein Biometrics to Combat Bank Fraud
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsProphecy New Watch
Categories: Today's Headlines;Commentary

Are you really who you say you are, and are you authorized to be making this transaction? To answer these questions, organizations looking to manage fraud and identity theft have long relied on identification documents that have been highly vulnerable to tampering and impersonation attempts. PINS and passwords too can easily be stolen or compromised when customers are careless or vulnerable. 

No wonder then, that identification methods relying on photo and signature comparisons are fast giving way to biometric options that are virtually foolproof in terms of preventing identity theft. Your fingers, veins, voice, eyes and facial features are becoming some of latest ways in which banks and other institutions are starting to positively identify its customers.

In one such recent development, Reuters.com recently reported that a leading British Bank, Barclays is launching a finger scanner for corporate clients and will roll out voice recognition for millions of retail clients next year as it steps up use of biometric recognition technology to combat banking fraud. The bank launched voice recognition biometrics for private banking clients last year, and has now teamed up with Japanese technology firm Hitachi to develop a biometric reader that scans a finger and identifies unique vein patterns to access accounts, instead of using a password or PIN. 

Barclays is reportedly the first bank globally to use it for significant account transactions, and intends to provide safer verification systems that cut fraud risks from customers sharing or choosing obvious passwords, or forgetting PINs. And the motivation for these initiatives is quite compelling in the face of increasing fraudster sophistication: Britain's private companies reportedly lost 21 billion pounds ($34.5 billion) from fraud in 2012 and financial firms suffered 5.4 billion pounds of that, according to National Fraud Authority estimates.

Barclays further stated that its vein authentication technology will be rolled out to corporate customers next year and it expects strong take-up from its 30,000 large corporate clients. Ashok Vaswani, chief executive of Barclay’s personal and corporate banking, was quoted by Reuters to have stated that "Biometrics is the way to go in the future. We have no doubt about that, we are committed to it…you can't let these guys (criminals) create a breach in the dam. You've got to constantly stay ahead of the game."

The finger scanner sits on the customer's desk and plugs into a computer. The vein pattern is matched with one stored on a SIM card, so Barclays does not hold a record. The scanned finger has to be attached to a live human body to work. Other biometric opportunities could include using similar technology on mobile tablets, which is the fastest growing area for European banks, or at ATMs.

Other banks and financial institutions are also likely to follow suit. Royal Bank of Scotland and other UK banks have reportedly suffered serious attacks by hackers in the last two years and are trying to strengthen their defenses in all areas of vulnerability. 

A testament to the power and efficacy of vein biometrics can also be seen in its adoption by Robocoin, a company specializing in Bitcoin and cash dispensing kiosks. A recent report published in findbiometrics.com reported that Robocoin ATMs require three factors of authentication – phone, PIN and palm vein – that, once submitted, allow for automated 24 hour service to Bitcoin accounts and cash withdrawal needs. In choosing palm vein authentication, Robocoin has picked a notoriously difficult to spoof biometric modality. Fujitsu’s PalmSecure biometric sensors capture palm vein images using near-infrared light. 

Additionally, because palm vein patterns are subdermal features (like all types of vascular biometrics) forgery is near impossible. The process is contactless, allowing for nuanced deployment – nixing (eliminating) hygiene concerns and germ-averse cultural barriers. 

Other non-banking and financial institutions are also increasingly adopting vein biometrics and similar biometric options for positive identification. PatientSecure.com describes itself as “the nation’s most adopted Biometric Patient Identification Management System” and “links the biometric information of the patient to their medical record” in healthcare systems specified. Patient Secure describes why vein biometrics are so effective: “Blood veins are formed during the first eight weeks of gestation in a chaotic manner, influenced by environment in a mother’s womb. This is why vein pattern is unique to each individual, even to twins. Veins grow with a person’s skeleton, and while capillary structures continue to grow and change, vascular patterns are set at birth and do not change over the course of one’s lifetime...An individual’s scanned palm vein data (biometric template) is encrypted for protection and registered along with the other details in his/her profile as a reference for future comparison.”

Where are all these trends leading to? The RightSideNews.com aptly summarizes: “Are you ready to have your veins scanned every time you use your bank account? Are you ready to use a "digital tattoo" or a microchip implant to unlock your telephone? Once upon a time we read about such technologies in science fiction novels, but now they are here. The era of widespread biometric identification and microchip implants is upon us, and it is going to change the way that we live…Proponents of these new technologies say that they will make our private information and our bank accounts much more secure. But there are others that warn that these kinds of "Big Brother technologies" will set the stage for even more government intrusion into our lives. In the wrong hands, such technologies could prove to be an absolute nightmare.”

Ukraine: Rebels Declare Elections
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Pro-Russian rebels in eastern Ukraine declared that elections to vote for a new President and legislative body will take place on the 2nd of November.

“On the 2nd of November, we plan to hold elections for the Parliament, as well as for the leader of the Republic,” said the leader of the rebel forces, Alexander Zakharchenko.

UAE Confirms Participation in Anti - ISIS Attacks
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) Air Force participated in attacks against “Islamic State” (ISIS) targets in Syria, the country’s Foreign Ministry confirmed.

A number of other Arab countries, including Jordan and Saudi Arabia, also took part in the attacks.

U.S.: Syrian Strikes 'Only the Beginning' of Campaign Against ISIS
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsThe New Zealand Herald
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The US and Arab strikes on militant targets in Syria overnight were "only the beginning" of a "credible and sustainable, persistent" coalition effort to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIS militants and other extremist groups, the American military has said.

The airstrikes - which employed US Tomahawk missiles, B1 bombers, F16, F18 and F22 strike fighters and drones - was backed by support from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE - a coalition of nations that has agreed to assist with the destruction of ISIS.

There was also a separate US attack on a different band of Islamist militants in Syria - the mysterious Al Qaeda-affiliated Khorasan Group, who are said to have been planning an "imminent attack" on a Western target.

"I can tell you that last night's strikes were only the beginning," Rear Admiral John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters. He said the strikes had been "very successful" and would continue, without going into further detail on future operational plans.

Another military spokesman, Lieutenant General William Mayville Jr, said that Arab nations - including Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates - took part in the second and third waves of attacks. He said the Arab countries' actions ranged from combat air patrols to strikes on targets.

Earlier US President Barack Obama said the participation of the five Arab nations "makes it clear to the world this is not America's fight alone."

Before an after photographs of an ISIL storage facility near Abu Kamal, Syria, struck by US strike aircraft. Photo / US Central Command

Speaking a press conference just hours after the overnight raids, Obama said the joint fight against ISIS will take time - but remains vital to the security of the United States, the Middle East and the rest of the world.

He said it was not possible to know how long US-led operations against Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq will last. In a letter to Congress following the air strikes, Obama said: "It is not possible to know the duration of these deployments and operations.

"I will continue to direct such additional measures as necessary to protect and secure U.S. citizens and our interests against the threat posed by ISIL," using another name for Islamic State.

He added that the US is "proud to stand shoulder-to-shoulder" with the Arab nations in conducting the strikes.

No safe haven

Obama's comments came after America's top military officer Army General Martin Dempsey said the overnight airstrikes will have successfully shown the terror group that its attacks will not go unanswered, and that even strongholds such as the city of Raqqa do not represent a "safe haven".

Air strikes were launched from land bases in the Middle East, while the F18s were launched from the aircraft carrier USS George HW Bush, which is in the Persian Gulf.

Tomahawks were fired from the USS Arleigh Burke, a guided missile destroyer in the Red Sea.

The first wave of strikes lasted for 90 minutes and one video on social media showed blasts across Raqqa - the de facto capital of the Islamic state.

Among the targets which reports from social media claimed had been hit were the house of the governor of Raqqa, the national hospital and the Equestrian Club.

One account said at least 20 of the militant group's fighters had been killed in the strikes, with other sources saying "dozens" were dead.

Separate ISIS targets were hit in Deir al-Zor province in the north of Syria, where the terrorist group has also gained vast swaths of territory.

"We wanted to make sure that ISIL knew they have no safe haven, and we certainly achieved that," Army General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in an interview with American reporters. ISIL is an alternate acronym for ISIS commonly used by US officials.

Arab support

America said five Arab nations either participated in the airstrikes or provided unspecified support. They were Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.

Dempsey said the role of the five Arab nations in the airstrikes was indispensable to the US goal of showing that the battle to degrade and defeat the Islamic State group is not just a US fight.

"I can't overstate" the importance of the Arab role, he said, calling it an unprecedented coalition with Arab states and said the partnering has set the stage for a broader international campaign against the extremists.

Dempsey said the five Arab nations' agreement to join in the airstrikes came together quickly; as recently as Sunday but did not specify exactly what role each nation played overnight.

He told reporters that more Arab participation was needed before President Barack Obama would sign off on the strategic air campaign.

Al Qaeda targeted

The US also carried out separate airstrikes against Al Qaeda-affiliated extremists Khorasan in Aleppo and Idlib, following intelligence that the group were planning an "imminent attack" against Western interests.

The US said at least 30 fighters died, along with eight civilians, including children, in Aleppo and Idlib.

Khorasan are a totally separate group to ISIS and, although little is known of their origins, they are understood to be made up of "seasoned al Qaeda veterans".

Lieutenant General William Mayville, the Pentagon's director of operations, said Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from US warships in the region were used to hit the group's compounds, workshops and training grounds around the city of Aleppo.

"Intelligence reports indicated that the Khorasan Group was in the final stages of plans to execute attacks against Western targets and potentially the US homeland," he said.

It is understood that the group's aim is not to fight against Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, nor does it hope to acquire vast swaths of land like ISIS.

Instead Khorasan targets the thousands of young Western Muslims who have travelled to fight in Syria in recent months - many of whom have retained their passports and have made the journey without the knowledge of their home governments.

Khorasan's plan is to recruit and train this fighters not to carry out attacks in the Middle East, but to return to their home countries and commit catastrophic acts of terror there. It is understood that once such attack was "imminent" which led to the US targeting the group in air strikes overnight.

James Clapper, the US Director of National Intelligence, said: "In terms of threat to the homeland, Khorasan may pose as much of a danger as the Islamic State."

Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby said the decision to launch the strikes was made on Monday, only hours before US Air Force and Navy pilots were given their missions and targets.

Kirby said the strikes were ordered by Army General Lloyd Austin, the commander of US forces in the Middle East and South Asia "under authorisation granted to him by the commander in chief".

This morning British Prime Minister David Cameron released a statement saying he supported the strikes against ISIS by the US and allies, and will now discuss what contribution the UK can make.

Kirby did not name the partner nations participating in the operation but they are now known to be the five Gulf nations and Jordan.

All of them are majority Sunni, the same branch of Islam as ISIS. Britain and France were not involved in the strikes.

British journalist held

News of the airstrikes comes as ISIS' highly-organized press office released a second propaganda video appearing to feature captured British hostage John Cantlie.

The journalist - wearing a Guantanamo Bay-style orange jumpsuit - is filmed questioning America's preparation for attacks on ISIS, and compares the 'unwinnable' conflict to the Vietnam War.

In the five-minute scripted video, Cantlie suggests Barack Obama, long careful to avoid the sort of conflicts his predecessor George Bush pursued, is being sucked into an "unwinnable war".

"The president once called George Bush's Iraq conflict a "dumb war", and couldn't wait to distance America from it when he came into power. Now he's being inextricably drawn back in," Cantlie says.

Military officials have said the US would target militants' command and control centers, re-supply facilities, training camps and other key logistical sites.

An anti-militant media collective called 'Raqqa is being silently slaughtered' said among the targets were Islamic State buildings used as the group's headquarters, and the Brigade 93, a Syrian army base that the militants recently seized.

Other airstrikes targeted the town of Tabqa and Tel Abyad in Raqqa province, it said. Their claims could not be independently verified.

According to ABC News' Luis Martinez, the stealth F-22 Raptor fighter jet saw its first combat ever with the Raqqa strikes.

The Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad was said to have been 'informed' of the strikes, but not asked for authorisation.

Syria's Foreign Ministry told the Associated Press that the U.S. informed Syria's envoy to the U.N. that 'strikes will be launched against the terrorist Daesh group in Raqqa'.

Daesh is a name for ISIS used by many Arabic-speaking media organisations.

Former Delta Force officer James Reese told CNN: "This is the punch in the nose to the bully that we talked about on the playground. ISIS is the bully, and we just punched him in the nose."

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said that the plan "includes targeted actions against ISIL safe havens in Syria, including its command and control logistics capabilities and infrastructure." He said he and Dempsey approved the plan.

The US has also been increasing its surveillance flights over Syria, getting better intelligent on potential targets and militant movements.

To date US fighter aircraft, bombers and drones have launched about 190 airstrikes within Iraq.

Urged on by the White House and US defense and military officials, Congress passed legislation late last week authorizing the military to arm and train moderate Syrian rebels. Obama signed the bill into law Friday, providing $500 million for the US to train about 5,000 rebels over the next year.

US leaders have also been crisscrossing the globe trying to build a broad international coalition of nations, including Arab countries, to go after the Islamic State group and help train and equip the Iraqi security forces and the Syrian rebels.

The militant group, meanwhile, has threatened retribution. Its spokesman, Abu Mohammed al-Adnani, said in a 42-minute audio statement released Sunday that the fighters were ready to battle the US-led military coalition and called for attacks at home and abroad.

Military leaders have said about two-thirds of the estimated 31,000 Islamic State militants were in Syria.

In a speech September 10, Obama vowed to go after the Islamic State militants wherever they may be. And his military and defense leaders told Congress last week that airstrikes within Syria are meant to disrupt the group's momentum and provide time for the US and allies to train and equip moderate Syrian rebels.

"I have made it clear that we will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, wherever they are," Obama said. "That means I will not hesitate to take action against ISIL in Syria, as well as Iraq. This is a core principle of my presidency: if you threaten America, you will find no safe haven."

The US military has been launching targeted airstrikes in Iraq since August, focusing specifically on attacks to protect US interests and personnel, assist Iraqi refugees and secure critical infrastructure. Last week, as part of the newly expanded campaign, the US began going after militant targets across Iraq, including enemy fighters, outposts, equipment and weapons.

U.S. to Take Action Against Islamic State Disregarding Geography or Borders
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsRia Novosti
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

MOSCOW, September 23 (RIA Novosti) – The United States will not allow geography or borders to stand in the way of its campaign against the Islamic State (IS) militant group, US Secretary of State John Kerry was reported as saying Tuesday.

"We will not allow geography or borders to prevent us from taking action [against the IS]," Kerry said at a press conference following his meeting with Iraqi President Fuad Masum, as quoted by Associated Press (AP).

"We will hold them [IS militants] responsible for their grotesque atrocities," Kerry stressed, adding that "we will not allow them to find safe haven where they think they can have sanctuary against accountability."

Earlier on Tuesday, US President Barack Obama pledged to continue the fight against IS militants and to build up the anti-IS international coalition, which now comprises over 40 countries.

The Unites States carried out a number of airstrikes against IS positions in Syria on Tuesday, using aircraft, drones and Tomahawk missiles. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates also reportedly took part in the attacks.

Obama unveiled a strategy for defeating the IS on September 10. The plan includes forming an international coalition to fight the radical organization and authorizing US airstrikes against IS positions in Syria, while simultaneously continuing airstrikes in Iraq, which the United States authorized in August.

The United States also plans to provide support, equipment and training to Kurdish and Iraqi forces and Syria's opposition to respond to the IS threat.

The IS, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) or the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), has been fighting against Syrian government since 2012. In June 2014, the group extended its attacks to northern and western Iraq. Ceasing vast territories in both countries and forcing thousands of people, mostly religious minorities, to flee, the IS declared a caliphate on all the territories under its control.

The Number of Volcanic Eruptions is Increasing and That Could Lead to An Extremely Cold Winter
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsProphecy New Watch
Categories: Today's Headlines;Commentary

The number of volcanoes that are erupting continues to rise, and scientists cannot seem to explain why this is happening. In 2013, we witnessed the most volcanic eruptions worldwide that we have ever seen in a single year, and this increased activity has carried over into 2014. 

In recent months, we have seen major volcanoes roar to life in Russia, Peru, Hawaii, Reunion Island, Indonesia, and all over Alaska. It is highly unusual for so many volcanoes to all be erupting at the same time. According to Volcano Discovery, a whopping 34 volcanoes are erupting around the globe right now. 

This is sending a massive amount of dust and ash into the upper atmosphere, and it may explain why many parts of the planet are experiencing strangely cold weather at the moment. If this trend continues, we could potentially be facing years of crop failures and widespread famines all over the world.

And what we have witnessed already may just be the beginning. There are several more very large volcanoes around the globe that scientists are extremely concerned about right now.

For example, just check out what is going on in the Philippines...

Mayon Volcano in the province of Albay was placed on "Alert Level 3" on Monday evening, September 15, after showing signs of "relatively high unrest," the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) said.

In a bulletin issued at 10:00 pm, PHIVOLCS observed 39 rockfall events from 5:00 am to 8:00 pm on September 15, symptoms of the build-up of magma at the summit dome. At least 32 low frequency volcanic earthquakes were also recorded, indicating magma intrusion or volcanic gas activity.

PHIVOLCS-DOST raised the alert status of Mayon Volcano from Alert Level 2 to Alert Level 3 which is equivalent to a "Critical Alert" in the agency's 5-level alert system. This means that the volcano is exhibiting relatively high unrest, magma is at the crater, and that an eruption is possible within weeks.

But of even greater concern is Bardarbunga. It is the largest volcano system in Iceland, and a major eruption could potentially be absolutely catastrophic...

This time the threat of an eruption – potentially even more powerful than the one in 2010 – is posed by Bardarbunga, the biggest of Iceland's 30 or so volcanic systems. Located roughly at the country's centre, the volcano's 10-kilometre caldera lies several hundred metres beneath Vatnajokull, Europe's largest glacier by volume.

Scientists are taking the latest rumblings seriously: roughly 8000 years ago, after all, the volcanic leviathan let rip with the largest eruption of the past 10,000 years.

"It is very difficult to predict exactly what will happen with an eruption," says Monash University vulcanologist Professor Ray Cas, who is president of the International Association for Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth.
Scientists tell us that over the last 10,000 years Bardarbunga has produced "more lava than any other volcano on the planet."

If we witness a full scale eruption at Bardarbunga, the cancellation of a few thousand flights may be the smallest of our concerns.

The truth is that we might be looking at the coldest winter that any of us have ever seen in the northern hemisphere.

But don't just take my word for it. The following is from a British newspaper article entitled "Icelandic volcano could trigger Britain's coldest winter EVER this year"...

Depending on the force of the explosion, minute particles thrust beyond the earth’s atmosphere can trigger DECADES of chaotic weather patterns.

Tiny pieces of debris act as billions of shields reflecting the sun’s light away from earth meaning winter temperatures could plunge LOWER THAN EVER before while summer will be devoid of sunshine.

The first effect could be a bitterly cold winter to arrive in weeks with thermometers plunging into minus figures and not rising long before next summer.
If this did happen, there is nothing that we could do to change it.

We would just have to deal with it.

This is a kind of "climate change" that everyone can agree on. It is well known that volcanic eruptions can substantially lower global temperatures. In fact, some global warming theorists are already blaming increased volcanic activity for why temperatures have not been rising in recent years...

“In the last decade, the amount of volcanic aerosol in the stratosphere has increased, so more sunlight is being reflected back into space,” said lead author Benjamin Santer, climate scientist at Laurence Livermore National Laboratory, in a press release. “This has created a natural cooling of the planet and has partly offset the increase in surface and atmospheric temperatures due to human influence.”

But if Bardarbunga fully erupts, we could be looking at something a lot worse than a little "global cooling".

We could potentially be facing winters that never seem to end.

It has happened before in recorded history many times. The following list comes from Wikipedia…

The effects of volcanic eruptions on recent winters are modest in scale, but historically have been significant.

Most recently, the 1991 explosion of Mount Pinatubo, a stratovolcano in the Philippines, cooled global temperatures for about 2–3 years.

In 1883, the explosion of Krakatoa (Krakatau) created volcanic winter-like conditions. The four years following the explosion were unusually cold, and the winter of 1887-1888 included powerful blizzards. Record snowfalls were recorded worldwide.

The 1815 eruption of Mount Tambora, a stratovolcano in Indonesia, occasioned mid-summer frosts in New York State and June snowfalls in New England and Newfoundland and Labrador in what came to be known as the “Year Without a Summer” of 1816.

A paper written by Benjamin Franklin in 1783 blamed the unusually cool summer of 1783 on volcanic dust coming from Iceland, where the eruption of Laki volcano had released enormous amounts of sulfur dioxide, resulting in the death of much of the island’s livestock and a catastrophic famine which killed a quarter of the Icelandic population. Northern hemisphere temperatures dropped by about 1 °C in the year following the Laki eruption.

In 1600, the Huaynaputina in Peru erupted. Tree ring studies show that 1601 was cold. Russia had its worst famine in 1601-1603. From 1600 to 1602, Switzerland, Latvia and Estonia had exceptionally cold winters. The wine harvest was late in 1601 in France, and in Peru and Germany, wine production collapsed. Peach trees bloomed late in China, and Lake Suwa in Japan froze early.
The possibility of volcanic eruptions substantially cooling our weather is the biggest "climate threat" that we are facing by far.

Without warm summers and plenty of sunshine, our crops will not succeed.

And global food supplies are already stretched to the limit. Just this week we learned that one out of every nine people in the world does not have enough food to eat.

What would happen if global food production was cut by 10 or 20 percent for a few years?

So keep an eye on Bardarbunga and the other major volcanoes around the planet that are rumbling right now.

They may just play a major role in our immediate future.

Syrian Foreign Minister: We Welcome Airstrikes on IS
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem recently said that his country would welcome foreign airstrikes against the “Islamic State” (IS, or ISIS) or the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front.

The comments were made in an interview which aired Monday on Russia Today TV and was translated by the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

“We are the people of this land, and we know best what happens in our land. Therefore, I say that the air strikes will not benefit the war on terrorism, unless there is a coordinated military operation on the ground. The United States is making a mockery of the world when it says that it will not coordinate the attack with the Syrian government, but with the moderate opposition,” Muallem said in the interview.

“This is laughable. What moderate opposition?! They are killing Syrians just like ISIS and Jabhat Al-Nusra,” he declared.

“We have said that any violation of Syrian sovereignty would constitute an act of aggression. International law has a clear definition of aggression. But let me tell you that if there are honest intentions to attack ISIS and Jabhat Al-Nusra in Iraq, in Syria, or in both, we will welcome this. But I must tell you honestly that we have our doubts. We are not worried, but we have our doubts about the true intentions of the Americans, the Israelis, the Turks, and the Saudis by forming this coalition,” said the Syrian Foreign Minister.

On Monday night, the U.S., along with its partner nations in the coalition against IS, began launching airstrikes against IS targets in Syria.

In a national address on September 10, President Barack Obama said the first part of his strategy to counter IS was to “conduct a systematic campaign of airstrikes against these terrorists.”

The Middle East has been galvanized since June when Islamic State fighters, already in control of much of Syria, swept through northern Iraq, seizing cities, slaughtering prisoners, and proclaiming a "caliphate" that would rule over all Muslims.

Steinitz: Iran Conducted Nuclear Experiments At Parchin
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz (Likud) said on Wednesday that Iran had conducted experiments with nuclear weapons at the Parchin military base, where the West believes suspicious nuclear activities have taken place based on satellite evidence.

According to a statement from Steinitz, quoted by the Reuters news agency, Iran used the Parchin military base as the site for secret tests of technology that could be used only for detonating a nuclear weapon.

The statement was issued a day before Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was to address the UN General Assembly.

According to Steinitz, internal neutron sources such as uranium were used in nuclear implosion tests at Parchin. Israel based its information on "highly reliable information", he added, without elaborating.

The statement gave no specific dates for such testing, saying only that it occurred during what it called the 2000-2001 construction of a nuclear weaponization test site in Parchin.

An annex to an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) report in 2011, which included information received from member states, indicated that Iran may have conducted such alleged experiments but did not specify where they had taken place.

"It is important to emphasize that these kinds of tests can have no 'dual use' explanation, since the only possible purpose of such internal neutron sources is to ignite the nuclear chain reaction in nuclear weapons," the Israeli statement said, according to Reuters.

Satellite evidence last August and in 2012 suggested that nuclear bomb triggering devices are being tested in Parchin. Iran has added to the suspicion by refusing to allow visiting IAEA inspectors to enter the site.

Israel has been critical of the interim agreement reached between Iran and world powers, and which the sides are now trying to turn into a permanent deal by November.

Steinitz last week urged the European Union (EU) not to make a "bad deal" with Iran over its nuclear program.

Steinitz suggested outgoing EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton may be in a rush to conclude a deal before she steps down at the end of this year.

He also said the fight against Islamist extremists in Iraq and Syria should not harm efforts to stop Tehran from obtaining a nuclear bomb.

Steinitz urged world powers not to sideline the Iran issue as they concentrate on battling terrorists from the Islamic State (IS) group in Iraq and Syria, echoing remarks made by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu a week earlier.

Rouhani: Airstrikes Against ISIS in Syria are Illegal
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Iran’s President, Hassan Rouhani, said on Tuesday that airstrikes by the U.S. and a group of allies against Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria are illegal, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Rouhani said military action could only be justified if authorized by the United Nations Security Council or if the measures were conducted with the consent of the Syrian government.

The comments came hours after the Pentagon confirmed that the U.S. had begun airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) targets in Syria.

"These bombings do not have any legal standing so we can interpret them as an attack," Rouhani was quoted as having told journalists on the fringes of the United Nations General Assembly.

Rouhani condemned IS and described them as "barbarians," but said Iran should lead any coalition in the fight against the group that has seized control of swaths of Syrian and Iraqi territory.

The Iranian president seemed eager to express Iran's willingness to combat the group, but he signaled no willingness to work with the U.S. government in the task.

"There is no cooperation between Iran and the United States but we are extremely serious about combating extremism," he said, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Iran has been a long-standing ally of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad and has provided him with military support during his fight against the rebels. Rouhani noted that Iran has been fighting Islamic State extremists in the region alongside Syrian forces.

The Iranian president made similar comments last week, when he denounced IS for its savagery but also branded the U.S.-led coalition against the terror group as "ridiculous."

In his comments on Tuesday, Rouhani also said that if Iran and world powers reach a long-term nuclear deal that ends sanctions against Tehran, the agreement will open the door to deeper cooperation on regional peace and stability and the fight against terrorism.

"Without a doubt, reaching a final nuclear deal will expand our cooperation, and we can cooperate in various fields including restoring regional peace and stability and fighting against terrorism," he said, according to Reuters.

"America cannot deny Iran's role in the fight against terrorism," Rouhani added.

The sides have set a November 24 deadline for a long-term agreement that would end sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.

"The talks occurring will clear many things, whether we will be able to reach a final agreement or not," Rouhani said, according to Reuters. "I believe both sides have reached the conclusion that the continuation of the current condition doesn't benefit anyone.... So why not make strides to reach this agreement?"

Rouhani Has No Intentions of Meeting With Obama
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, announced that he has no intentions of meeting with American President, Barack Obama, during the United Nations’ general ceremony, slated to take place in the next few days.

Prime Minister Netanyahu will head to the ceremony on Sunday and will meet later in the week with President Obama in Washington.

President Takes ISIS Fight to UN
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Hill
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

President Obama will take the reins of the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday seeking to build support for a prolonged military campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Obama’s stint as chair of the Security Council — the second of his presidency — will come just over 24 hours after the United States broadened its assault against ISIS with airstrikes in Syria.

The strikes were bolstered by support from Arab allies, highlighting how Obama is increasingly turning his multilateralism into an instrument of war.

That’s a far cry from 2009, when Obama was a month away from winning the Nobel Peace Prize and his agenda at the United Nations was ridding the world of nuclear weapons.

Now Obama is coming to the U.N. as a wartime leader intent on destroying an enemy that his Defense secretary said is “unlike anything” the nation has seen before.

His top priority? To convince other nations to contribute their military assets and money in the fight against ISIS.

“This is not America’s fight alone,” Obama said Tuesday in comments about the strikes from the South Lawn of the White House.

Five Arab nations — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain and Qatar — assisted in Monday night’s airstrikes, which hit 14 ISIS targets within Syria. 

Deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes described their participation in the bombing campaign, which destroyed or damaged ISIS training compounds; headquarters; storage facilities; a finance center; and supply trucks and armed vehicles, as a “powerful message.”

The White House acknowledged its coalition-building efforts are in the early stages, and that the president is seeking bigger global commitments. 

Obama planned to meet with the leaders of the five Arab nations at a session organized by Secretary of State John Kerry on Tuesday, and he will lobby other countries to join in the bombing campaign, provide equipment or training, or help finance the operation.

“Part of what the president is going to be doing at the United Nations is consulting with allies and partners about additional contributions that can be made in both Iraq and Syria,” Rhodes said.

Former administration officials said Obama needs to win international support, given the war-weariness of the U.S. public.

While there has been broad public support for the bombing campaign against ISIS, there is little interest in another lengthy U.S. military engagement in the Middle East. 

One former official said it was important for the president to cultivate partners who are willing to help through the long haul. 

“It’s the only way we win,” the official said.

Ben Chang, a former National Security Council official under Obama, argued Tuesday’s bombing campaign could help in recruiting allies by demonstrating the president’s determination.

“There was a lot of hand-wringing about indecisiveness,” Chang said. “But here, you have decisive action, interestingly before a marquee event, you have a coalition of Arab countries and decisive forceful action.”

In New York, Obama will press for a Security Council resolution that calls on other nations to step up the efforts to block the flow of foreign fighters through their countries.

According to senior administration officials, an estimated 15,000 individuals, including 2,000 Europeans and an estimated 100 Americans, have entered Iraq and Syria to join terror groups like ISIS and the Khorasan Group, which was also targeted by U.S. airstrikes inside Syria on Monday. The White House has said they are worried that radicalized individuals who travel to conflict zones to fight alongside the terror group could use their Western passports to return home and carry out acts of terror.

The resolution will call on nations to adopt new laws and regulations to prosecute and penalize those affiliated with terror groups, prevent the entry or transit of individuals linked to terrorism and target the willful provision of funds to terror groups. Countries will also create an international clearinghouse for intelligence about foreign fighters.

It will be just the second time in U.N. history that a U.S. president chairs a Security Council meeting, which the White House says emphasizes the priority Obama is putting on the counterterrorism issue.

“It sends a very, very powerful signal this is an issue of the highest priority,” one senior administration official said.

A successful vote within the Security Council could also help the president galvanize support back in Washington. Although congressional leadership uniformly endorsed Monday’s airstrikes in Syria, some lawmakers expressed concern that the president acted without explicit approval.

Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) said Tuesday she was “gravely concerned” by the president’s action and called on Obama to leverage his international coalition “to achieve the political solution that will end this crisis.”

“Only a political solution that respects the rights of all Iraqis and Syrians will ultimately dismantle ISIS,” she said.

Still, Obama said he was pleased “that there is bipartisan support for the actions we are taking” while re-emphasizing for skittish lawmakers that the U.S. was acting “as part of a broad coalition.”

“America is always stronger when we stand united, and that unity sends a powerful message to the world that we will do what’s necessary to defend our country,” Obama said.

Norway: ISIS Terrorists 'Planned to Behead Entire Family'
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Commentary

A group of Danish Muslim extremists sympathetic to the "Islamic State" terrorist group (IS) planned to murder an entire family and film it as a "warning" to Western states intervening against IS in Iraq and Syria.

According to Norway's NRK TV channel the group of Islamists intended to break into a random home, slit the throats of all the residents and post the footage online.

The horrific plot is reminiscent of a similar one recently foiled in Australia, where a group of pro-IS Islamist terrorists planned to kidnap and behead a random member of the public and distribute footage of the gruesome killing in "revenge" for anti-IS airstrikes. The jihadis reportedly planned to wrap their victim in the Islamic State flag before murdering him.

Norwegian officials have declined to comment on the terror plot in their country, but it comes after a major terror alert in July which forced mass searches at border crossings and the closure of Olso's main synagogue as a security precaution.

A Norwegian terror expert confirmed to the Norwegian-language fyens.dk site that "multiple sources" had confirmed the existence of such a plot.

Alarmingly, not long ago another Norwegian newspaper, Verdens Gang, claimed security services were on the alert for a group of IS terrorists on their way to the country to carry out an attack against Norwegian civilians involving knives. Four suspected terrorists reportedly landed in Athens, Greece, on their way to carry out the attack, but their current whereabouts are unknown according to the paper.

Meanwhile, US-led coalition forces continue airstrikes against IS positions in both Iraq and Syria - as well as against Al Qaeda's Syrian branch, the Nusra Front.

The anti-IS operation expanded from Western airstrikes aimed at halting the jihadi advance in Iraq, with the aid of Kurdish Peshmerga and pro-Iraqi government forces, to airstrikes against IS strongholds in Syria, including its de-fact capital Raqqa. 

Those latter strikes have notably been carried out with the aid of Sunni Muslim Arab states including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Jordan. Qatar has also reportedly provided aerial support. As noted above, the raids in Syria also targeted the Nusra Front - which though opposed to IS is suspected of harboring veteran Al Qaeda terrorists as they plot to carry out attacks against the US.

Last night airstrikes were also carried out against IS positions close to the embattled Kurdish town of Kobane, along the Syria-Turkey border. Kurdish YPJ fighters have been battling Islamist terrorists in the region since the start of the Syrian civil war, but recent weeks have seen IS forces - flush with US-made weapons seized from Iraqi forces and emboldened by its lightening advances in recent months  - advance to within 9 miles of the town, committing atrocities against local communities along the way.

Let the Headlines Speak
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsFrom the internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

How Farmers in Israel Are Preparing for a Rare Biblical Event That Starts This Week
Many Israeli farmers have spent months preparing for a biblically mandated event that comes just once every seven years, in which fields and orchards managed by Jews in the Holy Land must lie fallow for the entire year. It is known in Hebrew as Shmita, or the sabbatical year, and it begins Wednesday with the start of Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year.  

Survey: Support for legal weed drops 7 points in the past year
National support for legalized marijuana has slipped by seven percentage points in the past year, from 51 percent in 2013 to 44 percent today, according to the Public Religion Research Institute.  

Peter King on ISIS: Be Ready for Attacks on US Soil
"We always have to be alert to them, [but] we have to be even more so now because they want to show . . . the Muslim world they're not going to sit back and take [it], they're going to fight back."  

Increasing Number of Americans Want Religion in Politics, Pew Poll Finds
The number of people who say churches and other houses of worship should express their views on social and political issues is up six percentage points since the 2010 midterm elections, from 43 percent to 49 percent. Similarly, those who think there has been "too little" expression of faith from political leaders is up from 37 percent to 41 percent.  

Inconvenient baby killed for mother’s right to choose, but gets a bad poem in its honor
I would have made sure that we had a space on the wall to measure her height as she grew. I would have made sure I was a good mother to look up to. But I would have supported her right to choose. To choose a life for herself, a path for herself. I would have died for that right, just like she died for mine. I’m sorry but you came at the wrong time.  

U.S. hospitals unprepared to handle Ebola waste
U.S. hospitals may be unprepared to safely dispose of the infectious waste generated by any Ebola virus disease patient to arrive unannounced in the country, potentially putting the wider community at risk, biosafety experts said.

Shallow Quake Rattles Costa Mesa
A preliminary magnitude-2.4 earthquake hit Costa Mesa on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The shallow temblor struck at 3:31 p.m. at a depth of about a mile, the USGS reported. The epicenter was in the 3000 block of Cassia Avenue, according to coordinates on the agency's website.  

GEOMAGNETIC UNREST
Today, the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) near Earth is tilting south, not much, but enough to open a crack in Earth's magnetosphere. NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance that a full-fledged geomagnetic storm could develop in the next 24 hours.  

Blowing the Shofar ca.1935
Jews around the world will blow 100 shofar blasts on Thursday and Friday, Rosh Hashana 5765 (2014). "Blow the Shofar at the New Moon for our holiday Because It Is a Decree for Israel, a Judgment Day for the God of Jacob" - Psalms 81  

Filipino ISIS Group Holding Two Germans Hostage
The Filipino terrorist organization Abu Sayyaf, which recently pledged loyalty to the Islamic State (ISIS), is holding two German citizens captive and demanding 250 million Philippine Pesos (over $5.6 million) from Germany within 15 days - or they will kill the hostages. The two Germans, aged 55 and 71, were abducted in April from their sailing yacht in Palawan in the western Philippines according to the German-language news source  

Norway: ISIS Terrorists 'Planned to Behead Entire Family'
A group of Danish Muslim extremists sympathetic to the "Islamic State" terrorist group (IS) planned to murder an entire family and film it as a "warning" to Western states intervening against IS in Iraq and Syria. According to Norway's NRK TV channel the group of Islamists intended to break into a random home, slit the throats of all the residents and post the footage online.  

Police Ambushed by Muslim Rioters on Temple Mount
The rioters fired at police at the Mughrabi Gate, which is the only point of access for Jewish visitors to the site currently under the de facto rule of the Jordanian Waqf (Islamic trust). Yassam police special forces and Border Patrol officers pushed their way onto the Temple Mount and pressed back the rioters.  

Doomsday Scenario: 1.4 Million Ebola Victims By January
US Centers for Disease Control reports case numbers higher than thought and growing fast, meaning crisis unless serious action taken. another prediction was released just hours earlier on Tuesday by the New England Journal of Medicine. According to the latter report, the current Ebola epidemic may never be fully controlled making the virus endemic, bringing civic life in the stricken countries to a standstill and keeping the threat of Ebola spreading more widely constant.  

Eruption Maps of Earthquakes each Day
Over 40 earthquakes have been recorded in the Bárðarbunga area since midnight. The biggest ones were just after midnight and measured 3.3 and another of 3.4 at around 5 am.  

Obama, Cameron vow to fight anti-Semitism in Rosh Hashanah greeting
US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron each released a greeting for Rosh Hashanah on Tuesday night to Jews in America, Britain, Israel and across the globe. Obama offered "warmest wishes for a sweet and happy New Year, and recalled a quote by his "good friend" Ellie Wiesel which emphasizes the importance of renewal: "God gave human beings a secret, and that secret was not how to begin but how to begin again."  

World leaders meet with multiple crises on agenda
Facing a world in turmoil from multiple crises ranging from wars in the Mideast and Africa to the deadly scourge of Ebola and growing Islamic radicalism, leaders from more than 140 countries open their annual meeting at the United Nations on Wednesday with few solutions. The issue certain to top the agenda is the threat from Islamic terrorists intent on erasing borders, with the first U.S. and Arab airstrikes in Syria delivered Monday night in response.  

Yemen: Houthi leader hails 'revolution'
The leader of Yemen's Shia Houthi rebels has described his supporters' takeover of key parts of the capital, Sanaa, as a "successful revolution". Abdul Malik al-Houthi said his movement had forced the government to give in to the demands of the people. The Houthis and the government signed a deal on Sunday to end deadly clashes.  

Islamic State battle could take years, Pentagon says
US-led air strikes have disrupted Islamic State (IS) militants but the fight against them will take years, a Pentagon spokesman has told the BBC. The comments came as activists reported new strikes around the town of Kobane, near Syria's border with Turkey. Kobane has been besieged by IS fighters for several days, forcing about 130,000 Syrian Kurds to flee into Turkey.  

World leaders pledge to tackle climate change
World leaders on Tuesday (23 September) pledged to step up efforts to fight climate change in the run-up to a global climate agreement in Paris at end of next year. Speaking at the UN Climate summit in New York, EU commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso told the assembly of some 120 leaders that the EU is on track to meeting its 2020 target on cutting emissions and increasing renewable energy.  

100 Christians, Including Children, Arrested During Major House Church Raid in China
Worshippers pray during a mass at the Liuhe Catholic Church in Liuhe village on the outskirts of Qingxu county, northern China, in this undated photo. Over 100 Christians, including children, were arrested during a major house church raid on Sunday in Foshan city in China's Guangdong Province. Close to 200 police officers stormed in during the service, eyewitnesses said, believed to be part of a large-scale crackdown on Christians in the country.  

Chinese Companies Profiting From Exporting ‘Tools of Torture,’ Report Says
Chinese companies are manufacturing, exporting and ultimately profiting from law enforcement equipment that can be used for torture, according to a report released Tuesday by two international human rights groups.  

CDC Predicts As Many As 1.4 Million Ebola Cases by Early 2015
A new and particularly grim CDC projection estimates that Ebola cases in western Africa could easily breach the million mark in just four months. The agency warned that without an effective intervention or a slowdown in the transmission of the virus, the world's biggest outbreak on record could extend from 550,000 to as many as 1.4 million cases by January 20. From the Washington Post:  

Shadowy al Qaeda cell, hit by U.S. in Syria, seen as 'imminent' threat
While the world has focused on a U.S.-led air assault on Islamic State strongholds in Syria, American officials said they also struck a blow there against a little-known cadre of hardened al Qaeda militants that posed a more immediate threat to the West.  

Cop's Tip For Not Getting Raped By A Cop: 'Don't Get Pulled Over'
In response to the arrests of three law enforcement officials in Oklahoma for sexually assaulting women while on the job, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper told women they can avoid getting raped by a cop if they simply follow traffic laws.  

COLUMNIST: I've Been Added To The US 'Terrorist Watch List'
Stephen Hayes, a senior writer for the conservative-leaning Weekly Standard magazine, has been placed on the Department of Homeland Security's terrorist watch list, he announced Tuesday afternoon.  

ISIS Warns U.S. and Its Allies That Theyre Starting Gulf War III
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Vancouver Sun
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Iran Nuclear Deal Would Boost Cooperation, Rouhani Says
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Jerusalem Post
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

If Iran and world powers reach a long-term nuclear deal that ends sanctions against Tehran, the agreement will open the door to deeper cooperation on regional peace and stability and the fight against terrorism, Iran's president said on Tuesday.

President Hassan Rouhani, who spoke to senior editors ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders at the UN General Assembly, said he had no plans to meet US President Barack Obama while in New York City.

"Without a doubt, reaching a final nuclear deal will expand our cooperation, and we can cooperate in various fields including restoring regional peace and stability and fighting against terrorism," he said through an interpreter.

Senior foreign ministry officials from the United States, Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and Iran are meeting this week in New York. Officials close to the talks say a deal is unlikely in coming days given deep disagreement on issues such as the scope of Iran's future enrichment program.

The sides have set a Nov. 24 deadline for a long-term agreement that would end sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear program.

Hollande: We will not Give in to Extortion
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

French President, Francois Hollande, declared that his country, “Will not give in to any forms of extortion, pressure or ultimatums.”

Hollande’s declaration came in light of threats made by the Jund al-Khilafah organization, affiliated with the “Islamic State” (ISIS), that it would behead the French citizen captured in Algeria on Sunday, if Paris did not back down from its attacks against ISIS.

Hamas, Fatah Try Solve Disputes Ahead of Israel Ceasefire Talks
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Rival Palestinian Arab factions Hamas and Fatah began talks in Cairo on Wednesday aimed at resolving internal disputes and reviving their unity government.  

The two-day talks will focus on "the return (of the unity government) in the Gaza Strip and the implementation of its authority without obstacles," said the head of Fatah's delegation, Azzam Al-Ahmad.  

The talks come after a joint Palestinian delegation and Israel agreed to hold indirect talks in late October to thrash out a lasting truce in Gaza.

Under Egyptian mediation, Israel and the Palestinians agreed on August 26 to a ceasefire that ended a 50-day war between Gazan terrorists, led by Hamas, and Israeli forces.

But in order to negotiate with Israel in October, Hamas and Fatah will need to iron out their own differences to agree on a unified strategy during talks with the Jewish negotiators.

That will be easier said than done.

Although the two fierce rivals set up a unity government of independents in June they soon found themselves at loggerheads again, with Abbas threatening to end the administration and accusing Hamas of running a "parallel government" as de facto ruler in the Gaza Strip. The Islamist terror group may well have been planning something similar in Judea and Samaria as well; Israeli security forces recently broke up a major Hamas cell which they say was planning a coup against the Palestinian Authority there.

Fatah officials have also accused Hamas of detaining, maiming and even executing Fatah members in Gaza.

Hamas in turn accuses Mahmoud Abbas's Palestinian Authority, headquartered in Ramallah, of not paying its 45,000 employees in Gaza.

The unity government is also crucial ahead of an international donor conference on October 12, to be hosted by Cairo, on the reconstruction of Gaza.

Hamas and Fatah Hold 'Positive' Talks in Cairo
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Talks in Cairo between rival Palestinian Arab factions Hamas and Fatah on reviving their unity government were taking place in a "positive atmosphere" on Wednesday, officials said, according to AFP.

The two-day talks, which began early Wednesday, come after a joint Palestinian Arab delegation and Israel agreed to hold separate indirect talks in late October to thrash out a lasting truce in Gaza.

"There is a positive atmosphere in which the talks are being held," senior Hamas official Ezzat al-Rishq was quoted as having told journalists, as representatives of the two groups went into a fresh round of discussions after a mid-day break.

The talks will focus on "the return (of the unity government) in the Gaza Strip and the implementation of its authority without obstacles," said the head of Fatah's delegation, Azzam Al-Ahmad, according to AFP.

The rival factions set up a unity government of independents in June, but there have been multiple reports over the past several months that the unity government 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 those differences turned the factions explicitly against one another after Hamas staged dozens of executions of Palestinian Arabs allegedly "collaborating with Israel" - or working for Fatah - prompting at least one Fatah official to compare Hamas to global jihadist group Islamic State (IS).

Hague Day Brings Into Focus Decisions By ICC That Could Have Major Ramifications for Israel
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Jerusalem Post
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The Hague, which hosts the International Court of Justice, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and, most importantly for Israel, the International Criminal Court, celebrated the UN’s International Day of Peace on Sunday.

Besides the above key UN bodies, The Hague is also the host of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and around 160 other international organizations, but recent Israel focus has been on the ICC, due to the possibility that the Palestinians may try to bring war crimes allegations against Israeli soldiers and decision-makers.

A significant portion of the celebration related to the ICC, including an unusual ICC open house.

The special attention brings into focus recent ICC decisions – especially dealing with Kenya, Egypt and Libya – that could impact the future of any Israeli-Palestinian legal conflict before the ICC.

On Friday, the ICC took one of the greatest risks since its founding, demanding that Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta attend an ICC hearing to respond to allegations by the ICC prosecutor that he and his government are obstructing the war crimes case against him by refusing to provide evidentiary documents.

This was a massive risk, for if Kenyatta refuses to present himself to the ICC, most say this would seriously damage its perceived authority.

Many say that any such weakened authority could also reduce the ICC prosecutor’s appetite for taking on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Because of this risk, the ICC had put off this issue for several months, and the issue came to a head only when the ICC ordered its prosecutor to either begin presenting evidence in the trial by September 5 or officially declare an inability to move forward without improved cooperation.

Besides the Kenya decision, a May decision by the ICC against former Egyptian president Mohamed Morsi is one that could impact Israel, international law commentator Prof. Eugene Kontorovich has noted.

Morsi had invoked the ICC to prosecute Egypt’s current rulers for toppling him and for alleged war crimes against him and his supporters.

The ICC prosecutor rejected his complaint, stating that, among other things, he did not have “effective control” of Egypt and therefore could not apply on behalf of Egypt.

According to Kontorovich, this same rationale could block “Palestine” from successfully getting the ICC to pursue Israelis, if only PA President Mahmoud Abbas fully excepts ICC jurisdiction, as he does not have “effective control” over Gaza.

In that case, since Hamas may fear ICC jurisdiction could lead to prosecution against it for indiscriminate rocket fire as war crimes, the ICC may reject any Palestine application as improper, said Kontorovich.

One last situation that could impact any ICC intervention between Israelis-Palestinians is Libya.

Libya has refused to hand over former Libyan leader Saif al-Islam Gaddafi to the ICC since it issued a warrant for his arrest on June 27, 2011.

It has refused on the grounds that it may prosecute him, though currently he is merely being held in prison, having had one court hearing, without any movement toward a full trial.

In other words, it has invoked the ICC’s complimentarity rule – that the ICC will not intervene if a country can and will prosecute an accused war criminal itself.

If the ICC has not pressured Libya to move along with a trial over three years after issuing an arrest warrant, many have argued that it is ultimately not likely to intervene in Israel, where Israel says that it does prosecute any Israeli who has committed a war crime.

All of these developments come on top of the ICC prosecutor’s recent unprecedented statement that she would not initiate an investigation on behalf of “Palestine” unless it fully joins the ICC’s Rome Statute, which still has not occurred.

While the UN’s International Day of Peace in The Hague is important to Israel mainly because of the focus on the ICC, the celebrations also involve music, debates, expositions, running events, tours, walks and much more.

The 20th century saw The Hague’s coming of age as an international city of peace and justice, with the International Court of Justice being the UN’s top judicial body.

In 1998 former UN secretary- general Boutros Boutros-Ghali described The Hague as “the legal capital of the world.”

EU Chief Reveals a Tenth of ISIS's Terrorists are European
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The European Union (EU) counter-terrorism chief on Tuesday revealed that since declaring itself an Islamic caliphate in June, the Islamic State (ISIS) terror group has seen a surge of European jihadists whose numbers jumped from 2,000 to 3,000.

EU counter-terror head Gilles de Kerchove told AFP that the boost in numbers comes following the declaration of Islamic statehood in the areas of Syria and Iraq conquered by the group, along with a highly intensive social media campaign to recruit western jihadists.

"My own assessment is that we're about 3,000," divulged de Kerchove, in estimating the number of Europeans fighting for ISIS in the Middle East. "The flow has not been dried up and therefore possibly the proclamation of the caliphate has had some impact."

Intelligence estimates have stated the number of ISIS fighters in Syria and Iraq stands at over 30,000, meaning that according to de Kerchove a full tenth of the Islamic State force is European.

The leading sources of ISIS foreign fighters are France, Britain, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark. He added though that recently the group has seen an expanding grip in Spain, Italy, Ireland and Austria.

"Even a country like Austria I think has now foreign fighters, which I was not aware of before," said de Kerchove.

The growing threat in Italy has led to a recent increase in security at the Vatican, after appraisals reckoned "credible" threats that ISIS would try to assassinate Pope Francis.

In response to ISIS's ever-increasing sphere of influence, America has been gathering a coalition of western and Arab states, which has begun a campaign of airstrikes against the group in Iraq and now Syria.

Aside from the European nations, Australia has recently seen a spike in ISIS activity, with one cell recently arrested ahead of carrying out plans to behead a random member of the public, and a local terrorist shot dead after stabbing two police officers.

Israel has not been immune to the jihadist threat either, with an Arab citizen of Israel on Tuesday becoming the first Israeli convicted of returning from fighting for ISIS in Syria, in a severe threat to security. ISIS terrorists released a video showing how they took part in the recent Gaza terror war against Israel, and at least one former ISIS jihadist was killed in the Gaza fighting.

In response to the spreading reach of the jihadist organization threatening Israel, Arab citizens of Israel have shown ever-increasing support for ISIS, seen in such displays as flying ISIS flags and posting praise for the group on Facebook and other social media sites.

Estimation: 1.4 Million will Contract Ebola By January
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Between 550 thousand and 1.4 million people in West Africa will contract the Ebola virus by the end of this coming January, sources at the American Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates.

The World Health Organization said at the start of the week that the number of casualties from the Ebola virus had risen to more than 2,800 people.

Ebola Could Become a 'Permanent Human Feature', WHO Warns
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Telegraph
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Darpa Testing Planes With a Star Wars - Style Laser Cannon
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsProphecy New Watch
Categories: Today's Headlines;Commentary

Prepare yourself for a future filled with real-life pew pew! The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is working with Lockheed Martin to test "a new beam control turret... to give 360-degree coverage for high-energy laser weapons operating on military aircraft." 

In other words, it stuck a primitive (by rebel standards) "Star Wars"-style laser cannon on a fighter jet and flew it over Michigan eight times.

"These initial flight tests validate the performance of our ABC turret design," Lockheed's Doug Graham said in a release. 

That ABC stands for Aero-adaptive Aero-optic Beam Control, which is designed to allow high-energy lasers to fire on enemy aircraft and missiles from a full 360 degrees -- above, below, and behind the aircraft.

The test flights demonstrated the airworthiness of the turret, but it doesn't appear that anyone or anything in the Great Lakes region was actually zapped as part of testing.

Still, this represents a significant move toward the inevitable merging of the "Star Wars" universe with our own so-called "reality." We've already seen the Navy's laser weapon that's set to deploy, and science has discovered how to create a real-life lightsaber, so perhaps it would be wise to start scanning the galaxies not just for potentially habitable exoplanets, but for planet-size super weapons as well. 

Computer Models Tell U.S. That This Ebola Pandemic Could Soon Kill Millions
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsProphecy New Watch
Categories: Today's Headlines;Commentary

We could potentially be on the verge of the greatest health crisis that any of us have ever seen. The number of Ebola cases in Africa has approximately doubled over the past three weeks, and scientific computer models tell us that this Ebola pandemic could ultimately end up killing millions of us - especially if it starts spreading on other continents. 

At first, many assumed that this Ebola outbreak would be just like all the others - that it would flare up for a little while and then it would completely fade away. But that has not happened this time. Instead, this epidemic has seemed to pick up momentum with each passing week. 

Despite extraordinary precautions, hundreds of health workers have gotten the virus, and the head of the CDC says that the spread of Ebola is "spiraling out of control" and that it is "going to get worse in the very near future." For those that have thought that all of this talk about Ebola was just "fearmongering", it is time for you to wake up.

Right now, the World Health Organization says that we could see the total number of Ebola cases reach 20,000 nine months from now. But computer models created for the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense are projecting that Ebola could soon be growing at a rate of 20,000 cases per month...

The Ebola epidemic affecting West Africa is predicted to last a further 12 to 18 months, according to U.S. scientists.

Epidemiologists have been creating computer models of the Ebola epidemic for the National Institutes of Health and the Defense Department.

The model they have created is a far less optimistic estimate than that of the World Health Organization (WHO), which last month said it hoped to contain the outbreak within nine months and 20,000 total cases.

The New York Times reports that various researchers have said the virus could grow at a rate that could be closer to 20,000 per month.

The WHO is sticking to its estimates, a spokesman said Friday.
Other scientists are even more pessimistic.

For example, a model created jointly by a researcher at the University of Tokyo and a researcher at Arizona State University has produced a "worst-case scenario" of 277,124 Ebola cases by the end of this year...

The Eurosurveillance paper, by two researchers from the University of Tokyo and Arizona State University, attempts to derive what the reproductive rate has been in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. (Note for actual epidemiology geeks: The calculation is for the effective reproductive number, pegged to a point in time, hence actually Rt.) They come up with an R of at least 1, and in some cases 2; that is, at certain points, sick persons have caused disease in two others.

You can see how that could quickly get out of hand, and in fact, that is what the researchers predict. Here is their stop-you-in-your-tracks assessment:

In a worst-case hypothetical scenario, should the outbreak continue with recent trends, the case burden could gain an additional 77,181 to 277,124 cases by the end of 2014.

That is a jaw-dropping number.
If we do see an explosion like that, how many millions of cases will we see by the time 2015 is through?

A different model has produced an even more jaw-dropping number.

An "econometric simulation model" created by Francis Smart at Michigan State University is predicting that a whopping 1.2 million people will die from Ebola in the next six months...

An econometric simulation model based on the assumption the World Health Organization and others will be unable to control the Ebola outbreak in West Africa predicts 1.2 million people will die from the disease in the next six months.

Six months is the minimum time the WHO projects will be necessary to contain the epidemic.

In his analysis, econometrics research assistant Francis Smart at Michigan State University took seriously the conclusions of Canadian researchers who proved the strain of Ebola in the current West African epidemic could go airborne.

The Ebola virus could be transmitted between humans through breathing, Smart says.

In developing the model, Smart began with WHO’s Aug. 28 statement that the Ebola epidemic in West Africa could afflict more than 20,000 people before it is brought under control.
That has got to be the worst possible number, right?

Wrong.

The other day a prominent German virologist came forward and declared that "it is too late" to stop Ebola and that five million people will die in Sierra Leone and Liberia alone...

A top German virologist has caused shockwaves by asserting that it’s too late to halt the spread of Ebola in Sierra Leone and Liberia and that five million people will die, noting that efforts should now be focused on stopping the transmission of the virus to other countries.

Jonas Schmidt-Chanasit of the Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine in Hamburg told Germany’s Deutsche Welle that hope is all but lost for the inhabitants of Sierra Leone and Liberia and that the virus will only “burn itself out” when it has infected the entire population and killed five million people.

“The right time to get this epidemic under control in these countries has been missed,” said Schmidt-Chanasit. “That time was May and June. “Now it is too late.”
So which of the numbers discussed above are accurate?

Only time will tell.

Meanwhile, the U.S. federal government is feverishly preparing for the worst.

This week we learned that Barack Obama is going to ask Congress for 88 million dollars for the purpose of conducting "a major Ebola offensive" in Africa.

Granted, Obama will ask Congress for money at the drop of a hat these days. He wants 500 million dollars to arm the allies of ISIS and his reckless spending has been one of the primary factors why the U.S. national debt has risen by more than a trillion dollars over the past 12 months.

But it is still noteworthy.

Even more noteworthy is the fact that the U.S. State Department has just ordered 160,000 Hazmat suits...

The U.S. State Department has ordered 160,000 Hazmat suits for Ebola, prompting concerns that the federal government is anticipating the rapid spread of a virus that has already claimed an unprecedented number of lives.

In a press release posted by Market Watch, Lakeland Industries, a manufacturer of industrial protective clothing for first responders, announced that it had signaled its intention “to join the fight against the spread of Ebola” by encouraging other suppliers to meet the huge demand created by the U.S. State Department’s order of 160,000 hazmat suits.

“With the U.S. State Department alone putting out a bid for 160,000 suits, we encourage all protective apparel companies to increase their manufacturing capacity for sealed seam garments so that our industry can do its part in addressing this threat to global health,” states the press release.

The huge bulk order of hazmat suits for Ebola has stoked concerns that the U.S. government expects the virus to continue to ravage countries in west Africa and may also be concerned about an outbreak inside the United States.
You don't order that many Hazmat suits unless you are anticipating an outbreak of apocalyptic proportions.

And the CDC has just issued a six page Ebola checklist to hospitals to help them spot potential Ebola patients in America...

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warning hospitals and doctors that “now is the time to prepare,” has issued a six-page Ebola “checklist” to help healthcare workers quickly determine if patients are infected.

While the CDC does not believe that there are new cases of Ebola in the United States, the assumption in the checklist is that it is only a matter of time before the virus hits home.
Let us hope and pray that these precautions do not become necessary.

Because if Ebola starts spreading like wildfire in this country, we are going to see pain and suffering beyond anything that most of us have ever imagined.

Just consider what a health worker on the front lines is seeing on a day to day basis...

I wake up each morning – if I have managed to sleep – wondering if this is really happening, or if it is a horror movie. In decades of humanitarian work I have never witnessed such relentless suffering of fellow human beings or felt so completely paralysed and utterly overwhelmed at our inability to provide anything but the most basic, and sometimes less than adequate, care.

I am supervising the suspect tent, which has room for 25 patients who are likely to have Ebola – 80-90% of those we test have the virus. We administer treatment for malaria, start patients on antibiotics, paracetamol, multivitamins, rehydration supplements, food, water and juice while they wait for their results. Sometimes people have arrived too late and die shortly after arriving.

In one afternoon last week I watched five seemingly fit, healthy, young men die. I gave the first a bottle of oral rehydration solution and came back with another for the second. In the half a minute or so in which I had been away the first man died, his bottle of water spilt across the floor. The four others followed in quick succession.
Ebola is truly a terrible, terrible disease.

The moment that cases start popping up in the United States, all of our lives will instantly change.

China Exporting Tools of Torture to Developing World
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsThe Telegraph
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

China's domestic market is also booming, with an ever-expanding government budget for "maintaining stability".

"There is a lot of demand from Chinese police for shackles and chairs and that has created an internal market which is now becoming more international," said Mr Wilcken.

Police torture remains commonplace; on Monday a court in northern China heard how police officers had killed a suspect during interrogation after stuffing a towel in his mouth and beating him in the face with a shoe.

Another suspect being interrogated in the same case had mustard oil poured into his nose before being tied to a metal stool and having electric wires attached to his toes.

^{Egypt police in body armour similar to those produced by Chinese companies (AP)}

Amnesty tracked several Chinese products to global trade fairs in France, the Middle East and South Africa and added that illegal equipment is regularly promoted at arms fairs in the UK.

"The UK has never prosecuted any company for illegally peddling torture equipment at UK arms fairs, despite repeat offences for over a decade," said Oliver Sprague, Amnesty's arms programme director.

A spokesman for HM Revenue and Customs said: "HMRC fully considers all cases where potential breaches of export controls are detected. However, simply displaying pictures of Category A goods in a brochure may not necessarily constitute an offence."

Contacted by the Telegraph, several companies offered to export equipment banned by Europe and the United States. "We have spiked batons and can air freight them," said the Jiangsu Wuwei Police Equipment Manufacturing Corporation.

"We export around ten per cent of our goods and we have partners with certificates for military equipment export. We sell to the United States, Cyprus and some other countries." The East Qiangsheng Technology company in Beijing said it could offer steel spiked batons weighing 1.5kg for £6 each, with a discount for bulk orders.

"We do not export them," a salesman said. "Most of the time, they are used by security guards transporting money because they look intimidating," he added.

The Anhua Police Equipment Manufacturing company offered a range of handcuffs and restraint chairs. "Is it legal? Well, we can do it through special channels," a salesman said.

Amnesty said it had photographic evidence of Chinese equipment being used in Egypt, Ghana, and Senegal.

In Libya, a 2008 shipment of Chinese small arms, ammunition, tear gas sprayers, handcuffs and shock batons was delivered from Bometec, the Bureau of Military Equipment & Technology Cooperation.

In Uganda, a large consignment of anti riot gear arrived ahead of the February 2011 elections from Poly Technologies, a firm spun out of the People's Liberation Army, reportedly including armoured vehicles with water cannons and tear gas launchers.

Dr Kizza Besigye, a former presidential candidate, was subsequently forced out of his car after being sprayed with pepper spray and tear gas through the window. Chinese armoured cars were used in an operation which killed nine, injured 100 and detained 600.

Amnesty added that Chinese armoured cars were also used in the Democratic Republic of Congo in November 2011 elections and that China had exported rubber projectiles and tear gas to Madagascar in 2009.

Cameron on ISIS: Destroy This Evil Organization
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

British Prime Minister David Cameron told NBC News on Tuesday that he is certain that the “Islamic State” (IS or ISIS) is plotting attacks in Europe.

"These people want to kill us," Cameron said. "They've got us in their sights and we have to put together this coalition ... to make sure that we ultimately destroy this evil organization," he said.

"It has oil, it has money, it has territory, it has weapons. And there's no doubt in my mind it has already undertaken and is planning further plots in Europe and elsewhere, specifically in Belgium, in Brussels," Cameron continued.

"There are other plots they have been attempting including in my own country in order to kill and maim innocent people. And the same applies to the United States of America,” he said.

Cameron’s warning came as the U.S. and five Arab countries launched airstrikes on IS targets in Syria. Cameron told NBC he hasn't "ruled out" British airstrikes, two weeks after Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said that Britain will not participate in any airstrikes on Syria but otherwise is ruling nothing out in helping the campaign against IS.

"We very much support the actions the Americans and others have taken. But we need to recognize this is going to take time, it's gonna take real resolution and resolve," Cameron said.

"And we need to make sure we are working very closely with those on the ground, the Iraqi forces, the Kurdish Peshmerga forces, and actually the Syrian national opposition — who in the end are the ones who will help to destroy and get rid of this appalling organization," he told NBC.

Cameron also spoke about his planned meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani at the United Nations General Assembly, the first by a British prime minister since 1979.

"I will do it not having softened in any way my views about the things that Iran has done and continues to do. I will be very clear. We think they are wrong to have this nuclear weapon program. We think they are wrong to support terrorist organizations," he said.

Abbas will 'Drop a Bomb' on Israel At the UN
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

A senior member of Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction said that Abbas will "drop a bomb" against Israel at the UN General Assembly on Friday.

The senior official, Jibril Rajoub, said in an interview on Palestinian Arab media that the move would be an integration of the international community into "the strategy of the Palestinian people."

It is worth noting that Rajoub in mid-August said the PA had made a "political decision" to support Arab terrorists "slaughtering" Jews living in Judea, Samaria and eastern Jerusalem - an announcement that has been accompanied by a steep rise in terror attacks in the region.

Abbas is currently in New York for the UN General Assembly that starts on Wednesday, and which he will address on Friday in a call for a "new political reality."

His New York visit follows a stop in France last Friday, in which he secured French President Francois Hollande's blessings for a UN Security Council resolution outlining the "solution to the conflict."

That "solution" consists of a timetable plan by which Abbas will push the UN to demand Israel withdraw from Judea and Samaria within a certain timeframe, despite the fact that Israel's presence in the region is completely legal under international law.

Stop "drunk" Israel

While in New York, Abbas spoke to American students at Manhattan's Cooper Union hall on Monday according to the Palestinian Arab Ma'an News Agency, where he called on the world to "rethink Palestine."

"The international community has the responsibility to protect our people, living under the terror of settlers, an occupying army," claimed Abbas.

He added "this week I will propose to the United Nations a new timetable for peace talks," referencing his Friday talk. "Enough is enough; end the occupation. We ask that the international community stop hiding behind calls for the resumption of talks."

Abbas added another slander against "drunk" Israel, accusing the Jewish state over its defensive Operation Protective Edge by saying "I made a prayer for an America that is a real friend of Israel, not a false friend, and just as real friends, do not let friends drive drunk."

The news source added that protesters at the address shouted out "Abbas is a terrorist" before being removed from the hall.

That accusation comes after the "military wing" of Abbas's Fatah, the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, bragged of its part in Hamas's recent terror war on Israel. Fatah also has recently called for a full return to terrorism, declaring "open war" on the Jewish state.

Such calls are in keeping with the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) charter of 1968, which declares "armed struggle is the only way to liberate Palestine." Following the charter, the PLO and Fatah were defined internationally as terror organizations, a status which was removed during the 1993 Oslo Accords process.

88 Senators to Kerry: Hand Gaza to the PA
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

88 senators are urging the Obama administration to act to take Gaza away from its Hamas terrorist rulers and hand it over to the Palestinian Authority (PA), The Daily Beast reports.

In a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry obtained by the website, the 88 senators write, “We must support efforts to enable the Palestinian Authority to exercise real power in Gaza. Hamas has demonstrated conclusively both that it has no interest in peace with Israel and that it has no concern for the well-being of Gaza residents.”

The letter to Kerry was circulated in the senate by Sen. Kelly Ayotte, a Republican and Sen. Bob Casey, a Democrat, according to The Daily Beast.

The senators said in the letter they support humanitarian aid to Gaza but will oppose reconstruction of Gaza until Hamas disarms, a position which is the same as the Israeli government and which Hamas has rejected.

The senators also urge Kerry to continue to work against efforts from PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to target Israel in international forums, such as the International Criminal Court.

“All Palestinians deserve a government that will seek to advance their safety and prosperity—not use them as human shields,” the senators wrote.

“Real peace between Israelis and Palestinians will require a Palestinian partner that controls the West Bank and Gaza, is focused on economic development and stability in both areas, and will accept Gaza’s demilitarization. We must start this process now.”

This is not the first time that senators have urged Kerry to take action with regards to Hamas. In May, U.S. Senators Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) called on the Secretary of State to publicly state that there will be an immediate cut-off of relevant U.S. assistance to the PA, should its unity government fail to comply with the detailed requirements set forth by the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006.

In September of 2011, a $192 million aid package was frozen by Congress after the PA submitted a failed unilateral bid for United Nations membership.

Members of Congress later released $40 million in economic and humanitarian funding for the PA, saying it is “vital to establishing and strengthening the foundations necessary for a future Palestinian state.”

In April of 2012, President Barack Obama bypassed a Congress block and signed a waiver declaring that aid to the Palestinian Authority is “important to the security interests of the United States.”

'Hezbollah Doesn't Need a Tunnel to Breach Into Israel'
Sep 24th, 2014
Daily NewsArutz Sheva
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Roughly a dozen rockets were fired from Lebanon into Israel during Operation Protective Edge, and residents of the north have reported signs of terror tunnels being dug into Israel from the country - but according to the head of the Upper Galilee, there's nothing to worry about.

Upper Galilee Regional Council head Giora Zaltz told Arutz Sheva that in contrast to the worrying reports, "the opposite is true, we have a very nice period now of calm and quiet in the Galilee and the Golan, and all the scenarios they are talking about are scenarios they have been talking about for four years now."

One such "scenario" that Zaltz was asked by concerned residents about recently was raised in an odd security briefing last Sunday. In it, a senior IDF Northern Command officer caused concern by saying Hezbollah could possibly capture Israeli territory for several hours before being pushed back by the IDF, in a war that could take four months to win.

That appraisal is made the more troubling by a New York Times interview this week that revealed Hezbollah is benefiting from indirect military aid from the US.

Zaltz commented "something is always liable to happen in the state of Israel, and certainly in border communities, but there's nothing new in that."

The Upper Galilee leader referenced the threat of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, saying "in appraisals of the situation it is being stated explicitly that the other side is busy with fighting among themselves, the Syrian army is also fighting terror organizations in Lebanon; they are busy with (events) inside, and there is no reason or interest for anyone on the sides to start a conflict."

"Hezbollah doesn't need a tunnel"

Despite the reports of terror tunnels from Lebanon, Zaltz invited Israelis to visit the north without fear, saying "as of today all of the investigations that have been conducted - and many have been conducted - have not found even a single tunnel."

"I'll tell you what's more, here you don't need a tunnel to cross the border. Twenty-two communities are already on the confrontation line adjacent to the border, so that if someone wanted to do something they wouldn't need a tunnel," said Zaltz, in a statement unlikely to reassure many.

"But as I said no one has the will to start a new campaign today, certainly not on the other side; all of the commentary is irresponsible," concluded Zaltz.

The talk of tunnels comes after IDF sources earlier in the month revealed to Arutz Sheva that the army is in fact concerned about the tunnel threat, and is quietly investigating the possibility of Hezbollah terror tunnels.

Many residents of the north have reported hearing the sounds of digging and hammers from underneath their homes, coupled with evidence of active cement mixers and construction trucks carting out earth on the Lebanese side under the cover of greenhouse structures.

Concerns were also raised by geologist and Col. (res.) Yossi Langotsky, who last month told Arutz Sheva that he had tried to warn the security establishment about the tunnel threat from Gaza for nine years, but that his warnings fell on deaf ears.

Langotsky indicated that a similar threat exists on the Lebanese border, pointing to Hezbollah ties with North Korea which has advanced tunnel digging technology.