Wednesday, May 7, 2008

From AIPAC

Despite Incentives Offer, Iran Rejects Nuclear Halt
Iran on Monday said it would not accept any incentives package from world powers if the deal required Tehran to stop enriching uranium—a key step toward developing nuclear weapons, Reuters reported. "Those incentives that violate the Iranian nation's right [to nuclear technology] in any form will not be reviewed by the Islamic state," said Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Mohammed Ali Hosseini. In 2006, Tehran rejected an incentives proposal offered by the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council—the United States, France, Britain, China and Russia—and Germany. Iran has rebuffed multiple binding U.N. Security Council resolutions demanding it suspend its atomic work. Click here to learn more about Iran's nuclear program.

Aid Deliveries Halted as Terrorists Attack Convoy
As Israel attempted to transfer food and fuel to civilians in Gaza on Sunday, Palestinian terrorists fired mortar shells at the aid convoy, forcing a halt to deliveries through the Karni border crossing and the Nahal Oz fuel terminal, the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz reported. Police said that approximately 50 trucks carrying essential supplies were forced to turn back as a result of the attack. The European Union, the United Nations and the Palestinian Authority have blamed the terrorist group Hamas for "aggravating the humanitarian situation" in Gaza by stealing fuel and attacking border crossings. Click here to see how, despite the risks involved, Israel works to provide humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians.

Hizballah Rearms with Iranian, Syrian Weapons
Nearly two years since its war with Israel, the Lebanon-based terrorist army Hizballah has more than doubled the size and scope of its rocket arsenal with weapons smuggled from Iran and Syria, and can now strike Tel Aviv with ease, The Los Angeles Times reported. Hizballah's rearmament violates U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which calls for an arms embargo on the terrorist army. Recently, U.N. troops patrolling in Lebanon confronted a Hizballah weapons convoy. Rather than surrender their weapons, the Hizballah fighters aimed their guns at the U.N. troops, who ran for shelter. Click here to learn about Hizballah's dangerous arms buildup.

Quartet to Arab States: Honor Pledges to Palestinians
The members of the Middle East Quartet—the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia—insisted on Friday that Arab states honor their financial and political pledges to help the Palestinian Authority (PA), Reuters reported. Of $717.1 million promised to the PA by Arab League members, only $153.2 million has been delivered. One senior U.S. official criticized the lack of action, calling the contributions from the oil-rich Arab states "woefully short." Israel has demonstrated its commitment to peace with the Palestinians by releasing prisoners and removing dozens of roadblocks and checkpoints in the West Bank. Arab governments must match Israel's readiness for serious negotiations by taking concrete steps that demonstrate a true commitment to ending the conflict. Click here to learn about the needed steps for progress.

Hamas Blames Jews for Holocaust
As Israel on Thursday marked Holocaust Remembrance Day, a new report revealed that Hamas' Al Aqsa television station recently aired a documentary blaming Jewish leaders for orchestrating the death of six million of their own people, The Jerusalem Post reported. "The Satanic Jews thought up an evil plot to be rid of the burden of disabled and handicapped in twisted criminal ways," Hamas' documentary explains. "They were sent [by the Jews to die] so there would be a Holocaust, so Israel could 'play' it for world sympathy." Programs on Hamas TV often preach incitement against the United States, Israel and Jews, and the terrorist group recently enlisted a Mickey Mouse look-alike to broadcast to children its message of Islamic domination and terrorism against Jews.


Israel Offers Aid to Cyclone-Ravaged Myanmar
The Israeli Foreign Ministry on Monday said that Israel would send medical assistance and water sanitation supplies to Myanmar in the coming days to help the population cope with the devastating effects of the cyclone that has killed more than 20,000 people, The Jerusalem Post reported. The Foreign Ministry said it was waiting for a list of needs from the Myanmar government. A meeting will soon be held at the ministry to finalize details of the shipment, which will be sent with the help of various Israeli NGOs. Israel frequently provides emergency assistance when disasters strike around the world, including after the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and during the wildfires in Greece in 2007.

Rabbi Jonathan Ginsburg







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