Eye On Israel

[Rasputin]

A friend of mine who works in Jerusalem for the UN was getting a new car.

“This time, I don’t want it with ‘UN’ markings,” he said, referring to the distinctive black letters on a creamy white background that graces the doors of every United Nations vehicle.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because if the vehicle has ‘UN’ lettering, the car gets vandalized when I park it in Jewish neighborhoods,” he replied.

He went on to describe a colleague whose car had its windshield smashed five times in the past year, and had garbage dumped inside. This didn’t happen in the mean streets of Jerusalem (which aren’t that mean) but in Rehavia. It's one of the ritziest neighborhoods and only a few blocks down from the residences of the prime minister and the president. Rehavia’s leafy lanes, as you might imagine, teem with cops. My friend had taken some Israeli friends to a classical music concert, and when they returned to the car, vandals had smeared gunk on the windshield and written “F..k the U.N.” One of my friend's Israeli guests turned to him, apologetically, and said, "I didn't know there were Israelis like that."

Let’s face it: many Israelis hate the UN’s presence here. They think the UN coddles the Palestinians and is anti-Semitic because dozens of human rights resolutions are raised against the Jewish state (inevitably, they are vetoed by the U.S.) , while those of far worse offenders, such as Sudan, are often ignored. So, a few angry Israelis get their revenge by smashing UN car windows.

The truth is, Israelis should be a tad more grateful. After all, the UN is saving Israel boodles of cash. Imagine if the UN pulled out of Gaza and the West Bank territories, and Israel had to fulfill its duties as occupier of conquered lands. That would mean feeding over a million Palestinian refugees every day, and running schools and hospitals, jobs which the UN is doing today. It wouldn’t come cheap.

[Rasputin]

رییس جمهوری جدید اسرائیل انتخاب می شود


دوره هفت ساله ریاست جمهوری موشه کاتساو همراه با اتهامات جنسی خاتمه می یابد
رای گیری برای انتخاب رییس جمهوری جدید اسرائیل در پارلمان این کشور آغاز می شود.
با نزدیک شدن زمان پایان دوره خدمت هفت ساله موشه کاتساو، رییس جمهوری اسرائیل، در پایان ماه ژوئیه، نمایندگان کنست - پارلمان اسرائیل - در روز چهارشنبه، 13 ژوئن، رای گیری برای گزینش جانشین وی را آغاز می کنند.

طبق قوانین پایه در اسرائیل، رییس جمهوری این کشور، که مقامی عمدتا تشریفاتی و غیر حزبی است، با رای اکثریت مطلق نمایندگان پارلمان به این سمت انتخاب می شود.

رای گیری برای انتخاب رییس جمهوری جدید باید بین نود تا سی روز قبل از خاتمه دوره جاری ریاست جمهوری آغاز شود.

در صورتی که هیچیک از داوطلبان تصدی مقام ریاست جمهوری در دور اول و دوم رای گیری نتواند به این حد نصاب دست یابد، دارنده بیشترین آرا در دور سوم رای گیری این مقام را کسب می کند.

دوره ریاست جمهوری تا سال 2000 میلادی پنج سال بود و رییس جمهوری حق داشت برای دو دوره به این سمت انتخاب شود اما با اصلاح قانون مربوطه در آن سال، دوره ریاست جمهوری به هفت سال افزایش یافته و رییس جمهوری نمی تواند مجددا داوطلب انتخاب به این مقام شود.

موشه کتساو، رییس جمهوری کنونی که از ماه اوت سال 2000 در این مقام بوده، از ماه ژانویه سال جاری در حالت تعلیق داوطلبانه به سر برده است.

پرز پس از شکست هفت سال پیش دوباره داوطلب ریاست جمهوری شده است

وی در سال گذشته میلادی با اتهام تجاوز جنسی مواجه شد و گرچه با رد این اتهام، از کناره گیری از ریاست جمهوری خودداری ورزیده است، اما تصمیم گرفت تا خاتمه رسیدگی به این موضوع در مرخصی به سر ببرد.

در ماه مارس سال جاری، اعضای کمیته مخصوص پارلمان برای رسیدگی به وضعیت آقای کاتساو نتوانستند بر سر طرح عدم کفایت وی به توافق برسند.

عدم کفایت رییس جمهوری با رای دست کم دو سوم اعضای پارلمان اسرائیل به تصویب می رسد.

هر شهروند اسرائیل که در این کشور سکونت داشته باشد می تواند داوطلب انتخاب به سمت ریاست جمهوری شود به شرط اینکه دست کم ده تن از اعضای کنست نامزدی وی را تایید کنند.

شیمون پرز، از رهبران سابق حزب کارگر که در حال حاضر در حزب حاکم کادیما عضویت دارد، یکی از نامزدهای اصلی ریاست جمهوری در انتخابات کنونی است.

آقای پرز، که در کابینه اهود اولمرت سمت معاون نخست وزیر را عهده دار است، در سال 2000 نیز داوطلب انتخاب به ریاست جمهوری بود اما از آقای کاتساو شکست خورد.

نامزدهای دیگر این سمت عبارتند از رئووین ریولین، از روسای سابق کنست و عضو حزب راستگرای لیکود، و خانم کولت اویتال، نامزد حزب کارگر.

به نظر می رسد که احتمالا رقابت اصلی بین آقایان پرز و ریولین در جریان خواهد بود زیرا تعدادی از اعضای حزب کارگر نیز گفته اند به آقای پرز رای خواهند داد.

[Rasputin]

Once again, the unelected, illegitimate clown puppet of the thugs of the Iranian Islamic regime, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, “The Monkey” to Iranians, has spewed some outrageous statements against the “State of Israel”.

In a fiery speech delivered on Sunday, on the 18th anniversary of the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the father of Islamic terrorism, TheMonkey said that “God willing, in the future we will witness the destruction” of Israel.

No sooner did President Ahmadinejad emerge from obscurity and assume his new role as the head of the Executive Branch of the Islamic regime in Iran than he unleashed a torrent of venomous rhetoric against the United States and Israel. This is contrary to the sentiments of the majority of Iranians.

Ahmadinejad does not represent the Iranian people any more than his turbaned-colleagues presently ruling Iran do. What needs to be understood is that in fact Ahmadinejad and the Mullahs, above all else, are true Muslims and despise anything “Iranian” and its ancient “pre-Islamic” heritage.

Iranians are proud of their historical friendship with the Jewish people. The bond of friendship goes back to the landmark action of King Cyrus the Great conquered Babylon, the benevolent King Cyrus freed the Jews from captivity and empowered them to return to the Promised Land and build their temple.

The majority of Iranians nowadays want to distance themselves from the Islamic regime in Iran and the likes of Ahmadinejad. Iranians wish the world to make a distinction between Iranian People and the despicable Islamic regime, its wicked followers and traitorous lobbyists.

“The Monkey” sees Jews as the sworn enemies of Islam. The hostility dates back to the time of Muhammad’s own treatment of the Jews in Medina. At first, expediently, Muhammad called the Jews “people of the book,” and accorded them a measure of tolerance until he gained enough power to unleash his devastating wrath on them.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was "shocked and dismayed" at a report that Iran's hard-line president said the world would soon witness the destruction of Israel, the United Nations said Thursday.

It is time for the world to see Ahmadinejad and his handlers for what they are. These end-of-the-worlders are not interested in any negotiation, any compromise or live-and-let-live. They are determined to be the soldiers of Mahdi come-what-may. They have no problem with the total destruction of the world. They are headed for a life of eternal bliss in Allah’s paradise. They hardly care, they would even rejoice, if the rest of humanity is subjected to a tragic death in the nuclear, biological and chemical wasteland of planet earth.

What make matters terribly dangerous are the modern instruments of force and the willingness to use them. Centuries ago, the sword in the hand of the Islamists carved a huge empire. Now, with the weapons of mass destruction, the entire world is at peril.


Iranian Muslims are victims of the Islamic virus that has destroyed in them their traditional respect for diversity. It is the Iranian ancient fundamental belief in the validity and value of diversity that has held the nation together over the millennia.

There exists such duplicity within the Iranian culture. Originally, Iranians were forced to accept Islam to save their lives from the Arab invaders, but deep inside the heart of every single Iranian alive to this date, the burning sensation and resentment of the Arab-Islamic invasion to their culture is forever enflaming. Most Iranians may actually confess being Muslims; yet, the overwhelming Iranians have never read Quran or understood its language. The events in history have toughened Iranians gravely. They have become great pretenders

The greatest celebration in Iran is the Persian New Year or better known as Nowruz, not the birth of the Prophet Mohammad (like in most Muslim countries) in whose name Iran was conquered and millions of Persians were perished. Iranians have not forgotten that, and they never will.

Throughout history, Iranians have been known for their tolerance of other creeds and religions. This was particularly notable in their associations and contacts with the Jews. Having been oppressed by the Seleucids and the Romans, the Jews had come to believe that Iran was the only superpower capable of saving them from a fanatical foreign yoke, as it had done once before in the Achaemenid period.

The Parthian dynasty role in the liberation of the Jews gave rise to the well-known saying: “When you see a Parthian charger tied up to a tomb-stone in the land of Israel, the hour of the Messiah will be near". This shows the love of the Jews for the Persians as their savior. Unlike what the clergies are preaching today, the majority of Iranians have enjoyed being a good host to their fellow countrymen, the Jewish population. “In the continuous struggles between the Parthians and the Romans, the Jews had every reason to hate the Romans, the destroyers of their sanctuary, and to side with the Persians: their protectors.”

True Iranians have remained friends of the Jews by both belief as well as deeds. During the shameful Hitlerian campaign of exterminating the Jews, for instance, Iranian missions in Europe, notably the one in France, issued Iranian passports to facilitate the flight of French and other European Jews from the claws of Nazis and their gas chambers -- the very gas chambers that the true Muslim, disgracing Iranians, Ahmadinejad, denies ever existed.

Iranians stand for the rights of the Jews as well as the equal rights under the law for any and all religious and secular people. “A friend in need is a friend in-deed,” is an apt saying. It is time for Israel to reciprocate the historical assistance of the Iranians at the hour of their needs. It is payback time now. Israel should give the Iranian people a helping hand by supporting the freedom-loving Iranians. It is the Iranian people who can best end the tyrannical and menacing mullahcracy that is posing a deadly threat to all concerned.

[Rasputin]

UNITED NATIONS - Iran's U.N. ambassador complained in a letter circulated Monday that the Security Council has done nothing to stop Israel's "unlawful and dangerous threats" against his country.

Javad Zarif protested a recent statement from Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Shaul Mofaz that Israel has not ruled out military action against Iran to disable its nuclear program. He also referred to a similar statement that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert made in April.

"I wish to inform you that, emboldened by the absence of any action by the Security Council, various Israeli officials have unabatedly continued to publicly and contemptuously make unlawful and dangerous threats of resorting to force against the Islamic Republic of Iran," Zarif said in the letter to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, dated June 11. He faulted the council for not condemning the statements.

The Security Council imposed sanctions on Iran in December for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment, and modestly increased them in March after Tehran stepped up the program, which can produce nuclear weapons. Iran responded by giving the U.N. nuclear watchdog less access to its nuclear facilities.

In an interview on Israeli Radio on June 9, Mofaz said, "I never said there is no military option, and the military option is included in all the options that are on the table, but at this time it's right to use the path of sanctions, and to intensify them." Israel's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Daniel Carmon dismissed the letter as "face-saving."

Zarif sent another letter to Ban on June 13, protesting the arrest of five Iranians by U.S. forces in northern Iraq in January.

The U.S. military has said the Iranians, whom they allege are connected to a faction that funds and arms insurgents in Iraq, were working in a government liaison office in Irbil in Kurdish-controlled Iraq. Iran has maintained the five were diplomats and were arrested at a consulate.

Carolyn Vadino, deputy spokeswoman at the U.S. mission, said the presence of Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces in Iraq "contradicts Iran's own policy of supporting the Iraqi government."

The United States accuses Iran of helping to provide roadside bombs that have killed American troops in Iraq, and a bitter standoff already exists between the two countries over Iran's nuclear program. Iran has rejected the allegations.

[Rasputin]

Why are Iranians so concerned about Israel?

There is so much talk about Zionists and Zionism in the Iranian blog-sphere nowadays. Even doing a Google search on Iranian.com itself (the website, not the whole Internet) gives 265 results for "Zionist" and just 280 results for Islamist (Iranians write about Zionists almost equal to what they write about Islamists). What??? Why are Iranians so much concerned about Zionism and the Zionists?

I am no supporter of Zionism but from what I have seen those Iranians who shout so much against the Zionists are not people who are appalled by the activities of the Israeli government against the Palestinians, but somehow paranoid that Israelis (Zionists, Jews, whatever) are plotting against Iran!

I was also until very recently a target of this Zion-paranoia (the Iranian regime has actually created a new version of anti-Semitism that has caught on even among the anti-IRI Iranians, and it is called anti-Zionism) who called me a Jewish/Israeli agent/plotter. They stopped (I hope) when I stated clearly that I was Azeri/Turk, and then I was called different names (Torke Khar says anything?).

The bizarre thing is that there is no evidence whatsoever about Israelis plotting against Iran. There has never been any serious anti-Iranian action taken by Israel, and it was the Iranian Islamic government that was, and is, fundamentally and ideologically against Israel, and its existence, doing so much to destabilise Israel and the region. This is a whole different issue though.

Imagine having a huge and powerful country with a large population and a lot of resources having you (Israel in this case) within its range of fire-power, developing sophisticated nuclear technology, openly expressing its desire to wipe you off the map! What would you say? Can we blame Israel for being scared to hell? Of course any Israeli should be fearful, and I am sure they are, whether they are normal citizens or high-ranking politicians.

But what is so unclear is why so many Iranians are now turning anti-Israeli and blaming so much on the Zionists, Israelis, Jews etc. I would agree on blaming America for those American actions, or even intentions, that it has taken or threatens to take, but what about Israel? Why are Iranians so concerned about Israel? Israel is a small country and receives too much attention from Iranians.

My reckoning is that this whole anti-Zionist/anti-Israeli rhetoric we are seeing is a new form of anti-Semitism and nothing more. We just need to stop blaming others. Iranians have done this for too long, and they are continuing to do so. Obviously all the problems Iranians (especially Persians) have had are either because of the invading Arabs, or possibly Turks, the British exploiters up until about 60-70 years ago, or more recently America and the Jews.

Just only if Persians/Iranians were alone in this universe! Just imagine! The world would have been such a beautiful place. The whole government budget would be given to research about genetics to find out who is more Aryan and who is not, and who is linguistically Aryan and who was, and everybody would be so happy and joyful under the leadership of some Shahanshah Aryamehr, whether Mohammad, whether Reza, or maybe even some Darius or Cyrus.

[zubin]

There is so much talk about Zionists and Zionism in the Iranian blog-sphere nowadays. Even doing a Google search on Iranian.com itself (the website, not the whole Internet) gives 265 results for "Zionist" and just 280 results for Islamist (Iranians write about Zionists almost equal to what they write about Islamists). What??? Why are Iranians so much concerned about Zionism and the Zionists?

I am no supporter of Zionism but from what I have seen those Iranians who shout so much against the Zionists are not people who are appalled by the activities of the Israeli government against the Palestinians, but somehow paranoid that Israelis (Zionists, Jews, whatever) are plotting against Iran!

I was also until very recently a target of this Zion-paranoia (the Iranian regime has actually created a new version of anti-Semitism that has caught on even among the anti-IRI Iranians, and it is called anti-Zionism) who called me a Jewish/Israeli agent/plotter. They stopped (I hope) when I stated clearly that I was Azeri/Turk, and then I was called different names (Torke Khar says anything?).

The bizarre thing is that there is no evidence whatsoever about Israelis plotting against Iran. There has never been any serious anti-Iranian action taken by Israel, and it was the Iranian Islamic government that was, and is, fundamentally and ideologically against Israel, and its existence, doing so much to destabilise Israel and the region. This is a whole different issue though.

Imagine having a huge and powerful country with a large population and a lot of resources having you (Israel in this case) within its range of fire-power, developing sophisticated nuclear technology, openly expressing its desire to wipe you off the map! What would you say? Can we blame Israel for being scared to hell? Of course any Israeli should be fearful, and I am sure they are, whether they are normal citizens or high-ranking politicians.

But what is so unclear is why so many Iranians are now turning anti-Israeli and blaming so much on the Zionists, Israelis, Jews etc. I would agree on blaming America for those American actions, or even intentions, that it has taken or threatens to take, but what about Israel? Why are Iranians so concerned about Israel? Israel is a small country and receives too much attention from Iranians.

My reckoning is that this whole anti-Zionist/anti-Israeli rhetoric we are seeing is a new form of anti-Semitism and nothing more. We just need to stop blaming others. Iranians have done this for too long, and they are continuing to do so. Obviously all the problems Iranians (especially Persians) have had are either because of the invading Arabs, or possibly Turks, the British exploiters up until about 60-70 years ago, or more recently America and the Jews.

Just only if Persians/Iranians were alone in this universe! Just imagine! The world would have been such a beautiful place. The whole government budget would be given to research about genetics to find out who is more Aryan and who is not, and who is linguistically Aryan and who was, and everybody would be so happy and joyful under the leadership of some Shahanshah Aryamehr, whether Mohammad, whether Reza, or maybe even some Darius or Cyrus.

This is one of the stupidest articles I've ever read. Ofcourse Israel has acted in a threatening way towards Iran. They have stated things like "Iran is Israel's #1 enemy", or "Iran is the biggest threat in the world", and have stated that they will not rule out military action against Iran. Its a problem with Israeli racism in ruining the reputation, cultural rights and independence of innocent Iranians for their own cause.

And what's up with stereotyping Iranians? Everyday a new false stereotype. Some Iranians, which hardly make up a minority of Iranians, talk about Aryanism. Most Iranians I've seen are commendably disgusted by racial or national pride, particularly as they mature beyond the teens. And even those that are into it are into it because they are isolated from the world where every other country's citizens are constantly nationalist, and reap the economic and cultural benefits of nationalist pride. In Iran's case, some nationalism and cultural pride is necessary to preempt colonialism.

Whoever wrote this article was one epitome of ignorance!

[Rasputin]

On Ben Madadi's "Why are Iranians so concerned about Israel?":

Well Ben, I'm one of those anti-IR Iranians that has a seething hatred for Zionists. To label us in any way as anti-Semites is rediculous. This has nothing to do with Judaism, and everything to do with elements in Israel, and extremist Zionists.

There are mountains of evidence that these guys are plotting against us. For one thing, look at a list of the same people who pushed for the Iraq war, the Neo-Cons. These are the same people who are pushing for an Iran war today.

Their loyalties do NOT lie with America, they lie with Israel. I challenge you to go through the list of prominent Neo-Cons, if 90% of them aren't Jewish I will concede the entire argument.

And another product of their propaganda of course has been this myth that Ahmadinjad said he wants to "wipe Israel off the map", something that many of our fellow Iranians such as yourself have come to buy into. I strongly dislike Ahmadinejad, but I absolutely hate these agents of Israel that are plotting our destruction every day.

This so-called "new anti-Semitism" isn't a new phenomenon. The term was first introduced in the 70's and has been brought up periodically every time Israel found itself in a difficult situation. There's no merit to it and no evidence to back it up. In fact poll after poll shows a decline in anti-Semitism in both Europe and America, but it has served the purpose of silencing Israels critics, something that whether intentionally or not, you have done.

[Rasputin]

اولمرت: *اروپا به ايرانيان ويزا ندهد!

اهود اولمرت، نخست وزير اسراييل مدعي شد تحريم*هاي برقرار شده عليه ايران تاكنون موثر بوده ولي افزود كه «اين مجازات*ها راكافي نمي*داند.» اولمرت كه در ديدار با شماري از حدود ۷۰۰ نماينده پارلمان اروپا كه به اسراييل سفركرده*اند، سخن مي گفت، اظهار داشت: كشورهاي اروپايي بايد براي برقراري تحريم هاي جدي*تر عليه ايران گام*هاي ديگري بردارند.
اولمرت از جمله پيشنهاد كرد كه «كشورهاي عضو اتحاديه اروپا از دادن رواديد ورود به همه ايرانيان خودداري كنند تا مردم ايران نيز متوجه شوند كه سياست*هاي هسته*اي جمهوري اسلامي ايران هزينه اي سنگين دارد.»

كشورهاي عضو اتحاديه اروپا از دادن رواديد ورود به همه ايرانيان خودداري كنند تا مردم ايران نيز متوجه شوند كه سياست هاي هسته اي جمهوري اسلامي ايران هزينه اي سنگين دارد.

نخست وزير رژيم صهيونيستي با ابراز اميدواري نسبت به تشديد تحريم هاي شوراي امنيت سازمان ملل عليه ايران، كه وي آن را «مجازات هايي دردناك» توصيف كرد، گفت: دولت اسراييل در انتظار رايزني ميان قدرت هاي جهاني در مورد پيش نويس قطعنامه سومي است كه احتمالا به زودي به شوراي امنيت ارائه خواهد شد.

اولمرت دراين ديدار از آنچه «تلاش هاي پيگيرانه آنگلا مركل، صدر اعظم آلمان، براي مقابله با برنامه هاي هسته*اي ايران» ناميد، قدرداني كرد و از كشور پرتغال كه رياست دوره اي اتحاديه اروپا را از اول ژوئيه در دست گرفته، خواست كه اين تلاش ها را دنبال كند.

وي افزود: افزون بر مجازات هاي احتمالي كه در قطعنامه سوم عليه جمهوري اسلامي برقرارخواهد شد، كشورهاي اروپايي مي*توانند به طور مستقل گام هاي ديگري عليه نظام سياسي حاكم بر ايران بردارند و قرار دادهاي بازرگاني و تجاري خود با دولت تهران را هر چه بيشترمحدود كنند.

اولمرت به نمايندگان پارلمان اروپا گفت: گزارش هايي كه از سوي سازمان هاي جهاني در اختيار دولت اسراييل قرار گرفته، نشان مي دهد كه قطعنامه هاي ۱۷۳۷ و ۱۷۴۷ شوراي امنيت عليه دولت ايران «تا حد زيادي كارآ بوده اما هنوز دولتمردان تهران به پيشبرد برنامه هاي اتمي خود ادامه مي دهند.


گفت وگوي ليوني با مقامات فرانسوي درباره ايران

همزمان، تزيپي ليوني، وزير امور خارجه اسراييل در پاريس به سر مي*برد تا با مقامات فرانسوي درباره برنامه هاي هسته اي ايران گفت وگو كند. قرار است كه وي در جريان اين سفر با نيكولا سركوزي، رييس جمهوري فرانسه و نيز نخست وزير و وزير امور خارجه دولت تازه اين كشور مذاكره كند.

اسراييل و آمريكا تاكيد كرده اند كه هيچ گزينه*اي را در مقابله با طرح هاي هسته*اي ايران حذف نمي كنند، اين در حالي است كه افرائيم سنه، سياستمدار اسرائيلي كه اين هفته از پست معاونت وزارت دفاع اين كشور كنار نهاده شد، روز دوشنبه گفت: اسراييل از بودجه كافي براي مقابله جدي با برنامه هاي هسته*اي ايران برخوردار نيست.
اسراييل پيشتر از ديدگاه هايي كه سركوزي در جريان انتخابات رياست جمهوري فرانسه درباره برنامه هاي هسته*اي ايران بيان كرد، ابرازخرسندي عميق كرده بود.

مناسبات اسراييل با فرانسه در دوران رياست جمهوري ژاك شيراك دستخوش پاره*اي تلاطمات بود. اظهارات شيراك در اين باره كه دستيابي جمهوري اسلامي ايران به توانايي هسته*اي نظامي نيز چندان خطري ندارد، موجب خشم شديد اسراييل شده بود، هرچند كه شيراك بعدا اين اظهارات را تصحيح كرد.

[Rasputin]

[Rasputin]

روزنامه اسراييلی آهارانوت:عسگری کارمند سابق وزارت دفاع ايران اطلاعات مهمی را درباره برنامه هسته*ای ايران در اختيار بازجويان آمريکايي*اش قرار داده*است.



آفتاب: يک روزنامه صهيونيستی با چاپ گزارشی اتهام*آميز مدعی شده*است که عليرضا عسگری کارمند سابق وزارت دفاع ايران که بهمن*ماه سال گذشته در استانبول ترکيه ناپديد شده*بود اطلاعات مهمی را درباره برنامه هسته*ای ايران در اختيار بازجويان آمريکايي*اش قرار داده*است.

در گزارشی که روزنامه يديعوت آراهانوت در شماه روز يکشنبه خود به چاپ رسانده اين ادعا مطرح شده که عسگری اطلاعات زيادی درباره پيشرفت*های نظامی ايران و نيز برنامه هسته*ای اين کشور فاش کرده*است، به گونه*ای که بازجويان خود را نسبت به توانايي*های شگفت*انگيز سرويس* اطلاعاتی ايران در ,حفظ اسرار بسيار بزرگ برای مدتی بسيار طولانی, شگفت*زده کرده*است.

از جمله اطلاعاتی که روزنامه اسرائيلی مدعی فاش*شدن آنها توسط عسگری شده برنامه ايران برای ايجاد چند راکتور و تاسيسات مخفی غني*سازی بدون اطلاع سازمان بين*المللی انرژی اتمی و نيز استفاده بهينه از ليزر برای غني*سازی اورانيوم بوده*است. با اين حال مقام سابق وزارت دفاع ايران هيچ ,اطلاعات جديدی, درباره رون آراد خلبان مفقودالاثر نيروی هوايی اسرائيل نداشته است.

يديعوت آراهانوت، بدون ارائه هيچ*گونه سندی عسگری را ,يک عضو سابق سپاه پاسداران که دارای مناصب مهم در وزارت دفاع ايران بوده و ارتباط مستقيم با برنامه هسته*ای اين کشور داشته, معرفی کرده*است. اين روزنامه همچنين در گزارش خود مدعی شده که اطلاعات عسگری از برنامه هسته*ای ايران مي*تواند ايالات متحده و رژيم صهيونيستی را در اقنناع ساير کشورها نسبت به وجود يک برنامه هسته*ای سايه در ايران با اهداف نظامی متقاعد سازد.

از زمان ناپديدشدن عسگری در بهمن*ماه گذشته در يک هتل پنج*ستاره در استانبول گمانه*زني*های زيادی نسبت به ربوده*شدن وی توسط سرويس های اطلاعاتی غربی بويژه ايالات متحده وجود داشت، اما تاکنون هيچ منبعی حاضر به تائيد اين شايعات نشده بود.

بنا به گزارش يديعوت آراهانوت عسگری هم*اينک دريک پايگاه نظامی فوق سری تحت بازجويی ماموران سازمان اطلاعات مرکزی آمريکا (CIA) قرار داشته و آنان به وی کمک کرده*اند که بتواند برخی از اعضای خانواده خود را از ايران خارج کرده و به امريکا منتقل سازد.

گفتنی است از زمان ربوده*شدن عسگری در ترکيه مقامات جمهوری اسلامی ايران همواره در پی تعيين سرنوشت وی از سوی دولت ترکيه بوده و گزارش*های منتشره در نشريات غربی درباره وی را به شدت تکذيب کرده*اند.

[Rasputin]

Israel's navy commander has submitted his resignation over failures during last summer's Lebanon war.

Although the resignation has not been made public, senior security officials said on Thursday that Admiral David Ben Bashat would stay on until a new commander is available to replace him, most likely in October.




Ben Bashat has commanded the Israeli navy for three years having worked his way up through the ranks.

His departure follows that of Dan Halutz, former army chief, and Amir Peretz, the defence minister, after the 2006 fighting against Hezbollah. An area military commander has also resigned.






During the war, Hezbollah fired almost 4,000 rockets at northern Israel despite a full-scale ground, sea and air offensive by Israel.

Israel failed to achieve its stated aim of freeing two Israeli soldiers captured by Hezbollah.

Public support for Ehud Olmert, the prime minister, fell due to the country's performance during the fighting and he too is facing pressure to step down.

Inquiry

A government inquiry submitted a preliminary report on April 30 severely criticising all three senior officials and Olmert. The report blamed the premier for making hasty decisions and failing to set out attainable objectives.

A successful attack by Hezbollah on an Israeli missile boat, killing four sailors, has been questioned. Israel did not believe Hezbollah had the weapons to attack its ships, so the navy did not activate its on-board anti-missile system.

The commission is expected to submit its full report by early next year, and the missile boat incident is likely to be considered, with negative conclusions about the navy command drawn.

Ben Bashat, 53, joined the navy in 1969. He served as defence attache in Singapore and graduated from the Newport Naval War College, according to his official biography.

[Rasputin]

infos@peiknet.com


3 وزير خارجه
ديدار مهمی، که بی سروصدا
در پايتخت اسرائيل برگزار شد
جواد جوان




وزرای امور خارجه اردن و مصر به نمایندگی از اتحادیه عرب هفته گذشته به اسرائیل سفر کردند. سفری که عملا تابوی عدم روابط اعراب با اسراییل را شکست و مقامات اسرائیلی نیز ابراز خوش بینی کرده اند که بزودی یک دیدار سیاسی بین نمایندگان ارشد اسرائیل و عربستان سعودی انجام خواهد شد. طرح صلح عربستان سعودی در مورد فلسطین که به موجب آن اسرائیل باید از همه مناطق تصرف شده در جنگ شش روزه 1967 عقب نشینی کند و به پناهندگان اجازه بازگشت به فلسطین را داده و شرق بیت المقدس را نیز به فلسطینی ها بازپس دهد نیز با چراغ سبز اسرائیل روبرو شده است. کوندالیزا رایس وزیر خارجه امریکا در مصاحبه اخیرش با رادیوی عربی زبان "سوا" اعلام کرد که اسراییل باید به اشغال کرانه غربی رود اردن پایان دهد. آمریکا، اتحادیه اروپا و اعراب قاطعانه از ابومازن رئیس جمهوری حکومت خودگردان با هدف تضعیف حماس حمایت می کنند و نبرد مسلحانه با اسراییل حداقل از برنامه های جنبش فتح و سازمان آزادیبخش فلسطین حذف گردیده است. یکی از بزرگترین قرار دادهای تسلیحاتی بین عربستان و آمریکا در حال انعقاد است و وزرای امور خارجه و دفاع آمریکا هفته آینده برای نهایی کردن این قرار داد به عربستان سفر خواهند کرد و دو طرف نیز ابایی نداشته اند از اینکه اعلام کنند این قرار داد با هدف دفع تهدیدهای احتمالی از سوی ایران طراحی گردیده است.

تمام تحولات فوق یک نتیجه مشترک دارند و آن تنگ تر شدن عرصه بر ایران در منطقه است. سیاست های جنگ طلبانه حاکمیت جمهوری اسلامی که رویای ابرقدرت شدن (البته تنها از نوع نظامی و هسته ای آن ) و رهبری جهان اسلام را در سر می پروراند عملا عاملی شده است تا آمریکا و اسرائیل گام های بلندی به سوی اهداف استراتژیک خود در منطقه بردارند. اعراب نگران ایران اتمی و قیچی شدن بوسیله اسرائیل و ایران اتمی هستند. آنها با پیروی از سیاست دشمن دشمن ما دوست ماست، دست اتحاد به سوی اسرائیل دراز کرده اند تا به این طریق از هم اکنون با قرار گرفتن در جبهه آمریکا و اسراییل از آنها به عنوان سپر دفاعی در مقابل ایران استفاده کنند و این بزرگترین پیروزی اسرائیل و امریکا در چند دهه اخیراست. اعراب با اطمینان به اینکه به ایران حمله خواهد شد مطمئن هستند که در صورت چنین حمله ای، ایران به کشورهای عربی بعنوان متحدان امریکا حمله خواهد کرد.

منوچهر متکی در مصاحبه اخیرش اعلام کرده است که تصویب دور جدیدی از تحریم ها علیه ایران باعث رویارویی ایران با غرب خواهد شد. عکس های ماهواره ای حاکی از فعالیت شدید در نطنز برای حفر تونل هایی در زیر زمین و درون کوه ها با هدف حفظ تاسیسات اتمی نطنز از خطر حمله هوایی است.

فضای سیاسی کشور روز به روز به سمت انسداد بیشتر پیش می رود. حکومت به بهانه مبارزه با اراذل و اوباش و ترویج حجاب تلاش دارد فضای رعب و وحشت را در کشور حکمفرما کند و از همه مهم تر سیستمی برای عرضه بنزین در کشور طراحی و اجرا گردیده است که این امکان را به حاکمیت میدهد تا در صورت هرگونه حمله و یا تحریم که منجر به کمبود بنزین در کشور گردد، امکان هرگونه جیره بندی و قطع یا کاهش سهمیه های بنزین را داشته باشد. آنچه از مجموع تحولات منطقه و ایران می توان نتیجه گرفت آماده شدن منطقه برای شرایط جنگی محتملی است که علی رغم تکذیب های پی در پی از سوی آمریکا، اسرائیل و ایران همه منطقه خود را برای وقوع آن آماده می کنند.

آنچه آشکار است آنست که هرگونه تلاش برای آزادی ، عدالت، دموکراسی و پیشرفت و نجات کشور از منجلاب فقر و توسعه نیافتگی در شرایط کنونی پیش از هر چیز از مسیر جلوگیری از وقوع جنگ و تحریم می گذرد. اگر چه همواره انتخابات یکی از مهمترین امکاناتی است که کلیه نیروهای مترقی باید از آن به عنوان راهی برای نفوذ در حاکمیت و محدود کردن قدرت حاکمیت لجام گسیخته کنونی استفاده کنند، اما آنچه باید مد نظر قرار بگیرد تلاش در عرصه مطبوعات و انتخابات و غیره برای جلوگیری از ورود کشور به شرایط خطیر پیش رو است. سرکوب کوچکترین اعتراضات صنفی، محدودتر کردن امکانات رسانه ای اصلاح طلبان و راه انداختن اعدام های زنجیره ای به بهانه مبارزه با اراذل و اوباش همه بخشی از تدارکی است که حاکمیت برای مقابله با مخالفت مردم با سیاست جنگی و در مرحله بعد مقابله با مخالفان خفقان و نظارت استصوابی دیده است و از هم اکنون حاکمیت خود را برای انتخابات محدود به خودیها آماده کرده است. بنابراین هرگونه سکوت و عدم استفاده از حداقل امکانات کنونی برای آگاه ساختن مردم از شرایط تیره و تار پیش رو، با هدف گذر از مرحله انتخابات، نه تنها باعث هدر رفتن زمان به نفع جنگ طلبان خواهد شد، بلکه با پیوند نخوردن مطالبات اقتصادی و نارضایتی مردم که جیره بندی بنزین یکی از مهمترین عوامل آن است با برنامه های سیاسی نیروهای مردمی ،عملا مانعی برای تشکیل جبهه ای از میان مخالفان جنگ خواهد شد

[Rasputin]

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced a new 30 billion dollar US defence package on Sunday to preserve Israel's regional military superiority, as Washington readied an Arab arms deal to counter Iran.

The sizeable hike to annual US defence and military aid to its closest Middle East ally was unveiled by the beleaguered Olmert amid reports of a hefty US arms deal with Saudi Arabia.

"In my last meeting with the president of the United States, we agreed that the aid would stand at 30 billion dollars over the next 10 years, meaning over three billion dollars a year, starting next year," Olmert said.

"This is an increase of over 25 percent in the military and defence aid of the United States to Israel," he said, describing the package as a considerable improvement and very important element for national security.

"Other than the increase in aid, we received an explicit and detailed commitment to guarantee Israel's qualitative advantage over other Arab states," said Olmert, whose approval ratings have sunk to single digits amid continuing anger at his government's handling of last summer's Lebanon war.

Current US defence aid to Israel stands at 2.4 billion dollars a year. The two countries are increasingly alarmed by Iran's nuclear ambitions -- which have already incurred international economic sanctions.

Olmert last met Bush at the White House on June 19, when a senior Israeli government source said the new aid scheme was decided upon.

"We understand the United States' desire to help moderate states which stand at a united front with the United States and Israel in the struggle against Iran," Olmert told the start of his weekly cabinet meeting.

A senior US defence official has said that Washington is readying a major arms package for Saudi Arabia with an eye to countering the changing threat from Tehran, Israel's arch foe and determined to press a nuclear agenda.

The Pentagon provided no details on the package, reportedly totalling 20 billion dollars over the next decade, but officials said it will include new weapons for the United Arab Emirates, and military and economic support to Egypt.

Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit, a member of Olmert's centrist Kadima party, dismissed any suggestion that the region was entering a new arms race, in light of the prospective US arms deal in the Gulf and the US hike to Israel.

"This is not an arms race. The weaponry is constantly improving but Israel remains vigilant to possesses advanced weapons and that it keeps its edge over other states," he told reporters.

Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog, from the centre-left Labour party, said that it was essential to maintain Israel's armed advantage against the "axis of evil" -- coined by Bush in 2002 in reference to Iran, Iraq and North Korea.

"We are at the forefront of moderate states facing the axis of evil. Sustaining Israel's military superiority is an essential element of the ties between Israel and the United States," he told reporters.

A senior Israeli government source said that under the 10-year defence package, the United States agreed to sell the Jewish state the new generation F-35 fighter jet, advanced bombs and laser-guided missiles.

US defence aid to Israel began in 1973 but a regular 10-year aid plan -- with the previous one expiring this summer -- was institutionalised in 1977 as part of the Egypt-Israel peace agreement, the official said.

The military aid is made up of 75 percent US military hardware, ranging from ammunition to warplanes, with the other 25 percent in cash, which goes mainly towards securing new Israeli-made weapons.

But although Uri Bar-Joseph, an Israeli professor of international relations specialising in security concerns, said the news arms deal looked like an achievement for Israel, he questioned whether more cash and sophisticated weaponry could fight "terrorism".

"The security problems of Israel are not security problems that demand more tanks or more sophisticated airplanes... Sophistication and modern arms don't help when it comes to terrorism," he told AFP.

The New York Times reported in April that the US-Gulf arms package had been delayed because of Israeli concerns over the sale to Saudi Arabia of certain precision guided munitions.

[Rasputin]

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Young U.S. non-Orthodox Jews are becoming increasingly lukewarm if not alienated in their support for Israel in a trend that is not likely to be reversed, according to a study released on Thursday.

Blending into U.S. society, including marriage to non-Jews and a tendency to look on Judaism more in religious terms than ethnic ones, is part of what's happening, the study found.

"For our parent's generation, the question that mattered was, how do we regard Israel? For Generation Y (born after 1976) the question is indeed, why should we regard Israel?" said Roger Bennett, a vice president of The Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies, which sponsored the study.

"Until people recognize that a healthy and animated dialogue about Israel is the first step to a meaningful connection, the 'Israel debate' that takes place in America is liable to become moot well before Israel celebrates its 100th birthday," he added.

U.S. support backed by a vocal and politically powerful Jewish lobby has been a key feature of the Jewish state's success since its founding in 1948, an event that is widely backed by U.S. Jews and non-Jews.

But the study found that "feelings of attachment may well be changing as warmth gives way to indifference, and indifference gives way even to downright alienation."

The study found only 48 percent of U.S. Jews under age 35 believe that Israel's destruction would be a personal tragedy for them, compared to 77 percent of those 65 and older.

In addition, only 54 percent of those under the age of 35 are "comfortable with the idea of a Jewish State" as opposed to 81 percent of those 65 and older.

It did find higher levels of support among U.S. Jews, regardless of age, who had visited Israel.

VARIOUS AFFILIATIONS

There are perhaps 6 million Jews in the United States, only about a third of them affiliated with a congregation. Of those who do attend a synagogue, perhaps 40 percent are classified as liberal Reform, 32 percent middle-ground Conservative and 8 percent Orthodox, according to surveys.

The findings were based on a representative sample of 1,704 non-Orthodox Jews in 2006 and 2007 contacted in writing. Its error margin was plus or minus three percentage points. The authors said they excluded Orthodox Jews because they tend to be overwhelmingly supportive of Israel.

In general U.S. Jews "have increasingly adopted the American idea of what it means to be Jewish -- primarily a religious identity," Steven Cohen of Hebrew Union College, co-author of the study, said in an interview.

"The decline in attachment is widespread. It doesn't depend on how you measure it," Cohen added, with the disengagement no different among political liberals or conservatives.

Cohen also said inter-marriage with other faiths had a strong impact with "younger Jews being much more likely to be married to non-Jews."

The trend is part of a long-term historic slide not likely to be reversed since "people do not seem to significantly grow in their attachment to Israel as they age," the study said.

Steven Bayme, director of contemporary Jewish life for the American Jewish Committee, a major pro-Israel lobbying group, said "assimilation is the biggest problem" with declining support among U.S. Jews, but he said it is not new.

"People growing up where there always has been an Israel" are more detached, he said.

But the study breaks new ground, he added, in finding that politics do not underpin declining support -- that it is not as many assume a response to Israel's handling of the peace process or problems with religious pluralism in the country.

Bayme also said that even though Orthodox Jews were not included in the study, the segment represents "strong signs of Jewish renewal" -- children involved in the Hebrew faith in numbers far disproportionate to those of non-Orthodox families and who in the future will help counter the effects of assimilation outside their ranks, he said.

[Rasputin]