Generally reliable Shimon Shiffer reports in YNET:
The United States has indirectly informed Iran, via two European nations, that it would not back an Israeli strike against the country’s nuclear facilities, as long as Tehran refrains from attacking American interests in the Persian Gulf, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Monday.
According to the report, Washington used covert back-channels in Europe to clarify that the US does not intend to back Israel in a strike that may spark a regional conflict.
In return, Washington reportedly expects Iran to steer clear of strategic American assets in the Persian Gulf, such as military bases and aircraft carriers.
In “liberal-speak”, pundits say that countries don’t have allies, they have interests. That’s incorrect; political leaders have interests…countries still have allies.
I hope that other representatives of the USA will stand with Israel, since it appears the current President would rather throw Israel under the bus…”Hey Iran, stay clear of us, and you can bomb Israel as much as you want.”
The bodies of terrorists killed during terror attacks which murdered hundreds of Israelis will be transferred to the Palestinian Authority this week as a gesture to President Mahmoud Abbas, according to Ynet on Tuesday.
According to Ynet, the transfer was arranged by prime ministerial envoy Yitzhak Molcho during a meeting with Abbas in early May.
The remains include the terrorists who murdered seven people, including celebrated Shaarei Zedek emergency room physician Dr. David Appelbaum and his daughter, bride-to-be Nava, at Jerusalem’s Café Hillel in 2003, a murderer of 18 on Jerusalem’s bus, two terrorists who detonated themselves on buses in Beersheva, killing 16 people, a female terrorist who killed 3 at a mall in Afula in 2003, a suicide bomber who killed four Israelis at the Tel Aviv Stage nightclub in 2005, and a killer who murdered 5 Israelis and injured 32 others on the 20 bus in Ramat Gan in 1995.
Israel will also transfer the bodies of terrorists who killed 8 hostages before being killed by Israeli commandoes in 1975 at the Savoy Hotel in Tel Aviv.
The bodies are expected in Ramallah on Thursday, and will be received in an official welcoming ceremony which Abbas will attend.
Yishai and Malkah reflect on the reaction to a recent article written by Yishai about Jonathan Pollard and the potential guilt we, as modern Jews, would face if he were to die in prison in the United States. Yishai ponders the strong emotions expressed in the many comments posted on the article published originally on JewishPress.com and then re-posted on Ynet. Malkah lets us in on a potential new career choice in stark contrast to her current position as an activist and journalist; and shares her exciting adventure helping a young family handle a new arrival on the holiday of Passover. Yishai and Malkah end the segment by talking about their recent tour around Jerusalem on Segways.
Yishai and Malkah dig into the world’s ‘Happiness Index’ to see how Israel ranks in contrast to the world’s other countries. Yishai talks about African refugees living in Israel and a potential solution to house them and make them feel at home in Israeli society. On the flip side, Israeli migration to the United States has changed significantly over the last ten years and our hosts analyze why the change is good for both Israel and the United States. Yishai laughs out loud reviewing a recent article posted in the Israeli newspaper Haaretz written by Nehemia Shtrasler and Shtrasler’s premise that the Jewish People need to use the world’s guilt for the Holocaust in order to remain in good standing in the eyes in the rest of the world.
Yishai is joined by Mordechai Taub, a political analyst who formerly worked for the Republican National Committee and now works for Israel’s Likud party, to discuss the American politics and the upcoming election. All candidates want to appear pro-Israel but what does this actually mean? Yishai and Mordechai examine the records of the Republican candidates in contrast with Israel policy advocated by President Barak Obama. In one example, the discussion hones in on former President Jimmy Carter’s behavior during the Camp David Accords towards former Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin compared to President Obama’s behavior towards Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. How does Israel and the Israeli people look at foreign powers? Are real policy differences between the two large parties in the US vis-a-vis Israel? Mitt Romney and other Republican candidates are discussed and Mordechai Taub gives his prediction on the presidential election. A recent report from Afghanistan completes this segment.
Yishai comments on a recent interview from the Charlie Rose show featuring Peter Beinart, a well-known author, political pundit, and associate professor. Rose and Beinart discuss the current state of the “two-state solution” concept and factors, such as continued Jewish settlement, that affect potential implementation. Beinart presents his opinions on Middle East topics such as the Sinai and the US role in providing security in Israel, and the proposed Palestinian State. Yishai presents analysis of the interview throughout and reveals a completely different perspective.
A new Israeli invention is taking recycling to the extreme, turning bits found in sewage water into paper.
In a report by Ynet News, Dr. Refael Aharon of Applied CleanTech explained that 10% of drainage coming out of homes through pipes is comprised of “solid substances” such as food leftovers, toilet paper, and fiber from laundry machine cycles. Up until now, the filtration of those substances out of the system in order to recycle the water has been expensive.
With Applied CleanTech’s new system, half of Israel’s solid substances will be filtered out , dried, purified and sanitized and turned into cellulose, which will then be turned into paper. The process will also reduce electricity and chemical costs for purifying water.
One such program is already in place in southern Israel, according to the report, where paper is being reduced at rates far below that of traditional recycled paper.
