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Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Tuesday links: Hezbollah cash, Kurds, Mars, circumcision and more

From Ian:

‘Condemn Iranian hate speech,’ Israeli diplomat urges Security Council
Member of UN mission cites string of recent statements that he says express ‘the vile anti-Semitism’ at the core of the Islamic Republic’s ideology
"For the international community and the United Nations, “silence is not an option” in the face of Iranian anti-Semitic statements and calls to destroy Israel, an Israeli diplomat has written in a letter to GĂ©rard Araud, the president of the United Nations Security Council."

Dempsey: Israel, US differ on seriousness of Iran
Chairman of US Joint Chiefs of Staff US, Israel "clocks ticking at different paces" on Iran's nuclear threat.

UN envoy says burden of proof on Iran to show nuke program is not military
Robert Serry also urges Israel to look at situation in Syria as opportunity to shape a better future for region.

US seizes $150 million in Hezbollah-linked cash
"Terror group laundered money from West African drug trade, authorities claim Authorities had said that, since 2007, more than $300 million was wired from Lebanon to the United States to buy used cars for resale in West Africa. Prosecutors said they had evidence Hezbollah used back channels to wire cash from the cars and drug-dealing proceeds back to Lebanon."

Justice for the Kurds by Michael Curtis and Fred Gottheil
"Much ink has been spilled about the desirability or even the inevitability of a separate State for Palestinians, whose identity stems from the middle of the 20th century, but what has been much less discussed by the international community -- and for the most part ignored -- is a similar claim by the Kurds, a people with a truly separate ethnic identity as well as a long history,"

Palestinian Authority Security Forces Threatened to Kill Palestinian Journalism Student
They threatened him by saying, “We will hang you and say that you committed suicide.”

After buildup, Israel tells Egypt to remove tanks from Sinai
Stern message sent via the White House to Cairo warning that military presence in peninsula contravenes terms of peace agreement
"Israeli officials are concerned that Egypt may use its anti-terrorist operation as a way of building its military strength in Sinai. Having gained access, Cairo may leave the tanks and armored carriers in place while taking little more than symbolic action to curb the terrorist threat."

German far-right lawmaker convicted of defamation
Deputy chief of National Democratic Party guilty of defamation for calling Holocaust memorial ‘theater’

Austrian Jewish leader calls out politician for anti-Semitic cartoon
Right-wing politician shares picture of banker with Star of David cuff links enjoying the European financial crisis

Eight killed in huge blast in southern Turkey

Turkish firm gets Israeli loan for power production
"Despite strained relations between Turkey and Israel following the flotilla incident in May 2010, Turkish and Israeli business ventures continue full steam ahead as witnessed by Zorlu Enerji’s $277 mln natural gas investments in Israel"

Israeli Refrigerator Part of Equipment on Mars Curiosity Rover
The Curiosity rover, currently on Mars after recently landing in a tricky operation controlled by National Space and Aeronautics Administration (NASA) technicians, includes a refrigerator manufactured in Israel. The refrigerator was developed in the northern Israeli kibbutz Ein Harod (Ihud), Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

Israel Daily Picture: The Cliffs in Judea Overlooking Solomon's Pools
The early photographers in the Holy Land were enchanted by "Solomon's Pools," an elaborate water system from the Maccabean or Roman times located between Bethlehem and Hebron that brought water all the way to the Temple in Jerusalem.


Also:

German Circumcision Ban Bags First Victim (Tobin/Commentary)

Notes from a Ward Yud Hospital Bed (Barry Rubin)

Don’t Know Much ’bout Orthodoxy (Yair Rosenberg/Tablet)

Fatah football tournament named after three terrorists (PalWatch)