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Monday, February 11, 2013

Monday links: Iran murdered 20K "enemies," Aussie rally FOR Assad, firebombs thrown at Jewish homes

From Ian:

Iran's Srebrenica: How Ayatollah Khomeini sanctioned the deaths of 20,000 'enemies of the state'
A tribunal at The Hague publishes a report illustrating the regime's crimes against humanity
"The horrors visited on tens of thousands of Iranians in the years after the Islamic revolution were spelled out as the Iran Tribunal published its final judgment. Described as “a great achievement... a miracle,” by one of the survivors, the Tribunal found that during the 1980s the Islamic Republic was guilty of the murder of between 15,000 and 20,000 political prisoners."

Hezbollah receives ‘significant state sponsorship’ from Iran and Syria: ‘confidential’ CSIS report
"A “confidential” Canadian intelligence report, written several months before a deadly tour bus bombing in Bulgaria that is being blamed on a Canadian Hezbollah member, said the terrorist group had been receiving “significant state sponsorship” from Iran and Syria.
“Aside from cash, Iran provides military equipment and training to Hezbollah,” said the intelligence assessment by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, released recently under the Access to Information Act."

Hundreds Turn Out in Support of Assad, Hezbollah at Australia Rally (VIDEO)
"Hundreds of Syrians and left-wing activists assembled in Sydney, Australia Sunday in a show of support for beleaguered Syrian leader Bashar Al-Assad. Waving Syrian flags, as well as flags of Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, the protestors accused the U.S., the U.K., and Israel of seeking to destabilize Syria. A popular sign at the rally showed the flag of the Syrian revolutionary forces modified with Jewish stars of David replacing the five-pointed Arab stars."

Iranians on revolution day chant ‘death to America’
"In the capital, crowds waving Iranian flags and portraits of revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini walked toward the landmark Azadi (Freedom) Square, in a government-sponsored rally which is now a cornerstone of the regime.
Marchers also chanted “Death to Israel” and “Death to America” as they headed for the square, some waving posters of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, where President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was expected to make an address."

Iran reportedly setting up loyal militias in Syria
Islamic Republic said to be preparing for a post-Assad era even as it supports the Syrian government in the civil war
"The Iranian government is setting up a network of militias in Syria that will enable the Islamic Republic to maintain its influence in the region even if the Syrian government topples, The Washington Post reported on Sunday.
Citing US and Arab officials, the report stated that Iran may have as many as 50,000 fighters operating in Syria in support of President Bashar Assad’s rule — militias that would remain loyal to the Islamic Republic if Syria disintegrates along ethnic and sectarian lines, a scenario many analysts believe is becoming increasingly plausible."

Bulgaria to brief EU ministers on bus bombing
Burgas assailants ‘spent some time at the seaside’ before carrying out attack, says interior ministry official

Isi Leibler: Candidly Speaking: Argentina’s pact with the devil
That Argentinian leaders could be a part of a cynical whitewashing of the murder of their own
citizens should lead to severe condemnation.
"THAT THE Argentinian leaders could collaborate with such a cynical whitewashing of the murder of their own citizens and create a “truth commission” with a wretched, despotic, Holocaust denying regime should lead to the condemnation of the Argentinian government by the civilized world. It should be viewed as even worse than the Venezuela of Hugo Chavez, known to be one of Argentina’s principal allies and funders."

Argentina Jewish leader says Iran probe will lead to third attack
AMIA Jewish center head Guillermo Borger says joint truth commission may take Argentina ‘to the precipice’

Missing Peace: Increasing tensions on Israel Lebanon border after IAF raid on Syria
"At the same time Hezbollah tightened its grip on southern Lebanon. This is done by turning villages into fighting zones but also by harassment of UNIFIL forces that were supposed to stop the flow of arms to Hezbollah.
Last month an Italian UNIFIL patrol was stopped by Hezbollah supporters and robbed of its photo equipment.
Later a Finnish patrol was attacked in the Bint Jebeil area after one of the UN soldiers took photo’s of Hezbollah’s security zone. Last Saturday pretty much the same happened to Belgian peacekeepers in the Sidon area."

PA 'unaware' of Abbas-Netanyahu meet with Obama By Khaled Abu Toameh
Erekat says PA has not been briefed by the US administration on details of possible Abbas-Netanyahu summit.
"Commenting on reports that Abbas and Netanyahu may meet during US President Barak
Obama's visit to the region next month, Erekat said that the US administration still has not briefed the PA leadership on details of Obama's schedule.
Erekat said that the talk about a possible Abbas-Netanyahu summit was nothing but "Israeli analysis and statements." He said that the PA leadership's demands regarding the peace process remained unchanged - Israeli recognition of the pre-1967 lines as the borders of a Palestinian state and a full cessation of construction in settlements."
US accused of foiling Palestinian reconciliation
Hamas daily charges ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro with thwarting Palestinian unity to advance Israeli-Palestinian track
"Amid reports on the failure of reconciliation talks between Fatah and Hamas in Cairo this weekend, a Palestinian research center accused the United States of colluding with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in stalling Palestinian rapprochement until after US President Barack Obama visits the region next month.
Ibrahim Darawi, head of the the Palestinian Studies Center in Cairo, told Hamas-affiliated daily Al-Resalah on Sunday that US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro held secret meetings with Abbas and other Palestine Liberation Organization officials, requesting that the Palestinians freeze reconciliation talks until after Obama’s visit."
Arabs Target Jerusalem Home with Firebombs
Arabs hurled firebombs at a Jewish building in the Abu Tor neighborhood of Jerusalem, just narrowly missing a gas pipe.

Rock-Proof Windows for Yesha Residents Available Again
The government on Sunday authorized continued funding for the installation of rock-proof windows for vehicles in Judea and Samaria

Kuwaiti lawmaker calls for probe into hiring of Israeli firm
Emirate’s interior minister under fire for reportedly buying security system for Iraqi border from Israeli subsidiary
"A Kuwaiti parliamentarian on Sunday called for an official investigation of the country’s interior minister for business ties with an Israeli company.
MP Faisal al-Duwaisan charged in an official request to parliament that the Interior Ministry purchased a border security system for the country’s Iraqi border from Senstar, a Canadian subsidiary of Israel’s Magal Security Systems.
He said Interior Minister Sheikh Ahmad al-Homud al-Sabah violated Kuwait’s Israel boycott laws and committed a “grave mistake” by dealing with Senstar, AFP reported."
Technion, Alpha Szenszor to develop lung cancer diagnostics
They aim is to develop an economically viable, non-invasive, digital tool for the early diagnosis of lung cancer.
"The Technion - Israel Institute of Technology and US carbon nanotube-based sensor developer Alpha Szenszor Inc. have established a joint venture to commercialize advanced lung cancer diagnostics based on Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) detection from human breath. They aim is to develop an economically viable, non-invasive, digital tool for the early diagnosis of lung cancer."
Israel upgrades electricity lines to Gaza
"The upgrading of the underground lines that supply electricity from Israel to Gaza's northern region has significantly increased the capacity of the electricity lines, thereby providing a more stable source of electricity to the residents of northern Gaza."

Israel Puts Conflict Aside To Save Palestinian Lives
"According to a 2012 World Health Organization report, Israel approved 91.5 percent of Palestinian applications from Gaza to receive medical care in Israel proper, while an
additional 7.2 percent were approved pending a security check.
additional 7.2 percent were approved pending a security check.In total, 210,469 Palestinians received medical treatment inside Israel proper in 2012. This statistic includes 20 Palestinian children who were in need of marrow transplants, kidney transplants, and other life saving operations that the Palestinian Authority did not have the ability to perform."