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A delegation of Israeli security officials secretly traveled to Jordan last week in an attempt to assuage concerns that Israel is considering Jordan as an alternative for a palestinian state.
Try wrapping your brains around that for a while.
Updates (Israel time; most recent at top)
11:12PM: From the apartheid state of Israel:
An Israeli Bedouin places a note in the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City August 12, 2009 during a mass prayer calling for the release of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Shalit was captured by Palestinian gunmen from Gaza during a cross-border raid in June 2006. Wednesday evening marks Gilad Shalit’s 23rd birthday according to the Hebrew calendar.
REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM CONFLICT RELIGION)
10:40PM: Ma’an news reports:
A Palestinian boy died of seven gunshot wounds to the head in what sources say is either a tragic accident of a case of filicide.
The incident occurred in Az-Zawiyah village south Nablus on Wednesday, when Palestinian security sources uncovered the death of 15 year-old Jihad Shukeir.
Jihad was pronounced dead at the Rafidia Government Hospital; medical sources said he had sustained seven gunshot wounds to the head and died while he was being transferred to the hospital.
Sources said police are investigating two tracks, the first a scenario where the boy was playing with this father (a Palestinian Authority police officer)’s weapon, and the second a case of gun cleaning gone awry, where the gun was in fact in the hands of the father.
How about a third track – father shot son in cold blood?
I somehow doubt someone playing with a gun or cleaning it could sustain seven gunshot wounds to the head.
10:32PM: Lost in translation?
Palestinian body building champion Mahmoud Adam will represent the Palestinian police in the National Body Building Championship set to take place Friday at the Cultural Palace Ramallah.
Coordinator for the police sports union Ghassan Quteit reminded contestants that Mahmoud won the championship in 2008 and has since been training in Bethlehem where he has been “supervised by experts” in preparation for representing the police at the annual competition.
Quteit invited all police officers to attend the event to support their colleague. For his part, Mahmoud said he is optimistic and he will get high, even though he expects this year’s competition to be stiffer than last.
10:14PM: Two Israelis have been lightly wounded near Givat Haroeh after palestinians reportedly opened fire on their vehicle.
8:46PM: Mazal tov to Israeli rock group Asaf Avidan and The Mojos, who signed a four-album record contract with Sony Columbia.
Here’s an example of their music for those not familiar with them.
8:30PM: Another Pierre Rehov must-see video:
8:12PM: G-d bless America, where the majority of people still think for themselves.
Despite reports of deteriorating ties between Israel and the United States due to disagreements on settlement construction in the West Bank and US President Barack Obama’s efforts to strengthen ties with the Arab and Muslim world, most Americans continue to view Israel as a close friend and regard Arab states with suspicion.
A new poll by the American Rasmussen polling firm showed that 70% of Americans say Israel is an ally, as opposed to 8% that view Israel as an enemy. None of the eight Muslim states included in the poll came close to the positive approach most Americans hold towards Israel.
Eighty-one percent of the respondents said the Palestinian leaders must recognize Israel’s right to exist as part of a Middle East peace agreement.
The poll, that was held last week, showed that 70% of Americans believe Iran to be an enemy of their country. Only 5% view the Islamic Republic as an ally. According to the poll, Iran and North Korea come off to the US public as the two countries that pose the greatest security threat to the United States.
Regarding relations between the US and the Muslim world, 39% of the respondents said they believe Egypt to be an ally of the US, while only 23% view Saudi Arabia as an ally.
6:36PM: Photo of the day:
Rabbis blow rams’ horns known as shofars during a flight over Israel August 10, 2009. Dozens of rabbis and Kabbalah mystics armed with ceremonial trumpets have taken to the skies over Israel to battle the H1N1 flu virus, Israeli media said on Tuesday. About 50 Jewish holy men chanted prayers and blew ritual rams’ horns in an aircraft circling over the country in the hope of stopping the spread of the virus, some of those involved in Monday’s venture were quoted as saying. Picture taken August 10, 2009.
6:25PM: Let’s talk Turkey…without Turkey: Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon has said that Israel is not interested in resuming indirect, Turkish-mediated peace talks with Syria, but would insist on direct talks.
Speaking to Reuters in English, he said, “We have just benefited from the experience that shows that proximity talks did not work.”
“If [Syria is] really serious on peace, and not just a peace process which may serve them to extricate them from international isolation, if they are really serious, they will come and sit with us.”
12:54PM: Another day, another report about progress on a Shalit-terrorist swap deal.
While I am always cynical about such reports – especially given past experience – I wonder if yesterday’s news that PFLP leader Ahmad Sa’adat was transferred from one prison to another is related.
11:56AM: Forget the Loch Ness Monster. We have the Zionist Nautical Nympth of Death.TM
Israel is in the grips of mermaid fever after numerous sightings of the mythical sea creature off its coast.
One town council is taking the reports so seriously it is offering a $1 million reward to anyone who can prove the existence of a mermaid in its waters.
Kiryat Yam municipality, near Haifa, says it has been told of dozens of sightings in the past few months.
“Many people are telling us they are sure they’ve seen a mermaid and they are all independent of each other,” council spokesman Natti Zilberman told Sky News.
The nautical nymph is only seen in the evening at sunset, according to media reports, drawing crowds of people with cameras hoping for a glimpse.
“People say it is half girl, half fish, jumping like a dolphin. It does all kinds of tricks, then disappears,” Mr. Zilberman said.
Asked whether a dolphin or large fish could be a more rational explanation, he insisted: “They say it is a female figure, it looks like a young girl.”
The council denied its offer of a reward was a publicity stunt, but said it hoped to nurture the mermaid as something which could bring in more tourists.
Capturing a mermaid is not necessary, a verifiable photograph will do, Zilberman said.
Asked if the council can afford the payout, he told Sky News: “I believe, if there really is a mermaid, then so many people and tourists will come to Kiryat Yam, a lot more money will be made than $1m.”
(hat tip: Shy Guy)
