Israel has reacted to the fueling up of Iran’s first nuclear power plant at Bushehr yesterday.
Israel on Saturday denounced Iran’s fueling up of its first nuclear power plant as “totally unacceptable” and called for more international pressure to force Tehran to cease any uranium enrichment.
Israel, widely assumed to be the only Middle East country to have nuclear weapons, has said a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to its existence, raising concerns Israel could attack Iran’s nuclear sites.
In a statement issued after the Islamic Republic celebrated the launch of its reactor in Bushehr, Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Yossi Levy said: “It is totally unacceptable that a country that so blatantly violates resolutions of the (United Nations) Security Council, decisions of the International Atomic Energy Agency and its commitments under the NPT (non-proliferation treaty) should enjoy the fruits of using nuclear energy.”
“The international community should increase pressure on to force Iran to abide by international decisions and cease its enrichment activities and its construction of reactors,” Levy said.
The United States, Israel and some other Western countries fear Iran’s nuclear is aimed at produce atomic weapons. Iran says it wants nuclear power solely for energy production.
Meanwhile, Iran’s threat against the world if attacked indicates the cause for concern with their nuclear program to begin with.
Earlier Saturday, Iran’s hard-line President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad promised a global response if his country is attacked.
“Our options will have no limits… They will touch the entire planet,” he said.
Updates (Israel time; most recent at top)
7:26PM: RIP Gaza’s “Crazy Water” water park? (hat tip: Michael).
Hamas ordered the “Crazy Water,” water park in Gaza closed due to men and women mixing at parties held in the park, Israel Radio reported on Sunday.
A spokesperson for the Hamas government claimed that the park was actually closed for only three days, because it did not have a proper permit. “Men and women are mixed throughout Gaza,” the spokesperson said. “The closing is just a warning.”
3:15PM: Irish Israeli supporter Cliona Campbell has hit back at an anti-Israel tool who called her a “brainwashed, ill-educated grunt” (see final update).
2:40PM: Let the direct talks begin!
1:20PM: Introducing the Zionist-Conspiracy-O-Matic.
11:18AM: Here is Itay Shechter’s “Yamulke” goal during the Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Red Bull Salzburg Champions League qualifying soccer match.
Believe it or not, he received a yellow card for this.
After scoring the third goal for his team, Shechter pulled one of his half a kippah (cap worn by Jewish ritual), it was placed on his head and ran to the center court, where he knelt and began to pray. After that, the match referee, the Portuguese Pedro Proença took out a yellow card.
The Israeli daily Jewish Chronicle, the Austrian public protested the festivities to consider it as an act of provocation. The Israeli player said he did so because a fan presented him with a yarmulke and made a promise to put it if you score a goal.
“I had no intention to provoke anyone, just in how the entire Jewish people, watching the game on television, would be happy,” said the striker.
10:00AM: How Hizbullah’s Al-Manar TV reports the news:
[click on image to enlarge]
9:48AM: According to Kuwait’s al-Rai newspaper, US officials have said damning evidence demonstrating Hizbullah’s involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri is expected to be published by American newspapers in the next few days.
9:34AM: Richard Landes looks at the CNN reporting of the recent Lebanon-Israel border clash.
7:52AM: A future new immigrant?
American Jewish astronaut Garrett Reisman is considering aliyah (immigration) to Israel, according to Minister of Science and Technology Daniel Hershkowitz, who met with Reisman during a recent trip to the United States.
Reisman, 42, told Hershkowitz that the question of whether or not he will live in Israel will be decided based on his ability to find suitable work.
I somehow don’t think that will be a problem.
7:35AM: Trust AFP to turn a graphic on Israel’s painful disengagement from Gaza in to another example of their bias.
In other words, Hamas – who not only rule Gaza but interfere in almost all aspects of life there – are said to “run” Gaza, and Israel – who withdrew 5 years ago but regulates the passage of certain goods that could be used as weapons – “has an iron grip on its airspace and sea lanes, maintaining a total blockade on both while tightly restricting land access.”
7:18AM: Last week, I posted about Iranian taekwondo fighter Mohammed Soleimani’s refusal to compete against Israel’s Gili Haimovich in the championship match of the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore.
Now more of the same at the 2010 WPC Swimming World Championships.
Israel added two golds to its medal haul on Saturday at the 2010 WPC Swimming World Championships in Eindhoven behind the performances of Inbal Pezaro and Itzhak Mamistvalov. During the heats, two Iranians refused to enter the pool with Israeli blind swimmer Zohar Batar, who joked afterward that she never saw her Persian rivals.
Can someone please explain to me why Iran is even allowed to compete in international sports events?
6:35AM: Latma channels Tom Jones for their latest song parody.
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