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Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Some headlines and summaries from JTA
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ElBaradei plays down concern on Iran
The head of a U.N. watchdog group played down concern over Iran’s nuclear program.
Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, said Tuesday that while U.N. inspectors had only just picked up on long-undeclared Iranian nuclear plans, there was little concrete reason to believe that the Islamic republic is close to attaining nuclear weapons capability, as Israel and the United States maintain.
“We haven’t seen a smoking gun in Iran. We haven’t seen an underground production enrichment facility. We haven’t seen enough materials in Iran, other than gram quantities, to put into a weapon,” ElBaradei told The Jerusalem Post. “We try to work on the basis of facts.”
In recent days, Israel has stepped up its calls for Iran to be brought up before the Security Council for sanctions intended to curb its nuclear ambitions. Israeli officials say that, if unchecked, Iran could obtain the know-how needed to build atomic weapons by March.
Israel seals West Bank
Israeli police arrested 500 illegal Palestinian workers in a new crackdown. Tuesday’s dragnet came as Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered a no-tolerance policy toward Palestinians — among them potential terrorists — who infiltrate Israel from the West Bank. Also detained by security forces were the brother and father of an Islamic Jihad suicide bomber who killed five people in Netanya on Monday. In response to that attack, Israel sealed the West Bank and closed its crossing points into the Gaza Strip. A Defense Ministry source said Israel could resume its controversial policy of demolishing the family homes of suicide bombers if the Palestinian Authority does not crack down on terrorists as required by the U.S.-led “road map” peace plan
Israel wants different ‘brand’
Israel established a “Brand Israel Group” to broaden public understanding of the Jewish state beyond the conflict with the Palestinians.
Initiated by Israel’s Foreign Ministry, the group plans to work in North America and Europe with leading Israeli advertising firms and businesses and Diaspora Jewish communities to “brand” Israel as more than just a country at war. One goal will be to spread the word about Israeli advances in technology and medicine, said Gideon Meir, the Foreign Ministry’s deputy director. Meir is touring North America and speaking to heads of major American and Canadian news organizations about their coverage of Israel.
Poverty spreads in Israel
The number of Israelis living on handouts is increasing rapidly, a survey found. According to a poll issued Tuesday by the Latet lobby, 17 percent of Israelis take charity, including food given out at soup kitchens, up from 11 percent last year. One in two Israelis cites poverty as the country’s No. 1 problem, ahead of education and terrorism. The findings could help Labor Party chief Amir Peretz’s chances in March 28 general elections. A former trade union chief, Peretz has vowed to undo some of the current government’s welfare cuts.
http://jta.org/
posted by Somebody @ 10:22 PM Permanent Link
 
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