A year after a turbulent government transition period, it looks as though Israel's political realm is in for another big upheaval.
Kadima, the largest party in the Israeli parliament, could be about to lose several of its lawmakers, with serving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu likely to be the big winner.
Netanyahu's Likud party has been trying to lure Kadima members of the parliament, or the Knesset, more or less since Netanyahu formed his government some nine months ago. That effort has culminated this week, but only after Netanyahu also made a very public attempt to persuade the entire Kadima party to quit the opposition and join his coalition.
Many analysts believe that this is an obvious attempt by Netanyahu to destroy his main political rival, Kadima leader Tzipi Livni. However, some do think that there could be more serious issues at stake here.
...There are two possible scenarios, according to Shlomo Tzadok, apolitical scientist at the University of Haifa. Either Netanyahu simply wants to kill off Kadima, or the prime minister is seeking broad parliamentary support for an upcoming and "dramatic" move with regard to captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
...He added that the Shalit case could be the motive behind Netanyahu's offer to Livni because there is nothing else currently happening that would warrant such a healthy parliamentary majority.
nope. nothing at all. has to be Shalit. mm hmm. - ed.
2. qaida reportedly mobilizing militants in Lebanon and plotting attacks against UNIFIL
Al-Qaida militants are plotting terrorist attacks against state institutions and foreign missions in coordination with Fatah al-Islam and wanted Palestinian fighter Abdel Rahman Awad, a well-informed security source told An Nahar daily.
The source said that Lebanese security agencies have also received information about the infiltration of al-Qaida militants into the country from Pakistan via Turkey, Greece and the Lebanese-Syrian border. The militants are seeking refuge in Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, the source told An Nahar.
The militants are residing in apartments in the north and Mount Lebanon pending their infiltration into the refugee camps, according to the security source.
Al-Qaida members are also training other militants in the refugee camp of Ain el-Hilweh to carry out attacks against U.N. peacekeepers stationed in southern Lebanon, the source said.
He added that two weeks ago Jund al-Sham received financial assistance from a top al-Qaida official for the purpose of activating sleeper cells in the camp.
BEIRUT, Dec. 29 (Xinhua) -- Lebanese army on Tuesday fired intensively at four Israeli Phantom jet fighters flying at a low altitude over south Lebanon, the country's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported.
The report said that Lebanese army opened anti-aircraft fire at the jet fighters which were flying over Hasbaya in south Lebanon on Tuesday morning, forcing these planes to leave Lebanese airspace.
The Israeli warplanes entered Lebanese airspace over Arkoub, Hasbaya and western Bekaa amid extensive Israeli ground military activities in Shebaa Farms, the report said.
Lebanon accuses Israel of intruding its airspace on a daily basis, saying it is a violation of UN security council resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Lebanese Shiite armed group Hezbollah, and mandates peacekeepers to monitor the armistice along the border.
Last month, Lebanon opened fire at an unmanned Israeli reconnaissance plane flying over its territory, forcing it to leave the Lebanese airspace.
source: chinaview4. Israel recalls all of its ambassadors worldwide for meeting
Israel’s ambassadors and consuls generals from all over the world have been summoned to attend a conference to be held over global challenges facing Israel.
The meeting to be attended in Jerusalem Al-Quds on December 27-31 is hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, the ministry reported on its website.
“The idea is to facilitate direct dialogue with the country’s leaders, mutual updates on major diplomatic issues, and a discussion of action plans to deal with the challenges awaiting Israel in the international arena in the coming year, including the Iranian threat,” it said.
This is while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called a report by the UN Human Rights Council’s Gaza commission a real threat to Israel.
The UN Special Rappoteur for the occupied Palestinian Territories has also urged western powers to push Israel to end its blockade of the Gaza Strip immediately. Richard Falk also called for economic sanctions against Israel.
This is the first time a conference for all of Israel’s heads of missions has been held.
Benyamin Netanyahu will also attend the conference along with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Minister of Intelligence and Atomic Energy Dan Meridor, and other senior officials.
5. Vanunu arrested on suspicion of meeting with foreigners
Nuclear whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu was ordered to be put under house arrest Tuesday after being charged with violating a condition of his 2004 release from prison.
Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said Vanunu met with "a number of foreigners," something he was ordered not to do for fear he might divulge classified information.
Vanunu, who has been charged with violating this order before, flashed a "V'' sign and unleashed a rambling tirade against the "impotent" Jewish state as he entered a Jerusalem court.
His lawyer, Avigdor Feldman, said Vanunu was arrested because he has a Norwegian girlfriend whom police have already interrogated.
more @ jpost
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1261364534932
6. IOF chief: Iran can build bomb by 2011
JERUSALEM (Map, News) - Iran will possess the technology to build a nuclear bomb by early 2010 and be able to produce one the following year, Israeli media quoted Israel's defense minister as saying Monday.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak delivered his assessment before the Israeli parliament's defense and foreign affairs committee. It broadly matches assessments from other nations including the U.S., which estimates that Tehran could produce a nuclear weapon between 2010 and 2015.
The Defense Ministry said it could not confirm the reports and a Barak spokesman wasn't immediately available for comment. The radio and newspaper Web site reports did not identify the source of their information, but participants in the committee meetings routinely brief reporters on the proceedings.
Earlier this month, Israel's military intelligence chief said Iran was close to an unspecified "technological breakthrough" that would enable it to build nuclear weapons. He did not elaborate on the breakthrough or say when exactly he expected Iran to have weapons-making capability.
US intelligence sources have confirmed Iran's assertions that a document published by a British daily about Tehran's nuclear program is a fabrication.
According to a former CIA official, US intelligence agents have found that the document, which was published by the Times of London on December 14, was fabricated by Israel or Britain, the Inter Press Service (IPS) reported on Monday.
The IPS report was penned by renowned investigative journalist Gareth Porter.
Philip Giraldi, who was a CIA counterterrorism official from 1976 to 1992, told IPS that intelligence sources say the US had nothing to do with forging the document.
He added, however, that US intelligence sources mainly suspect Israel of carrying out the forgery, although, they do not rule out the possibility of the British having played a part in it.
read more @ press tv
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