Israel set to build new settlement in West Bank

from MSNBC. read the rest here.

JERUSALEM – A key committee has approved construction of the first new Jewish settlement in the West Bank in a decade, an Israeli official said Thursday. The news infuriated Palestinians, who said the decision could cripple peace efforts.

Olmert to U.S.: Impose Naval Blockade on Iran

(Israel determined to get the U.S. to attack Iran. Looks like they are proposing another Cuban Missle Crisis. Brilliant)

from Haaretz, here.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has proposed in discussions with the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, that a naval blockade be imposed on Iran as one of several ways to pressure Iran into stopping its uranium enrichment program.

What Our Interests In The Region Did Today

(“War is Peace. Hate is Love. Slavery is Freedom. 2+2=5.” Bush says “For the sake of peace, the world must not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon.” Iran isn’t attempting to get a nuke. They aren’t bombing the Green Zone. Israel wanted us to go after Iran before we went after Iraq, according to neocon insiders. Iran is a democracy; their President was elected (unlike ours). Iran has a massive army, and will garner regional and international support were we to attack. And in the face of all this, President Bush thinks the way to “peace” is to bomb Iran. He is unstable and MUST be removed from office. Impeach now.)

Bush: Unforgivable to Let Iran Get Nukes

AP Story here.

JERUSALEM – President Bush on Thursday criticized the deadly tactics of extremist groups like al-Qaida, Hezbollah and Hamas and said he looks toward the day when Muslims “recognize the emptiness of the terrorists’ vision and the injustice of their cause.”

In a speech prepared for delivery the Knesset, or parliament, Bush pledged that the United States has an unbreakable bond with Israel.

Israel urged to end blockade of Gaza as talks begin in London

by Ian Black, from Guardian UK here.

Israel will be urged today to ease its blockade of the Gaza Strip to avert a humanitarian disaster as the Middle East “quartet” meets to consider the state of the faltering peace process.