I am not an historian, decent author or a journalist, and the chances are that unless there is a link or reference to somewhere else, the perpetrator is yours truly – Renaud Sarda. I created this blog as a focal point, to arm people with arguments and facts that they can perhaps use to counter biased media reporting and anti-Israel propaganda, and to help counter (BDS) campaign. I am a Zionist/Sephardi/Jew who will fly the Israeli flag, and defend whatever Israel does.
Mr Erdogan said: "It (Israel) acts irresponsibly and without hesitation in smashing the human dignity and international law by carrying assaults on international convoys which carry nothing but food and toys for children."
Such assaults, "threaten the Israeli nation," he said. "The Israeli people became a besieged nation."
Nine people were killed when Israeli troops boarded a vessel headed for Gaza, an act for which Israel has since expressed regret.
But the country also defended its raid on the flotilla, saying its troops were attacked by passengers as they boarded and were defending themselves.
Relations between Turkey and Israel broke down following the incident, and Turkey broke military ties with the country, expelled top Israeli diplomats and pledged to support the Palestinians' statehood bid.
It also vowed to send the Turkish navy to escort Gaza-bound aid ships in the future.
Prime minister Erdogan is in Egypt on a three day visit and has so far been given a warm reception.
During his 30-minute speech, he was interrupted several times by foreign ministers' applause.
Relations between Egypt and Israel have deteriorated since the downfall of the Mubarak regime.
Israel's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Danny Ayalon explains the historical facts relating to the Israeli Palestinian conflict. The video explains that the reason there is no successful peace process is because of decades of Palestinian and Arab recalcitrance and the main reason for the conflict is not Israel's presence in the West Bank, but successive Palestinian leaders resistance to Jewish sovereignty.
Also follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/DannyAyalon andhttp://facebook.com/DannyAyalon
TEHRAN, Iran – Iran's first nuclear power plant stepped up operations Monday after more than a decade of delays, pumping out electricity at up to 40 percent capacity and marking a major step forward in the Islamic Republic's nuclear program.
The Bushehr nuclear plant -- which officials say could begin full-power operations in December -- is also a cornerstone of Iran's drive to become a technological leader among Muslim nations with efforts such as a space program and long-range missile development.
The U.S. and its allies accuse Iran of using its civilian nuclear program as a cover to develop nuclear weapons. Iran denies the claim and says it only seeks reactors for energy and scientific research.
Senior Iranian and Russian officials attended celebrations for the official launch of the 1000-megawatt Bushehr plant on the Gulf. It began to generate between 350 to 400 megawatts of electricity, equal to 35 to 40 percent of the reactor's full capacity.
The Russian-built plant was connected to the national power grid for a test run Sept. 4, generating 60 megawatts.
Iranian Vice President Fereidoun Abbasi told State TV that full-capacity operations are expected to begin in December after a series of additional tests.
"The facility will reach its full capacity -- that means 1,000 megawatts -- in December," the TV quoted Abbasi as saying.
Russia's Rosatom chief Sergei Kiriyenko called Monday's launch a "big celebration" and a symbol of Tehran-Moscow cooperation, although there are no current plans for Russian help with future reactors planned by Iran.
The launch of the plant has been delayed for more than a decade over technical and construction setbacks.
Although the West has been deeply suspicious of Iran's nuclear aims, Washington has not opposed Iran's push for atomic reactors for energy and research.
Last October, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton made a clear distinction between Bushehr and other nuclear efforts -- such as uranium enrichment -- that Washington worries could lead to weapons production.
"Iran is entitled to the peaceful use of nuclear power," she said after speaking at a U.N. Security Council meeting. "They are not entitled to a nuclear weapons program."
Russia has promised to have full oversight of the nuclear fuel used in the plant.
The Bushehr project dates back to 1974, when Iran's U.S.-backed Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi contracted with the German company Siemens to build the reactor. The company withdrew from the project after the 1979 Islamic Revolution toppled the shah and brought hard-line clerics to power.
In 1992, Iran signed a $1 billion deal with Russia to complete the project. Work began in 1995 with a timetable to begin operations in 1999.
Earlier this year, foreign intelligence reports said the plant's control systems were penetrated by Stuxnet, a malicious computer software.
Iran maintained that Stuxnet was only found on several laptops belonging to plant employees and didn't affect the facility. Tehran later blamed the U.S. and Israel of being behind Stuxnet, saying the worm was part of a covert plan by Iran's enemies to sabotage its nuclear program.
An excellent article from noted expert Jonathan Schanzer on Saudi Arabia’s citizens’ support for Jihad…Keep in mind that this is the same Saudi citizenry heavily involved in Shariah Finance, yet we are expected to believe that there is no threat of Jihadist terrorism benefiting from Shariah Finance…
The Saudis produce, thanks to proceeds from the West’s insatiable thirst for petroleum, far more jihadist philanthropy than any other Muslim country. One former State Department official estimates that Saudis donate between $3 and $4 billion annually to Islamic causes. According to one source, from 1973-2002, the Saudi government spent some $80 billion on Islamic institutions, mosques, Islamic centers, Muslim colleges, and Islamic schools. Given the opaque nature of Saudi society, many terror finance analysts have tried and failed to pinpoint the exact percentage of those funds earmarked for terrorism and extremist causes. But if it’s just ten percent (a lowball estimate), that would be $8 billion. The real number is likely higher.
RAWALPINDI: In the latest video series of self proclaimed defence analyst Zaid Hamid, he is seen giving a final call to Hindus to convert to Islam. He also tells Hindus not to blame him for the consequences. So what’s claimed to be a peaceful call to Islam, seems more like a threat.
He says this is the message to be conveyed to all the Hindus and “Hindu Pandits” who deliberately hide the true message of Islam from the masses. He also equates Hindus with the Jews. Zaid Hamid openly threats the Hindus that if they don’t convert and accept Islam, they will be responsible for their ill-fate themselves.
He pretended to be speaking on behalf of all the Muslims and acted as the supreme leader of the Muslim ummah. Here’s the clip from his series which he released a couple of days ago.
