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Rice Says Israeli-Palestinian Document Unlikely Soon
 Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said on Saturday she did not expect Israel and the Palestinianswould agree in a weekend of talks with her on a joint document for a conference on Palestinian statehood. Arriving in Israel for a new round of meetings with both sides, Rice said "knotty discussions" on the paper, intended to lay down the principles by which a Palestinian state can be established, were still ahead. "I absolutely don't expect there will be agreement on a document," she told reporters traveling with her, referring to chances a paper would be finalized by the end of her visit. The United States has not officially set a date for the conference slated for Annapolis, Maryland, an indication of the difficulties in bridging gaps between the two sides on the paper that will set the tone for the gathering. (Reuters/New York Times)
Berkeley: Senate OKs Support of U.S.-Israel Relationship
by Corinna Matlis
 The Associated Students of the University of California Senate passed a resolution last week supporting a “positive diplomatic relationship” between the United States and Israel. The bill, authored by Sen. Gabe Weiner and Sen. Scott Silver, states that the United States and Israel hold “shared ideals” and asserts that the relationship between the two nations has pushed Israel toward peace efforts. “The United States and Israel share common core values - both nations want peace. That’s the reason the U.S.-Israel relationship is so strong,” Weiner said. Weiner said the impetus for the bill came from theories of why the U.S. supports Israel such as those presented by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt, who spoke on campus last week, that point to the power of domestic lobbying groups in U.S. relations with Israel. He also noted what he called a current political climate making it expedient to affirm the relationship between the two countries. (Daily Californian)
Israel PM Olmert to Have Prostate Cancer Surgery
by Ori Lewis
 Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced last week he has prostate cancer that requires minor surgery in the coming months but said he was fit to govern as he works toward peace talks with the Palestinians. The 62-year-old premier told a hastily convened news conference that doctors discovered a "microscopic" growth in his prostate gland during an annual check-up last week. "There is nothing in the growth that is life-threatening," said Olmert, a keen runner and fitness fanatic who looked calm and relaxed during his brief announcement. The surgical procedure itself is planned to take place in the coming months. (Reuters)
See also PM Diagnosed with Prostrate Cancer (YouTube)
Fatah-Controlled TV Promises Elimination of Israel
A new music video appearing regularly on Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority television over the past week promises the elimination of Israel and the restoration of the "Arab identity" of cities throughout the Jewish State. The propaganda clip stands in stark contrast to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas's recent declarations in support of reconciliation with Israel, issued ahead of the upcoming multinational Middle East peace conference organized by the United States. As explained by Itamar Marcus and Barbara Crook of Palestinian Media Watch, "While the Palestinian Authority announces in English its demand for a two-state solution, to its own people in Arabic it continues to define all of Israel as 'Palestine,' and to promise Israel's destruction. A new video clip, broadcast numerous times daily since it first appeared on Fatah-controlled TV last week, passionately promises 'Mother' that every Israeli city will be 'liberated' because its 'identity is Arab' and 'Palestinian.'" VIDEO (Israel National News)
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Israel's Syria Raid Responded to Nuclear Proliferation Threat
by Jay Solomon
Following Israel's attack on an alleged Syrian nuclear facility, the U.S. and international community are increasingly split over how to respond to the latest nuclear-proliferation threat in the Middle East, underscoring a deep mistrust between the U.S. and the IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, over how to confront would-be proliferators. "I would say there's no doubt now that Syria was in an early phase of a program," said a senior U.S. official who has worked extensively on nuclear issues. Some U.S. diplomats derided the IAEA for failing to identify the Syrian program itself. These U.S. officials said involving the IAEA before the Israeli strike could have bogged down the Syrian proliferation threat in endless rounds of negotiations at the UN Security Council, with no action. "The Israelis decided to take care of this early on," said the U.S. official working on nuclear-proliferation issues. "We don't want to involve an agency that thinks it's in control, but isn't." (Wall Street Journal)
See also IAEA Chief Criticizes Israel over Syria Raid (Reuters)
See also Images of Syria's Nuclear Facility (YouTube)
Terrorists Firing Mortars from Schoolyard
by Hanan Greenberg
 A cell of three terrorists launching mortar shells towards Israel from a Gaza schoolyard was captured carrying out the attack by Israeli intelligence last week. After the attacks are carried out the cell quickly flees the launch site, a courtyard outside an elementary school in the town of Beit Hanun in northern Gaza. IDF forces, who identified the cell as it was carrying out the attacks, struck the terrorists after they had cleared the public buildings. VIDEO (Ynet News)
'Hamas Establishing Bunker System Along Gaza Fence'
by Yaakov Katz
  Hamas is trying to establish a bunker system as well as fortified rocket-launching and surveillance positions along the security fence with the Gaza Strip, Brig.-Gen. Moshe (Chico) Tamir, head of the Gaza Division, said last week. Tamir said that Hamas was "building an army" in the Gaza Strip and had obtained unprecedented capabilities through smuggling tunnels between Gaza and Egypt. On Monday, head of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) Yuval Diskin said that since Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in 2005, the Palestinians have smuggled over 112 tons of explosives into the Strip. "They are trying to dig tunnels, build surveillance positions and mortar-fire stations along the fence," Tamir told reporters during a briefing concerning the death of IDF reservist Ehud Efrati during clashes with Hamas gunmen early Monday morning. "They are trying to build this up and we are trying to stop them." (Jerusalem Post)
See also Hamas Military Commander: We'll Strike in the Heart of Israel - Ali Waked (Ynet News)
Israeli Missile Defense Under Spotlight
by Barabar Opall-Rome
A high-caliber group of former Israeli military commanders and development officials are championing greater priority and a sharper public focus on Israel's missile defense development programs. Galvanized by the inability to defend against the more than 4,000 rockets and missiles launched against Israel in the Lebanon War, the Israel Missile Defense Association (IMDA) held a kickoff conference in Jerusalem on Oct. 22 [in cooperation with the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs] to augment support for active defenses. (Defense News)
See also Video Archive: View the Conference (IMDA/JCPA)
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