All things related to Hryastan

[Eddo211]

Re: All things related to Hryastan

Israel launches air strikes on Gaza

April 2, 2010 2:27 p.m. EDT

Gaza City (CNN) -- Israeli jets launched eight air strikes early Friday on Gaza, Palestinian officials said. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that two weapons factories were hit, one in northern Gaza and the other in central Gaza, as were two weapons depots in southern Gaza.

The strikes were carried out in retaliation against the recent firing of makeshift Qassam rockets from Gaza into Israel, an IDF spokesman said.

"The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm the citizens of Israel and will continue to operate firmly against anyone who uses terror against it," the IDF statement said.

"The IDF holds Hamas as solely responsible for maintaining peace and quiet in the Gaza Strip."

On Thursday, Israel dropped leaflets over Gaza warning residents of a possible strike.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz, citing the IDF, said the strikes were Israeli's initial response to an operation in Khan Younis that killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded two others.

Three of Friday's strikes occurred in Khan Younis, one occurred east of Rafah, one on a cheese factory in Gaza City and one northwest of Beit Lahia, which is northwest of Gaza, Palestinian officials said.

Other strikes were on the Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza, on a resistance training camp and on a Hamas outpost, they said.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/meast/04/01/gaza.air.strikes/index.html

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This is one big explosion......the flying debris can be the size of a a shipping container. The airstrikes have been increased to 13 now. Pals report injured children.

[Haykakan]

Re: All things related to Hryastan

Es amen ench hryaneri vorin me or galuya. Es tesak baneri hamara vor erants anntat portselen veratsnel. Vertchi ankam 1,400 mart merav Gazaium vorits metsamasnutyunn unmegh martikain.

[Haykakan]

Re: All things related to Hryastan

NETANYAHU WON'T ATTEND NUCLEAR SECURITY SUMMIT BECAUSE OF TURKEY

Aysor
April 9 2010
Armenia

Israeli officials say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled
a planned visit to Washington to attend a nuclear security summit
hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama, Radio Liberty informs.

Netanyahu made the decision after learning that Egypt and Turkey may
have been planning to use his appearance at the conference to call
on Israel to sign the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and to open
its nuclear facilities to international inspection, the source says.

47 world leaders Armenia in that number gather in Washington next week
for an unprecedented meeting on nuclear security, with U.S. President
Barack Obama.

[Eddo211]

Re: All things related to Hryastan

Haim Oron to initiate debate on Armenian Genocide in Knesset April 28
April 16, 2010 - 16:19 AMT 11:19 GMT


PanARMENIAN.Net - Chairman of Meretz bloc and member of the Israeli Knesset Haim Oron, who is the main supporter of the Armenian Genocide recognition, will submit a debate on the issue on April 28. However, according to him, his expectations are more than skeptical.

As April 24, when this date is commemorated worldwide, is Saturday, Oron is going to offer this delicate issue for a discussion on April 28, after the parliamentary vacation.

“I stay in touch with Armenian organizations, but this year the government will bury this issue sooner than last time,” Izsrus portal quoted Oron as saying. “Currently Yerevan and Ankara are in a process of negotiations, and many people do not recommend interfering. I do not see any connection between the events which happened 95 years ago and current geopolitics of the region, but these are the realities.”

After the appointment of Ze’ev Elkin of Likud party to the post of chairman of the coalition, Oron has lost his ally in the struggle for the Armenian Genocide recognition. “Earlier, he was the leader of Israel-Armenia parliamentary friendship group, however, now we shall wait to see what pressure will be exerted on him by the coalition fellows. I will talk to him soon… Despite sharp cooling in the Turkish-Israeli relations and many people’s desire to do a bad turn to Turkey, I have skeptical expectations,” said Oron.

http://www.panarmenian.net/eng/world/news/47203/Haim_Oron_to_initiate_debate_on_Armenian_Genocide_in_Knesset_April_28

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No suprise here......

[Alexandros]

Experts: Israeli Air Forces Likely to Prefer Greek Airspace than Turkish One

Experts: Israeli Air Forces Likely to Prefer Greek Airspace than Turkish One

Saturday, 17 April 2010

Azerbaijan, Baku, April 16 /Trend, U.Sadikhova/

The airspace of Greece is likely to become a new battle ground for the Israeli air forces in the Mediterranean Sea instead of Turkey, experts say.

Because of Turkish government's refusal to give its airspace for use by the Israeli Air Forces for training and military exercises, the Israeli Air Force leadership has stated that they are looking for a new air space instead of Turkish, Jerusalem Post newspaper reported.

Before the Operation Cast Lead in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli Air Forces often used the Turkish sky for flights and participated in annual exercises with the Turkish counterparts.
However, after a military operation involving air force in Gaza last winter, which killed about 1,600 Palestinians, Ankara refused to provide Israeli bombers its airspace for exercises.

"Now we are looking for a new place to fly," the newspaper quoted the representative of the Israeli Air Force.

"Our relations with Turkey will never be as previous. It is unlikely that the current government of Ankara will allow us [Air Force] to fly there," said the representative of the Israeli defense ministry.

In autumn, Turkey refused the NATO military exercises code-named "Anatolian Eagle", which were to be held in the Turkish city of Konya. The reason for refusal was the unwillingness to conduct these exercises with the Israeli Air Force.

In search of alternatives, the choice of Israel can be Greece for political reasons, said the director of the Middle East Institute Yevgeny Satanovsky.

"This could be Greece, which is in difficult relations with Turkey, a NATO member-state and repeatedly requested the Israeli military-technical cooperation on a scale that would allow it to rebuild an army up to the level of the Turkish, Satanovsky told Trend by telephone from Moscow. Israel constantly refused it [Greece], saying that Turkey is a strategic partner".

However, according to Satanovsky, today, when the present Turkish leadership of de facto abandoned the strategic partnership with Israel, establishing relationship with Iran and attacking on Israel in all fronts - political and ideological, Greece is more likely to replace Turkish airspace.

Despite the diplomatic contacts, the relations between Turkey and Greece are still to be normalized. The stumbling block is still the division of Cyprus to the northern, Turkish, and the southern, Greek parts in 1974. Now the negotiations on the reunification of the island are underway. Cyprus's uncertain status and Turkey's refusal to open transport with Greek Cyprus is one of the main reasons of the deadlock, into which the negotiation process passed.

Ahron Bregman, analyst on Middle East security at the London Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS), believes that if the Israeli Air Forces make a decision on military exercises in Greece, it will be "Israelis' mild blow to Turks."

"Previously, the Israeli Air Forces conducted military exercises in Greece to get prepared for possible attacks on Iran. Greece remains attractive potential training ground for the Israeli Air Forces, because Greece and Turkey are not the best friends," Bregman told Trend via e-mail.

Before the truce was signed with Egypt in 1979, the Israeli Air Forces has used the Sinai desert for military exercises and training. After returning the desert to Egypt the Israeli Air Forces faced a big problem, especially in preparing the long-range missions, and since that time it used the other airspace, including Turkish one, Bregman said.

"Israeli Air Forces now are in search of new opportunities. Turkey's refusal to use the airspace is a signal to the fact that how Israel politically isolated today," the expert believes.

Israeli media reported that the Defence Ministry was considering using the Romanian airspace under the agreement of 2006, where the Israeli Air Forces has already conducted training three years ago. In 2009, the Air Forces also carried out military exercises over the Strait of Gibraltar (4,000 km of Israel).

"Romania is also the most suitable candidate for Israel given that the Israeli Air Forces were deployed there earlier, and the rules of the game are clear to both sides. Spaces are enough to train the Israeli Air Forces for long distances." Bregman believes.

However, it is unknown whether Greece will give its consent if Israel makes such a proposal. In mid-May Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan will pay a visit to Athens for talks on normalizing relations between the two countries.

Shlomo Brom, Israeli analyst on national security, the director of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) believes that Israel will examine all possible alternatives to replace the Turkish airspace, but Greece may be preferred.

"Greece is located closer to Israel, but it is unknown whether the Greeks agree with Israel on this issue," Brom told Trend over phone from Tel Aviv.

Link

[KanadaHye]

Re: Experts: Israeli Air Forces Likely to Prefer Greek Airspace than Turkish One

I don't suppose Greece's recent financial troubles had anything to do with this convenient arrangement.

[hipeter924]

Re: Experts: Israeli Air Forces Likely to Prefer Greek Airspace than Turkish One

I don't suppose Greece's recent financial troubles had anything to do with this convenient arrangement.

Regardless this is only good news for Armenia. If Israel cuts off from Turkey that means there is a chance the ADL will become neutral and sometimes help Armenia probably in supporting the Armenian Genocide bills in congress. Also Greece has always had a hard time with Turkey, and you can't deny that Israel has a good military and expertise to give to the Greek military; and in the recent financial crisis they are hunting for cash so they might need Israel to help boaster the military there (if they cut the military budget).

[Eddo211]

Re: All things related to Hryastan

Israel imposes partial arms embargo on Turkey

10/19/2010

Israel will temporarily freeze sales of advanced military platforms to Turkey over concerns about the perceived mounting anti-Israel rhetoric from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, reported UK-based Jane’s Defence Weekly.

According to a story Jane’s published on April 16, Israel’s defense assistance and export organization, SIBAT, has decided to evaluate Turkish requests on a case-by-case basis; one case under review is a Turkish request for Israeli-made electronic warfare systems. Turkey has also expressed interest in Rafael’s Spike non-line-of-sight (NLOS) anti-tank guided weapon as well as Israel Aerospace Industries’ (IAI’s) Barak 8 theatre-defense missile system for its navy and the Namer heavy infantry fighting vehicle.

“Ties with Turkey will never be the way they once were,” a defense source told Jane’s on April 14. “We are being very careful which systems we sell them due to the growing Islamic trends in the country.”

Diplomatic relations between the two countries declined in the aftermath of Israel’s 2008-09 conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip because Turkey was among the harshest critics of the Israeli offensive. They deteriorated further with the delay in deliveries by IAI of six Heron unmanned aerial vehicles and still further with the decision to cancel the October 2009 Anatolian Eagle exercises.

More disharmony followed Turkey’s decision to forbid Israel Air Force strike aircraft to be deployed in Turkey, where they have held numerous joint exercises in recent years. Israel has instead turned to Europe for training, aiming to bolster a 2006 agreement to allow strike aircraft to be deployed in Romania, reported Jane’s quoting its Tel Aviv correspondent.

According to Jane’s, Israel and Turkey have, however, maintained a cautious business relationship, jointly discussing with Colombia the sale of upgraded M60 main battle tanks (MBTs). Israel Military Industries (IMI) and Turkey’s Aselsan on April 7 handed over the last of 170 upgraded General Dynamics M60A1 MBTs to the Turkish military at a ceremony attended by a top Colombian general, said Jane’s.

Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gönül was not available to answer Today’s Zaman’s questions on the issue.

http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-207821-100-israel-imposes-partial-arms-embargo-on-turkey.html

[KanadaHye]

Re: All things related to Hryastan

Israel to go with East Jerusalem construction

Aides to Israel's prime minister said Thursday that he has officially rejected U.S. President Barack Obama's demand to suspend all construction in East Jerusalem, a move that threatens to entrench a year-old deadlock in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.

The aides said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered his government's position to Obama over the weekend, ahead of the scheduled arrival later Thursday of the U.S. president's special Mideast envoy, George Mitchell. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the contact between the two leaders was private.

Washington had put Mitchell's shuttle diplomacy on hold for more than a month as it awaited a reply from Israel. Aides to Netanyahu provided no information on whether the Israeli leader had offered any other concessions to the Palestinians in an effort to restart the long-stalled talks.

But with Israel eager to ease tensions with its closest and most important ally, it appeared likely the J3wish state tempered its rejection with other confidence building gestures toward the Palestinians.

The status of East Jerusalem, home to shrines sacred to Muslims, J3ws and Christians, is the most emotionally fraught issue dividing Israelis and Palestinians. The Palestinians claim the city's eastern sector as the capital of a future state, but Netanyahu has insisted repeatedly that Israel will retain control of the entire city as its capital.

Israel and the Palestinians had been set to launch U.S.-mediated negotiations last month when Israel announced plans during a visit by Vice-President Joe Biden to build 1,600 homes in a J3wish housing project in East Jerusalem.

The announcement infuriated the Americans and the Palestinians put the negotiations on hold. U.S. officials have been pushing Israel to call off the project, freeze further construction in East Jerusalem and make other goodwill gestures to the Palestinians.

Netanyahu has argued that his position on East Jerusalem mirrors the long-standing policy of past Israeli governments.

"It is just impossible and unacceptable that people try to impress us that we should limit construction in Jerusalem," Benny Begin, a senior cabinet minister, told foreign reporters and diplomats Thursday. "J3ws and Arabs can live throughout the city. This policy will be retained."


Netanyahu position 'very unfortunate'

Nearly all of the Israeli construction in the city's eastern sector has been in J3wish neighbourhoods, where 180,000 Israelis live. An estimated 250,000 Palestinians live in traditionally Arab neighbourhoods.

Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat called the Netanyahu position "very unfortunate" and said he hoped the U.S. "will be able to convince the Israeli government to give peace a chance by halting settlement construction in East Jerusalem and elsewhere."

Asked if anything short of an East Jerusalem construction freeze would bring the Palestinians back to the negotiating table, Erekat said it would depend on what Netanyahu told the Americans.

The Israeli government has debated proposals to free some of the thousands of Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails, turn over more West Bank territory to the control of Palestinian security forces and possibly curb J3wish construction in the heart of Arab neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem.

Netanyahu's spokesman, Mark Regev, said Israel was exploring ways to restart talks, but refused to elaborate.

A Palestinian official said Mitchell was expected to meet separately with Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday.

Mitchell's efforts are focused on launching indirect peace talks, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity pending a formal announcement on Mitchell's mission from the Americans.

Israel captured East Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 Mideast war and immediately annexed it, and does not consider J3wish construction there to be settlement activity.

The Palestinians and the rest of the international community do not recognize that annexation or distinguish construction there from settlement activity in the West Bank, which Israel did not annex after capturing it, too, in the 1967 war.

Last week, Obama issued a surprisingly pessimistic assessment of peacemaking prospects, saying the U.S. couldn't force its will on Israelis and Palestinians if they weren't interested in making the compromises necessary to end their decades-old conflict.


http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2010/0...jerusalem.html

That's funny, the truth is Israel forces its will on the USA and the world... I love how they make it sound like Israel is this little hopeless state that has no international support, lol,

[KanadaHye]

Israel Threatens Syria with War

A top US official has warned of serious repercussions for Syria if claims that it supplied the Lebanese Islamist group Hezbollah with Scud missiles are true.

US Assistant Secretary of State Jeffrey Feltman said "all options are going to be on the table looking at this." But he declined to say whether the US could confirm a transfer had occurred.

"The United States has shown in the past that we are able to act," he said. "I expect that all options are going to be on the table looking at this," BBC quoted him as saying.

Earlier, Lebanon's prime minister dismissed the accusation, first made by Israel, saying it seemed an attempt to find a pretext for a military strike.

"Threats that Lebanon now has huge missiles are similar to what they used to say about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq," Saad Hariri had said. "Israel is trying to reproduce the same scenario for Lebanon."

Analysts say that if Hezbollah's military wing obtains ballistic missiles with the help of its backers, Syria and Iran, it could potentially alter the military balance in the region, putting all of Israel within reach.

The Syrian government has said the accusations are "fabrications."

http://www.armenians.net/news/view/a...er-Scud-Claims