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Assad’s Leaders Attacked
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Rebels in Syria have made a dramatic announcement on Al Jazeera television that they have attacked and killed the top officials waging the bloody crackdown for President Bashar Al-Assad’s government. Free Syrian Army commandos carried out the “heroic operation” Saturday night and the rebels named the top inner circle killed, including Assad's brother-in-law Assef Shawkat (the former head of military intelligence) and Defense Minister Dawoud Rajiha. But quite dramatically, state-run Syrian television quickly denied the reports, and interviewed (by telephone) one of the senior men who was reportedly assassinated. The attack came hours after a powerful car bomb killed nine people at a Syrian military outpost in the eastern city of Deir Al-Zor. Prof. Eyal Zisser, an expert on Syria from Tel Aviv University, warned that pronouncements of the rebels have a dubious reputation and in any case the uprising there wasn’t one of “one shot and its over.” It would likely continue to take a while to resolve itself, he said.
Visiting the Holy Land Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano is visiting Jordan and Israel this week and is expected to meet with the top leaders of both countries. While in Israel, Napolitano is expected to sign a declaration that would expedite entry for travelers between the two countries, Israel Army Radio reported. Israel will join a program to allow frequent travelers between the two countries entry without the hassle of checks. The program allows business people, diplomats, and citizens with residences in both countries to undergo a comprehensive security check ahead of time in order to reduce hassles during travel.
Rumors: Mitt Romney Visit to Israel in the Works Meanwhile, there are rumors in Washington that expected Republican nominee for president, Mitt Romney, is planning a quick visit to Israel. The daily Globes reported that the motive for the visit was to upstage President Barack Obama, who has never visited Israel since taking office. Romney’s visit was also aimed at winning Jewish voters. The reports only said that Romney, who is a close friend with Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, would visit “in the coming months.”
Barak in Washington In Washington, US Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta told his visiting Israeli counterpart Ehud Barak that the US plans to give Israel an extra $70 million this year for its short-range missile defense program known as “Iron Dome.” The unique system was designed to shoot down rockets and mortars fired from Gaza or Lebanon into Israel and has proven to be very effective, but costly. Panetta said that additional funding would be sought over the next three years. Israel already receives some $3.1 billion in annual US military aid, the bulk of which has to be spent in the United States.
Turkey Receives Repaired Drones from Israel Just days after Turkey complained that its air force had to scramble fighter jets to intercept what they said was an Israeli drone that had repeatedly penetrated the air-space of Turkish-controlled Cyprus, Turkey announced it had received four upgraded drones from Israel that had been sent for maintenance a year ago. The Turkish Sabah daily reported that the unmanned aerial Heron drones, which Turkey purchased when defense ties were tight between Anakra and Jerusalem, had been sent to Israel in April 2011 for repair. But with ties strained between the two countries, Israel dragged its foot about returning them till now. The reports came as quiet diplomatic efforts were underway to repair the relations between the two countries. Nevertheless, tensions are still high, particularly after Ankara vetoed Israel’s participation in a major NATO summit opening on Sunday in Turkey.
Egypt Seizes Fuel Bound for Gaza Egyptian forces on Saturday reportedly seized two vehicles in the Sinai peninsula with fuel destined for the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Ma’an news agency said that the Egyptian security forces shot out the tires of the vehicles to halt them and that they contained over 500 gallons of gasoline for Gaza’s black market. Egyptian efforts to halt fuel smuggling has created a sharp shortage and caused widespread blackouts in the Hamas-controlled coastal strip.
Jerusalem Day Police in Jerusalem were on high alert as Israelis mark “Jerusalem Day” to celebrate 45 years since its forces captured the eastern part of the city from Jordan during the 1967 war. It officially united the capital shortly afterwards, but only a few countries recognize this and have kept their embassies in Tel Aviv. A major parade is planned for downtown and tens of thousands of flag-waving youth are expected to march through the walled Old City to the Western Wall and through Arab neighborhoods. The rallies have become increasingly nationalistic in recent years and Palestinian clerics have called on Arabs to converge on the city to confront the Jews. Police and Israeli security forces have swarmed the city and warned they would not tolerate any violence.
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