Benjamin Netanyahu

All of us who are originally from here or have made Qatar our second home get very little information related to it's political dynamics. I, for one, have been trying to find a few good sources of information specially related to the issues of foreign intrests. Found this one informed.

The Qataris have made the generation leap under their new Emir, Shaikh Hamad, with the political situation having stabilised. As a result, Qatar is one of the most attractive countries for foreign investors in the Middle East, with the state's decision making mechanism having improved.

However, Qatar embraces many contradictions. The emirate hoists several different flags, which together describe the bizarre combination of its policies:

Why not, if it works .................

A group of rabbis and Jewish mystics flew over Israel chanting prayers and blowing ritual ram horns in the belief that they would be able to stop the spread of swine flu in Israel.

The purpose of the flight was to stop the (swine flu) epidemic so that people will not keeping dying from it," Rabbi Yitzhak Basri, one of the participants, told the newspaper, Yediot Achronot.

Dire warnings have been issued that there could be as many as 7,000 deaths in the coming fall and winter. Amid disputes about where the money will come from, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised that the government will buy enough of the vaccine, once it is developed, to protect all of the country's citizens from the flu.

Telegraph

Well it seems that the new Presidency is no different from the old...

The White House has asked at least seven Arab countries to consider what they might do in return for an Israeli pledge to freeze construction of settlements in the West Bank.

The US administration is reaching out to moderate Arab countries in the region to inject some momentum into efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian talks.

Jonathan Rynhold, a London-born expert in US-Israeli relations at Bar-Ilan University, said the White House was likely to have contacted Morocco, Bahrain, and other Gulf states.

The Americans are thought to be asking for the opening of trade offices, flight routes between the countries and cultural exchanges.

Hamas bends to pressure in Gaza and abroad
Its support base dropped to 19 percent after the war; many blame the Hamas-Fatah standoff for their plight. Egypt hosts the rivals for a final round of reconciliation talks July 25.

By Rafael D. Frankel | Correspondent of The Christian Science Monitor from the July 7, 2009 edition

Gaza City, Gaza - By one calculus of Middle Eastern politics, Israel could say that its month-long offensive against Hamas and heightened economic blockade of Gaza have succeeded.

By Jumana Al Tamimi, Associate Editor
Published: July 06, 2009, 00:00

Dubai: Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have made swift and clear denials over press reports that Israeli warplanes would be allowed to fly in their airspace during an attack on Iran.

An informed Saudi official branded the reports "stupid", and a "pathetic way (from Israel) to gain some recognition from some Arab countries or Muslim countries" through giving the impression that it has communications with the Kingdom.

However, these Arab and Muslim countries "didn't buy it", the official said.

So are we really surprised ???? Politics makes for strange bedfellows///

The head of Mossad, Israel’s overseas intelligence service, has assured Benjamin Netanyahu, its prime minister, that Saudi Arabia would turn a blind eye to Israeli jets flying over the kingdom during any future raid on Iran’s nuclear sites.

Earlier this year Meir Dagan, Mossad’s director since 2002, held secret talks with Saudi officials to discuss the possibility.

The Israeli press has already carried unconfirmed reports that high-ranking officials, including Ehud Olmert, the former prime minister, held meetings with Saudi colleagues. The reports were denied by Saudi officials.

By Jeff Reger

'Tim Sebastian moderates the debate at Georgetown University, Washington DC. Inset: A member of the audience raises a question'

The motion “This House believes it’s time for the US administration to get tough on Israel” was carried in a resounding affirmative with 63% of the participants favouring it at the taping of an episode of the Doha Debates at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

In Israel........

My muse Tzipi from Kadima is running against that nasty nasty irritating person Benjamin Netanyahu from the Right-wing Likud.

May the best woman win....