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UN chief: End occupation, divide Jerusalem

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March 27, 2024, 12:55:24 pm Mark says: Shocked Shocked Shocked Shocked  When Hamas spokesman Abu Ubaida began a speech marking the 100th day of the war in Gaza, one confounding yet eye-opening proclamation escaped the headlines. Listing the motives for the Palestinian militant group's Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, he accused Jews of "bringing red cows" to the Holy Land.
December 31, 2022, 10:08:58 am NilsFor1611 says: blessings
August 08, 2018, 02:38:10 am suzytr says: Hello, any good churches in the Sacto, CA area, also looking in Reno NV, thanks in advance and God Bless you Smiley
January 29, 2018, 01:21:57 am Christian40 says: It will be interesting to see what happens this year Israel being 70 years as a modern nation may 14 2018
October 17, 2017, 01:25:20 am Christian40 says: It is good to type Mark is here again!  Smiley
October 16, 2017, 03:28:18 am Christian40 says: anyone else thinking that time is accelerating now? it seems im doing days in shorter time now is time being affected in some way?
September 24, 2017, 10:45:16 pm Psalm 51:17 says: The specific rule pertaining to the national anthem is found on pages A62-63 of the league rulebook. It states: “The National Anthem must be played prior to every NFL game, and all players must be on the sideline for the National Anthem. “During the National Anthem, players on the field and bench area should stand at attention, face the flag, hold helmets in their left hand, and refrain from talking. The home team should ensure that the American flag is in good condition. It should be pointed out to players and coaches that we continue to be judged by the public in this area of respect for the flag and our country. Failure to be on the field by the start of the National Anthem may result in discipline, such as fines, suspensions, and/or the forfeiture of draft choice(s) for violations of the above, including first offenses.”
September 20, 2017, 04:32:32 am Christian40 says: "The most popular Hepatitis B vaccine is nothing short of a witch’s brew including aluminum, formaldehyde, yeast, amino acids, and soy. Aluminum is a known neurotoxin that destroys cellular metabolism and function. Hundreds of studies link to the ravaging effects of aluminum. The other proteins and formaldehyde serve to activate the immune system and open up the blood-brain barrier. This is NOT a good thing."
http://www.naturalnews.com/2017-08-11-new-fda-approved-hepatitis-b-vaccine-found-to-increase-heart-attack-risk-by-700.html
September 19, 2017, 03:59:21 am Christian40 says: bbc international did a video about there street preaching they are good witnesses
September 14, 2017, 08:06:04 am Psalm 51:17 says: bro Mark Hunter on YT has some good, edifying stuff too.
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Author Topic: UN chief: End occupation, divide Jerusalem  (Read 86713 times)
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« Reply #480 on: March 05, 2014, 03:19:19 pm »

Israeli naval raid nabs rocket shipment

Israeli naval forces on Wednesday seized a ship laden with rockets allegedly bound for militants in the Gaza Strip, and officials accused Iran of orchestrating the delivery in an elaborate 5,000-mile (8,000-kilometer) journey that included covert stops across the region.

The Syrian-made M-302 rockets would have put Israel's biggest cities well within range of Gaza, where militants already possess thousands of less powerful rockets. During eight days of fighting in 2012, armed groups fired 1,500 rockets into Israel, including several that reached the outskirts of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.

The naval raid, which took place in the Red Sea hundreds of miles from Israel, came as Iran showed off powerful new ballistic missiles equipped with multiple warheads. The arms bust drew renewed Israeli calls for world powers to toughen their stand in negotiations over the Iranian nuclear program.

"Iran has been exposed for what it is. It smiles in the Geneva talks about its own nuclear ambitions, gives soothing words, and as they're doing that, they're shipping these deadly weapons to the world's worst terrorists," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in California during a U.S. visit. "Such a regime must not be able to have the capacity to make nuclear weapons."

Israel believes that Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon, a charge Iran denies. Israel says a nuclear-armed Iran would pose a threat to the existence of the Jewish state, citing Iranian calls for Israel's destruction, its development of long-range missiles and its support for hostile militant groups.

Netanyahu has been an outspoken critic of the efforts by six world powers to negotiate a deal with Iran that would substantially scale back its nuclear program in exchange for ending international sanctions. He says a current, interim deal gives Iran too much relief while getting little in return, and fears a final agreement would leave Iran with the capability to make a bomb.

Since the global powers reached their interim deal with Iran last November, Netanyahu's warnings about Iran have been largely ignored by world leaders.

Iran's announcement Wednesday that it now has missiles with multiple warheads, greatly boosting their destructive power, only heightened Israeli concerns. The semiofficial Fars news agency said the new Qiam missile was specifically built to target U.S. bases in the region. Iran already possesses missiles capable of striking Israel and parts of Europe.

Israeli officials said that Wednesday's naval raid took place in international waters about 100 miles (160 kilometers) off the coast of Sudan, and came after months of painstaking intelligence work.

They said the rockets had been flown from Syria to Iran months ago, then shipped from Iran's Bandar Abbas port to Umm Qasr, Iraq, before being loaded onto the KLOS C civilian ship destined for Sudan. From there, Israeli officials said they were to be smuggled overland through Egypt to Gaza - a route that has been used in the past.

"We have been following this shipment for a long time through impressive intelligence work," Israel's military chief, Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz, told reporters. He did not elaborate, but Israel is believed to use satellites and on-the-ground spies to collect information on its enemies.

Rear Adm. Yaron Levy, the navy's chief of operations, said the long distance from Israel, about 900 miles (1,500 kilometers) away, and the presence of foreign navies and merchant ships, complicated the mission and made it difficult to protect secrecy. He said Israel deployed a "strong naval force" but halted the Panamanian-flagged ship without incident.

"We got on the ship with the captain's permission. We found what we found, and you know the rest of the story," he said.

Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said the circuitous route, stretching nearly 5,200 miles, or 8,300 kilometers, was meant to conceal the shipment.

"It was an Iranian attempt to bring weapons to the Gaza Strip without leaving Iranian fingerprints," he said. "Apparently they tried to conduct a secret operation that we managed to thwart."

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the U.S. had been in close coordination with Israel throughout the mission.

"Even as we continue our efforts to resolve our concerns over Iran's nuclear program through diplomacy, we will continue to stand up to Iran's support for destabilizing activities in the region, in coordination with our partners and allies," she said.

The ship was far out at sea Wednesday and was being brought to Israel. It was expected to arrive in the Israeli port of Eilat in the coming days. Video released by the military showed Israeli soldiers on the ship inspecting the rockets, shipped in large crates. The video also showed beige bags containing cement with the words "Made in I.R. Iran," in English, written on them.

Military officials gave no evidence to support their claim the rockets were headed to Gaza, though militant groups in the past have used Sudan as a transit point for arms shipments. The smuggling tunnels along Gaza's southern border with Egypt traditionally used for weapons have been all but shuttered by Egypt's new military government, making it unclear how militant groups would have been able to get the rockets into Gaza.

Officials would say only that the claim was based on firm intelligence assessments. The Islamic militant group Hamas, which governs Gaza, as well as smaller groups like Islamic Jihad and al-Qaida-inspired Salafist groups, all possess significant rocket arsenals.

Iran's semi-official Fars news agency, close to the country's elite Revolutionary Guard force, called Israel's claims "mere lies." Salah Bardawil, a Hamas spokesman, said the group "knew nothing" about the Israeli claims and said they were part of "the occupation's systematic campaign" against Gaza. Islamic Jihad, which has close ties with Iran and appeared to be the most likely target of the shipment, did not immediately comment.

Israel believes militants have had a tough time restocking their arsenals since the 2012 fighting. But officials said the M-302s would have upgraded the capabilities of Gaza militants, thanks to their longer range and heavier payload.

The M-302s have distances of 60 to 120 miles (100 to 200 kilometers) and can carry warheads of 220 to 385 pounds (100 to 175 kilograms). The higher end versions would nearly double the range, and carry a payload nearly 10 times as powerful, as the current arsenal in Gaza.

"It's not a precise rocket, but that doesn't matter when it explodes in a densely populated area," said Uzi Rubin, a former head of Israel's missile defense program. "An apartment building wouldn't hold up to a direct hit from a 150-kilogram warhead."

Israel has moved to intercept weapons shipments in the past, carrying out similar raids in 2011 and 2009. More recently, it has carried out a series of airstrikes in Syria to halt advanced weapons from being transferred to the Lebanese group Hezbollah. Last week, an Israeli airstrike hit a Hezbollah arms shipment in Lebanon for the first time since 2006.

Israel is also suspected of carrying out airstrikes in Sudan on arms shipments believed to be bound for Gaza. Israel has never confirmed carrying out the strikes.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/M/ML_ISRAEL_IRAN?SITE=7219&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2014-03-05-15-12-34
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