German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle met with Israeli leaders Friday in Jerusalem, iterating his nation’s support for the Jewish state. "I'm using the word friendship, which is from our understanding more than a partnership,” Westerwelle told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “This is not only a strategic alliance; this is a friendship between societies, between peoples and between governments.” He added: "We will do what we can to support the security and a peaceful and …More

A Dutch group monitoring rights in Iran urged the Netherlands and other European nations to join the United States and Canada in boycotting a UN forum on disarmament that will be chaired by Tehran. Iran’s chairmanship of the UN Conference on Disarmament “comes at the expense of the United Nations’ credibility as a body meant to safeguard global safety,” the Hague-based Iran Comite wrote to Dutch Foreign Minister Frans Timmermans on Thursday. Hillel Neuer of the Geneva-based nonprofit UN …More

US President Barack Obama backed Israel’s right to defend itself against Hezbollah, as speculation over the Jewish state’s involvement in a Syrian strike over the weekend heats up. "The Israelis, justifiably, have to guard against the transfer of advanced weaponry to terrorist organizations like Hezbollah," Obama said. "We coordinate closely with the Israelis, recognizing that they are very close to Syria, they are very close to Lebanon.” Neither the US nor Israel have confirmed the …More

US officials allegedly told Israel that the United States has improved weapons capable of destroying Iran's underground nuclear site in Fordow. The Wall Street Journal, quoting unnamed American officials, reported Thursday that the United States had assured Israel that advanced features added to its bunker buster bombs vastly improved its ability to destroy underground facilities. The Journal reported that the United States hopes the improved Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP, will serve to convince Israel to …More

In a rare press interview, former Israeli Defense Force chief Gabi Ashkenazi sat down with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour to talk about Syria, Iran, and Israel’s newly mended fences with Turkey. Israel’s strategy relating to Syria is currently a popular topic on numerous news outlets, and Tuesday’s interview was no different. Ashkenazi said the West could consider “lethal assistance” in dealing with the two-year long conflict, saying, “Weapons, in order to help them to topple …More

This morning's terror stabbing victim is laid to rest in Israel. [Arutz Sheva] Meanwhile, the terrorist responsible for the killing is glorified on Facebook. [Algemeiner] A Hezbollah leader denies sending a drone to Israel. [Times of Israel] Palestine may be on board with the Arab League's land swap idea for a two-state solution. [Times of Israel] News surfaces that the Maimonides Mishneh Torah brought in $8.5 million. [Forward] A mysterious Hebrew stone is displayed in Jerusalem. [San Francisco …More

The IDF shot down an unmanned aircraft drone near Haifa, which government insiders say was sent by Hezbollah out of Lebanon. Israeli fighter jets shot down the craft this morning, though the IDF was not ready to name Lebanon outright. "A short time ago, a UAV attempted to infiltrate Israeli airspace from the north," the IDF said in a statement. "The craft was intercepted by an Israeli Air Force fighter jet. The IDF will not tolerate any attempt to harm Israel’s sovereignty or security." Deputy Defense …More

Iran will cross Israel's "red line" for nuclear proliferation by this summer, Israel's former director of military intel said. "In the summer, Iran will be a month or two away from deciding about a bomb,” Amos Yadlin said Tuesday. "We have about two months to sleep soundly, until the [Iranian] elections. After that, I believe the Iranians will have to make a difficult decision." Yadlin was speaking at a conference run by Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies, on which he …More

A French rabbi and his son were stabbed at a Paris synagogue. [Times of Israel] Chuck Hagel told Bibi that US-Israeli ties "must grow closer than ever." [Times of Israel] The Morocco Jewish museum re-opens after renovations. [Forward] Susan Rice said defending Israel is a key part of the UN's role. [Forward] Israeli insiders are saying Iran has already passed the "red line." [JPost] And others are saying Assad already used chemical weapons in Syria, a main point of focus for Israel. [NYT] …More

Meet the only Jewish MP in the Muslim world. [Arutz Sheva] Tens of thousands of Hungarians gathered yesterday to protest rising anti-Semitism. [JPost] Thousands are stranded in Israel as an airstrike continues. [Times of Israel] Rumors are mounting that France will soon name Hezbollah a terrorist group. [Times of Israel] Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to China. [Algemeiner] An Iranian has been arrested in Burgas for monitoring a Chabad. [JPost] Babs answers readers questions for the Times. [NYT] …More

US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel began a Middle East tour yesterday with a first stop in Israel, discussing Iran’s nuclear proliferation and a $10 billion arms deal between America and Israel and Arab nations. Upon landing, Hagel reiterated the US stance that Israel has the right to defend itself, including the autonomy to decide for itself when and if to strike Iran in hopes of fending off a nuclear attack. “Israel will make the decision that Israel must make to protect itself, to defend …More

Just hours before a powerful earthquake hit near Iran’s nuclear city Busheshr, Press TV reported Israel’s Dimona power plant posed a great risk to the environment of the region. The state owned English language media corporation, headquartered in Tehran, has in the past called Dimona “the Middle East’s time bomb” and warned that Israel’s reactor “spreads cancer and sterility in the Middle East.” In an April 9 report, Press TV quoted Professor Uzi Even, formerly of …More