Shorts: Mideast in crisis

Free trips for war-torn Israelis

tel aviv (jta) | Some 10,000 residents of Kiryat Shmona will temporarily trade in bomb shelters for a trip around Israel.

At the request of the Israeli prime minister, Taglit-Birthright Israel, which usually provides free trips for young adult diaspora Jews, is organizing the weeklong excursions.

The estimated $4.5 million bill will be picked up by new and equal funding from the Israeli government, the Jewish Agency for Israel and private philanthropists.




IDF chief rabbi kicked out of funeral

jerusalem (jps) | IDF Chief Rabbi Brig.-Gen. Yisrael Weiss expressed astonishment over the way in which he was evicted from the funeral of slain reserve soldier Yehuda Greenfeld on Monday, Aug. 7 by the soldier's family.

Greenfeld's sister blamed Weiss for the eviction of Jews from Gush Katif and screamed at him to leave.

"You're driving people out of Gush Katif," she shouted. "I want you to leave my brother's funeral. I want you to get out of here."

The next day Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger and Sephardi Chief Shlomo Amar denounced the public humiliation the Israel Defensce Forces rabbi recalled and called on all Jews to show respect for each other.




'Hitler' remark sparks recall of envoy

jerusalem (jta) | Israel recalled its ambassador to Venezuela. The move was made after Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez compared Israel to Hitler and made other vehemently anti-Israel remarks on a recent visit to Iran.

In an interview last week with Al-Jazeera, Chavez said Israel's military action was an "unjustified aggression that is being carried out in the style of Hitler, in a fascist fashion." He also recalled Venezuela's ambassador to Israel.




Moroccan Jews: Peretz a 'war criminal'

rabat (jta) | Three Jews in Morocco asked a Moroccan court to charge Israel's defense minister with war crimes.

The three Jews, all known as leading leftists in Morocco, said Amir Peretz, Israel's Moroccan-born defense minister, is still subject to Moroccan law.

They want the court to issue a warrant that would be valid in other nations.




Reuters withdraws doctored photos

london (ynet) | Reuters has withdrawn two photographs and admitted that they were doctored, following the emergence of new suspicions against images provided by the news organization. On Sunday, Aug. 6 Reuters admitted that one of its photographers, Beirut-based freelancer Adnan Hajj, used software to distort an image of smoke billowing from buildings in Beirut in order to create the effect of more smoke and damage.

The second image to face doubts was a photograph of an Israeli F-16 fighter jet over the skies of Lebanon, firing off "missiles during an air strike on Nabatiyeh," according to the image's accompanying text provided by Reuters.

The warplane in the picture is actually firing defensive flares aimed at dealing with anti-aircraft missiles.

Following the accusations, Reuters conceded that the images it provided had been manipulated, and released a statement saying it had recalled all photos by Hajj.




U.S. providing Israel with intelligence?

washington (jta) | The United States reportedly is providing Israel with sensitive intelligence on Syria and Iran.

The U.S. National Security Agency is providing Israel with information on whether Hezbollah's two backers are running arms to the terrorist group during its war with Israel, Salon reported on Thursday, Aug. 3.

The NSA routinely provides Israel with some intelligence, but this is an expansion directed by Vice President Dick Cheney and Elliott Abrams, the deputy national security adviser, and approved by President Bush, Salon said. A National Security Council official had no comment. Sidney Blumenthal, a former senior Clinton administration official and a tough critic of the Bush administration, wrote the story.




Retired U.S. military commanders back attack on Hezbollah

washington | More than 50 retired top commanders of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard issued a joint statement in strong support of Israel's military response to Hezbollah terrorism.

The statement is signed by former top commanders of NATO, U.S. Naval Operations, Special Operations, Army Readiness, Air Warfare, Space and Missile Defense, Service Chiefs of Staffs and other commands.

The statement was issued through the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs in Washington, which organizes exchanges and visits between U.S. and Israeli military leaders to strengthen the security of both nations.




Soldier who refused to go to war is jailed

tel aviv (jps) | Staff Sgt. Itamar Shapira, a reservist in the Nahal Battalion, was sentenced to 14 days in a military prison Monday, Aug. 7 for refusing orders to take part in the war in Lebanon, marking the third such case since hostilities in the North began.

Shapira argued that military operations only escalates the situation and is a crime against both the citizens of Lebanon and the citizens of Israel.




Israeli hospital treats Lebanese for free

tel hashomer (jps) | Lebanese children and adults wounded in the Hezbollah-Israeli crossfire in Lebanon have been invited to receive free treatment at Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer. The cost will be paid by Jewish and non-Jewish donors in Israel and abroad, hospital director-general Zev Rothstein said.

The Health Ministry, which owns Sheba, has been informed of the hospital's offer, which has been promoted on Arabic-language radio broadcasts and by a Sheba representative stationed in Cyprus, where many refugees have gone.

Sheba Medical Center is the largest medical center in the Middle East and Israel, treating more than 1 million patients a year.




Poll: Americans still support Israel

(jta) | The Israel Project released a poll indicating strong U.S. backing for Israel in its conflict with Hezbollah.

The poll, released last Friday, Aug. 4 said that 67 percent of Americans surveyed feel Israel is somewhat or strongly justified in its operations in Lebanon. Also, 68 percent of those polled believe that Israel is targeting Hezbollah strongholds and strategic areas, as opposed to carrying out indiscriminate attacks.

Fifty-one percent support Israel's continuation of military operations against Hezbollah, while 38 percent say Israel should stop. The study polled 850 likely American voters on Aug. 2-3. The margin of error is 3.4 percentage points.




Rocket hits anti-war newspaper in Haifa

(ynet) | One of the rockets which landed in Haifa on Sunday evening, Aug. 6 hit the old offices of al-Ittihad, one of the only dailies in the Arab sector.

The editor, Ahmed Saad, said it was the historic landmark and that many great Palestinian authors had worked there, such as authors Emil Habibi and Samih al-Qassem and poet Mahmoud Darwish.

When asked about his newspaper's stance in light of the fighting in Lebanon, he replied: "We are against the war and this cruel aggression. This is a war run by Israel in the service of the Americans."