Signs of the Times

Iran’s First “Embassy” in Territories

Iran has opened an “ideological embassy” in the Palestinian territories to espouse Shia Muslim beliefs––including Islam’s waging of a final, apocalyptic battle against “evil”––and to help spread Iranian theocracy and rule throughout the West Bank (Judea and Samaria) and Gaza Strip.

Although Tehran has long financed Palestinian terror organizations, the opening of its office here marks the establishment of Iran’s first official agency in the Palestinian areas, senior Palestinian security officials said.

Iran Holds Huge Military Exercise

Iran has completed a huge military exercise that tested Teheran’s ability to attack Western shipping and Arab oil facilities in the Gulf.

Western diplomatic sources said that in December 2005, Iran completed its largest military exercise in years. The sources said the military conducted an air and sea exercise designed to test capabilities to strike the United States and Arab targets throughout the Persian Gulf.

North American Aliyah Highest Since 1983

The aliyah (immigration) rate from North America this year is the highest it has been since 1983, according to the Jewish Agency. More than 3,100 North Americans moved to Israel by the end of 2005.

Tony Gelbart, cofounder of Nefesh B’Nefesh— Jewish aliyah organization, insisted, “This is just the beginning. We are rolling up our sleeves and getting to work…you ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Syria And Iran Sign Pact

Syria has agreed to store Iran’s nuclear material, and Iran will grant asylum to Syrian officials implicated in the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Harriri, according to Jane’s Defense Weekly, a London-based defense magazine. The two countries signed a strategic accord to help each other resist international pressure regarding their weapons programs and misdeeds.

“I Want to Stop Being So Scared Every Moment”

When Tahel Maman, 4, comes home from kindergarten, she crawls under the kitchen table and stays there. When this behavior began last year, her mother, Ofra, thought it was a game. But after some cajoling, it turned out it was the girl’s way of dealing with the security hardships that have blighted her short life—the Kassam rockets on Sderot, the sound of Israel Defense Forces shells fired at the Gaza Strip, and the sonic booms from Israel Air Force planes.

Iran´s New Satellite Capable Of Spying On Israel

Iran, just weeks after its president called for Israel’s destruction, admitted that its new Sina-1 satellite is capable of spying on Israel. The Islamic country insisted the satellite was for scientific purposes, prior to its launch aboard a Russian rocket in October 2005. Officials said its purpose was to take pictures of Iran and monitor regions prone to earthquakes.  The head of the country’s space program, however, said that the satellite is able to easily spy on the Jewish state from outer space.

Palestinians Lead as Suicide Bombers

Despite Al-Qaeda’s campaign in Iraq, Palestinians continue to lead the world in suicide bombings. A report by Tel Aviv University said Palestinians comprised the largest group of suicide bombers. Authored by Yoram Schweitzer and Sari Goldstein Ferber, the study cited 400 Palestinian suicide bombers compared to 376 Iraqi suicide attackers.

Gaza Becomes Thorn In Israel’s Side

Israelis were promised that withdrawing from Gaza would result in being able to drop the area as a major security concern. But expected Palestinian Authority action against terror has not been forthcoming, the international community has not afforded Israel any meaningful understanding for its right to respond to and deter attacks on its citizens, and Gaza has instead become a thorn in Israel’s side.

Neo-Nazis Deface Holocaust Memorial in Germany

Neo-Nazis slogans and symbols were spray painted on a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust in the city of Dessau, in eastern Germany. There were 308 anti-Semitic incidents in Germany between the months of July and September.

Earthquake Shakes Israel

Israelis preparing to see out the old year and welcome in the new with the sound of shofar blowing on October 3, the eve of Rosh Hashanah (the biblical Feast of Trumpets) felt their country shaking, as a 4.3 scale earthquake struck the region.

Originating just after 7:00 a.m. near the northern Jordan Valley town of Bet She’an, the quake shook beds and buildings, momentarily frightening people, before subsiding as quickly as it had begun.