USS Truman heads for Suez Canal

An armada of 11 US warships and one Israeli vessel passed through the Suez Canal Friday June 18 on their o the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, debkafile reports exclusively from its military sources. The fleet, the first of this composition to navigate the Suez Canal, is led by the USS Harry Truman carrier and its Strike Group of 60 fighter-bombers and 6,000 seamen and marines.
Egyptian port authorities imposed exceptional security measures for the ships' passage. All commercial and civilian traffic through the Suez Canal was halted and beefed-up security forces posted along both its shores. Egyptian fishermen were recalled to port from their grounds in the Bitter Lake.
The massive movement of this large US naval-air force plus an Israeli contingent is a strong new factor in the continually rising Middle East tensions of the last two weeks, to which Iran has not so far responded.

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'Our problem is with Israeli gov't'
By JPOST.COM STAFF
06/19/2010 11:40

Turkish PM:We will not stay silent in the face of Israeli "piracy."

Turkey's grievances with Israel concern its government and not its people, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday.

While some expect Turkey to be silent in the face of Israel's "state terrorism" and "piracy," Erdogan said, his nation will not stay silent.

"We will seek solutions in the framework of international law," Erdogan was quoted by the Anatolia news agency as saying.

On Thursday Israeli diplomatic officials said Ankara was considering a number of steps to express its anger over the Gaza flotilla episode, including significantly downgrading diplomatic ties. However, Jerusalem has not been informed of any concrete moves.

The comments came amid reports that Turkey was considering not returning its ambassador to Israel and reviewing military, economic, cultural and academic cooperation if Israel did not apologize for the flotilla raid, return the seized ship, agree to an international investigation and offer compensation both to the families of the nine people killed and to the injured.

Turkey recalled its ambassador soon after the incident. Israel's ambassador to Turkey, however, is still in Ankara and diplomatic channels of communication between the two countries are still open.

Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said unequivocally on Sunday that Israel had no intention of apologizing, and one diplomatic source said Thursday there were voices inside the government saying that not only should Israel not apologize, but it should demand a Turkish apology for facilitating the dispatch of a ship with terrorist supporters who beat Israeli soldiers trying to protect its territorial sovereignty.

Herb Keinon contributed to this report.

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Photo by: Shahar Azran
'Next flotilla will be stopped'
By JPOST.COM STAFF
06/19/2010 01:32

Israel tells the UN Lebanese flotilla will not be allowed into Gaza.
A letter declaring Israel's intent to stop a new flotilla of ships being organized in Lebanon to break the naval blockade of Gaza was sent to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Friday by the Israeli ambassador to the UN, Gabriela Shalev.

"We will stop the Lebanese flotilla with all means," Shalev wrote.

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Shalev also called the the new flotilla an unnecessary provocation and reiterated that Israel continued to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza at the land crossings from Israel into the Strip.

Islamist Lebanese group Hizbullah on Friday denied it was connected to an initiative to send an aid ship to Gaza with only women activists on board, according to AFP.

"Hizbullah confirms that it decided from the very beginning to stay away from this humanitarian act in terms of organization, logistic support and participation so as not to give the Israeli enemy any pretext to attack the participants," the group's leaders reportedly stated.

The ship, the Mariam, was set to set sail in the coming days.

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Iran: Our missiles are for defense
By JPOST.COM STAFF
06/19/2010 18:54

Official:US claims we can rain missiles down on Europe "deception."
Iranian Defense Minister Ahmad Vahidi insisted the Islamic Republic's missiles are for self defense only and accused the US of "deception" Saturday after US Defense Secretary Robert Gates charged that Teheran could rain missiles down on Europe, AFP reported.

"The Islamic Republic's missile capability has been designed and implemented to defend against any military aggression and it does not threaten any nation," said Vahidi.

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Gates commented on Thursday that US intelligence has learned that Iran has the capability to attack Europe with hundreds of missiles.

Vahidi stated that Gates claims were made to "expand (US) domination over Europe, and to find an excuse not to dismantle its nuclear weapons stationed in the region," according to the AFP report.

The United Nations Security Council approved new sanctions against Iran this month for continuing to enrich uranium which can be used to make nuclear weapons.

This week the Obama administration and the European Union both added further measures against Teheran that go beyond those that the UNSC passed.

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Jordan accuses Israel of thwarting nuclear ambitions

Jordan's King Abdullah II this week accused Israel of obstructing his nation's efforts to obtain nuclear technology in a bid to maintain economic dominance in the region.

Abdullah told the Wall Street Journal that Jordan's nuclear plans are peaceful and geared toward producing nuclear energy for export, which would provide the resource-strapped kingdom with a significant economic boost. The king claims Israel is afraid of Jordan becoming an economic powerhouse, and so has pressured South Korea and France to cancel the sale of technology needed by Jordan to set up its first nuclear reactor.

Israel denied Abdullah's claim, but has expressed concerns over Jordan's plan to build its first reactor in the Red Sea port city of Aqaba, which sits on a major fault line. A sizable earthquake in the area could crack such a reactor and cause enormous damage to the region.

There are also muted concerns that a full-blown nuclear program in Jordan could eventually be used by more unsavory elements to produce nuclear weapons. Yasser Arafat's PLO terrorist organization tried to take over Jordan in the past, and other violent Islamic groups still exercise much influence in the kingdom.

Not to mention, the majority of Jordanian lawmakers and much of its citizenry oppose Jordan's peace treaty with Israel, and would likely jump at the opportunity to field nuclear weapons to counter those Israel is believed to possess.

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Turkey closes airspace to Israel Air Force, Jerusalem declares IHH terrorists
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report June 17, 2010, 11:32 AM (GMT+02:00)

Turkish airspace closed to Israeli Air Force

Turkey launched a plan Wednesday night (June 16) to campaign on all fronts for a worldwide boycott of Israel and decided to introduce sanctions leading to the severance of bilateral relations. Its pretext was the absence of a formal apology from Jerusalem for the naval commando raid on the Turkish ship Mavi Marmara ("Blue Marmara"), which left 8 activists dead, and its rejection of an international inquiry of the incident.
In Washington, early Thursday morning (June 17), Democratic and Republican members of Congress announced at a press conference that there would be price to pay if Ankara continued its hate campaign against Israel and tight ties with Tehran.

Rep. Mike Pence, the third-highest ranking Republican, said: "There will be a cost if Turkey stays on its present heading of growing closer to Iran and more antagonistic to the state of Israel." Democratic Rep. Eliot Engel called Turkey's actions "disgraceful."

debkafile's sources in Washington note that while the House and the Senate are getting ready for an active response against Turkey for its deteriorating relations with Israel, the Obama administration is standing still, possibly tied down by friendship with the two contestants in Jerusalem and Ankara. The president may also be influenced by some of his closest aides, who are sympathetic to the policies pursued by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and support his aspirations in the Middle East and in the Muslim world.
The most prominent member of the pro-Erdogan faction ion the White House is the president's personal adviser on Muslim affairs, Dalia Mogahed, who does not share the conviction that the Turkish aid society, the IHH, is in fact a terrorist organization, as Israel declared Thursday, June 17 - although more than one European terrorist expert is of that opinion.
The way this declaration was aired by the Netanyahu government was harshly criticized by Israel's security and intelligence sources as too hesitant and uncertain to attract notice, debkafile's sources in Jerusalem report. It was not sourced to any defense ministry official and only appeared in a low spot on a local Channel 2 TV news bulletin.

"If Israel accuses an organization of terrorism, it should do so loud and clear," they said. "We must offer the kind of proof that reverberates strongly around the world. Instead, the information was released almost by stealth and therefore ignored by the international media."
In fact, debkafile's intelligence and counter-terror sources stress the inconspicuous news item was pretty sensational. By listing as terrorists the IHH (Insani Yardim Vakfi), a key component of Erdogan's pro-Islamic AKK government's support system, Israel henceforth defines the group as a target for Israel's covert and military operations and exposes its leaders to retaliation for continuing violence against Israel and its interests.
IHH activists were responsible for the violence aboard the Turkish ship leading the blockade-busting flotilla on May 31. Wednesday, IHH headquarters in Istanbul scheduled the launch of an even bigger flotilla for Gaza some time in July. Its new designation empowers Israel's covert agencies and navy to go for its members and ships - at sea and in Turkish ports.

Still hesitant, Israel has started hitting back at Turkey by escalating its military and intelligence responses to Erdogan's provocations.

The day before, the level of confrontation was ramped up by several notches in Ankara, when the Turkish Defense Industry Implementation Committee - SSIK, in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Erdogan, decided to freeze 16 security and military agreements signed with Israel.

They include permission for Israel warplanes to use Turkish airspace and apply to intelligence-sharing arrangements and cooperation in combating terrorism and suspend the longstanding, close military and intelligence cooperation between Turkey and Israel.
The two erstwhile allies are left glaring at each other as antagonists, just one step short of declared enemies.

Ankara nonetheless left a narrow opening - whether to appease the military for its loss of a valued strategic partner or to tempt Israeli leaders to continue to delude themselves that Turkey is not a write-off.
Thursday morning, in a briefing to Turkish journalists, sources close to the Turkish prime minister and the SSK exhibited a very long list of the Israeli and Turkish military projects they had cancelled, including the purchase of advanced Israeli Arrow anti-missile missiles. However, Turkish Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul commented: "Despite the fact that the decision on the shelving of military agreements had been left to the command of the Foreign Ministry, it would not be proper for the ruling administration to decide on the actions of military companies in both countries."

By this remark, the Turkish defense minister left a small gap for the Turkish government to review each contract separately and to decide whether to implement or revoke it depending on the needs of the Turkish army.

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Iran's Larijani plans to reach Gaza-Israel border Saturday
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report June 14, 2010, 11:12 PM (GMT+02:00)

Aims to challenge Israel from Gaza border

Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani and foreign affairs and security committee chairman Alaeddin Boroujerdi are preparing an epic descent on the Gaza Strip next Saturday, June 19 and a tour of the Israeli border debkafile's Iranian sources reveal. Tehran has applied to Cairo for visas for 200 Iranian lawmakers, leaning hard on Cairo for its assent - up to and including President Hosni Mubarak.
Monday, June 14, Iran submitted a formal request for Egypt's permission to land an Iranian passenger plane at Cairo International Airport or at El Arish in northern Sinai, carrying this large parliamentary delegation and a consignment of food and medicines for Gaza
debkafile's intelligence sources note that if Cairo allows the delegation to enter Gaza, it would be the first time a high-ranking Revolutionary Iranian delegation was ever permitted to tour the Gazan-Israeli border under the eyes of IDF border positions. Larijani is planning to stand up at some point on the border fence, flanked by the enclave's Hamas rulers, and deliver a message of hate for Israel and support for the Palestinian Hamas extremists.
Tehran has another ulterior motive for grandstanding in this style. One is to steal the international limelight Turkish prime minister Recep Erdogan attracted by his blockade-breaking flotilla of May 31 - and go one better. The scenario Larijani has scripted will take his flock of Iranian lawmakers right into the Gaza Strip and show themselves on the Israeli border as a provocative challenge for the Israeli patrols on the other side.
Meanwhile, the first Iranian aid ship for Gaza set sail from Khomanshahr Monday, with a second due to leave port Saturday.
To build up the pressure on Cairo to allow his visit, Larijani Monday instructed four Majlis members to set out for Egypt without delay to try and reach the Gaza Strip and prepare the delegation's grand tour - that is if they receive visas and permission from Cairo.

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The Story Behind Israel's Gaza Blockade

video

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/insideisrael/2010/June/The-Story-Behind-the-Gaza-Blockade/

THE KEREM SHALOM CROSSING - The White House on Thursday called Israel's decision to ease the flow of goods into the Gaza Strip "a step in the right direction."

Israel offered the olive branch to the Palestinians in the face of growing international pressure.

Although recent media reports have suggested no humanitarian aid is getting to Gaza, Israeli authorities say that's not the case.

Click play for more on the Gaza blockade with CBN News Jerusalem Correspondent Julie Stahl, following Chris Mitchell's report.

A Delicate Balancing Act

The Kerem Shalom Crossing, the place where Hamas-controlled Gaza receives most of its daily supplies, has become the focus of worldwide attention.

An average of more than 100 trucks crosses daily through the Kerem Shalom Crossing. Since the beginning of 2010, more than 260,000 tons of humanitarian aid has passed through this portal from Israel into the Gaza Strip.

Captain Amitai Cohen works with the Gaza Coordination and Liaison and Administration - or CLA - which oversees the transfer of goods into Gaza.

"Gaza CLA is giving a professional response for each request given by the Palestinians civilian committee regarding anything they want basically," Cohen explained. "But those responses are based on security measures we need to take."

Those security measures mean Israel is trying to provide the civilians of Gaza with their basic needs, but also trying to restrict Hamas's ability to wage war.

To accomplish that, Israel keeps out dual-use goods from Gaza. Such items might include chemicals, which have civilian uses but also potential military uses, such as making explosives.

For years, Hamas has built and fired thousands of rockets into Israeli communities and terrorized Israeli citizens.

It has also pledged to destroy the Jewish state and allied itself with Iran in order to establish an Islamic empire throughout the Middle East.

Despite these threats to its existence, Israel continues to provide the people of Gaza with tons of supplies. In the past 18 months, nearly a ton of supplies for every man, woman and child have been delivered to Gaza.

Examining the Evidence

The crossing works this way -- Israeli trucks unload their goods in a protected, designated area. Then trucks from Gaza come in to load those supplies and take them back inside the Gaza Strip.

Israel also supplies fuel - more than 4 million gallons so far this year - for Gaza's power plants.

It also allows building materials supervised by the United Nations or other non-government organizations so Hamas can't build military installations.

Many feel the volume of goods passing through the Kerem Shalom Crossing undermines the claims by Hamas that it's facing a humanitarian crisis.

Instead of the claims of a crisis, many see this effort as a pretext designed to undermine Israel's attempt to enforce its naval blockade and keep Hamas from acquiring massive arms shipments.

The focus will soon turn back to the sea where other ships from Iran, Lebanon and Turkey have planned to break Israel's naval blockade.

In the meantime, goods will continue to pour into Gaza