Shalom Cohen, currently the chief diplomat at the Israeli Embassy in Cairo, met with Egyptian Foreign Ministry officials on Saturday evening to discuss the crisis in relations between the two countries following Thursday’s attack on the Israel-Egypt border.

	Egyptians burn an Israeli flag during a demonstration outside the Israeli embassy in Cairo on August 19, 2011
	Photo by: AFP

Read More http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/foreign-ministry-israel-egypt-diplomatic-crisis-is-behind-us-1.379709

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Israel‘s Defence Minister, Ehud Barak apologises for the killing of Egyptian troops on the border that has caused a diplomatic crisis, although some media say the apology is not official

Read more http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/19324/Egypt/Politics-/Israel-Defence-Minister-says-Israel-is-sorry-for-t.aspx

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PEACE ON EARTH

head of Arab League ruling on the possibility of resuming troubled peace talks, State Department official says only direct negotiations can resolve region’s issues.

By Natasha Mozgovaya

The United States would like to see the entire Mideast continue its support of direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, a U.S. official said Thursday, ahead of an Arab League meeting which may signal the resolve of the recent negotiations deadlock.

	Mahmoud Abbas and Benjamin Netanyahu walking in front of George Mitchell in Jerusalem.
	Photo by: AP

An Arab League summit planned for Friday is said to rule whether or not the Palestinian Authority may return to the negotiations table after walking out in the wake of Israel’s recently expiring moratorium on settlement building.Related articles

Read More http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/u-s-we-want-to-see-entire-mideast-support-direct-peace-talks-1.317773

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Colombia and Venezuela restore diplomatic

relations

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and his new Colombian counterpart, Juan Manuel Santos, have agreed to restore diplomatic relations.

Mr Chavez cut ties last month after Colombia accused Venezuela of harbouring left-wing rebels.

But at a meeting in the Colombian city of Santa Marta, the two leaders agreed to relaunch bilateral relations.

They admitted personal differences, but said they were putting them aside in the interest of both nations.

Read More http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-10926003

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David Cameron in discussions with Barack Obama in Washington last week.

Cameron described Britain as America’s ‘junior partner’. Photograph: Getty Images

If you’re determined to tell it how it is, it’s important to know it how it is – and on the evidence of his travels in foreign parts this week, it is uncertain whether David Cameron really does. Regarding Turkey and Europe, Israel and Gaza, and India and Pakistan, the inexperienced British prime minister’s blunt interventions left a trail of overseas outrage as well as surprised approbation. Fans admired his plain talking. Critics said he plainly doesn’t know what he’s talking about – and risked damaging Britain’s interests.

Cameron stood his ground in Delhi, vowing always to speak his mind frankly. In fact, his truth telling has been highly selective. Turkey’s EU membership, for example, could advance more swiftly if it fulfilled prior undertakings on Cyprus. He barely mentioned that – or discrimination against minority Kurds. Pakistan’s behaviour might be less paranoid and duplicitous if India were less threatening. In deference to Delhi’s hypersensitivity, Cameron eschewed all mention of Kashmir – an incendiary issue overdue for open, international discussion, as proposed long ago by Robin Cook.

Read More http://www.guardian.co.uk/

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Funerals for helicopter crash victims to take place at military cemeteries across the country on Friday, beginning at noon; several victims promoted posthumously.

By Anshel Pfeffer and Haaretz Service

	Team of IAF servicemen arrive in Israel after search-and-rescue mission in Romania on July 29, 2010.
	Photo by: IDF spokesperson’s office

An Israel Air Force plane carrying the bodies of six airmen killed in a helicopter crash in Romania earlier this week arrived at the Tel Nof base on Friday morning, hours before the victims were to be buried at military cemeteries across the country.

Teams of military doctors and members of the Israel Defense Forces rabbinate on Thursday completed the final identification of the bodies of six men, who were taking part in a 10-day joint exercusewere killed when theirhelicopter crashed in the Romanian mountains on Monday.

Read More http://www.haaretz.com/news

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Speaking on state television, Iranian President Ahmadinejad also list of demands before Iran will resume nuclear talks.

By News Agencies

In an interview aired on Iranian state television Tuesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Iran expects the United States to launch a military strike on “at least two countries” in the Middle East in the next three months.

Ahmadinejad did not specify whether he thought Iran itself would be attacked nor did he say what intelligence led him to expect such a move

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Clashes broke out following the destruction of a home built in violation of the settlement building freeze in the outpost of Givat Ronen.

Clashes broke out between Palestinians and West Bank settlers on Monday following the destruction of a home built in violation of the building freeze in the outpost of Givat Ronen.

Civil Administration authorities along with police destroyed the house without incident, despite the fact that a mass text message had been sent out informing settlers in the area of the expected home destruction and encouraging them to prevent it from happening.

	Destroyed home in West Bank outpost of Givat Ronen on July 26, 2010.
	Photo by: Shimshon Sochi

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Davutoglu and Meshal discuss ways to break Israeli siege on Gaza, Palestinian reconciliation efforts, and Turkey‘s demands in aftermath of flotilla raid, according to Anatolia news agency.

By News Agencies

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu met with Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshal in Damascus on Monday, signaling a tightening of relations between Israel’s once-close ally and its arch enemy.

The two discussed during their meeting methods to break Israel’s blockade of the Gaza Strip, the Turkish news agency Anatolia reported. Davotuglu reportedly promised Meshal that his country would continue to make every effort to see the siege lifted.

Photo by: Archive Turkey Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Hamas political chief Khaled Meshal

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Ageing Egyptian president give speech to mark anniversary of Egypt’s ‘July revolution’, days after reports that he could have less than a year to live.

By Reuters

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, 82, spoke in a televised speech on Thursday, appearing in good health in his first public address since rumors that the leader in power since 1981 was dying of cancer.

Speaking on the eve of the 58th anniversary of Egypt’s “July revolution”, days after a U.S. newspaper said he could have less than a year to live, the president had a busy week, meeting heads of states and attending military academy graduations.

Read More http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense

	Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in July 2010.
	Photo by: AP

In the wake the Gaza flotilla raid, hackers in Turkey have uncovered the e-mail addresses, passwords and personal details of tens of thousands of Israeli web users, an Israeli blogger has uncovered.

By TheMarker Tags: Israel news Turkey Gaza flotilla

Erez Wolf, an Israeli blogger who operates We-CMS, reported in a blog post on Friday that tens of thousands of e-mail addresses, passwords and personal details of Israeli web surfers are in the hands of Turkish hackers.

In a Turkish hackers online forum, Wolf found a document containing the e-mail addresses and passwords of 30,000 Israeli web users.

The information was apparently obtained during Turkish hacker attacks on Israeli websites in the aftermath of the IDF’s interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla on May 31 in which nine pro-Palestinian Turkish activists were killed.

Read More http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/turkish-hackers

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• Published 19:43 17.07.10
• Latest update 19:43 17.07.10

Emine Erdogan tells PA paper that she is not usually prone to responding on political matters, but ‘Peres pushed me to my limits, as he constantly lies.’

By Avi Issacharoff Tags: Israel news Gaza war IDF Recep Tayyip Erdogan Shimon Peres

Emine Erdogan, wife of Turkey‘s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, accused President Shimon Peres of being a liar during a meeting with Palestinian business women in Ankara.

	Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan accompanied by his wife Emine Erdogan.
	Photo by: AP

Recalling her husband’s confrontation with the president at the Davos Summit in January 2009, Emine said she thought to herself “G-d, he [Peres] is such a liar, someone must stop him,” she told the Palestinian women.

Read More http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/

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European Union’s FM says ahead of three-day visit to the region that the organization has been calling for ‘fundamental’ changes of policy regarding Gaza blockade.

By Haaretz Service and The Associated Press

The European Union urges Israel to open all Gaza border crossings, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton said Friday, ahead of her planned three-day visit to the region.

	EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton.
	Photo by: Reuters

“We stand ready to support the opening of the Gaza crossings for the traffic of goods to and from Gaza,” Ashton said before departing for Israel.

Read More http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/

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Members of Communist-backed labor union say they blocked five El Al counters for two hours to protest Gaza siege.

By Zohar Blumenkrantz and The Associated Press

An Israel-bound flight was delayed for about two hours at Athens International Airport Wednesday after protesters against the blockade of Gaza blocked check-in counters, airport officials said.

	An El Al plane.
	Photo by: Archive

Members of a Communist-backed labor union said they blocked five El Al airline counters for two hours to protest the Israeli blockade of Gaza and the Jewish state’s oppressive policies.

Read More http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/anti-israel-protesters-delay-el-al-flight-in-athens-1.301921?localLinksEnabled=false

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Last week, Trade Minister Ben-Eliezer denied Israel was rethinking its refusal to compensate and apologize for the raid that left nine dead.

By DPA and Haaretz Service

Tags: Israel news Turkey Gaza flotillla

Turkey’s foreign minister has warned that diplomatic ties with Israel will be cut in the wake of the recent flotilla crisis unless certain conditions are met, the Turkish press reported Monday.

“The Israelis have three options: They will either apologize or acknowledge an international-impartial inquiry and its conclusion. Otherwise, our diplomatic ties will be cut off,” Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters on Saturday during a visit to Kyrgyzstan.

Read more http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/turkey-fm-we-ll-cut-israel-ties-unless-it-apologizes-for-gaza-flotilla-raid-1.300128?localLinksEnabled=false

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Goods have begun flowing into coastal territory since Israel lifted blockade; all but weapons and ‘dual use’ materials will be allowed to enter.
By Barak Ravid
Tags: Israel news  Gaza

Israel will publish on Monday its official “black list” of goods that will not be allowed to enter the Gaza Strip, weeks after dramatically easing its land blockade of the coastal territory.
Read more  http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israel-set-to-release-black-list-of-items-banned-from-gaza-1.300017?localLinksEnabled=false

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