LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN

LCCC ENGLISH DAILY NEWS BULLETIN
ِJune 14/2010

Bible Of the Day
Psalm 140/1-5: " Deliver me, Yahweh, from the evil man. Preserve me from the violent man; 140:2 those who devise mischief in their hearts. They continually gather themselves together for war. 140:3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent. Viper�s poison is under their lips. 140:4 Yahweh, keep me from the hands of the wicked. Preserve me from the violent men who have determined to trip my feet. 140:5 The proud have hidden a snare for me, they have spread the cords of a net by the path. They have set traps for me."

Latest News Reports From Miscellaneous Sources for June 13/10
Geagea Discusses with Mubarak Bilateral Ties: Calls for Unity, Single Authority/Naharnet
Abul Gheit Stresses to Geagea Egypt's 'Full Support for Lebanon, Legitimate Authorities, Taif Accord'/Naharnet
Report: Nasrallah in Turkey Soon/Naharnet
Barak Calls Off Paris Visit Amid Arrest Threats/Naharnet
Hariri Reiterates 'Commitment to Equal Christian-Muslim Powersharing'/Naharnet
Syria Establishes Scud Arsenal Near Lebanon/Philadelphia Bulletin
Chinese Mideast envoy meets Lebanese PM on bilateral ties, regional peace/Xinhua
Minieh-Dinniyeh By-elections: Political Battle Between Mustaqbal and March 8/Naharnet
Baroud: Polls Proof of State's Commitment to Constitutional Deadlines/Naharnet
Moussa: Gaza Siege 'Must Be Broken'/Naharnet
Egyptian Activists Denied Gaza Entry/Naharnet
Suspected Mossad Agent Arrested in Poland over Dubai Murder/Naharnet

Maronite Bishops Call for Ending Impasse Phase, Finalizing State Budget
/Naharnet/The Council of Maronite Bishops on Saturday called for ending the impasse phase that is "delaying the approval of the 2010 state budget" and for the urgent filling of vacancies in some state institutions. In a closing statement issued after their annual conclave, the bishops called on the State and its institutions "to be more effective." They also called for the gradual improving of infrastructure and the rest of public services. The bishops hoped "the current stable situations would lead to a permanent state of stability on the eve of this promising summer, which will carry to us a number of our citizens who seek to spend some time with their families in their homeland." "It will also carry to Lebanon's summer tourism a number of Arab and foreign tourists, the thing that contributes to turning the wheel of the economy," the statement added.At the end of the conclave, Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir presided over a mass at the al-Saydeh Church in Bkirki, with the participation of the sect's bishops and the attendance of Papal Ambassador to Lebanon Monsengieur Gabriele Jordano Cascia and Head of Brazil's Sao Paolo Bishops Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer. Beirut, 12 Jun 10, 18:20

Geagea Discusses with Mubarak Bilateral Ties: Calls for Unity, Single Authority
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea on Sunday discussed with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak bilateral ties and latest developments in the region. Geagea and Mubarak also discussed the meeting that the Lebanese-Egyptian Higher Council will hold on Thursday. Prime Minister Saad Hariri and his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Nazif will preside over the meeting. After the meeting that lasted 65 minutes, Geagea told reporters that he thanked Mubarak for his support for the Lebanese government and people, an LF statement said.
The LF leader also called for unity among Lebanese and limiting the decisions of war and peace to the Lebanese government in order to defend the country. Asked if he still thought that Hizbullah was a state within a state, Geagea said: "People, territory and several authorities cannot exist at the same time. That's why, despite our appreciation of Hizbullah's efforts in previous stages, we call for all efforts to be coordinated within the state and its legal and constitutional institutions. On Saturday, Geagea met with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit in Cairo."Abul Gheit reiterated Egypt's full support for Lebanon, its legitimate authorities, the Taif Accord and the democracy and freedom in Lebanon," an LF statement said.
Beirut, 13 Jun 10, 12:39

Abul Gheit Stresses to Geagea Egypt's 'Full Support for Lebanon, Legitimate Authorities, Taif Accord'
Naharnet/Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea arrived in Cairo Saturday on a several-day official visit during which he is expected to hold talks with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.
Geagea kicked off his talks in Cairo by a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit.
A statement issued by Geagea's press office said that "the two sides lauded the efforts of the Lebanese government as to consolidating the current stability in Lebanon."
"They considered that Lebanon's stance at the (U.N.) Security Council is the normal Lebanese stance, given the structure of Lebanon and its role in the region and the world."
The statement went on to say that "the two sides agreed on the importance of backing the legitimate authority and placing the decision of defending Lebanon inside the Lebanese Cabinet, especially amid this tough regional tribulation.""Abul Gheit reiterated Egypt's full support for Lebanon, its legitimate authorities, the Taif Accord and the democracy and freedom in Lebanon."
The talks tackled the situation in the Middle East, especially after the recent international Resolution on imposing new sanctions against Iran, and it was agreed that the aim of this Resolution is to push Iran toward serious negotiations on its nuclear program -- but if this bid does not succeed -- then the region will head toward more escalation, Geagea's press office said.
As to the Israeli attack on the Freedom Fleet, the two sides noted that "sending the fleet was a bold and appropriate step that embarrassed Israel and cornered it," pushing the Hebrew state "to seek exits."Addressing the stalled peace process, Geagea and Abul Gheit believe that "the Palestinian cause will not be put on the front burner again before accomplishing the inter-Palestinian reconciliation, and the situation will not return to normalcy in Gaza except through the return of the Palestinian legitimate authority" to the impoverished seaside enclave.
Lebanese newspaper An Nahar reported Saturday that Geagea arrived at the head of a delegation that includes MPs Strida Geagea and Antoine Zahra, as well as LF foreign affairs official Joseph Nehmeh and Free Lebanon Radio Manager Tony Murad.It added that the delegation is set to visit other nations besides Egypt, and that they will be revealed "eventually."The daily also reported that Geagea's flight was delayed for an hour after a bag was discovered on board the plane without an owner.It was later revealed that it belonged to Riad Hatem who was interrogated over why his bag was on the plane while he was not. Beirut, 12 Jun 10, 19:46

Report: Nasrallah in Turkey Soon
Naharnet/Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent an official invitation to Hizbullah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to visit Turkey, the country's NTV channel reported.
The network said the invitation came upon the recommendation of Hamas politburo chief Khaled Meshaal. Nasrallah will visit turkey soon and will leave Lebanon "with the help of the Iranian Revolutionary guards for fears that Israel would assassinate him," NTV said. Meshaal has convinced Erdogan that such a step would increase the Turkish prime minister's popularity in the Arab and Islamic worlds and would further embarrass Israel in the wake of its deadly raid on the Gaza-aid flotilla. The Turkish government neither denied nor confirmed the report. Beirut, 13 Jun 10, 08:17

Minieh-Dinniyeh By-elections: Political Battle Between Mustaqbal and March 8
Naharnet/Parliamentary by-elections kicked off in Minieh-Dinniyeh on Sunday to fill the seat vacated by the death of MP Hashem Alameddine in a race which will mainly pit a candidate backed al-Mustaqbal movement against a candidate supported by the March 8 forces. Al-Mustaqbal and Jamaa Islamiyah are supporting Kazem al-Kheir against his relative Kamal al-Kheir.Al-Mustaqbal bloc MP Ahmed Fatfat stressed on Saturday that Hariri chose Kazem al-Kheir because he was competent and was committed to the policies of al-Mustaqbal movement. He said the by-elections have turned into "a political battle because several forces unified to hit at al-Mustaqbal movement."Several candidates dropped out of the race on Saturday, expressing support for al-Mustaqbal. Beirut, 13 Jun 10, 07:56

Baroud: Polls Proof of State's Commitment to Constitutional Deadlines
Naharnet/Interior Minister Ziad Baroud said during a tour of polling stations in Minieh-Dinniyeh on Sunday that so far there were no electoral complaints.
The elections are a clear sign of the state's commitment to constitutional deadlines, he said. Baroud told reporters that it was the state's role to carry out its responsibilities and up to the citizen to choose the candidate he sees fit for the post. The minister vowed that the electoral law would be implemented even in the absence of supervisory committees.
He refused to comment on the election turnout, saying there were differences between one region and another. Beirut, 13 Jun 10, 12:13

Saniora Calls for Serious Consideration of Gas Reserves Exploration
Naharnet/Al-Mustaqbal parliamentary bloc leader Fouad Saniora urged the government to take the potential of offshore gas reserves in Lebanese territorial waters seriously.
Saniora also said Saturday the issue was not new and that he had followed it up when he was finance minister and then premier. The former prime minister warned, however, that a lot of efforts are required to reach the point of exploring the reserves. Last week, Speaker Nabih Berri warned that Israel planned to lay claim to the prospective resources."Exploring our options in this field is our best bet to pay off Lebanon's debts," he said. Beirut, 13 Jun 10, 08:49

Makari Praises Hariri's Efforts to Move Country Forward despite Political Obstacles
Naharnet/Deputy Parliament Speaker Farid Makari has said that Prime Minister Saad Hariri is seeking to carry out development projects throughout Lebanon despite "political obstructions.""What you are seeking to do � is not to leave behind any region in Lebanon," Makari told Hariri during a dinner he hosted at his home in Anfeh in honor of the prime minister who was visiting the north on Saturday. He said, however, that the premier faced challenges such as "political obstructions."On Saturday, Hariri laid the cornerstone of Rafik Hariri University Hospital at Balamand University. In his speech, Makari expressed optimism that Lebanon could regain its role through development and reform projects. "All the Lebanese, including me, wish you good luck in your efforts and support you in everything you do." Beirut, 13 Jun 10, 09:52

Barak Calls Off Paris Visit Amid Arrest Threats
Naharnet/Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Sunday cancelled a visit to the Eurosatory 2010 defense exhibition in Paris amid threats by pro-Palestinian groups to have him arrested there. "The minister cancelled his trip to Paris for the Eurosatory and his meetings with top French officials," his office said in a statement.
"Defense Minister Barak decided to stay in Israel until an announcement about the establishment of a team of experts to examine the events surrounding the flotilla," it said, referring to a deadly Israeli raid on a Gaza-bound fleet of aid ships. The botched pre-dawn raid which took place on May 31 left nine Turkish activists dead and scores injured, provoking a diplomatic crisis for Israel which is facing mounting pressure to re-examine its blockade of the Gaza Strip. Pro-Palestinian activists had threatened to try to have charges brought against him for his role in the raid. Activists have previously tried to arrest Barak and other Israeli officials in Europe under the principle of universal jurisdiction. That principle allows the prosecution of suspected war criminals in countries that have no direct connection with the events.(AFP-AP) Beirut, 13 Jun 10, 13:11

Moussa: Gaza Siege 'Must Be Broken'
Naharnet/Israel's siege on the Gaza Strip "must be broken," Arab League chief Amr Moussa said Sunday on his first-ever trip to the territory languishing under a four-year blockade.
"This blockade, which we are all here to confront, must be broken and the position of the Arab League is clear," Moussa said after being welcomed at the Rafah border crossing with Egypt by officials from many Palestinian factions. "Not only the Arabs, but the entire world should stand with the Palestinian people against the siege of Gaza and what is happening in the occupied territories, especially east Jerusalem," he said, referring to a surge in Jewish settlement in the annexed Arab half of the city.
Moussa's visit came just two weeks after Israel commandos staged a botched raid on a fleet of international aid ships seeking to run the blockade, which left nine Turkish activists dead and scores injured. It was the first time a secretary general of the 22-member pan-Arab organization had visited the besieged coastal Strip, which was taken over by Hamas in June 2007 after the radical Islamist movement ousted the secular Fatah faction of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas.The 10-hour visit, announced shortly after the deadly flotilla raid, was aimed at "showing solidarity with the Palestinian people" in the face of the blockade and to urge greater efforts to reconcile deeply divided Palestinian factions, top aide Hisham Youssef told AFP last week.Speaking to journalists at the crossing, Moussa reiterated calls for Hamas and Fatah to resolve their differences. "Reconciliation is the basic and principle question. It is a question of will and not a mere signature -- it's a will, it's a policy, it's a position that translates into an agreement on all issues," he said."History does not halt before a sentence here or a paragraph there."During the visit, Moussa was expected to hold talks with Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniya as well as other faction heads, the United Nations, local business leaders and non-governmental organizations.He was also expected to meet with families who were bereaved during Israel's devastating 22-day war on the tiny coastal strip, which began at the end of 2008 and left some 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead as the Jewish state sought to halt militant rocket attacks.(AFP) Beirut, 13 Jun 10, 11:24

EU's Spanish Presidency Urges 'Strong, Joint' Gaza Position
Naharnet/Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, whose country holds the European Union's rotating presidency, called Saturday for a "strong, joint E.U. position" on Gaza and Israel's blockade. "We want to forge a strong, joint E.U. position towards what happened in Gaza and the humanitarian situation in that area," he said after talks with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas Zapatero said his foreign minister, Miguel Angel Moratinos, would propose to his E.U. colleagues at a meeting on Monday that the 27-nation bloc "clearly declare itself in favor of ending the blockade of the Gaza Strip." Moratinos said in a television interview this week that the ministers would discuss "a plan for lifting the blockade" in order to "ensure the entry" of humanitarian aid, commercial goods and people.A draft text prepared for the ministers meeting in Luxembourg said Israel's blockade of the Hamas-ruled Gaza is "unacceptable and counterproductive, including from the point or view of Israel's security." The ministers are to take into account the security concerns of Israel, which fears that arms and other military materials could be smuggled in with legitimate aid. So the EU will call for the opening of borders under a "new mechanism" with a list of prohibited goods and "strict control over the destination of imported and exported merchandise," according to the text.(AFP) Beirut, 12 Jun 10, 13:45

Egyptian Activists Denied Gaza Entry
Naharnet/Egypt banned hundreds of activists from Gaza, igniting protests at the Rafah border that is the only non-Israeli entry into the Palestinian enclave, a security official said on Saturday.
Hundreds of Egyptian activists headed to the Rafah border crossing on Friday but were denied entry into the Gaza Strip, the official told Agence France Presse on condition of anonymity.
"They spent the night in front of the crossing asking to be let in and continued protesting on Saturday," the official said. Carrying Palestinian flags, they chanted "Palestine is Arab," "Open the border," and "Lift the blockade," witnesses told AFP. The impoverished enclave of 1.5 million people has been under an Israeli blockade since 2007. By Saturday afternoon, most of the activists had started making their way back to Cairo, the official said. Authorities also denied entry to two trucks carrying humanitarian aid sent by the people of the Egyptian province of Daqahliya. "Authorities forced the truck drivers to head back to the (north Sinai) town of El-Arish saying that the Rafah crossing was only for the passage of people not goods," one of the organizers, MP Mohsen Radi, said. Amid the international outcry over an Israeli commando operation against a Gaza-bound aid flotilla which killed nine Turkish activists in international waters on June 1, Egypt announced it was opening its Rafah border crossing. The surprise move has allowed some additional aid into Gaza but only some Palestinians, such as those seeking treatment or study abroad, are permitted to cross. The Egyptian opposition has long campaigned against the government's refusal to fully open the Gaza border, even at the height of the deadly offensive which Israel launched against the territory in December 2008. Opposition parties have accused the authorities of being complicit in the Israeli blockade through their construction of an underground barrier intended to prevent smugglers tunneling under the border.(AFP) Beirut, 12 Jun 10, 20:26

Iran Threatens Counter-Sanctions against Russia and China
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu/Arutz Sheva
Iran has threatened �reciprocal measures" against countries, including China and Russia, who voted last week for sanctions against the Islamic Republic. Turkey and Brazil voted against the sanctions, and Lebanon abstained. "The parliament's Energy Commission has studied ways for taking a decision on imposing sanctions against these countries," Deputy Head of the parliament's Energy Commission Abdollah Ka'bi told the semi-official Fars News Agency. "Countries like China and Russia which enjoy the highest volume of trade and economic exchanges with Iran will certainly sustain a serious damage in case of any decrease in the volume of trade with these countries," Ka'bi added. China and Russia have invested and assisted Iran with billions of dollars of investments in the country�s rapidly expanding nuclear program. Lebanon did not escape Iran�s wrath even though it abstained, an action that the Hizbullah terrorist organization lambasted as a diplomatic mistake. Iran's envoy to Beirut Ghazanfar Rokn-Abadi, referring to friendly relations with Lebanon, told the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) that Iranian officials had expected their Lebanese counterparts to oppose the resolution. He praised Lebanese parties, such as Hizbullah, who announced their opposition to the sanctions.Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad already has ridiculed last week�s resolution for more sanctions as useless and ineffective, and most analysts have said they are limited.
One principle of the resolution is that a ship to Iran can be inspected on suspicion of carrying forbidden weapons of cargo only if the ship�s country of origin gives approval.

Gates: Iran Nukes in One to Three Years, But No Delivery System
by Eli Stutz /Arutz Sheva
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates estimated that Iran will have a nuclear bomb within one to three years. At the same time, said Gates, Iran won't have the ability to deliver such a bomb to a target. Gates was meeting with NATO defense ministers in Brussels on Friday. He said that the consensus in the intelligence community is that Iran lacks the know-how for a competent delivery system. That doesn't mean the concern over Iran's nuclear ambitions has dropped off. Gates admitted that "getting to the threshold of [building] a weapon is what concerns everybody." Even without Iran's ability to deliver a nuclear warhead on a ballistic missile, Israel has expressed fears that it could provide a bomb for terrorist groups like Hizbullah, which could attempt to deliver a weapon via other means, such as through a "dirty bomb."
"If Iran were to attain nuclear weapons, Iran's own security would diminish, since it would touch off a regional arms race," Gates added. "(Iranian) security will actually be worse . . . because of proliferation in the region and the potential for military action, whether it's from Israel, or someplace else."Gates's comments came just hours after Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad called the United Nations Security Council a "tool" of the U.S., saying that the latest round of penalties against it were "the final shot."
Russia of late, seems to be positioning itself closer to Western allies vis-a-vis Iran. Gate's statement came as Russia said that it would delay it's delivery of S-300 surface-to-air missiles to Iran, even though the system is not on the list of weapons banned under the new sanctions, according to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko. However, Reuters quoted an unnamed source as saying that "S-300 supplies to Iran fall under UN sanctions."
The S-300 missiles are part of Iran's hope to deter or defend itself against an Israeli or U.S. air attack on its nuclear facilities. Russia is also trying to prevent Iran from attaining full membership in a Central Asian security bloc. The recent round of sanctions against Iran includes a plan to search Iranian ships for materials that violate the sanctions. Iran responded that if its ships were inspected, it would do the same to other countries' ships that travel though the Strait of Hormuz, also known as the Persian Gulf. Iranian parliamentarian Hossein Ibrahimi said, "In the event even one (Iranian) ship . . . is subjected to inspection, we will seek retaliation and will inspect several of their ships,'' reported the Iranian Mehr News Agency.
Ahmadinejad, who visited China recently, charged that the U.S. dominates the Security Council. China, one of the Council's five permanent members, supported the new sanctions against Iran, but Ahmadinejad, though criticizing Russia and China's move, made light of its importance by saying that he "hopes for building a better world." Speaking at Iran Day at the World Expo in Shanghai, he added, "The two great nations of Iran and China, who are the owners of the most ancient civilizations of the world, can stay together to make this dream come true.''

Obama Opposes US Sanctions on Iran
by Hana Levi Julian/Arutz Sheva
The Obama administration is working to balance its support of United Nations Security Council sanctions against Iran by opposing similar sanctions in the process of being formulated by the U.S. Congress.The American version of such sanctions would punish firms that sell refined petroleum products to the Islamic Republic or help the country's oil industry in other ways. The sanctions would apply only to U.S. agencies and companies and would not be binding on other countries. Other nations are also considering similar measures, now that the U.N. sanctions have been approved. The White House is concerned that the Congress may go too far in imposing sanctions on those that work with firms based in countries that have cooperated with Iran, such as China, Russia and several European nations, according to the Los Angeles Times. Such a move could damage America's relationship with those countries, all of whom cooperated with the United States when it came time to vote on the United Nations sanctions against Iran. European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton recently reminded U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a letter that the U.S. had promised in 1998 not to punish European countries for doing business with Iran. In order to avoid diplomatic difficulties, the Obama administration is seeking a waiver for countries that have cooperated with the United States on Iran � but the White House may face a tough fight. The senior Republican member on House Foreign Affairs Committee, U.S. Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), called the U.N. sanctions a �goose egg.� Ros-Lehtinen is calling for Congress to beef up the international fight against the Islamic Republic's nuclear development program by imposing �crippling sanctions against Iran� on its own.

Iranian Marines Set to Escort Flotilla 'To Teach Israel Lessons'
by Tzvi Ben Gedalyahu/Arutz Sheva
Two Iranian ships intended to head for Hamas-controlled Gaza are waiting for their government's approval to challenge Israel on the high seas, escorted by �volunteer marines� that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad wants to send �to teach Israelis a lesson.�An Iranian Red Crescent official said the two ships are waiting for the Iranian foreign ministry to give the green light for launching, according to the French news service AFP, quoting the Iranian Mehr news service. The Red Crescent said a third ship probably would join the fleet.
Red Crescent official Mojtaba Majd also claimed that more than 100,000 Iranians have signed up to board the ships, but only those with �expertise� would be accepted. Majd did not define the area of expertise required.Ali Shirazi, the Revolutionary Guard�s spokesman for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said it was �Iran�s duty to defend the innocent people of Gaza.�A Red Crescent ship to Gaza was stopped by the Israeli Navy a year and a half ago, but the charged anti-Israeli atmosphere following the latest flotilla clash has encouraged Arab and left-wing colleagues to try to break Israel�s blockade over free passage to the Gaza coast. An Iranian maritime convoy to Israel could provoke a military clash on the high seas, but it also would highlight Israel�s claim that lifting the blockade would allow Iran to directly send advanced arms, ammunition and terrorists for the de facto Hamas government in Gaza.
The Iranian Red Crescent ships were prepared with cooperation from the Turkish government, according to the London Express. Ahmadinejad reportedly told Turkish leaders in Istanbul last week that the vessels would be prepared for a direct clash with the Israeli Defense Forces.Turkey was one of two countries that voted against new sanctions imposed on Iran last week by the United Nations Security Council. Once considered a friend of Israel and distant from Iran, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has totally reversed government policy over the past two years and has joined the Syrian-Iranian-Hizbullah axis while stating that it still wants goods relations with Israel.

Supreme Court Justice to Head Flotilla Inquiry
by Hillel Fendel/Arutz Sheva
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu announced Sunday morning that retired Supreme Court Justice Yaakov Tirkel will head the committee that will investigate the flotilla incident of two weeks ago. Netanyahu said the official announcement of the establishment of the committee will be made in the coming days, and �I expect to reach agreement with the U.S. on the matter within a short time.�
�Our guiding principle,� Netanyahu said, regarding the blockade on Gaza, �is to prevent arms and weapons from entering Gaza, but to allow in food and supplies.� He has hinted that the continuation of the blockade, which is permitted by international law, might not be the only way to achieve these goals.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak says he will remain in Israel to help set up the committee - and to this end, canceled his trip this evening to France. Barak and his decisions, such as the order to send barely-armed soldiers into the lynch mob awaiting them aboard one of the flotilla ships, will be among the committee�s main subjects of investigation. Former Shabak head Ami Ayalon said that Barak must �assume responsibility� for the flotilla events and the deterioration of Israel�s security situation.
Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz has been assigned by Netanyahu the task of formulating a plan governing all openings, crossings and deliveries into Gaza, including land, air and sea. Katz has said that all Israel-Gaza crossings should be closed, leaving Egypt�s Rafah crossing into Gaza the only channel for entry of goods and people. Minister Katz said that all supplies arriving in Israel for Gaza should be delivered to Port Said, Egypt�s northern Sinai port, from where they will be sent to Gaza. According to Katz, it need take no more than a year to connect all of Gaza to Egyptian infrastructures such as electricity and water.How Did Axes and Clubs Get on the Boat, and Other Questions Netanyahu says that Israel and its actions will not be the only subject of the investigation. �The inquiry must include questions that some in the international community prefer to ignore,� he said, �such as who backed the [Turkish Muslim] extremists on the boat? Who trained them? How did axes, clubs and the like get on to the boat? What were the extremists doing with the same very large sums of money? The world needs to know the full picture, and we will make sure that the full picture will come to light.�
Netanyahu also emphasized that though he, the Defense Minister and other Israeli officials are willing to answer all questions, �we will insist and make sure that the only body that questions our soldiers will be the IDF. This is the practice in the armies of our friends around the world, and this is how we will act as well.�
Judge Tirkel's BackgroundJudge Tirkel served on the Supreme Court from 1995 until 2005. Though he does not wear a yarmulke, he was known as the �religious� judge because of both his traditional life-style and his penchant to quote Jewish Law [Halakhah] and its sources in his rulings.

Another homosexual "human rights" case against Christians
Eleven months ago, a loving Christian retired couple received a discrimination complaint from British Columbia's Human Rights Tribunal.
They had refused to allow two homosexuals to rent a single room at their Bed & Breakfast. And because human rights tribunals have become enablers of vengeance for homosexuals, these two men filed a human rights complaint against these Christian lawful business owners. That complaint was scheduled to be heard this week. It's been postponed, but this gentle Christian couple has decided to close up their B&B for fear of something like this happening yet again - because they have learnt that Canadians don't have the kind of private property rights that most Canadians think they have.
Ongoing cases like this are why ChristianGovernance is making human rights commissions and tribunals the focus of our fundraising dinner next month in Bowmanville, Ontario.
The HRC conflict has eased up in the mainstream media over the past year, but the threat of these commissions and tribunals to Christians - particularly Christian business owners - has not eased up.
This older retired couple is being terrorized by homosexuals and their government enabler, the BC Human Rights Tribunal.
Christians suffer severe economic persecution in Islamic countries like Egypt, where their businesses are terrorized. This terrorism can be from government officials or by local activists who almost never face prosecution for their actions.
Hitler's Nazi regime was also ruthless in shutting down Jewish businesses and terrorizing these business owners.
Canada is not yet seeing the widespread kind of faith-based terrorism against Christian business owners that is part of fascist, Marxist and Islamic societies.
But how far down this road are we prepared to go before demanding an end to this kind of hatred and hostility towards law-abiding Canadians and productive business owners? It is especially wicked when this government-sanctioned brutality is let loose against quiet, kind, law-abiding, retired men and women.
Why are homosexuals given a government-sanctioned outlet for their vengeance while such attitudes are rightly condemned among everyone else?
At our July 11th Fundraising Dinner, ChristianGovernance has invited three guests who have all been victims of this dangerous Human Rights regime. These three business professionals know what it's like to face the intimidation and harassment of an ideologically driven institution that is incompatible with a free and democratic society. Scott Brockie operates a printing company. Leslie Bartley operates an ice cream parlour. Connie Fournier operates the Internet forum Free Dominion.
You can learn more about our Dinner on our website by clicking here: http://christiangovernment.ca/?cat=325 .
Other businesses and service providers that have been harassed and victimized by mostly homosexuals and human rights commissions/tribunals include: PEI B&B owners, the Knights of Columbus in B.C., Christian Horizons in Ontario, Trinity Western University in B.C., an Ontario restaurant owner who objected to marijuana smoking in the entryway to his establishment, an Ontario gym owner who didn't want a cross-dressing man using the women's washroom in his establishment, a comedian in B.C. and the owner of the club where he committed his alleged offence. The list goes on.
And this is only one aspect of the harassment that homosexuals and some others use to persecute their enemies.
Other cases involve direct attacks on the Gospel, on Christian and church ministry and on marriage-related services: Stephen Boission in Alberta, Hugh Owens in Saskatchewan, marriage commissioners in Saskatchewan and elsewhere, Bill Whatcott in Saskatchewan, Chris Kempling in B.C. and a Catholic church in Peterborough, Ontario.
And these are all cases of private Canadians and private institutions as they live out their peaceful, law abiding lives before men - before friends and neighbours, colleagues and customers. They are not cases of the civil government trying to impose any agenda on the public. Each of these cases is just another nail in the coffin of the rights of Christians to live their Christianity in public.
Nobody knows if they will be the next victim.
Our ChristianGovernance Fundraising Dinner will help us raise the funds we need to battle the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal and Commission as well as the other HRCs across Canada. This is one of the most important mandates we have at ChristianGovernance, and we are one of the very few organizations advocating the complete repeal of these anti-democratic operations. If these agencies do anything that is legitimate, then those operations can be done better by real courts or other bodies.
We hope to see you at our Dinner (http://christiangovernment.ca/?cat=325) - and even at our Pre-Dinner Reception. Learn more about that event here: http://christiangovernment.ca/?p=415 .You can purchase your tickets now through our website or mail your payment to us. Please go here to purchase your tickets online http://christiangovernment.myshopify.com/ . To mail in your payment, please visit that site for ticket prices and send your cheque to: ChristianGovernment, PO Box 7, Russell, ON K4R 1C7.
If you can't attend, but would like to support us, please consider a donation by clicking here - http://christiangovernment.ca/?cat=380 - or consider purchasing tickets for others who may not be able to purchase their own tickets: http://christiangovernment.myshopify.com/ .
I want to thank you very much for your interest in these very important issues and threats to our culture, threats to real people - to your brothers and sisters in Christ - to law-abiding, older Canadians who have lived productive lives - contributing to Canada for most of their lives, only to be victimized with great cruelty in their latter years.
Please help us in this work with your ticket purchase - http://christiangovernment.myshopify.com/ - or the best donation you can make today. We would like to thank you for your ticket purchase by giving the first 50 people a complimentary copy of my book, "No Sacred Ground," about the Christian Horizons human rights case. We would like to send an e-book version of this book to all those who can make a donation.
Yours, drawing strength from the Lordship of Christ,
Tim Bloedow
Executive Director, ChristianGovernance