MADONNA
Middle East Briefs
By JTA
article created on:
Peres hosts Madonna
JERUSALEM (JTA)— Madonna, who was in Israel for Rosh Hashanah with fellow Kabbalah devotees, traveled secretly to the capital Sept. 15 for an audience with Shimon Peres, the Israeli president.
“I can’t believe I’m celebrating the New Year in the land of Israel together with you,” the pop idol was quoted as telling the elder statesman. “This is a dream come true.” According to media reports, Madonna and Peres spent an hour and a half discussing current affairs and the need to promote peace.
Jordan, U.S. sign nuclear agreement
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Jordan and the United States signed a nuclear energy agreement. The memorandum of understanding, signed Sept. 16 in Vienna, commits both nations to work together to develop “appropriate power reactors, fuel service arrangements, civilian training, nuclear safety, energy technology and other related areas,” according to a statement posted on the Web site of the U.S. embassy in Amman.
Bolton: U.S. backs Israeli pre-emption
JERUSALEM (JTA)—A former U.S. diplomat said America would back Israeli strikes against neighboring nuclear aspirants. The United States would stand behind any pre-emptive attack by Israel on neighboring countries believed to have nuclear weapons programs, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton said in an interview published Sept. 18 in the Israeli daily Yediot Achronot.
“The greatest concern is to prevent Iran and other countries in the region from acquiring nuclear weapons,” Bolton said. “We’re talking about a clear message to Iran—Israel has the right to self-defense—and that includes offensive operations against WMD facilities that pose a threat to Israel. The United States would justify such attacks.”
Israelis die in Thai crash
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Eight Israelis are confirmed dead in the Sept. 16 Thai plane crash. The 89 dead from the disaster in Phuket include eight vacationing Israelis, Israeli and Thai officials said. Among the Israeli dead were two couples on their honeymoons, and two female friends in their 20s who took a vacation together before beginning their university studies.
Hamas said planning spoiler attack
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Hamas intends to carry out a major terrorist attack that will scuttle an upcoming U.S.-sponsored Middle East peace conference, Israel’s military intelligence chief said. Maj.-Gen. Amos Yadlin, briefing the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Sept. 16, said the dominant Palestinian Islamists are trying to launch a “spectacular” attack on Israel that could prompt it to withdraw from the fall parley with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
Syria news boosts Olmert standing in poll
JERUSALEM (JTA)—Israel’s alleged airstrike in Syria has boosted the domestic popularity of Ehud Olmert. According to a Sept. 18 Yediot Achronot survey, 35 percent of Israelis rate their prime minister’s performance as “good” following the reported Sept. 6 strike against a strategic military target in northern Syria. Sixty-three percent called Olmert’s performance “not good,” while 2 percent had no response. The pollster, Dahaf, noted that a similar survey two weeks earlier found 25 percent supporting Olmert and 70 percent opposing the embattled prime minister. Israeli Arabs, who comprise approximately 20 percent of the population, generally have been critical of the alleged attack on Syria.