Former American Ambassador to the United Nations John Bolton hinted broadly Tuesday that Israel will have to strike Iran's nuclear program on its own, and soon. Speaking at the Eighth Herzliya Conference, Bolton said an Israeli strike could be the last resort against Iran. Former Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, who also spoke at the conference, hinted that the military option is growing more likely with time.

Ambassador Bolton devoted the first part of his speech to an attempt to push the Israeli press into revealing details of the strike against the suspected Syrian nuclear facility four months ago. "There is a lot that we don't know about the facility because of the veil of secrecy that the Israel government and the American government have tried to throw over it," he said.

"We don't know for example exactly what the facility was – whether it was a clone of the Yongbyon reactor; whether it was a uranium enrichment facility; whether it was a storage location for North Korean plutonium or plutonium based weapons," he added, and explained that he could speak freely at the conference because the American Constitution's First Amendment applied to him even when he was abroad (this elicited laughter from the audience).

Bolton calls Israeli press 'timid'
Bolton went on to list his conjectures: "We don't know if it was North Korea in effect renting space in Syria to recreate the North Korean program. We don't know if it was a sale of technology or equipment from North Korea directly to Syria and we don't know whether it was a joint venture perhaps between Syria and North Korea working together," he said. "Our governments, however, do know the answers to some of these questions."

He continued with a jab at Israel's media: "What I don't understand really is the timid nature of the Isr
What I don't understand really is the timid nature of the Israeli press which I know knows a lot more about this strike than it's been willing to talk about.
aeli press which I know knows a lot more about this strike than it's been willing to talk about. I am sure somewhere in the Israeli press there is a John Peter Zengler who is willing to risk something in order to give the public more information about this."

John Peter Zengler was an 18th century publisher who was arrested for libelous sedition after printing criticism of the governor of New York and then acquitted, in what is considered a landmark trial in the development of the freedom of the press in the U.S.

Bolton explained that this information is being withheld for fear that if it came out that North Korea once again, following its game plan, was engaged in nuclear proliferation contrary to its obligations, it would embarrass the U.S. which is seeking ways to back off of North Korea.

Iran 'noticed' IAF raid
Regarding the IAF Syria raid, Bolton said: "The daring and successful Israeli military strike… has obvious significance for the potential of a military strike against Iran's nuclear program. I think, given the debacle caused by our National Intelligence Estimate, that it's close to zero likelihood that President Bush will authorize use of military force against Iran's program before he leaves office, absent some dramatic new development."

He concluded: "Certainly in Teheran you can bet that they took careful notice of what the Israeli Defense Force did. Penetrating Russian supplied radars very similar to the air defenses that Teheran has; using techniques that could be very useful for a long range strike against Iran; this is the kind of operation that the Iranians need
Iran may be leading in points but the final whistle is still far ahead.
to continue to worry about. Because I think with the collapse of American policy, the Israeli strike against the Syrian / North Korea facility is the harbinger of what may be – absent regime change in Teheran – the last resort… Unless you are prepared to see Iran proceed unmolested toward a nuclear weapons capability, which this NIE has given them free rein to do in my judgment, you are coming very close to a decision point in this country of whether you will use military force to stop Iran." 

Mofaz: next 2 years critical
Minister Shaul Mofaz hinted that Israel may indeed attack in Iran in order to prevent it from acquiring nuclear weapons.

Mofaz noted that the warming of relations between Arab countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia with Iran is "moving fast very quickly, while the world not only is not moving ahead – it is moving backwards."

"This reality," Mofaz said, "is a clear deterioration in the effort to halt Iran by diplomatic means and therefore the likelihood of the other options rises." He did cite a window of opportunity for diplomacy, however: "We have to find other ways to renew the momentum which ha
This time, no leader will be able to say 'we didn't know, we didn't understand.'
s weakened… The diplomatic timetable is getting shorter, the next two years are critical to halt Iran using diplomatic methods," he estimated. 

Mofaz added: "Reality is complex but the picture is very clear: Iran may be leading in points but the final whistle is still far ahead… It is clear that the current trend must be reversed; and all the means are justified. This is a historical time… This time, no leader will be able to say 'we didn't know, we didn't understand the importance of this time.' The world must do everything that is necessary in order to assure a future of peace and prosperity for the next generations as well."

A week before the release of the long-awaited Winograd Report on the government's handling of the Lebanon War, bereaved parents hand in their own report - and it's not pretty. 

The Winograd Report is likely to contain stinging criticism of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's handling of the Second Lebanon War, which may even lead to public pressure for his resignation - to which he he has said he does not intend to give in.  But the report by parents of fallen soldiers, submitted to the Knesset Wednesday under the name "How the Mighty Have Fallen," minces no words - and calls directly for his resignation.

The alternative report also calls on Defense Minister Ehud Barak, head of the Labor Party, to fulfill his promise of several months ago, and quit the coalition if the Winograd Report says Olmert handled the war poorly. 

Barak took over as Defense Minister after Amir Peretz - his predecessor in both the Defense Ministry and the Labor Chairmanship - was ousted by the party, largely because of his performance during the war. 

The Winograd "Compromise"
The Winograd Commision was appointed in September 2006, just a few weeks after the Second Lebanon War ended - the result of public pressure amidst a general feeling that Israel had done poorly in the war.  It is to submit its final conclusions to Olmert next Wednesday, January 30.

Calls had been made for a full-fledged State Commission of Inquiry, but Olmert finally agreed only to convene a lower-level investigation, naming former Tel Aviv Regional Court President Eliyahu Winograd to head a commission that would issue non-binding conclusions.

Shortly after the war ended, Olmert, then-Defense Minister Peretz, and then-IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Dan Halutz were widely accused of lack of preparedness, widespread misjudgments, and even making military decisions based on internal political considerations during the 2006 war with Hizbullah. In addition, many said the trio did not achieve the goals it promised before agreeing to a ceasefire - most notably, the release of the two soldiers who were taken captive by Hizbullah on the eve of the war.

On the other hand, as time passed, many on the left began claiming that Olmert should never have gone to war at all - and the Winograd Commission investigated these claims as well.

Conclusions Not Officially Binding
Halutz has since resigned, and Peretz was all but deposed - leaving only Olmert to face the music.  The Winograd Commisssion announced several weeks ago, however, that it would not issue recommendations regarding the political future of Olmert or other military or political figures.  Nonetheless, the Commission's conclusions are expected to be critical in determining Israel's political future for the coming months.  Possible scenarios include public pressure for Olmert to resign, Labor's quitting the coalition, the calling of new elections - or the continuation of the status quo, despite all.

The alternative report prepared by the bereaved parents includes detailed accounts of how their sons fell in the war's various battles with Hizbullah terrorists in southern Lebanon.  "Our report contains specific conclusions regarding the responsibility of the leaders," said Ariela Goldman, whose son Noam was one of 15 soldiers killed in four battles on August 9, 2006.  She told Army Radio's Yoni Sheinfeld that the parents' report is therefore the "true national investigative report."

The alternative report has a publicly political side to it, in that the "conclusions" chapter was written by Tafnit Party leader and avowed Olmert-opponent Uzi Dayan.

Tens of thousands of PA Arabs crossed the Gaza-Egypt border Wednesday morning after masked Hamas men bombed the border fence in at least 15 locations.

Almost the entire metal border fence has been torn down. Some of the Gazans crossed back into Gaza after buying gas, cigarettes and other supplies in the Egyptian side of the town of Rafiah, which straddles the border. Many, however, continued to el-Arish, where they will apparently stay as refugees. Egyptian and Hamas police stood aside as bulldozers arrived to complete the demolition of the wall.

Initial reports pointed to "unknown gunmen," but A-Shark Al-Awsat, a leading Arabic paper, says Hamas security forces were involved in the demolition. 

Israel relinquished control of the Gaza-Egyptian border, known as the Philadelphi Route, following the 2005 Disengagement, at the urging of the US and with promises that European Union observers would monitor the border. Since then, it has stayed open for months at a time.

More than fifty women were wounded by Egyptian gunfire Tuesday as an all-female riot broke out on the Gaza side of the crossing and the women tried to break through to Egypt. The Egyptians began with water-cannons but shooting broke out eventually; it is unclear who shot first, the Egyptian police or the Hamas men circulating in the crowd.

Israel has backed down from placing a full blockade on Gaza, delivering butane gas for cooking and diesel fuel for Gaza’s power plant, as well as medicines. Despite the delivery, more than 20 rockets were fired at Israeli towns in the western Negev Tuesday.

Fatah in Gaza said it was behind the latest rocket-fire and declared it would continue to fire rockets at Israel. Fatah’s chief, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, is the recipient of billions of dollars in pledges from the international community, as well as US efforts to fund and train his armed forces.

Oren Shachor, a former IDF general who was forced to resign for having leaked details of secret Hevron negotiations to then-opposition leader Shimon Peres, is just the latest public figure to say Israel has no choice but to enter Gaza with military force.

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Speaking with Arutz-7's Uzi Baruch on Tuesday, Shachor said, "[We have] to enter with a sufficiently strong military force to stop the rocket-firing altogether."  He added that the army forces "will apparently have to remain there longer than just a short time.  We have no other choice...  I don't mean we should conquer the area; that's too strong of a word. But we have to be there with sufficiently strong forces that will prevent them from firing rockets."

The retired general admitted that the unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2005 was a mistake: "At the time, I thought differently, but there is [now] no doubt that the Disengagement was an error.  It has resulted in the formation of a Hamastan state in Gaza... In addition, there is an entire population that is still without homes and with unsolved problems - many thousands of people.  I believe that we should admit openly: The Disengagement was a mistake."

Shachor recommends sanctions such as cutting off fuel and electricity to Gaza "in a much more massive manner [than is being done at present], in a way that will get the Palestinian civilian population to rise against those who fire the rockets and tell them, 'We've had it, no more.'"

Shachor's History
As Coordinator of Government Activities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza during the mid-90's, Shachor held a top position on negotiating teams with Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Authority - especially regarding the Hevron Agreement.  He apparently misused his power; it was learned in late 1996 that he had leaked information on the negotiations to Shimon Peres and Yossi Beilin - two leading opposition left-wing Knesset Members.  As a result, Shachor was ultimately forced to resign from the army.

In August 1997, Shachor reportedly toyed with the idea of joining the far-left Meretz party, but in the end announced that he was joining the Labor Party, just to the right of Meretz.  His left-wing positions included support for the formation of a Palestinian Authority industrial park near Jenin, in close proximity to Jewish communities in the Shomron - in opposition to the Ministries of the Interior, Industry and Trade, and the Environment. 

However, he took a hawkish view against the PA's violation of its Oslo obligations, and often said - at times of increased Arab terrorism - that military activity was preferable to negotiations.  In June 2002, for instance, he said that Israel had no choice but to take over and remain in PA-controlled areas.  "This is the only way to prevent the sprouting up of a new terrorist infrastructure," he told Arutz-7. "It is especially easy for them to prepare suicide attacks [if we are not there]; it's obvious that this is so... I'm sure we can convince the U.S. of the importance [of such a step], and even if we can't convince the Europeans, they will have complaints against us in any event, so it doesn't matter.  We have to worry first and foremost about our own security."

In May 2004, during a military offensive in Gaza, Shachor said, "Even if there is a disengagement [withdrawal from Gaza] next year, we will have to enter Gaza and put things into shape.  The disengagement will not stop terrorism..."

A PA court in Hevron Tuesday sentenced two PA police to just 15 years in jail for the murder of off-duty IDF soldiers David Rubin and Achikam Amichai.

The two boys, childhood friends, were ambushed and attacked by four armed terrorists while they were hiking near the Telem Stream in the Hevron region with a female friend.

The young men engaged the terrorists in combat even after they were shot, managing to kill one terrorist and save the life of the female hiker. Two of the surviving terrorists sought refuge with the PA police force in hopes of avoiding arrest by Israel.

Only after the Shabak (General Security Service) filed a request with the Fatah-led PA to return the weapons of the murdered soldier did the PA admit that PA police officer Amr Taha and Islamic court clerk Ali Dandanes had “turned themselves in” to a PA police facility immediately after the murder.

The Olmert government has ordered the IDF to stand down, even though operational plans were ready to be put in effect to apprehend the killers.

Rabbi Yehuda Amichai, father of Achikam, says that the PA has no right to be the arbiter of justice in this case. “The State of Israel must bring these murderers to justice,” he demanded Wednesday. “Prime Minister Ehud Olmert must display some sense of national dignity and reverse this cowardice that allows these paid employees of the PA to serve out their terms at Jericho’s casino.”

Speaking with Haaretz, a member of the PA court said that the offense that the convicted men were guilty of was sabotaging the plans to entrust large parts of Judea and Samaria to PA police once more. He explained the speedy trial, saying that according to agreements with Israel, criminals sentenced by the PA can no longer be extradited to Israel.

Related Stories:
Photo Essay: Mt Herzl Funeral of Achikam Amichai and David Rubin
Haaretz 'Eulogy': Rumors and Insinuations of ‘Jewish Terrorism’
Photo Feature: Mourning Achikam Amichai, Hero, Lover of the Land
Report: Israel Will Not Seek Capture of Hikers' Killers

The Israel Policy Center (IPC), a public policy institute based in Jerusalem, has initiated steps that may take the issue of prayer in Israel's public schools to the courts. The IPC, through its attorney Itzhak Bam, sent letters to the mayor of Ramat Gan and the principal of a school in the city on Monday demanding that high-school students wishing to pray on campus during recess be allowed to do so. If not, the IPC warned, the next stop would be
There is no legislation that limits the freedom of religion of students in non-religious public schools.
seeking relief from the courts.

According to students in the Ohel Shem public high school in Ramat Gan, the administration has been prohibiting them from holding prayers on school grounds during breaks. Among the sanctions imposed or threatened by the school teachers and principal, the IPC discovered, were the prevention of prayers, disallowing students to take necessary exams, and expulsion. The students told the IPC that they were praying the afternoon prayer in empty classrooms and other non-disruptive areas during their own free time. According to Jewish Law, daily afternoon prayers are held in quorams of at least ten men aged 13 and above.

Students at Ohel Shem High School
ohel-shem.com

Dr. Yitzhak Klein, Director of the IPC, said, "This regulation violates basic democratic rights. Who would have imagined that it would be in the modern state of Israel that such rules against Jewish freedom of worship would be imposed?"

When the issue first came to light, in late December, school officials argued that the students would be allowed to leave school grounds and attend prayer services in a nearby synagogue if they wished to do so. Holding prayers on school grounds was a "provocation," they said. Regarding the possibility of prayer off-campus, IPC noted, after visiting the campus and talking with students, that such an arrangement is unjustified and necessitates the students missing parts of the classes held immediately thereafter.

The IPC lawyer letters, addressed to Mayor Tzvi Bar and Ohel Shem Principal Adam Koenigsberg, emphasized that "freedom of religion is a basic right in Israel." Attorney Bam wrote, "There is no legislation that limits the freedom of religion of students in non-religious public schools. It is precisely on the grounds of a public school, which is an arm of the state and the Education Ministry, that the religious freedom of students seeking to pray during recess must not be limited beyond what is necessary for the sake of discipline."

In his letter to Principal Koenigsberg, Attorney Bam expressed doubt that teachers would seek to interfere with the students, including marking down the names of those involved, had they been gathering for a moment of silence. "It is specifically the religious nature of the gathering and that it is for prayer that motivates the administration's actions," Bam charges.

Heavy snows have fallen in the Golan Heights and on Mt. Hermon. Schools and roads are closed and drivers are warned to exercise caution.

Snowfall accumulated in the northern Golan on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, leading authorities to announce the closure of local schools and several main roads. Children were sent home from school early on Tuesday due to the impending blizzard.

Highway 91 is closed from Shirion Junction to Ein Zivan, Highway 959 from Waset Junction to El Rom, Road 978 from Waset to Mas'ada and Road 99 from the Mapal Saar Junction to Mas'ada.

Fish farmers in northern Israel report that the weather killed 2,000 tons of Amnon (St. Peter's Fish). Banana farmers are also reporting heavy losses.

The Mt. Hermon Ski Resort is not yet open for skiing. The snow can be viewed via the webcams on the resort's web site.

Rains on Tu B'Shvat, Storm A-Comin'
Badly needed rains felll in most areas of Israel over the Tu B'Shvat New Year for trees Monday night and Tuesday.  Approximately three-quarters of an inch of rain fell in the several sections of Israel from Monday night through Wednesday morning, including the western Galilee and the southern Hevron Hills.

Weather forecasters report that current maps show a large winter storm heading for the region over the weekend. Temperatures will rise on Thursday, but rain is expected to fall on the Sabbath, accompanied by near-freezing temperatures. The longer-term forecast calls for the storm to intensify through the middle of next week, with the possibility of more snow in the north.

The operators of the Hermon Ski Resort say one more day of snowfall will be enough to open the slopes to the public.