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It is often said that the state of Israel has made the desert bloom. Now, through an initiative called the International Arid Lands Consortium (IALC) Israeli expertise is helping make other deserts around the world bloom as well, enabling people of arid lands to improve the quality of their lives and future generations. The IALC, founded in 1993, is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to exploring the problems and solutions unique to arid and semiarid regions. Working together, the IALC members promote cooperative research and practical application of new knowledge to develop sustainable ecological practices. The organization, based at the...

Israeli-developed armor that has been installed on American armored personnel carriers (APCs) in Iraq has saved "many lives", according to a letter of recognition the US Army has sent to Rafael, the Israel Armament Development Authority. The Bradley and 7AV APCs in the service of the US Army and the Marines, which play a central role in the armed operations in Iraq, have been fitted over the last year with armor by Rafael in partial cooperation with the American General Dynamics company, based in Burlington, Vermont. A source in the company told ISRAEL21c that the letter stated, "When the fighting...

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics has developed a novel stem cell therapy to treat Parkinson's Disease - using a patient's own bone marrow stem cells to produce the missing chemical that enables restoration of motor movement. The process - which successfully alleviated symptoms of Parkinson's in rats - will be tested on monkeys next year, with human clinical trials scheduled for the following year. About 1.5 million Americans have been diagnosed with Parkinson's, a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease. Parkinson's affects those brain cells responsible for production of dopamine, the neurotransmitter that directs motor movement. Insufficient dopamine levels result in tremor, rigidity, slowness...

Hello and welcome to my weekly IDF and Israel thread. As part of my IDF and Israel ping list, I am publishing a series of fascinating stories and facts regarding the IDF or Israel, every friday- one topic once a week. I will include Israeli-Arab wars threads, IDF famous missions threads, stories regarding the life of an IDF soldier, topics about Middle East's strategic balance, etc. Feel free to ask questions about the IDF and Israel- from any kind, and to give suggestions for future topics as the information is for you. As I promised last week, today's topic will...

Purim is here again. Like its motto, "venahafoch hu", when nothing is quite what it seems to be, Purim represents complexity, confusion and conflict. It was a time of shortsightedness, even blindness, of contradictory options and opinions, of danger and fear, of hopelessness, and finally, of renewed emunah (faith), teshuvah (repentance), salvation and unprecedented joy. Purim may be a joyful, "fun" holiday today, but while it was happening, it was not a fun time at all. And it took a long while to transpire - nine long years of tension and fear from the time of Achashverosh's first banquet until...

As part of my IDF & Israel ping list, I am publishing a series of fascinating stories and facts regarding the IDF or Israel, every friday- one topic once a week. I will include Israeli-Arab wars threads, IDF famous missions threads, stories regarding the life of an IDF soldier, topics about Middle East's startegic balance, etc. Feel free to ask questions about the IDF and Israel- from any kind, and to give suggestions for future topics as the information is for you. Today is the 2nd publishment and today's thread will focus on the Founding of the Israel Defense Forces....

Lebanese opposition members have asked Israel to encourage the United States to pressure Syria into withdrawing its troops from Lebanon. In the wake of recent diplomatic activity aimed at getting Syria to withdraw its military forces from Lebanon, a top Syrian envoy headed Friday to Moscow to discuss the step with Russian officials. Lebanese figures contacted Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz's advisor, Uri Lubrani, among other officials in Jerusalem, and indicated they were determined to keep struggling against the Syrian presence in Lebanon but need American support.

Damascus says it wants peace talks, but anti-Semitic and anti-Israel books still widely available. Despite recent Syrian calls for renewed peace negotiations with Israel, Damascus continues to foment anti-Semitic hatred against the Jewish state. After airing hate-filled television shows, the Syrians continue to print anti-Semitic and anti-Israel books, such as the new edition of the infamous Protocols of the Elders of Zion. The brand new 2005 edition combines familiar anti-Semitic myths with contemporary political messages that encourage Palestinian terror and predict the State of Israel is destined to disappear, Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center here says. Moreover, the publisher chose...

Brother of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades leader planned series of deadly attacks in Israel. TEL AVIV - The Shin Bet and the IDF apprehended an Islamic Jihad member on December 30th, 2004, for allegedly planning a series of deadly attacks in Israel, a senior source revealed Tuesday. Jibril Zbeide, 19, is a senior member of the Islamic Jihad and the brother of Zakariya Zbeide, the leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Jenin. Zebeide, the younger brother, had been on Israel’s wanted list for a prolonged period until being apprehended. An M-16 rifle and magazines were found in his car...

A historic moment in the Middle East occurred Monday evening when Lebanese Prime Minister Omar Karami announced his government's resignation Monday, prompting a cheer from more than 25,000 flag-waving opposition demonstrators protesting against the government and its Syrian backers near parliament. "I am keen that the government will not be a hurdle in front of those who want the good for this country. I declare the resignation of the government that I had the honor to head. May God preserve Lebanon," Karami said. The resignation was a huge victory for the opposition and the most dramatic moment yet in the...

Security officials to present information tying Damascus to terror in bid to generate international pressure on Syria in wake of Tel Aviv bombing; IDF intelligence chief to brief foreign ambassadors. Israeli security officials carrying intelligence information proving Syria’s complicity in terror will be departing to the United States, France, and England Monday, in a bid to generate international pressure on Damascus. The “public relations” campaign is being initiated at a time when Syria is already facing intense international pressure, and comes in the wake of Friday’s terror attack in Tel Aviv. The security establishment has reportedly been able to acquire...

The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility on Saturday evening, from Damascus, for the deadly attack in Tel Aviv on Friday night. "The period of calm was set for one month, and that month is over," said Abu Tark, a senior member of the Jihad movement. "Israel did not obey the agreement, and that's what led to our action." The announcement confirms the security establishment's earlier suspicions, which also estimated that the Hizbulla was not involved. Defense officials estimated that the Islamic Jihad in Damascus had operated via one of its cells in the Tulkarm area. However, earlier on Saturday, two top...

Suicide bomber detonates charge at entrance to beachfront night club, close to 50 people injured, including 3 Americans. Security officials estimate Hizbullah involved in attack. TEL AVIV - Four people, three men and one woman, were killed and more than 50 were injured after a suicide bomber detonated himself at the entrance to a club near the Tel Aviv beach promenade Friday night. Three men, ages 28, 37, and 40, and a 27-year-old woman were killed in the attack. According to Abu Kabir Forensics Institute estimations, those who were killed from the blast stood in close vicinity to the suicide...

Russia's top nuclear official arrived in Teheran Friday to sign a deal to supply Iran with fuel for its first nuclear reactor - on condition the spent fuel is returned. The agreement, expected Saturday, will remove the last obstacle to the Bushehr reactor's coming on stream later this year or next year. The United States and Israel fear the Iranians could use the reactor to build nuclear weapons, but Russia argues that cannot happen as the spent fuel will be returned and UN nuclear experts will monitor the facility. The US-Russian summit in Bratislava, Slovakia, on Thursday touched on US...

As part of my IDF & Israel ping list, I am planning, starting from today, to start posting a series of fascinating stories and facts regarding the IDF or Israel, every friday- one topic once a week. Today I am going to start from the IDF doctrine, since its the basic thing to start from. I will include Israeli-Arab wars topic, IDF famous missions topic, stories regarding the life of an IDF soldier, topics about Middle East's startegic balance, etc. Feel free to ask questions about the IDF and Israel- from any kind, and to give suggestions for future topics...

According to survey, Israel leads in number of internet surfers for 2004, but lacks in speed. Israel had the highest percentage of Internet surfers in 2004 compared to Europe and the U.S, according to a survey by financial analyst Business Data Israel Ltd. More than 50 percent of Israel's 940,000 households have high-speed connections, compared to just 10% in Europe and 22% in the U.S, according to BDI, which provides business information on some 300,000 Israeli companies, as well as market surveys and sector analyses. According to BDI, 84% of Internet users in 2004 were secular, 14% were traditional-religious and...

U.S. President George Bush dismisses strike suggestions, but says "all options are on the table" WASHINGTON - The idea of an American attack on Iran's nuclear facilities is “simply ridiculous,” U.S. President George W. Bush said Tuesday. "Having said that, all options are on the table,” added Bush, who spoke in Brussels following a meeting with the 25 European Union foreign ministers, implying the U.nited States is not planning a military strike, but the move cannot be overruled should diplomatic efforts fail. “It's in our interests for them not to have a nuclear weapon,” he said. In the past, Bush...

International Court of Justice decision on security fence non-binding, State says in first official response to The Hague’s ruling; The International Court of Justice decision slamming the West Bank security fence construction is non-binding, Israel says in its first official response to the controversial ruling. Prime Minister Sharon and other government ministers have dismissed the decision taken by The Hague court earlier, but no substantive response to the ruling was provided until now. Israel says it is not obligated to obey by the court decision, because it objected to the question being raised at the world court to begin with....

Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz announced that he would appoint Maj.-Gen. Dan Halutz as the next IDF chief of staff. Mofaz's recommendation will be forwarded to the Appointments Committee, headed by judge Gabriel Bach and will then be brought before the cabinet for approval. After his approval, Halutz will began serving as IDF chief in July of this year, after current Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Moshe Ya'alon finishes his term. At 56, Halutz is the oldest general to be appointed to this top post. Born Daniel Zedah in Tel Aviv, Maj.-Gen. Dan Halutz is an ace with three downings of MiGs...

Early Monday morning, Israel released 500 Palestinians prisoners from the Ketziot military prison, and the newly freed detainees were transported to their homes in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as part of Israel's goodwill gestures to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had promised the release of the 500 prisoners at the Israeli-Palestinian summit in Sharm e-Sheikh earlier this month, where Sharon and Abbas declared a cease-fire to end four years of bloodshed. Fourteen buses, escorted by police and ambulances, were seen leaving the military prison camp at Ketziot in the southern Negev desert near the border...