Israel

Alternative Fuels Sought
 
The Shenkar College of Engineering and Design in Tel Aviv, founded in 1970
to provide training in Israel’s growing number of commercial industries, has
founded the Ben S. Marcus Research and Development Center for Clean Energy
Sources.
In announcing the center, the school said it hoped to become a major player
in the field of alternative clean energy sources in general and solar energy
in particular. It plans to initially emphasize research on solar cells and

Ashkelon, Israel— Fatah fighters newly exiled from Gaza this week lay wounded in the orthopedic ward of Ashkelon’s Barzilai Hospital under the guard of M-16-toting Israeli soldiers, who consider them terrorists. Despite that, these fighters consider the gunmen of Hamas a greater threat.

“In spite of the animosity between us, the Jews are more sympathetic and more humane toward us than Hamas,” explained Atef Hilles, 31.

While most people concerned about potential health risks from fish focus on the mercury levels, researchers in a Tel Aviv University laboratory are seeking to determine the impact of the antibiotics in them.

“Fish farmers want the highest density of fish and that means less of an area for them to swim and an increased likelihood of them developing infections,” explained Arie Nesher, director of the university’s Porter School of Environmental Studies.

Sde Boker, Israel — Declining rainfall and what some contend is government mismanagement have lowered Israel’s aquifers to their lowest level ever and prompted Water Authority Director Uri Shani to announce “the worst water crisis in the nation’s history.”

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced today that he will not run seek re-election as the leader of his Kadima Party and that he will step down as prime minister to allow the winner of the election to succeed him.

The announcement, which was made during a live television address to the nation Wednesday evening, came just one day after the Kadima Party set Sept. 17 as the date of the primary.

It was a moment that almost perfectly defined this week’s United Jewish Appeal young leadership conference in Washington. In one section of the vast Washington Hilton ballroom, hundreds of young Jews were intently listening as special U.S. peace envoy Dennis Ross and Israeli Ambassador Eliahu Ben-Elissar gave sharply differing views of the current Israeli-Palestinian stalemate.

Both major presidential candidates have joined Congress in expressing strong support for Israel in the wake of the continuing violence in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.
Except for some bickering about oil policy, the current Mideast mess has not been a campaign issue.
But Ralph Nader and his Green Party are looking through a different lens. This week the former consumer advocate issued harsh broadsides, blaming Israel for the disorders.

At Last, Israel In At UN

by James D. Besser
Washington Correspondent
This week’s historic decision giving Israel provisional membership in one of five important United Nations regional groups was hailed by Jewish and political leaders.

But they also warned that the decision to admit Israel to the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) was just the first step in what will be a long, slogging battle to remove institutional barriers to Israel’s full participation in various UN bodies.

Does The U.S. Have A Plan?

Where To Turn Next in Stalled Middle East Talks?