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U.S., Israel Cool to Proposal for Palestinian Unity Government
by Glenn Kessler
 Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni reacted skeptically to a proposed unity Palestinian government that would include Hamas, saying the militant group must first renounce terrorism and accept Israel's right to exist before restrictions on international aid can be lifted. Rice said, "It's hard to have a partner for peace if you don't accept the right of the other partner to exist. It goes without saying that it's hard to have a process for peace if you do not renounce violence." (Washington Post)
See also Rice: Release Israeli Soldiers "Unconditionally" (State Department)
Elie Wiesel Joins Call to Expel Iran from UN
by Dan Bentsur
 With the opening of the UN General Assembly, Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel has joined a call by Israeli legal scholars and public personalities who are calling for the expulsion of Iran from the UN due to the statements of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and other members of the Iranian national security establishment. The group was established at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs “in order to warn of the violations by the Iranian president of the 1949 Convention to prevent and punish the crime of genocide and to propose the initiation of legal proceedings against Ahmadinejad within the UN framework.” (Ynet News)
Knesset: Israel Should Prepare for Rocket Threat
by Gideon Alon
 A Knesset subcommittee reported last week that Israel could be subject to an even greater rocket assault in future conflicts than that it experienced during the Lebanon war. "What the home front experienced during the current war is the tip of the iceberg compared to what could happen here in future wars," acording to a report presented by the subcommittee of inquiry into home front preparedness during the war. (Ha'aretz)
Amid Pope's Remarks, Five Churches Attacked in Palestinian Areas
 Churches have come under attack in the West Bank and Gaza Saturday as Muslims protest remarks by Pope Benedict. Palestinians used guns, firebombs and lighter fluid to attack four Christian churches in the West Bank town of Nablus. Gunmen opened fire on a fifth church in Gaza. The furor follows a speech by the pope in Germany, when he cited a Medieval text that called some teachings of Islam's founder "evil and inhuman." (AP)
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Jewish Groups to Rally for Israel
 Thousands of Jews and non-Jews will greet members of the U.N. General Assembly with a message of solidarity with Israel this week. They also want to show Iran’s president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, that his anti-Israel, anti-Semitic and anti-Western policies will not be tolerated. The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Jewish Community Relations Council of New York, United Jewish Communities and the UJA-Federation of New York will hold a “Stand with Israel” rally in New York on Sept. 20. The rally aims to show solidarity with Israel and support for the war on terrorism and will call for the release of three Israeli soldiers taken captive this summer by Hizballah and Hamas. (JTA)
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Israel Tourism Ministry and Presidents' Conference Launch Joint Tourism Appeal Over High Holy Days
 "Israel: Taking you higher," is the theme of a tourism promotion campaign being launched in the U.S. over the High Holy Days by Israel's Ministry of Tourism and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. "Israel had a difficult summer, one that was particularly hard on the tourism industry in the northern part of the country," explained Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice-President of the Presidents' Conference, "so we are urging American Jews to make the commitment over Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur to visit Israel very soon." (Travel Video News)
Hizballah: Staying Put, Staying Armed
by Roee Nahmias
 Hizballah leader Nasrallah said in an interview aired last week on al-Jazeera: "There is no area south of the Litani [River] which is demilitarized. The resistance is there....We did not leave that area, as we are residents of the villages along the border. We are along the border. We have indeed cancelled our exposed points, but no one can prevent us from remaining on our lands." (Ynet News)
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