Israeli court orders release of Egyptian children held in custody

The Central Israeli Court issued a ruling on Wednesday for the release of three children who have been imprisoned in Israel for three months on allegations of having infiltrated the country. The Israeli prosecution decided not to appeal the case, which calls for imposing the maximum penalty on the three children.
Their families said that their sons did not commit any crimes that deserve imprisonment, and that they were merely trying to help their families by finding work in Israel.
The children’s names are Salah Ahmed Abdullah, Mohamed Abdel Hamid Salmi, and Fayez Abdul Hamid Rashid. http://www.almasryalyoum.com/en/node/502283

Gilad Atzmon:Foreign Interests In Our Midst

For British readers.
The Jewish Chronicle reported yesterday that Israeli War Criminal Mrs Tzipi Livni is heading to Britain following the amendment of Britain’s universal jurisdiction law.

Under the old terms, ethically driven British citizens were able to apply for an arrest warrant for suspected war criminals. That meant that Israeli political and military leaders were strictly advised to stay away from this kingdom. http://www.gilad.co.uk/writings/gilad-atzmon-foreign-interests-in-our-midst.html
 

Haaretz: Panetta Arrives in Israel for ‘Urgent Consultations’ on Iran

I have been writing for more than two years about the possibility of an Israeli war against Iran (make no mistake, an Israeli attack on Iran will notbe just a single discrete operation, but involve an ongoing, and regional war).  And I’ve never felt closer to the idea it was going to happen.  If it does, all of the political developments that led up to it should be fodder for an international studies colloquim on national conflicts, how they start, how to avoid them, and how needless and futile they are.
Today, Haaretz blares a headline (Hebrew print edition only) for a story by Amos Harel:

Second Meeting in Two Weeks:
U.S. Defense Secretary Arrives for Urgent Consultation on Iran

This is no ordinary meeting. http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/2011/10/03/haaretz-panetta-arrives-in-israel-for-urgent-consultations-on-iran/

Former Mossad chief: Iran far from achieving nuclear bomb

Former Mossad chief Meir Dagan said Monday that a military strike on Iran was "far from being Israel's preferred option," telling the Council for Peace and Security that "there are currently tools and methods that are much more effective." http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/former-mossad-chief-iran-far-from-achieving-nuclear-bomb-1.388090

Assad: Syria will shower Tel Aviv with rockets if attacked by foreign powers

Syria will strike Israel and "set fire" to the Middle East if foreign forces choose to launch a military strike on the protest-ridden country, the Iranian news agency Fars quoted Syrian President Bashar Assad as saying on Tuesday, referring to remarks made by the Syrian leader during a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu last August. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/assad-syria-will-shower-tel-aviv-with-rockets-if-attacked-by-foreign-powers-1.388135

Lebanese minister: Goldwasser, Regev were killed by IDF fire

Israeli bombardment killed two Israel Defense Forces soldiers whose capture by Hezbollah began the Second Lebanon War in 2006 and whose bodies were returned to Israel two years later, a Lebanese minister said on Wednesday. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/lebanese-minister-goldwasser-regev-were-killed-by-idf-fire-1.388282

Panetta warns Israel getting more isolated

ON BOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT (AP) — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warned Sunday that Israel is becoming increasingly isolated in the Middle East, and said Israeli leaders must restart negotiations with the Palestinians and work to restore relations with Egypt and Turkey. http://news.yahoo.com/panetta-warns-israel-getting-more-isolated-233326761.html

Tel Aviv's tent city movement lurches towards its end

The era of the Tel Aviv tent cities came closer to an end on Sunday, as municipality clerks visited the Rothschild boulevard campsite and others across the city and told residents that Sunday was their last day to voluntarily fold up their tents and still receive assistance from the city in evacuating.  http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=240245

Iran assails two-state solution for Palestinians

(AP)  TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's supreme leader assailed a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians on Saturday, saying the Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations is doomed to fail.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said the Palestinians should not limit themselves to seeking a country within the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip — which would implicitly recognize Israel — because "all land belongs to Palestinians." http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/10/01/ap/middleeast/main20114252.shtml?tag=re1.channel

The humiliation of Barack Obama

Sooner or later, it's going to happen. Most likely, the moment will come just before his first head-of-state meeting in New York. Or perhaps it will happen just before his first side-bar meeting with Binyamin Netanyahu. Or then again, it may come as the cumulative reaction to a series of embarrassing encounters with fellow world leaders. But the moment will come.
At some point this coming week, during his visit to the this year's opening of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, US President Barack Obama is going to have a nearly irresistible urge. He is going to want to stand up to his hovering political handlers and the smothering bureaucracy which tries to dictate his every move, summon his personal dignity, and say "Enough".http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/09/2011919102245537768.html