High Internet Usage Allows for Larger Flow of Information

          Many countries in the Middle East and around the world suffer several consequences due to their lack of flow of information. Israel, however, seems to be the exception in the Middle East.

          Israel, with a population in 2010 of about 7,300,000 had an internet user percentage of about 71.6%. Other countries in the Middle East, such as Iraq, who has over four times the population size of Israel, had an internet user percentage of only 1.1% in 2010.

          Due to the high number of people living in Israel that have regular access to the internet, Israel has become the exception to the suppression of political and social information in the Middle East. The people living in Israel have access to the free flow of information, and currently Israel is the only country in the Middle East with a democratic government. This free flow of information definitely encourages the spread of such democracy throughout the country.

          Most other countries in the Middle East reported an internet user percentage of less than 50%.

-information collected from http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats5.htm

Controversy over Hamas commander's death

          Tayser Abu Snima, a Hamas commander that is believed by the Israeli military to be involved in the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shilat, was pronounced dead due to air strikes on the Gaza Strip on Saturday by Israel's army. 

          However, Abu Ubaida, spokesperson for Hamas's armed wing, rejected the Israeli military claim, saying, "The enemy does not have the information about Shalit's capture to be able to say who among our leaders had a role in its execution."


          This sparks even more controversy over the Gaza-Israel border disputes, as both militaries seem to be only giving out the information that they want the public to know, not necessarily what is really happening.


          Shilat was captured during a cross-border raid in 2006 through a prisoner swap, but disagreements are still arising about whether Israel will choose to try to free Shilat or another prisoner. Shilat is believed to be held captive in the costal enclave and is probably still alive.


          The death toll in Gaza is now up to 18, and air raids and attacks on both sides still are continuing without any sign of an agreement being reached. 




-information collected from aljazeera.com

Israel Launches its new "Iron Dome" rocket shield

          Israel is now launching its new "Iron Dome" rocket shield to help track and destroy air attacks from neighboring gaza, due to recent attacks the country has faced.


          This new Iron Dome system, just north of Beersheba, will provide increased security by helping to locate rockets and destroy them before they land and cause any destruction in Israel. The system uses high-tech radar and cameras to locate these rockets, predict where they will land, and then destroy them before they get a chance to damage any towns. If it is assessed that the rocket will land in an open area, the technology of the Iron Dome system will allow it to land safely, since no harm to Israeli's will be likely to occur.


          "I do not want to create an illusion that the Iron Dome system, which we are deploying for the first time today, will provide a full or comprehensive response," said Mr. Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel. 


          This new technology is expected to be up and fully running within just a few months, and will hopefully provide extra security to the Israeli population. 


-from aljazeera.com 

from: www.defensetech.org

Israel Strikes Gaza again, but is it legitimate?

          Israel reportedly seized a Liberian-flagged vessel on Tuesday, due to charges that that weaponry on board was intended to be used for terror organizations that are currently operating in the Gaza Strip, according to a statement released by the Israeli military.

          However, Ramin Mehmanparast, an Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson, denied the allegations made by Israel and said that the Israeli military was producing these statements as a way to create propaganda for themselves.

          This poses the question, what media can be trusted? Israel seems to be more stable than Libya, according to recent news, but does that make the media trustworthy? Numerous problems between Libya and Israel have been occurring for several years, and with the unrest in Libya, it is hard to determine between truth and exaggeration in the media.

          The crew on the ship didn't put up an struggle and will be transported to an Israeli port for further questioning and investigation.

-information collected from aljazeera.com

Israel's News Freedom

"Freedom House is deeply concerned about the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the damage being done to the prospects for peace in the Middle East as Israel and Hamas escalate their attacks on one another.  Freedom House calls on the United States government to intervene energetically to effect a durable ceasefire." --freedomhouse.org


          Israel itself has a relatively free news system, but because of its surrounding borders, the news has often been censored. Due to the continuing unrest between the Gaza-Israeli border, censorship of the media still does exist. 

Looking for help from the U.S.

          Due to all of the recent revolts and uprisings in the Middle East, Israel is considering asking the United States for approximately $20 billion in security assistance to help protect Israel and it's borders.

          The changes are a "movement in the right direction," said Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak. However, the changes still pose a threat to Israel, and precautions need to be taken.

          About 9% of Israel's gross national product is spent on protection and prevention of potential threats. It doesn't appear that Israel is in immediate danger of any threats, but precautions are being taken in order to keep Israel out of the uprisings in the Middle East.

          TelAviv has been keeping an eye out on all the government protests in Egypt and across the Middle East in order to keep protests and uprisings from reaching Israel borders.

-information from alJazeera Magazine: www.aljazeera.com

Defense Minister Ehud Barak

photo from: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.fcas.nova.edu/arts/distinguished_speakers_series/ehud_barak/grfx/Barak_Ehud_250.jpg

Israel Still Pushes for Peace Negotiations with Palestine

          New efforts to create peace with the Palestinians were brought up on Wednesday, but as of now, it seems as if Israel will have to step back from reaching some sort of framework agreement and resolve some of the core issues going on between the two countries. 

          Instead of having a finalized peace and border agreement by fall, Israel is considering pushing for an interim arrangement as a step toward a two-state solution, potentially without the approval or agreement by the Palestinians. 

          It seems unlikely, though, that the Palestinians would be peaceful with such an arrangement. They have consistently rejected similar proposals since 2003 and all attempts to implement such a plan have never made it past the first stage without revolts. 

          Saleh Raafat, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organization executive committee, commented that "the position of the P.L.O is unchangeable. We have strictly rejected all Israeli and non-Israeli offers that call on the establishment of a Palestinian State with temporary borders. The P.L.O. has also affirmed its refusal of all interim and partial solutions."