Clinton Dispatched to Israel

Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has been dispatched to Jerusalem. She will be arriving this Sunday. Although special envoy George Mitchell had been the lead-person in the diplomatic approach to the Middle East of the Obama Administration, the Secretary's trip to Jerusalem seems to suggest that she will take a more active role on the Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

Iran, Israel Attend secret Nuclear Meeting in Cairo

Israeli and Iranian atomic energy officials met at a meeting in Cairo last month according to the Israeli Atomic Energy Commission. The meeting was held under the auspices of the Internaltional Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament, and included representatives from the Arab League, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Jordon, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, and U.S. and European officials. Iran has denied the report. Read more at the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Haaretz, Xinhua and Al Jazeera.

Ahmadinejad Vows to Avenge Bombing

The Jerusalem Post reports that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has vowed revenge on those responsible for a suicide bombing that killed 5 senior commanders of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and 26 others. Ahmadinejad and Iranian state television have accused foreigners, notably Americans and Britons, of recruiting terrorists to carry out this attack in their ever-present effort to topple the regime. Read more at Al Jazeera, the Financial Times, and the New York Times.

Military Seeks $1.3 Billion for Projects in Afghanistan

The Washington Post reports that the United States military is requesting $1.3 billion as part of the 2010 defense appropriations bill to be used for infrastructure projects in Afghanistan to support the presence of U.S. troops through 2010 and beyond.

UN Condemns 'War Crimes' in Gaza

BBC News reports that a UN report on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that ended at the beginning of 2009, concludes that there is evidence that war crimes were committed on both sides. The report cites Israel's collective punishment of Gazans, and other actions amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity.