International Glance
There are now more than 300,000 residents living in Jewish West Bank settlements, according to a Israel Defense Forces Civil Administration report covering the first half of 2009.
As of June 30, the settlements had 304,569 residents, an increase of 2.3 percent since January. Most of the growth was in the most religious communities, including the ultra-Orthodox settlements. Modi'in Ilit gained 1,879 residents, a 4.5 percent increase. Beitar Ilit gained 1,074 residents, a 3.1 percent jump.
IDF: More than 300,000 settlers live in West Bank
11 new outposts planned during Mitchell visit
Right-wing organizations are planning to set up 11 new West Bank outposts in two days.
The groups, led by the Land of Faithful movement, have called on right-wing activists to found the outposts on Monday and Tuesday while U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell is visiting Israel.
The number 11 is a reference to the 11 Negev settlements set up in one night in 1946 during the British Mandate.
"Only the establishment of settlements will put the State of Israel back on the track of independence and growth, and will create national resilience in the face of international pressure," reads a pamphlet distributed by the organizations.
Jordan Begins Revoking Palestinians' Citizenship
Fearing that Israel is hatching a plan to declare Jordan the official Palestinian state, Jordanian officials have begun revoking Palestinians' citizenship en masse, stirring panic.
Jordan's population is roughly 70 percent Palestinian, making the difficulty of this move quite obvious.
However, Jordan authorities say it is aimed at preventing Israel from forcing Palestinians out of Gaza. The former Palestinian citizens of Jordan will be allowed to stay as residents, so long as they obtain "yellow ID cards" from the government.
Israel ranks high in counterfeit pharmaceutical trade
We're on the map, but the wrong map: In 2008 Israel ranked eighth in the world's counterfeit pharmaceuticals trade, with 78 reported cases of fake drugs worth up to NIS 100 million. And those were only the cases that were caught.
The figures, based on data from the World Health Organization, Health Ministry and drug safety watchdogs, were released at a conference on drug counterfeiting last week, sponsored by the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Pharma Israel. But clearly, the figures reveal only part of the problem, as they reflect only fake drugs that were caught.
Israeli agents to screen judges before appointment
Israel's internal security service has been given a de facto veto over the appointment of judges in an unprecedented decision that has the country's embattled liberals up in arms.
The move by the Judges Selection Committee on Friday is likely to make it harder for members of Israel's Arab minority and others with views that are not mainstream to become judges.
Housing Minister: Spread of Arab population must be stopped
Housing Minister Ariel Atias on Thursday warned against the spread of Arab population into various parts of Israel, saying that preventing this phenomenon was no less than a national responsibility.
"I see [it] as a national duty to prevent the spread of a population that, to say the least, does not love the state of Israel," Atias told a conference of the Israel Bar Association, which focused on a reforming Israel's Land Administration.
TVNL Comment: Calling Israel a democracy is a back joke. But no American politician dares to challenge that myth.
Army overthrows Honduras president
The Honduran army ousted and exiled leftist President Manuel Zelaya on Sunday in Central America's first military coup since the Cold War, triggered by his bid to make it legal to seek another term in office.
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