FEATURED JOBS
Comments (0)The United States and Israel will enhance civil aviation security cooperation.
“The real-time exchange of information with our international partners is critical to our efforts to enhance overall global aviation security,” Janet Napolitano, the Homeland Security secretary, said in a joint statement Tuesday with her Israeli counterpart, Yisrael Katz. “This agreement will allow the United States and Israel to better coordinate on and respond to potential aviation security incidents to strengthen our mutual safety.”
The memorandum of understanding establishes “designated points of contact for each agency; protocols for notification in the event of an incident; mechanisms to enhance communication; and regular exercises,” the statement said.
The statement also noted other existing agreements, including the recent stationing of U.S. Homeland Security officials in Israel and a 2007 agreement which covered “aviation security, emergency planning and response, and homeland security-related research and protocols.”
Arab League Supports Reopening Peace Talks
The Arab League agreed to support the resumption of indirect peace talks with Israel.
The Arab foreign ministers at an Arab League meeting Wednesday in Cairo agreed in principle to support four months of indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who was at this week’s meeting, has said he would abide by the decision of the league’s ministerial committee.
Abbas has said he will not return to direct negotiations until Israel halts all settlement building in the West Bank and eastern Jerusalem.
Talks have been stalled for more than a year.
The league will meet in July to assess the talks’ progress. It may still set conditions on resuming the talks, including a complete halt to building in the settlements while talks go on, according to Ynet.
Hamas Leader Disowns Spy Son
A Hamas leader has disowned his son after learning that he spied on the terrorist group for Israel.
Sheik Hassan Yousef, who has been held in an Israeli prison since 2005, said in a statement released Monday that he, his wife and other children disown his oldest son. The statement was reportedly was smuggled out of the prison.
Mosab Hassan Yousef, 32, served for more than a decade as the Shin Bet’s most valuable source on Hamas. He converted to Christianity 10 years ago and left the West Bank in 2007 for California, where he now lives.
His spying was reported last week by the Israeli daily Haaretz in advance of this week’s release of “Son of Hamas,” a book written by Yousef and Rob Brackin. Yousef reportedly was codenamed “The Green Prince” by the Mossad. His intervention reportedly led to the prevention of dozens of suicide bombing attacks and assassination attempts on Israeli officials, and the exposing of several terrorist cells.
Yousef’s father reportedly had earlier denied his son was ever an active member of Hamas.