Topic: Israeli Defense Forces

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Hezbollah 101: Who is the militant group, and what does it want?

The Shiite militant group and political party is a player not just in Lebanon, where it is based, but across the broader Middle East. It remains a staunch opponent of Israel, which it fought to a standstill in 2006, and a close ally of Iran and Syria – despite both regimes' crackdowns on citizens Hezbollah purports to champion.

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Israel accelerates cybersecurity know-how as early as 10th grade

Israel is strengthening cybersecurity recruitment and cooperation between hi-tech, academia, and the military as threats rise.
Terrorism & Security Syrian fighting spills into Golan Heights – and Israel's doorstep

The Syrian Army and rebels battled for control of Syria's crossing into the Golan Heights. The fighting lasted for seven hours and sent UN peacekeepers scrambling.
Terrorism & Security Syrian Army fires across border into Israel to retaliate for airstrikes

Today's incident marks the first time that Syria has admitted breaching the border with Israel since the civil war began.
Kerry makes headway with Middle East peace, but violence flares

Secretary of State John Kerry got an important boost yesterday when the Arab League agreed to soften the terms of their Middle East peace proposal.
Syria chemical weapons: Where did they come from? (+video)

The roots of Syria's chemical weapons program lie decades in the past, perhaps back to the 1970s. Other countries were early suppliers. What's uncertain now is if Syria can make its own chemical weapons.
Israel shoots down drone, Hezbollah denies it's theirs

The Shiite militant group in Lebanon has sent drones over Israel in the past, linking their use to Israeli violations of Lebanon's airspace.
Terrorism & Security Israel charges Syria with lethal chemical weapons use

The Israeli military says its evidence shows that the Syrian regime used sarin gas during a March clash with rebels, reversing earlier reports that no such weapons had been used.
Olive Press The trials of an Israeli Arab prosecuting Palestinians

Israeli Arab Arin Shaabi's job as a military prosecutor for the Israel Defense Forces puts her in the difficult position of handling the cases of fellow Arabs, earning her hatred from some.
Terrorism & Security Rockets fired from Egypt slam into Israeli resort town

An Islamist militant group claimed responsibility, citing retaliation for the Israeli attack on Palestinians protesting the death of an inmate in an Israeli prison.
Opinion Why it's no longer the chummy 1990s for Turkey, Israel

President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry are working hard to repair relations between Turkey and Israel. They deserve credit for their efforts. But much has changed for both countries since they cooperated in the 1990s, and progress toward rapprochement will likely be slow.
Secretary Kerry returning to Mideast: How much nudging will he do?

Seeking to build on Obama's recent visit, John Kerry will be in Turkey and Israel – already his third trip there as secretary – to signal the Mideast parties 'he's serious' about making peace.
Palestinian prisoner deaths cause a spark, but unlikely to start a blaze

Israel and Gaza both have an interest in keeping the calm that has prevailed since a November cease-fire.
At a West Bank seder, Jews commemorate a modern quest for freedom

For Jews living in the West Bank, a Passover seder is an opportunity to discuss how one of history's most famous liberation stories can apply to freedom struggles today.
Global News Blog Obama's Israel agenda: negotiate, visit sites – and dine with beauty queen

President Obama invited Yityish Aynaw, the first black Israeli to be named Miss Israel, to join him and the prime minister for a meal. Her success is a victory for long marginalized Ethiopian-Israelis.
Terrorism & Security UN peacekeepers pull out of Syrian-Israeli DMZ as civil war edges closer

The eight peacekeepers, who were escorted into Israel by the IDF, are part of the same battalion as 21 UN troops who were captured by Syrian rebels on Wednesday.
Backchannels Is a third Palestinian intifada coming?

Someday, something is going to have to give in the cold peace between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. But that's been true for years.
Israel braces for action along the Syrian border

The Israeli-Syrian border has been quiet under the Assad regime. But with government control slipping, and fighting sending errant fire into Israel, Israel may have to act.
Focus Why combat role for US women could reverberate worldwide

In many countries, women have historically served in combat when demographics demanded it. But the US move is based on equal opportunity for women – and could become a model for others.
Obama makes Page 1 in Israel ahead of elections, after US columnist quotes

Comments by Obama on Netanyahu published by Bloomberg columnist track ongoing disagreements between the two leaders over settlements and military action on Iran. But contretemps unlikely to cut into Netanyahu's large poll margins ahead of Jan. 22 elections.
West Bank welcomes Hamas back with excitement - and apprehension

Still riding a wave of popularity after the Gaza war, Hamas held celebratory rallies throughout the West Bank. But worries about a return to the chaos and violence of the intifada are bubbling up.
Merkel meets Netanyahu as Israel and Germany hit rocky patch

Germany's abstention from the UN vote on the status of the Palestinian Authority angered Israel and raised questions about whether Germany's once almost unconditional support is changing.
Opinion US support for Mahmoud Abbas's UN bid for Palestine could save two-state solution (+video)

Mahmoud Abbas hopes to save his legacy with a bid to have the UN effectively recognize a state of Palestine. Opposition from the US and Israel is self-defeating, as the collapse of Abbas's leadership would also spell the end of a two-state solution, as well as its greatest champion.
As Gaza offensive intensifies, Israel enjoys unusual international support

European governments as well as the US are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Israel over the conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip – drawing the ire of the Muslim world.
Opinion How to make a Hamas, Israel ceasefire in Gaza stick

Contrary to Hamas reports, Israel claims there is no ceasefire deal for the Gaza conflict. But US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is en route to Jerusalem, and an agreement appears to be in the making. Making it stick will require regional commitment.
Israelis ponder alternatives to 'mowing the lawn' in Gaza (+video)

Israel has yet to articulate a long-term strategy for Gaza, but there is a growing consensus that a military operation every few years is not the answer.