November 29, 2011-Rockets Hit Galilee, Iran Attack British Embassay, Lieberman

The peace in the galilee was disturbed last night when four kaytusha rockets landed. These rockets were fired from Lebanon. An affiliate of Al Qaeda has taken responsibility for the attack. Who is truly responsible for the attack is subject to debate. Some people believe that the rockets were fired by Iran responding to the sabotage of its nuclear weapons program, (such as the explosion at the missile base two weeks ago, an explosion that's seems to have done even more damage than originally thought.) Iran, however, is not the only potential address. The increasingly chaotic Syrian regime is another possible option. Finally, Lebanon is another option, as there continues to be a major power struggle going on within the country, with the Lebanese government not willing to accept Hezbollah's failure to turn over those accused of killing former Lebanese President Hariri.

Meanwhile, back in Iran, the Iranian government arranged a mob attack on the British Embassy, a clear response to the British imposition of new sanctions on Iran. The Iranians are warning other countries what might happen if sanctions continue. However, the action breaks all norms of diplomatic relations, and in an earlier century would have been a cause for war. It is looking more and more like the slow confrontation between the world and Iran is gradually tightening. This is what it would seem the former head of military intelligence was saying in his first public appearance. In that appearance he stated what is well known, that Iran has the raw material for 3-4 bombs. However, it has not decided to produce these bombs. He intimated that Israel should wait for that decision, and if that happened it would have much greater world support for any action.

Israel's absurd political system has been on display the last few days, in a dispute on whether to turn over the tax money to the Palestinian Authority that Israel has collected for it. The Army and the Shin Bet, have both argued in favor of turning over the money. Israel has also been heavily pressured by the US and others to do so. Yet, Foreign Minister Lieberman has threatened to leave the government if the money is turned over to the PA, so, as a result, the government is frozen.

Elections are taking place in Egypt. The results will not be known for a few days. However, the last election polls were in favor of the Muslim, with the Brotherhood receiving over 40% of the vote. This result, seems to track with what has been going on wherever there are free election in the Arab world. Jeffrey Goldberg wrote a very disturbing piece today in Bloomberg on anti-semitism in the newly free Arab world. It is worth a read. Praise Arab Spring, Except for Anti-Semitism: Jeffrey Goldberg