Free Republic

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush on Wednesday called the Mideast summit in Annapolis, Maryland, a "hopeful beginning," but added, "no matter how important yesterday was, it's not nearly as important as tomorrow and the days beyond." "I wouldn't be standing here if I didn't believe peace was possible. And they wouldn't be here either if they didn't think peace was possible," he said, referring to Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who stood beside him in the White House Rose Garden. "It's very important for the international community to support these two leaders during the...

(IsraelNN.com) At a ceremony honoring the 40th anniversary of the liberation and reunification of Jerusalem this week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said that Jerusalem is the "raison d'etre" of our national existence in Israel. Speaking on Tuesday night at Binyanei HaUmah Convention Center in Jerusalem, he said the IDF will do everything it can to ensure Jerusalem remains Israel's eternal capital. "Jerusalem symbolizes the reason and purpose for our lives here," Ashkenazi told the IDF Civilian Pensioners Organization. "It is the 'why' and 'wherefore' explaining why we are fighting. We will continue to do whatever we can...

This is ridiculous. Do you know that in the United States right now, there's this huge debate going on about the use of the word "Christmas"? Apparently some people thought it's offensive and inappropriate to say "Merry Christmas" in public. See, the USA is a multicultural society so there's a lot of Americans who do not celebrate Christmas by default. Initially, their government bodies and major shopping complexes decided to start using the more politically-correct and all-encompassing "Happy Holidays" or "Seasons Greetings", which I thought was fine.

The Arab League and a Vatican official separately, but simultaneously, are campaigning for Israel to divide Jerusalem. The PA recently asked to the Pope to help make the capital part of a new state. The Arab League has joined Palestinian Authority (PA) officials in exploiting Israel's policy of not allowing Arabs in Jerusalem, who are Israeli citizens, to vote in the PA legislative elections scheduled for January 25. It told the French news agency AFP that the ban would solidify Israel's claim that the entire capital is part of the country. AFP termed the predominantly Arab neighborhoods of the city...

JERUSALEM - The man enthroned last week as Greek Orthodox patriarch of Jerusalem signed a secret document obliging him to nullify the recent sale to Jewish groups of land comprising much of a key entrance to Jerusalem's Old City, and has allegedly made statements against Jews living in certain parts of Jerusalem, WorldNetDaily has learned. The newly installed Greek Orthodox leader, Theofilos III, was crowned in a ceremony Tuesday at Jerusalem's Church of the Holy Sepulchre in spite of objections by Israel, which is currently debating whether to recognize him as the official Jerusalem patriarch – the religious leader of...