#22 New Arab-Israeli War Looming?

For a while it looked like Sunni Arab nations led by Saudi Arabia were prepared to go as far as to side with Israel in order to counter the Shia Iran threat. Slowly this image is starting to show signs of deceit, with the Royals being seen increasingly often with smiling faces in public with Iranian President Ahmadinejad.

In the meantime, while a Saudi Peace Plan very much worth debating but unacceptable for Israel in its current form is on the table, talk from the Kingdom is becoming more confrontational. Prince Saudi al-Faisal recently said "If Israel refuses (the peace plan), that means it doesn't want peace and it places everything back into the hands of fate. They will be putting their future not in the hands of the peacemakers but in the hands of the lords of war." In other words: accept the plan prima facie or face war.

Prince Saud also dismissed any further diplomatic overtures towards Israel, claiming "It has never been proven that reaching out to Israel achieves anything...Other Arab countries have recognised Israel and what has that achieved? The largest Arab country, Egypt, recognised Israel and what was the result? Not one iota of change happened in the attitude of Israel towards peace." Naturally this is an astonishing comment to make, since, for one, Egypt got back a piece of land larger than the entire size of Israel (the Sinai)!

From Iran, in the meanwhile, 'dirty' and accusatory language continues to emanate. Iranian Chief of Staff Gen. Hassan Fayrouz Abadi warned leaders of Arab countries that Israel is planning to launch a war this summer, proclaiming the "Zionists and the Quds (referring to Jerusalem) occupying regime intend to exercise a suicidal plan next summer, and this suicidal plan of the Zionists and American neoconservatives, the implementation of which would start from the occupied Palestinian lands, will not serve the interests of anyone in the world." The official went on to say the plan intends to “prevent the withdrawal of the US troops from Iraq and the region and that it will pose a danger primarily to Lebanon, Syria, Egypt and Jordan and then Saudi Arabia and all other countries in the region.”

In case it escaped you, it is interesting to note that the countries mentioned in the official's list just so happen to be the same countries that were involved in the declaration at the Arab summit this week which warned Israel to accept peace or prepare for war.

#20 Iran Upset with Russians this Time

Russia has delayed the shipment of nuclear fuel to Iran. Russian state-owned firm Atomstroiexport announced on Monday that a shipment of nuclear fuel would not be delivered as scheduled in March because of delays in payment by Iran. This is a major political blow to the Iranians, coming at a time when pressure is increasing on the one hand, and Iran is becoming ever more defiant on the other. Being a "friendly nation" that stands in the way makes it all the more painful.

In what has become typical for Iranian politicians, harsh words emanated as a result from Teheran. Chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said the delay was "deplorable," while Iranian lawmaker Rasoul Sediqi Bonabi went as far as to say "Russians are extortionists...Moscow has never been a reliable partner and will never be so in the future."

Nevertheless, Larijani expects the Russians will stick to their side of the bargain, rejecting reports that said Russia would not proceed with the Bushehr plant unless Iran suspends uranium enrichment, as the UN Security Council has repeatedly demanded. "We have not received such a message from Russia," he said. Iran's atomic agency also denies Russia's claim that it is behind on payments, saying it has met all its financial obligations.

#7 Palestinian Security Arrests Iranians

While there was little doubt that Iran actively worked against Israel's interests through the financing of terror activities and the use of Hezbollah as a proxy, it now appears that there can no longer be any question about Iranian involvement in the Palestinian territories either.

Palestinian security forces have arrested seven Iranians during a raid at the Hamas-linked Islamic University in the Gaza Strip. The Palestinian security forces (affiliated with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) said the men were sent by Iran to train Hamas and hundreds of weapons and a lathe for the production of Qassam rockets were seized during the raid.

In other signs that confrontation with Iran has begun, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have threatened to kidnap American citizens. This threat comes in the aftermath of the arrest of a group of Iranian nationals in Iraq by US forces.