News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) The Knesset Committee for Symbols and Ceremonies decided Tuesday to create a stamp commemorating Simon Wiesenthal, a survivor of the Nazi death camps. Wiesenthal dedicated his life to tracking down Nazis and bringing them to justice and documenting the crimes committed during the Holocaust.

Two Years Ago at IsraelNationalNews.com

IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said the IDF had not been fully consulted on the declaration of a unilateral cease-fire in Gaza. Halutz said that consultations with the IDF were "partial at best." Committee member Danny Naveh said, "The government is divided. The Prime Minister does not believe the Defense Minister, and the Defense Minister does not consult with the army chief. This is no way to run the country's defense."

--Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, in a speech at the memorial ceremony for the first Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben Gurion, promised large-scale concessions to the Palestinian Authority (PA) exchange for the release of IDF Cpl. Gilad Shalit and the PA’s agreement to renounce violence. He vowed to release hundreds of terrorists, surrender large tracts of land in Judea and Samaria to the PA, reduce the number of security checkpoints and release millions of dollars of tax revenue.

--United States National Security Advisor Steven Hadley said that it makes no sense for Israel to consider negotiations with Syria. "Here is Syria, which is clearly putting pressure on the Lebanese democracy, is a supporter of terror, is both provisioning and supporting Hizbullah and facilitating Iran in its efforts to support Hizbullah and is supporting the activities of Hamas," he said. "This is not a Syria that is on an agenda to bring peace and stability to the region, and I think Prime Minister [Ehud] Olmert said, under those circumstances, with that kind of Syrian policy, how can you talk about negotiating on the Golan Heights?"