DEBKAfile's military sources report that Israel announced Wednesday, Jan. 7 a three-hour daily halt in military operations from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. as a goodwill gesture for the passage of humanitarian aid. Israel will suspend attacks in certain areas–though not the entire territory - to allow people to get supplies. The measure takes immediate effect. Hamas'missile fire continued.

DEBKAfile's military sources report that Hamas appears to have preserved an unused stock of Iran-made Fajr rockets capable of hitting central Israeli towns, such as Rehovot and Rishon Lezion, 16 km short of Tel Aviv.

1st Sgt. Alexander Mashvitzki, 19, from Beesheba, was killed Tuesday, Jan. 6, when his combat engineering unit came under Hamas fire in Gaza City. Four of his comrades were injured.

In the past 24 hours, an Israeli paratroop officer and three Golani Brigade fighters have been killed accidentally by friendly fire, as Operation Cast Lead entered its third, crucial phase, of combat in populated areas of Gazan towns.

An Israeli military spokesman said Israeli forces shelled the UNWRA-run school in Jebalya killing 40 Palestinians in response to mortar fire from the building.

The three killed mistakenly Monday night, Jan 5, by an Israeli tank shell in mid-battle with Hamas on the fringes of Gaza City were members of the Golani Brigade's 13th Battalion:

Cpl. Yusuf Muadi, 19, from Yerka

Major Dagan Vertman, 32, from Maaleh Machmesh

1st Sgt. Nitai Stern, 21, from Jerusalem

The fourth killed in a similar incident was a paratroop officer

Capt. Yehonathan Netanel, 27, from Kedummim

The first Israeli soldier to die in combat with Hamas was:

1st Sgt. Dvir Emanuelof, 22, from Givat Zeev.

He fell in battle with Hamas in Jibalya Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009

DEBKAfile's Washington sources disclose that Washington, Cairo, Amman and Jerusalem are hammering out the lines of a ceasefire deal that will be contingent on the state of combat in the Gaza Strip. Jerusalem accepts the proposition that the ceasefire lines will follow the lines of combat reached in the Gaza Strip in the fighting between Israel and Hamas. Egyptian and Jordanian forces will then enter the Gaza Strip.

High-placed Israeli officers have toldDEBKAfile's sources that the Israeli incursion into the Gaza Strip Saturday night, Jan. 3, gained less ground in its first 24 hours than officially indicated - in much the same way as civilian casualties are overstated by the Palestinian side. While essentially bisecting the Gaza Strip, the tanks and armored infantry had not entered urban areas by early Monday, Jan 5.

So far, moreover, none of Hamas'five Ezza e-Din al Qassam's military brigades have yet been seriously degraded–a key Israeli objective.

Three Golani Brigade soldiers were killed and more than 20 injured, one critically, 3 seriously and the rest suffering moderate to light injuries, by an Israeli tank shell fired by mistake at a building in which they sheltered in Tel al Shakef at the eastern edge of the Tofah district of Gaza City.

Lt. Col. Oren Cohen, commander of 13th Battalion, was among the seriously injured.

DEBKAfile's military sources add: The incident occurred Monday night, Jan. 5, as Israeli forces began advancing into the built-up sections of Gaza City. Hamas and Jihad Islami launched a counter-attack against them to provide its delegation, which landed in Cairo for ceasefire negotiations, with leverage some. Hamas also threatened to rocket Tel Aviv.

The close, longstanding Turkish-Israel relationship may be the first strategic casualty of Israel's Gaza offensive against Hamas. Monday, Jan. 5, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan outdid many of the Jewish state's enemies in vituperation when he accused Israel of"perpetrating inhuman actions which would bring it to self-destruction. Allah will sooner or later punish those who transgress the rights of innocents,"he said. If his hostility toward Israel persists, the fallout for American Middle East policies and Israel's defense position in the region will be far-reaching.

DEBKAfiletraces the events leading up to the rupture in a special report below.

1st Sgt. Dvir Emanueloff, 22, from Givat Zeev, died in battle with Hamas in Jibalya Sunday.

DEBKAfile's military sources report that on the second day of their ground offensive, Sunday, Jan 4, Day 9 of its offensive against Hamas, Israeli forces closed their siege encirclement of Gaza City. One soldier was killed, 31 injured–one critically, an officer and soldier seriously, the rest moderately and lightly. At least 30 Hamas gunmen were killed in the first thrust of Israel armored infantry, tanks, engineering, artillery and intelligence units into the enclave after a week of intense airstrikes.

Armored and infantry units are fighting for control of Philadelphi arms smuggling corridor.

For Immediate Release January 7, 2009

HIGH COURT SETS DATE FOR HEARING OVER PRIVATE ISRAELI CITIZENS' PROSECUTION
OF ISLAMIC WAQF

On 10/11/07 Shurat HaDin - Israel Law Center filed a private civil criminal
action against the Islamic Waqf on behalf of more than 150 Israeli citizens,
indicting the Waqf members for the illegal bulldozing and destruction of
Jewish artifacts being carried out under their auspices on the Temple Mount.
The Waqf seeks to eradicate all evidence of Israel's ancient connection to
this holy site and re-write Jerusalem's history. We contend that it is
nothing less than a religious, cultural and archaeological crime against the
world Jewish community. We are seeking to imprison the Waqf's leaders.

This past May, we were notified by the State Attorney General, Menachem
Mazuz, that he is halting our private prosecution on the grounds that an
issue with such broad public implications and interest cannot be prosecuted
by private citizens. In essence the Attorney General refused, out of fear
of the international response, to prosecute these Islamic extremists and
he decided to obstruct Shurat HaDin from undertaking the litigation
ourselves.

Prior to his decision to thwart the litigation, Shurat HaDin argued that the
Attorney General's motives in this case were not of a pure legal nature and,
thus, his office should step aside completely and not involve itself in the
process. After receiving the official decision in which he has formally
asserted his determination to block our private prosecution, Shurat HaDin
decided to turn to the High Court of Justice (Bagatz) with a petition that
the Attorney General be compelled by the High Court to either prosecute the
case himself or step aside and allow us to continue with our legal case as
provided for by the law.

The Bagatz petition contends that the Attorney General is not coming to the
table with "clean hands," but rather, while concerned with narrow political
interests. We alleged that the Attorney General has a political agenda and
political considerations, rather than purely legal ones. The Attorney
General is simply too afraid of the Arab states, the European Union, the UN
and United States State Department to legally defend Jerusalem.

If the Attorney General's office does not have the courage to take criminal
action against the Waqf itself, then it must stand aside and permit others
to pursue this just case.

The brief was filed in the Supreme Court in Jerusalem on Yom Yerushalayim,
June 2, 2008.

The Supreme Court has scheduled the hearing for February 2, 2009. The public
is invited to attend.

For More Info: info@israellawcenter.org , Tel.: 03-751-4175

As truce efforts grow, Israel mulls expanding Gaza ground op
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondent Last update - 07:16 07/01/2009
ww.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1053457.html

Israel's political leadership will meet in Tel Aviv on Wednesday morning to
discuss expanding the ground offensive in the Gaza Strip at a time when most
of the aims of the operation have been met.

In parallel, international diplomatic efforts are continuing, centering on
an initiative to deploy an international force of combat engineers that
would deal with the tunnels along the Philadelphi Route. The force would
work in coordination with a naval force that would patrol the Gaza Strip
shores.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told French President Nicolas Sarkozy during his
visit here Monday that "promises made during the [six months of] cease-fire
for dealing with [Hamas arms] smuggling were not kept."

On Tuesday night the Israeli troika - Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni
and Defense Minister Ehud Barak - met to discuss the the IDF operation in
the Gaza Strip and diplomatic developments.

It would appear that the next stage of the operation will include an even
more extensive ground incursion into built-up areas, and this will be at the
center of the cabinet meeting this morning.

Meanwhile, the international diplomatic effort being led by the United
States, France, Britain and Egypt is still focused on an initiative to
deploy an international force of experts and troops that would assist
Egyptian authorities in dealing with the tunnel system Hamas has built along
the Philadelphi Route, which borders Sinai.
According to a political source in Jerusalem, France and the U.S. are
working hard on Egypt to get it to agree to the initiative.

"If a solution is found, we will have no problem in immediately bringing the
operation to an end," the Israeli source said.

Quartet envoy Tony Blair, the former British prime minister, told Israel's
Channel 2 television on Tuesday that "there will either be a reliable
mechanism for preventing smuggling or the operation will continue."

Monday night Sarkozy presented Olmert with the proposal he had discussed
with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

The proposal for the deployment of a force of international experts would
follow an Egyptian request for assistance.

The authors of the proposal are taking great pains to preserve Egyptian
sovereignty and stress the advisory and collaborative role that would be
assigned to the international deployment.

Egypt claims that more than 300 tunnels have been destroyed during the past
year, in spite of the fact that they complain not to have received the
specialized equipment promised by the Americans for the task.

Talks are also being held on establishing a Palestinian oversight mechanism
on the Gaza side of the border.

Egypt has also pointed out that the long-range rockets smuggled into the
Strip were brought in by sea, leading France to propose the creation of a
naval element that would patrol the border between the Strip and Sinai.

Egypt denies Hamas comment

Meanwhile, Egypt denied on Tuesday a report that President Hosni Mubarak had
told European ministers on a peace mission that Hamas must not be allowed to
win the ongoing war in Gaza.

Haaretz reported on Tuesday that Mubarak made the comment on Monday to a
visiting European Union delegation, which included several European foreign
ministers. "If an Israeli newspaper published comments such as these,
non-attributed, from a closed meeting, how credible can it be?" said Foreign
Ministry spokesman Hossam Zaki.

ANALYSIS / Using aggressive tactics in Gaza to save soldiers' lives
By Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff Haaretz Last update - 06:03 07/01/2009
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1053401.html

The incident in which some 40 Palestinian civilians were killed when Israel
Defense Forces mortar shells hit an UNRWA school in the Jabalya refugee camp
Tuesday surprised no one who has been following events in Gaza in recent
days. Senior officers admit that the IDF has been using enormous firepower.

"For us, being cautious means being aggressive," explained one. "From the
minute we entered, we've acted like we're at war. That creates enormous
damage on the ground ... I just hope those who have fled the area of Gaza
City in which we are operating will describe the shock. Maybe someone there
will sober up before it continues."

What the officer did not say explicitly was that this is deliberate policy.
Following the trauma of the war in Lebanon in 2006, the army realized that
heavy IDF casualties would erode public (and especially political) support
for the war and limit its ability to achieve its goals. Therefore, it is
using aggressive tactics to save soldiers' lives. And the cabinet took this
into account when it approved the ground operation last Friday, so it has no
reason to change its mind now.

Nor is it likely that Tuesday's incident, with its large number of civilian
deaths, will result in an immediate cease-fire. Civilian deaths increase
international pressure for a cease-fire and so the incident will probably
bring the end of the war closer. Nevertheless, the Second Lebanon War
continued for weeks following a similar incident at Kana.

Moreover, the situation in Gaza is slightly different than it was in
Lebanon. First, until Tuesday's incident, the world appeared relatively
indifferent to Palestinian civilian casualties. On Monday, 31 members of the
Samouny family were killed when a shell hit their house in Gaza City; that
same day, 13 members of the Al-Daiya family where killed by another Israeli
bomb. Yet international media coverage of these incidents was comparatively
restrained.

Second, none of the major international players want to strengthen Hamas.
France and Egypt are currently leading the cease-fire efforts, yet their
proposals are far closer to Israel's demands than to those of Hamas.
Therefore, unless Hamas gives in and accepts these proposals, the fighting
is likely to continue.

What to do about Hamas' arms smuggling currently appears to be the main
sticking point holding up a cease-fire agreement. Israel is holding
intensive talks with the United States in an effort to reach a deal that
would be acceptable to Egypt. The proposals include sending in the U.S.
Army's engineering corps to systematically destroy the entire Philadelphi
Road, where the smuggling tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border are located.

Three years ago, on the eve of the disengagement, then GOC Southern Command
(and now Deputy Chief of Staff) Dan Harel proposed digging a canal the
entire length of the Philadelphi Road to thwart the smuggling. At the time,
his idea was dismissed as crazy. So Israel withdrew without any arrangements
in place for Philadelphi, and the tunnels under the road became a smuggling
superhighway for the rockets now being launched at Be'er Sheva, Ashdod and
Gedera.

The delay in the diplomatic negotiations is liable to bring about a further
escalation of the fighting. The cabinet will soon hit another moment of
decision, when it will have to decide either to expand the operation by
deploying the reservists who are now training at Tze'elim, or to accept what
from its view is an imperfect cease-fire deal, followed by a rapid
withdrawal. It is a classic risk versus reward assessment: Do the chances of
improving the war's outcome outweigh the risk to soldiers' lives inherent in
a broader offensive, or vice versa?

IDF: Hamas built underground city

In light of diplomatic pressure, army officials know forces must inflict
heavy blow on Hamas in days left till completion of Gaza operation. Forces
operating in Strip become familiar with enemy's modes of operation, say
Hamas formed underground city of tunnels, weapons
Hanan Greenberg YNET Published: 01.07.09, 01:49 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3651866,00.html

The diplomatic clock is ticking, but the IDF moves forward: As Operation
Cast Lead enters its 12th day, the preparations for the next stage -
expanding and deepening the operation - are being completed.

The defense establishment still seeks to inflict a heavy blow on Hamas and
return the soldiers to Israel only after creating an impression that the
Palestinian organization's military wing has learned its lesson.

According to different estimates in the IDF, the current move may reach its
final stages within several days, after which the ball will move to the
diplomatic court.

In the meantime, army officials are taking pride in the forces' achievements
in recent days, in the air and on the ground. Hamas' division and brigade
commanders are hiding under the ground, the rocket manufacturing alignment
has been damaged and many of the organization's infrastructures have
disappeared.

The Southern Command, headed by Major-General Yoav Galant, is now examining
the right way to expand the operation. The training of reserve forces which
may enter Gaza in the coming days continued Tuesday.

The desire to deepen the blow suffered by Hamas is prompting the IDF to take
advantage of each day to its end before the diplomatic clock rings.

"Every day that goes by is another punch to Hamas on any parameter - a
weapons storehouse uncovered, a tunnel destroyed, facilities sustaining
severe damage, activists hurt on different levels, and especially
strengthening the understanding on the other side that there is a country
here which will not accept the past situation and will not accept a repeated
situation," a senior military source told Ynet.

'Gunmen dug tunnels under their homes'

IDF forces operating in northern Gaza have quickly become familiar with the
enemy's modes of operation. According to commanders and soldiers, Hamas has
built an underground city of tunnels and holes paved with weapons.

Many Hamas members have dug tunnels for themselves under their homes and hid
weapon caches in them.

One of the Air Force strikes in Gaza, not far from the Shifa Hospital,
revealed weapons hidden in the area. Following the explosion, the bottom
part of the bunker was blown away, exposing a maze of tunnels.

IDF officials said the terrorists emerge from the tunnels, hide in them,
attempt to kidnap soldiers into them and place different traps in a bid to
attract the soldiers. The Hamas men try to initiate close combat,
face-to-face, and use different methods - covering tunnels with dolls,
placing explosives in schools and wearing IDF uniform.

The forces are still being prepared for the operation, and medical teams
have been trained at the simulator of the Army Logistic Training Center.

"We are simulating a complicated incident with a large number of casualties
according to the threats in the Strip," said Lieutenant-General Yoel
Har-Even, head of the Medical Corps' training unit.

IDF Spokesperson January 7th, 2009

Summary of Overnight Events

IDF forces, including infantry, tanks, combat engineers, artillery, and
intelligence, continue to operate throughout the Gaza Strip with the
assistance of the Israel Air Force and the Israeli Navy.

Throughout the night IDF forces on the ground in Gaza clashed with several
groups of gunmen and neutralized booby-trapped structures. Soldiers also
uncovered a number of weaponry caches, large stores of explosives, and
hiding tunnels. A soldier was lightly wounded during the operations.

The IAF struck over 40 targets throughout Gaza, including:

Rocket launching sites and bunkers used by armed terrorists
Groups of armed Hamas operatives
Various structures used by Hamas terror operatives
Over ten tunnels used by Hamas, some of them located under the homes of
operatives. Large secondary explosions observed as a result of some of the
strikes indicate the likely presence of explosives inside the tunnels

MEMRI: Recent Attempts to Form Strategic Regional Bloc: Syria, Turkey and
Iran
By: O. Winter*
Syria/Turkey/Iran |#490 | January 6, 2009
www.memri.org:80/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=ia&ID=IA49009

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Arab Diplomatic Sources: Syria Trying to Form a Trilateral Strategic Bloc in
the Middle East
Assad: "There Is Real Cooperation Among These Three Countries"
Syrian Government Daily Teshreen : Trilateral Coordination Will Shape the
Future of the Region
Syrian Government Daily Al-Ba'th : The Three Countries' Positions Are
Similar, If Not Identical
Syrian Weekly: Turkey Has Realized Where Its Interests Lie
Iranian Columnist: The Trilateral Front - A Major Regional Force that Will
Restrain America's Rampage in the Region

Introduction
In August and September 2008, a series of meetings and mutual visits took
place among the Syrian, Iranian, and Turkish heads of state. Syrian
President Bashar Al-Assad visited Turkey and Iran in the first week of
August, and a few days later, on August 14, Iranian President Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad visited Turkey. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan then
visited Damascus in early September.

In reference to these visits, it was reported in the Arab press that Syria
was attempting to form a strategic bloc with Iran and Turkey, and to
establish a trilateral consultation and coordination mechanism with them.
The Syrian press stated that the three countries held similar positions on
many regional issues, including the Iranian nuclear dossier, the
geographical unity of Iraq, and the intra-Palestinian conflict, and that
they would be able to shape the future of the region according to their
interests.

Following are excerpts from statements and articles on this topic.

Arab Diplomatic Sources: Syria Trying to Form a Trilateral Strategic Bloc in
the Middle East
The Qatari daily Al-Watan reported, citing Arab diplomatic sources, that
Syria hoped to form a trilateral strategic bloc in the Middle East
comprising Syria, Iran, and Turkey, and that this had been the object of
Assad's August 2008 visit to Teheran and Ankara.(1) According to the
sources, Damascus believes that strengthening ties and coordination among
these three countries at this time would promote the achievement of
equilibrium in the Middle East. The sources denied, however, that the bloc
would be a political axis or an alliance, saying that it would only be a
coordination and consultation mechanism for addressing various issues on the
regional and international agenda. They added that Syria would be holding a
trilateral summit in Damascus in order to determine the exact format of this
coordination, and to confront the serious dangers and challenges facing the
Middle East.(2)

Assad: "There Is Real Cooperation Among These Three Countries"
In a September 17, 2008 interview on Iranian TV, Syrian President Bashar
Al-Assad discussed the relations among Syria, Iran and Turkey: "At present,
there is real cooperation among these three countries; however, this
cooperation must be extended to include other countries as well, especially
Iraq, because we are neighbors. The main factor prompting [this cooperation]
was the lessons we derived from the past. Furthermore, the mistakes made by
the enemies have shown that lack of cooperation works against us.

"Currently, the [Syrian-Iranian-Turkish] cooperation is mainly on the
political level, but we hope to extend it [to other spheres as well]. I
discussed this [issue] with the Iranian leadership during my visit to Iran,
and [with the Turkish leadership] during my visit to Turkey and during the
Turkish prime minister's visit to Syria."(3)
On August 6, 2008, the day after Assad's return from Turkey, his political
and media adviser Dr. Buthayna Sha'ban explained that the reciprocal visits
were part of consultations on regional issues currently underway among the
three countries, mainly on the issues of Iraq, Iran's nuclear dossier, and
the situation in Palestine. Sha'ban said that the three countries agreed
that Iran had the right to pursue its nuclear program for peaceful purposes,
in accordance with international charters. She added that consultation among
them had always served the security, peace, and stability of the region and
had counteracted war and aggression.(4) She said that the three countries
were concerned and apprehensive about the situation in Iraq, and that they
saw "Iraq's unity, independence, and sovereignty over its resources and land
as [a principle of great] importance."(5)

Syrian Government Daily Teshreen : Trilateral Coordination Will Shape the
Future of the Region

In an editorial in the Syrian government daily Teshreen , editor-in-chief
'Issam Dari wrote that Turkey, Iran, and Syria would determine the future of
the Middle East: "As prominent countries, Turkey, Syria and Iran can not
only play an influential role in the region, but also shape [its] future in
accordance with the will of their own peoples and that of the peoples of the
entire region. This, in order to stop the brazen interference by outside
[forces] - interference that must be rejected outright as incompatible with
the supreme interests of the Arabs and those of their neighbors and friends.

"The Syrian president's visit to Turkey, and his previous visit to Iran,
were part of the joint and persistent effort by the three friendly countries
for high-level coordination, aimed at achieving the aspirations of the
peoples in the Middle East. Apparently, this coordination alarms those with
plans that are hostile to [these] peoples, and as a result [this
coordination] has come under unceasing attacks - which are unlikely to stop
anytime soon - aimed at distorting and misrepresenting it, and at sabotaging
Syria's relations with Iran and Turkey. However, these depraved attempts [to
stop the coordination] will not succeed, since the three countries are aware
[of them] and are determined to safeguard their supreme national interests,
and to safeguard the welfare and the future of the region.

"Accordingly, this [tripartite] coordination will determine the nature of
the next phase - which will be shaped by parties that are from the region
and are interested [in its affairs], and which throughout history have
proven their ability to defend themselves and their culture."(6)

Syrian Government Daily Al-Ba'th : The Three Countries' Positions Are
Similar, If Not Identical
An editorial in the Syrian government daily Al-Ba'th contended that Syria,
Iran, and Turkey held similar positions on most regional issues: "Syria,
Iran, and Turkey are countries of prominence and presence - politically,
economically, and in terms of human [resources] - and they have important
converging interests. This means that any crisis afflicting a neighboring
country invariably affects them, directly or indirectly, as it affects other
countries in the world, albeit to a lesser degree.

"This conclusion is not new; what is significant, however, is Syria's
initiative to broaden its contacts and engage its neighboring countries in a
discussion on all issues of regional importance in the spheres of politics,
economy, and security. This, in accordance with the common interests and
aims of the countries and people of the region, who, in the recent years,
have been suffering the consequences of the U.S. occupation of Iraq - and
are still suffering from it.

"Even more important are [Syria's, Iran's and Turkey's] similar, if not
identical, positions on burning issues [such as] the occupied territories in
Iraq and Lebanon, Iran's nuclear dossier, support for national conciliation
in Palestine, the lifting of the Gaza siege, Iraq's unity and stability and
the withdrawal of the occupying forces, support for the Lebanese national
dialogue, and support for Iran's right to enrich uranium for peaceful
purposes. These were the main issues in President Assad's talks with the
Iranian and Turkish leaders.(7)

As'ad 'Aboud, editor of the Syrian government daily Al-Thawra , underlined
Syria's, Iran's, and Turkey's opposition to the U.S. presence in Iraq: "Who
is paying the price of the current situation in Iraq?! Isn't it the Iraqi
people, and after them the other countries in the region?! The decision to
invade Iraq - wasn't it imposed on the countries of region in [complete]
contradiction to their wishes and their efforts to ensure their own
stability?! Did Iran support the war against Iraq - despite its [enmity]
with [former] Iraqi president Saddam Hussein?! Did Turkey support the war
against Iraq?! Didn't the Syrian president clearly declare that Iraq is a
quagmire that is difficult to exit, [thus] openly opposing the war?!"(8)

Syrian Weekly: Turkey Has Realized Where Its Interests Lie
An editorial in the Syrian weekly Abyadh Wa-Aswad stated that Turkey had
despaired of joining the Western world and had realized that its real
interest lay in renewing its contacts with the Middle East countries: "In
light of the economic interests and common denominators shared by Syria,
Turkey, and Iran - including geographic [proximity] [and similarities in]
religion, beliefs and positions - it has become more important than ever to
conduct a political process that reflects this reality and protects these
interests. [This move] has prepared the ground for redrawing the map of
cooperation among [certain] countries in the region, [namely Syria, Turkey,
and Iran], especially since their main common denominator is their
categorical rejection of all Western dictates, and their rigorous adherence
to the national and regional interests of every country.

"After soberly scrutinizing the [history of] the previous century, the
[Turkish] government realized that dancing to Europe's tune is a waste of
time. unless it is willing to completely surrender to the West's will -
which it refuses to do. It has realized that the right way is to rejoin the
Arabs, since its real interests lie in the [Middle East,] with which it
shares a common history and family ties [as well as common] religion,
ideology and interests.

"[Turkey] has rejoined the Arab [world] through the Syrian gate, with the
aim of preserving its regional status. Perhaps it was the threats to which
the West has exposed it - especially after the U.S. invasion of Iraq and its
support for the establishment of a Kurdish state which could threaten Turkey
from the rear - that caused the young Turkish leadership (Erdogan and Gul)
to advance in the correct and logical direction, [i.e.] towards the region
to which they belong. [This move] has created a united regional strategic
force to safeguard the interests of the people [in the region], which the
West wants to harm.

"The factors uniting the three countries far outweigh their links with the
West and the U.S. The rapprochement among Turkey, Syria, and Iran should be
a model for other countries, which should [likewise] unite based on mutual
interests and respect."(9)
Main Headline of Syrian Weekly: "Syria-Iran-Turkey - A New Map of Regional
Cooperation"

Abyadh Wa-Aswad (Syria), August 10, 2008.

Iranian Columnist: The Trilateral Front - A Major Regional Force that Will
Restrain America's Rampage in the Region

Iranian columnist Dr. Mohammad Sadeq Al-Hosseini, who is secretary-general
of the Arab-Iranian Dialogue Forum, wrote in the Kuwaiti daily Al-Jarida:
"The prevailing view in knowledgeable circles is that a consensus - if not
an alliance - is forming among Teheran, Ankara, and Damascus. [This
alliance] will transform these three countries into a major regional force
that will act to restrain America's rampage in the region. Similar
cooperation emerged during the era of the late [Syrian] president Hafez
Al-Assad in the wake of the Kurdish rebellion, which spawned dangerous
developments that threatened the security of the three countries. [The
Kurdish issue] may be an important factor in reviving this trilateral
[alliance today].
"The war in the Caucasus, and its ramifications for U.S.-Russia relations,
will offer the influential countries of the region a great opportunity to
put their own stamp on what Washington envisaged as 'the New Middle East.'
This [stamp] will be based on [these countries' own] positions and
standards, rather than on those of the U.S., [which] has lost the war in the
Caucasus.
"Accordingly, it can be said with confidence that a main outcome of this war
is [the emergence of] a regional front that is free from U.S. dictates."
(10)
*O. Winter is a research fellow at MEMRI.

Notes
(1) According to the London daily Al-Hayat, Assad was visiting Turkey, which
is mediating in the indirect Syria-Israel talks to apprise it of issues that
had arisen during his meetings in Iran - namely, of Iran's concerns and
apprehensions regarding the Syria-Israel negotiations and its request for
detailed information about their progress. Al-Hayat (London), August 10,
2008.
(2) Al-Watan (Qatar), August 8, 2008.
(3) Al-Thawra (Syria), September 18, 2008.
(4) Al-Thawra (Syria), August 7, 2008.
(5) Al-Watan (Syria), August 7, 2008.
(6) Teshreen (Syria), August 6, 2008.
(7) Al-Ba'th (Syria), August 7, 2008.
(8) Al-Thawra (Syria), August 7, 2008.
(9) Abyadh Wa-Aswad (Syria), August 10, 2008.
(10) Al-Jarida (Kuwait), August 18, 2008.

DONATION INFORMATION
MEMRI is Bridging the Language Gap Between the West and the Middle East and
we need your support to continue funding new and innovative projects.
MEMRI IS A 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION, YOUR DONATION IS TAX DEDUCTIBLE

8 EASY WAYS TO DONATE - Donating online is FAST, EASY,&SECURE!
Just complete the form here and select either Authorize.net or PayPal to
complete your donation transaction

For assistance, please contact MEMRI at memri@memri.org.
The Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) is an independent,
non-profit organization that translates and analyzes the media of the Middle
East. Copies of articles and documents cited, as well as background
information, are available on request.

MEMRI holds copyrights on all translations. Materials may only be used with
proper attribution.

MEMRI
P.O. Box 27837, Washington, DC 20038-7837
Phone: (202) 955-9070
Fax: (202) 955-9077
www.memri.org