The Rabbinical Council of Judea and Samaria issued a statement Thursday in which it said that the results of the incident in which Israel intercepted a flotilla trying to break the naval blockade of Gaza seem like the Biblical description of "the beginning of the Gog and Magog process where the world is against us, but which ends with the third and final redemption.

Israel preparing for possible reoccupation of Gaza (Psalm 83/ Ezekiel War)
The Hebrew-language daily Ma'ariv reported Tuesday that top Israeli military officials are preparing to appoint a military governor to the Gaza Strip, which would be a "significant move" toward the reoccupation of Gaza

Russia plans to start up a nuclear reactor at Iran's Bushehr plant by the end of the year, the head of Russia's state nuclear corporation said on Thursday.

"It is difficult to say how much time it will take to create the bases for our fleet in these countries, but within a few years this will be done without question," the official was quoted as saying. "The political decision on this question has been taken," the official said.

Israel has begun a diplomatic effort to justify its threats to launch a military response to rocket attacks launched on its villages from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip.

Russia reassured Israel on Sunday that it stands by its commitment not to supply Iran with advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missiles despite an Iranian lawmaker's statement that the system "is being delivered to Iran."