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Friday May 16, 2008

Shorts: U.S.

Victims sue bank for funding terrorists

American victims of terrorist attacks in Israel are suing a Swiss bank for funding complicity.

A lawsuit filed in a New York federal court May 9 alleges that UBS AG, Switzerland’s biggest bank, indirectly bankrolled Hamas and Hezbollah by dealing with their sponsor, Iran.

The claimants, some of whom live in Israel and others in the United States, were wounded or bereaved by Hamas suicide bombings or Hezbollah rocket attacks during the 2006 Second Lebanon War. They are seeking more than $500 million in damages.

UBS had no comment on the suit. — jta

Israel might get easier arms access

A bill under consideration in Congress would add Israel to a select group of countries entitled to receive expedited arms exports.

The Security Assistance Bill, which aims to tighten controls on arms exports, would allow Israel and South Korea to join the NATO 3 nations — the NATO alliance plus Australia, Japan and New Zealand. The measure halves the congressional review of arms exports from 60 days to 30 days and grants the president broad latitude in approving parts replacement.

The bill, approved late last month by the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee and now under consideration by the full House, also would keep North Korea as a designated state sponsor of terrorism until it certifies that it is not providing nuclear weapons assistance to Iran or Syria. — jta

American astronaut sends birthday greeting

American astronaut Garrett Reisman sent a greeting last week from space to Israel for its 60th birthday.

Reisman, 40, a mechanical engineer from Parsippany, N.J., is the first Jewish crew member on the international space station. He has been in space since March 11.

“Every time the station flies over the state of Israel, I try to find a window, and it never fails to move me when I see the familiar outline of Israel coming toward us from over the horizon,” Reisman said. — jta

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