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Friday September 5, 2008

Shorts: World

Dutch recall spy out of fear of attack

The Dutch intelligence service stopped an espionage operation in Iran because of an “impending U.S. attack.”

A top agent was recalled from an operation to infiltrate and sabotage the weapons industry in Iran because it was believed he would be inside one of the targets of the alleged attack, according to an Aug. 29 report in the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.

The Dutch intelligence service reportedly shared information from the operation with the CIA. — jta

Russia threatens to arm Iran

Russia might supply Iran with a top new missile system if the United States pushes NATO membership for Georgia and Ukraine, according to the London Sunday Telegraph.

U.S. intelligence says that Russia has threatened to sell Iran the sophisticated S-300 air defense system. The news has raised alarms in the United States and Israel since the system can track 100 targets at once and fire on targets from up to 75 miles, the newspaper said.

Pentagon advisor Dan Goure told the Telegraph that the deal would be a “game-changer. This is a system that scares every Western air force.” — jta

Canadian elections might fall on Sukkot

The date widely being touted for the next federal election in Canada falls on Sukkot.

In a message to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Canadian Jewish Congress cautioned that the date, Oct. 14, would hamper Jews’ ability to vote.

A senior government official speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper conceded that Oct. 14 “does present challenges in terms of election timing.”

He told the Globe and Mail newspaper that there were opportunities to vote through advance polling. — jta

First Dutch Reform rabbis ordained

Reform rabbis were ordained in Holland for the first time.

The Robert A. Levisson Institute ordained its first five graduates last week at the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue of the Liberal Jewish Congregation in the Hague.

There are about 40,000 Jews in Holland, 4,000 of whom are members of Reform congregations, according to Rabbi David Lilienthal, who founded the institute in 2004. — jta

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