In Syria, another day of rising death tolls, as at least 23 people are reported dead as Syrian forces continue a crackdown on dissent. State television showed huge rallies in support of President Bashar al-Assad.
Armed Egyptian Bedouins have surrounded an international peacekeepers' camp in the Sinai Peninsula to try to pressure Egyptian authorities into releasing fellow tribesmen from prison.
The world's largest electronic payment system says it will cut off Iranian banks blacklisted by the European Union, another step in the West's effort to further diminish Tehran's ability to finance its nuclear program.
Israel National News reports IDF forces were able to thwart an infiltration from Egypt on Thursday evening. An IDF Spokesman said in a statement that the troops, who were engaged in routine activity along the Israel-Egypt border, noticed a number of suspects who had infiltrated the border.
Details after the break.
At least 23 people are reported dead as Syrian forces continue a crackdown on dissent Thursday, the first anniversary of the uprising, while state television showed huge rallies in support of President Bashar al-Assad.
The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says 23 bodies were dumped in the northwestern Idlib region and some of the dead showed signs of torture. Also, activists say security forces carried out raids in several regions.
A state media report says government forces clashed with "remnants of armed terrorist groups" in the Idlib countryside, killing a number of "terrorists."
With international efforts to end the crackdown stalled, Syrian government forces have overrun most of Idlib and launched their biggest raid in months on the southern city of Daraa - a town rebels call "the birthplace of our revolution."
Rebel fighters have been in retreat throughout Syria and a movement of opposition activists has been fragmented with dissent. French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said Thursday his country opposes arming the Syrian opposition, fearing the situation could become a "bigger catastrophe."
Egypt
Armed Egyptian Bedouins have surrounded an international peacekeepers' camp in the Sinai Peninsula to try to pressure Egyptian authorities into releasing fellow tribesmen from prison.
The Bedouin protesters have been blocking roads around the Multinational Force and Observers camp in northern Sinai since last Friday, preventing vehicles from entering or leaving the site. In a statement released Thursday, the MFO said all international peacekeepers at the camp were safe and were taking measures to secure their perimeter.
The MFO mission monitors Egypt's 1979 peace treaty with Israel and is comprised of security forces from 12 nations, including 80 Americans, 300 Colombians and 35 Uruguayans.
Egyptian security and tribal sources said Wednesday some armed demonstrators cut through the camp's perimeter fence and threatened to storm the facility. But, MFO Cairo representative Kathleen Riley told VOA that there has been no break-in at the camp. She did not say whether the fence had been cut. The Bedouin protesters have been demanding the release of jailed tribesmen including terror suspects.
The peacekeeping mission said the protesters' continuous blockade of the camp is "causing increasingly significant operational and logistical impacts" as time goes on. It said helicopters have been providing "necessary transportation" into and out of the camp.
The MFO said it has been communicating with Egyptian officials to try to restore the peacekeepers' freedom of movement as soon as possible.
Sinai Bedouins have long complained of neglect by the Cairo government. In recent months, they have blocked other roads and briefly taken tourists hostage to press their demands.
Iran
The world's largest electronic payment system says it will cut off Iranian banks blacklisted by the European Union, another step in the West's effort to further diminish Tehran's ability to finance its nuclear program.
The Belgium-based Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication, or Swift, said it would comply with an EU order to disconnect designated Iranian financial companies from its messaging system on Saturday at 1600 UTC.
Thursday's move follows a decision by the European Council, which represents EU member states, to tighten asset freezes on entities associated with Iran's nuclear activities, which Western powers say aims to produce atomic weapons. Iran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.
Swift is a secure private network used by nearly every bank around the world to send payment messages that lead to the transfer of money across international borders. Its chief executive, Lazaro Campos, described the move as “extraordinary and unprecedented.” There was no immediate reaction from the Iranian government or the banks involved.
Expelling the designated Iranian banks from Swift will shut down Tehran's major conduit for doing business with the rest of the world. The West hopes that will pressure Iran into curbing its nuclear program.
The U.S. Treasury Department welcomed the EU step and Swift's “prompt” response, saying it would further isolate Iran's financial institutions.
A senior Treasury official said “today's action reinforces the isolation of designated Iranian banks from the international financial sector.”
The U.S. has designated 23 Iranian banks, many of which are also targeted by the EU. But U.S. lawmakers pushing for tougher sanctions on Iran said Swift needs to eradicate all Iranian financial institutions from its network, not just those blacklisted by the West.
Nineteen banks and 25 affiliated institutions from Iran made a total of two million cross-border payments using Swift in 2010. They included banks the United States accuses of financing Iran's nuclear program or terrorism – Mellat, Post, Saderat and Sepah.
Swift facilitates not only large bank-to-bank transfers, but small ones as well. Many Iranians, including opponents of the current government, live abroad and send small amounts of money to their families in Iran on a regular basis. Such transfers would be blocked.
Thursday's step comes ahead of renewed talks on Iran's nuclear program expected next month between Tehran and six major powers.
Israel
Israel National News reports IDF forces were able to thwart an infiltration from Egypt on Thursday evening. An IDF Spokesman said in a statement that the troops, who were engaged in routine activity along the Israel-Egypt border, noticed a number of suspects who had infiltrated the border.
The troops called on the suspects to stop and when they did not heed the calls, the soldiers opened fire. At the same time fire was opened from Egyptian territory. Three suspects were wounded by the fire.
According to the statement, the three wounded infiltrators were captured after a short chase, and a fourth suspect was found dead. The wounded were air lifted for medical treatment in a hospital. No Israelis were wounded.
In February, terrorists took advantage of the infiltrations from Egypt to place a powerful explosive device along the Israel-Egypt border.
“In light of the increasing attempts to infiltrate into the State of Israel, the IDF will increase its activities in the western border,” said the Spokesperson’s statement.
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