By Shoshana Bryen WASHINGTON, D.C. — At the end of White House Chief of Staff John Kelly’s moving briefing about the four American Special Forces soldiers killed in Niger earlier in October, he took questions. The first was, “Why are we in Niger?” The question was too narrow; it isn’t only Niger. Tens of thousands of […]
Iran, ISIS make U.S. counter- role in Niger impertive Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Ira Sharkansky JERUSALEM–It may take additional months or even years to deal with the allegations about the Prime Minister, but more of Israel’s politicians are sharpening their knives. And some of those at the grindstone are close enough to the big man for him to smell the dust. President Rueven (Ruvi) Rivlin opened the
Bibi’s legal troubles worse than Trump’s Read More »
Ira Sharkansky, Middle East, USAThe Iraqi Kurdish parliament will meet Sunday to redistribute powers away from President Massoud Barzani, who is under pressure to step down following an independence referendum last month. The parliament had already decided to halt Barzani’s governmental activities and, on Saturday, said it would read out a statement from Barzani during the upcoming meeting. Despite
Iraq’s Kurdish Parliament to Redistribute Powers From Barzani Read More »
Middle EastSaudi Arabia’s foreign minister says Iran’s hostile policy is the major obstacle to solving the crisis in Yemen, where Riyadh is leading a military alliance against Iran-aligned Houthi militant forces. Adel al-Jubeir accused Iran of interfering in Yemen and providing arms to the Shi’ite Houthi rebels. “Iran provides weapons to Houthi and [supporters of former
Saudi FM Says Iran Major Obstacle to Peace Efforts in Yemen Read More »
Middle EastIran’s president on Sunday said his country would continue building weapons including developing missiles as the United States prepares new sanctions over its ballistic missile programme. “To defend our nation and territorial integrity, we will build all the weapons we will need,” Hassan Rouhani told parliament in statements broadcast on state television. Recent Iranian missile
Iran says to continue developing ballistic missiles Read More »
International, Middle East, USABy Alexander Fulbright Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman called Sunday for extending Israel’s policy of demolishing terrorist murderers’ homes to Palestinian assailants who badly wound Israelis in terror attacks, saying such a policy would deter potential terrorists. Liberman said he recently instructed the Israel Defense Forces and the Defense Ministry’s legal adviser to weigh the possibility
Liberman calls for razing homes of terrorists who wound Israelis Read More »
Middle EastBy TOI staff United Nations officials discovered a tunnel built under a school in the Gaza Strip run by UNRWA, the international body’s agency for Palestinian refugees, the global body said in a statement. Since the discovery some two weeks ago, UNRWA closed the school and sealed off the opening to the tunnel. The school
UN finds tunnel opening under UNWRA school in Gaza Read More »
International, Middle EastEducation Minister Naftali Bennett (Jewish Home) visited the protest tent outside the prime minister’s residence Sunday to show his support for the residents of Judea and Samaria who are demanding that the government increase security funding for their communities and for the paving of new bypass roads to improve road safety. Families who have lost
‘This isn’t politics – it is human life’ Read More »
Middle EastUS President Donald Trump’s administration opposed a planned vote on a controversial Israeli bill that critics say would amount to de facto annexation of Jewish settlements surrounding Jerusalem, a US official said Sunday. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu postponed a vote on the bill by a ministerial committee that was scheduled to take place on
White House opposed vote on Israel ‘annexation’ bill: US official Read More »
Middle East, USAArabs opened fire on Sunday evening from the Sinai Peninsula towards an IDF force that was engaged in operational activity near the security fence along the Egyptian border. There were no injuries among the soldiers, but a military vehicle sustained light damage. The IDF said that the incident is believed to be a spillover of
Arabs from Sinai open fire at IDF forces Read More »
Middle EastBy Alexander Fulbright UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has reportedly declined to attend a dinner in London this week with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration, which pledged Britain’s support for a Jewish national home. Although no reason was given for Corbyn’s decision to skip the event, which
Corbyn to skip Balfour centennial dinner with Netanyahu Read More »
International, Middle EastBy TOI staff With coalition parties at odds over his party’s efforts to advance the so-called “French Law” granting serving prime ministers immunity from corruption investigations, Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday he is “not interested” in legislation that could have an effect on a pair of investigations involving him. “Regarding the French Law, I am stating
Netanyahu rules out immunity law that affects ongoing probes Read More »
Middle EastBy TOI staff A ministerial panel to fast-track legislation through the Knesset will apparently not convene for the second week in a row Sunday, amid a rift between coalition parties over a bill that could grant the prime minister immunity from criminal prosecution. Coalition whip David Bitan said the Ministerial Committee for Legislation, chaired by
Likud moves to stall all legislation as PM immunity bill hits roadblock Read More »
Middle EastA champion Israeli judo fighter was forced to sing his own national anthem beneath an International Judo Federation (IJF) flag during an awards ceremony Thursday because of a ban on Israeli symbols at the sport’s Grand Slam competition in Abu Dhabi. Tal Flicker, who won gold in the men’s under-145lbs category, had to sing his
Israeli Anthem and Flag Banned for Judo Gold Medalist Read More »
International, Middle East, Sports & Competitions