By Rabbi Dow Marmur JERUSALEM–Iran building a military base in Syria close to the border with Israel and its sponsorship of the anti-Israel terrorist force Hezbollah in Lebanon may, after all, turn out to be not quite as ominous as it seems. According to the principle “my enemy’s enemy is my friend,” Iran’s foe Saudi […]
Trump’s Mideast policy may become his great success Read More »
Middle East, USABy TOI staff The UN refugee agency expressed “serious concern” Friday over Israel’s plan to deport or jail thousands of African migrants in the coming months. The proposal by Interior Minister Aryeh Deri and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan would shutter the southern Israeli Holot detention center for African migrants within four months, in anticipation
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International, Middle EastBy Eric Cortellessa WASHINGTON — US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson refused to certify on Friday that the Palestinians are complying with a Congressional mandate that requires the US to penalize the Palestinian Authority if it tries to get the International Criminal Court to prosecute Israelis. That specific penalization, according to a provision in a
US may close PLO’s DC office over Abbas urging the ICC to prosecute Israelis Read More »
Middle East, USABy TOI staff American and Israeli officials on Saturday night quickly dismissed an Israeli TV report that claimed the Trump administration is ready to recognize a Palestinian state as a central element of an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, that the US will not insist on the evacuation of any settlements or settlers under a permanent accord,
US, Israel dismiss TV report claiming Trump ready to recognize Palestinian state Read More »
Middle EastRepresentatives of Morocco’s religious minorities on Saturday urged the government to clarify the law on freedom of worship in Morocco, where Islam is the state religion. Their statement came after an unprecedented meeting in the capital Rabat. “The Moroccan state still places barriers when it comes to legal reforms concerning minorities,” Jawad el Hamidi, the
Morocco minorities call for religious freedom Read More »
Middle EastBy TOI staff Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be questioned Sunday for a sixth time in a pair of criminal investigations involving suspicions he received illegal gifts and favors from businessman for advancing their business interests. Netanyahu will be confronted with fresh testimony garnered by police, Hadashot news (formerly channel 2 TV) reported Saturday. Last
Netanyahu to be questioned a 6th time in graft probes on Sunday Read More »
Middle EastBy TOI staff Yigal Amir, who is serving a life sentence for the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995, is preparing to request a retrial, his wife said on Saturday. Larissa Trimbobler announced in a Facebook post that a legal defense team was being set up in preparation for filing the request. She
Rabin’s killer Yigal Amir to request retrial, wife says Read More »
Middle EastBy TOI staff Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman on Saturday urged moderate Arab nations to make peace with Israel in order to better confront the threat posed by Iran. “After Daesh, Iran,” Liberman tweeted on Saturday, referring to the Islamic State by its Arabic name. “[Late Egyptian President] Anwar Sadat was a brave leader, who went
Liberman urges Arab nations to make peace with Israel and confront Iran Read More »
Middle EastEgypt opened its largely sealed border with Gaza on Saturday for the first time since a reconciliation agreement saw the Palestinian Authority take control of the crossing from Hamas. A Palestinian official at the Rafah crossing said it had opened at 0700 GMT and was expected to stay open for three days. “Egypt will open
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Middle EastIts “caliphate” has imploded, its de facto capitals in Iraq and Syria have fallen, and hundreds of its fighters have either surrendered or fled. The Islamic State jihadist group may not be dead yet but its dream of statehood has already been buried, analysts say. No one in IS “will now think of imposing ‘the
IS not dead yet but ‘caliphate’ dream in tatters Read More »
Middle EastBy TOI staff Israeli security forces on Saturday raided the home of a 17-year-old Palestinian terrorist who carried out a car-ramming attack in the central West Bank a day earlier, Hadashot news (formerly Channel 2) reported. Forces searched the home of the attacker who rammed his car into two people in Gush Etzion south of
Israeli troops raid home of Gush Etzion car-ramming terrorist Read More »
Middle EastRussia has blocked for the third time in a month attempts at the United Nations to extend an international inquiry into chemical weapons attacks in Syria. A draft resolution tabled by Japan would have extended the UN-led joint investigative mechanism (JIM) for 30 days enabling time for talks on a wider compromise. But Moscow vetoed
Syria: Russia casts UN veto again, blocking inquiry into chemical weapons attacks Read More »
International, Middle EastBy TOI staff Veteran Army Radio reporter Hadas Shtaif on Saturday accused former prime minister Ehud Olmert of sexually harassing her some years ago. Shtaif said that upon leaving the Channel 1 studio, Olmert pressed her up against the wall and “whispered in my ear.” He then allegedly touched her ear “with his disgusting tongue.
Top radio reporter says Ehud Olmert sexually harassed her Read More »
Middle EastThe attorney for senior White House aide Jared Kushner is blasting two long-time Republican and Democratic senators for creating a “media event” with their public complaint that Mr. Kushner failed to turn over all pertinent emails. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Charles Grassley, Iowa Republican, and ranking member Sen. Dianne Feinstein, California Democrat, released a letter