JERUSALEM (Reuters) – When Palestinian leaders learned that the release of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East plan was imminent, they swiftly announced a “day of rage” – a gritty, oft-used call for resistance against Israel. But few demonstrators actually took to the streets despite Palestinians’ broad rejection of Trump’s proposal, a gap between rhetoric and delivery that exposes the… Read more »
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – Iraq’s leading Shi’ite cleric, Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani, on Friday condemned the use of force to disperse protest camps across the country, as security forces stepped up a crackdown against demonstrators. Protesters across Iraq are seeking the removal of what they see as a corrupt ruling elite and an end to foreign interference in Iraqi politics, especially… Read more »
Jerusalem – Three mortar shells have been fired from the besieged Gaza Strip enclave into southern Israel, the country’s military has said in a statement, amid tensions in the region over US President Donald Trump’s proposed Middle East plan. The Israeli army’s statement on Friday said its Iron Dome anti-missile air defence system intercepted a projectile midair as violence continued for… Read more »
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will visit the United Nations within two weeks to address the Security Council on his rejection of the new US Middle East plan, his ambassador to the body has said. At that time, a draft resolution will be submitted to the council, Riyad Mansour told reporters on Wednesday, without specifying a date for the visit. US… Read more »
The Syrian army says it has recaptured the strategic town of Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province, the opposition’s last stronghold. State media reported that troops had “liberated” the town after inflicting heavy losses on jihadist fighters. A monitoring group earlier said the opposition had withdrawn. Maarat al-Numan straddles a major highway that has been an objective for the army as… Read more »
GENEVA (Reuters) – The U.N. aid agency for Palestinian refugees voiced concern on Friday that the U.S. administration’s Middle East peace plan will spark further violence and said it had contingency measures in place to boost protection and assistance in the occupied territories. Christian Saunders, head of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), asked about the… Read more »
CAIRO (Reuters) – Sitting in her sister’s apartment on a noisy Cairo street, Rania Sayed one day hopes to leave a city that is becoming more congested as Egypt’s population ticks up to 100 million, a milestone it will pass next month. Like many others, she wants to move to one of the new satellite settlements being built for a… Read more »
Lebanon is currently facing the country’s worst economic crisis in decades. The cabinet of former Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned, resulting in three months of political deadlock. On Tuesday, January 21st Lebanon formed a new cabinet consisting of 20 ministers and led by the newly-appointed Prime Minister Hassan Diab. Diab describes this new cabinet as “a rescue government”, claiming they… Read more »
Putin tight-lipped on plan criticised by Palestinians as he becomes first leader to meet Netanyahu after deal announced. The Israeli prime minister visited Moscow on Thursday to discuss United States President Donald Trump’s Middle East plan and take an Israeli woman, who had been jailed in Russia, back home. Benjamin Netanyahu made a stopover in Moscow after visiting Washington, where Trump unveiled his… Read more »
There have been 200 air strikes on opposition-held territory in northern Syria in the last three days, mainly targeting civilians, the US has said. Special envoy James Jeffrey told reporters the attacks in Idlib province had been carried out by the Syrian government and its ally, Russia. In one of the latest raids, 11 civilians were killed in reported Russian… Read more »