Archives for September, 2020

Palestinians hold pictures of late leader Yasser Arafat in Gaza City on November 9, 2017, during a festival to commemorate the 13th anniversary of his death.
According to organisers, the event was called by exiled Palestinian politician Mohammed Dahlan (portrait), partly to celebrate a recently agreed reconciliation agreement between the major Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah. Dahlan has been in exile in the UAE since falling out with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas and expelled from his Fatah movem

Palestinian security forces round up Dahlan supporters in West Bank

Palestinian security forces are arresting supporters of exiled Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan following Israel's normalization agreements with the UAE and Bahrain.

NEW YORK, NY - SEPTEMBER 21: Sameh Shoukry, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt, listens during a UN Security Council meeting concerning nuclear non-proliferation, during the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters, September 21, 2017 in New York City. The most pressing issues facing the assembly this year include North KoreaÕs nuclear ambitions, violence against the Rohingya Muslim minority in Myanmar, and the debate over climate change. (Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Egypt puts burden on Turkey to open talks

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has toned down his rhetoric on Egypt in light of the tensions between the two countries, against the backdrop of the recent development in the eastern Mediterranean and Libya.

Rouhani says Iran isn’t a ‘bargaining chip’ in US elections

Iran's president told the UN General Assembly that any future administration must "surrender" to Iran.

Turkey off the hook as EU postpones sanctions decision amid coronavirus scare

Talks could resume soon between the two countries over maritime boundaries and offshore gas drilling.

Jordan sets single-day record for coronavirus cases

Jordan's Health Ministry reported 643 new cases on Tuesday, bringing the total number of infections to more than 5,600.

Palestinian diplomat: 'No honor' in Arab rush to normalization

The Palestinian Authority withdraws its chairmanship of the Arab League.

A bar tendant serves customers at a restaurant in Dubai on August 30, 2018. - As temperature levels soar in Dubai, residents and tourists in the rich Emirate turn to a much favourite indoor outing during summer days: restaurants. From business lunches, to fresh decorations, Dubais top restaurants compete to attract those costumers looking to beat the heat with a customised cool drink, or an award winning plate. (Photo by KARIM SAHIB / AFP) (Photo credit should read KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)

Abu Dhabi scraps liquor license requirement for alcohol purchases

People in the emirate now need only be of age and in a certified drinking area such as a bar to consume alcohol.

United Arab Emirates

TOPSHOT - A Lebanese woman protester walks draped in a national flag along the Fuad Chehab avenue, near the Martyrs' Square, in the centre of the capital Beirut on October 29, 2019 on the 13th day of anti-government protests. - An unprecedented cross-sectarian movement has brought major cities across Lebanon to a standstill since October 17, as protesters keep up demands for a complete overhaul of the political system. (Photo by JOSEPH EID / AFP) (Photo by JOSEPH EID/AFP via Getty Images)

Lebanon rocked by another explosion in Hezbollah stronghold

A security source told Reuters that an arms depot belonging to Hezbollah exploded due to a "technical error."

An Iranian woman walks past a mural on the wall of the former US embassy in the Iranian capital Tehran on May 8, 2018. - US President Donald Trump is due to make his decision on whether to rip up the 2015 nuclear deal and reimpose sanctions on Iran. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo credit should read ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)

Intel: Russia to pursue military cooperation with Iran once arms embargo expires

Iran's foreign minister, who mocked US efforts to renew the embargo, is headed to Moscow Thursday.

TOPSHOT - An Iranian, wearing a t-shirt with a picture of slain commander Qasem Soleimani, takes part in a demonstration in the capital Tehran on January 3, 2020 against the killing of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards top commander in a US strike in Baghdad. - Iran warned of "severe revenge" and said arch-enemy the United States bore responsiblity for the consequences after killing one of its top commanders, Qasem Soleimani, in a strike outside Baghdad airport. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA K

Zarif says retaliation for Soleimani killing still to come

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohmmad Javad Zarif described the former IRGC commander as a "hero for the region" as Iranian leaders make vague threats of retaliation.

East-Med Gas Forum evolves as Israel, Egypt enhance cooperation

Israel’s Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz and six others sign the charter of the Eastern Mediterranean Gas Forum, which brings cooperation with other partners into a second, concrete phase.

Israeli opposition wants to know: Is there more to UAE deal than meets the eye?

Senior opposition figures suspect that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hiding some of the details of the deal signed with the UAE.

United Arab Emirates

Benny Gantz (C), A former IDF Chief and the head of Israeli Resilience party speaks to supporters during an election campaign event in Tel Aviv. Israelis will vote in a parliamentary election on April 9, choosing among party lists of candidates to serve in the 121-seat Knesset

In Washington, Gantz all about US snapback sanctions on Iran

Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz is in Washington today busily encouraging the administration to move ahead with its snapback sanctions move.

This picture taken on August 16, 2019 shows a smoke plume rising following a reported air strike in Kfar Ruma in Syria's northwestern Idlib province. - Air strikes on August 16 by Syria's regime and its Russian ally killed 15 civilians in the area controlled by Syria's former Al-Qaeda affiliate Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Idlib province, said the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The strikes came as regime forces battled HTS jihadists and allied rebels in the region, where fierce fighting

'Guardians of Religion' extremist group under siege in Syria's Idlib

The Guardians of Religion Organization, which has close ties to al-Qaeda in Syria, is under pressure from US drone strikes and a possible assault by Russian-backed Syrian forces.

Hamas members see 'false unity' with Palestinian Authority

Although leading Hamas and Fatah members have repeatedly met in the past few days, the mid-level leading members have been skeptical, as they believe that Fatah and the Palestinian Authority are not committed to reconciliation.

The photo shows a physical imitation of a Bitcoin in Dortmund, western Germany, on January 27, 2020. (Photo by INA FASSBENDER / AFP) (Photo by INA FASSBENDER/AFP via Getty Images)

Egyptians turn to Bitcoin amid coronavirus crisis

Soaring prices of cryptocurrencies, most notably Bitcoin, are tempting many unemployed Egyptians seeking to achieve quick gains, amid fears of Bitcoin being exploited to finance terrorism or illegal trade.