Archives for February, 2021

merav michaeli 4.jpg

Israeli Labor sidelines veteran Arab activists

Veteran Arab activists claim that for the new party Chairwoman Merav Michaeli their support is no longer a priority.

Turkish President and leader of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks during his party's group meeting at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara on February 10, 2021. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

The Takeaway: Killing of Turkish hostages by PKK tests fragile US-Turkey ties

The Turkish president is expected to escalate military offensives in Syria, Iraq; Netanyahu will be his own Iran envoy; Al-Monitor reporting from Idlib and Gaza; and more.

A general view shows an oil installation on the outskirts of In Amenas, deep in the Sahara near the Libyan border, on January 18, 2013. Islamist hostage-takers at a nearby gas field in the area, more than 1,300 kms southeast of the capital Algiers, demanded a prisoner swap and an end to the French military campaign in Mali, a report said, while 30 foreigners were reported still missing in the worst international hostage drama for years. AFP PHOTO/FAROUK BATICHE (Photo credit should read FAROUK BATICH

Algeria: Running on fumes

Unless oil prices go way up, Algeria is in a world of hurt.

US citizen Bilal Abdul Kareem released from prison by HTS in Syria

The American activist and self-styled journalist spent six months in the jihadist group's notorious prison system.

Biden, Netanyahu hold 'friendly and warm' call

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said the hourlong call discussed peace, Iran and other issues.

Snow covers parts of the Middle East as winter storm rages on

Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel and Jordan have all received several centimeters of snow.

Dubai's Princess Latifa says she's being held hostage

In a series of secret video recordings, Sheikha Latifa says she is worried about her safety and is being held in a villa "converted into a jail."

The coffins of three Turkish military personnel killed in action are carried during funeral prays at the Ahmet Hamdi Akseki Mosque in Ankara on February 12, 2021. - The three soldiers Lt. Burak Coskun, Lt. Ertug Guler and Sgt. First Class Harun Turhan were killed during clashes with Kurdish militants in northern Iraq's Gara region as part of the Eagle Claw 2 operation by the Turkish military against the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty I

Turkey could leverage hostage tragedy to reach Sinjar

After the deaths of 13 Turkish captives in Iraqi Kurdistan during a raid against Kurdish militants, Turkey might be weighing an offensive against Sinjar, but vocal objections by pro-Iranian groups heavily deployed in the area are bound to complicate such a mission.

Bahraini phone app launches vaccination certificate

Users of the BeAware Bahrain mobile application can receive a certificate proving they have received the vaccine against COVID-19.

Rouhani renews Iran’s pledge not to pursue nuclear arms

The statement appeared as a correction of comments by Iran’s intelligence minister, which have fueled worries that Tehran could be developing nuclear arms.

Prominent Turkish lawyer defiant after jail sentence over media trial

Eren Keskin, a prominent human rights lawyer, was among four defendants sentenced to prison on terror-linked charges Monday in a newspaper trial that raised concerns over media freedom in Turkey.

Saudi-backed government troops repel a Huthi rebel offensive on oil-rich Marib, some 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa, on February 14, 2021. - The UNs humanitarian chief said he was "very alarmed" by a Huthi rebel assault on the Yemeni governments last northern stronghold of Marib, saying it could endanger millions of civilians. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

UN: Houthi attack on Marib may displace hundreds of thousands

The potential for a Houthi offensive poses a major test for the Biden administration.

An Iranian woman holds a picture of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and former Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini during a ceremony marking the 42nd anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, at the Azadi (Freedom) square in Tehran, on February 10 2021. (Photo by STR / AFP) (Photo by STR/AFP via Getty Images)

Iran's supreme leader demands US action, not talk on nuclear deal

As the new administration tries to revive diplomacy with Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday that "words and promises are no good."

This picture taken from the Israel-annexed Golan Heights on February 15, 2021, shows the border fence with the Syrian governorate of Quneitra (Photo by JALAA MAREY / AFP) (Photo by JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel in quiet talks with Syria on prisoner swap

Israel is reportedly negotiating with Syria on the release of a woman who mistakenly crossed the border in exchange for the release of two Golan residents imprisoned in Israel.

Palestinian health workers unload the first arriving shipment of doses of Russia's Sputnik V vaccine for COVID-19 coronavirus disease, on the Palestinian side of the Kerem Shalom border crossing south of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip on February 17, 2021. - An initial batch of coronavirus vaccines, enough to fully innoculate 1,000 people, arrived in Gaza after Israel had blocked the shipment earlier in the week. The Israeli military department responsible for civilian affairs in the occupied Palestinian

Gaza receives first batch of vaccines

Israel approved the shipment after reportedly considering tying the delivery to the release of Israeli captives in the Hamas-run Palestinian territory.

Egypt boosts investment in Congo, hoping to secure support in Nile dam crisis

As Egypt seeks to grow its influence in Congo by boosting investments, Kinshasa takes over the chairmanship of the African Union, which is currently sponsoring the negotiations to resolve the dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam.