Middle Orient

Gulf states blacklist terror financiers linked to Iran, Islamic State, Syrian regime

Lead figures in the Assad regime’s Qatirji oil-smuggling network were among those sanctioned. Members of the Riyadh-based Terrorist Financing Targeting Center (TFTC), which includes the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, blacklisted 13 individuals and three organizations for financing terrorism on Monday. Among …

Read More »

Jihadi group in Syria’s Idlib seeks control of NGOs

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham continues to restrict humanitarian organizations operating in its areas of control in northwestern Syria. Through its Salvation Government, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), formerly known as al-Qaeda-affiliated Jabhat al-Nusra, has been seeking to fully control the humanitarian aid that is being provided to the displaced in Idlib province …

Read More »

Russia expresses ‘understanding’ for Turkey’s security concerns in north Syria

Receiving Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu maintains that the creation of a safe maritime corridor for Ukrainian grain exports should be accompanied by the easing of sanctions against Russia. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reiterated his country’s “understanding” of Turkish security concerns along …

Read More »

Double Standards Haunt US And Europe In NATO Dispute With Turkey

US and European acquiescence in Turkey’s long-standing refusal to honour Kurdish ethnic, cultural, and political rights has come home to roost with Turkish opposition to Finnish and Swedish NATO membership. The opposition has sparked debates about Turkey’s controversial place in the North Atlantic defense alliance. Turkey’s detractors point to its …

Read More »

Breaking: Yemen ceasefire extended after today’s expiration

Both sides have up held parts of the bargain but the reprieve in violence is fragile. Washington cannot ignore its own role moving forward. Yemen’s two month ceasefire is set to expire today. Will the warring parties agree to extend it? It looks like it.*According to Al Jazeera on Thursday …

Read More »

Biden plans visit to Saudi Arabia, hat in hand

MBS is playing hardball with the United States, and the White House is just letting him win. Why? Last night, the New York Times broke the news that President Biden plans to travel this Summer to Saudi Arabia, effectively signaling the administration’s intent to end its paltry efforts to correct …

Read More »

Lebanon urges US envoy to end maritime dispute with Israel

The Lebanese government invited on Monday a U.S. envoy mediating between Lebanon and Israel over their disputed maritime border to return to Beirut as soon as possible to work out an agreement amid rising tensions along the border. The invitation for Amos Hochstein, a senior adviser for energy security at …

Read More »

In major blow to coalition, two of its MKs help defeat vital West Bank legal bill

Ra’am’s Ghanaim and Rinawie Zoabi of Meretz vote against measure renewing application of Israeli law to settlers, joining opposition MKs who are shooting down all gov’t legislation Two coalition MKs voted on Monday night against a critical piece of legislation to renew the application of Israeli criminal and some civil …

Read More »

White House Deflects Criticism of Possible Biden Meeting With Saudi Crown Prince

The White House pushed back against criticism that President Joe Biden could meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a yet unannounced visit to Saudi Arabia, saying that it is “very important to engage Saudi Arabia and that such a visit is in the national interest. “The president …

Read More »

Why the Abraham Accords Fall Short

Sidelining the Palestinians Is a Recipe for Violence, Not Peace On September 15, 2020, U.S. President Donald Trump stood on the White House balcony with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the foreign ministers of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain to unveil one of his administration’s signature foreign …

Read More »