Middle Orient

“For decades, Israel wisely cultivated relations with both Democrats and Republicans…Bibi broke that tradition and threw his lot in with the Republicans” In 2001, when he was out of office and in what he thought was a private setting, Benjamin Netanyahu boasted, “I know what America is. America is a …

Barnea, 56, is the replacement for former Mossad director Yossi Cohen. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held his first working meeting with new Mossad Director David Barnea on Thursday. In December, Netanyahu put Barnea, who is 56, married and has four kids, forth as his nominee to replace Yossi Cohen, but …

The IDF intelligence officer died during the recent war between Israel and Hamas. His family has rejected claims that he took his own life. An intelligence officer who died in prison two weeks ago “was not charged with espionage or treason and had not been in contact with or used …

Behind the scenes of targeting Hamas terror targets Operation Guardian of the Walls lasted 11 days, but it was one of the most intense wars between Israel’s military and Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists in the Gaza Strip. By many measures, this round was the most intense escalation since …

Military says Sheikh Jamal al-Tawil took an active part in organizing violent riots and re-establishment of terror group’s headquarters in Ramallah; arrest comes after Egyptian-brokered ceasefire halted 11 days of fighting in Gaza The IDF said Wednesday it has arrested a Hamas leader in the West Bank accused of setting …

Members of ‘coalition for change’ sign off on request to replace Likud’s Yariv Levin with Yesh Atid’s Mickey Levy in speakership post in order to fast track swearing-in of new government; Yamina MK Nir Orbach pulls signature, jeopardizing motion Hours after Yesh Atid chief Yair Lapid announced to President Reuven …

Political ads paid for by anonymous ‘dark money’ were viewed more than 50 million times ahead of Albania’s April parliamentary election, according to data analysed by BIRN. hree weeks ahead of Albania’s fiercely contested parliamentary election in April, a Facebook page entitled ‘Untold Stories of Albania’, ran an excerpt from …

A massive fire that broke out at an oil refinery near Iran’s capital and sent a huge plume of black smoke into the sky over Tehran was extinguished on Thursday, after more than 20 hours, a news agency reported. The semi-official ISNA agency quoted the country’s deputy oil minister, Alireza …

Mali Amid rising social discontent, military junta staged another coup; jihadist violence persisted in north and centre. Following series of strikes paralysing country, PM Ouane 14 May offered resignation to President N’Daw, who immediately reappointed him to form more inclusive cabinet. After interim govt 24 May appointed new cabinet ministers, …

While tensions between Israel and Iran have been omnipresent in the Middle East for decades, the prospect of open military conflict between the two countries has never seemed closer than it does now. Over the past few months, the two rivals have escalated an undeclared naval war featuring unclaimed attacks …