Archive for Mid-East News

| March 2, 2015
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Egyptian gov’t sanctions army to strike Gaza if needed

Although highly unlikely to happen, the government’s legal adviser sanctioned the legitimacy of a military response into Gaza, following the Egyptian Supreme Court’s decision Saturday to list Hamas a terrorist organization.

By Daniel Siryoti

 

The Egyptian military has received authorization from the government to carry out strikes in the Gaza Strip, Egyptian media reported on Sunday.

Egyptian security forces in the northern Sinai peninsula – Photo: AFP/File

According to the reports, the Egyptian government’s legal adviser sanctioned the legitimacy of an attack in Gaza following the Supreme Court’s decision to label Hamas a terrorist group on Saturday.

Senior Egyptian officials believe the likelihood of an Egyptian military attack in Gaza is slim, and that the decision was likely made as a deterrent measure and to hint that the military option is on the table in light of Hamas involvement in terrorist attacks in Egypt.

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| February 28, 2015
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Egyptian Court Rules: Hamas Blacklisted As Terrorist Organization

The court’s updated ruling to list Hamas as terror org comes a month after an Egyptian judge listed the political party’s ‘armed wing’ as a terrorist group.
• A source from Hamas says the group will no longer allow Egypt broker between it and Israel.

Reuters

 

An Egyptian court listed the Palestinian group Hamas as a terrorist organization, judicial and security sources said on Saturday, one month after a judge listed the group’s armed wing as a terrorist group.

Hamas training camp in Gaza.

Hamas training camp in Gaza.

Hamas is an offshoot of Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood which the authorities have also declared a terrorist group and have repressed systematically since the army ousted one of its leaders, Mohamed Mursi, from the presidency in 2013. Continue Reading »

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| February 26, 2015
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Fatah spokesman: 90% of Gazans want to emigrate because of Hamas

Fatah spokesman Qawassmeh, asks Hamas leaders: “Do you feel any national responsibility toward the Palestinians and their cause?”

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

 

More than 90 percent of Gaza Strip residents want to leave because of Hamas, Fatah spokesman Osama Qawassmeh said on Wednesday.

Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmad (L) and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh – Photo: REUTERS

Addressing Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, the Fatah spokesman asked: “Do you know that more than 90 percent of our people in the Gaza Strip want to emigrate, if given the chance, so they could escape from your regime? Do you feel any national responsibility toward the Palestinians and their cause?” Continue Reading »

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| February 25, 2015
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Al-Quds Al-Arabi reports: ‘Libya’s Sisi’ said to meet Israelis in Jordan

Libyan president proposed appointing former army general Khalifa Haftar as country’s chief military commander.
• Libyan PM criticizes EU, US & UK for failing to supply weapons to battle Islamist militancy.

By ARIEL BEN SOLOMON, REUTERS

 

Former Libyan army general, Khalifa Haftar, who has set himself up as a warrior against Islamist militancy and who some also see as their savior, was planning to meet with Israeli officials on a visit in Amman, an Arab newspaper reported.

Khalifa Haftar

Khalifa Haftar – Photo: REUTERS

The London-based daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported on Tuesday that informed sources said that Haftar secretly visited Egypt twice last week and received 400 different kinds of weapons for his forces in Libya. Continue Reading »

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| February 25, 2015
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Forced out of Damascus, Hamas now centered in Turkey, a NATO member state

Radical Islamist militant group sets up its ‘West Bank & Jerusalem Headquarters’ in Istanbul, using it as base for recruitment, financing & operational planning for anti-Israel terrorism, with the blessings of Turkey’s President Erdoğan.

By Alex Fishman

 

Relations been Israel and Turkey have been on a slippery downward slope in recent years; of late, however, the situation has led to grave consequences beyond the realm of politics: Turkey has become a Hamas hotbed, and members of the organization’s military wing are undergoing military training on Turkish soil, with the knowledge, support and assistance of the local authorities.

Hamas political leader Khaled Mashal, left, with Turkish President Erdoğan in Turkey last year.

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| February 25, 2015
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Wall Street Journal: Saudis tell Europeans of willingness to help Israel attack Iran

Israel’s TV2 news report said Saudi ministers have passed this message in private talks to European sources.

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

In private talks with European sources, the Saudis have expressed their willingness to cooperate with Israel on Iran, including use of Saudi air space by the IDF for a possible air strike, according to a report by Channel 2.

MEMBERS OF the palace staff stand in waiting during Saudi Arabia’s King Salman’s meeting with US President Barack Obama at Erga Palace in Riyadh in January. – Photo: REUTERS

Cooperation with Saudi Arabia would not come free, however. According to the report, the Saudi officials said they would need to see progress between Israelis and Palestinians before having enough legitimacy to allow Israel to use their air space. Continue Reading »

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| February 25, 2015
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Iran oppositions reveals Tehran’s ‘secret’ nuclear site supporting Netanyahu’s position

 

After having exposed White House’s knowledge of secret facility and its acquiescence for the sake of making ‘any deal’, Kerry takes swipe at Israeli PM’s criticism of American led P5+1 nuclear deal.

By i24news

 

An exiled Iranian opposition group Tuesday accused Tehran of running a “secret” uranium enrichment site close to Tehran, which it said violated ongoing talks with global powers on a nuclear deal.

Alireza Jafarzadeh, Deputy Director of the Washington office of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, shows satellite photos on February 24, 2015, in Washington, DC – Photo: AFP/Brendan Smialowski

“Despite the Iranian regime’s claims that all of its enrichment activities are transparent … it has in fact been engaged in research and development with advanced centrifuges at a secret nuclear site called Lavizan-3,” said Alireza Jafarzadeh, deputy director of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI). Continue Reading »

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| February 23, 2015
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Arab League: ‘Hamas-Fatah belligerency hinders efforts to rebuild Gaza’

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elarabi said on Sunday that the mistrust and animosity  between Fatah & Hamas was dampening efforts at rehabilitating Gaza.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

 

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elarabi said on Sunday that the dispute between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority was hindering efforts to reconstruct the Gaza Strip.

Members of a Palestinian family warm themselves by a fire at the remains of their house that witnesses said was destroyed by Israeli shelling. – Photo: REUTERS

Elarabi told the London-based Al-Hayat newspaper that the Arab League was holding consultations with donor countries to find a way to help the residents of the Gaza Strip in light of the ongoing power struggle between the two Palestinian parties. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
| February 22, 2015
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Egypt Accuses Gaza Leadership of Conspiring to Oust President al-Sisi

Egyptian state-run paper reported Saturday that Palestinian group was plotting coup together with Muslim Brotherhood to overthrow al-Sissi.

By i24news

 

Egypt’s official al-Ahram newspaper on Saturday accused Hamas of conspiring, together with its sponsor the Muslim Brotherhood, of plotting to oust the regime of President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi.

Policemen stand in the middle of al-Haram street in Cairo during clashes with Muslim Brotherhood supporters following a rally marking the first anniversary of a brutal crackdown on August 14, 2014 – Photo: Mohamed El-Shahed /AFP

According to the report, the two Islamic groups hoped to achieve their ends by sowing discontent amid Egypt’s military ranks. Continue Reading »

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| February 22, 2015
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Treachery among Palestinian parties leaves Fatah official in hospital after stabbing attack

 

Still unclear on Saturday night whether the stabbing attack on Munir al-Jaghoub, who heads Fatah’s Information Department, was linked to the power struggle between Hamas & Fatah or a power struggle within Fatah leadership.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

 

A senior Fatah official in the West Bank was seriously injured in a stabbing attack on Friday.

Palestinian militants from Fatah’s al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, demonstrate against the Hamas government in the West Bank town of Ramallah October 4, 2006. – Photo: REUTERS

Munir al-Jaghoub, who heads Fatah’s Information Department in the Office of Mobilization and Organization, was attacked after walking out of a mosque in his village of Beita, south of Nablus. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| February 19, 2015
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UN Pressures Donors Countries to Make Good on Aid Pledged to Gaza

UN official warns the Security Council that if promised cash is given to Hamas, there may be more violence coming out of Gaza.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

The failure by world donors to deliver billions of dollars of aid to rebuild Gaza is jeopardizing efforts to avoid a new flareup in the Palestinian territory, a senior United Nations official warned Wednesday.

UN political affairs chief Jeffrey Feltman told the Security Council that donors who had promised $5.4 billion to the Palestinians at the Cairo conference four months ago “have yet to fulfill the vast majority of their pledges,” according to AFP. 

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| February 18, 2015
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NY Times: European officials admit US asked them to limit reports to Israel on Iran talks

US officials are neither being honest or transparent about P5+1 nuclear talks with Iran and have launched campaign to discredit Natanyahu for exposing truth in upcoming Congressional address.

By i24news

 

Last week, Israel’s Channel 2 TV News aired a dramatic announcement, saying top US officials had stopped updating Israel about the status of the P5+1 nuclear talks with Iran.

Wendy Sherman No. 2 US diplomat – US Mission in Geneva

The US State Department quickly denied the report, saying it continues to regularly update Israel regarding developments in the talks.

The White House also called the report “patently false. National Security Adviser (Susan) Rice maintains regular contact with her Israeli counterpart, National Security Adviser Cohen on the full range of issues of mutual concern to our nations, and will in fact meet with him later this week at the White House.”

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Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| February 18, 2015
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REPORT: ISIS now targeting Libya as jumping-point for its eventual invasion of Europe

The UK newspaper Telegraph, reports ISIS jihadists are planning to “flood Libya with militiamen from Syria & Iraq, who will then sail across the Mediterranean posing as migrants on people-trafficking vessels.”

By JPOST.COM STAFF

 

Islamic State has set its sights on taking over Libya as a bridgehead to eventually waging war all across southern Europe, the British Telegraph is reporting on Wednesday.

Egyptian Christians in orange jumpsuits just before their execution by ISIS henchmen. – Photo: REUTERS

The newspaper cited letters written by ISIS supporters.

According to the report, ISIS jihadists plan to “flood Libya with militiamen from Syria and Iraq, who will then sail across the Mediterranean posing as migrants on people-trafficking vessels.”

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Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| February 18, 2015
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Iran’s Shi’ite Militia in Yemen Begin Battle to Control Israel’s Red Sea Entry

After replacing Yemen’s gov’t, the Shi’ite Houthi militia, launches conquest of strategic port city of Aden, that controls Eilat access.

By Dalit Halevy, Ari Yashar

 

The Shi’ite Houthi militia which is loyal to Iran and receives support from the Islamic regime has moved its conquest of Yemen into a new stage, opening its battle for the southern port city of Aden which controls access to the Red Sea and ultimately to Eilat and Israel.

Aden, Yemen

Earlier this month the Houthis established their temporary government, the Supreme Revolutionary Council, in the presidential castle in the capital city of Sana’a after besieging the previous government in the castle until it disbanded.

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| February 12, 2015
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Sky News Arabic Reports: Egyptian army kills Hamas commander with jihadists in Sinai

Asharq Al-Awsat, a London-based newspaper, also claimed a Hamas commander had been killed in clashes between Egyptian security forces and jihadist militants in the Sinai.

By i24news

 

A commander of Hamas’ military wing – the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades – was reportedly killed Wednesday by an Egyptian army strike in the Sinai Peninsula, Sky News in Arabic reported.

Brigades Ezzedin-al Qassam – Photo capture site: al Qassam

Abdallah Saeed Kashta, 25, died during a raid carried out by Egyptian forces against Islamic State-linked Welayat Sinai group.

Kashta’s relatives denied the report, saying that he was killed several days ago in Libya. Continue Reading »

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