Archive for Mid-East News

| October 26, 2014
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Sisi’s Response to Massive Sinai Terrorist Attack: Egypt to establish buffer zone on Gaza border

 

Sitting alongside his top generals in a televised speech to the nation, Egypt’s President Sisi, directed blame at “foreign powers who are trying to break Egypt’s back.” 

By JPOST.COM STAFF

Egypt’s ruler, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, denounced “foreign hands” whom he believes were behind the deadly car bombs that killed scores of security personnel in northeast Sinai on Friday.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi gives a speech outside the Supreme Council in Cairo. – Photo:REUTERS

The president, whose regime has been battling jihadist elements since the military ousted the Muslim Brotherhood leader Mohammed Morsi last year, declared a three-day mourning period throughout the country on Saturday. Continue Reading »

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| October 24, 2014
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Islamic terror attack kills dozens of Egyptian troops in Sinai

 

At least 25 Egyptian soldiers were killed with dozens more wounded by a car bomb that targeted a Sinai security checkpoint near Gaza border.

 

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi convened an emergency meeting of his senior defense advisers on Friday just hours after a deadly terrorist attack claimed the lives of at least 25 soldiers in the Sinai Peninsula.

Abdel Fattah al-Sisi

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi inspects the guard of honor upon arriving at Khartoum International Airport in Khartoum. -Photo: REUTERS

At least 25 soldiers were killed by a car bomb that targeted two armored vehicles stopped at a checkpoint, security sources and Egyptian media reports indicated. Continue Reading »

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| October 21, 2014
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Islamic State Pulls Lebanon Into War as it Intensifies Attacks on Hezbollah

With attacks launched from the Syrian border, Hezbollah faces near daily military engagements by Nusra Front & Islamic State, while ongoing jihadi recruitment in northern Lebanon’s impoverished Sunni areas, is on the rise.

By the Associated Press

 

 

BEIRUT – With all eyes on the Islamic State group’s onslaught in Iraq and Syria, a less conspicuous but potentially just as explosive front line with the extremists is emerging in Lebanon, where Lebanese soldiers and Shiite Hezbollah guerrillas are increasingly pulled into deadly fighting with the Sunni militants along the country’s border with Syria.

Gunmen drive away with about a dozen men, two in camouflage police uniforms, in Arsal (Photo: AP)

Gunmen drive away with about a dozen men, two in camouflage police uniforms, in Arsal – Photo: AP

The US has been speeding up delivery of small ammunition to shore up Lebanon’s army, but recent cross-border attacks and beheading of Lebanese soldiers by Islamic State fighters – and the defection of four others to the extremists – has sent shockwaves across this Mediterranean country, eliciting fear of a potential slide into the kind of militant, sectarian violence afflicting both Syria and Iraq, and increasingly prompting minorities to take up arms. Continue Reading »

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| October 20, 2014
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UN, EU & US Ignores Western Aid Finances Renewed Hamas Preparations for Future Terror Attacks

After world pledges over $5 billions to rebuild Gaza, the West talks of renewed peace negotiations when they know for a fact, past aid money went to building tunnels, and are fairly certain Hamas is again brazenly restoring terror tunnels with western financial assistance.

By Israel Today Staff

 

An official Hamas newspaper, Al-Risalah, openly and proudly acknowledged this week that the terror group had renewed the digging of attack tunnels connecting the Gaza Strip to targeted Jewish communities in southern Israel.

And this just days after the international community pledged billions of dollars to Hamas-ruled Gaza, and while Western leaders are again putting pressure on Israel to restart peace talks with a Palestinian unity government that includes Hamas.

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Category: Mid-East News |
| October 20, 2014
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Hamas source tells Turkish press: Israel seized bodies of 2 Hamas fighters in Gaza war

The Palestinian sources told Turkish news agency that a subsequent Hamas investigation revealed 2 of their elite fighters fell in battle with IDF troops near Khan Younis.

By Ynet

 

Palestinian sources on Sunday told Turkish news agency Anatolia that Israel is holding the bodies of two Hamas field commanders missing since the end of the 50-day conflict in Gaza during the summer.

Hamas fighters during the Gaza conflict (Photo: Reuters)

Hamas fighters during the Gaza conflict – Photo: Reuters

According to the sources, Anatolia said, the fate of the two bodies, both belonging to members of Hamas’ military wing, was uncovered after a month-long intensive investigation.

The Palestinian sources named the Hamas men as Basel Abu al-Naja, and Ibrahim al-Amur, saying they were both members of the Hamas elite forces, the news agency said. Continue Reading »

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| October 19, 2014
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Hamas’ leader, who calls for Israel’s destruction, had daughter in Tel Aviv Hospital

The daughter of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, was admitted to a Tel Aviv hospital in October after suffering complications from routine procedure performed in Gaza.

By Reuters

 

 

A daughter of the leader of Hamas in Gaza was admitted to an Israeli hospital for emergency medical treatment this month after she suffered complications from a routine procedure, two sources familiar with the case said.

Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh ( AFP )

Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh – Photo: AFP

Ismail Haniyeh’s daughter’s week-long admission to a hospital in Tel Aviv – which Israeli and Palestinian officials declined to confirm or deny – shows humanitarian coordination between the sides continues just weeks after the Gaza war ended. Continue Reading »

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| October 18, 2014
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Egyptian Soldiers Die Destroying Hamas Smuggling Tunnel From Gaza

Egyptian army officers among the dead when Hamas-run smuggling tunnel from Gaza collapses during demolition operation.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

Two Egyptian army officers and a soldier were killed Saturday when a smuggling tunnel connecting Sinai and the Gaza Strip collapsed as they were preparing to blow it up, officials said.

One soldier was injured and another missing in the collapse, which happened as troops were planting explosives.

The army says it has destroyed more than 1,600 such tunnels – most of them since the ouster of president Mohamed Morsi last year – which the Hamas terrorist group uses to smuggle in arms, equipment and money. Continue Reading »

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| October 17, 2014
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Syrian Rebel Tunnel Blast Proves Hezbollah Terror Tunnel Threat in Galilee Realistic

Aided with UN equipment, Islamic rebels obliterate Syrian army post annihilating its 60 soldiers, by tunneling undetected in rocky terrain – almost identical to that of the Israel-Lebanese border.

By Dalit Halevy, Ari Yashar

 

Members of the Syrian rebel group Ahrar al-Sham, part of the Islamic Front coalition, blew up a Syrian army post on Tuesday by digging attack tunnels in rocky terrain – similar to that of the Israeli-Lebanese border – in an incident further raising fears that Hezbollah may use the same techniques.

Syrian explosion - Screenshot YouTube/Al Jazeera

Syrian explosion – Screenshot YouTube/Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera Arabic reported on the blast and the tunnels on Wednesday, showing how the strike was conducted on the Al Dahrouj checkpoint near Maarat al-Numaan, in the rural northern Syrian region not far from Idlib. Continue Reading »

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| October 17, 2014
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Gaza to receive Turkish floating power station for domestic energy

 

Allowing Turkey to deploy a Turkish ship off the coast of Gaza to serve as temporary power plant represents a goodwill gesture on the part of Israel.

By i24news

Israel allowed Turkey to deploy a Turkish ship off the coast of Gaza to serve as temporary power plant, until the Gaza power plant, damaged during the summer’s war with Israel, is repaired, Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs Hussein al-Sheikh said on Thursday according to Israel’s Ynetnews website.

Carolyn Kaster (Pool/AFP)

“Secretary of State John Kerry during the International Gaza Reconstruction Conference in Cairo, Oct 12 2014 – Photo: Carolyn Kaster/ Pool/AFP

It is understood the move represents a goodwill gesture on the part of Israel. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| October 15, 2014
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Palestinians’ envoy to the Netherlands hopes to avoid taking Israel to the ICC

‘Going to the International Criminal Court is the finale divorce,’ says Nabil Abuznaid, ‘I don’t think Palestinians & the Israelis are ready for a final divorce.’

By

 

JTA — Loading a newly released video of a beheading in Syria on his smartphone, Nabil Abuznaid, the Palestinians’ ambassador here in The Hague, shakes his head in disbelief.

Criminal Court

Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad al-Malki (left) at the International Criminal Court in The Hague. – Photo: AFP

“Look at those animals,” he says, referring to the fighters from the Islamic State jihadist group who carried out the decapitation. “Do you think Israelis are immune from this craziness?

Continue Reading »
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| October 13, 2014
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Hamas’ weapons smuggling to suffer from rift between Iran and Sudan

Gaza’s arms suppliers are in the middle of a diplomatic snafu after Khartoum closed its Iranian culture centers out of concern Tehran was promoting Shi’ite ideology in Sunni Sudan.

By Roi Kais

 

After 20 years in which Sudan, a Sunni-majority state, maintained close strategic ties with Shi’ite Iran, cracks have begun to appear in the relationship between the two countries, who, according to foreign reports, have also cooperated against Israel.

Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir (left) with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei (right) – Photo: AP

There have been several reports in recent years about air raids on Sudanese territory against arms convoys reportedly transferring weapons to the Gaza Strip. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| October 13, 2014
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Cairo’s conference of donors pledge $5.4 billion for Gaza reconstruction

Int’l powers outperform Abbas’ expectations with generous donations from  EU, US, Qatar, Turkey, and UAE.

By the Associated Press

 

A donor conference in Cairo to raise money to rebuild the Gaza Strip after this year’s war between Hamas and Israel ended with pledges of $5.4 billion for reconstruction there, Norway’s foreign minister said Sunday.

Palestinians return to destroyed homes (Photo: Reuters)

Palestinians return to destroyed homes – Photo: Reuters

Norwegian Foreign Minister Borge Brende offered the figure at the end of Sunday’s one-day conference, far beyond the $4 billion initially sought by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

“The message was clear to the international community that the Palestinian brothers are not alone,” Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shukri said. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags:
| October 10, 2014
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After UNRWA Facilities Assisted Hamas in War, Now Seeking $1.6b in Aid to ‘Rebuild Gaza’

 

Chutzpah? UN Palestinian body makes largest single plea in UNRWA’s 64-year history asking $1.6 billion to rebuild Hamas’ institutions & constituency.

By AFP

 

The UN’s Palestinian refugee agency is to make its largest ever financial plea to donors, it said on Thursday, asking for $1.6 billion (1.26 billion euros) to rehabilitate war-battered Gaza.

(Reuters)

(Reuters)

The conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Gaza militants, which ended on August 26, killed nearly 2,200 Palestinians, most of them civilians, and 73 people on the Israeli side, mostly soldiers.

“This is the largest single ask in UNRWA’s 64-year history,” spokesman Christopher Gunness told AFP ahead of an October 12 donors’ conference in Cairo. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| October 10, 2014
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New Political Con Satisfies US & EU but Gaza Facing ‘Donor Fatigue’

Unparallelled deceptions & corruption by Palestinians escapes US & EU leadership, but int’l aid conference has shown global community become a little wiser to Hamas’s numbers game.

By Tova Dvorin

 

A conference that aims to raise billions of dollars to “rebuild Gaza” after Hamas’s latest terror war on Israel faces “donor fatigue,” an insider told AFP on Friday.

The United Nations’ Palestinian Arab “refugee” agency, the UNRWA, has described the financial needs as “unprecedented” ahead of the Cairo meeting, which follows Hamas’s third war on Israeli civilians in six years.

But it is unclear how generous the world is willing to be given the intractability of the conflict and other priorities in the region, such as the fight against jihadists in Syria and Iraq. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , , ,
| October 10, 2014
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Report: Iran orders Hezbollah to Hurt Israel for Sabotage at its Parchin Nuclear Plant

Kuwaiti paper reports Hezbollah’s attack on IDF soldiers was in retribution for sabotage that caused explosion at Iran’s nuclear site.

By Gil Ronen

 

Kuwaiti newspaper A-Rai reported Thursday that the explosion that took place earlier this week at the Iranian nuclear site in Parchin was not the result of a malfunction, but an intentional act of sabotage.

A section of the Parchin military facility in Iran

A section of the Parchin military facility in Iran – Reuters

The report relies on European diplomatic sources in Washington, DC, who said that a foreign country carried out the attack in order to foil experiments in the mounting of nuclear warheads on ballistic missiles. Continue Reading »

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