MiddleEast

Syria’s Assad in China, seeks exit from diplomatic isolation

By Joe Cash BEIJING, Sept 21 (Reuters) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has arrived in China's eastern city of Hangzhou, kicking off his first visit to the Asian nation since…

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Israeli-Palestinian violence surges ahead of Netanyahu-Biden meeting

JENIN, West Bank, Sept 20 (Reuters) - Israeli troops killed a 19-year-old Palestinian during a raid in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, medics and residents said, as violence surged…

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Syria’s Assad to travel to China for summit with Xi – presidency

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will travel to China this week for a bilateral summit with his Chinese counterpart, the presidency in Damascus said in a statement on Tuesday.Assad, Syrian first…

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Israel sees south Lebanon airport as Iran-backed springboard for attacks

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant accused Iran on Monday of setting up an airport in southern Lebanon to enable attacks against Israel.Israel is troubled by arch-foe Iran's nuclear programme, missile…

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EPA’s Eye In The Sky: Tel Aviv, Israel

A general aerial view of the Hilton beach in Tel Aviv, Israel. Photo: EPA-EFE/ABIR SULTAN

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Syrians tear down poster of Assad in Sweida as protests swell

Demonstrators in the southern Syrian city of Sweida tore down a portrait of President Bashar al-Assad on Friday as anti-government protests that began three weeks ago swelled with crowds coming…

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US and EU slam Palestinian president’s remarks on Holocaust

JERUSALEM, (Reuters) - The United States and the European Union criticised remarks about the World War Two persecution of Jews and antisemitism by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. In a statement,…

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Israeli troops kill Islamic Jihad gunman in West Bank clash

Israeli troops killed a Islamic Jihad gunman and wounded another Palestinian in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, the armed faction and medics said, during what the military described as…

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Netanyahu rues his foreign minister’s disclosure of meeting with Libyan counterpart

JERUSALEM, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday appeared to shift blame to his top diplomat for the disclosure of a secret meeting with the Libyan…

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Archaeologists find ‘mystery’ ducts near biblical Jerusalem relics

JERUSALEM, Aug 30 (Reuters) - An almost three millennia-old network of hewn-rock ducts unearthed in Jerusalem has baffled archaeologists, given the lack of comparable biblical finds, or obvious links to…

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Syria’s Assad’s ruling party shut by protests in rebellious Druze city

Protesters demanding an end to authoritarian rule shut the ruling Baath party headquarters in the southwestern Syrian Druze city of Sweida as protests which entered their second week showed no…

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Syria says Israeli air ‘aggression’ puts Aleppo airport out of service

An Israeli air 'aggression' put Aleppo international airport out of service, the Syrian defence ministry said on Monday. "The Israeli enemy carried out an air attack ... targeting Aleppo International…

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Netanyahu says recent attacks on Israelis are backed by Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Monday that a series of recent deadly attacks against Israelis has been funded and encouraged by Iran. "We are in the midst of…

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Woman killed, man seriously wounded in West Bank shooting -Israel’s military

A woman was killed in a suspected Palestinian shooting attack near the occupied West Bank city of Hebron on Monday, the Israeli military said. Israel's ambulance service said a man who was also…

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Captured Libyan commander rejoins unit after clashes kill 55

A Libyan factional commander whose seizure triggered the worst fighting in Tripoli for years, with 55 killed and 146 wounded, was returned to his unit on Wednesday, officials in the…

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Israeli tech startups flock to US amid uncertainty at home

A growing number of Israel's tech startups are incorporating in the United States, attracted by deep pocketed U.S. funds and pro-business policies, and with an extra push from a planned…

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Jordanian army downs drone from Syria carrying meth – state news agency

The Jordanian military on Sunday downed a drone carrying crystal meth that was flying into Jordanian territory from neighbouring Syria, the state news agency Petra reported. War-torn Syria has become…

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Four Syrian soldiers killed in Israeli attack on Damascus

Aug 7 (Reuters) - An Israeli missile attack targeting the vicinity of Syria's capital Damascus killed four soldiers, wounded four more and caused "some material damage", Syrian state media reported…

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Lebanon seeks to reassure Gulf, Germany after travel warnings

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanon's caretaker premier Najib Mikati said there was no cause for "concern or panic" about his country's security situation, after Germany and Gulf countries issued new travel…

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Islamic State confirms death of its leader, names replacement

(Reuters) - Islamic State confirmed the death of its leader Abu Hussein al-Husseini al-Quraishi and named Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Quraishi as his replacement, the group's spokesperson said in an undated…

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Israel plans $27 billion rail expansion, eyes future link to Saudi Arabia

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel will build a 100 billion shekel ($27 billion) rail expansion that will connect its outlying areas to metropolitan Tel Aviv and, in the future, could provide…

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Netanyahu judicial move spawns economic, political risks

Reforms heighten perils for economy and for Netanyahu More changes could hit shekel, growth, high-tech sector Government ignoring 'huge warning signs' - economist Moody's sees negative economic consequences Netanyahu: Economy…

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Israel’s enemies see opportunity in its crisis

By Parisa Hafezi, Laila Bassam and Nidal Al-Mughrabi Arab, Iranian foes debate crisis at top meetings -sources See Israeli democracy in turmoil as possible turning point Elite Hezbollah fighters patrol…

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Israeli air chief warns of security threat after judicial reform vote

Bar says Israel's enemies might 'test the frontiers' Reforms shaking commitment to duty of some reservists PM on defensive after vote on Supreme Court powers Crisis over Netanyahu's reforms now…

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Israel president urges calm amid plans for more protests over judicial reform

President appeals to Israelis to refrain from violence Israel marks Jewish fast, protests called for after sunset Netanyahu says he hopes for 'middle ground' outcome By Dan Williams JERUSALEM, (Reuters)…

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Israel’s constitutional battle rolls from parliament to top court

Long feted as a torch-bearer for basic rights or scorned for elitist over-reach, Israel's Supreme Court is under ever fiercer scrutiny as it is asked to roll back Prime Minister…

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Israel’s Netanyahu down in polls over judicial reform

By Maayan Lubell JERUSALEM, July 26 (Reuters) - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has taken a hit in the polls over a judicial law his hard-right coalition has championed, deepening a…

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Israel says it shot three people who fired at its forces in West Bank

The Israeli military said soldiers "neutralized" three people on Tuesday who had opened fire at its forces from a car in the occupied West Bank city of Nablus. The military,…

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Israel’s parliament passes divisive judicial reform bill

Israel's parliament on Monday ratified the first bill of a judicial overhaul sought by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, after last-gasp compromise efforts collapsed and failed to ease a constitutional crisis…

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UPDATED:Israel’s Netanyahu recovering in hospital after getting pacemaker

JERUSALEM, July 23 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was fitted with a pacemaker on Sunday after experiencing a heart arrhythmia, and was under observation in the cardiac ward…

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Israeli troops kill 2 Palestinians in West Bank violence -Palestinian officials

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) -Israeli troops shot and killed a Palestinian teenager during clashes with stone throwers in the occupied West Bank on Friday, Palestinian officials said. Israel's border police said…

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Syrians still endure poverty despite relative calm and renewed Arab ties

War recedes but poverty persists No boost yet from improved Arab ties Companies fear Western sanctions DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Nesma Daher survived years of war in a Damascus suburb that…

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UPDATE – Israel’s Netanyahu discharged from hospital after doctors give all-clear

TEL HASHOMER, Israel, July 16 (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was discharged from hospital on Sunday after being admitted the previous day for dehydration, with doctors saying he was in…

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Israel’s Knesset gives first nod to contested Supreme Court bill

Israel's parliament has given initial approval to a bill that limits some Supreme Court power, part of a rebooted judicial overhaul by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that has set off…

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Israeli forces kill 2 Palestinians who carried out attack -army

Israeli security forces on Friday killed two Palestinians suspected of carrying out a shooting attack against police this week, Israel's military said. Israeli forces raided the occupied West Bank town…

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Tel Aviv police chief quits, citing government meddling against protesters

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Tel Aviv's police commander said on Wednesday he was quitting the force, citing political intervention by members of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-right cabinet whom he said…

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Israeli troops withdraw from West Bank’s Jenin

JENIN, West Bank (Reuters) -Israeli forces withdrew from the Palestinian city of Jenin on Tuesday, Reuters witnesses said, after carrying out one of their biggest military operations in the occupied…

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Eight hurt in Palestinian car-ramming, stabbing in Tel Aviv

TEL AVIV, July 4 (Reuters) - A Palestinian rammed a pickup truck into pedestrians in Tel Aviv and then went on a stabbing rampage, wounding eight people on Tuesday in an attack…

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Israel signals Jenin operation close to completion, 10 Palestinians dead

Israel is close to completing its Jenin operation, a senior aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday after the fiercest fighting in the flashpoint West Bank town in…

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Hannibal Gaddafi moved to hospital in ‘critical condition’ in Lebanon

CAIRO, July 2 (Reuters) - Hannibal Gaddafi, son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been moved from a Lebanese prison to hospital in "critical condition", Dubai-based Al-Hadath TV…

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UPDATED: Israeli forces strike West Bank city, Palestinians say four killed

By Ali Sawafta Apparent air strike targets building in Jenin refugee camp Israeli military says extensive operation in and around city Gunfire and explosions heard for hours as drones circle…

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Syria says air defences intercept Israeli missile strike

AMMAN (Reuters) -Syria said on Sunday its air defences intercepted what it called an Israeli missile strike across central parts of the country and downed most of the missiles, according…

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Mossad in a unique operation on Iranian soil

JERUSALEM, (Reuters) - Israel said its Mossad intelligence service carried out an operation in Iran to capture the suspected leader of an Iranian plot to attack Israeli businesspeople in Cyprus…

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Cigars, champagne and secrets: Hollywood mogul testifies in Netanyahu case

By Maayan Lubell JERUSALEM, June 25 (Reuters) - Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan began his testimony in the corruption trial of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, in a court…

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West Bank risks ‘spiralling out of control’ – UN rights chief

GENEVA, June 23 (Reuters) - The United Nations high commissioner for human rights said on Friday that the situation in the occupied West Bank was deteriorating sharply, adding that Israeli…

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Son of Libya’s Gaddafi in Lebanon hospital after going on hunger strike

BEIRUT (Reuters) - A son of late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi has been treated in hospital in Lebanon after going on hunger strike two weeks ago in protest at his…

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Israel to build fibre-optic link between Europe and Asia

Israel will build a 254-kilometre (158 mile) fibre-optic cable between the Mediterranean and Red Sea, creating a continuous link between Europe and countries in the Gulf and Asia, the Finance…

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Israeli troops, backed by helicopter, kill 3 Palestinians in clash

By Ali Sawafta JENIN, West Bank, June 19 (Reuters) - Israeli commandos killed three Palestinians, including a teenager, during an unusually fierce clash in the occupied West Bank on Monday…

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Gaza graffiti artists bedeck houses destroyed by Israel in war

By Nidal Al-Mughrabi GAZA (Reuters) - Graffiti artists in Gaza have painted murals on the remains of houses destroyed in an Israeli missile strike during cross-border fighting in May. On…

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Israeli army mounts rare raid into Palestinian city of Ramallah, clashes ensue

RAMALLAH, West Bank, June 8 (Reuters) - Clashes erupted after Israeli forces mounted a rare raid into the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank early on Thursday,…

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Israeli soldiers killed in security incident along Egypt border

JERUSALEM, June 3 (Reuters) - Israel's military said three of its soldiers and a gunman were killed near the border with Egypt on Saturday, and a military spokesperson said a…

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Syria says Israeli missiles target sites near Damascus

AMMAN, May 29 (Reuters) - Syrian army air defences on Sunday confronted an Israeli missile strike on the outskirts of the Syrian capital Damascus, and there were no casualties, state…

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Senior Israeli General Says ‘Action’ Is Imminent Over Iran’s Nuclear Program

By Dan Williams JERUSALEM (Reuters) - The top Israeli general raised the prospect of "action" against Iran even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's national security adviser played down any immediate…

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Lebanon set to be grey-listed by financial crime watchdog

Lebanon is likely to be placed on a "grey list" of countries under special scrutiny over unsatisfactory practices to prevent money laundering and terrorism financing, three sources familiar with the matter…

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Tens of thousands protest against planned Israeli judicial overhaul

TEL AVIV (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Israelis joined protests across the country, now entering their 20th week, on Saturday against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's contested plans to tighten…

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In Middle East, once improbable ententes set new tone

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's invitation to an Arab Summit in Saudi Arabia on Friday is part of a wider trend in the Middle East where adversaries have been taking steps…

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US military to bolster defensive posture in Gulf after Iran seizes tankers

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. military will work to bolster the defensive posture in the Gulf region following Iran's seizure and harassment of commercial shipping vessels in recent months, U.S.…

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