08

Jan

Israel tightens nationwide coronavirus lockdown

Israel tightened a national lockdown on Friday in a bid to curb a sharp rise in new COVID-19 cases, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promising that all Israeli adults could…

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05

Jan

Iran resumes uranium enrichment programme

Iran has resumed 20% uranium enrichment at an underground nuclear facility, the government said on Monday, breaching a 2015 nuclear pact with major powers and possibly complicating efforts by U.S.…

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04

Jan

Israel’s defence minister favours buying one more F-35 squadron for now

Israel's defence minister said on Monday that he wants the country to buy a third squadron of stealth F-35 warplanes from the United States, and that he hoped a deal…

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03

Jan

Israel dismisses “nonsense” Iran charge it seeks to trick U.S. into war

JERUSALEM, Jan 3 (Reuters) - An Israeli official on Sunday dismissed as "nonsense" an allegation by the Iranian foreign minister that Israel was trying to trick the United States into…

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02

Jan

Israel leads vaccine race with 1 million given jab

Israel has given vaccinations against coronavirus to more than one million people, the highest rate in the world, as global immunisation efforts step up. Israel has a rate of 11.55…

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30

Dec

Lebanon can stretch reserves for six more months of subsidies, PM says

BEIRUT, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Lebanon can ration $2 billion in reserves left for subsidies to last six more months, the caretaker prime minister said on Tuesday, as the country's…

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28

Dec

Lebanon secures COVID-19 vaccines for 20% of its citizens – health minister

BEIRUT, Dec 28 (Reuters) - Lebanon has secured about 2 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine, which will cover 20% of the country's nationals, the health minister said on Monday.…

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28

Dec

Norway and Jordan confirm new Covid variant cases

The new variant of the coronavirus circulating in Britain has been detected in Norway and Jordan, as the two countries health authorities confirmed the variant in cases which concerned people…

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28

Dec

Hundreds of Syrians flee Lebanon camp after tents torched

BEIRUT, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Syrian refugees fled their makeshift camp in north Lebanon after their tents were torched when fighting broke out between local youths and camp…

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24

Dec

Photo Story: Santa Claus in Jerusalem

Jerusalem Santa Issa Kassissieh rides a camel in the alleys of Jerusalem's Old City. Kassissieh has dressed up as Santa Claus in Jerusalem for a decade and had turned his…

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24

Dec

Right-wing challenge to Netanyahu builds ahead of Israeli election

A right-wing challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a March Israeli election gained momentum with the defection of a long-time ally to an upstart rival party. In a letter…

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24

Dec

Israel imposing third national COVID-19 lockdown

Israel will impose a third national lockdown to fight climbing COVID-19 infections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday. The curbs will come into effect on Sunday evening and last…

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23

Dec

Israel hopes for rapprochement with fifth Muslim country before Trump exit

Israel is working towards formalising relations with a fifth Muslim country during U.S. President Donald Trump's term, which ends next month, an Israeli government minister told Ynet TV on Wednesday.…

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23

Dec

Israel to hold snap election

Israel will hold a snap election in March after parliament failed on Tuesday to meet a deadline to pass a budget, triggering a ballot presenting new challenges for Prime Minister…

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22

Dec

Morocco hosts Israeli envoys, Kushner to hammer out new ties

RABAT (Reuters) - Israeli envoys arrived in Morocco on Tuesday to meet its king and hammer out an upgrade of ties that was forged by the White House in a…

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22

Dec

New archeological sites linked to early Christianity discovered in Gethsemane

Fr. Francesco Patton, Custos of the Holy Land showing the remains of a previously unknown church that was founded at the end of the Byzantine period (sixth century CE) at…

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21

Dec

Photo Story: A Christmas tree with a difference in Beirut

A Christmas tree is decorated with uniforms of firefighters and rescuers of the Civil Defense to pay tribute to those who died at the Beirut port explosion on 04 August,…

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21

Dec

Photo Story: Christmas preparations in Syria

Syrian Christians gather in front of the Christmas tree at Sayyedet Dimasheq Church in Damascus, Syria, where a mass has been held to light the Christmas tree as part of…

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20

Dec

Christmas in Bethlehem Church of the Nativity

A local tourist visits the Church of Nativity ahead of the Christmas preparations in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, 20 Decembe​r 2020. Palestinian Authorities imposed a total lockdown in…

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20

Dec

Invoking Bible and moonwalk, Netanyahu starts Israeli vaccination drive

TEL HASHOMER, Israel, Dec 19 (Reuters) - Israel kicked off a coronavirus vaccination drive on Saturday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu invoking the Bible and the 1969 lunar landing as he got…

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19

Dec

Photo Story: Christmas in Bethlehem

A view of the Christmas tree at the Manger Square while its empty from visitors, next to the Church of Nativity, in the West Bank city of Bethlehem.  Bethlehem is…

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16

Dec

Ten years from the ‘Arab Spring’

Tunisia’s revolution after a fruit seller killed himself a decade ago inspired a wave of revolt in Arab countries as people rose up to demand democracy. This is what happened…

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14

Dec

Lebanon’s collapse is like the Titanic’s sinking, only without the music – Le Drian

PARIS (Reuters) - French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Lebanon's political and economic collapse was like the sinking of the Titanic, only without the music. "Lebanon is the Titanic…

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13

Dec

UAE, Israel export credit agencies sign agreement to boost trade

The export credit agencies of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Israel have signed a cooperation agreement to develop economic relations between the two countries, the UAE's state news agency…

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09

Dec

Veteran Palestinian negotiator Ashrawi to resign, calls for Palestinian political reforms

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Veteran Palestinian negotiator and women's rights advocate Hanan Ashrawi said on Wednesday she would quit her senior post in the Palestine Liberation Organization at the…

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09

Dec

Israel receives initial shipment of Pfizer coronavirus vaccine

JERUSALEM, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Israel received its first shipment of coronavirus vaccines on Wednesday and a distributor predicted the country would have enough for about a quarter of the…

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06

Dec

Middle East – Rainbow of Peace and hope

People appear to stand at the bottom of a rainbow at the Dead Sea, Israel, 05 December 2020 . EPA-EFE/ABIR SULTAN

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05

Dec

Businessman linked to Sarkozy corruption allegations detained in Beirut

Lebanon detained a French-Lebanese businessman linked to allegations of covert Libyan financing for former French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2007 election campaign, two Beirut security sources said on Friday. The sources…

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05

Dec

Jerusalem church suffers damage in arson near Garden of Gethsemane

Israeli police arrested a man for trying to set fire to an east Jerusalem church by the Garden of Gethsemane, the site revered by Christians as the place where Jesus…

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04

Dec

Lebanon investigates death of former customs official

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Lebanese authorities are investigating the killing of a retired customs officer in what a leading politician described as a "terrible incident". Colonel Munir Abu Rjeili was found…

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03

Dec

Israel edges towards early election amid Netanyahu-Gantz feud

Israel edged closer on Wednesday towards a fourth national election in two years after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main governing partner, Benny Gantz, backed an opposition move to dissolve parliament.…

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03

Dec

Lebanon says COVID cases rising, beds won’t suffice

Lebanon will not have enough hospital beds to cope with increasing COVID-19 cases, the health minister in the caretaker government warned on Thursday, saying compliance with a two-week lockdown that…

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03

Dec

Israel receives its most advanced warship as Iran tensions rise

Israel received its most advanced warship on Wednesday, describing the German-made vessel dubbed “Shield” as a bulwark for vulnerable Mediterranean gas rigs as tensions with Tehran soar over the assassination…

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01

Dec

‘Christmas will not be cancelled’ says Bethlehem, amid little comfort or joy

Bethlehem is shaping up for a dismal Christmas: most of the inns are closed, the shepherds are likely to be under lockdown and there are few visitors from the east,…

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01

Dec

Iran points finger at opposition, Israel on scientist murder

A senior Iranian official said on Monday an opposition group was suspected alongside Israel in the killing of a prominent Iranian nuclear scientist, an attack that has raised the prospect of a new standoff…

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30

Nov

Gaza gets vital medical aid as hospitals struggle with rising infections

The World Health Organization delivered 15 ventilators to Gaza hospitals on Sunday amid a spike in COVID-19 infections that has tested the Palestinian territory's under-developed health system. The donation of…

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30

Nov

Israel 2021 budget worth $129 billion to be presented to PM Monday

Israel's Finance Ministry will present a long awaited 2021 state budget to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday that will total 426 billion shekels ($128.5 billion), a ministry source said…

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29

Nov

Coronavirus infections skyrocket in Gaza Strip

Health experts in the Gaza Strip are sounding the alarm, saying the pandemic could soon rage out of control with hospitals there are wholly unprepared for the situation, and doctors…

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29

Nov

Israeli embassies on alert after Iran retaliation threats

Israel put its embassies around the world on high alert on Saturday after Iranian threats of retaliation following the killing of a nuclear scientist near Tehran, Israeli N12 news reported.…

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23

Nov

Israeli cabinet minister confirms Netanyahu’s Saudi meeting

A member of Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet and Likud party confirmed media reports on Monday that the Israeli prime minister had held a meeting in Saudi Arabia, calling it an "amazing…

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23

Nov

Veteran Syrian diplomat Mekdad named foreign minister

Syria’s President Bashar al Assad named veteran diplomat Faisal Mekdad as foreign minister on Sunday to replace Walid Moalem, who died last week, state media reported. Mekdad, 66, had been…

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22

Nov

Iran vows to defeat any Israeli attempt to harm its Syrian role

Iran on Sunday vowed to defeat any Israeli attempt to harm its role in Syria, saying the era of "hit and run" attacks by Israel there was over, days after…

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22

Nov

Palestinian rocket fire draws Israeli air strikes in Gaza

Palestinian militants fired a rocket into Israel, drawing Israeli air strikes in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said on Sunday. There were no casualties reported on either side of…

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21

Nov

More than 60 prisoners escape Lebanese jail, say security sources

More than 60 prisoners broke out of a Lebanese jail on Saturday and five of them were killed when their car hit a tree while under pursuit, security sources and…

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20

Nov

Pompeo visits Israeli-occupied West Bank and Golan Heights

Mike Pompeo on Thursday became the first U.S. secretary of state to visit an Israeli West Bank settlement and the Golan Heights, in a show of solidarity that led Palestinians…

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19

Nov

Israel, Bahrain cement new ties with pledges of embassies and visas

Bahrain and Israel said they would open embassies, establish online visa systems and launch weekly flights between the countries soon, in a broadened cooperation promoted by Washington as an economic…

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18

Nov

Israeli warplanes strike Syrian army, Iranian Quds force in Syria

Israel launched air strikes against Syrian and Iranian targets in southern Syria on Wednesday after explosive devices were planted in the Israeli-held Golan Heights, the Israeli military said. The Syrian…

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17

Nov

Palestinian Authority resuming coordination with Israel, Palestinian official says

The Palestinian Authority will resume coordination with Israel suspended in May over an Israeli plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, a senior Palestinian official said on Tuesday.…

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16

Nov

Syria mourns the death of its veteran top diplomat

Syria's long-time foreign minister Walid al-Moalem, an unyielding defender of Syrian President Bashar al Assad's bloody crackdown on peaceful protesters that sparked a decade old conflict, died on Monday, the…

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15

Nov

Photo Story: Stormy weather over Gaza City

Lightning lights up the sky over Gaza sea during a storm in Gaza City, on Sunday 15 November 2020. Via EPA-EFE/MOHAMMED SABER

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13

Nov

Israel signs deal with Pfizer for potential COVID-19 vaccine

Israel has signed a deal with Pfizer Inc to receive the drugmaker's potential COVID-19 vaccine, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday. Pfizer and its partner BioNTech SE confirmed a…

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11

Nov

PLO’s Saeb Erekat to be buried amid military ceremony, wreath-laying

On the 16th anniversary of the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, preparations were underway on Wednesday for the funeral of his former confidant and spokesman Saeb Erekat, who died…

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08

Nov

Palestinian President Abbas congratulates Joe Biden – statement

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday congratulated U.S. President-elect Joe Biden in a statement that indicated the Palestinian leadership would drop its three-year political boycott of the White House. "I…

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08

Nov

Israel’s Netanyahu congratulates Biden on U.S. election win, thanks Trump

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday congratulated U.S. President-elect Joe Biden after his election win saying he looked forward to working together with the new administration and strengthening the…

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08

Nov

Arabs doubt Biden will herald change in the Middle East

Arab leaders congratulated Joe Biden on his election victory, but some people in the Middle East expressed cynicism over U.S. policy even if he pursues diplomacy rather than President Donald…

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08

Nov

Palestinians welcome Trump exit, but are cautious about Biden

The Palestinians have been holding out for a change of U.S. president for three years, hoping for a chance to hit the reset button on relations with Washington. There was…

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05

Nov

Jordan records 62 COVID deaths, highest daily rate since start of pandemic

Jordan reported 62 new deaths from COVID-19 on Wednesday, the highest daily death toll since the pandemic surfaced in the Middle Eastern kingdom nearly eight months ago. The health ministry…

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