Middle East

ISIS announces the killing of an Italian citizen

ISIS announced that it killed an Italian citizen identified as 33 year Lorenzo Orsetti from Florence. Initial information indicates that Orsetti had left Italy to join Kurdish forces fighting against…

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Rockets fired from Gaza target Tel Aviv

For the first time since 2014, Tel Aviv was the target of rockets fired from Gaza. Israel was quick to respond by attacking what it called “terror sites” in…

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Hamas hacked Israeli soldiers through dating and World Cup apps to gather sensitive information

Haaertz: Hamas managed to hack into the phones of hundreds of Israeli soldiers using dating and World Cup apps and managed to gather sensitive information about the military and some of its…

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Watch: Special Feature France 24 : 400 refugees return from Lebanon to Syria

France 24: Some 400 refugees on Thursday crammed into trucks, tractors and buses lined up by the Lebanon-Syria border to join the convoy that would bring them back to Syria. “I prefer…

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Prince William hopes for lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians

Prince William has expressed hope for "lasting peace" between Israelis and Palestinians during a visit to the occupied West Bank. The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, told William during their meeting that…

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Israel asks Cyprus to consider port for Gaza

DW: Israel's defense minister has said the proposal aims to "change the reality in the Gaza Strip." For years, the coastal enclave has been under a naval blockade, preventing it from…

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Syrian Media reports two Israeli missiles struck near Damascus

Syrian state media said early Tuesday that two Israeli missiles struck near Damascus International Airport, without adding any details. In a report in the early hours of Tuesday, Syria’s state…

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Prince William arrives in Israel

The Guardian: The Duke of Cambridge has arrived in Tel Aviv as part of a historic five-day Middle East tour, on which he will become the first British royal to…

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Senior Palestinian negotiator accuses US of trying to topple Abbas

Al Jazeera: A senior Palestinian negotiator has accused the United States of trying to topple the government of President Mahmoud Abbas, insisting that Washington has disqualified itself from any possible role in the Palestinian-Israeli peace process.…

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Corbyn: UK would recognise Palestine as a state under a Labour government

The UK would swiftly “recognise Palestine as a state” under a Labour government, Jeremy Corbyn has said. The party’s leader said he would take steps towards “a genuine two-state solution”…

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Prince William to visit both Palestine and Israel

Jerusalem (AFP) - Prince William will next week become the first member of Britain's royal family ever to pay an official visit to both Israel and the Palestinian territories. Britain…

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Sara Netanyahu charged with fraud

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife, Sara, was charged on Thursday with fraud for allegedly misusing state funds in ordering catered meals at their official residence, a court spokesperson said.…

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Condoms, kites, birthday balloons: Silly Gaza weapons could lead to serious war

For over two months, Palestinians in the Gaza Strip have been flying kites, birthday balloons and inflated latex condoms into Israel, relying on the gentle Mediterranean coastal breeze to push…

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Gaza tension escalates

France 24/The Times of Israel: Israeli fighter jets hit 25 targets in the Gaza Strip early Wednesday in response to rocket fire from the Palestinian territory, the army said. Around 45…

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Gaza on the “brink of war”

Al Jazeera: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has warned that the "most serious escalation" of violence in the Gaza Strip places the besieged enclave on the "brink of war", urging Israel…

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Airstrike targets car of Gaza balloon and kite launch ‘leader’

The Times of Israel: The Israeli military said Sunday its aircraft had targeted a leading Gazan figure launching incendiary balloons and kites into Israel. The strike appeared to be the latest…

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Australian Foreign Minister refuses to move embassy to Jerusalem

The Guardian: Australia will not be following Donald Trump’s lead and moving its embassy to Jerusalem, Julie Bishop has said, despite strong support from the party’s base. The Liberal party’s youth…

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United Nations condemn Israel for using “excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate” force in Gaza

The United Nations overwhelmingly voted in favor of a resolution on Wednesday condemning Israel for using "excessive, disproportionate and indiscriminate" force in Gaza following several fatal clashes along Israel's border…

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Jordan’s role in region diminished under King Abdullah, opposition figure says

Middle East Eye: The Jordanian king and government came under further pressure on Tuesday as a prominent opposition politician said the country's role in the region had been downgraded by Israel…

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Israel to top up Sea of Galilee after years of drought

The Guardian: The shrinking Sea of Galilee, the inland lake where Christians believe Jesus walked on water, is to be topped up with desalinated seawater. A plan given Israeli cabinet…

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Saudi Arabia to to hold regional summit to discuss Jordan’s economic crisis

Saudi Arabia will host a regional summit to discuss the ongoing economic crisis in Jordan, where a proposed income tax rise recently triggered some of the largest protests in years.…

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Warning shots fired by IDF aircraft in Gaza

The Times of Israel reports that an Israeli aircraft on Saturday for the first time attacked a group of three Gazans preparing a store of balloons that Palestinians have been using…

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New violence escalation along Gaza-Israel border

Euronews reports that "Israeli troops fatally shot three people and injured more than 600 others during Friday’s weekly protest along the Gaza-Israel border, according to medics in Gaza." According to…

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Insight: Israel vs Argentina – Geopolitics and Sport

The Times of Israel analyst Ben Sales writes an analysis on the impact of the decision of the cancellation of Argentina vs Israel football match. (more…)

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May expresses concern about loss of Palestinian lives in meeting with Netanyahu

The Telegraph reports that the British Prime Minister Theresa May told Israel’s Prime Minister she is "concerned" about the loss of Palestinian lives during recent clashes at the Gaza border. During Benjamin…

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Opinion: Argentina should not play the World Cup in Russia, otherwise its decision on Israeli game is mere hypocrisy

The following is an article penned by Miguel Wiñazki which appeared in Clarin (Argentina). Article was originally written in Argentinian and what you're reading is a translation. "The soccer match between…

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Jerusalem Embassy Move Led to People Dying, Didn’t Promote Peace – Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that the relocation of the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem led to “people dying” and did not advance peace. At a joint press…

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Argentina cancels ‘friendly’ football match against Israel

Argentina's national football team has cancelled an upcoming friendly match with Israel, Argentine sports website Minutouno reported. The report states that Saturday's game in Jerusalem had been "suspended" amid an…

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Razan Najjar wasn’t intentionally targeted – Israeli Army

The Israel Times, reports that an initial IDF investigation finds that Razan Najjar, the Palestinian medic shot dead on Friday during clashes along the Gaza border was not intentionally targeted, the…

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Jordan’s Prime Minister resigns

Euronews reports that Jordan's Prime Minister Hani Mulki has resigned after days of protests against an IMF-backed tax bill and austerity measures. King Abdullah is reported to have summoned Mulki…

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Thousands attend funeral of 21 year old nurse killed on the border between Gaza and Israel.

The funeral of Razan al Najar, the 21-year old medic who was shot dead by Israeli forces as she ran to treat injured protesters, was held in the Gazan city…

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21 year old voluntary nurse killed by Israeli soldiers. Israel army investigating reports

A Palestinian woman has been shot dead by Israeli soldiers near the Gaza border fence, in another day of protests and violence, according to the Palestinian health ministry. Razan al-Najjar,…

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Two UN Security Council resolutions about the Middle East fail to pass

The United States vetoed Friday an Arab-backed UN draft resolution calling for protective measures for the Palestinians that won backing from 10 countries at the Security Council. A US resolution…

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Developing Story – Mortar shells fired at Souther Israel

The Times of Israel reports that sirens blared throughout Sha'ar Hanegev, Eshkol regions during at least 2 separate attacks from Gaza; Iron Dome intercepts most projectiles; Israel said to retaliate…

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Netanyahu to meet Macron and Merkel

The Israeli's Prime Minister’s Office said Netanyahu will fly to Germany on June 4 to meet with Chancellor Angela Merkel, before traveling later that day to France for talks with…

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Israeli Attorney General intends to indict Netanyahu’s wife for misuse of state funds – Israeli TV

According to Israeli Hadashot TV, the country's Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit intends to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s wife for allegedly diverting state funds for her own personal use. According to Channel 10,…

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Israel tank fired on Islamic Jihad position

The Times of Israel reports that "An Israeli tank fired on an Islamic Jihad position in the southern Gaza Strip on Sunday morning, killing at least two people, after Palestinians…

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US warns Syria of firm and appropriate measures if ceasefire is violated

The US has warned Syria it will take "firm and appropriate measures" if government forces violate a ceasefire by launching an anticipated assault on the rebel-held region of Daraa. Emboldened…

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Palestinian government requests ICC to investigate what it called Israeli crimes

The Palestinian government has submitted a referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC) calling on prosecutors to open an immediate investigation into what it called Israeli crimes in the occupied…

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Israel’s High-Level security cabinet to meet in special bunker

The Times of Israel reports that Israel’s high-level security cabinet will meet in a new, specially built underground bunker in Jerusalem for the foreseeable future. The change of venue — meetings of…

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Ceasefire in Southern Damascus, Syria

The Middle East Eye reports that pro-government forces and the Islamic State (IS) group observed a brief ceasefire in southern Damascus on Saturday. The report, quotes the Britain-based Syrian Observatory…

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Erdogan : Muslim leaders should unite and confront Israel

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on Muslim leaders to unite and confront Israel. Speaking at an extraordinary summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Friday, Erdogan said Israel…

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Explosions in Syria kill at least 11

Massive explosions rocked the Hama military air base in western Syrian early on Friday afternoon, killing at least 11 pro-Assad regime fighters, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human…

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UN rights council approves probe into Israeli response to Gaza clashes

The United Nations Human Rights Council approves a commission of inquiry to investigate Israel’s handling of clashes on the Gaza border and alleged human rights violations in the Strip, West…

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USA, Gulf States impose new sanctions against Hezbollah leaders

The United States, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates started to impose further sanctions on Hezbollah leaders, proclaiming the Iran-backed Lebanese group a terrorist organisation and…

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Egypt to open Rafah border for Muslim holy month of Ramadan

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Thursday opened the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, according to his official Twitter account.…

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Vladimir Putin meets Syrian President Bashar al-Assad

Russian President Vladimir Putin met Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad on Thursday and said their "military success" in Syria allowed for a large-scale "political process" leading to the withdrawal of foreign…

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Paraguay to move its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem

Paraguay's government says President Horacio Cartes will open the country's new embassy to Israel in Jerusalem on Tuesday, following similar steps by the United States and Guatemala. The decision to…

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Arab League calls for an international probe into the violence in Gaza

Arab League chief Ahmed Abul Gheit called for an international probe into alleged "crimes" committed by Israeli security forces against Arab rioters and terrorists during mass infiltration attempts along the…

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Insight: Oppressed people are killed twice, first by the bullet, next by the language – Moustafa Bayoumi

It is the peculiar fate of oppressed people everywhere that when they are killed, they are killed twice: first by bullet or bomb, and next by the language used to…

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Fifty of the Palestinians killed were Hamas members

The Jerusalem Post reports that fifty of the Palestinians killed in the past days on the border region between the Gaza Strip and Israel were Hamas members, Hamas Politburo member…

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Turkey and Israel expel respective ambassadors; Belgium and Ireland summon Israeli ambassadors over Gaza violence

The Haertz reports that "Israel expelled the Turkish consul in Jerusalem hours after the Israeli ambassador to Turkey was expelled on Tuesday. Israel's official statement to Turkey on the expulsion…

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Statement by High Representative/Vice-President Federica Mogherini on violence in Gaza and latest developments

Dozens of Palestinians, including children, have been killed and hundreds injured from Israeli fire today, during ongoing mass protests near the Gaza fence. We expect all to act with utmost…

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Eight month baby, eight children under age of 16, amongst the 59 killed in Gaza

Palestinians held funerals for 59 killed by Israeli forces in the violence which erupted yesterday in the Gaza neighbourhood. Today coincides with the day Palestinians mark the “Nakba”, or catastrophe,…

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Tunisia’s largest trade union considers preventing American ships from entering the country’s ports over US embassy move to Jerusalem

Tunisia's largest trade union is considering preventing the unloading and launching of American ships in the country's ports in response to the US decision to transfer its Israeli embassy to…

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The world reacts after 60 Palestinians killed and over 2,700 injured in Gaza – Updated

Updated: Egypt issued a rare condemnation Monday of Israel’s deadly response to clashes along the border with the Gaza Strip, while Turkey said the United States also bore responsibility for…

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Updated – Reactions to violence and deaths at the Gaza Border

Saudi Arabia condemned Israel over the deaths of 52 Palestinians during violent clashes at the Gaza border. A foreign ministry spokesperson said, “Saudi Arabia strongly condemns the Israeli occupation forces’…

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