Middle East

Ma’an News Agency | – – JERUSALEM (Ma’an) — Two Palestinian families in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Beit Hanina were forced to demolish their own homes for being built without licenses on Wednesday, in order to avoid the expensive demolition fines imposed by the Jerusalem municipality when its employees carry out the demolition […]

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RIP Shimon Peres: Last Great Israeli leader to believe in 2 State solution

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – I met an emperor once, but have only met a couple of presidents. Shimon Peres (1923-2016) was one. I met him briefly in the Green Room when doing an interview with Charlie Rose. The Polish-born Peres made his best impression on me with his support for […]

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The Presidential Debate that did not really Happen

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Regular readers will know that in my view the 2016 presidential election did not happen. Likewise, the first debate between the two candidates did not take place. There was no debate as the word is usually understood, where the two take turns setting out policy positions. […]

Israel/ Palestine

Israel Apartheid Wall Is the Muse to Trump’s Mexico Border Wall

contributors

By TeleSur | – – Trump’s signature campaign propsosal is modeled, he says, on Israel’s “successful separation barrier.” Ahead of Monday’s presidential debate between U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, the two nominees cozied up to their favorite ally in the Middle East, holding meetings with Israeli Prime […]

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Syria, Russia push to take East Aleppo pocket as airstrikes kill 66, wound 200

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – Only a week after seeming to agree to a ceasefire, Russia and the Syrian regime in Damascus appear to have decided to throw caution to the winds and simply wipe out the pocket of rebel resistance in East Aleppo. If the regime has all of Aleppo, […]

Copts

Egypt: New Church Law Discriminates Against Christians

contributors

By Human Rights Watch | – – Authorities Fail to Prevent, Punish Violent Attacks (Tunis) – A long-awaited new law maintains restrictions over the construction and renovation of churches and discriminates against the Christian minority in Egypt. The law, passed by Egypt’s parliament on August 30, 2016, applies only to Christian houses of worship. Recent […]

Iraq

ISIL used Chem on US Troops in Iraq; but this time US Gov’t isn’t talking WMD

contributors

By Michelle Bentley | (The Conversation) | – – The group known as Islamic State (IS) reportedly used a sulpur-mustard gas against US troops in Iraq. It was detected in a black oily substance found on a rocket fired at an American airbase in Qayyarah, south of the city of Mosul. None of the soldiers […]

Israel/ Palestine

Netanyahu: I hope Obama won’t seek to establish a Palestinian state

contributors

Ma’an News Agency | – – BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that he “hoped” US President Barack Obama would not seek to establish a Palestinian state at the United Nations on Saturday. In an interview aired on Israel’s Channel 2 on Saturday, Netanyahu was asked if Obama had promised him that […]

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Number of US Troops in Iraq Heading toward 6,000

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole | (Informed Comment) | – – The US plans to send another 500 troops to Iraq to help with the massive Mosul campaign, which will involve the Iraqi army and its allies, the Kurdistan paramilitary Peshmerga, hard line Shiite militias, and Sunni Arab tribal levies. US troops will not engage in war-fighting […]