2/28/17

* Holy Temple Appears on Temple Mount - See For Yourself on Google Maps! [PHOTOS] According to Google Maps, the Holy Temple has popped up in an entirely unexpected place: the Temple Mount.

* Iran caps naval drill with brand-new torpedo launch TEHRAN - The Iranian navy wrapped the last phase of a weeks-long naval drill on Tuesday, launching an advanced torpedo dubbed "Valfajr" following successful test-firing of a marine cruise missile the day before.

* Islamic State teaching its jihadis to eat non-Muslims Many thought that nothing could match the repugnance of the Islamic State blowing up a baby in an explosives training session.

* Islamic State looting uncovers ancient palace beneath Jonah's Tomb Archaeologists in Iraq find residence of biblical kings Sennacherib and Esarhaddon in IS-dug tunnels beneath ruined shrine, according to report.

* Facebook shuts down Palestinian ruling party's official account Fatah claims page was closed because it posted picture of Yasser Arafat holding a rifle.

* US Can't Rely on China for Leverage Against North Korea Is China finally becoming part of the solution to North Korea's illegal nuclear and missile programs?

* Palestinian Authority to Hold Municipal Elections in West Bank Only The PA, which dominates the West Bank, failed to convince Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, to hold elections in the coastal enclave.

* Robert Spencer: The Roots of Islamic Anti-Semitism Anti-Semitism in Europe is at levels not seen since the heyday of Nazi Germany, and is growing more savage by the moment.

* PHOTOS: German Carnival Floats Depict Decapitated Trump, Hitler Comparisons German cities held their annual Rose Monday float parades today, with many mocking U.S. President Donald Trump, Brexit, and European populist leaders.

* Russia-US relations are at their worst since Cold War - Moscow Relations between Russia and the United States are at their worst since the Cold War, a Russian Foreign Ministry official has said, placing the blame on the Obama administration.

2/27/17

* The next war: Hizballah tunnels, pocket drones Leaks from the State Comptroller's report, due out Tuesday, Feb. 28, have sparked a storm of recriminations among the politicians and generals who led the IDF's 2014 operation.

* Russian frigate heads to Mediterranean, reportedly bound for Syria The Russian frigate 'Admiral Grigorovich' has left the port of Sevastopol, Crimea, heading to the Mediterranean Sea to join the Russian Black Sea Fleet, the fleet's head of communications has said.

* Mosul battle: Iraqi forces seize key bridge The Iraqi military says it has retaken a bridge across the River Tigris in Mosul, after driving back Islamic State militants in the city's south-west.

* CPAC Declares World War III Against Jihad "We are 15 years in to what is going to be a multigenerational war, because we are talking about defeating an idea" of jihadism.

* World is 98% Ready for Final Redemption: End-of-Days Scholar The necessary rectification of the world that must precede the arrival of Moshiach (messiah) is 98 percent complete, announced international lecturer and Torah scholar Rabbi Mendel Kessin recently.

* Abbas at UNHRC: Support Two-state Solution by Recognizing 'Palestine' "It is no surprise that this Council, which has long been divorced from reality, has chosen once again to provide a platform for Palestinian smears against us," says Israel envoy.

* Iran Holds Naval War Games Amid Rising Tensions with US Iran's annual exercises will be held in the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf of Oman, the Bab el-Mandab and northern parts of the Indian Ocean.

* Hamas warns it 'will not accept Israeli aggression' in Gaza Hamas on Monday warned it "will not accept continued aggression" by Israel in the Gaza Strip.

* Palestinians: Why a "Regional Peace Process" Will Fail Many Palestinians sometimes refer to Arab leaders and regimes as the "real enemies" of the Palestinians.

* Iran claims terror sleeper cells ready to strike inside US IRGC commander Hasan Abbasi claims Iran has a vast network of sleeper cell terrorists inside the United States.

2/24/17

* Kim Jong-nam killing: 'VX nerve agent' found on his face  Kim Jong-nam, the half-brother of North Korea's leader, was killed by a highly toxic nerve agent, says Malaysia. 

* General McMaster and That 'Perverted Interpretation of Religion Used To Justify Violence'  President Trump has chosen Lt. General William McMaster as his new National Security Adviser. 

* Terror Bio-Plague Could Kill 30 Million in Fulfillment of Zechariah End-of-Days Prophecy  It is a 'reasonable probability' that terrorists will use biological weapons to create a pandemic that would kill tens of millions, Bill Gates told an international security conference last Saturday. 

* Iraq hits ISIS in Syria - with Russia, without US  The Iraqi air force Friday, Feb. 24, conducted its first ever bombardment of the Islamic State in Syria. 

* Star's seven Earth-sized worlds set record  Astronomers have detected a record seven Earth-sized planets orbiting a single star. 

* Saudi foreign minister makes landmark visit to Iraq  The Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir has met Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi - the first such visit by a Saudi foreign minister since 1990. 

* Kim Jong-nam: Who in North Korea could organise a VX murder?  The mysterious killing of Kim Jong-nam has raised questions about who exactly could have orchestrated his murder. 

* Pro-Palestinian Protesters Depict Netanyahu As Hitler In Sydney Rally  Hundreds of anti-Israel demonstrators take to the streets in Australian city as PM makes historic visit Down Under. 

* Starbucks Brand Crashes After Announcement of Plan to Hire 10,000 Muslim 'Refugees'  The Starbucks Coffee brand has taken a major hit since the company's announcement that it would hire 10,000 Muslim 'refugees‚' in response to President Donald Trump's temporary travel moratorium in January. 

* Extremist Muslims' One-Way Street  President Donald Trump's executive order of January 27, 2017, temporarily limiting entry from seven majority-Muslim countries - Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen -- for 90 days, until vetting procedures can be put in place -- has caused international controversy, sparking protests both in the Western and Islamic worlds, including in increasingly Islamist Turkey.

2/23/17

* Is Lost Temple Menorah Hidden in Vatican? Ancient Myth Resurfaces An ancient legend which holds that the Temple menorah is hidden away in the depths of the Vatican is coming to light again with the announcement of an upcoming exhibit jointly hosted by the Papal seat and Rome's ancient Jewish community.

* Accessing Hitler's Archives Today it is taken for granted that anyone interested in Holocaust research will be able to easily access such information, because it is no farther than a computer keyboard and an Internet connection.

* Iran says has increased precision of its long-range ballistic missiles TEHRAN - Iran now has long-range ballistic missiles with greater precision, its defense minister said on Thursday, rejecting reports that Tehran has halted its missile program after a recent missile launch that drew a response from Washington.

* In age of Trump, apocalyptic rhetoric becomes mainstream The longer President Trump is in office, the more Cat Deakins worries about the future - for herself and her children.

* Pro-Palestinian Protesters Depict Netanyahu as Hitler in Sydney Rally Hundreds of anti-Israel demonstrators take to the streets in Australian city as PM makes historic visit Down Under.

* Mosul offensive: Iraqi forces recapture airport in bid to retake city Iraqi security forces have recaptured Mosul airport, a key part of the government's offensive to drive the so-called Islamic State (IS) from the western half of the city.

* Russian military admits significant cyber-war effort Russia's military has admitted for the first time the scale of its information warfare effort, saying it was significantly expanded post-Cold War.

* Study: Islamic State May Soon Go Broke in Iraq and Syria The Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL) is plagued by financial troubles, with annual revenue falling by over 50 percent over the last two years.

* 'Exoplanet hop': NASA release epic travel poster to mark landmark discovery (PICTURES) NASA has released a stunning new 'space tourism poster' to mark the momentous discovery of seven exoplanets around the star TRAPPIST-1, sitting some 39 light-years from Earth.

* Watch: Golani soldiers train on Golan Heights Following threats by Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, IDF holds division exercises on Golan Heights, bordering Syria and Lebanon.

2/22/17

* Saudi spy chief visits Israel, Ramallah The director of Saudi Arabia's General intelligence agency, Khalid Bin Ali Al Humaidan, paid surprise visits to Ramallah and Jerusalem on Tuesday and Wednesday, Feb. 21-22.

* More American troops may be sent to Syria - US commander More US troops may be needed in Syria to speed up the campaign against Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL), the top commander for the Middle East has stated, specifically referring to the push to liberate Raqqa.

* China Slams Deployment of U.S. Aircraft Carrier to South China Sea On Tuesday, China slammed the United States' deployment of an aircraft carrier to conduct "routine operations" in the South China Sea, calling it a pretense to undermine its sovereignty.

* Political Instability in Africa Could Lead to ISIS Resurgence The Islamic State has faced significant defeats in Africa over the past year but political instability across the northern and western regions could offer a ripe breeding ground for the terrorist group to resurge.

* Star's seven Earth-sized worlds set record Astronomers have detected a record seven Earth-sized planets orbiting a single star.

* Iran's Khamenei Calls for Palestinian Intifada, Israel a 'Cancerous Tumor' Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called on the Palestinians to pursue another intifada against Israel while claiming the Israeli government is a "cancerous tumor" that should be confronted.

* Airplane Like Those Used for Covert Iraqi Aliya Arrives in Israel A C46 airplane, the model used in the illegal aliya operation that brought thousands of Jews to British Mandate Palestine from Iraq in 1947, is being restored after arriving in Haifa this week.

* Iran Sends Delegation to Saudi for Talks on Rejoining Haj Relations between the two regional powers worsened after hundreds of people, many of them Iranians, died in a crush at the 2015 pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia.

2/21/17

* Iraqi forces fighting Islamic State set to storm airport, clear way to western Mosul U.S.-backed Iraqi forces closing in on the Islamic State-held western half of Mosul prepared on Tuesday to storm the airport and a nearby military base on its southern outskirts to create a bridgehead for a thrust into the city.

* Trump condemns 'horrible' anti-Semitism US President Donald Trump has condemned bomb threats against US Jewish community centres in recent weeks.

* McMaster for National Security Aviso President Trump has selected independent-minded U.S. Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster to replace National Security Advisor Mike Flynn who vacated the key White House post last week under a cloud.

* Iran's Khamenei Calls on Palestinians to Pursue Intifada against Israel "The Palestinian intifada continues to gallop forward in a thunderous manner so that it can achieve its other goals until the complete liberation of Palestine," Khamenei said.

* Syrian Official: We Will Be Partners with Hezbollah in Future Conflict with Israel The Jerusalem Post reports: A Syrian official vowed to back Hezbollah in any future conflict that the Lebanese terror group may have with Israel.

* Egypt, Jordan leaders say two-state solution not up for compromise The leaders of the two Arab states that hold relations with Israel discuss the conflict, particularly in light of Trump's ascent to power.

* "Allahu akbar!": Islamic call to prayer sounds at #IAmAMuslimToo rally in Times Square Little do these enlightened Leftists know that this cry of "Allahu akbar" could one day be turned upon them, with no hint of gratitude for their previous service.

* Islamic State-Linked Group Gains Territory in Southern Syria Near Israel (REUTERS) Islamic State-linked Syrian militant groups on Monday launched a surprise attack on moderate rebels in southwestern Syria near the Golan Heights.

* First time since Six-Day War: Jerusalem to expand 250 new acres attached to Jerusalem territory, new residential neighborhood with 2,000 housing units to be built.

* PA leader calls on EU to recognize 'Palestine' Rami Hamdallah urges EU states to recognize "Palestine" in order to "save" the two-state solution.

2/20/17

* Mike Pence warns Nato it must boost defence spending US Vice-President Mike Pence has warned members of the Nato alliance to meet their defence spending targets.

* Iran says Turkey better not to test Tehran's patience TEHRAN - One day after Turkey accused Iran of fueling sectarianism in the Middle East, Tehran advised Ankara not to try to test its patience, saying it will not be boundless.

* US twin sea buildup against China, NKorea, Iran Donald Trump marked his first month as US President with two major military gambits in the Middle East, Asia and the South China Sea.

* Trump names Lt Gen HR McMaster as national security adviser US President Donald Trump has named Lt Gen HR McMaster as his national security adviser.

* A Warning to Nasrallah: 'Israel Will Respond Harshly to Hezbollah' Arab officials caution Hezbollah against provoking Israel.

* Mosul offensive: Iraqi army battles for outskirts of IS city Iraqi government forces have moved closer to the southern outskirts of western Mosul, on the second day of a fresh offensive against so-called Islamic State.

* China: Crack Down on Christian Missionaries 32 Christian missionaries arrested in China, reportedly as a result of a series of police raids on churches.

* Islamic State vows more attacks on Egypt's Christians In video, affiliate group threatens 'infidel' Coptic community, shows footage of terrorist who killed nearly 30 at Cairo church.

* IRAN: Israelis and Saudis Coordinating on Certain Issues in Region Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman responds to anti-Iran comments made by Israeli and Saudi officials, claiming their shared stance comes as no surprise.

* 'Trump is the best friend of the Jewish nation' Boris Epstein, Donald Trump's close aide, says president focused on achieving peace in Middle East, whether it involves two or one states.

2/18/17

* Watch: 'Iran seeks global domination'  Netanyahu outlines dangers of Iranian regime on Fox News, says US as much a target of Ayatollahs as Israel. 

* Pence: US will 'never' allow Iran to threaten Israel with nukes  At Munich Security Conference, vice president says nuclear deal has provided Iran with more resources to focus on state-sponsored terrorism. 

* Trump Renounces US Commitment to Two States  President Donald Trump has announced that US Middle East policy is no longer wedded to the two-state solution. 

* US 'unwavering' in support for Nato allies, says Pence  The US will be "unwavering" in its support for Nato, vice-president Mike Pence told European leaders at the Munich Security Conference. 

* Can Trump rescue his Syria deal with Putin?  Su-24 warplanes buzzed the USS Porter destroyer in the Black Sea. 

* Tony Blair calls for people to 'rise up' against Brexit  Tony Blair has said it is his "mission" to persuade Britons to "rise up" and change their minds on Brexit. 

* World Leaders Will Be Hoping For Clarity on U.S. Priorities at the Munich Conference  Top world leaders, diplomats and defense officials are getting their first opportunity to meet with members of the Trump administration amid concerns over the new president's commitment to NATO and posture toward Russia. 

* Alternative Reality: The 'What Ifs' Of Jewish History  A history professor delves into the world of Jewish counterfactual history - like what if Israel had been established in East Africa? 

* Setting A New Islamic Tone  President Sisi and Al-Azhar University want to reform Islam in Egypt and the wider Sunni world, but the pace and depth of that reform are the subject of quite a struggle. 

* Pope Francis: 'Muslim Terrorism Does Not Exist'  In an impassioned address Friday, Pope Francis denied the existence of Islamic terrorism, while simultaneously asserting that 'the ecological crisis is real.'

2/16/17

* The End of Palestine Israel has the opportunity to reclaim its nation.

* Iran says Israel 'biggest threat' to world peace Iran on Thursday rejected US President Donald Trump's statement that its nuclear ambitions were a major security challenge and said its arch foe Israel was the biggest threat to global peace.

* Nasrallah Warns: Hezbollah's Missiles Can Hit Israel's Nuclear Reactor Hezbollah leader says Wednesday's Trump-Netanyahu meeting signaled the death of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

* PLO Official: Alternative to Two-State Solution is 'Painful Bloodshed' Palestinian terror groups Hamas, PFLP also condemn Trump for saying two-state solution is not the only option to resolving the Mideast conflict.

* Arab League refuses to deviate from idea of two states A day after PM Netanyahu and President Trump announced they are gearing up to restart the Israeli-Palestinian peace process with the involvement of key regional players, and appearing less emphatic about insistence on a 2-state solution.

* Baghdad car bomb kills at least 48 At least 48 people have been killed in Baghdad in the third blast in the Iraqi capital in three days, security and medical sources say.

* Tillerson and Mattis in guarded approach to Russia Senior US officials have been setting out their position on Russia, in some of the new administration's first diplomatic moves.

* Israel-Palestinian conflict: UN warns Trump over two-state reversal The UN chief has warned Donald Trump against abandoning the idea of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying there is "no alternative".

* Trump Effectively Puts Israel Back in the Driver's Seat To say that Israelis were glued to their televisions as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stood side-by-side with US President Donald Trump to address the media would be a major understatement.

* Netanyahu Asks Trump to Recognize Israeli Sovereignty in Golan During their momentous Washington meeting on Wednesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly asked President Donald Trump to give official American recognition to Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights.

2/15/17

* Trump relaxes US policy on Middle East two-state solution US President Donald Trump has dropped decades of US policy that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should be resolved by a two-state solution.

* Former Obama Officials, Loyalists Waged Secret Campaign to Oust Flynn The abrupt resignation Monday evening of White House national security adviser Michael Flynn is the culmination of a secret.

* Rouhani on Persian Gulf tour, seeking better Arab ties TEHRAN - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani took a one-day trip on Wednesday to Oman and Kuwait, seeking a detente with the Arab world, strained over the past few years.

* Russian spy ship spotted closer to US, near Navy submarine base The Russian spy ship Viktor Leonov on Wednesday morning was spotted 40 miles closer to the U.S. -- and not far from a Navy submarine base in Connecticut, a U.S. official told Fox News.

* The Rape and Slavery That No Campus Will Condemn Slavery and rape aren't wrong when Muslims do it.

* Trump defence chief Mattis threatens less commitment to Nato The new US defence secretary has told Nato members that Washington will "moderate its commitment" to the alliance if they do not increase their spending on defence.

* Trump hits back at US media reports on Russia contacts President Donald Trump has lashed out at the US intelligence community and media after new reports of contacts between members of his team and Russia.

* Pew: Jews are best-liked religious group in America Pew survey finds Americans have warmer feelings towards Jews than to any other religious group.

* Country of birth: Judea and Samaria Parents of kindergartners from all over Israel were surprised to discover that Israel's Education Ministry had reported some of the parents' country of birth as "Judea and Samaria" or the "Palestinian Authority."

* Russia responds to Trump: Crimea will not be returned to Ukraine Russia will not hand back control of Crimea to Ukraine, Russia's foreign ministry said on Wednesday, responding to comments from the White House that the United States expected the Black Sea peninsula to be returned.

2/14/17

* Trump knew of Flynn Russia phone call issues 'weeks ago' President Donald Trump knew weeks ago there were problems with Michael Flynn's Russia phone calls, a White House spokesman has said.

* Lebanese president calls on Arab League to protect Jerusalem Michael Aoun warns Israel wants to 'Judaize Palestine,' urges preservation of Muslim and Christian heritage of Holy City.

* Trump Intended to Move Embassy to Jerusalem at '12:01, Day One' President Donald Trump was prepared to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem the moment he took office, but reconsidered after taking into account how it would impact Israel's relationship with its Arab neighbors, a top Republican official revealed on Monday.

* Hamas Elects Radical New Leader in Gaza Strip Terror group Hamas has elected a new political leader in the Gaza Strip to replace Ismail Haniyeh, Palestinian media reported Monday.

* We Must Start Building Third Temple Today, Says Temple Experts A recent video from the Temple Institute concluded unequivocally that the Third Temple will not simply descend from Heaven, begging the question 'Why don't Jews begin building today?'

* Arab Commentators to Trump: Don't Designate Muslim Brotherhood as Terrorist Group The possibility that the Muslim Brotherhood will be designated a terrorist organization by the US government has fueled warnings by critics of the Trump administration who have cautioned that such a move will be the first step in a crackdown on Muslim-American civil society groups.

* Islamic State: Muslim cleric tears head off teddy bear to warn against celebrating Valentine's Day "A hardline preacher from the group tore the head of a red teddy bear to assert his prohibition of the celebrations during a sermon earlier this week, according to the source."

* Beyond the Failed "Two-State Solution" "No one should be telling Israel that it must abide by some agreement made by others thousands of miles away."

* Watch: PA news station erases Israel from map Land of Israel covered by word 'Falestin' on PA news channel.

* US-Russian steps vs Iran await new NSC chief Michael Flynn's abrupt resignation as National Security Adviser Monday night, Feb. 13, was a crippling blow to Donald Trump's foreign policy strategy, less than a month after he entered the White House.

2/13/17

* Ahead of Netanyahu-Trump talks, Abbas woos Iran EXCLUSIVE: Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) has pivoted towards Iran in a move to pre-empt a possibly impending US embassy move from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

* White House Puts Palestinians, United Nations in Crosshairs The White House is sending a strong signal that it will no longer tolerate Palestinian intransigence at the United Nations or the international body's long record of anti-Israel action.

* Iraqi air force 'kills 77' in strikes aimed at IS leader Baghdadi The Iraqi air force has killed 13 commanders of so-called Islamic State in a strike on a building in Qaim where leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was thought to be, a statement said.

* Red Heifer Found in West Virginia A retiree in West Virginia has discovered a red heifer, and by all appearances, the young and unique cow is suitable to clear the path for service in the Third Temple to begin.

* Mysteries of Ark's Journey Revealed as Excavation Begins at Site of Ark of Covenant This summer, archaeologists will begin the first-ever excavation of the major Biblical site where the Ark of the Covenant was kept for two decades before King David conveyed it to Jerusalem.

* REPORT: Hamas Taps Prisoner Freed in Schalit Deal as New Gaza Leader Hardliner Yahya Sinwar was reportedly chosen to replace Ismail Haniyeh, who is expected to take the position of general Hamas leader in place of Khaled Mashal.

* Coming Trump-Putin-Erdogan deal rumbles thru ME The NBC report that Russian President Vladimir Putin may be considering making President Donald Trump the "gift" of turning over former NSA analyst Edward Snowden is part of a much broader scheme that is already sending tremors through the Middle East.

* Ships from 4 NATO countries conduct naval drills in Black Sea Ships from four NATO member states - Canada, Spain, Romania, and Bulgaria - have taken part in PASSEX 2017, a joint military exercise in the Black Sea.

* Israeli PM Netanyahu Becomes D.C. Darling as Democrats Clamor for Meetings After years of tense relations with the United States under former President Barack Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is emerging as one of the most prominent international personalities.

* Israel's Right Demands Netanyahu, Trump Discuss West Bank Annexation Held under the banner "Netanyahu, the Likud is backing you on the Right," the ministers and MKS signed a petition calling upon him calling upon him to maintain the values of Likud.

2/11/17

* US, Iran on Brink of Armed Conflict: War Scenario and Consequences  A conflict may start accidentally even if nobody wants it as the tensions are getting higher. 

* Palestinians Turn Jerusalem Into a Tool of Terror  Palestinian and other Arab leaders threatened violence in response to President Trump's pledge to move the U.S. embassy from Tel-Aviv to Jerusalem. 

* Today it's "Neither East, nor West" but the Islamic Republic  Exactly 38 years ago, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Iran after 15 years in exile. 

* Us Blocks Appointment Of Palestinian To Un Envoy, Cites Bias  Guterres selected Fayyad to take over as Libya envoy from Martin Kobler, a German diplomat who has served as the UN representative since November 2015. 

* Policeman killed, dozens hurt in Baghdad anti-government protests  Security forces use live fire, tear gas to disperse crowds in Iraqi capital as al-Sadr loyalists demand election reform. 

* Report: Trump Reassures Palestinians Embassy Not Moving To Jerusalem  Arab media has reported that despite constant promises from Trump that the US Embassy in Israel would be moving to Jerusalem, he has no such plans. 

* Eliminating Terror Groups In Sinai A Key Priority For Egypt  Egypt feels the confrontation in Sinai is symbolic of a larger conflict with regional and global ramifications. 

* Hamas releases music video vowing to murder Israelis: "We will eat you, Zionists, without salt"  This is nothing new. In 2012, Hamas released a music video declaring: "Killing Jews is worship that draws us close to Allah." 

* Iraqi archbishop hopes Trump will aid persecuted Christians  There are those within the Christian ranks however, who fear the backlash of rage from Muslims if Christians are helped; there are also those who seem unmoved by the longstanding plight of persecuted Christians because they are gripped by moral relativism. 

* Beautiful Friendship  An unprecedented opportunity for the U.S.-Israel relationship is on the horizon.

2/9/17

* Syria war: Russian 'friendly fire' kills Turkish soldiers President Vladimir Putin has sent condolences after a Russian air strike accidentally killed three Turkish soldiers in northern Syria.

* Sunni Insurgency Threatens to Take Hold in Iraq Amid ISIS Defeats A Sunni insurgency is taking root in Iraq as the U.S.-led coalition continues to weaken the Islamic State's territorial strongholds, particularly in Mosul.

* 'We will not close doors': EU foreign affairs chief says aging Europe needs migration Aging and graying Europe won't close its doors to asylum seekers, as it needs immigration, the EU's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, said, adding that Europeans had been migrants themselves "up to few years ago."

* Israel's inaction in Syria may open Golan to Iran Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has given "diplomatic priority" to stressing the perils posed by Iranian-sponsored terrorism and its nuclear-capable ballistic weapons, and placed them at the top of his talks with British premier Theresa May in London.

* Jihadist Groups in the US: What Next? Meanwhile, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) continues freely to operate in America. In the wee hours of election night 2016, in fact, its Los Angeles office leader called for the overthrow of the U.S. government.

* Islamic State claims Eilat rocket attack, threatens more Group's Sinai-based affiliate says it fired rockets 'to teach Jews, crusaders a proxy war will not avail them of anything.'

* Defiant Iran test-fires another missile days after US warning Tehran launches short-range Mersad missile, testing Trump administration, following report Islamic Revolutionary Guards may be blacklisted.

* BIN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: "If We Lose Hebron, We Lose the Holy Land" On October 26, 2016, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) World Heritage Centre passed a blatantly anti-Israel resolution denying the historic Jewish ties to some of the Holy Land's known Biblical sites.

* 6 Out of 7 Countries Banned By Trump Don't Let Israelis In The Zionist of Organization of America (ZOA) called attention to the fact that six of the seven Muslim-majority nations covered by President Donald Trump's temporary travel ban currently deny entry to travelers who hold Israeli passports.

* France: Anti-Christian attacks rise 245 percent The whopping 245 percent increase in attacks on Christians represents a genuine and increasing problem; concern over "Islamophobia" has managed to crowd out real human rights issues.

2/8/17

* Russia to give Syrian army high-precision weapons Moscow signaled on Wednesday, February 8, that it has started - or is about to start - supplying precision weapons to the Syrian military in order to boost its capabilities against the Islamic State organization.

* Iran, Russia stress commitment to nuclear deal TEHRAN - Senior Iranian and Russian diplomats met in Moscow on Wednesday to exchange views on the nuclear accord and the latest regional developments.

* U.S. considers designating IRGC a terrorist group U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is weighing a proposal that could designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, Reuters reported on Wednesday.

* Archaeologists to break ground at biblical site where Ark of the Covenant stood Israeli and French researchers to excavate ancient site of Kiryat Ye'arim, outside Jerusalem, one of the few unstudied biblical tels.

* Pearl Harbor 2? China 'has prepared for a preemptive strike against US military bases which would cripple American forces in the region' An investigation of satellite imagery compares China's missile testing grounds and US military bases.

* New Hamas Music Video Threatens to Rain Down Rockets on Israel Titled "Zionists, you will perish in Gaza," the video relays the terror group's message, threatening Israelis that rockets will "get you where you live."

* 'PREPARE FOR WAR!' Vladimir Putin orders Russian Air Force to be prepared to launch attacks at ANY MINUTE - as fears over World War III continue to grow Russian troops were placed on 'combat alert' amid massive NATO exercises currently underway in eastern Europe.

* Watch: life continues as usual in war torn Mosul ISIS fighter fall back as Mosul returns to a state of normalcy.

* New Dead Sea Scroll cave found near Qumran, but scrolls are gone Over 60 years after the first excavations at Qumran, researchers from Hebrew University said Wednesday that they identified a twelfth cave near Qumran they believe contained Dead Sea Scrolls until it was plundered in the middle of the 20th century.

* Germany's Muslim Demographic Future Critics of Germany's open-door immigration policy are warning that the recent surge in Germany's Muslim population - which surpassed six million in 2016 for the first time - has already changed the face of the country forever.

2/7/17

* 4,000 Settlements Legalized: "This Is History, Jewish People Have Returned to its Land" The Knesset ratified the controversial Expropriation Bill, which retroactively legalizes about 4,000 "settler outposts" located on privately owned land in Judea and Samaria, on Monday.

* Israel's inaction in Syria may open Golan to Iran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has given "diplomatic priority" to stressing the perils posed by Iranian-sponsored terrorism and its nuclear-capable ballistic weapons.

* Khamenei Vows Trump Response on Iran Revolution Anniversary Iran will respond to the growing hostility from President Donald Trump when it celebrates the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution this week.

* Israel passes controversial law on West Bank settlements Israel's parliament has passed a controversial law retroactively legalising almost 4,000 settler homes built on privately-owned Palestinian land in the occupied West Bank.

* Yemen shapes up for US-Iran military clash Eight armies are fighting for dominance in Yemen, a country of 25 million inhabitants.

* Syria conflict: Thousands hanged at Saydnaya prison, Amnesty says As many as 13,000 people, most of them civilian opposition supporters, have been executed in secret at a prison in Syria, Amnesty International says.

* Muslim world slams 'provocative,' 'unacceptable' outpost law Arab League accuses Israel of stealing Palestinian land; Jordan and Turkey say legislation distances prospects of two-state solution.

* Planting the Seeds of the Third Temple - Literally! The nascent Sanhedrin is setting out to reinstate the Biblical Temple forest as part of their ongoing effort to bring the Third Temple into existence and has already begun planting around Israel to provide the agricultural needs of the Third Temple.

* Navy's Depleted Aircraft Will Take Years to Rebuild After Obama-Era Defense Cuts The Navy's aircraft arsenal is so depleted it would take several years to rebuild the fleet even if the Trump administration allotted the funding needed to repair inoperable aircraft.

* Ramping up tough rhetoric, Iran VP says US will be 'ultimate losers' War of words comes in wake of Tehran's missile test and subsequent new sanctions levied by Trump.

2/6/17

* IRAN: 'Only Seven Minutes Needed for the Iranian Missile to Hit Tel Aviv' Iran's officials vowed to continue launching "roaring missiles," which they characterized as defensive in nature.

* Amid UN Warning, Israel Set to Pass Historic Settlements Bill The legislation is set to retroactively legalize 4,000 settler homes on private Palestinian land and offers to compensate its land owners.

* IDF Continues to Strike Hamas Targets in Retaliation for Rocket Attack A projectile launched from the Gaza Strip on Monday morning landed in southern Israel; none hurt.

* Western navies hold major drill off coast of Iran British-led 'United Trident' exercises come in light of increased Iranian harassment of naval vessels in Persian Gulf.

* Yemen shapes up for US-Iran military clash Eight armies are fighting for dominance in Yemen, a country of 25 million inhabitants.

* Women and Jihad: The Motivation of Female Suicide Bombers Female suicide bombers were relatively unknown till the second intifada that began in September 2000.

* Child abuse: 7% of Australian Catholic priests alleged to be involved An inquiry examining institutional sex abuse in Australia has heard 7% of the nation's Catholic priests allegedly abused children between 1950 and 2010.

* Mail-order terrorism Israeli authorities halt transfer of hundreds of packages destined for Gaza Strip.

* PM Theresa May tells Netanyahu Britain supports two states Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and British Prime Minister Theresa May held a meeting in the UK Monday afternoon to discuss a series of issues involving the strengthening of their strategic, security and diplomatic ties.

* France: Le Pen Launches Presidential Campaign "This election is a choice of civilization." "The question is simple and cruel: will our children live in a free, independent, democratic country?" - Marine Le Pen, leader of France's National Front party.

2/4/17

* Trump: New Iran sanctions, USS Cole to Red Sea  Donald Trump ended his second week as president Friday, Feb. 3, by demonstrating his resolve to cut Iran down to size. 

* Study: Muslims Are a Demographic Ticking Time Bomb  The recent executive order President Donald Trump has issued, banning travelers from seven majority-Muslim countries from entering the US affected only 12 percent of the world's Muslims, according to a 2015 Pew Research Center report on the current and projected size of religious groups.

* Trump fumes, vows to act, after judge lifts travel ban  U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday denounced a judge who lifted a travel ban for citizens of seven mainly Muslim countries, vowing that his government would reinstate it as affected travelers scrambled for tickets to try to quickly enter the United States. 

* Iran is world's biggest state sponsor of terrorism, US says  US Defence Secretary James Mattis has called Iran the world's "biggest state sponsor of terrorism", amid rising tensions between the two nations. 

* Top Iran officer: If enemies do wrong, missiles will come down on them  Revolutionary Guard commander makes comments during military drill seen as show of strength in wake of fresh US sanctions. 

* Putting Iran On Notice  The announcement from National Security Advisor Lieutenant General Michael Flynn on Wednesday that the Trump administration was 'putting Iran on notice' after its latest ballistic missile test is bad news for the ruling clerical elite and its Revolutionary Guards, and potentially good news for Iranians who love freedom. 

* Israel's Mediterranean: A 'Wild West,' But With Waves Of Progress  The Med is considered one of the most contaminated seas on Earth; What are we going to do about it? 

* Trump Admin Urged to Counter Iran With New Middle East Missile System  Recommendation comes with new sanctions on Iran. 

* Who are Those Refugees Australia Doesn't Want?  It is hard to complain about Australia -- democratic, sunny, cheerful, and oh, those koalas and kangaroos. 

* Erdogan tells off Merkel for using phrase 'Islamist terrorism' "This expression 'Islamist terror' seriously saddens us Muslims," Erdogan said. "Such an expression is not correct because Islam and terror cannot be associated. The meaning of Islam is peace."

2/3/17

* US sanctions Iran after missile test The Trump administration is imposing sanctions on Iran following its recent ballistic missile test.

* Putting Iran on Notice The announcement from National Security Advisor Lieutenant General Michael Flynn on Wednesday that the Trump administration was "putting Iran on notice" after its latest ballistic missile test is bad news for the ruling clerical elite and its Revolutionary Guards.

* Louvre 'attacker' was Egyptian: Machete-wielding man shot five times after attacking French soldiers outside Paris museum 'had been in the country for just over a week' A man armed with a machete was shot five times in the stomach after attempting to storm the museum.

* Watch: Massive military exercise simulates regional emergency A broad-based military divisional exercise took place this week near Gaza.

* Jordan's King warns Trump against embassy move Jordan's King Abdullah warns Trump that relocating the American embassy to Jerusalem could threaten the two-state solution.

* First Israeli-Turkish Diplomatic Talks in Years Held in Ankara "All pertinent bilateral issues were reviewed, and especially cooperation in areas such as energy, economy, culture and tourism."

* New Israel settlements 'may not be helpful' to peace, says US Building new Israeli settlements "may not be helpful" to achieving peace with Palestinians, the White House has said.

* Trump Ghost Looms Over EU Summit as Leaders Push Back U.S. President Donald Trump loomed over a Mediterranean gathering of European leaders, who used the meeting Friday to hit back at the new administration that has upended trans-Atlantic relations.

* Netanyahu Clan Performing Biblical Mitzvah of the Kings At the inauguration of a Bible study conference on Tuesday, Sara Netanyahu, the wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, described her family's powerful connection to Bible study, which, in fact, embodies a Torah commandment incumbent upon rulers of Israel.

* Tehran 'unmoved' by US threats, will use weapons 'only in self-defense' - Iranian FM to Trump Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif has responded to US President Donald Trump's Twitter accusations that Tehran was "playing with fire."

2/2/17

* Amona evacuation in photos Years of legal and political battles drew to their conclusion as hundreds of police entered the illegal outpost to evacuate its residents in Operation Locked Garden.

* Netanyahu welcomes US warning to Iran on ballistic missile tests PM says upcoming meeting with Trump of 'great importance' to Israel; Washington puts Tehran 'on notice' for launch.

* Watch: China warns US of nuclear war if Trump doesn't back off Due to heightened growth in military presence by China America signals warning, China replies with threats of nuclear war.

* CIA Veteran: Europe a 'Launching Pad' for ISIS to Attack the U.S. Europe serves as a "launching pad" for ISIS jihadists to initiate attacks against the United States due to the absence of a cohesive information-sharing strategy among Western nations.

* Khamenei ally says useless for U.S. to threaten Iran over missile test: Fars ANKARA (Reuters) - A top adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Thursday Iran will not yield to "useless" U.S. threats from "an inexperienced person" over its ballistic missile program.

* Ukrainian Jewish Leader Says Community in Danger of Extinction The future of Ukraine's Jewish community "doesn't look very bright" and is in danger of disappearing altogether, according to one of its leaders, who ended a four-day visit to Israel on Thursday.

* Netanyahu Announces First New Jewish Settlement in Over 25 Years Even as government forces were evacuating the unauthorized Jewish outpost of Amona, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday announced plans for the first new Jewish settlement in the "West Bank" in over 25 years.

* Palestinians demand UN action over Israeli approval of settlement homes After another 3,000 housing units okayed in West Bank, Palestinian envoy to UN decries 'extreme barrage of illegal behavior'.

* Rex Tillerson confirmed as US secretary of state Republican-led Senate approves Trump's nomination of former ExxonMobil CEO as nation's chief diplomat.

* Israel Only Free State in Middle East, Report Finds A new study on civil liberties and political freedoms worldwide by Washington think tank Freedom House found that Israel is the only "free" country in the entire Middle East, outpacing its Arab neighbors by wide margins.

2/1/17

* Pentagon tracks China test of long-range missile with 10 warheads U.S. officials said China's recent test of a long-range missile with 10 warheads indicates Beijing is intent on increasing its nuclear arsenal.

* 'NATO exercises on Russia border part of US buildup of empire ' This is also the first time US troops will have been stationed right on Russia's borders.

* Netanyahu Asks Rabbis to Pray for Trump Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu paid a visit to the leaders of one of Israel's most influential ultra-Orthodox Jewish sects last week, and asked them to pray for the success of US President Donald Trump.

* Israel police evict settlers from unauthorised Amona outpost There have been scuffles between Israeli protesters and police seeking to evacuate an unauthorised settlement outpost in the occupied West Bank.

* Iran Confirms New Missile Test, Says Did Not Violate Nuclear Deal The White House said it was aware that Iran had tested a missile, and said they were "looking into" the details.

* Supreme Court choice Neil Gorsuch draws Democrat opposition Leading Democrats have come out in staunch opposition to Donald Trump's nomination of Neil Gorsuch for the vacant position on the Supreme Court.

* Petraeus: World order under 'unprecedented threat' Retired Gen. David Petraeus warned lawmakers on Wednesday that the world order created in part by the United States in the 20th century is under "unprecedented threat from multiple directions," pointing to Russia, China, Islamist extremists and cyber threats.

* Rare Red Heifer Eligible for Third Temple Offering Found, And You Won't Believe Where A rabbi in a remote region of Mexico he went to a dairy farm to purchase milk, and was shocked when he saw a vital element of the Third Temple right in front of his eyes: a red heifer calmly chewing its cud under the Baja sun.

* For Hard-Line West Bank Settlers, Jared Kushner's Their Man ET EL, West Bank - For many in the Israeli settlement of Bet El, deep in the West Bank, Donald Trump's choice of Jared Kushner as his senior adviser on the Middle East is a sign of politics shifting in their favor.

* Ukraine conflict: UN warns of dangerous deterioration The UN Security Council has warned of a "dangerous deterioration" in eastern Ukraine and called on warring sides to halt the violence.