2/29/20

* Will Israel's third elections be the last? For this ugly political negativity and mudslinging to come to an end, the election cycle needs to end.

* Israel’s Netanyahu threatens Gaza with ALL-OUT WAR if missile attacks continue Israel will stop at nothing to ensure its security and may well launch a broad military campaign against Gaza if the local armed groups continue with missile strikes, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

* A dangerous escalation in Syria An airstrike in northwestern Syria yesterday killed at least 33 Turkish troops.

* President Erdogan's options narrow as Russia presses Syrian crisis to Turkey's doorstep With nearly one million displaced Syrians massing near the Turkish border in the face of a Syrian government military offensive, President Tayyip Erdogan’s options are narrowing.

* Russia sends two warships armed with cruise missiles to Syria's coast Moscow also blamed Ankara for the killing of 33 Turkish soldiers in Syria's Idlib region the previous day.

* The Trump plan threatens the status quo at al-Haram al-Sharif The plan could pave the way for an Israeli takeover of the holy site in Jerusalem.

* How The Revolutionary Guards Could Reshape Iran Iran’s clerical army could decide that an internal transition is the best answer, and move to remove (or at least subordinate) the country’s current clerical elite.

* Saudi Arabia bans pilgrims to Mecca. Pandemic feared It is not clear how the Saudi ban on year-round pilgrimage to stave off covid-19 infection will affect the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina which begins in July.

* Israeli scientists: 'In a few weeks, we will have coronavirus vaccine' Once the vaccine is developed, it will take at least 90 days to complete the regulatory process and potentially more to enter the marketplace.

* Thanks to Trump: Pascal Lamb could be Sacrificed on Temple Mount for first Time in 2,000 Years As per Trump’s Deal of the Century, the Sanhedrin petitioned the Israeli government, filing to receive permits that would allow priests to perform the ritual of the Pesach (Passover) sacrifice temporary altar that will be transported to the temple mount and removed immediately after the ceremony.

2/28/20

* Pre-Magog Escalation as Airstrike Kills 33 Turkish Troops in Syria Russia denied that its airforce stationed in Syria was involved in an airstrike on Thursday evening that killed at least 33 Turkish soldiers in Behun in the Idlib province bringing the death toll to 54 Turkish soldiers this month.

* A dangerous escalation in Syria An airstrike in northwestern Syria yesterday killed at least 33 Turkish troops.

* Will Israel's third elections be the last? For this ugly political negativity and mudslinging to come to an end, the election cycle needs to end.

* Potential pandemic looms, says WHO, as covid-19 spreads to 12 new countries in 24 hours and global markets slump Nigeria reported the first case of coronavirus in sub-Saharan Africa on Friday, Feb. 28, one of 46 countries outside China reporting 3,700 cases and 57 deaths so far.

* Russia sends two warships armed with cruise missiles to Syria's coast Moscow also blamed Ankara for the killing of 33 Turkish soldiers in Syria's Idlib region the previous day.

* EU calls on Israel to stop building plans in controversial E1 West Bank corridor Foreign policy head Borrell: Construction will bisect territorial contiguity between West Bank, East Jerusalem, Israel shouldn't take steps that undermine future 2-state solution.

* PA: You're a "traitor" if you sell land to Jews PA police instructed to "take the firmest steps" against anyone selling land to Jews.

* Eye Opener: Global markets dive amid coronavirus panic Watch CBS Eye Opener video on the Global markets dive amid coronavirus panic.

* COLUMN-As coronavirus spikes, so does global instability: Peter Apps As the coronavirus outbreak turns global, stock markets and world populations are waking up to the threat of a global pandemic.

* Is It Time To Rebuild The Temple? Baruch Gordon explains the order in which Redemption must take place, and how we will know when the time has come to rebuild the Temple.

2/27/20

* The Temple Mount Express Has Already Left the Station The messianic-nationalistic dialogue about the Temple Mount did not seep into any of the main television newscasts but whoever reads the opinion pages of right-wing media such as Yisrael Hayom, Mekor Rishon and Arutz Sheva would see that it is already well-rooted.

* Israeli scientists: 'In three weeks, we will have coronavirus vaccine' Once the vaccine is developed, it will take at least 90 days to complete the regulatory process and potentially more to enter the marketplace.

* President Erdogan's options narrow as Russia presses Syrian crisis to Turkey's doorstep With nearly one million displaced Syrians massing near the Turkish border in the face of a Syrian government military offensive, President Tayyip Erdogan's options are narrowing.

* Russia lends Egypt $25 billion for Dabaa nuclear power plant Atomstroyexport, a subsidiary of Russia's State Atomic Energy Corporation, or Rosatom, announced Feb. 17 that three Egyptian companies were awarded a tender offer for constructing the first phase of Egypt's Dabaa nuclear power plant.

* Saudi Arabia bans pilgrims to Mecca. Pandemic feared It is not clear how the Saudi ban on year-round pilgrimage to stave off covid-19 infection will affect the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina which begins in July.

* Coronavirus Could Break Iranian Society The government has refused to impose quarantines and is encouraging people to visit the city of Qom, the center of the outbreak.

* Israel advances plans for nearly 1,800 new settlement homes days before election Defense Ministry panel meeting comes less than two months after previous one, marking increase in frequency.

* Nigeria's Islamists targeting Christians to provoke religious war, says minister Islamist militant groups in Nigeria have begun targeting Christians in an attempt to provoke a religious war, the information minister said on Thursday.

* European ambassadors hold Jerusalem meeting with Israel over E1 fears Those who participated in the meeting were; Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

* Trump's Peace Plan for Israel Puts the Palestine Authority's Future at Risk This deal won't accomplish much besides that. It requires major concessions that Palestinians have already been urged to make-which they've refused.

2/26/20

* Bernie Sanders calls Netanyahu 'reactionary racist' Sanders said if he is elected, he would "take into consideration" moving the US embassy back to Tel Aviv, adding Middle East policy should be about protecting Israel "but you cannot ignore the suffering of the Palestinian people."

* Globe battles virus as cases multiply outside China Crews scrubbed everything from money to buses, military bases were on high alert and quarantines were enforced Wednesday from a beachfront resort in the Atlantic to a remote island in the Pacific, as the world worked to halt the fast-spreading virus that for the first time counted more new cases outside China than inside the country, where the epidemic originated.

* Sanders: I'd consider moving embassy back to Tel Aviv Senator Bernie Sanders says he would consider moving US embassy back to Tel Aviv from Jerusalem. Bloomberg: You can't move it back.

* For Syrians fleeing Idlib, Turkish border wall becomes symbol of their plight When Hassan Mighlaj's family ran from the bombs battering their village in northwest Syria, they came up against a wall: an imposing gray concrete wall, crowned with barbed wire and spanning the border with Turkey to block their way in.

* Coronavirus now spreading faster outside China Italy has become a frontline in the global effort to contain the spread of coronavirus.

* Could studying ancient ink help shed new light on the Dead Sea Scrolls? The study of manuscripts offers scholars a treasure trove of information hidden in plain sight, complementing those presented by the texts themselves.

* 'We're the hosts there': Erdogan says Turkey won't pull back from Syria's sovereign territory, gives Assad ultimatum to retreat Reiterating his usual rhetoric on Syria, the Turkish leader has ruled out withdrawal from Idlib, where his forces back rebels fighting the government.

* Iran says 12 dead from new virus, rejects higher death toll Iran's government said Monday that 12 people had died nationwide from the new coronavirus, rejecting claims of a much higher death toll by a lawmaker from the city of Qom that has been at the epicenter of the virus in the country.

* Netanyahu meets with dozens of new Ethiopian immigrants Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met Wednesday with a group of 40 newly arrived Falash Mura who landed in Israel on Monday, one week before national elections.

* Israel Mourns Death of a Modern Pharaoh Netanyahu remembers Mubarak as pragmatic, strong-handed leader, but many Egyptians saw him as a tyrant.

2/25/20

* Israel's Netanyahu threatens Gaza with ALL-OUT WAR if missile attacks continue Israel will stop at nothing to ensure its security and may well launch a broad military campaign against Gaza if the local armed groups continue with missile strikes, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said.

* Trump wants Israeli sovereignty on Judea and Samaria 'in one shot,' says Netanyahu Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that his delay in extending Israeli sovereignty to portions of Judea and Samaria is due to the request of President Donald Trump that it be done all at once, instead of piecemeal.

* Abbas' deception at the UN: PA claims to recognize Israel, yet message to Palestinians is that all of Israel is "Palestine"Consistent with Palestinian Authority policy, there is one message for the Palestinian street and another for the world.

* Moscow and Ankara on brink over Syria's Idlib Although they support opposing sides, neither country can afford to engage in an open conflict.

* The Trump plan threatens the status quo at al-Haram al-Sharif The plan could pave the way for an Israeli takeover of the holy site in Jerusalem.

* How The Revolutionary Guards Could Reshape Iran Iran's clerical army could decide that an internal transition is the best answer, and move to remove (or at least subordinate) the country's current clerical elite.

* Iran war warning: Boris Johnson WOULD intervene in US-Iran conflict - but there's a catch BORIS JOHNSON would intervene in a conflict between Iran and the US on one particular condition - if UK troops came under attack, an Iranian expert told Express.co.uk.

* Who is Ayatollah Khamenei? What to know about Iran's supreme leader Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has emerged as one of the most powerful Iranian leaders of the last century and wields control over all aspects of the country's government, military and media.

* The True Danger of Coronavirus (COVID-19): What are the real risks of infection, death and a global pandemic? The public is always ready to panic over the next pandemic. We love a good movie like the old Ebola scare, Outbreak.

* Locust plague: Threat to Africa emerges as swarms of Desert Locust breed in the millions Locust swarms have invaded the Horn of Africa and the Middle East with millions of hungry insects breeding at alarming rates, the United Nations has warned.

2/24/20

* Israel strikes Islamic Jihad sites in Gaza and Syria after rocket attacks The Israeli military has carried out air strikes against the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) in Gaza and Syria in response to rocket fire.

* Netanyahu: 'If rockets do not stop we will launch major campaign' PM holds security consultation, warns war with Gaza possible if rockets do not stop.

* Israel: Red alert sirens wail in Gaza border communities after IDF strikes PIJ targets Gaza terror groups launch heavy rocket barrage at Israel's south, house said to be hit by rocket debris.

* For first time, polls show Netanyahu leading Gantz but deadlock remains Netanyahu is expected to start his trial on corruption charges in a Jerusalem just days after vote.

* Netanyahu vows harsh response unless Gaza groups cease hostilities Netanyahu warns Gaza groups that a large-scale operation could follow as rockets intercepted over south Israel.

* Report: Hamas Warns of Rockets on Tel Aviv if Israel Kills Senior Leaders The Gaza-based Hamas terror group has warned Israel it would respond to any assassination attempts against its leaders by sending barrages of rockets towards Tel Aviv, Hebrew media reported Thursday.

* Iran elections: what next for the Middle East? Conservative religious hardliners have won a landslide victory in Iran's controversial parliamentary elections, taking every seat in Tehran amid a record low voter turnout.

* The Fortunate Arabs in the Middle East Meanwhile, there are other Arabs in the region who are more fortunate than the Palestinians of the West Bank and Gaza Strip: the Arab citizens of Israel.

* Caroline Glick: The massive, but reversible, defeats of Iran and Turkey Israel's two most formidable adversaries-Iran and Turkey-both came up short in their quests for regional domination, and Israel is reaping the rewards of their losses.

* No end in sight for Gaza fighting as both sides vow further attacks Terrorists launch dozens of projectiles at Israeli cities and villages around the enclave as IDF bombs Islamic Jihad sites; Israel closes border crossing, restricts fishing zone.

2/22/20

* First ever Iranian display of future nuclear-capable Sejjil missile The first ever footage of the Sejjil medium-range rocket designed to carry a nuclear warhead was shown on Iranian media this week.

* Video: Iran’s Salami Warns ‘Impotent’ Israel Now in Range of Iranian Attack Speaking with Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen TV, Salami cautioned Israel regarding what he called its “acts of mischief, ” adding Iran’s goals revolve around the expulsion of the U.S. from the Middle East and the collapse and annihilation of the Jewish state, which he referred to as the “center of evil.”

* As Trump Gives Up on ‘Endless Wars,' Russia, China, and Iran Move In Counter-terror on a shoestring will empower Washington’s major adversaries.

* Nasrallah: Soleimani's death and Trump's plan 'ushered in confrontation' ‘All the people of the region will carry a rifle, because this American tyrant has left no room for anyone’

* BACK FROM THE DEAD ISIS is BIGGER now than when it took over Iraq and Syria and it’s making a COMEBACK AS the world has been celebrating the fall of ISIS, the terror group is reported to be making a comeback.

* Israel to Build High-Speed Train from Airport Directly to Footsteps of Temple Mount Israel’s Transportation Ministry said on Monday that it’s moving ahead with plans to build an extension of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem high-speed line that would directly connect Tel Aviv’s Ben-Gurion International Airport to the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

* Christian U.S Congressmen Calls for Change in Temple Mount Status So Jews Can Pray There Freely Congressman Mike Johnson (R, IL) was among those who went up to the Temple Mount with Rabbi Yehuda Glick when the latter was arrested on the holy site for “walking too slowly” on Tuesday.

* If Russia can’t curb Iran in Syria, the Saudis ask: How can Israel? The Saudi paper Sharq al-Awsat reported on Feb. 15 that the Russians had given up on curbing Iran’s military presence in Syria.

* Iran Proxy Gives America Countdown to War An Iranian backed militia, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba (Movement of the Party of God’s Nobles), threatened America in a tweet featuring a US armored vehicle with a target around it saying “we are closer than you think.”

* Rains bring stunning floral displays to parched Dead Sea area Shores between Kalya and Ovnat are alive with wildflowers.

2/21/20

* Erdogan urges Putin to restrain Syria regime in Idlib During the phone call with his Russian counterpart, Turkey's President Erdogan said that the crisis in Idlib can only be resolved by fully implementing the Sochi memorandum of understanding.

* Israeli Rabbi Says He's Already Holding Meetings With Messiah Israel's biggest rabbis are all afraid to leave the country lest they miss Messiah's coming.

* France: Macron Vows Crackdown on Political Islam "The problem is when, in the name of a religion, some people want to separate themselves from the Republic and therefore not respect its laws." - French President Emmanuel Macron, February 18, 2020

* ANALYSIS: Is Jordan Really Israel's Peace Partner? Netanyahu is a "stinky yahoo" and Israel a "terrorist state," according to our peace partners in Jordan.

* Iran, Hezbollah stir chaos in Syria's southwest Behind Enemy Lines: Iran, Hezbollah and ongoing, armed resistance to Syria's regime merge to create constant chaos.

* Iranians vote in parliamentary election, hardliners set to cement grip Hardliners loyal to Iran's supreme leader are likely to sweep a parliamentary election on Friday that will cement their grip on power as the country faces mounting U.S. pressure over its nuclear program and growing discontent at home.

* Does Iran's regime plan to destroy the tomb of Esther and Mordechai? US religious group blasts Iran for threats to Esther and Mordechai tomb.

* After Brexit, EU faces 'most difficult' budget negotiations in history While countries with strong economies that contribute more to the budget don't want to see their payments increase despite the gap left by Brexit, the poorer countries want to keep the status quo.

* PA accuses Netanyahu of 'systematically' destroying two-state solution Abbas spokesman blasts Netanyahu following his announcement of new construction in Judea and Samaria.

* Former MK Yehuda Glick arrested for 'provocative behavior' on Temple Mount The former Likud Party Knesset member tells JNS that the incident epitomizes the fact that non-Muslims are discriminated against at the holy site in Jerusalem.

2/20/20

* Christian U.S Congressmen Calls for Change in Temple Mount Status So Jews Can Pray There Freely Congressman Mike Johnson (R, IL) was among those who went up to the Temple Mount with Rabbi Yehuda Glick when the latter was arrested on the holy site for "walking too slowly" on Tuesday.

* Jordan stands firm against Trump deal despite risks to ties Now that Jordan has made its position clear on President Donald Trump's plan for peace in the Middle East, will Jordan pay a price for its stand?

* Naftali Bennett: To stop Gaza terrorism, focus on Iran and Syria "I will do everything to prevent a third Lebanon war, a 14th Protective Edge, to go to the source, to go to the same people who pay $1b. a year to Hezbollah".

* Netanyahu announces 2,200 new housing units in Jerusalem's Har Homa Givat HaMatos and Har Homa are both over the Green Line in east Jerusalem.

* First ever Iranian display of future nuclear-capable Sejjil missile The first ever footage of the Sejjil medium-range rocket designed to carry a nuclear warhead was shown on Iranian media this week.

* Turkey, Russia mull joint patrols in Syria as way to defuse tensions Moscow, Ankara said to be seeking common ground amid fighting in Idlib and Aleppo.

* What a Russian-Turkish compromise on Idlib may look like The second stage of the Russian-Turkish talks on Idlib ended in Moscow Feb. 18 with no agreement between the parties.

* Video: Iran's Salami Warns 'Impotent' Israel Now in Range of Iranian Attack All of "impotent" Israel's military positions are now within range of Iranian attack, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commander, Major General Hossein Salami, warned Tuesday.

* Sanders Smears Israel: 'Right-Wing, Racist' The Israeli government is "right-wing and racist" and the U.S. cannot just support the Jewish state while ignoring the Palestinians, Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders said Tuesday during a CNN town hall event in Las Vegas.

* Coronavirus pandemic could wipe $1.1 TRILLION off global economy - Oxford Economics China's GDP growth is expected to fall from six percent last year to 5.4 percent in 2020 due to the spread of the COVID-19 virus, said the latest report by Oxford Economics.

2/19/20

* Israel to Build High-Speed Train from Airport Directly to Footsteps of Temple Mount Israel's Transportation Ministry said on Monday that it's moving ahead with plans to build an extension of the Tel Aviv-Jerusalem high-speed line that would directly connect Tel Aviv's Ben-Gurion International Airport to the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

* 9,000 new Israeli homes planned for east Jerusalem Most of the land involved in the plan is considered government property and as such would not be taken from private owners.

* Turkey threatens action on Syria as Russian-backed government offensive pushes toward border Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday a Turkish military operation to push back a Syrian government offensive against rebel strongholds in northwest Syria was now "a matter of time" after talks with Russia failed to halt the assault.

* Russia warns Turkey against attacks on Syrian forces Moscow and Ankara on collision course as Turkey threatens new military action in Syria.

* Rains bring stunning floral displays to parched Dead Sea area Thanks to a long period of rain this winter, the shores along the northern Dead Sea have burst into carpets of color.

* Syria war: Turkish operation in Idlib 'only a matter of time' Turkey's president has said it is "only a matter of time" before it launches an operation to stop a Syrian army assault on opposition-held Idlib province.

* How to Save the Failing World Order? As China rises and the West grows increasingly troubled, the existing world order is in flux.

* Early voting begins in Israel's 3rd Knesset election In 96 diplomatic missions around the world, voters cast ballots in the Israeli Knesset election. Voting down in China due to coronavirus.

* Police conduct midnight search of former MK Yehudah Glick's home Officers were looking for documents they suspected Glick took from police earlier when he was first detained for "walking slowly" on the Temple Mount.

* Uganda army fights voracious desert locusts Under a warm morning sun scores of weary soldiers stare as millions of yellow locusts rise into the northern Ugandan sky, despite hours spent spraying vegetation with chemicals in an attempt to kill them.

2/18/20

* Back from the dead ISIS is bigger now than when it took over Iraq and Syria and it's making a comeback  As the world has been celebrating the fall of ISIS, the terror group is reported to be making a comeback.

* The Future of the Middle East Looks Just Like This The Middle East is not on the precipice of a great regional war. The future is more likely to look like Lebanon: fractured and constantly in turmoil.

* As Trump Gives Up on 'Endless Wars,' Russia, China, and Iran Move In Two decades of expanding operations against what United States Special Operations Command called a "global insurgency of state and non-state actors" has led to fatigue at home and questions abroad about U.S. strategy.

* Turkey tells Russia that Syrian forces in rebel bastion must pull back Turkey told Russia on Tuesday that its military was now ready to make sure that Russian-backed Syrian forces pull out from the last rebel bastion in northwest Syria as the two sides met for talks in Moscow.

* Jerusalem: Jordan condemns Israeli Western Wall railway plan Jordan has condemned a decision by Israel to advance a plan to build a railway line and station underneath the heart of Jerusalem's Old City.

* Former MK Yehudah Glick detained on Temple Mount "It would be better for the State of Israel to take steps against incitement and violence rather than against peaceful Jews who are only seeking to fulfill God's commandments."

* Bennett: We can see 'first signs' of Iran reevaluating course in Syria Israel's DM calls Tehran to 'get out of Syria' as Jewish state moves from defensive to offensive strategy.

* Islamists' Response to Peace Plan When Hizb-ut-Tahrir says that negotiations and a peace process with Israel are acts of treason, their words are pointed straight at Abbas and the PA leadership.

* Caroline Glick: Expanding settlement construction now will pay dividends later The United Nations Human Rights Council's release on Wednesday of its blacklist of companies with financial ties and business relations with Israeli Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria is a reminder of Israel's vulnerability and the vulnerability of Jews worldwide.

* Melanie Phillips: Liberal churches condemn Israel as radical Islam assaults Christianity Some churches dump on the Jewish state, the only country in the Middle East where Christians are safe, thereby ignoring the dire threat Israel's enemies pose to the church itself.

2/17/20

* From Atop Temple Mount: Hamas Calls on Muslims Worldwide to Assassinate Trump [Watch] Hamas has exerted its presence on the Temple Mount, bearing an implied threat against the President of the United States.

* Trump's Middle East Peace Plan: Historic or Disaster? U.S. President Donald Trump's long-awaited Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, released Jan. 28, may appear to try and appease both sides, but it will function as more of a one-state solution in disguise.

* Analysis: Do Palestinians even want a state? History says no Taking into account all the peace initiatives proposed to end the conflict between the Jews and the Palestinian Arabs over the last 83 years, we must consider the possibility that the Palestinians - or at least their leaders - do not want to establish their own state.

* Nasrallah: Soleimani's death and Trump's plan 'ushered in confrontation' 'All the people of the region will carry a rifle, because this American tyrant has left no room for anyone'.

* If Russia can't curb Iran in Syria, the Saudis ask: How can Israel? The Saudi paper Sharq al-Awsat reported on Feb. 15 that the Russians had given up on curbing Iran's military presence in Syria.

* 'Change course before it's too late': Lavrov calls on Europe to reject false notion of 'Russian threat' in Munich speech NATO's eastward expansion and large-scale drills near Russian borders may lead to unpredictable consequences and it's time for Europe to change course, Russia's FM Sergey Lavrov told the Munich Security Conference.

* EU must develop 'appetite for power', Borrell says European Union governments need to be willing to intervene in international crises or risk prolonging paralysis in their foreign policy, the EU's top diplomat said on Sunday.

* Europe, Not Doing So Well The growth rate of the eurozone came in at 1.2 percent in 2019 and the European Commission is projecting that growth will drop to 1.1 percent in 2020.

* Three scenarios for the battle for Idlib Turkey wants to stop the advance of the regime forces but it cannot risk a confrontation with their main backer, Russia.

* Iran Proxy Gives America Countdown to War An Iranian backed militia, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba (Movement of the Party of God's Nobles), threatened America in a tweet featuring a US armored vehicle with a target around it saying "we are closer than you think."

2/15/20

* WW3 alert as Iran launches advanced ballistic missile in terrifying show of military might IRAN unveiled a new advanced ballistic missile on Sunday highlighting a new feature that could make it more versatile and deadly in a menacing display of sabre-rattling as tensions with the West soar.

* Top Iranian official: We’re looking for a pretext to raze Tel Aviv to the ground Former leader of Revolutionary Guards also says Tehran has ‘precise information’ on all US military and civilian activity in the region, from ships to individual soldiers.

* The EU's response to Trump's peace plan has been pitiful – it is time for the bloc to speak up The 27 have a crucial role to play in containing the American president's destructive impulses – a role it is entirely reneging.

* Iranian Armed Forces spokesman: Zionist state will disappear from Earth Commemorating fighters from various units and the Basij on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, he spoke with passion about how Iran’s “resistance” was confronting the US and Israel.

* Top EU diplomat wants European strategy for Middle East peace Criticizing the US Middle East peace plan, the EU's foreign policy chief said the bloc needs a strategy to end unrest between Israelis and Palestinians. He said he hopes both sides could accept the EU as a mediator.

* Israel’s Defense Minister: We are Now in Era of Third Temple Israel’s defense minister and head of the New Right party, Naftali Bennett, spoke to a Yeshiva (male seminary) in northern Israel on Wednesday criticizing a political rival who Bennett claims doesn’t treat Israel’s state institutions as playing an integral role in the Redemption process.

* Israel sends Hamas message: We’ll deal ‘major blow’ to Gaza and US will back us An Egyptian security delegation visiting the Gaza Strip has relayed a message from Israel to Hamas, warning that if calm is not restored to the Israeli-Gazan border area, Israel will “deal a major blow to Hamas with international and American support,” reports the Lebanese Al-Akhbar newspaper.

* Can NATO and The EU Really Defend the Baltic States Against Russia? In a crisis what would happen? Is the NATO alliance and Europe ready for a challenge by Moscow?

* Space force assemble? 1km-wide asteroid headed this way at 57,000kmph An enormous 3,000-ft asteroid is set to make a close flyby of the Earth this coming Saturday at a speed which, if it hits, could produce widespread devastation across the planet.

* Pope Pushes One World Religion on Israel’s Independence Day Historically, the Vatican was no friend to the Jews but its new initiative aligns the Catholic Church with Islam in a one-world religion that may be the biggest threat ever to the Jewish People.

* End of the world: Coronavirus panic and African locust plague spark Bible apocalypse fears THE END OF THE WORLD is upon us, as Coronavirus, an apocalyptic locust plague and the conflict between Iran and the US fulfils the prophecy for Jesus' Second Coming, according to outrageous claims among Biblical scholars.

2/14/20

* EU Threatens Israel: Annexing the Jordan Valley Will be Violent The European Union's top diplomat, Josep Borrell, sent a message to Israel on Tuesday not to annex the Jordan Valley in the West Bank or else Palestinians could resort to violence.

* Thousands Rally for Annexation, Say Delay Will Cost PM the Election Several thousand demonstrators gathered in Jerusalem outside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's residence on Thursday to protest his reluctance to apply swift sovereignty over settlements in Judea and Samaria.

* The Palestinians' non-resolution, the blacklist and how Jerusalem emerged Diplomatic Affairs: It was a dramatic week for Israel at the UN, and we assess the good, the bad and the ugly.

* Palestinians prefer to work for Israeli employers - They may be hurt most by the UN's black list In response to the UN's release of its list of blacklisted Israeli companies that have businesses across the Green Line, Palestinian Media Watch is releasing this report "Palestinians prefer to work for Israeli employers" - based on previous PMW releases.

* Top EU diplomat wants European strategy for Middle East peace Criticizing the US Middle East peace plan, the EU's foreign policy chief said the bloc needs a strategy to end unrest between Israelis and Palestinians.

* The Inconvenient Truth About ISIS The group is even bigger now, and America's conflict with Iran is only making the fight against it more complicated.

* Iranian commander: We're ready to strike the US and Israel Head of Iran's Revolutionary Guard warns Iran is ready to strike the United States and Israel if they give it any reason to do so.

* Iran Has A Big Army, But That Is Just The Start of Trump's Problems in a War Iran's sheer size, both in geography and population, are a deterrent to invasion.

* Hungarian MEP: Rising Antisemitism in Europe Fueled by Illegal Immigration Hungarian European Parliamentarian Balazs Hidveghi declared this week that "radical Muslim antisemitism" is on the rise in Europe thanks to massive illegal immigration.

* End of the world: Coronavirus panic and African locust plague spark Bible apocalypse fears The End of The World is upon us, as Coronavirus, an apocalyptic locust plague and the conflict between Iran and the US fulfills the prophecy for Jesus' Second Coming, according to outrageous claims among Biblical scholars.

2/13/20

* From 'Waze of War' to a general devoted to countering Iran - the IDF's new plan Multiyear Momentum Plan is designed to create a deadlier, more integrated military, though lack of government makes money an issue.

* PA: Rejecting Trump's plan is a religious obligation; You "betray Allah" if you cooperate with the "deal of the century" The Grand Mufti of the Palestinian Authority Muhammad Hussein has ruled that Palestinians are forbidden to cooperate in any way with US President Trump's peace plan, the so-called "deal of the century."

* The terror behind the UN blacklist Strategic Affairs Ministry uncovers terrorist connections of NGOs involved in development, release of UN Human Rights Council blacklist.

* Hamas, Fatah push ahead on reconciliation to counter US peace plan US President Donald Trump's announcement of the details of the US Middle East peace plan - known as the deal of the century - on Jan. 28 challenged the Palestinian Authority's (PA) ability to develop a national strategy to counter it.

* Israel's Defense Minister: We are Now in Era of Third Temple Israel's defense minister and head of the New Right party, Naftali Bennett, spoke to a Yeshiva (male seminary) in northern Israel on Wednesday criticizing a political rival who Bennett claims doesn't treat Israel's state institutions as playing an integral role in the Redemption process.

* Turkey sending special forces, rocket batteries to Idlib border: report Turkey said to be beefing up its presence in Syria's Idlib amid persistent fighting in the area.

* We Will protect you - or else: NATO members agree to expand Iraq mission, without regard for Baghdad's permission NATO has vowed to expand its training operations in Iraq, paused last month after the US assassination of a top Iranian general. With growing anger in the country over foreign meddling, Baghdad is reluctant to OK the plan.

* Killing of top Iranian commander will lead to the liberation of Jerusalem: Guards spokesman The killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani will lead to the liberation of Jerusalem, the spokesman for the elite Revolutionary Guards said on Thursday, according to the Tasnim news agency.

* Qassem Soleimani: Iran's Latest 'King of Martyrs'? Esmail Ghaani, Soleimani's successor as head of the Quds Force, has promised: "to continue martyr Soleimani's path with the same force and the only compensation for us would be us would be to remove America from the region."

* You Can't Stop This Fighter Jet: Why Israel's Air Force Rules Since the 1960s, the air arm of the Israel Defense Forces (colloquially the IAF) has played a central role in the country's defense.

2/12/20

* Iranian Armed Forces spokesman: Zionist state will disappear from Earth Commemorating fighters from various units and the Basij on the anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, he spoke with passion about how Iran's "resistance" was confronting the US and Israel.

* Thousands of Palestinians March in Protest at Trump Peace Plan Thousands of Palestinians took to the streets Tuesday to protest President Donald Trump's recently unveiled peace plan amid a failed bid by the Palestinians to pass a UN resolution opposing the plan.

* Israeli Sovereignty and the Fate of the Trump Plan On Wednesday morning, Never Trump propagandist Bill Kristol told his MSNBC audience that Democratic chances of victory over US President Donald Trump will rise if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is defeated in Israel's elections on March 2.

* UN publishes blacklist of companies with ties to Israeli settlements Companies were not given any notice that the list was coming out today.

* Fatah posts anti-Semitic tweet as Abbas claims Palestinians aren't against Jews Fatah posted the offensive anti-Semitic image on the same day Abbas insisted repeatedly that the Palestinians were not against Jews.

* Analysis: Poisonous legacy of 'Hitler's Mufti' makes peace impossible The Trump administration's recently released "Peace to Prosperity" plan may be controversial, but it includes one provision on page 16 that gets to the core of the conflict it seeks to solve: "People of every faith should be permitted to pray on the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif."

* Turkey will hit Syrian government forces anywhere if troops hurt: Erdogan Turkey’s military will strike Syrian government forces by air or ground anywhere in Syria if another Turkish soldier is hurt, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday.

* Replacement theologist antisemitism How they can cleanse their souls: Stop thinking that God changes his mind, because that means the Islamists are right.

* Coronavirus: Death of Dr. Li Wenliang Rocks China The disease ravaging the country could be, as is now said, China's "Chernobyl," the cover up of a disaster eventually leading to the downfall of the regime.

* Israel sends Hamas message: We'll deal 'major blow' to Gaza and US will back us Hamas's leader in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, reportedly did not attend the meeting with the Egyptian delegation over fear that Israel would assassinate him.

2/11/20

* Vivian Bercovici: The Arabs are giving up on the Palestinians, and the Palestinian Authority knows it Seventy years after the founding of Israel, it should not be wildly controversial for the Palestinian leadership to accept and recognize the existence and legitimacy of the Jewish state. Yet, they choke on it.

* What is the West Bank? The West Bank is a contentious territory, often the focus of any potential peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians.

* WATCH: Is unilateral annexation a good move for Israel? U.S. Ambassador David Friedman warns Israel against unilateral moves.

* Senior Fatah official: "Palestine" stretches from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea and is "waqf" - an inalienable religious endowment in Islamic law Abbas' Fatah is not only saying adamantly "no" to US President Trump's peace deal, they also insist that all of the State of Israel is "Palestine."

* Top Iranian official: We're looking for a pretext to raze Tel Aviv to the ground Former leader of Revolutionary Guards also says Tehran has 'precise information' on all US military and civilian activity in the region, from ships to individual soldiers.

* Pope Pushes One World Religion on Israel's Independence Day Historically, the Vatican was no friend to the Jews but its new initiative aligns the Catholic Church with Islam in a one-world religion that may be the biggest threat ever to the Jewish People.

* Libya: Are Turkey's Syrian mercenaries a new threat? A growing number of opposition fighters from Syria's north have been contracted by Ankara to fight in Libya, raising the risk that a new generation of foreign fighters could further destabilize Libya and the region.

* Naftali Bennett: Israel, U.S. Working to Prevent Iranian Corridor Israel and the U.S. will work together to combat Iranian terror in the Middle East, Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said following a trip to the U.S., with the task being divvied up so Jerusalem will work to curb Iran's entrenchment in Syria while Washington will combat the Islamic Republic's presence in Iraq.

* UN warns of 'major shock' as Africa locust outbreak spreads Uganda scrambled to respond to the arrival of the biggest locust outbreak that parts of East Africa have seen in decades, while the United Nations warned Monday that "we simply cannot afford another major shock" to an already vulnerable region.

* Space force assemble? 1km-wide asteroid headed this way at 57,000kmph An enormous 3,000-ft asteroid is set to make a close flyby of the Earth this coming Saturday at a speed which, if it hits, could produce widespread devastation across the planet.

2/10/20

* WW3 alert as Iran launches advanced ballistic missile in terrifying show of military might Iran unveiled a new advanced ballistic missile on Sunday highlighting a new feature that could make it more versatile and deadly in a menacing display of sabre-rattling as tensions with the West soar.

* Russia ramps up complaints that Israel raids endanger civilians, could prompt war with Syria Russian ambassador to Damascus, Alexander Yevimov, warned on Monday, Feb. 10 that Israeli raids "are provocative and very dangerous for the situation in Syria."

* The EU's response to Trump's peace plan has been pitiful - it is time for the bloc to speak up The 27 have a crucial role to play in containing the American president's destructive impulses - a role it is entirely reneging.

* Palestinians: After Inciting Violence, Abbas Comes to New York To Fight a Peace Plan "Other stateless people can only dream of being offered independence and $50bn by the US president.... If only the Yazidis or Baluchis or Kurds or Rohingya Muslims were so lucky." - Tom Gross, January 29, 2020.

* Sanhedrin Gets Authorization to Use Their Trees for Third Temple Five years ago, the Sanhedrin began planting in preparation for the needs of the Third Temple and today is the first day the fruit of their labor can be used.

* Can NATO and The EU Really Defend the Baltic States Against Russia? The Defender Exercise 2020 will be one of the biggest military exercises since the end of the Cold War.

* U.S. Ambassador Warns Israel Against Annexing West Bank Settlements Before Getting U.S. Approval Any unilateral Israeli action toward annexing West Bank territory could endanger the Trump administration's peace plan, U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman warned in a two-part tweet Sunday.

* China Is Making Middle East Moves Over the past decade, we've seen great power jockeying return to the Eastern Mediterranean with China using its deep pockets to secure influence with key U.S. allies as a means to further its global ambitions and adversely impact the United States' national security interests.

* Opinion: West African Christians face Islamic terror as US weighs troop withdrawals West Africa's Christians are suffering extraordinary levels of violence at the hands of radical Islamist killers.

* ANALYSIS: Two Israeli-Palestinian peace proposals - through the eyes of a machine While Trump focuses on prosperity, Arab Peace Initiative lives up to name with "peace" and "Arab" in spotlight.

2/8/20

* Hamas Cheers Jerusalem Terrorist Attack as ‘Response’ to Trump Peace Plan Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas hailed a car-ramming in Jerusalem that wounded 12 Israeli troops on Thursday as a “practical response” to US President Donald Trump’s controversial Middle East peace plan.

* Report: Iranian Al-Quds Force to work with Palestinian militants against US peace plan Hamas said Iran's support "boosts morale and determination to liberate Palestine"

* In blow to Trump administration, pan-Islamic group rejects peace plan 57-state Organization of Islamic Cooperation denounces Trump's Mideast peace plan, calls on member states not to cooperate with US.

* E.U. Top Diplomat Begins Talks in Iran to Lower ‘Tensions’ Top EU diplomat Josep Borrell on Monday held talks in the Iran capital on a mission aimed at lowering tensions over the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme.

* Trump Deal Forces Rabbis Against Jewish Pilgrimage to Temple Mount to Reconsider Stance Unlike many previous powers that had ruled Jerusalem, and had destroyed the holy sites of other faiths, the State of Israel is to be commended for safeguarding the religious sites of all and maintaining a religious status quo.

* Our Arab neighbors have always rejected any kind of so-called peace plans Our rights to our land should not and will not be contingent in any way shape or form as to whether we agree to the creation of another enemy state.

* EU's top diplomat warns against Trump Middle East peace plan, annexation “Steps towards annexation, if implemented, could not pass unchallenged,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.

* Palestinians Gathering U.N. Support to Reject Trump’s Mideast Peace Plan Palestinian supporters have distributed a draft U.N. resolution demanding an outright rejection of U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying it violates international law.

* Pete Buttigieg Again Claims Bible Says Babies Can be Aborted “Up to Their First Breath” Democrat presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg insisted again this week that he can be a Christian and support abortion on demand.

* Beware of Putin's Push for Primacy in Africa While the United States and France have been helping the fragile governments of Africa's Sahel region stave off Islamist terrorist attacks and takeovers, Russia has been busy trying to push NATO out of the area and augment its own influence there.

2/7/20

* Iraq considers deepening military ties with Russia A statement from Iraq's Defense Ministry says Iraq and Russia are discussing prospects for deepening military coordination.

* Exclusive i24NEWS poll: Israelis split over Trump peace plan, annexation Only 35% are willing to adopt Trump peace plan in entirety, with another 31% saying no.

* Palestinians: Arab Leaders Talking to Israel Are 'Traitors, Jews' Why is it permissible for Egypt's Abdel Fattah Sisi and Jordan's King Abdullah to have diplomatic relations with Israel, and not permissible for the leader of Sudan to sit with the Israeli prime minister?

* Egypt stays out of renewed Israel-Gaza escalations A series of military skirmishes broke out between Israel and the Gaza Strip this past week, the latest taking place Feb. 5 at dawn. Israeli aircraft launched raids on a Hamas position in the southern Gaza Strip after the Israeli army said three rockets were launched from the enclave toward Israel.

* 5 Places Where World War III Could Start in 2020 As the United States enters an election year, prospects for global stability remain uncertain.

* Our Arab neighbors have always rejected any kind of so-called peace plans Our rights to our land should not and will not be contingent in any way shape or form as to whether we agree to the creation of another enemy state.

* Amid arms race, Macron offers Europe French nuclear wargames insight President Emmanuel Macron on Friday offered to open a "strategic dialogue" with willing European partners about the role of French nuclear deterrence policy in continental security, calling for a "surge" in European defense spending and resolve.

* Political Tensions Boil Over Rights To Mediterranean Natural Gas Bonanza While the eyes of the world have been on the impeachment of President Trump, Brexit, the coronavirus and the new American peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians, the seeds for the next war perhaps are being sown in the Eastern Mediterranean.

* Pete Buttigieg Again Claims Bible Says Babies Can be Aborted "Up to Their First Breath" Democrat presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg insisted again this week that he can be a Christian and support abortion on demand.

* What does the Deal of the Century mean to the eternal people? Israel, free at last from Pharaoh's reign of terror, passes through the Sea of Reeds, and on the other side, sees itself, for the first time, as a people with a destiny.

2/6/20

* Hamas Cheers Jerusalem Terrorist Attack as 'Response' to Trump Peace Plan Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas hailed a car-ramming in Jerusalem that wounded 12 Israeli troops on Thursday as a "practical response" to US President Donald Trump's controversial Middle East peace plan.

* Abbas: We will foil Trump peace plan 'no matter who the victims might be' PA president blames rapid uptick of violence on 'attempt to assert fake facts on the ground'.

* US security chief: Aliyah surge could make two-state solution impossible If the Palestinians accept the plan, "Palestine could become the Singapore of the Middle East," O'Brien stated.

* Palestinians Gathering U.N. Support to Reject Trump's Mideast Peace Plan Palestinian supporters have distributed a draft U.N. resolution demanding an outright rejection of U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying it violates international law.

* Israeli researchers grow new date plants from 2,000-year-old seeds Six saplings sprout from ancient kernels gathered at Judean archaeological sites; scientists hope to pollinate female plants and produce fruit.

* Settlement heads meet Netanyahu: 'We expect national leadership' Judea/Samaria mayors met last night with Prime Minister. Yossi Dagan: 'We expect you to take national leadership step like Menachem Begin.'

* UK anti-Semitism soars to record high, up 7% since 2018, says watchdog Britain's Community Security Trust records 1,805 anti-Semitic hate incidents, including 158 violent assaults, nationwide in 2019.

* 'CoronaVirus: God Destabilizing World Economy for Arrival of Messiah' leading Rabbi Says Noted messianic era expert, scholar, and international speaker Rabbi Mendel Kessin just connected the recent Holocaust Forum held in Jerusalem in late January and the China-based coronavirus with the advancement of the messianic era.

* EU official says Balkan membership expansion is priority The European Union's proposed new system for adding members is meant to reinstate the bloc's influence in the Western Balkans, the bloc's enlargement commissioner said Thursday.

* Israeli-Palestinian violence flares up There has been a flare-up in violence in Israel and the Palestinian territories, days after US President Donald Trump unveiled his peace plan.

2/5/20

* 'ISIS in Sinai is close, we must be ready,' says IDF battalion commander In recent days, an ISIS spokesman released a new audio message, which included a call for jihadist factions in the Sinai Peninsula and in Syria to step up attacks against Israel.

* Khamenei calls for Palestinian jihad on Israel after Trump peace plan The Iranian leader called on all other Muslims to support the Palestinian war on Israel.

* 'Deal of Century' Will Die before Trump's Death: Iran Leader Leader of Iran's Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei says the US president's so-called 'deal of the century' will perish before Donald Trump's death.

* Trump peace plan offers land without people to people who don't want the land Settler leaders watched US President Donald Trump unveil his peace plan last week from a hotel just blocks away from the White House.

* The Real Reason Arabs in Israel Do Not Want to Live in 'Palestine' Why are the 250,000 Arab Israelis living in the Triangle area strongly opposed to the idea of becoming part of a Palestinian state?

* 'Abbas Won't be Around Much Longer' PA Officials Say A "day of rage" was declared after President Trump's Deal of the Century was announced.

* European Union won't recognize Israeli sovereignty over 'territories occupied since 1967' In a statement, EU leader says organization won't recognize Israeli sovereignty, US plan 'departs from internationally agreed parameters.'

* Can the EU resuscitate the two-state solution? Palestinian leaders are counting on the European Union to renew its commitment to a two-state solution for resolving the conflict with Israel.

* Sudan's leader: Meeting with Israel's Netanyahu was to protect national security Chief of Sudan's Sovereignty Council al-Burhan says nothing changed in country's stance on Palestinian issue.

* Pope Francis Plans Trip to Most Populous Muslim Country Pope Francis is looking to travel to Indonesia later this year, the nation with the highest Muslim population in the world, Reuters reported Monday.

2/4/20

* Kushner should know that Muslims already pray freely on Temple Mount Analysis: In an Egyptian media interview, Kushner takes credit for getting Israel to allow Muslims to pray in Jerusalem, even though that's been the case for decades.

* Trump Deal Forces Rabbis Against Jewish Pilgrimage to Temple Mount to Reconsider Stance Unlike many previous powers that had ruled Jerusalem, and had destroyed the holy sites of other faiths, the State of Israel is to be commended for safeguarding the religious sites of all and maintaining a religious status quo.

* Twitter cites 'Iran & Israel state actors' after suspending researcher who exposed new user-data flaw Twitter, in a post so reassuring it's alarming, says it stopped possible state-backed actors in Iran and Israel from exploiting its features.

* EU's top diplomat warns against Trump Middle East peace plan, annexation  "Steps towards annexation, if implemented, could not pass unchallenged," EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in a statement.

* Israel blasts "unfortunate" threat by EU Foreign Ministry responds to EU High Representative statement that application of sovereignty would not go "unchallenged."

* Iranian youths praise Khamenei, singing about Israel's end "Israel is facing its end," "Death to America!" and you will hear "the glad tidings of the death of the government of Saudi Arabia,” they sang.

* 'I think it's Israel': How Orthodox Jews became Republicans Like most of his Orthodox friends, Richard Goldberg was raised a Democrat. But by 2000, Goldberg had affixed a Republican congressional campaign bumper sticker to the maroon Lincoln Town Car he drove to his Orthodox Jewish high school in Chicago.

* "Trump Plan is Poison Wrapped in Candy," Say Jewish Settlers You'd think they stand to gain the most, but Jewish settlers see Trump's plan as a great threat.

* Attacks in the Sinai raise alarms over Egypt-Israel gas deal While the attack on the pipeline was one the first in many years, its timing suggests that security concerns underline any energy agreement.

* 80 percent of US Jews say they are pro-Israel, study finds Still, more than half of American Jews are critical of Israeli policy, with 39% saying that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's support for the US President made them feel less connected to Israel.