3/31/20

* Stones for Altar of Pascal Lamb Sacrifice Now Being Collected Due to Health Ministry restrictions relating to the coronavirus pandemic, the Sanhedrin was forced to cancel the korban Pesach (Passover offering) reenactment for the first time in nine years.

* Naftali Bennett: 'There is light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel' DM tells press conference there is no exponential growth in infection rate and mortality, Israel is country with lowest mortality rate.

* Anti-Jewish Coronavirus Conspiracy Theories in Historical Context A number of conspiracy theories have quickly emerged linking Jews and Israel to the coronavirus pandemic.

* Amid Coronavirus, Mullahs Speeding Up Nuclear Activities The Iranian regime now has enough enriched uranium to refine and build a nuclear bomb if it desires to do so.

* Analysis: Iran now has enough enriched uranium to build bomb The United Nations needs to break its silence and, before it is too late, take seriously Iran's latest rapid nuclear escalation.

* What Iran's severe virus crisis might mean for its threat to the region With Islamic Republic suffering severe losses and under growing pressure amid the pandemic, leaders have worried observers by increasingly lashing out at perceived outside enemies.

* Turkey's Syria Intervention Serves Israeli Strategic Interests Turkey's invasion of Syria to protect Idlib will bog it down in a war it cannot win. At the same time, it severely weakens the Assad regime and could help oust Iran from Syria.

* Erdogan Asserts Muslim Dominance over Christianity: Turns Iconic Church into Active Mosque A small event with huge spiritual implications took place last week: two men performed the muezzn (the Muslim call to prayer) inside the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul for the first time since the Ottoman Empire ruled.

* Macron's vision: a European role for the French nuclear deterrent President Macron's speech at the Ecole de Guerre last month, contemplating the possible role of French nuclear deterrence in the context of European security and defence, did not receive the attention one would have expected for such a significant announcement.

* He Simply "Hates Christians": The Persecution of Christians: January 2020 Boko Haram... released another execution video. In it, a masked Muslim child holding a pistol appears standing behind a bound and kneeling hostage, later identified as Ropvil Daciya Dalep, a 22-year-old Christian.

3/30/20

* Fears of redoubled coronavirus assault in April. No remedy yet in sight Most experts forecast a second global assault by the coronavirus pandemic in April along with an unprecedented surge in infections and deaths.

* World War 3 fears: 'Domino effect' error could spark major US-Iran conflict in Middle East Iran risks sparking World War 3 with a domino effect of bad decisions that could see swift aggression from the US.

* Coronavirus could mark the end of the EU 'European project' if the countries do not agree to share rescue package debt, the bloc's economics commissioner warns  Paolo Gentiloni said, 'The European project is in danger of dying out'

* Coronavirus: Boris Johnson faces fresh pressure to delay Brexit transition period Boris Johnson is facing fresh pressure to delay the end of the Brexit transition period as countries focus on battling the coronavirus epidemic.

* Cameras find Netanyahu doesn't have to quarantine Rivka Paluch, the prime minister's parliamentary aide, has been diagnosed with COVID-19. She spent time with Netanyahu and his staff at the Knesset last week.

* Holy Week ceremonies in Jerusalem to proceed in limited format Eastern Orthodox churches will still receive Holy Fire from Jerusalem.

* Not since the Black Plague have Jerusalem's holy alleys fallen so still Adeeb Joudeh, standing in front of the now-locked Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem's Old City, had a pretty specific answer when asked when the church last closed to the public like this...

* Israel: Ultra-Orthodox said to be 50% of all hospitalized coronavirus patients More than half of all Israeli patients hospitalized due to the coronavirus come from the ultra-Orthodox community, Hebrew-language broadcaster Channel N12 reported Sunday.

* Trump peace plan a sticking point in Israel's Netanyahu-Gantz pact The implementation of President Trump's Middle East peace plan is one of the main stumbling blocks in negotiations for an emergency government between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his political rival, Benny Gantz.

* Coronavirus hampers efforts to fight locust swarms in East Africa Traveling locust swarms in Africa, the Middle East and South Asia, that had reached the size of Manhattan in some places, are still growing in East Africa, and the problem is now compounded by the coronavirus pandemic.

3/28/20

* Will Coronavirus Slow The World's Conflicts -- Or Intensify Them? Syria, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, the Sahel... with the great powers focused intently on the COVID-19 virus, will armed conflicts across the world decrease in severity or intensify?

* Add coronavirus to other crises, and the Middle East faces a catastrophe The “Arab Spring” is remembered as the most disruptive political event to shake the Middle East since the fall of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I.

* Friends Or Enemies? Russia And Turkey Are Butting Heads Over Syria The death of 33 Turkish soldiers in an airstrike in Syria’s northwestern Idlib province on 27 February brought the number of Turkish fatalities in Syria to around 50 for the month.

* Turkey and Coronavirus: Devout Muslims Will Defeat the “Jewish Plot” Turkey appears to be handling the coronavirus crisis relatively well, although its low case numbers reflect the low number of tests being administered.

* Netanyahu and Gantz said forming unity government; Blue and White collapses Likud incumbent will hand over to Blue and White rival in September 2021 under reported deal; angry Lapid heads to opposition; Gantz set to be Knesset speaker till unity pact done.

* Tens of Millions of Europeans Have Demonic Views of Israel Tens of millions of European citizens have a demonic view of Israel. This manifests itself in a variety of ways, the most serious of which is comparing Israel’s actions against the Palestinians to those of the Nazis against the Jews.

* ‘Governments are really scared’: Virus builds back borders that European Union demolished A worsening coronavirus pandemic has driven European leaders to revive border controls within the European Union after three decades of efforts to abolish internal borders within the continent.

* EU left Italy ‘practically alone' to fight coronavirus, so Rome looked for help elsewhere, incl Russia – ex-FM Frattini to RT The EU’s initial response to the massive outbreak of coronavirus in Italy was largely “inadequate,” and a lack of European solidarity opened the doors for Russia and China, former Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told RT.

* Russian aid to Italy leaves EU exposed Russia’s military planeloads of aid to Italy to combat the spread of coronavirus have exposed the European Union’s failure to provide swift help to a member in crisis and handed President Vladimir Putin a publicity coup at home and abroad.

* Trump cabinet Bible teacher blames coronavirus pandemic on God's wrath - Somehow it invilves China, Gay people, and environmentalists RALPH DROLLINGER, a minister who leads a weekly Bible study group for President Donald Trump’s cabinet, released a new interpretation of the coronavirus pandemic this week, arguing that the crisis represents an act of God’s judgment.

3/27/20

* Has Syria Reactivated Its Chemical Weapons Program? Syrian media reports of Israeli airstrikes, allegedly launched early on March 5 in central and southern Syria, may be a sign that Damascus has renewed its chemical weapons program.

* Despite coronavirus, mideast wars continue unabated After a decade of carnage, Syrians face a new scourge.

* Jewish settler extremists hurl firebombs at Israeli police The incident, qualified by the authorities as a terrorist attack, resulted in no injuries.

* Iran Blames Trump for Spreading Coronavirus The Secretary of Iran's High Council for Human Rights said during a recent television interview America's behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates that it truly is the "Great Satan," and that Europeans that speak of human rights should be ashamed of obeying America's "oppressive" policies.

* Coronavirus: The European Union Unravels Faced with an existential threat, EU member states, far from joining together to confront the pandemic as a unified bloc, instinctively are returning to pursuing the national interest.

* The coronavirus could profoundly change the Middle East In the Middle East, just as everywhere else, the coronavirus is changing the way of life, canceling prayers, festivals and pilgrimages and closing mosques, churches and Muslim shrines, as the Washington Post recently illustrated.

* 'Iran may well collapse' under coronavirus strain, warns top EU diplomat Iran's theocratic regime could crumble under the pressure of the coronavirus outbreak that has spread through elite ranks and the broader population alike, according to the European Union's top diplomat.

* Trump Cabinet Bible Teacher Blames Coronavirus Pandemic on God's Wrath - Somehow it Involves China, Gay People, and Environmentalists Ralph Drollinger, a minister who leads a weekly Bible study group for President Donald Trump's cabinet, released a new interpretation of the coronavirus pandemic this week, arguing that the crisis represents an act of God's judgment.

* From foes to best buds: Right embraces Gantz after swerve toward Netanyahu In scenes thought impossible only hours earlier, Thursday evening saw Israel Resilience party chief praised by Smotrich and Bennett, as Miri Regev chummily called him 'my neighbor'.

* The Coronavirus Could Create A Massive EU Debt Crisis (Think Italy) In 2012, in the midst of an Italian sovereign debt crisis, Mario Draghi saved the Euro by famously saying that the European Central Bank (ECB) would do whatever it took to keep the Euro intact.

3/26/20

* Netanyahu and Gantz said forming unity government; Blue and White collapses Likud incumbent will hand over to Blue and White rival in September 2021 under reported deal; angry Lapid heads to opposition; Gantz set to be Knesset speaker till unity pact done.

* This is what unity government would look like With reports of a unity gov't agreement drawing closer, here's a look at what the probable coalition would look like.

* Political crisis proves Israel needs constitution The term "anarchy" was ubiquitous this past week in Israel's political discourse, unrelated to criticism of the government's handling of the coronavirus crisis.

* Watch - Gaza Imam: Coronavirus is 'Soldier of Allah,' to Harm West but Spare Palestinians, Muslims An Imam in Gaza said in a sermon broadcast on Hamas TV that coronavirus is a "soldier of Allah (God)" sent to harm Western countries while not affecting Palestinians and Muslims.

* Turkey and Coronavirus: Devout Muslims Will Defeat the "Jewish Plot" Turkey appears to be handling the coronavirus crisis relatively well, although its low case numbers reflect the low number of tests being administered.

* Russian aid to Italy leaves EU exposed Russia's military planeloads of aid to Italy to combat the spread of coronavirus have exposed the European Union's failure to provide swift help to a member in crisis and handed President Vladimir Putin a publicity coup at home and abroad.

* Iran refuses to release Christian prisoners despite coronavirus outbreak "According to Islamic law, it is a crime to turn from Islam. The regime has always made an example of its Christian convert detainees to serve as a warning to others."

* Israeli leaders open up nuclear bunker in war on coronavirus The Israeli government has opened up a war bunker in the Jerusalem hills to help coordinate its campaign against the spread of the coronavirus, Israeli officials said on Thursday.

* Friends Or Enemies? Russia And Turkey Are Butting Heads Over Syria The death of 33 Turkish soldiers in an airstrike in Syria's northwestern Idlib province on 27 February brought the number of Turkish fatalities in Syria to around 50 for the month.

* Covid-19 is Putin's perfect storm - his response, not the constitutional referendum, will decide his political future In his coronavirus address, Vladimir Putin promised to squeeze the rich and install safety nets for the vulnerable. With the Russian economy additionally hammered by the oil price drop, this begins the true test of his presidency.

3/25/20

* Police state? Authorities say ready 'to keep Israelis in their homes' The emergency plan would also see the army deployed to assist the police with 24 battalions.

* Minority government off the table Benny Gantz realized that he does not have enough votes to form a government with the Arab parties.

* Muslim Extremists Exploit Coronavirus to Promote Terrorism, Hate; and Other Muslims that Need the World's Help According to the report, the Muslim Brotherhood and ISIS have, through a number of fatwas, called on Muslims to produce "human biological weapons" to attack the enemies of Islam.

* Islamic State Asks Allah to 'Increase Coronavirus Torment' of Infidels Proving that nothing is so awful that the Islamic State cannot make it even worse, ISIS on Sunday reportedly published an article in one of its newsletters asking Allah to "increase the torment" of infidels from the coronavirus while sparing faithful Muslims.

* Chief rabbis ban prayer in synagogues over coronavirus crisis Chief Rabbis Yitzhak Yosef and David Lau said that prayer services with a maximum of ten men spaced two meters apart could still be held.

* Russia Now 10th Country Hit by Major Earthquake in 2020: Is it part of Gog-Magog? Since the coronavirus began to spread at the end of last year, a wave of earthquakes is ranging around the world, overlooked as the fear of infection leads people to ignore the shaking under their feet.

* Putin forced to delay key vote to reset presidential term limits due to Covid-19 The planned national vote on constitutional amendments in Russia will be postponed from April to a later date, President Vladimir Putin said, citing the threat of Covid-19. He also declared the next work week a holiday.

* Despite Corona crisis: PA's 1967 borders proposal is part of stages plan to replace Israel, indicates Fatah official Top Fatah official Tawfiq Tirawi hasn't let the Corona crisis affect his policy of denying Israel's right to exist and promote the notion that all of Israel is "Palestine," or in his words: "Palestine is all of Palestine."

* Coronavirus: Prince Charles tests positive but 'remains in good health' Prince Charles, 71, is displaying mild symptoms "but otherwise remains in good health", a spokesman said, adding that the Duchess of Cornwall, 72, has been tested but does not have the virus.

* Decadent like the late Roman Empire, the West is committing suicide through its irrational response to Covid-19 Many think Covid-19 is some kind of alien invasion that spells the end of the world. But the real threat to us is a much deadlier virus: a hatred of all the values that have underpinned our civilisation for centuries.

3/24/20

* Iran-backed militias beef up presence in Syria's Idlib, Aleppo: monitor Pro-Iranian forces make use of lull in fighting to send fighters, heavy weapons to Syria's north.

* Intel: What was Russia's defense minister doing in Syria? Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu paid a visit to Damascus on March 23 for talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

* Netanyahu invites Gantz to meet Tuesday to form unity government Gantz demands to go first in rotation. 'I ran wars. I know how to run national crises no less than him'

* Tens of Millions of Europeans Have Demonic Views of Israel Tens of millions of European citizens have a demonic view of Israel. This manifests itself in a variety of ways, the most serious of which is comparing Israel's actions against the Palestinians to those of the Nazis against the Jews.

* ISIS calls on God to 'increase coronavirus torment' of non-believers and boasts that 'crusader nations' have been forced to retreat due to the pandemic ISIS has called on God to increase the coronavirus torment of non-believers and boasts that crusader nations have been forced to retreat due to the pandemic, it has been reported.

* European Union: The End? When an entire continent is in the midst of a highly contagious virus epidemic, solidarity becomes a more complex issue.

* EU left Italy 'practically alone' to fight coronavirus, so Rome looked for help elsewhere, incl Russia - ex-FM Frattini to RT The EU's initial response to the massive outbreak of coronavirus in Italy was largely "inadequate," and a lack of European solidarity opened the doors for Russia and China, former Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told RT.

* 'Governments are really scared': Virus builds back borders that European Union demolished A worsening coronavirus pandemic has driven European leaders to revive border controls within the European Union after three decades of efforts to abolish internal borders within the continent.

* Israeli Expert: Trump Right, World Health Organization Wrong on Coronavirus Death Rate In the final analysis, mortality rates for coronavirus originally cited by President Donald Trump are going to be proven more accurate than the higher numbers claimed by the World Health Organization, according to an Israeli expert in epidemic modeling.

* Will coronavirus bring more peace in Middle East this year? - analysis Authoritarian regimes appear to want to downplay the spread of the virus. Terrorist groups could exploit the weakness of states amid the pandemic.

3/23/20

* Will Coronavirus Slow The World's Conflicts -- Or Intensify Them? Syria, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan, the Sahel... with the great powers focused intently on the COVID-19 virus, will armed conflicts across the world decrease in severity or intensify?

* Iran's New Guided Rocket Kit Is Certain To Raise Tensions With Israel Iran has unveiled a kit that appears to convert unguided surface-to-surface rockets into guided weapons.

* Netanyahu implores Gantz to join gov't, vows to rotate as PM without tricks "I will leave office on the agreed date; there will be no shticks and tricks. Millions of Israelis are waiting for us."

* 'We will guard and protect you': Our forgotten promise to Israel Twenty-something years ago, after a year's sabbatical in Israel, when we had decided that we were going to stay and make Aliyah, it came time to tell my colleagues in the States.

* Prayers at Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound suspended over virus All Muslim prayers at Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque compound will be suspended from Monday until further notice in an effort to prevent the spread of coronavirus, religious officials said on Sunday.

* Will European Unity Fall Victim to Coronavirus? Dora Falace is spending her coronavirus quarantine time bingeing on digital content.

* Add coronavirus to other crises, and the Middle East faces a catastrophe The "Arab Spring" is remembered as the most disruptive political event to shake the Middle East since the fall of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I.

* Here are the six countries that will be most affected by coronavirus-induced economic chaos Time to buckle up: economists believe the looming Covid-19 crash will throw millions out of work and bankrupt thousands of businesses across the globe in a downturn that might even surpass the Great Depression of the 1930s.

* The Vatican Surrenders to China "Before anyone had heard of COVID-19, however, there was mounting concern about the intentions and brutality of the Chinese communist regime," wrote George Weigel, the distinguished US Catholic commentator.

* Brexit bombshell: How Tony Blair said UK could STILL join euro TONY BLAIR admitted in 2011 the UK could still have joined the eurozone one day, in a throwback interview with BBC.

3/21/20

* As Coronavirus Causes Muslims to Abandon Temple Mount, Jews Reign Supreme The coronavirus has brought about a remarkable situation on the Temple Mount in which the Muslim-Arabs are shut out of the two main structures in which they pray while Jewish visitors are now the prominent force of prayer at Judaism’s holiest site.

* Temple Mount sheikh: 'We'll conquer the entire world and rule it through Islam' Zionist Watchdog: Arrest sheikh who called in Temple Mount speech to 'retaliate,' 'pulverize' Trump.

* Benny Gantz opens door to unity government under Netanyahu Gantz denied the report he is ready to split Blue and White.

* Plague of locusts set to descend upon Middle East in time for Passover ‘Extremely alarming’ desert locust swarms forming in Horn of Africa — but will skip Holy Land

* Iranian Official Calls to Deliberately Spread Coronavirus Worldwide to Bring Messiah Ali Reza Banahyan (also spelled Alireza Panahian), a Hojatoleslam (Shia cleric) and head of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s ‘think tank for universities’, was recently quoted in Shafaq News as saying that the coronavirus pandemic is a prelude to the emergence of the expected Mahdi (Muslim Messiah).

* Rabbi Warns Vatican: Return Temple Vessels or Corona-Virus in Rome Worsens As the COVID-19 crisis worsens worldwide, the Nation of Israel requests that the Vatican immediately return to Jerusalem the Temple vessels that have been stored in Rome for nearly 2000 years.

* Russia deploying coronavirus disinformation to sow panic in West, EU document says Russian media have deployed a “significant disinformation campaign” against the West to worsen the impact of the coronavirus, generate panic and sow distrust, according to a European Union document seen by Reuters.

* Coronavirus: Europe on Lockdown Europe is now the epicenter of the global coronavirus pandemic that has reached more than 45 countries on the continent. 

* Russia's Strategy for the Middle East: Stabilize, Revitalize, Create Chaos Russia is attempting to have a say in the geopolitical realignment of the Middle East, provoked by instability, sectarianism and Iran-Saudi rivalry.

* Russia’s Shift from “Greater Europe” to “Greater Asia” Though analysts tend to portray Russia’s foreign policy as truly global (that is, independent of Europe, the US, and China), the country is plainly tilting toward Asia.

* Guidance for Churches and Religious Institutions Facing Coronavirus Restrictions on Gathering The Coronavirus Pandemic has motivated some state officials to impose restrictions on the gathering of large numbers of people in one place at a time, including in a house of worship.

* US declares new ISIS leader ‘global terrorist’ Regional experts say ISIS was never completely defeated, and its fighters are still operating, using different methods.

3/20/20

* Israel: Clashes erupt on Temple Mount over coronavirus restrictions Israel police tries to restrict number of worshipers according to health ministry's instructions.

* Benny Gantz opens door to unity government under Netanyahu Gantz denied the report he is ready to split Blue and White.

* INTO THE FRAY: Why Netanyahu must not step down In stark contrast to Netanyahu, Ehud Olmert was indicted on existing interpretation of the law, no "creative" precedents were needed to prosecute him, there were no claims of selective prosecution, or allegations of police investigatory misconduct.

* Palestinian Leaders Use Coronavirus to Attack Israel On March 18, Israel delivered hundreds of kits for detecting the coronavirus into the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, together with equipment for medical protection.

* As Coronavirus Shuts Down Everything: Campaign Launched Encouraging All Jews to Observe Sabbath, bring Messiah For the first time in 2,000 years, the state of Israel will be completely shut down for Shabat (Sabbath).

* Locust crisis poses a danger to millions, forecasters warn Experts fear swarms like those seen in Africa will become more common as tropical storms create favourable breeding conditions.

* Plague of locusts set to descend upon Middle East in time for Passover 'Extremely alarming' desert locust swarms forming in Horn of Africa - but will skip Holy Land.

* 'Governments are really scared': Virus builds back borders that European Union demolished A worsening coronavirus pandemic has driven European leaders to revive border controls within the European Union after three decades of efforts to abolish internal borders within the continent.

* Government funded Arab school holds Heritage Day that wipes Israel off map The Christian El Oscopia in Shfar'am encouraged students to paint a Palestinian flag over the whole of Israel, denying the existence of the Jewish state.

* Guidance for Churches and Religious Institutions Facing Coronavirus Restrictions on Gathering The Coronavirus Pandemic has motivated some state officials to impose restrictions on the gathering of large numbers of people in one place at a time, including in a house of worship.

3/19/20

* As Coronavirus Causes Muslims to Abandon Temple Mount, Jews Reign Supreme The coronavirus has brought about a remarkable situation on the Temple Mount in which the Muslim-Arabs are shut out of the two main structures in which they pray while Jewish visitors are now the prominent force of prayer at Judaism's holiest site.

* PA compares Israel to coronavirus After weeks of silence, PA finally mentions Israeli aid, after comparing Israel to 'all nature's viruses,' saying it is 'more dangerous'.

* Gantz has no government, and he knows it Theoretically, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz has the votes to form a coalition.

* In Jerusalem's Old City, Virus 'Worse Than War' Munib Abu Assab, a tour operator in Jerusalem's Old City, has seen deserted streets before, but he said not even past conflicts over the contested land compare to the impact of coronavirus.

* Foreign Ministry calls on all Israelis abroad to return to Israel ASAP Israelis in Cusco were allowed to travel to Lima and board El Al planes home.

* Past pandemics spurred violent anti-Semitism; prepare for more Given that there is already a fairly significant baseline level of anti-Jewish violence in the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East, the prudent course is to prepare for more.

* How the European Union Turned the Coronavirus into a Pandemic The EU's failure to address the coronavirus issue earlier has resulted in the Schengen Agreement, which stipulates that the citizens of any EU state can travel freely throughout the union, becoming null and void.

* Does pandemic offer US and Iran chance for partial reset? We are facing a public health crisis that, in global terms, may be the worst for just over a century.

* Coronavirus isn't stopping trade between Russia & China While the coronavirus pandemic is wreaking havoc on global trade, cargo volume between Russia and its biggest trading partner, China, is growing, according to the Russian consul general in Harbin, Vladimir Oschepkov.

* US declares new ISIS leader 'global terrorist' Regional experts say ISIS was never completely defeated, and its fighters are still operating, using different methods.

* Here's why Christian scholars who study end times say this is not the end of the world With the coronavirus pandemic spreading across the globe, a lingering question has resurfaced: "Are we witnessing the end of the world?"

3/18/20

* 'Total lockdown inevitable' says Erdan as coronavirus patients reaches 433 The goal is to "flatten the curve" and spread out cases over a longer period. Police would enforce required closures; Home Front Command would supply the public with essential products.

* Netanyahu rebukes a complacent Israeli public: This isn't vacation. Stay home! As virus cases rise to 337, PM says 'too many' failing to grasp gravity of situation; top health official warns thousands could die, with hundreds more diagnosed each day.

* Coronavirus is a Zionist plot, say Turkish politicians, media, public "This virus serves Zionism's goals of decreasing the number of people and preventing it from increasing," the head of Turkey's Refah party said.

* Stunned world grapples with 'once-in-100-year' coronavirus battle Hundreds of millions of people worldwide were adjusting on Wednesday to once-in-a-generation measures to battle the coronavirus crisis that is not only killing the old and vulnerable but also threatening prolonged economic misery.

* Sanhedrin Calls for "Universal Prayers Against the Universal Plague" The Sanhedrin called for people around the world to join in prayer to request from God to remove the coronavirus.

* Coronavirus Comes for Europe The Italian health system is in appallingly bad condition. There are not enough intensive care units and, as everywhere, the possibility of a major crisis simply was not anticipated.

* Coronavirus could fuel Middle East unrest Coronavirus isn't just wreaking havoc on our health, livelihoods and economies, it's now poised to feed Middle East unrest and, possibly, terrorism.

* Russia feeding disinformation about coronavirus to sow panic in West: EU document Russian media have deployed a "significant disinformation campaign" against the West to worsen the impact of the coronavirus, generate panic and sow distrust, according to a European Union document seen by Reuters.

* Thanks to coronavirus getting an EU trade deal by December is impossible - now is the time to push back the deadline Boris Johnson is showing the leadership the country needs in the face of the coronavirus, but he is in denial about one inevitable consequence of it.

* Iran president says Iran responded, will respond to assassination of Soleimani President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday Iran has responded, and will respond, to America's assassination of Major-General Qassem Soleimani, the Revolutionary Guards commander killed in a U.S. drone strike in Iraq in January.

* Vulnerable Nations: A Case for the Kurds Nations and states are often mentioned in the same breath, as if interchangeable.

3/17/20

* Plague of locusts set to descend upon Middle East in time for Passover 'Extremely alarming' desert locust swarms forming in Horn of Africa - but will skip Holy Land.

* Iranian Official Calls to Deliberately Spread Coronavirus Worldwide to Bring Messiah Ali Reza Banahyan (also spelled Alireza Panahian), a Hojatoleslam (Shia cleric) and head of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's 'think tank for universities', was recently quoted in Shafaq News as saying that the coronavirus pandemic is a prelude to the emergence of the expected Mahdi (Muslim Messiah).

* Iran warns virus could kill 'millions' in Islamic Republic Iran issued its most dire warning yet Tuesday about the outbreak of the new coronavirus ravaging the country, suggesting "millions" could die in the Islamic Republic if the public keeps traveling and ignoring health guidance.

* Where Is the Supreme Leader? Last week, I proposed that Iran's coronavirus problem is much greater than commonly acknowledged, and that the true number of cases is perhaps hundreds of times greater than the official number.

* 'We're headed for the worst financial crisis of our lifetimes' - Jim Rogers Governments worldwide are trying to stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus, which now threatens the global economy.

* G7 pledge to 'do whatever it takes' to safeguard economy Leaders of the G7 industrial powerhouses pledged Monday to join forces to halt economic freefall in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, which they called "a human tragedy."

* 'Ethical Dimension': Sweden Considers Who Will Live, Who Will Die in Rationing Coronavirus Healthcare The Director-General of the Swedish National Board of Health has confirmed the country is looking into triage measures that could prioritise care for those most likely to survive serious coronavirus infection.

* Greece-Turkey refugee crisis: Merkel, Macron seek solution with Erdogan Turkish government sources say the aim of the video call is to rework a 2016 deal that obliges Turkey to prevent refugees entering the EU in return for financial aid.

* Russia's Shift from "Greater Europe" to "Greater Asia" Though analysts tend to portray Russia's foreign policy as truly global (that is, independent of Europe, the US, and China), the country is plainly tilting toward Asia.

* Will The Turkish Air Force Soon Be Flying Russia's Best Stealth Fighters? Ankara's revived interest in Russian military hardware comes during a time of acute strain in Turkey-NATO relations.

3/16/20

* Rivlin gives Gantz mandate to form government Gantz outreaches "elbow" to Netanyahu for unity.

* Israel election: Gantz vows to form 'broad' unity government within days Benny Gantz - the main political rival to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - has been given the chance to form a new coalition government in Israel.

* The Struggle for Israel's Jewish Soul The possibility of an Israeli minority government that relies on the Joint Arab List underscores the clear and present danger of accommodating political parties and movements that reject the existence of the Jewish state and propagate Israel's transformation into a Palestinian Arab (Muslim) state.

* Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque shut as precaution against coronavirus Holy mosque and Dome of the Rock have closed, but Muslim prayer will still be held outdoors in the Al-Aqsa compound.

* Rabbi Warns Vatican: Return Temple Vessels or Corona-Virus in Rome Worsens As the COVID-19 crisis worsens worldwide, the Nation of Israel requests that the Vatican immediately return to Jerusalem the Temple vessels that have been stored in Rome for nearly 2000 years.

* Russia's Strategy for the Middle East: Stabilize, Revitalize, Create Chaos Russia is attempting to have a say in the geopolitical realignment of the Middle East, provoked by instability, sectarianism and Iran-Saudi rivalry.

* Hamas in Moscow to mend ties with Syrian regime Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said March 4 that his movement supports the sovereignty of the Syrian government over all Syrian territories.

* Furious Italian MEP criticises Brussels for abandoning Italy - 'Our patience has ran out!' A FURIOUS ITALIAN MEP has criticised the European Union for sending billions to Turkish President Recep Erdoan while abandoning its third largest economy Italy during the coronavirus.

* Coronavirus: Europe on Lockdown The unprecedented restrictions on the movement of people, unimaginable only two weeks ago, is bringing life in Europe to a virtual standstill.

* Temple Mount sheikh: 'We'll conquer the entire world and rule it through Islam' Zionist Watchdog: Arrest sheikh who called in Temple Mount speech to 'retaliate,' 'pulverize' Trump.

3/14/20

* No Jews on Temple Mount? Arab List makes demands in exchange for backing Gantz The Arab party, the Joint List, has demands in exchange for its cooperation.

* Coronavirus 'is one of Almighty Allah’s soldiers' PA television preacher calls coronavirus disease 'one of Almighty Allah’s soldiers… against those who attack His believers.'

* Iran: The Mullahs' Coronavirus Lies Russia looks set to expand its presence on Syria's west coast, with rumors of an imminent signing of a near-quarter-century lease Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently called the coronavirus a "blessing."

* Analysis: Worrying signs Iran intentionally spreading coronavirus Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently called the coronavirus a “blessing.”

* Netanyahu to European leaders: Global effort needed to combat coronavirus “This must be a worldwide effort,” Netanyahu said. “This isn’t a matter of who does it first, but of how we can all reach it first.”

* Netanyahu Calls on Gantz to Form ‘Emergency’ Unity Government Due to Coronavirus Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has invited Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz to talks about forming an emergency unity government amid the coronavirus pandemic.

* FDA warns televangelist Jim Bakker and six others to stop selling fraudulent coronavirus products The Food and Drug Administration said Monday it has sent warning letters to televangelist Jim Bakker and six companies for selling unapproved coronavirus drugs and treatment products.

* The Oil Price Crash: Bad News for Putin's Ambitions in the Middle East Russia's refusal to reach an agreement with Saudi Arabia on global oil quotas could ultimately have a disastrous impact on the Kremlin's long-term ambitions of extending its influence in the Middle East.

* Pope holds his first ever virtual general audience with Italy on lockdown Pope Francis, holed up in the Vatican by Italy’s coronavirus epidemic, held his first virtual general audience on Wednesday, thanking medical staff but urging the world not to forget the plight of Syrian refugees.

* Turkey wants to rebuild Syria with the country's oil income, Erdogan says The Turkish president proposed to use the income from the oil reserves in Kurdish-controlled town of Qamishli and in southern Deir Ezzor.

* SYRIA: IS THE END GAME APPROACHING? Eight years of war in Syria have come down to an epic struggle in a northwestern province the size of Delaware.

3/13/20

* Rabbinic Closure of Western Wall Diverts Record Number of Jews to Temple Mount for Special Prayer For Coronavirus Cure Rabbi David Lau, Israel's chief Ashkenazi rabbi, and Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, Israel's chief Sephardi rabbi, both issued religious edicts on Thursday instructing Jews to obey all instructions issued by Israels health officials' instructions concerning the coronavirus.

* PA: Jewish history in Jerusalem is "fables and myths" and "imaginary history" Jews visiting the Temple Mount "defile" the Al-Aqsa Mosque according to the Palestinian Authority.

* Netanyahu and Gantz agree to work toward emergency unity government Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday called for the formation of an emergency government to confront a growing crisis over the coronavirus, offering a potential way out of the deadlock that has paralyzed the political system for the past year.

* Netanyahu Calls on Gantz to Form 'Emergency' Unity Government Due to Coronavirus Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has invited Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz to talks about forming an emergency unity government amid the coronavirus pandemic.

* Is Israel at the forefront of coronavirus measures? Diplomatic Affairs: At first criticized, Israel now looks like a coronavirus containment visionary.

* Syria's war turns 9: How barbarity, confusion and indifference helped Bashar Assad prosper He trained as an eye doctor. He likes high-tech gadgets and country music. And he may turn out to be one of the most barbarous political leaders of the 21st Century.

* The Oil Price Crash: Bad News for Putin's Ambitions in the Middle East Last week's dramatic fall in the value of global stock markets was prompted, in part, by Moscow's decision at the end of last week to end its cooperation with the Saudis to agree to new oil production targets, a measure designed to maintain global oil prices at a sustainable level.

* Arab Victory in the Knesset is an Existential Threat to Israel For pro-Zionists and for those who celebrate Israel's right to exist as a state for Jews and as a Jewish state, Prime Minister Netanyahu's electoral victory on March 2, 2020 is cause for universal celebration.

* Jerusalem muted, a little bereft, on 1st Friday of the 'keep your distance' era At the Western Wall, only a few were at prayer; kids were neither in school nor out and about; at least the rival protesters in Paris Square were reassuringly present.

* 'This is the beginning of the greatest financial crisis in US history': Peter Schiff makes dire predictions to Boom Bust After suffering the worst stock market crash since 1987, the US Federal Reserve has announced a $1.5 trillion injection to ease strained capital markets. It is the biggest action by the Fed since the 2008 financial crisis.

3/12/20

* Analysis: The assault on Israel as the 'Jewish state' The philosophical assault on Zionism-on Israel as the authentic expression of Jewish political rights-has revved itself up, and we cannot but be vigilant as to its nefarious purposes.

* 'The EU Disapproves': Brussels Angry Trump Acted on Coronavirus Without Their Permission The European Commission has said that the European Union "disapproves" of President Donald Trump's decision to protect his citizens from further foreign exposure to coronavirus by banning entry from most of the bloc's countries without having consulted with Brussels, first.

* Shas's Deri calls for 'national emergency government' to tackle coronavirus Blue and White's Lapid says Netanyahu doesn't want unity: 'He has made a decision to go to 4th elections'.

* PA TV preacher: Coronavirus 'is one of Almighty Allah's soldiers' PA television preacher calls coronavirus disease 'one of Almighty Allah's soldiers... against those who attack His believers.'

* As Coronavirus Closes Skies: Jews Worldwide may Miss Last Chance to Return to Israel as Prophesied in Deuteronomy Amidst news that, due to the coronavirus, all passengers landing in Israel must enter a 14-day quarantine period, hundreds of flights to Israel have been canceled and El Al, Israel's flag-carrying airline placed 80% of its workforce on unpaid leave, open access to Israel can no longer be taken for granted.

* Syria: Is The End Game Approaching? Eight years of war in Syria have come down to an epic struggle in a northwestern province the size of Delaware.

* Has Syria Reactivated its Chemical-Weapons Program? Recent Strikes Might Provide a Clue Syrian media reports of Israeli airstrikes, allegedly launched early on March 5 in central and southern Syria, may be a sign that Damascus has renewed its chemical-weapons program.

* Israel protests Russian FM Lavrov's meeting with Islamic Jihad leader The Russian side "reaffirmed its firm commitment to the two-state principle" based on UN Security Council and General Assembly resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, Moscow said.

* Bolsonaro aide who posed for photo with Trump tests positive for coronavirus Wife of Fabio Wajngarten, the Brazilian leader’s communications secretary, confirms he was diagnosed with virus after returning from Mar-a-Lago for talks with US president, VP.

* What is the European Union and who wants in? Everything you should know The European Union is an economic and political coalition between 27 sovereign states that focuses on the integration of its members through free trade, free movement of people, and the promotion and encouragement of social and economic issues.

3/11/20

* World War 3 warning: Chilling reason Erdogan could trigger conflict with Putin exposed WORLD WAR 3 fears have been spiked by Turkey's latest clash with Russia in the Middle East - and one expert's chilling analysis could indicate that the two countries are risking a devastating conflict.

* Sixteen more years? Russian parliament backs move to keep Putin in power Constitutional changes allowing Vladimir Putin to run for president again in 2024 sailed through both houses of Russia's parliament on Wednesday, raising the prospect he could clock up over three decades in the Kremlin.

* Receiving election results, Rivlin again pushes his unity government proposal After three elections in a year, president expresses fervent hope that it will be his successor who formally accepts the results of the next one.

* Why Israel Is Hoarding Water Water that Israel promised Jordan back in the 1994 peace treaty has still not materialized. Why?

* A Yom Kippur type of feel at Ben Gurion airport amid coronavirus threat Just 30 percent of airport employees will be allowed to come into work until further notice.

* Europe Under Siege Barbarians are storming the gates, but Europeans still won't pull in the welcome mat.

* How the Coronavirus is Hurting Israel's Economy On Tuesday, Prime Minister Netanyahu released a statement in an attempt to calm fears that the coronavirus would cripple Israel's economy saying: "The Israeli economy is in an excellent situation."

* Pope holds his first ever virtual general audience with Italy on lockdown Pope Francis, holed up in the Vatican by Italy's coronavirus epidemic, held his first virtual general audience on Wednesday, thanking medical staff but urging the world not to forget the plight of Syrian refugees.

* Analysis: Worrying signs Iran intentionally spreading coronavirus Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently called the coronavirus a "blessing."

* Solved: The mystery of the expansion of the universe The Earth, solar system, the entire Milky Way and the few thousand galaxies closest to us move in a vast "bubble" that is 250 million light years in diameter, where the average density of matter is half as high as for the rest of the universe.

3/10/20

* No Jews on Temple Mount? Arab List makes demands in exchange for backing Gantz The Arab party, the Joint List, has demands in exchange for its cooperation.

* MK Ayman Odeh details concessions demanded in return for his party's support Joint Arab List chair Ayman Odeh demands specific concessions in return for supporting minority gov't under Gantz leadership.

* Likud starts preparing for fourth election Likud officials said Tuesday that the most likely scenario was that "political instability would continue."

* Iran: The Mullahs' Coronavirus Lies Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, recently called the coronavirus a "blessing."

* Israel travel restrictions could ease when virus spreads locally Orders for all visitors arriving in Israel to self-isolate for two weeks could be eased if the coronavirus outbreak begins to spread locally en masse, one of the country's epidemic management team said on Tuesday.

* Israel vs. Hezbollah: The Third Lebanon War Ever since the 2006 war, Israel has preferred to contain Hezbollah rather than fight it directly.

* 'Fragile' Europe faces new influx of radicalized Syrian refugees A threatened influx of Syrian refugees would force Europe to cope with a population that is poorer, more bewildered by years of war, and more prone to radicalism than the wave of refugees who swamped Western Europe five years ago and incited a political backlash.

* Turkey hopes for new refugee deal with EU before March 26 Foreign Minister Cavusoglu says Ankara ready to work constructively to reach agreement with bloc before next EU summit.

* Turkey wants to rebuild Syria with the country's oil income, Erdogan says The Turkish president proposed to use the income from the oil reserves in Kurdish-controlled town of Qamishli and in southern Deir Ezzor.

* Can Turkey Defeat Russia's Army in Syria? "The correlation of forces is decidedly against Russia in Syria," says Michael Kofman, a researcher at the Center for Naval Analyses thinktank, and an expert on the Russian military.

3/9/20

* Netanyahu: Coronavirus situation in Israel 'under control' Netanyhau praises 'calm and responsible' actions taken by gov't so far, pledges millions in aid to businesses.

* Netanyahu to European leaders: Global effort needed to combat coronavirus "This must be a worldwide effort," Netanyahu said. "This isn't a matter of who does it first, but of how we can all reach it first."

* Corona virus "is one of Almighty Allah's soldiers... He is unleashing it on those who attack His believers," says preacher on official PA TV Before Corona broke out in the PA, a preacher on official Palestinian Authority TV taught that the virus is "one of Almighty Allah's soldiers" and that Allah is punishing the sinners - "those who attack His believers".

* FDA warns televangelist Jim Bakker and six others to stop selling fraudulent coronavirus products The FDA has issued warning letters to seven companies for reportedly selling fraudulent coronavirus treatment products.

* More Gridlock in Israel Israelis went to the polls on Monday, the third general election in less than a year, and the emerging results have produced more gridlock.

* Israel advances plans for West Bank 'sovereignty road' to bypass E1 area "We're applying sovereignty in deeds, not words," Defense Minister Naftali Bennett said on Monday, as he made a subtle dig at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

* Dow plummets more than 1,200 points, S&P 500 sinks 5% amid oil price war Stocks cratered Monday as investors grappled with sinking price of oil and the spread of the coronavirus.

* Palestinians Revive Blood Libels as Israel Saves Their Lives Earlier, the Israeli authorities announced that they had facilitated 105,495 humanitarian crossings for Palestinians to receive medical treatment in Israel during the last week of February.

* Russia, Turkey Agree on Idlib Ceasefire The deal details a security corridor and joint patrols will be established in the coming days.

* Disney Film 'Onward' Banned in Middle East Markets over Reference to a Lesbian Relationship Disney's new animated film Onward has been banned in several Middle Eastern countries due to the film's reference to a lesbian relationship.

3/7/20

* Liberman may recommend Gantz for PM, will support bill to disqualify Netanyahu With Yisrael Beytenu’s support, Gantz could have more MKs backing him for PM than Netanyahu; law barring indicted MK – like Netanyahu – from leading government could have majority.

* Purim Irony? Gantz Supports Jewish Prayer on Temple Mount while Netanyahu Opposes it Purim, was supposed to be a day of destruction for the Jewish people.

* Anti-Netanyahu bill has majority support with Liberman vote The Yisrael Beytenu leader's endorsement gave the bill a majority, now with the support of all 62 MKs who are not in Netanyahu's right-wing bloc.

* Jordan's PM: Peace treaty with Israel endangered due to Israel's "unilateral measures" Israel's "unilateral measures" to blame for imperiling the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty, says Jordanian PM.

* Netanyahu on Coronavirus: ‘Israel is in best situation of all other countries’ Netanyahu said the situation was better in Israel than other countries thanks to early steps and the country’s discipline.

* Hamas’s Haniyeh meets Russian FM, thanks him for critical view of US plan Terror group says Sergey Lavrov told its chief in Moscow meeting about ‘the importance of uniting the Palestinian people’

* Russia says rebel positions in Syria's Idlib have merged with Turkish army posts Russia’s Ministry of Defence said on Wednesday that fortified rebel positions in Syria’s Idlib province had merged with Turkish observation posts, and that artillery attacks on nearby civilian areas and Russia’s air base in Syria had become daily.

* Turkey says millions of migrants may head to EU The Turkish president has warned that "millions" of migrants and refugees will soon head towards Europe.

* Iranian State Terror General Calls Chinese Coronavirus ‘Biological Warfare’ Major General Hossein Salami, the head of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), declared in remarks Thursday that Iran is “engaged in biological warfare” and will “win the war” against the Chinese coronavirus spreading worldwide.

* How Russia's Putin became the go-to man on Syria President Recep Tayip Erdogan of Turkey needs to extricate himself from a difficult situation in Syria so he heads for the one capital that matters, not Washington but Moscow.

3/6/20

* An inside look at Netanyahu's roller-coaster, topsy-turvy week A Likud minister described this past week as feeling the ultimate high and then experiencing the ultimate low.

* Liberman may recommend Gantz for PM, will support bill to disqualify Netanyahu With Yisrael Beytenu's support, Gantz could have more MKs backing him for PM than Netanyahu; law barring indicted MK - like Netanyahu - from leading government could have majority.

* Pollak: Netanyahu Faces Legislative Coup detat in Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won Israel's elections this week - and may soon be ousted from power.

* Erdogan 'may have overplayed hand in Syria conflict', says security expert An international security expert believes that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may have overplayed his hand in the current Syrian conflict and migrant crisis.

* Putin saves Erdogan from himself Once again it was Russia that just prevented the threatened 'Muslim invasion' of Europe advertised by Erdogan.

* Europe Must Not Fall Victim to Erdogan's Blackmail Turkey would apparently like to see more progress in the talks to grant it admission as a full member of the European Union.

* Yehudah Glick: Praying for the Building of the Temple Israel's 3rd election coincides with the weekly Torah portion which talks about the building of the Temple.

* 'Business is finished': Iranian merchants fear the worst as virus spreads Iranian merchants plying the busy Strait of Hormuz between Dubai and Iran fear their next trip home will be a one-way trip after the United Arab Emirates banned ferry services to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

* Netanyahu on Coronavirus: 'Israel is in best situation of all other countries' Netanyahu said the situation was better in Israel than other countries thanks to early steps and the country's discipline.

* Coronavirus: Waqf Ignores Israel's Call to Limit Muslim Worshippers on Temple Mount Israel's Health Ministry has called on the Jordanian Waqf to limit the amount of Muslim worshipers during Friday's prayers on the Temple Mount.

3/5/20

* Purim Irony? Gantz Supports Jewish Prayer on Temple Mount while Netanyahu Opposes it Purim, was supposed to be a day of destruction for the Jewish people. But in an unexpected twist, that date actually turned into a day of celebration for them instead.

* Anti-Netanyahu bill has majority support with Liberman vote The Yisrael Beytenu leader's endorsement gave the bill a majority, now with the support of all 62 MKs who are not in Netanyahu's right-wing bloc.

* Erdogan's Attempts to Blackmail Europe are Doomed to Fail If the current crisis facing Turkey is entirely of Mr Erdogan's own making, that has not prevented the Turkish president from trying to deflect attention away from his own mishandling of the conflict by seeking to provoke a new migrant crisis in Europe.

* Work With Turkey, NATO Tells EU Amid Migrant Crisis With tensions growing and accusations flying between Turkey and the EU over an escalating migrant crisis, the head of NATO has warned Europe it must find a way to work with "important ally" Ankara.

* A new migration crisis is unfolding on Europe's borders Fighting in northern Syria has sent people fleeing into neighboring Turkey, and Turkey has thrown open its gates to the rest of Europe.

* How Russia's Putin became the go-to man on Syria President Recep Tayip Erdogan of Turkey needs to extricate himself from a difficult situation in Syria so he heads for the one capital that matters, not Washington but Moscow.

* Russia's Troubles in 2020 Will Be Close to Home From a foreign policy standpoint, Russia should be fairly secure this year.

* The Reconfiguration of Global Geopolitics and the Role of the European Union Brexit is done, and far from being a closed issue, the UK's retreating process has ten months ahead.

* Iranian State Terror General Calls Chinese Coronavirus 'Biological Warfare' Major General Hossein Salami, the head of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), declared in remarks Thursday that Iran is "engaged in biological warfare" and will "win the war" against the Chinese coronavirus spreading worldwide.

* Iran says IAEA case for inspecting sites based on fake Israeli intel Iran on Thursday stood by its decision to deny U.N. nuclear inspectors access to sites where they have questions about past activities, arguing that the agency's case is based on "fabricated" Israeli intelligence.