9/30/20

 * UAE: Palestinian state at ’67 lines a must despite peace deal with Israel  Palestinians have charged that the UAE and Bahrain had betrayed them by singing normalization deals with Israel.

* UN will ‘lose its right to exist’ if it doesn’t treat Israel fairly, envoy says Ahead of Netanyahu’s General Assembly speech, Gilad Erdan warns international body must change its approach to the Jewish state if it wants to remain relevant.

* WATCH – Netanyahu at U.N. Reveals Hezbollah Arms Depot, Warns Another Explosion Will Rock Beirut In his address to the United Nations on Tuesday, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exposed a secret arms depot belonging to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in a residential area near Beirut’s International Airport, warning of another devastating explosion and calling on the Lebanese people to protest against the terror group.

* Europe Out of the Loop in New Middle East In the capitals of Europe, there is as yet only limited understanding of the new and emergent strategic realities of the Middle East. 

* Armenia says its fighter jet 'shot down by Turkey' Armenia says one of its fighter jets was shot down by a Turkish jet in a major escalation of the conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region.

* As war breaks out between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Rabbis make Gog-Magog connection On Tuesday, Armenia claimed that neighboring Azerbaijan shot down one of its warplanes, killing the pilot, over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region of the border.

* Libya: A Country Up for Grabs? Libya has become the site of a proxy war between Russia and Turkey. For peace to prevail in Libya, a clear American strategy of engagement is imperative.

* UN meeting that began with unity concludes with divisions The U_N_ General Assembly meeting began with a declaration that the urgency for all countries to unite “has rarely been greater.”

* Russia Claims NATO Military Activity Observed Near the Border Even though Moscow and Washington do this to each other all the time, neither likes it when the other sends its patrols too close.

* 2020, the year China defeated the West The alternative world order planned by China finds fertile ground in a West riddled with liberal self-hatred and anti-Americanism. Op-ed.

9/29/20

 * Netanyahu: Preemptive strike against Iran still an option Gantz on coronavirus: "We didn't respond as was fit, but we will succeed this time as well."

* Caucasus crisis puts Iran on high alert Azerbaijan-Armenia clashes have potential grave implications for neighboring Iran if they escalate into a big power proxy war.

* Erdogan’s quest for regional hegemony is destabilizing & backing Azerbaijan against Armenia is the latest example Throwing support behind Baku amid the escalation of the Azerbaijan-Armenia dispute, Turkey is playing the classic ‘middle power’ and is aiming to draw Russia and the US into the situation while pursuing its own interests.

* Caucasus conflict heralds clash of the titans Russia, Turkey and Iran all have big vested interests in the budding armed conflict over Nagorno Karabakh.

* Third Temple Activist Runs for President of Israel Rabbi Yehudah Glick, head of the Shalom Jerusalem Organization and a former Member of Knesset for the Likud Party, is considering running for the position of President of Israel.

* Why There's No Peace With the Palestinians In the recent historic Abrahamic Peace Accords (August 13, 2020), which established full peace and diplomatic relations between Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain, signed at the White House by U.S. President Donald Trump, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, and Minister of Foreign Affairs for the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyani, the issue of “Right of Return” was not brought up.

* International Union of Muslim Scholars top dog: peace deals with Israel are attempt to ‘uproot Islam’ As I explain in detail in The Palestinian Delusion, the “Palestinian” conflict with Israel is based on Islamic imperatives, the one aspect of the conflict that all mainstream analysts discount or ignore altogether.

* UAE-Israel deal brings ‘Fourth Industrial Revolution’ The 'jobs for peace' plan backed by Trump looks set to succeed where other peace pacts have failed.

* China Could Signal Increased Engagement with Iran—But It Hasn’t Done So There are two ways Beijing could signal its interest in moving ahead with a proposed $400 billion economic and military cooperation agreement with Iran: by pushing for Iranian membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and renewing interest in a China-Pakistan-Iran-Turkey energy pipeline.

* As Europe Weakens, Turkey Is on the Rise What is happening in the Mediterranean is not only a conflict between Greece and Turkey — it is also a European problem.

9/28/20

 * All eyes might be on the Temple Mount after the UAE-Israel deal Part of the avowed rationale for the accords was to create enhanced access for all Muslims to worship at al-Aqsa Mosque.

* Is Israel holding secret peace talks with Syria? Growing number of Arab diplomats believe Damascus and Jerusalem are conducting secret negotiations, following signing of Abraham Accords.

* The Israel-UAE Deal is All about Iran The UAE and Bahrain leaderships, who are not driven by Arab nationalist causes and feel more domestically and regionally vulnerable than their traditional predecessors, have found it expedient to opt for Netanyahu’s peacemaking paradigm, and to sign up to Trump’s policy of ‘divide and rule’ to forge a US–Arab–Israeli regional alliance against Iran as the main enemy.

* Turkey sees EU summit as chance for reset - Erdogan spokesman Turkey sees a European Union summit this week as an opportunity to reset relations between them, but the bloc must produce specific proposals and a timetable to work on a roadmap together, President Tayyip Erdogan’s spokesman said.

* Mike Pompeo to Host Top Vatican Officials for Religious Freedom Symposium The Vatican’s secretary of state and foreign minister will join U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for a high-level symposium on international religious freedom on September 30.

* Chinese State-Run Media Praise Sino-Vatican Accord The expected renewal of an agreement between China and the Vatican on the appointment of bishops “will contribute to the development of Chinese Catholic churches,” the state-run Global Times reported Thursday.

* The Dangerous New Iran-Qatar-Turkey-Hamas Alliance Abbas has already damaged the Palestinians' relations with some Arab countries by condemning the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain for signing peace treaties with Israel.

* The Bull in Europe’s China Shop Trump’s Middle East strategy has scored major successes, but in Europe, he will have to deal with the competing vision of Macron.

* Toward a Transformational Peace in the Middle East On September 15, two peace agreements with Israel and known as The Abraham Accords – one with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and one with Bahrain, and -- were made official at a White House ceremony.

* Whoever wins in November, here’s six reasons why America is on the brink of a complete political and social breakdown The toxic US political culture will be laid bare in tomorrow’s opening TV debate between Trump & Biden.

9/26/20

* 'Palestinian' Leader: Israel conquering Biblical borders of Nile to Euphrates In an interview with told Qatar’s Al-Araby TV last Tuesday, Fatah (PLO) Central Committee Member Azzam al-Ahmad warned Arab nations against the Abraham Accords, claiming that Israel aspires to dominate the entire region.

* Trump at UN: Other countries ‘coming fast’ to make peace with Israel When North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s special armored railcar pulled into Russia’s Vladivostok Station on April 24 after a nine-hour journey, a red carpet was rolled out and high-level Kremlin officials greeted the young North Korean dictator as he arrived for his first summit with his Russian counterpart, President Vladimir Putin.

* Angered by Arab-Israel ties, Palestine quits chairing Arab League sessions Palestine has quit its current chairmanship of Arab League meetings, the Palestinian foreign minister said on Tuesday, condemning as dishonourable any Arab agreement to establish formal relations with Israel.

* Blair: Israel establishing relations with Arab states will likely lead to peace with Palestinians Former British PM said guiding principle in region for decades was 'diametric opposite of what should happen'.

* Turkey: Erdoğan's Soft Spot for Hamas It is not only ideological and not only pragmatic: it is both: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan comes from the ranks of militant Islamism for which the "Palestinian cause" is sacred and "as national as any other national matter." 

* Russia Announces Troop Buildup in Far East near China Russia is boosting its military presence in its Far East region in response to rising tensions there, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday.

* Report: US-Brokered talks between Israel and Lebanon close to conlusion A report on Debka File, an English-language Israeli military intelligence website, reported that US-brokered talks between Israel and the Lebanese government focusing on two main issues, borders and rights to offshore gas fields, are moving towards a resolution.

* Palestinian Arabs are on a Collision Course with Arab States The Palestinians have been so busy throwing tantrums, demanding special meetings of the Arab League, denouncing the UAE’s “betrayal” and Bahrain’s “treachery,” that they haven’t had time to sit down and analyze what went so wrong, and why they are no longer the center of Arab attention. That story is here.

* Israel concerned Saudi Arabia building nuclear weapons with Chinese assistance Fears growing that a nuclear race in the region with Beijing's help could potentially spiral out of control.

* China Joins Russian Military Exercises in North Caucasus China’s military reportedly joined large-scale Russian drills on Monday in southern Russia, part of the two nations’ continued efforts to increase their military cooperation.

* PMW Special Report: PA: UAE and Bahrain sign deal with death The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the Palestinian Authority (PA), and Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party have always placed their narrow political interests above the interests of all other countries and even above the interests of the Palestinian people. 

9/25/20

 * Saudi heir and Jared Kushner inch kingdom towards deal with Israel As the UAE and Bahrain prepared to sign a deal to normalise diplomatic relations with Israel this summer, Saudi Arabia – the regional heavyweight – was quietly urging them on.

* Report: Israel-Sudan, Oman normalization deals could be announced next week Extensive talks between parties are being held to push peace process through, report says.

* King of Bahrain at U.N.: Israel Peace Deals ‘Send a Civilized Message’ to the World King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain celebrated the normalization of diplomatic relations between his kingdom and Israel — as well as applauding the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for making a similar move shortly before Bahrain did — during remarks Thursday to the U.N. General Assembly.

* Jordan, Egypt, EU urge renewal Israel-Palestinian talks At meeting in Amman, foreign ministers cite need to ‘rebuild confidence to allow the relaunching of the negotiation process,’ say Israeli pledge to suspend annexation ‘should become permanent’.

* Israel's political wars have become that of religious wars In recent years, and with even greater intensity when coming up against the coronavirus pandemic in the last few months, Israeli politics has turned religious.

* Missiles, Submarines and More: How North Korea Supplies Iran With Weapons Over time, Pyongyang has even supplied ballistic missiles, submarines, and possibly nuclear secrets to Tehran.

* Hezbollah's Growing Terror Network in Europe According to Nathan Sales, the U.S. State Department's counterterrorism coordinator, Hezbollah has been steadily building up its weapons stockpiles in Europe with the aim of preparing for any future acts of terrorism that may be ordered by Tehran.

* Intel. minister: Iran, Turkey, Palestinians speaking against peace “Iran never gave up from trying to achieve a nuclear weapon.”

* Kremlin says EU move not to recognise Lukashenko amounts to meddling in Belarus Russia said on Friday that the European Union’s decision not to recognise Alexander Lukashenko as the legitimate president of Belarus contradicted international law and amounted to indirect meddling in the country.

* What is Hashem planning for His people in Eretz Yisrael in 5781 Nothing of significance has ever evolved or will evolve without implicit or covert implications for the Jewish people.

9/24/20

 * Israelis want two-state negotiations, prefer next deal with Arab state A poll of Israelis has found backing for a two state solution, and support for a deal with Qatar.

* Blair: Israel establishing relations with Arab states will likely lead to peace with Palestinians Former British PM said guiding principle in region for decades was 'diametric opposite of what should happen'.

* Israel enters full 16-day lockdown on Friday The government approved at dawn on Thursday, Sept. 24, a full national lockdown to rein in the soaring coronavirus contagion starting Friday, Sept. 25 up to Oct.11. culminating two days of bitter debate in the special cabinet.

* Egypt FM hails Israel-UAE, Israel-Bahrain accords as 'important step' Egypt, Jordan reaffirm commitment to Palestinian statehood, two-state solution.

* Why Do the Arabs Hate the Palestinians? For many reasons, the Arab world is not at all interested in giving the Palestinian Arabs a state.

* A Red Heifer Was Accidentally Discovered in Colombia [WATCH] An ultra-Orthodox Israeli student now living in Colombia said that he spotted a kosher red heifer on Wednesday that would be available immediately upon the coming of the Messiah reports Radio 2000.

* UN ambassador: Another country will recognize Israel in ‘day or two’ US Ambassador to the United Nations Kelly Craft on Wednesday said that a new country will recognize Israel “in the next day or two.”

* PA: Beware “alliance with the Jews… obedience to the Jews” The Palestinian Authority exposed its true essence as a Jew-hating antisemitic body by condemning the peace agreements signed this week between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain, because it is an “alliance with the Jews.”

* Trump: Achieving Real Peace You could probably write a very short summary, something along these lines: “we’re going to actively search for ways to cooperate, bring more countries into this deal, and turn the Middle East into a new zone of peace.”

* Is Assad Gearing Up for a Final Push in Syria? As Turkey, Russia and the US weigh up their options, a shaky ceasefire in Syria’s Idlib province may be about to end.

9/23/20

 * ‘Palestinians’ Leader: Israel Conquering Biblical Borders of Nile to Euphrates In an interview with told Qatar’s Al-Araby TV last Tuesday, Fatah (PLO) Central Committee Member Azzam al-Ahmad warned Arab nations against the Abraham Accords, claiming that Israel aspires to dominate the entire region.

* Trump at UN: More ‘Great’ Peace Deals With Israel ‘Shortly’ President Donald Trump told the United Nations General Assembly on Tuesday that more peace deals with Israel, like the U.S.-brokered normalization agreements signed with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, were “coming fast.”

* World War 3: Trump's dire warning before Iran 'captured' US warship fleet WORLD WAR 3 fears returned after Iran claimed to have captured a US warship in the Strait of Hormuz - with President Donald Trump previously warning the Islamic Republic that any conflict between the two would be the end of it.

* Lukashenko and Erdogan Are Laughing at the EU The Cypriot veto against European sanctions on Belarus is a reminder that the EU must scrap unanimity in foreign policy.

* China Joins Russian Military Exercises in North Caucasus China’s military reportedly joined large-scale Russian drills on Monday in southern Russia, part of the two nations’ continued efforts to increase their military cooperation.

* How the UAE emerged as a regional powerhouse 2020 has been quite a year for the United Arab Emirates - the small but super-rich and mega-ambitious Gulf nation.

* Jordan clings to two-state solution in wake of normalization deals With normalization deals being signed and regional dynamics in flux, Jordan is trying to adapt to what it fears is faltering Arab support for the Palestinian issue and a two-state solution.

* Turkey: Erdoğan's Soft Spot for Hamas So far, Erdoğan's fanaticism has come without any cost to him internationally, or any damage to his domestic political survivability. He has every ideological and pragmatic reason to keep up his love affair with Hamas.

* Turkey's Erdogan, France's Macron discuss Eastern Mediterranean tensions Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and France’s Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday they had held their first conversation in months following a standoff between the two NATO allies over mounting tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean.

* When promoting Christian family values & querying LGBT lessons gets you fired, it’s clear the Bible is woke militia’s new target A British mum of two is suing her former employer after being sacked for posting online criticism of LGBT teaching.

9/22/20

 * Trump at UN: Other countries ‘coming fast’ to make peace with Israel US president spends most of General Assembly virtual address railing at Beijing for unleashing ‘China virus’ on world, calling on international body to hold it accountable.

* Erdan walks out on ‘antisemitic’ Erdogan UN speech Erdogan accuses Israel’s “dirty hand” of violating Jerusalem, says Trump is a ‘collaborator’ with Israel.

* Angered by Arab-Israel ties, Palestine quits chairing Arab League sessions Palestine has quit its current chairmanship of Arab League meetings, the Palestinian foreign minister said on Tuesday, condemning as dishonourable any Arab agreement to establish formal relations with Israel.

* Ideology, And Not Just Energy, Explains Turkey's Mediterranean Disruptions Left unchecked, Turkey’s Pan-Islamist, Neo-Ottoman inspired ideology will enflame regional tensions well into the future.

* Is War Next for 2020? Here we go again. A news report last Sunday quoted intelligence reports to suggest that Iran is plotting an assassination attempt on Lana Marks, the U.S. ambassador to South Africa.

* Peace will only come when the faiths of Jews and Arabs are acknowledged Together with my students, I am sitting in an enormous and magnificent tent in the Hebron Hills.

* Road to Saudi ties with Israel being paved, cautiously Saudi Arabia, the most powerful Arab nation and home to Islam’s holiest sites, has made clear that full ties between the kingdom and Israel can only happen when a peace agreement is reached with the Palestinians.

* Israel concerned Saudi Arabia building nuclear weapons with Chinese assistance Fears growing that a nuclear race in the region with Beijing's help could potentially spiral out of control.

* WW3: Raab applauds Trump’s controversial Israel peace agreement in milestone UAE visit DOMINIC RAAB has welcomed the Israel-United Arab Emirates peace deal brokered by Donald Trump after a foreign minister from the UAE flew to London.

* PMW Special Report: PA: UAE and Bahrain sign deal with death Fatah: “If Trump would have asked some of the Arab rulers to strip and walk naked in the streets of Tel Aviv – they would agree”.

9/21/20

 * Planning new sanctions, US said to claim Iran can make nuke in months Official offers no evidence for assertion that Tehran will have enough material for bomb by year’s end; over 2 dozen individuals and entities linked to arms trade to be penalized.

* Iran won't have nuke in 2020 despite US official's claim - analysis To be clear, Iran in the long-term absolutely is a nuclear threat and it is critical that the US and Israel not take their eye off the ball.

* Palestinian Arabs are on a Collision Course with Arab States The Palestinians have been so busy throwing tantrums, demanding special meetings of the Arab League, denouncing the UAE’s “betrayal” and Bahrain’s “treachery,” that they haven’t had time to sit down and analyze what went so wrong, and why they are no longer the center of Arab attention.

* Arabs: "Palestinians Repeat the Same Mistakes" At this pace, Palestinians might wake up one morning to discover that they no longer have any friends in the Arab countries at all.

* Palestinians seek new friends after Israel normalizes ties with Gulf monarchies The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have signed an agreement in Washington to normalize relations with Israel.

* Report: Sudan in talks with US, UAE to normalize ties with Israel As part of a possible agreement with Israel, Sudan is reportedly seeking financial assistance from Washington.

* REPORT: US-Brokered Talks Between Israel and Lebanon Close to Conclusion A report on Debka File, an English-language Israeli military intelligence website, reported that US-brokered talks between Israel and the Lebanese government focusing on two main issues, borders and rights to offshore gas fields, are moving towards a resolution.

* Gantz to head to Washington for high-profile talks on Iran, Israel's military edge Gantz to meet Defense Secretary Esper, other high-ranking Pentagon officials as US mulls F-35 sales to UAE.

* Southern Baptist Convention to Rename Itself In Nod to Black Lives Matter Movement The Southern Baptist Convention is set to rename itself, with the group’s president citing the ongoing Black Lives Matter riot movement as an imperative for the change, according to The Hill. The group no longer wants to be associated with the American south.

* Russia Announces Troop Buildup in Far East near China Russia is boosting its military presence in its Far East region in response to rising tensions there, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Thursday.

9/19/20

 * As the World watches, Netanyahu recites Psalms from atop the White House During Tuesday’s historic Abraham accords, the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to the world’s top officials on the white house lawn and to all those throughout the world witnessing the monumental occasion.

* The Significance of the Israel-UAE Deal Later today, leaders from Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will sign an agreement to pursue normalized relations. The Bahraini foreign minister agreed in recent days to sign a similar agreement at the same event, but the Israel-UAE agreement appears much more robust and consequential.

* Leon Panetta: This is what courage looks like in the Middle East David Ben-Gurion, the founder and first Prime Minister of Israel, had a particular definition of courage. 

* Trump: Five or Six More Countries Ready for Peace with Israel At least five or six countries are ready to make peace with Israel, President Donald Trump said at a press briefing alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the signing of the historic normalization between the Jewish state, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

* Decrying normalization, Palestinians warn of Third Intifada Abbas, Haniyeh agree to work toward foiling "conspiracies".

* Israel normalisation may partition Al-Aqsa: Analysts A clause in the UAE-Bahrain accords with Israel leaves 'door wide open' to Jewish prayer at holy site, analysts say.

* Is It Time to 'Normalize' the Temple Mount? ... [S]ince Israel retook the Temple Mount in 1967, it has not allowed Jewish worship on its holiest site.

* On anniversary of Oslo Accords, Fatah praises "Intifada," calls for "resistance" On anniversary of signing of Oslo Accords, Palestinian Authority calls for violent 'resistance' against Israel.

* Raymond J. de Souza: The EU needs to admit that Trump has it right on Mideast peace The U.S. president has brought a different set of lenses to the Arab-Israeli question.

* EU foreign affairs chief: Europe faces threat from three ‘re-emerging empires’ Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Josep Borrell said the three resurgent “empires” were Russia, China and Turkey.

* Russia’s Quest To Make Itself Indispensable in the Middle East Russia could become supreme arbiter in Lebanon as it effectively has in Syria and Libya.

* The Evangelicals Who Are Taking on QAnon Last month, Seth Brown, the executive editor of the Biblical Recorder, a Southern Baptist newspaper in Cary, N.C., delivered a stark warning to Christians. 

* All of Israel to behave like High Priests in Temple Thanks to new lockdown measure This year, the Jewish High Holidays will be observed in an entirely unprecedented manner.

9/18/20

* Is It Time to 'Normalize' the Temple Mount? Since Israel retook the Temple Mount in 1967, it has not allowed Jewish worship on its holiest site.

* Abraham Accords a real game changer The signing of the Abraham Accords at the White House on September 15 between the United Arab Emirates and Israel is a real game changer for peace in the Middle East. It signals a strategic shift in Mideast politics.

* Palestinian leadership is on a collision course with Arab countries PALESTINIAN AFFAIRS: The Palestinian leadership has placed itself on a collision course with many Arab countries, and the situation may not improve.

* President Trump Deserves Credit for Israel's New Status in the Middle East In a year like 2020—where each passing day makes history, and not in a good way—it’s hard to appreciate good news. We got some this week; on Tuesday, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain officially normalized relations with Israel in a White House signing ceremony.

* Reversing a century of Pan-Islamic anti-Zionism The issue of Palestine has always been a regional rather than a local conflict. Now, that seems to be changing.

* Mosques instruct Palestinians to reject peace deals as world celebrates This Friday, September 18, Imams have been instructed to condemn the peace deals, and to warn that they pose a danger to those who signed them.

* Lebanon on a precipice between war and peace Squeezed between Israel and Iran, faced with rising emigration of its fractured Christian community, and wracked by a widening wealth gap between a corrupt elite and increasingly desperate poor, Lebanon is being ripped apart.

* Turkey upset by Sarraj's plan to step down in Libya, Erdogan says President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday Turkey was upset that Libya’s internationally recognised Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, an ally, wants to quit next month and Ankara may hold talks with his government on the issue in the coming week.

* Israel’s enters 2nd sweeping lockdown as Rosh Hashanah starts; defiance expected 7,000 policemen and soldiers set to enforce intensely controversial closure that began at 2 p.m. on eve of New Year, is set to last at least three weeks.

* The Evangelicals Who Are Taking on QAnon Last month, Seth Brown, the executive editor of the Biblical Recorder, a Southern Baptist newspaper in Cary, N.C., delivered a stark warning to Christians. 

* NASA mulls possible mission to Venus after recent discovery of possible life NASA is considering approving by next April up to two planetary science missions from four proposals under review, including one to Venus that scientists involved in the project said could help determine whether or not that planet harbors life.

9/17/20

 * Why Trump’s Mideast Peace Deals Matter After Israel’s resounding victory over the Egyptian, Jordanian, and Syrian armies in 1967, the Jewish state again offered the Arab world peace in exchange for recognition. And it was again rebuffed.

* Arabs: Israel Is Not Our Enemy "Times change, everything has changed, except for the Palestinian mood that rejects anything and everything." — Saudi writer Amal Abdel Aziz al-Hazany, Asharq al-Awsat, September 15, 2020.

* Kushner cancels interview with MSNBC's Andrea Mitchell after saying Abraham Accords is 'not Middle East peace' The anchor appeared to downplay the Middle East peace deal on 'NBC Nightly News' on Tuesday evening.

* Israel-UAE Deal is Geopolitical "Beta Testing" for Saudi Arabia It is rare in foreign relations to see “beta testing” of bold ideas, but the UAE and Bahrain have provided just such a test case for Riyadh in its own fraught push to normalise relations with the Jewish state.

* Leon Panetta: This is what courage looks like in the Middle East David Ben-Gurion, the founder and first Prime Minister of Israel, had a particular definition of courage.

* Russia’s Quest To Make Itself Indispensable in the Middle East Russia could become supreme arbiter in Lebanon as it effectively has in Syria and Libya.

* Iran-Backed Islamists Call for Jihad Against Middle East Peace Deals Islamist extremists were not enthusiastic about the Abraham Accords peace deal between Israel, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain, this week.

* European disarray pushes Iran, Turkey into China camp If Tehran and Ankara were to fall out of Europe’s orbit it would be a strategically costly error for the West.

* The Possible Limits of China-Russia Cooperation China even recently claimed that Vladivostok, the most prominent city in Russia's Far East, is historically Chinese territory.

* Pope Francis: Abusing Ecosystems Is a ‘Grave Sin’ Pope Francis urged Christians to care for creation Wednesday, insisting that the abuse of ecosystems is a “grave sin” while lamenting the negative effects of global warming.

9/16/20

 * Trump: Five or Six More Countries Ready for Peace with Israel At least five or six countries are ready to make peace with Israel, President Donald Trump said at a press briefing alongside Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the signing of the historic normalization between the Jewish state, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.

* As the world watches, Netanyahu recites Psalms from atop the White House During Tuesday’s historic Abraham accords, the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to the world’s top officials on the white house lawn and to all those throughout the world witnessing the monumental occasion.

* PA PM: Today is “a black day in the history of the Arab nation” While Israel, vaious Gulf states, and states of the Western world welcome today’s peace treaties between Israel, the UAE and Bahrain, the Palestinian Authority’s Prime Minister speaking at a cabinet session yesterday condemned today’s signing of the peace agreements in Washington DC as ”a black day in the history of the Arab nation and as a defeat to the Arab League.”

* Israel hoping to boost regional security with Abraham Accords The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain on Tuesday became the first Arab states in years to break a long-standing taboo when they signed White House agreements toward normalizing relations with Israel.

* The devil is in the details, did the UAE and Bahrain sell out Al Aqsa? Israel has long sought to change the status of the Al Aqsa complex. Now, the recognition by the UAE and Bahrain could provide it cover.

* The New Middle East In 2015, the UAE passed a law against religious discrimination by creating ministries of tolerance, happiness and youth to develop an enlightened community -- everyone included.

* Raymond J. de Souza: The EU needs to admit that Trump has it right on Mideast peace Generals often prepare to fight the past war, but diplomats, too, can be locked into negotiating the peace of the past, rather than the present.

* Israel’s deal with Kosovo, Serbia is diplomatic charade The only purpose of the deal seems to be to allow Trump and Netanyahu to tout a foreign-policy 'success'.

* Beware a Russian 'October Surprise' in Syria In the wake of U.S. foreign policy success through the Israel peace deals with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, America's enemies may try to upend Washington's foreign policy in another part of the Middle East.

* Israel's borders explained in maps More than 70 years after Israel declared statehood, its borders are yet to be entirely settled.

9/15/20

 * Trump to host Israeli, Arab leaders for historic peace signing UAE and Bahrain to sign the Abraham Accords with Israel at the White House Tuesday, as the two Arab nations establish full relations with the Jewish State.

* The Significance of the Israel-UAE Deal Later today, leaders from Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will sign an agreement to pursue normalized relations.

* Five reasons why Israel's peace deals with the UAE and Bahrain matter High-level delegations from Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will sign a historic US-brokered peace deal at the White House on Tuesday.

* Timeline: Israel-Gulf normalization moves follow years of failed diplomatic initiatives Israel’s normalization accords with Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates to be signed on Tuesday follow a history of peace efforts between Israel, the Palestinians and their Arab allies that have failed to overcome decades of distrust and violence.

* Decrying normalization, Palestinians warn of Third Intifada Palestinian protests against the normalization agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain could lead to a new intifada, Palestinian activists warned on Tuesday.

* NATO's Nightmare: A War Between Greece and Turkey U.S. and other Western leaders have long worried about what to do if an armed conflict ever erupted between two NATO members.

* EU foreign affairs chief: Europe faces threat from three ‘re-emerging empires’ Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, Josep Borrell said the three resurgent “empires” were Russia, China and Turkey.

* Greek PM says EU must show 'tangible solidarity' on migrants, Turkey Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called on Tuesday for “tangible solidarity” from the European Union in tackling the migrant crisis and tensions with Turkey in the east Mediterranean region.

* As Arab Gulf starts opening to Israel, Palestinians face a reckoning Israel’s rapprochement with Gulf Arab states has left the Palestinians feeling abandoned by traditional allies and clutching an old playbook in a rapidly changing Middle East, analysts and critics say.

* Emergencies Make Awful Law: Why are Casinos Treated More Favorably than Churches During a Pandemic? The government may not discriminate against religion in general or any particular religion in particular. It need not exempt religious institutions or practitioners from rules that are generally applicable to similarly situated institutions or citizens, but it may not impose especially onerous rules on religion that limit its free exercise.

9/14/20

 * Israel normalisation may partition Al-Aqsa Mosque: Analysts A clause in the UAE-Bahrain accords with Israel leaves 'door wide open' to Jewish prayer at holy site, analysts say.

* Bahrain is first Shiite-majority nation to establish ties with Israel The announcement of a “historic US-Bahrain-Israel breakthrough to further peace in the Middle East,” after the United Arab Republic, underlined the strategic realignment of the Middle East underway under the Trump baton.

* Ex-Mossad chief: Bahrain will try to guard Israelis from Shi’ites, Iran Efrayim Halevy rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s formula of “peace for peace,” saying that Israel was never at war with the UAE or Bahrain.

* The Road to Arab-Israeli Peace No Longer Runs Through Ramallah For decades, the consensus among senior diplomats, Middle East scholars and the international foreign policy establishment has been that resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is the key to broader Arab-Israeli peace.

* On anniversary of Oslo Accords, Fatah praises "Intifada," calls for "resistance" On anniversary of signing of Oslo Accords, Palestinian Authority calls for violent 'resistance' against Israel.

* Turkey is the new Islamic State and Caliph Erdogan has a master plan Turkey is a proto-Islamic State Caliphate country whose plans for Libya and Egypt are precursors to a 21st century Battle of Preveza. Oped.

* Australia: Muslim leader says Israelis ‘are waiting for the Islamic nation to carry out the jihad against them’ “This state – they call it a state – by Allah, it is so weak, that every one of them has his second passport, [his] original passport, and they are waiting for the Islamic nation to stand up and carry out the war and Jihad against them.”

* "Peace Agreement" is a Misnomer When it Comes to Israel and the UAE For those familiar with the development of Israel–UAE relations over the past few years, the agreement is more like a coming-out party than a radical departure from the status quo.

* No one is coming to save the global economy this time The coronavirus depression will be much worse than the last worldwide recession, because this time no country is strong enough to rescue the global economy.

* All of Israel to behave like high priests in Temple thanks to new lockdown measure This year, the Jewish High Holidays will be observed in an entirely unprecedented manner.

9/12/20

 * National Security Council discussed closure of Temple Mount to worshipers The Islamic Waqf has thus far been opposed to any closure.

* Bahrain agrees to normalize relations with Israel, Trump announces The Bahraini foreign minister is expected to participate in the ceremony at the White House together with Netanyahu and the UAE's foreign minister.

* Palestinians Complain That Some Arab States Are Not Following Their Orders The Palestinians are enraged that the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are attempting to block their resolution, to be voted on at the upcoming Arab League meeting, that condemns the UAE’s “normalization” of relations with Israel.

* EU warns Serbia, Kosovo over Israel embassy move The European Union is warning Serbia and Kosovo that they could damage their hopes of joining the bloc if they move their Israeli embassies to Jerusalem.

* Report: Iran to conduct new military exercise in Strait of Hormuz This development comes against a backdrop of heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington.

* Iran: "American Soil is Now Within the Range of Iranian Bombs" Those who advocate pursuing a policy of appeasement toward the ruling mullahs as a means of changing the Iranian regime's behavior fail to understand that the more the international community will give the mullahs, the more Tehran will become belligerent and emboldened.

* Turkey and Iran seek ‘strong foundation’ for partnership - analysis Turkish pro-government media: High level cooperation with Iran expected.

* Could Iran Mimic Russia's Dangerous Strategy to Dominate the Persian Gulf Could Tehran succeed in using on of Moscow's tried and true methods of war?

* On 9/11 Anniversary, Focus on Iran One of the significant, mostly untold stories about the 9/11 attacks is the involvement of the Iranian government in assisting the al Qaeda terrorists who killed so many innocent people 19 years ago.

* Erdogan: ‘We are not a society that has an army – we are a nation that is itself an army’ Where is that army going? Erdogan gives a hint: “Do the people of Greece accept what will happen to them because of their greedy and incompetent leaders?

* State of Theology: Evangelicals Hold Steady on Doctrine, More Outspoken on Politics American evangelicals make mostly incremental changes around some common heresies.

9/11/20

 * Erdogan: ‘We are not a society that has an army – we are a nation that is itself an army’ Where is that army going? Erdogan gives a hint: “Do the people of Greece accept what will happen to them because of their greedy and incompetent leaders?

* How a rush for Mediterranean gas threatens to push Greece and Turkey into war An increasingly fractious standoff over access to gas reserves has transformed a dispute between Turkey and Greece that was once primarily over Cyprus into one that now ensnares Libya, Israel, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, and feeds into other political issues in the Mediterranean and has raised fears of a naval conflict between the two Nato allies in the Aegean Sea.

* Trump expected to announce historic Bahrain-Israel normalization agreement Trump said on Thursday it was possible another country could soon join a diplomatic accord between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

* The 'Merchants of the Palestinian Issue' Many Gulf citizens described the Palestinian leaders as "merchants of the Palestinian issue" and accused them of financial corruption and embezzlement of public funds.

* Trump expected to announce Bahrain will join UAE in normalizing ties with Israel Two sources tell Times of Israel that announcement expected later Friday; small island kingdom long believed to be next in line to establish ties with Jewish state.

* Israeli installation of loudspeakers in Al-Aqsa Mosque compound stokes concern Jordan, the custodian of Christian and Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, has denounced the move as a 'provocation'.

* Waqf using site of Jewish Temple as garbage dump A video shows an Arab worker for the Waqf (Muslim religious authority) unloading the refuse from a street-cleaning vehicle onto an area where the women’s section of the Temple once stood.

* China Is Like ‘Nazi Germany’, Say British MPs Who Allege Systematic ‘Ethnic Cleansing’ of the Uyghurs A group of 130 British politicians have compared the Chinese Communist Party’s persecution and systematic “ethnic cleansing” of the Uyghur Muslim population in Xinjiang to “Nazi Germany”.

* The Church of QAnon: Will conspiracy theories form the basis of a new religious movement? Followers of the QAnon movement believe in wild and dangerous conspiracy theories about U.S. President Donald Trump. Now a faction within the movement has been interpreting the Bible through QAnon conspiracies.

* State of Theology: Evangelicals Hold Steady on Doctrine, More Outspoken on Politics In the latest survey of Americans’ theological views, evangelicals stood out for their love of their Savior and Scripture, but like the rest of the country, they still have significant gaps in belief and interpretation.

9/10/20

 * Former Israeli counter-terror chief warns of risk of new all-out war with Hezbollah Our guest is Brigadier General Nitzan Nuriel, a former Director of Israel's Counter-Terrorism Bureau.

* Kushner: If Palestinians Keep Playing Victim Card, Situation Will Worsen Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner on Wednesday warned the Palestinians if they continue to reject President Donald Trump’s peace proposal for solving the conflict with Israel, their plight will worsen because Israel will continue building on West Bank territory earmarked for a Palestinian state.

* Are Turkey And Greece On The Brink Of War? This segment of What’s Ahead urgently examines the growing tensions between Turkey and Greece over oil and gas drilling in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Will there be war?

* Turkey-Greece war fears surge as Athens warned Ankara ready to 'take out eye' of enemy Turkey renewed the threat of military action against Greece over an ongoing sovereignty dispute as an ally of Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued a dire warning to Athens.

* Government to back airlift of 2,000 Ethiopians to Israel by year’s end Victory for MK Pnina Tamano-Shata amidst warnings that Ethiopians waiting to make aliyah face humanitarian disaster, with funds for food drying up because of COVID-19.

* China Threatens Total Economic War by Dumping Treasuries: Be My Guest China's Communist Party publicly talking about an American default is... essentially a declaration of intent to destroy the American economy. Washington should fight back.

* Beijing’s envoy to EU says China and Europe face a choice ‘that could shape the world’s future’ Zhang Ming tells seminar the country is committed to opening its markets, and the two sides must choose between cooperation and decoupling.

* One Way the Kurdish Insurgency Could Lead to the Collapse of Turkey Once other countries even covertly begin supporting the Kurdish insurgency in Turkey, there will be no turning back.

* Is a chaotic Brexit looming after latest spat? The risk of a “no-deal” Brexit has increased since Britain presented new legislation that would undercut its divorce treaty with the European Union, angering the bloc and undermining trade talks.

* Say goodbye to globalization as ‘The Age of Disorder’ is coming – Deutsche Bank The four-decade era of globalization may be coming to an end, and we could be entering “The Age of Disorder,” which will reshape both economies and politics, Deutsche Bank analysts have said in a new research note.

9/9/20

 * An Iran-Israel War Would Be a Disaster The cost of the war would be borne by those who had the least input into how and why it was waged; the innocent civilians of the countries between Israel and Iran.

* Report: Iran to conduct new military exercise in Strait of Hormuz This development comes against a backdrop of heightened tensions between Tehran and Washington.

* Emerging warmth of Turkey-Iran relationship shows myth of 'Sunni vs Shia' Iran and Turkey ostensibly back different sides in Syria, but in recent years they have grown closer due to joint opposition to the US and also Israel. Iran and Turkey both back Hamas, for instance.

* Experts: Libya rivals UAE, Russia, Turkey violate UN embargo UN experts say the warring parties in Libya and their international backers violated a UN arms embargo on the oil-rich north African country that remains “totally ineffective.”

* Donald Trump nominated for Nobel Peace Prize following Israel-UAE deal Christian Tybring-Gjedde, who nominated US President Donald Trump, told Fox News that he is nevertheless "not a big Trump supporter."

* Erdogan warns Greece, France of War: 'Bring It On!' Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said in a speech last month that no country could stand in Turkey’s way in the eastern Mediterranean, where it is currently involved in a dispute over energy resources.

* Could Iran Mimic Russia's Dangerous Strategy to Dominate the Persian Gulf Russia has pioneered a new form of fighting called "hybrid warfare." Moscow has perfected using quasi-official troops, disinformation, and surprise to win.

* Boris Draws Red Line: UK Will Go for Clean Break if No EU Deal by Oct 15th Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged that if no deal is reached with the EU by October 15th, then the UK should “move on” and prepare for a clean-break exit.

* Arab League rejects Palestinian demand to condemn Israel-UAE deal The Arab league’s refusal to endorse the draft resolution is considered a severe blow to the Palestinians.

* Pope’s New Encyclical to Praise Jihad Terror Supporter as Example of ‘Peace’ and ‘Fraternity’ Pope Francis’ new encyclical, Fratelli tutti: sulla fraternità e l’amicizia sociale (“All Brothers: On Fraternity and Social Friendship”) will be issued on October 3, the Vatican confirmed Saturday.

9/8/20

 * Palestinians Complain That Some Arab States Are Not Following Their Orders The Palestinians are enraged that the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain are attempting to block their resolution, to be voted on at the upcoming Arab League meeting, that condemns the UAE’s “normalization” of relations with Israel.

* Turkey and Iran seek ‘strong foundation’ for partnership - analysis Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday.

* Turkey has Become a Slave to its Own History The European Union not only has to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and the threat from Russia and China but also a new threat from Turkey.

* Hezbollah, Hamas leaders meet in Lebanon to discuss growing Israeli-Arab ties Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah met on Sunday with a Hamas delegation to Lebanon led by the terror group’s politburo head Ismail Haniyeh to discuss Arab countries’ normalization of relations with Israel, Hezbollah’s Al-Manar website reported.

* National Security Council discussed closure of Temple Mount to worshipers The Islamic Waqf has thus far been opposed to any closure. Israel's National Security Council is holding discussions on closing the Temple Mount to both Jewish and Muslim worshipers in light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to a N12 report on Sunday.

* From Tripoli to Tripoli, Turkey’s Real Aim Is Egypt The recent explosion at Beirut Port highlights both Turkey’s growing defense cooperation with Iran and its strategic interest in Lebanon, which facilitates Ankara’s provocative and worrisome agenda in the Eastern Mediterranean.

* Russia makes moves in Syria and Cyprus - analysis Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov went to Damascus to meet Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad.

* Lavrov: Russia ready to help ease Turkey-Greece tension Russia's foreign minister says Moscow is ready to step in and help ease rising tensions over Turkey's search for energy reserves in the eastern Mediterranean and rejected any actions that could lead to further escalation.

* Turkey's 'Filthy War' Against Syria, Libya The Turkish regime, about a month ago, cut off the water supply to residents of northern Syria, where the temperature in August easily reaches more than 39° Celsius (103° Fahrenheit).

* China Puts Squeeze on Christian Evangelization of Youth The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has enacted a new set of regulations obliging foreign teachers to refrain from sharing their religious faith with their students under penalty of losing their visas, the South China Morning Post reported Sunday.

9/7/20

* Report: Breakthrough made in Israel-Saudi talks toward normalization King Salman's opposition to the move makes it unlikely to be realized any time soon.

* Will Saudi Arabia Be Next To Normalize Relations with Israel? Riyadh will benefit from Abu Dhabi’s boldness as a trailblazer. It will have the chance to gauge how the region and the Arab world react.

* EU warns Serbia, Kosovo over Israel embassy move The European Union is warning Serbia and Kosovo that they could damage their hopes of joining the bloc if they move their Israeli embassies to Jerusalem.

* One day of Hamas TV hate and terror messages: After weeks of Hamas launching incendiary devices and rockets into Israel, creating extensive fires in nature reserves and agricultural areas, a cease-fire was reached last week after Qatari Envoy Muhammad Al-Emadi with his 30 million dollar aid promised to continue Qatar’s monthly aid through the end of the year.

* National Security Council discussed closure of Temple Mount to worshipers The Islamic Waqf has thus far been opposed to any closure.

* The Effort to Dismantle the State of Israel Unlike other Western democracies, Israel has had to face the coronavirus crisis at a time when its social cohesion and governability have been weakened by a chain of processes and events over recent decades that were propelled by the values of progressive liberalism.

* Hamas, Hezbollah Leaders Form ‘Jihad Brotherhood’ Against Israel, U.S. The leaders of the Hezbollah and Hamas terror groups met recently to discuss how to build a united front against Israel and counter normalization between the Jewish state and the Arab world.

* DHS Combats Potential Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) Attack The disputes over the border have elevated tensions between the two enemy countries.

* Why is China looking beyond Africa for oil supplies? Africa has been one of China’s major sources of oil over the last two decades but its share of the market is expected to decline as China looks to other suppliers, analysts say.

* Iran: "American Soil is Now Within the Range of Iranian Bombs" Those who advocate pursuing a policy of appeasement toward the ruling mullahs as a means of changing the Iranian regime's behavior fail to understand that the more the international community will give the mullahs, the more Tehran will become belligerent and emboldened.

9/5/20

* Kosovo, Serbia to open embassies in Jerusalem First Muslim and European counties to do so * to date only the United States and Guatemala have embassies in the capital.

* Kushner: 100% possible, and logical, for all 22 Arab states to recognize Israel Concluding historic US-Israeli visit to Abu Dhabi, White House adviser says the ‘vocal minority’ against UAE’s normalization with Israel will become more isolated.

* Israel and UAE in historic direct flight following peace deal The first official flight from Israel to the United Arab Emirates has landed, a major step in normalising relations after the announcement of a peace deal.

* A Great Step Forward for World Peace - and Who Seems Determined to Ignore It This week, we witnessed a symbol of perhaps the greatest step forward in world peace for decades.

* NATO says Turkey, Greece agree to talks; Athens denies deal NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg says Greece and Turkey have agreed to start “technical talks” aimed at helping to reduce the risks of military incidents and accidents in the eastern Mediterranean.

* Why Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Love Affair with the Ottoman Empire Should Worry The World At the end of August, Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan celebrated the Islamic New Year with aplomb.

* Khamenei: ‘The #UAE betrayed the world of Islam, the Arab nations, the region’s countries, and #Palestine’ It should be widely understood by now that the “peace process” has all along been a delusion, and that the ultimate goal has been the destruction of Israel.

* Erdogan snubs UAE, backs Palestinian resistance He sees the US-sponsored deal between the UAE and Israel as aimed at a new regional order that sidelines Turkey.

* ‘The threat that is coming out of Turkey is similar to the threat that was coming out of Iran after the revolution’ David Lepeska here provides an excellent summary piece of Turkey’s movement away from secularism and back to Islam.

* Hamas chief Haniyeh heads to Beirut with cash from Erdogan: report US said outraged as Turkish funds to be distributed among top Hamas members to sponsor terrorist activities.

* Turkey says France's Macron 'hysterical' over Syria, Libya, East Mediterranean Turkey’s foreign minister said on Friday French President Emmanuel Macron had become “hysterical” over developments in the Libyan and Syrian conflicts and a dispute over maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean.

* Deutsche Bank Meltdown? $50T Debt Leads To Systemic Collapse! Be Ready! “Just as in a domino effect, it only takes one fallen piece to bring all the other ones down with it, and that piece might be Deutsche Bank.

9/4/20

* BREAKING NEWS Kosovo, Serbia to open embassies in Jerusalem To date only the United States and Guatemala have embassies in Jerusalem.

 * Hezbollah expected to attack before Jewish holidays The Army is making preparations along the northern border where tensions are described as high.

* After Saudi Arabia, Bahrain Becomes Next Arab Gulf Nation to Welcome Israeli Planes Bahrain on Thursday announced it will allow all Israeli flights to the United Arab Emirates to cross through its airspace, a day after Saudi Arabia made a similar declaration.

* UAE Official on Annexation Assurances The Foreign Minister Director of Policy Planning in the United Arab Emirates, Jamal al-Musharakh, has again explained what the UAE claims it has been assured by Israel and the U.S.

* Abbas urges Arabs not to normalize ties with Israel Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday called on the Arab countries to abide by the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative and refrain from normalizing their relations with Israel.

* Deutsche Bank Meltdown? $50T Debt Leads To Systemic Collapse! Be Ready! “Just as in a domino effect, it only takes one fallen piece to bring all the other ones down with it, and that piece might be Deutsche Bank."

* Making Europe Great Again The European Union is sending $3.25 billion in economic aid to Greece to help the country remain afloat amid the coronavirus pandemic, reported Ekathimerini.com, an English-language newspaper based in Athens. The aid was part of a recovery package of about $600 billion.

* Will Gas Discovery Change Turkey's Political Course? "Turkey's never-ending military challenge against world powers in seas and land" makes for hundreds of stories of Turkish heroism in the media, which is largely controlled by Erdoğan and his business cronies.

* Turkey says France's Macron 'hysterical' over Syria, Libya, East Mediterranean Turkey’s foreign minister said on Friday French President Emmanuel Macron had become “hysterical” over developments in the Libyan and Syrian conflicts and a dispute over maritime boundaries in the Eastern Mediterranean.

* The Sudanese government cannot afford to be confused on Israel The government's discombobulated stance on normalisation with Israel could be costly for Sudan.

* Rare remains of royal palace from the time of Kings Hezekiah-Josiah found in Jerusalem Who was privileged to live in the monumental structure possessing a breathtaking view of the City of David and the Temple, which was uncovered in an archeological excavation on the Armon Hanatziv (Commissioner’s Palace, also known as Governor’s House) Promenade?