12/31/20

 * Hezbollah's Year-End Message Not Hope, But Warning Even terrorists see the importance in sending out end-of-year messages.

* Hell on Earth: War Against Iran Would Make Iraq Look Like Child’s Play There is little prospect for success and little appetite for paying the costs necessary to succeed.

* B-52s fly over Persian Gulf as 'complex attacks' from Iran feared, US ready to thwart Two American B-52 bombers flew a nonstop, 30-plus-hour, round-trip mission from the United States to the Middle East to send a fresh warning to Iran as a senior military official said new warnings had been detected, a sign that potential "complex attacks" against Americans are brewing as the one-year anniversary of the U.S. killing Iran’s most powerful general looms.

* Could Any Middle Eastern Nation Beat Israel in a War? The technology that binds all of these other systems together is the Israeli soldier.

* Israel-Gulf ties to grow in 2021, experts predict The rapid change since the Abraham Accords began in August has led to one of the fastest growing global relationships between countries.

* Trump administration ‘working very hard’ to add countries to Abraham Accords in coming weeks The Trump administration is working hard to secure a new normalization agreement between another Arab or Muslim state and Israel within the next few weeks, The Jerusalem Post reported Wednesday.

* Turkey Takes Command of NATO Task Force as It Confirms Russia Arms Deal NATO’s Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) will be led by Turkey in 2021, the military bloc said on Wednesday.

* We Need a Global Alliance to Defend Democracies Under a Biden administration, many will be mindful of the Obama-era sell-out of America's Middle East allies while accommodating the hostile Iranian ayatollahs.

* BBC: ‘Seeing Jesus as a darker skinned Palestinian is both historically accurate and theologically important’ Presenting Jesus as a “Palestinian” has become a political weapon. This is why it is actually important that Jesus be presented as a “Palestinian,” particularly a “black Palestinian.”

* ‘Number of Jews and Palestinians will be equal at end of 2022’ Both will have an estimated population of 7.1 million each, according to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics president Ola Awad.

12/30/20

 * China Marches On It has long been clear that Chinese data has been systematically distorted by Chinese reporters themselves.

* How has Israel launched the world’s fastest Covid vaccination drive? Israel on track to have vaccinated 10% of citizens by weekend but Palestinians might wait months.

* China Using Covid to Overtake America's Economy China's economy is worse than it appears, and its vaccines, needed for a full recovery, are still in development, far behind America's.

* Over 400 Earthquakes in One Day: Bible Scholars Weigh in With the arrival of the pandemic, a US presidential election that resulted in pandemonium, Israel heading to the polls for the fourth time, and the bizarre threat of murder hornets, it is only fitting that as 2020 prepares to make its exit, the earth begins to shake.

* Researchers predict massive earthquake to hit Israel: ‘Could be next week’ “Unfortunately, I am able say that an earthquake that will cause hundreds of casualties will hit in the coming years,” said Prof. Shmuel Marco.

* 2020: The Year in European Islam This year the biggest story in Western Europe, as around the world, was the Chinese virus and lockdown.

* How might Brexit impact the Middle East? Changing trading regulations could mean more Middle Eastern products on the shelves of UK supermarkets, but Brexit may also lead to significant policy changes.

* Conditioning U.S. Aid to Israel Would Make Everyone Less Safe Placing more conditions on aid to Israel would undermine America’s credibility and put Israelis and Palestinians at risk.

* Israel opposes any and all versions of Iran Deal, says PMO - exclusive The US under President Donald Trump left the Iran deal in 2018, in favor of a “maximum pressure” sanctions regime against the ayatollahs’ regime.

* Gaza terror groups launch first joint drill, fire rockets into sea as ‘message’ Hamas closes down main streets of Gaza City for exercise conducted with Islamic Jihad and smaller Gaza factions, breathlessly covered by local media.

12/29/20

 * World Health Organization: 'Covid-19 isn't the big one -- it's a wake-up call' WHO experts stress that COVID will become endemic despite vaccines and that "these threats will continue."

* Who warns against worse pandemics to come, urges preparedness Who had just identified the first few cases of coronavirus in Wuhan, China around this time last year, marking a year since the viral spread took control.

* Saudi Arabia-Israel normalization deal estimated within one year Confronted with the assertions, the Foreign Ministry had no official comment.

* Palestinians: An International "Peace" Conference to Displace Israel While Abbas is talking to the international community about his desire to achieve a peaceful settlement alongside Israel, his Fatah faction is sending messages to the Palestinians that glorify the "armed struggle" against Israel and that promise a "revolution until victory" -- meaning replace Israel.

* Massive Earthquakes in Turkey, Chile: 'Earth Dancing to Bring Messiah' says Rabbi Two significant earthquakes shook disparate sections of the globe on Sunday, making some wonder if the end-of-days shake-up is warming up.

* Terror, Terror, Terror – remains Fatah’s motto for 2021 Abbas’ Fatah movement released a video this week of one of last year’s terror parades.

* Turkish-Russian ties not an alternative to NATO, EU - minister Turkey’s relations with Russia are not an alternative to its ties with NATO and the European Union, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told a joint news conference with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Russia on Tuesday.

* Chinese State Media: Without a ‘Cold War,’ China Will Overtake U.S. Soon China’s state-run Global Times gloated on Sunday that unless the United States starts a new “Cold War” with China, the Wuhan coronavirus has guaranteed America’s decline, and China will become the dominant world power within the next decade.

* Hamas-Linked CAIR Demands Biden Dismantle Counterterror Operations The Hamas-linked Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) worked hard to get His Fraudulency President-select Joe Biden into the White House, and now it’s time for payback.

* Tehran flexes Palestinian muscle with Gaza rocket exercise out to sea The Gaza-based radical Palestinian Jihad and Hamas on Tuesday, Dec. 29 staged a joint rocket exercise out to sea – carefully pointed away from the Israeli border.

12/28/20

 * Nasrallah claims Saudi-Israeli plot to kill him; says precision missiles doubled Hezbollah chief says his terror group can hit anywhere in Israel, and is still committed to avenging its fighter killed in Syria and Iran’s slain top general.

* The Powerful Implications of Israel's Successful Missile Defense Test The Israeli Missile Defense Organization and U.S. Missile Defense Agency announced earlier this month the successful completion of a series of tests of a multilayered missile defense system using the David's Sling, Iron Dome and Arrow systems.

* IDF downplays Syria threat, warns of attack from Yemen or Iraq IDF Brigadier General says that while Israel has focused on Iranian militants in Syria, an attack from Iraq or Yemen is far more likely.

* With Trump’s term nearing conclusion, Mideast tensions reach new highs Another factor that may directly affect the Tehran-Washington-Jerusalem relationship in the coming months is the 2021 presidential election in Iran.

* Another Israeli Lawmaker Enters Temple Mount, Calls to Build 3rd Temple A new Member of Knesset, a resident of the Golan, firmly established his political path with a powerful act of faith by praying on the Temple Mount.

* Israel to be hit by a destructive earthquake soon, study shows The researchers showed that a pattern can be highlighted as such devastating earthquakes seem to be hitting the region every 130 to 150 years.

* EU states unanimously back Brexit trade and security deal Backing of EU27 paves way for new arrangements between UK and EU to come into force on 1 January.

* Russia reinforces Syrian area where Turkey-backed fighters have clashed with Kurdish forces Russia said late on Sunday it had sent more military police to an area in northern Syria where fighters backed by Turkey have clashed with Kurdish forces near a strategic highway patrolled by Russian and Turkish troops.

* Pakistani militants shift focus to cities in targeting of Chinese Recent attacks on Chinese citizens in Karachi show that Pakistani militant groups opposing China's Belt and Road Initiative have changed their strategy -- focusing on the country's urban centers and targeting Chinese nationals and investments.

* Israel welcomes 20,000 new immigrants from 70 different countries in 2020 Despite the coronavirus pandemic affecting much of the world for the majority of the year, Israel still managed to welcome approximately 20,000 new immigrants in 2020 according to newly released Jewish Agency figures.

12/26/20

 * Netanyahu claims pandemic will likely be over in Israel ‘within a few weeks’ PM asserts that lockdown, combined with vaccination campaign, can make Israel the 1st country to overcome coronavirus crisis.

* 2020 hindsight – Israel’s year in review The only silver lining, if you can call it that, has been the plethora of humorous coronavirus-spurred memes from around the world.

* Why Israel's Netanyahu welcomes another election Israel is heading toward another election again, after having three elections in the past year and a half, making Israel as one of the world’s democracies that holds elections most often.

* Why Israel and Morocco Are Ushering in a New Era of Peace Morocco is the only Arab country whose constitution formally recognizes Judaism as an identity referent, alongside Muslim and Christian.

* IDF spokesperson: Iranian retaliation likely to come from Iraq, Yemen In an interview given to the Saudi news website Elaph, Brig.-Gen. Hidai Zilberman addressed Iran and the tactics deployed by the IDF in order to address the looming threat.

* Who was the Palestinian Jesus? The Palestinian Authority is desperate to create a Palestinian identity built on an ancient Palestinian history, even though none existed.

* Turkey: From Europe With Love If Turkey's Islamist strongman, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, spent more sleepless nights the first week of December than he had over his concerns for U.S. sanctions, it was because of the more imminent and potentially punishing European Union sanctions that would take shape at a summit on December 10-11.

* Erdogan says Turkey would like better ties with Israel, Palestinian policy still "red line" Turkey would like better ties with Israel but Israeli policy towards the Palestinians remains “unacceptable”, President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.

* Martel: World Prepares for Return of Obama-Era Chaos Under Biden President-elect Joe Biden has made clear in his staffing plans and public remarks that he intends to return America to many of the foreign policy positions championed by his former boss, President Barack Obama.

* Delingpole: German Economist Says ‘Great Reset Will Cause a Crash Worse than 1930s’ The Great Reset is real, it’s happening now and will lead to devastation worse — “much, much worse” — than the Weimar Republic, a German economist has warned.

12/24/20

 * UN condemned Israel 17 times in 2020, versus 6 times for rest of world combined Watchdog decries ‘surreal torrent of one-sided resolutions’ as General Assembly adopts 2 resolutions singling out Jewish state for censure this week.

* US says Iranian-backed militias 'almost certainly' behind recent rocket attack near US embassy in Baghdad US Central Command said Wednesday that the Sunday rocket attack on Baghdad's International Zone near the US embassy was "almost certainly conducted by an Iranian-backed rogue militia group."

* A Brexit Deal Has Finally Been Struck Between The U.K. And EU After a tumultuous four-and-a-half years of back and forth between the U.K. and EU, a Brexit deal has been struck just days before Britain’s official separation from the bloc at the end of the year, laying out a future trade relationship between both parties and swerving what could have been an abrupt severance and uncertain future.

* Jared Kushner: Trump administration was the 'most pro-Israel' "This showed us, already then, that things won't have to stay the way they were, in the status quo – that they could change."

* Coronavirus mutes Christmas celebrations in Bethlehem With its giant tree topped with a gleaming red star, Manger Square in Bethlehem is decked out for Christmas. But this season is not so jolly.

* Jihad at Christmas: "Coldly Kill Them with Hate and Rage" Christmas is an attractive time for jihadists for three unattractive reasons.

* US to label products from parts of Judea and Samaria as 'made in Israel' Following Trump administration declaration, US Customs cancels distinction between Israeli products made on different sides of Green Line.

* 4th Anniversary of Anti-Israel UN Security Council Resolution 2334 This December 23rd is the fourth anniversary of the infamous United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334, which declares that “the establishment of settlements by Israel in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law.”

* 'Peace on Earth': Netanyahu highlights normalization in Christmas message "Remarkably, here in the Middle East, we have been actively making progress in realizing the biblical prophecy of 'Peace on Earth', or at least this part of the earth."

* 5 Reasons No Country Wants to Fight Israel in a War The Merkava entered service after the great tank battles of the Middle East had ended (at least for Israel).

12/23/20

 * Netanyahu hints Israel won't shy away from military action against Iran "Our policy is clear and consistent: whoever tries to harm us will suffer a crushing blow."

* Israel hopes for rapprochement with fifth Muslim country before Trump exit - minister Israel is working towards formalising relations with a fifth Muslim country, possibly in Asia, during U.S. President Donald Trump’s term, an Israeli cabinet minister said on Wednesday.

* Joe Biden's Approach to the Middle East Could be a 180 from Trump Top of the list of items for review will be a leaden-footed China policy. Chinese trade reprisals for perceived Australian slights are doing real harm to Australia’s economic interests.

* Israel to hold snap election, with Netanyahu facing new challenges Israel will hold a snap election in March after parliament failed on Tuesday to meet a deadline to pass a budget, triggering a ballot presenting new challenges for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

* Hamas laments Israel-Morocco normalization as 'great disappointment' Gaza factions announce joint drills in bid to put pressure on Israel over coronavirus crisis.

* Leaked Hamas Christmas memo causes Christian dismay in Gaza A leaked Hamas memo showing Gaza’s ruling Islamist group wanted to curb Christmas celebrations among Gaza’s Muslim majority has upset the enclave’s tiny Christian community in the run-up to the holiday.

* UN: Mladenov turns down offer to lead UN mission in Libya The U.N. special envoy for the Middle East Peace Process has turned down an offer to lead the U.N. mission in conflict-stricken Libya.

* Is 'Strategic Autonomy' the Future of Europe? When it comes to our European allies, Donald Trump's policy the last four years was drastic, if somewhat peripheral to other goals: ending Europe's freeloading off U.S. defense.

* Review of the Year: Turkey takes the path of assertive independence Recep Tayyip Erdogan received applause from supporters when the Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul was turned back into a mosque.

* Israel's Peace Deals Show How Abnormal Israel's Treatment Has Been Israel now has a peace plane. The plane is an El Al Boeing 737 and is named for the Israeli city of Kiryat Gat. It has become renowned for being the first Israeli plane to fly to Morocco on December 22, as Israel normalized relations with Rabat, and also the first to go to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in late August.

12/22/20

 * US, Israeli submarines surface in Gulf to reinforce warning to Tehran In a coordinated warning to Iran, the USS Georgia cruise missile submarine crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, Dec. 21, joining the Israeli submarine reported to have reached the Gulf after crossing through the Suez Canal.

* IDF submarine crosses Suez Canal as direct message to Iran - report According to Arab intelligence that confirmed the reports, the submarine passed the Red Sea and was making its way towards the Persian Gulf.

* IDF reinforcing troops in Judea and Samaria IDF prepares for escalation in Judea and Samaria following deadly terror attack and car chase.

* Kushner joins Israelis on landmark visit to Morocco Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner is leading a delegation from Israel to Morocco.

* Israeli government on the verge of collapse after lawmakers fail to reach budget compromise Bitterly divided Israeli lawmakers were unable to agree on a key budget vote early Tuesday, marking the likely end of an eight-month-old coalition government and setting the country on a path to its fourth round of national elections in less than two years.

* Coronavirus relief bill gives $250,000,000 to ‘Palestinians’ It restricts the money from going to the “Palestinian” government or to jihad terror groups, but money is fungible.

* The Emiratis in Jerusalem are a slap in the face for Palestinians Emiratis are now allowed to visit Israel with ease, but we still have no freedom of movement in our own homeland.

* Mother-of-6 killed in apparent terror attack remembered for her ‘joy for life’ Family and friends bury Esther Horgen a day after her body was found in a West Bank forest when she didn’t return home from a run.

* Covid: Vatican says coronavirus vaccines 'morally acceptable' The use of Covid-19 vaccines developed using cell lines derived from aborted foetuses is "morally acceptable", the Catholic Church announced on Monday.

* Archeological First: Remains of Second Temple Ritual Bath Found at Gethsemane in Jerusalem One of the first archaeological finds of its kind of Second Temple-period activity at Gethsemane, a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, was unearthed near the modern church during archaeological excavations conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) in collaboration with scholars from the Studium Biblicum Franciscanum.

12/21/20

 * If Iran or its proxies attack Israel, they will pay heavy price - Kochavi “I am putting things in a simple way and describing the situation to our enemies as it is - our retaliation plans are prepared, and they were all practiced in advance.”

* Top US soldier sounds out Israel, Saudis & Emiratis on countering Iranian aggression During Chairman of the US joint chiefs Gen. Mark Millay’s two-day visit to Israel, he talked twice with PM Binyamin Netanyahu, met Defense Minister Benny Gantz and IDF chief Lt. Gen. Aviv Kohavi to discuss “changes in the operational situation in the Middle East” and held interviews with other top Israeli military and security brass.

* New elections near as Likud, Blue and White say talks have broken down Netanyahu’s party accuses Gantz of reneging on agreement, while defense minister — in isolation over exposure to virus — says he expects PM to refuse his ‘final offer’.

* 'Trump is crazy': Hezbollah sees threat in US president's final days Leaders fear Donald Trump and Israel will act against Iran and Hezbollah before Joe Biden’s arrival.

* Archaeologists recreate tiles of temple where Jesus walked When Jesus strode through the ancient Jewish temple in Jerusalem, his feet met hewn-stone, earth-tone tiles that were geometric in design and cool, dappled and scuffed to the touch.

* With Netanyahu's Approval Levite Announces on Temple Mount: "We're Getting Closer to (3rd) Temple" Israel’s coalition chair and lawmaker (Likud) Amit Halevi lit Chanukah candles on Tuesday outside of the Temple Mount.

* Trump's flurry of dodgy deals will not bring the Middle East any peace Peace deals that entrench injustice, punish the weak and are propelled by greed, blackmail and weapons sales have precious little to do with peace – and are unlikely to endure.

* Netanyahu honors Jared Kushner for Abraham Accords Watch: Israeli PM hosts special event in Jerusalem honoring President Trump's advisor, Jared Kushner, for his role in peace deals.

* World Economic Forum: Digital Davos 2021 to Reveal ‘Great Reset Initiative’ The World Economic Forum (WEF) has revealed its Davos 2021 Agenda, confirming the annual gathering of political and business elites next month will be a digital event heralding the public unveiling of its Great Reset Initiative.

* Dream of alliance from Lisbon to Vladivostok dies: German efforts to create a Europe without Russia forged a Europe against Russia German-Russian friendship is over with ‘Ostpolitik’ dead and buried. Future relations will largely be based on confrontation, as Moscow no longer cares what Berlin thinks and Germany has lost its unique leverage with Russia.

12/19/20

 * Iran Threatens 'Fiery Response' after U.S. Nuclear Bomber Flight Iran's air force is ready to deliver a "crushing and fiery response" to any violations of the country's air space after, a senior commander has said days after U.S. nuclear-capable B-52 bombers skirted the nation's territory to deter any aggression from Tehran.

* Iran’s Rouhani Has No Doubt Joe Biden Will ‘Bow’ to Tehran, Lift Sanctions Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Thursday he has “no doubt” a Joe Biden administration will rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by Barack Obama and remove sanctions on Iran’s economy while embracing appeasement across the Middle East.

* The teachings and practices of Islam that Biden doesn’t want you to know about During the recent presidential election campaign, Democratic nominee Joe Biden expressed his desire that Islam be taught in American schools so that students would learn about this “religion of peace.”

* PA: All Israel is “our land Palestine”; All Israelis are settlers; Israel's demise is certain In two recent broadcasts, the PA reiterated its internal narrative that it tries to hide from the international community: All of Israel is Palestinian land - including Safed, Haifa, Acre, and Jaffa.

* Could a pre-Christmas celestial union mark the return of the Star of Bethlehem? Timing of upcoming planetary conjunction prompts speculation of ties to biblical tale; but it’s likely the story was intended to convey theological rather than astronomical truths.

* On 33rd anniversary, Hamas vows to free Palestine ‘from sea to river’ Hamas also vowed to confront normalization agreements between the Arab countries and Israel, dubbing them a “national sin that only serve the Zionist enterprise in the region.”

* Netanyahu to Visit Egypt on Official Trip: A Cold Peace Warming Up? While in one direction – toward the Gulf – Israeli and Emirati and Bahrain businessmen are making deals, expanding trade, encouraging investments in each other’s countries, promoting tourism in both directions, now that the two Arab states have agreed to normalize ties with Israel – in the other direction, toward Egypt, with which Israel has had a “cold peace” since 1979, a major warming may at last be taking place.

* Tlaib: Georgia runoff is gift from ‘Allah’ to show Muslim power Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) told voters Sunday that Georgia’s Senate runoff elections are an opportunity given by Allah to demonstrate the power of Muslims.

* Don’t Go to Church, Don’t Buy Christmas Presents: German Government’s Festive Covid Lockdown Germany will enter a harsh coronavirus lockdown this week, with Angela Merkel’s government warning residents to not go out for Christmas shopping, Christians to not attend church services, and pupils to stay away from school.

* EU member states agree to set up first European Defence Fund The European Union has announced its 27 nations will set up the first ever fund to support the bloc’s defense research and development programs and enhance efficiency and innovation in the military sphere.

12/18/20

 * BIDEN: God Isn't For Me Or Anyone Else [WATCH] Former Vice President Joe Biden, held a parking lot rally for Democrats Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock in Atlanta on Tuesday afternoon.

* US Election 2020: Most American Jews Don’t Care About Israel President Trump is exceptionally unpopular among secular American Jews, despite his groundbreaking approach to Middle East peace and active efforts on Israel’s behalf.

* Biden and Iran: Back to the old nuclear deal or negotiate a new one? With Joe Biden on board, all parties to the nuclear deal want to bring it back to life. Iran wants to stick with the old agreement but the west may ask for more.

* After peace abroad, Israel needs peace at home - opinion Does our government invest even a fraction of what it invests in peace with Arab states in the reconciliation that is needed between Israelis and the different sectors that make up this country?

* Could a pre-Christmas celestial union mark the return of the Star of Bethlehem? Timing of upcoming planetary conjunction prompts speculation of ties to biblical tale; but it’s likely the story was intended to convey theological rather than astronomical truths.

* China & Russia listed as main rivals in new US maritime strategy aimed at shaping ‘balance of power for the rest of the century’ The US Navy will adopt a more ‘assertive’ approach to China and Russia, according to the country’s new maritime strategy, which says that actions taken in the next decade will determine power dynamics for the rest of the century.

* Egypt, Jordan work to thaw Israeli-Palestinian negotiations Officials from Egypt, Jordan and Palestine are meeting in intense efforts to end the stalemate over the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.

* Hungary: "Europe's Borders Must be Protected" "Hungary will only be a Hungarian country as long as its borders remain intact. Therefore, not only our thousand-year-old statehood but also the future of our children obliges us to protect our borders." — Judit Varga, Hungarian Justice Minister, December 17, 2020.

* China’s economic impact in the Arab world has soared since the Arab Spring but jobs haven’t On this day, 10 years ago, a fruit and vegetable vendor in Tunisia stood in front of a municipal building shortly after local authorities confiscated his license to operate, doused himself in gasoline, and lit himself on fire.

* Morocco and Israel: Why Now? Morocco and Israel have had cooperative relations for years. Israelis of Moroccan descent have traveled back to see where their families lived, and the small Jewish communities of Rabat and Casablanca were generally respected and left alone.

12/17/20

 * Iran’s Rouhani Has No Doubt Joe Biden Will ‘Bow’ to Tehran, Lift Sanctions Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Thursday he has “no doubt” a Joe Biden administration will rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated by Barack Obama and remove sanctions on Iran’s economy while embracing appeasement across the Middle East.

* Iran races to update its arsenal as arms embargo lifted Iran has also expressed interest in several Chinese defense systems, including the J-10 and J-20 fighter jet.

* Biden In No Hurry to Rejoin the Iran Deal? Although it seems too good to be true, Israel Hayom reports that some of President-elect Biden’s advisers do not want him to simply lift sanctions and reenter the JCPOA, the flawed nuclear deal, with Iran.

* Gantz: There is room in Jerusalem for a Palestinian capital He expressed his hope that peace in the Middle East could begin to be achieved by attempting to settle the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

* Sovereignty Movement: 'Instead of partitioning J'lem, sovereignty over greater J'lem' Sovereignty Movement responds to Gantz's remarks about possibility of partition. "There is still much work ahead to clarify the obvious."

* PA: All Israel is “our land Palestine”; All Israelis are settlers; Israel's demise is certain In two recent broadcasts, the PA reiterated its internal narrative that it tries to hide from the international community: All of Israel is Palestinian land - including Safed, Haifa, Acre, and Jaffa.

* Iran's Plan to Topple Arab Leaders Hamas's call on Moroccans to revolt against their leaders contradicts its own declared policy that it does not intervene in the internal affairs of the Arab countries.

* Let my people vote (earlier): Israel set for chaotic eve-of-Passover election A fitting end to the dysfunctional 35th Government? Likud and Blue and White can’t agree on a bill that would ensure ballot-counting doesn’t run into March 29 holiday.

* Tunisian lawmakers submit bill to criminalize normalization of ties with Israel Tunisian PM says 'respects' Morocco's choice but for Tunisia normalization is 'not on the agenda'.

* After COVID, EU will be 'stronger,' says Spanish health minister Spain's Health Minister Salvador Illa explains how the EU is fighting the coronavirus second wave together. And why he is "worried" about the pandemic during Christmas holidays.

12/16/20

 * Gulf normalization isn’t about fearing Iran, it’s about embracing Israel An off-the-record conversation between Emirati and Israeli officials reveals a deeper impulse for forging ties than the immediate benefits each country has won for itself.

* US Special Advisor to Middle East, Brian Hook: No more peace deals if Biden appeases Iran Hook says Trump only succeeded in brokering deals due to "restoring the military option as a deterrent."

* Netanyahu to Visit Egypt on Official Trip: A Cold Peace Warming Up? While in one direction – toward the Gulf – Israeli and Emirati and Bahrain businessmen are making deals, expanding trade, encouraging investments in each other’s countries, promoting tourism in both directions, now that the two Arab states have agreed to normalize ties with Israel – in the other direction, toward Egypt, with which Israel has had a “cold peace” since 1979, a major warming may at last be taking place.

* Ishmael Reunites with Isaac as Gulf Muslims Light Menorah with Chief Rabbi in Jerusalem On Monday, an improbable sight appeared as delegations from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, wearing traditional Arab garb, took part in the public lighting of the Hanukkah menorah at the Kotel (Western Wall) in Jerusalem.

* Israel’s historic missile test: A message to Iran, Hezbollah, allies Today’s warfare is not about hunting down terrorists in buildings or using tanks, it is also about confronting hi-tech missiles and drones.

* A pandemic atlas: A virus widens Israel's religious rifts When Israel went into its second nationwide coronavirus lockdown in September, most of the country quickly complied with the closure.

* World Economic Forum Wants Government, Central Banks, Big Business to Help ‘Vaccinate the World’ The World Economic Forum (WEF) believes a management triumvirate comprising big business, central banks and government can play a “pivitol role” in the global take-up of coronavirus vaccinations.

* Turkish media vows to take over Tel Aviv, calls opposition ‘terrorists’ Vows to destroy Israel, “liberate Al-Aqsa,” and spread anti-Zionist and antisemitic comments have become normal in Turkey.

* Tlaib: Georgia runoff is gift from ‘Allah’ to show Muslim power “I also hope you realize just the opportunity here that Allah has given us to show the power of Muslims in Georgia,” said Rep. Rashida Tlaib.

* East Africa fears second wave - of locust swarms New swarms of desert locusts are threatening the livelihoods of millions of people in the Horn of Africa and Yemen despite a year of control efforts, the United Nations has warned.

12/15/20

 * Netanyahu: “Without Hanukkah, There Wouldn't be Judaism...Or Christianity" In a pre-Hanukkah interview, Netanyahu noted that without the revolt celebrated in Hanukkah, neither Judaism nor an independent Jewish state would exist today.

* Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as our capital - a wakeup call Trump aroused in many Jewish souls the spirit of Hanukkah, an uphill military effort that ended with rededicating the Bet Mikdash.

* Israel signals openness to future joint missile defence with Gulf partners Israel could be open to future cooperation on missile defence with Gulf Arab states that share its concerns about Iran, a senior Israeli official said on Tuesday.

* Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan—Iran’s Next President? Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan, a commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, has announced his candidacy for the Iranian presidential elections in June 2021.

* PA: Hanukkiah at Cave of Patriarchs constitutes a 'war crime' A PA official has called on Palestinians to travel to the site to protect its Islamic identity.

* On 33rd anniversary, Hamas vows to free Palestine ‘from sea to river’ Hamas also vowed to confront normalization agreements between the Arab countries and Israel, dubbing them a “national sin that only serve the Zionist enterprise in the region.”

* U.S. sanctions NATO ally Turkey over Russian S-400 defense system The action is certain to further worsen tensions with Ankara, which is already at odds with the U.S. on a number of issues and is being courted by Russia.

* Hamas-linked CAIR holding Georgia Senate Runoff Vote-a-Thon featuring Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, Linda Sarsour Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, both members of the House of Representatives, know that they will pay no political price for appearing at an event hosted by the Hamas-linked Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR).

* EU member states agree to set up first European Defence Fund The European Union has announced its 27 nations will set up the first ever fund to support the bloc’s defense research and development programs and enhance efficiency and innovation in the military sphere.

* Israel stages major air defense drill, proving it can shoot down cruise missiles Declaring a world first, Defense Ministry pits all three tiers of its system against various threats, demonstrating a ‘capability that currently only Israel has’.

12/14/20

 * Iran Threatens 'Fiery Response' after U.S. Nuclear Bomber Flight Iran's air force is ready to deliver a "crushing and fiery response" to any violations of the country's air space after, a senior commander has said days after U.S. nuclear-capable B-52 bombers skirted the nation's territory to deter any aggression from Tehran.

* Iran’s President Rouhani: Missile Program Non-Negotiable and Joe Biden Knows It Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said Monday the Islamic Republic’s ballistic missile program was non-negotiable and Joe Biden is “well aware of it.”

* The Israel-Iran shadow war locks in on southeastern Syria In the last weeks of the Trump administration, Israel is fast-tracking the military drive to push Iran and its helpers back from their advance on southern Syria and the Golan border.

* Israel Had a Chance to Stop the Islamic Republic of Iran History,” the writer Philip Roth observed, “is where everything unexpected in its own time is chronicled on the page as inevitable.”

* Abbas’ advisor: A “war crime” for Jews to place a Hanukkah candelabra at Jewish/Muslim religious site Abbas’ advisor about the Cave of the Patriarchs: “The Ibrahimi Mosque is a pure Islamic heritage”.

* U.S. Moves Forward With Jerusalem Embassy Construction Amid Questions About Biden’s Israel Policy Trump scores lasting victory but other pro-Israel policies in doubt.

* Biden's Defense pick is no civilian. But maybe he could help us leave the Middle East President-elect Joe Biden upended expectations that Obama administration veteran Michèle Flournoy would be secretary of Defense when he announced he was nominating retired Army Gen. Lloyd Austin.

* The teachings and practices of Islam that Biden doesn’t want you to know about During the recent presidential election campaign, Democratic nominee Joe Biden expressed his desire that Islam be taught in American schools so that students would learn about this “religion of peace.”

* Don’t Go to Church, Don’t Buy Christmas Presents: German Government’s Festive Covid Lockdown Germany will enter a harsh coronavirus lockdown this week, with Angela Merkel’s government warning residents to not go out for Christmas shopping, Christians to not attend church services, and pupils to stay away from school.

* What is the future of Israel-US relations under a Biden administration? What is the future of Israel-US relations in the aftermath of the 2020 US Presidential Elections?

12/12/20

 * ‘This will be a very warm peace’: Netanyahu hails Israel’s new ties with Morocco At Western Wall Hannukah ceremony, PM notes historic friendship between Moroccans and Jews, says working toward establishing full diplomatic relations ‘as rapidly as possible’.

* Netanyahu to make first official visit to Egypt in more than a decade Cairo is concerned that a Biden administration will be hostile and undergo a new nuclear deal with Iran that would undermine regional stability, say Egyptian officials.

* Date for new elections: March 16th, 2021 Push to dissolve Knesset gains momentum, with Knesset committee green-lighting the bill, clearing way for first of three votes.

* Netanyahu thanks Trump on three-year anniversary of US recognition of Jerusalem The American proclamation on the Israeli capital will be displayed in Israel’s Cabinet room alongside President Harry S. Truman’s 1948 proclamation recognizing the newly established State of Israel.

* Abdullah: No to undermining Jordan's control of Jerusalem holy sites In recent years, Jordan has repeatedly called on Israel to “stop its violations and provocations and respect the legal and historical status quo” at the al-Aqsa mosque compound.

* Will China lead a Middle East alliance as US-Iran tensions escalate? On November 28, top Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated near Tehran.

* Iran Claims a Stake in ‘Reconstruction’ of ‘Strategic Ally’ Syria Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad on Tuesday that Tehran will support its “strategic ally” in Damascus until “final victory” is achieved in the long-running Syrian civil war.

* While harping on the nuclear issue, Iran builds more precise missiles – and uses them Tehran is ratcheting up its nuclear upgrades to generate a crisis for pressuring the new Biden administration into a hasty deal “without revisions.”

* Palestinians getting cozier with Turkey as Erdogan unveils his Islamic hegemonic map Support for Turkey and its President Erdogan among the Palestinians who live in the Palestinian areas is becoming increasingly common.

* Russian envoy: Israel-Arab issues - not Iran - main problem in Middle East The ambassador claimed there's no proof Hezbollah created tunnels to attack Israel.

12/11/20

 * ‘This will be a very warm peace’: Netanyahu hails Israel’s new ties with Morocco At Western Wall Hanukkah ceremony, PM notes historic friendship between Moroccans and Jews, says working toward establishing full diplomatic relations ‘as rapidly as possible’.

* Israel joins UAE, Morocco and Bahrain in Int'l Security Alliance The move is "an important step in promoting peace security in our region."

* Iranian official: Moroccan normalization with Israel ‘betrayal’ of Palestinians Islamic Republic becomes one of few countries in region to oppose Trump-brokered deal; Oman rumored to be next to establish ties with Israel, praises agreement.

* Morocco agrees to normalize ties with Israel It’s part of a deal in which the United States will recognize the disputed territory of Western Sahara as part of Morocco, becoming the only Western country to do so.

* Middle East Peace Moves Set Off A Frantic Arms Race A peace deal doesn't normally trigger an explosion in weapons sales for defense stocks, but this is 2020.

* Fears Iran-backed militias in Iraq readying attack to avenge nuke chief – report Armed groups said making unspecified ‘preparations’ as tensions in region rise following killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, and ahead of anniversary of Soleimani killing.

* Iran's Supreme Leader: Who might succeed Ali Khamenei? Recent rumors about the health of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, have thrown the spotlight on what will happen if he becomes too ill to rule, or dies.

* Factbox-Rifts that divide NATO allies Turkey and United States The United States is poised to impose sanctions on Turkey over its acquisition of Russian S-400 air defence systems, a step likely to worsen relations between the two NATO allies that are already strained by a range of disputes.

* Abbas’ Fatah threatens Arabs selling land to Jews in Jerusalem According to Palestinian Authority law, it is a criminal offence for Palestinians to sell land to Jews.

* The Tragic Story of the Babylonian Captivity Throughout history, the Jewish people have been subjected to prejudice, systemic oppression, ostracization, exile, slavery, and mass murder.

12/10/12

 * Morocco, Israel normalize ties as US recognizes Western Sahara The Trump administration viewed finalizing establishment of ties between the two countries as a prime goal in the past few weeks.

* Kushner: Inevitable that Saudi Arabia will recognize Israel Aide to US President says only a matter of time before Saudi Arabia normalizes ties with Israel after Morocco joins UAE, Bahrain, and Sudan.

* The Renewed Western Sahara Conflict and the Abraham Accords The timing of the unanticipated provocation by the Polisario Front against Morocco could be related to the ongoing diplomatic initiative sponsored by the US for the establishment of full diplomatic relations between Morocco and Israel.

* Netanyahu to make first official visit to Egypt in more than a decade Cairo is concerned that a Biden administration will be hostile and undergo a new nuclear deal with Iran that would undermine regional stability, say Egyptian officials.

* Rise in Israeli strikes in Syria has led to decrease of Iranian activity Over 500 strikes on all fronts, but "we still have a long way to go to complete our goals," says IDF Chief of Staff Aviv Kochavi.

* Abdullah: No to undermining Jordan's control of Jerusalem holy sites In recent years, Jordan has repeatedly called on Israel to “stop its violations and provocations and respect the legal and historical status quo” at the al-Aqsa mosque compound.

* Palestinians getting cozier with Turkey as Erdogan unveils his Islamic hegemonic map Support for Turkey and its President Erdogan among the Palestinians who live in the Palestinian areas is becoming increasingly common.

* U.S. flew two bombers from Louisiana over the Persian Gulf to deter Iran, says military The bomber mission, which did not drop bombs, comes as the U.S. assesses there is a heightened chance of Iranian miscalculations, said a U.S. official.

* EU summit: Turkish sanctions on agenda as Erdogan shrugs threats European leaders are meeting in Brussels to discuss possible action against Ankara over the eastern Mediterranean crisis, coronavirus, Brexit and budget.

* Chinese Military Bases in The Caribbean? China also seems to have a military agenda in the Caribbean region... Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe already is on record expressing China's willingness to deepen military cooperation with Caribbean countries.

12/9/20

 * Iran Claims a Stake in ‘Reconstruction’ of ‘Strategic Ally’ Syria Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told visiting Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad on Tuesday that Tehran will support its “strategic ally” in Damascus until “final victory” is achieved in the long-running Syrian civil war.

* Israel summons Russian envoy after labeling the Jewish state as Mideast 'problem' Jerusalem expects dialogue with Moscow to 'relate to reality,' Israel's Foreign Ministry says. The Russian Ambassador to Israel was summoned Wednesday for a meeting by Israel’s Foreign Ministry following scathing comments he made against the Jewish state.

* If Iran's nuclear program is peaceful, why hide it? - analysis The obvious question is if Iran’s nuclear program is merely peaceful then why does the country go to such lengths to hide it.

* The Abraham Accords: The Strategic Aspect While the recent peace agreements between Israel and the Gulf principalities are a political achievement of historic significance for Israel’s regional status, the construction of an anti-Iranian front will oblige Israel to take military action on behalf of its new allies even in situations where there is no existential threat to the Jewish State.

* China’s new digital currency spells the end for the US dollar’s global dominance and will change the world as we know it The digital yuan cryptocurrency developed by China has the potential to be a game changer when it is rolled out fully. By ending the world’s reliance on the dollar, it will alter the geopolitical landscape forever.

* UAE Signs Deal to Import 7 Species from Israel Only a few short months after the Abraham Accords were signed in Washington, the United Arab Emirates are signing business deals worth billions of dollars with Israel.

* Turkey's Erdogan to discuss U.S. strains when Biden takes office President Tayyip Erdogan said he would discuss strained U.S. relations with President-elect Joe Biden when he takes office, playing down the possibility of sanctions over Turkey’s purchase of Russian missile defence systems.

* Date for new elections: March 16th, 2021 Push to dissolve Knesset gains momentum, with Knesset committee green-lighting the bill, clearing way for first of three votes.

* Planets Will Align Causing Rare 'Christmas Star' to Appear in the Sky This December On December 21, Saturn and Jupiter will align into a beautiful bright star. This will be the first time they align like this since the Middle Ages.

* The Pope Blesses Business Plans It may seem an unusual pairing: big businesses and Pope Francis, a pontiff who has repeatedly criticized capitalism in scathing terms. But they announced a new partnership today, the latest sign of the growing influence of environmental, social and governance, or E.S.G., practices in business.

12/8/20

 * Iran president vows to help Syria confront Israel ‘until Golan liberated’ Rouhani says Tehran, Damascus share goal of battling ‘Zionist occupiers’; top official calls for international action against ‘bloodsucking, anti-human’ Zionist regime.

* Iran: Foes of regime hoped Trump’s pressure could bring down Islamic Republic, ‘now our hope is gone’ The establishment media is hailing His Fraudulency Joe Biden’s plan to reinstate the disastrous Iran nuclear deal as the dawning of a new era of peace. Reality is exactly the opposite.

* Russian envoy: Israel - not Iran - is the problem in the Middle East The ambassador claimed there's no proof Hezbollah created tunnels to attack Israel.

* Terrorism: A Warning from Iran to Europe Now they [the Europeans] find themselves locked into what they know is a phoney and highly dangerous nuclear agreement that simply consigns confrontation with a nuclear-armed Iran to future generations.

* Iran nuclear centrifuge plan 'deeply worrying' for Germany, France, UK The countries, known as the E3, expressed concern over Iran's plan to install advanced centrifuges at its main enrichment plant. They said the move runs contrary to the 2015 nuclear agreement.

* While harping on the nuclear issue, Iran builds more precise missiles – and uses them Tehran is ratcheting up its nuclear upgrades to generate a crisis for pressuring the new Biden administration into a hasty deal “without revisions.”

* Will the EU Develop a Serious Strategy to Combat Antisemitism? For about 20 years, the EU has been largely inactive, incompetent, negligent, and at times even evil in the battle against antisemitism.

* Europe Reset? The last week or so has seen a flurry of activity from the European Union proposing a reset in transatlantic relations.

* 153 UN states call on Israel to 'renounce possession of nuclear weapons’ The Jewish state was asked “not to develop, produce, test or otherwise acquire nuclear weapons.”

* US troop pullouts in Mideast raise fears of Iranian attacks The presence of the USS Nimitz may cause Iran or the militias to rethink a possible attack, said a senior U.S. military official.

12/7/20

 * Will China lead a Middle East alliance as US-Iran tensions escalate? In addition to growing investments in the region, China has proposed to organise a Middle East forum to resolve long-standing problems.

* The only Trump foreign policy Biden wants to keep Joe Biden disagrees with most of President Trump's foreign policy initiatives, but several of his advisers tell Axios that there is one he plans to keep: the Abraham Accords.

* Iran says US 'got the message' on tense exchanges in Gulf Iran says it is glad the United States “got the message” and modified its behavior in the Persian Gulf.

* Israeli, Jordanian foreign ministers meet, with plenty of issues on their agenda Israel's normalization agreements with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain and Israel’s apparent rapprochement with Saudi Arabia worry Jordan, especially when it comes to its special custodian status in Jerusalem.

* Netanyahu thanks Trump on three-year anniversary of US recognition of Jerusalem The American proclamation on the Israeli capital will be displayed in Israel’s Cabinet room alongside President Truman’s 1948 proclamation recognizing the newly established State of Israel, says the Israeli premier.

* Is Tehran Building a Devil's Kitchen? We may be proved wrong, but our guess is that Tehran will do nothing to raise the degree of tension even by one notch...

* Jordanian FM: Only two-state solution will bring peace Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi says Israel's "illegal actions" undermine any prospects for a two-state solution to the conflict.

* EU to consider making good on sanctions threat against Turkey EU foreign ministers will evaluate grounds for sanctions against Turkey over a Mediterranean gas dispute on Monday before the bloc’s leaders decide whether to make good on their threat to impose punitive measures.

* Alongside Sisi, Macron says France will sell arms to Egypt irrespective of rights French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday he would not condition the sale of weapons to Egypt on human rights because he did not want to weaken Cairo’s ability to counter terrorism in the region, a comment likely to draw the ire of critics.

* Pope plans pilgrimage visit to Iraq area of Abraham’s birthplace Vatican says that if pandemic permits, Francis will travel in March to the ‘plains of Ur,’ where biblical patriarch is said to have been born.

12/5/20

 * Trump May Attack Iran Before Biden Becomes President Iran is going full bore to develop its own nuclear arsenal, along with the missiles to deliver those weapons anywhere in the world, including the U.S. This episode of What’s Ahead examines why the U.S. may bomb those Iranian facilities.

* Trump has given up on Iran policy in his last weeks in office and told Pompeo he can do anything he wants, as long as it doesn't 'start World War III,' report says President Donald Trump has tired of overseeing US actions on Iran, telling foreign-policy chiefs they can do anything they want as long as they don't "start World War III," The Daily Beast reported, citing administration officials.

* Was scientist’s killing the opening shot of a Trump-led war on Iran? The assassination of the country’s top nuclear expert raises fears that the outgoing US president is determined to take further action.

* Iran vows revenge for assassination of top nuclear scientist Father of Iran's nuclear program laid to rest, as Iran's defense minister vows to accelerate nuclear enrichment efforts.

* Iranian newspaper urges striking Haifa in retaliation for Fakhrizadeh killing Columnist says Israeli coastal city should suffer assault that destroys facilities and ‘also causes heavy human casualties’.

* Chinese State Media: ‘An Asian Era Is Coming’ Post-Trump “The prelude of an Asian Era has begun,” China’s state-run Global Times declared on Monday, citing data indicating that Asia will “contribute roughly 60 percent of global growth” by 2030.

* NATO must consider Chinese military power, says Germany Foreign Minister Heiko Maas China's emergence as a global military actor must be part of NATO's discussions on how to reform the alliance, says German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas. And, amid shifting power, NATO will need a more "sovereign Europe."

* Jordan's King Abdullah and Palestinian leader Abbas meet, hope Biden revives peace process Jordan’s King Abdullah on Sunday met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and both leaders set high hopes that U.S. President-elect Joe Biden will revive peace talks over a two-state solution to the decades-old Arab-Israeli conflict, officials said.

* Arabs Warn Biden: Do Not Embolden Hezbollah The Iran-backed Hezbollah terror organization in Lebanon will be the first to celebrate if and when a Biden administration returns to the 2015 nuclear deal between the world superpowers and Iran.

* UK Minister: You Might Be Banned from Venues Without Vaccine Passport The UK’s new vaccine minister Nadim Zahawi has said that while coronavirus vaccinations will not be mandatory, Britons may be barred from going to the cinema or getting on an aeroplane without it if service providers demand proof of inoculation.

* Israel elections loom as lawmakers back bill to dissolve parliament Israel looks to be heading for its fourth election in less than two years after parliament backed a preliminary vote to dissolve itself.

* Jordan fears losing control over Muslim sites in Jerusalem The issue dates back to 1924, when the Supreme Muslim Council accepted Hussein bin Ali (Sharif of Mecca) as custodian of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

12/4/20

 * Jordan fears losing control over Muslim sites in Jerusalem The issue dates back to 1924, when the Supreme Muslim Council accepted Hussein bin Ali (Sharif of Mecca) as custodian of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

* In first meeting of FMs in years, Jordan urges Israel to resume peace talks Ayman Safadi tells Gabi Ashkenazi of need to maintain Temple Mount status quo; Gantz calls on Palestinians to negotiate: ‘Don’t remain behind’.

* The Time Is Now for Saudi Arabia To Normalize Relations With Israel Here's a news flash for Saudi Arabia: Presumptive President-elect Joe Biden is looking to fundamentally restructure the U.S.-Saudi relationship.

* Arabs: Why Is the EU Mourning This Iranian Scientist? "There is no gloating about death, but the Iranian scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.... was not the scientist who discovered the anti-coronavirus vaccine, but the scientist called the father of the Iranian nuclear bomb..." — Tareq Al-Hameed, Saudi author, Okaz, November 30, 2020.

* Iran's Rouhani Vows Revenge for Scientist Assassination As Israel Braces for Possible Terror Attacks Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has again vowed revenge for the assassination of top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh last week, an operation for which Tehran blames Israel.

* Opinion – Is the Next Middle East War on the Horizon? The latest in the saga of Iran’s decades long nuclear program is the question of who assassinated high-ranking Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh on November 27.

* Iran's Missiles Are Getting a Lot More Accurate The September 2019 attack on Saudi Arabia's Abqaiq and Khurais oil facilities, as well as the assault on Ayn al-Asad, illustrate how Iran retains potent capabilities even if its conventional military technology remains woefully outdated.

* Israel has 'no confidence' Iran deal is working, ambassador tells DW US President-elect Joe Biden has expressed interest in returning to the Iran nuclear deal. Israeli Ambassador Jeremy Issacharoff told DW that preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon is the "bottom line."

* Erdogan hopes France ‘gets rid of Macron trouble’ Turkish president hits out at his French counterpart, renewing a war of words between the two leaders.

* Is Africa overtaking the Middle East as the new jihadist battleground? About 300 British troops have arrived in the troubled West African state of Mali at a time when the epicentre of the Islamic State group (IS) appears to have moved from the Middle East to Africa.