Middle East / Levant

Surprisingly, the Iraqi Shia paramilitary group Kataeb Hezbollah issued a statement criticizing the attack because "bombing the embassy of evil at this time is considered a breach of the order."

Israel’s Defense Minister Benny Gantz said the U.S. military presence in the Middle East was an “important element in regional stability, which must be preserved.”

Couscous is a staple food throughout the Maghrebi cuisines of Algeria, Tunisia, Mauritania, Morocco, and Libya. It is also very popular in Israel, home to millions of North African Jews.

Pompeo cited the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) as the basis for the sanctions against Turkey.

"We are looking all over the world for assets in each part of the world, in every country . . . we have techniques on how to find them."

A commitment by Macron to visit Lebanon on December 22 as part of his effort to help rehabilitate its failing economy has been canceled.

Tehran is also in talks to sell several domestically produced weapons systems, Iranian Defense Minister Gen. Amir Hatami says.

In an interview with Sharq Al-Awsat, Gantz said he is willing to compromise on parts of Jerusalem and the Jordan Valley, he opposes sovereignty and is against legalizing new settlements, while echoing the peace sentiments of the good old Oslo years.

"Revenge will be taken on those who ordered it and the murderers."

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) established training centers for children starting from age 12, with the objective of deploying them on the battlefield.

One of the main purposes of the MOU is to examine opportunities for possible collaboration, including cross-listing of securities, mutual trading between members of the stock exchanges, investor access to both markets, the establishment of fintech and other market infrastructure technologies, and the sharing of data and other information for the development of new products.

Iranian media reported the 81-year-old Khamenei was likely on his deathbed less than two weeks ago.

“This designation seeks to deny Saraya al-Mukhtar the resources to commit acts of terrorism.”

“The gesture of dedicating a Torah scroll to an Arab ruler is unimaginable.”

“Who would have believed that peace would come to our home in such a glorious way? It is a Hanukkah miracle,” says Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovitch.

A team of international researchers, including Prof. Maoz Fine of Bar-Ilan University, says there may still be time to prevent an ecological disaster.

The office Arkia plans to open at the Dubai airport will have an Arab manager able to provide service in both Hebrew and Arabic.

"When Israelis and Arabs agree on so many things, it makes sense for the world to pay attention."

The date set by the Health Ministry for the start of the population-wide vaccination is one week from today, on December 20.

"The incident will be investigated, lessons will be learned from it and procedures will be updated."

Rabbi Yaakov Menken, managing director of the Coalition for Jewish Values, said “instead of a cold détente attained via surrender to unreasonable demands, these new agreements promote peace based upon common security needs and mutual medical, technological and financial benefits.”

The paper points to the fact that Prime Minister Netanyahu has excluded his Foreign and Defense Ministers from his meeting with the Saudi Crown Prince,.

Cairo is concerned that a Biden administration will be hostile, and will conclude a new nuclear deal with Iran that would undermine regional stability, say Egyptian officials.

The goal is to “encourage organizations, notably stemming from Israel’s civil society sector, to tell the ‘Israeli story’ to diverse global audiences utilizing social media.”

The new administration is committed to reviving the nuclear deal with Iran, which would view killing the sale of state-of-the-art military technology to its neighbor as a US gesture of goodwill.

The 50 Jews in Bahrain arrived from Iraq, Yemen and Iran. they have lived in Bahrain for more than 140 years.

Israel demands that aid to Lebanese citizens doesn't find it's way to Hezbollah terrorists.

The sheikh has committed to investing some NIS 300 million over the next 10 years in the team.

“A vision has been set by the leaders of these countries,” said United Arab Emirates Ambassador to the United States Yousef Al Otaiba.

The new Kotel brochures in Arabic were produced in honor of the Abraham Accords signed with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and countries which will hopefully follow in their footsteps.