Monthly Archives: February 2014

Iraqi forces kill Islamist militants in Anbar

By | 2014-02-03T17:32:03-04:00 February 3rd, 2014|News|

Iraqi troops and allied tribesmen killed 57 Islamist militants in Anbar province on Monday, the Defense Ministry said.   There was no independent verification of the toll among the militants who belong to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), a jihadist group also fighting in Syria.   The Defense Ministry statement said most

PA Reps Slam ‘Israeli’ Kerry Plan, Threaten Intifada

By | 2014-02-03T17:15:36-04:00 February 3rd, 2014|News|

The Palestinian Authority (PA) never rejected the option of violence against Israel, and will consider a return to terrorism if the current round of negotiations fails, senior Fatah member Jibril Rajoub has told Iranian media.   According to Maariv/nrg Rajoub, who is in Iran as a representative of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, showed clear

Egyptian Court Upholds Ban on Muslim Brotherhood

By | 2014-02-03T16:56:20-04:00 February 3rd, 2014|News|

An appeals court for urgent matters in Egypt turned down Saturday a legal challenge by members of the Muslim Brotherhood against a verdict ordering the seizure of the group's funds by the interim government.   According to the Al Ahram newspaper, the court upheld the verdict, declaring that the Brotherhood's funds, assets and NGO would

Livni Receives Compliments from Saudi Official

By | 2014-02-03T04:42:11-04:00 February 3rd, 2014|News|

Justice Minister Tzipi Livni received compliments on Friday from none other than the former head of Saudi intelligence, the Walla! news website reports.   The incident took place at the international security conference in Munich, where Livni was taking part in a panel with the chief Palestinian Authority (PA) negotiator, Saeb Erekat. In the audience

Syrian Jihadists Claim Lebanon Bombing

By | 2014-02-02T21:22:07-04:00 February 2nd, 2014|News|

Al-Nusra Front in Lebanon, a group named after Al-Qaeda's jihadist Syrian affiliate, has claimed responsibility for Saturday’s suicide car bombing in a stronghold of the Hezbollah that has killed at least four people.   Al-Jazeera reported that the group said Saturday's attack, which targeted a petrol station in Hermel in eastern Lebanon, was a suicide

Iran Receives First Installment of Frozen Assets

By | 2014-02-02T20:37:59-04:00 February 2nd, 2014|News|

Iran has received the first installment of $4.2 billion in frozen assets as part of a nuclear deal with world powers, Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi told ISNA news agency Saturday, according to AFP.   Unblocking the funds under the landmark deal in which Iran agreed to roll back parts of its nuclear program and

Egyptian PM says reshuffle includes Sisi’s defense ministry

By | 2014-02-02T00:54:37-04:00 February 2nd, 2014|Reports|

Prime Minister Hazem el-Beblawi has said a cabinet reshuffle will include the defense ministry, an Egyptian newspaper said on Saturday, in the clearest sign yet that Field Marshal Abdel Fattah al-Sisi plans to stand for president.   Army chief Sisi, now defense minister in Egypt's interim government, deposed Islamist President Mohammad Mursi in July after

New Egyptian Constitution Holds Promise for Copts

By | 2014-02-01T23:57:53-04:00 February 1st, 2014|Op-Eds|

A new day is dawning for Coptic Christians in Egypt, now that the country has voted to approve a new constitution that replaces the Islamist one crafted under the auspices of the former ruling Muslim Brotherhood.   However, the promise of a new Egypt with full inclusion and civil rights for Christians, women and all

Iran Accuses Obama of ‘Falsifying History’

By | 2014-02-01T22:41:35-04:00 February 1st, 2014|News|

Iran on Thursday dismissed as "unrealistic and unconstructive" comments by President Barack Obama that international sanctions linked to its nuclear program had forced Tehran to the negotiating table, AFP reported.   "The delusion of sanctions having an effect on Iran's motivation for nuclear negotiations is based on a false narration of history,” foreign ministry spokeswoman