Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan returned to his country overnight Thursday from a North African tour, facing thousands of supporters who welcomed him back at the airport, a show of strength after a week of violent anti-government demonstrations across the country. Addressing the crowds at the airport in a speech also broadcast live
Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has accused Israel of trying to “destroy” the Al-Aqsa Mosque by allowing Jews to pray on the Temple Mount. In an interview he gave on Thursday to the Saudi-based Al-Watan newspaper, Abbas said that "the Al-Aqsa Mosque is in danger," claiming that Israel prevents PA Arabs from praying at
Austria is pulling its United Nations peacekeeping force from the Golan Heights, the government said in a statement released Thursday. Austria accounts for about 380 of the 1,000-strong UN force monitoring the Israel-Syria ceasefire line in the Golan Heights. “Freedom of movement in the area de facto no longer exists. The uncontrolled and
Protesters flocked to a district in downtown Cairo after the headquarters of Tamarod, a campaign against Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi, was set on fire early on Friday. They chanted slogans against Mursi and the Muslim Brotherhood, the privately-owned Egyptian daily Youm 7 reported. The group told Ahram Online that it had received “threats
An envoy from Sunni Islam's highest seat of learning, Al-Azhar in Cairo, raised the prospect of restoring ties with the Vatican on Friday but called on Pope Francis to take “a step forward” by declaring that Islam is a peaceful religion. “The problems that we had were not with the Vatican but with the
The IDF verified reports Thursday morning that Syrian rebel forces had conquered parts of the Golan city of Kuneitra, placing them directly on the border with Israel. IDF officials said that the takeover of the area by rebel forces was a “significant development.” During the battle between rebel and Syrian army forces, a mortar
Palestinian Authority leaders marked on Wednesday 46 years since the Six Day War, which began on June 5, 1967, after several tense weeks during which Egypt's President Nasser massed tanks on the border, vowed to destroy Israel and blocked access to the country through the Straits of Tiran. During the ensuing war, won by
The Ethiopian government has summoned the Egyptian ambassador to demand an explanation after comments were made by politicians in Cairo suggesting their country sabotage a Nile River dam Ethiopia is constructing, AP reported. Ethiopia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Dina Mufti said Thursday that the ambassador was summoned to explain the “hostile remarks.”
The IDF Chief of Staff’s decision to slash training and three-week tours of duty for military reservists has caused anger and concern among activists dedicated to avoiding a repeat of the Second Lebanon War. Training was cut due to a reduction in the Defense Department’s annual budget. “I want to believe this is
Turkish police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse crowds who joined mass demonstrations in Ankara against the Islamic-rooted government, AFP reported. Thousands of union workers filled the central Kizilay square in the Turkish capital, urging Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to resign. Meanwhile, a Turkish protest group demanded on Wednesday that the
