The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Jerusalem has added something new this year to the liturgy: Patriarch Fouad Twal declared the holiday of "Christmas is also a celebration of … the birth of the state of Palestine.” The Jordanian-born Twal made the statement during a procession to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus,
American media has just discovered its government is helping Israel build a “secret” underground bunker. “Site 911” will be equipped with aluminum-encased mezuzot. The tender for the construction project – a “Request for Proposals” in U.S. parlance – is worth about $100 million, according to the article written by venerated, Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post
Heavily-armed Islamists, many linked with Al Qaeda, have deepened their presence in the Syrian uprising and threaten Christians with death if they don’t work against Assad. They warned two Christian towns on Saturday they will be attacked if they do not evict regime forces, as the new Greek Orthodox patriarch said Syria's often-fearful Christians
Turkey has strongly denied reports that it had launched a probe into some of the country's Jewish citizens on the grounds that they had collaborated with Israel in the deadly 2010 raid on the Mavi Marmara flotilla which killed nine Turks, Today's Zaman reports. "There has never been anti-Semitism in any part of our
Egypt's ruling Islamists claimed early Sunday that preliminary referendum results showed strong backing for a divisive constitution rejected by the secular opposition, hours after polls closed and tallying began. AFP reported that the Muslim Brotherhood's Freedom and Justice Party said in a statement that 73.7 percent had voted for the constitution, with votes tallied
For millennia, the Sphinx guarding Cairo’s famed pyramids has gazed upon the rise and fall of civilizations and the passage of countless visitors. Now though, the ancient statue is looking on an absence of foreign tourists. They have been chased away, the coterie of local souvenir hawkers and guides in its shadow say,
The adoption of a divisive new constitution in Egypt looks unlikely to solve growing problems for the nation’s economy, which has been limping along ever since the 2011 revolution that ousted Hosni Mubarak. Climbing debt, plunging tourism revenue, a tottering currency, fleeing investors and the hesitancy of creditors to step in to help President
Violence in the Syria conflict has become openly sectarian and threatens whole communities, U.N. investigators reported Thursday following a visit to the region. “As battles between government forces and anti-government armed groups approach the end of their second year, the conflict has become overtly sectarian in nature,” AFP quoted the U.N. Commission of Inquiry
As the Assad regime becomes increasingly desperate, its forces are starting to shell civilians in every major city across the country. Troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad are attacking civilians and rebel forces alike around Hama, Homs and Aleppo, according to a report issued Wednesday by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).
The U.S. State Department said on Wednesday its security chief had resigned from his post and three other officials had been relieved of their duties following a scathing official inquiry into the Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi. Eric Boswell has resigned effective immediately as assistant secretary of state for diplomatic
