UK and EU closing in on ‘possible’ Brexit deal
Britain and the EU were seen to be closing in on a detailed draft Brexit deal on Tuesday, although officials voiced skepticism it would be ready in time for a key European summit this week.
Israel
Debating Democrats blast Trump, demand impeachment
Democratic White House hopefuls united in searing condemnation of Donald Trump during their fourth debate Tuesday, saying the US president has broken the law, abused his power, and deserves to be impeached.
UK experts in Iran to upgrade heavy water reactor
A team of British experts arrived in Iran on Monday to begin work to upgrade the Arak heavy water nuclear reactor, the UK embassy in Tehran said.
Trump swears allegiance to Israel as he decries endless Middle East wars
US President Donald Trump swore allegiance to Israel as he decried endless Middle East wars and defended his decision to withdraw US troops from the Kurdish area of northern Syria, when he spoke at the annual Values Voters Conference in Washington.
Trump sending Pence to Turkey to ‘pursue a ceasefire and negotiated settlement’
US President Donald Trump on Monday urged his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to ‘stop the invasion’ of Syria, Vice President Mike Pence said.
‘We assume there are weapons stockpiles on the Temple Mount’
‘The Palestinians will never drop the matter of the Temple Mount. It’s a tool that they, and parts of the Arab and Muslim world, use to take on Israel,’ former Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Chairman and former head of the Shin Bet security agency MK Avi Dichter tells Israel Hayom in a special weekend interview.
F-15s, air defense systems and thousands of U.S. troops heading to Saudi Arabia
The Pentagon is sending Air Force F-15s, new air defense systems and other assets — along with the thousands of U.S. troops needed to operate and maintain them — to Saudi Arabia.
UN: Turkey assault has displaced 130,000 and number could triple
Turkey’s deadly assault on Kurdish positions in northeastern Syria has forced 130,000 people to flee their homes, the UN said Sunday, adding it was preparing for that figure to more than triple.
US moves toward a rapid, complete withdrawal of its military forces from Syria
The United States appears to be heading toward a full military withdrawal from Syria amid growing chaos, cries of betrayal and signs that Turkey’s invasion could fuel a broader war.
Kurds announce deal with Syria on troop deployment to confront Turkey
The Kurdish administration in northern Syria on Sunday announced a deal with the Damascus government on a Syrian troop deployment near the border with Turkey to confront Ankara’s offensive.
Netanyahu condemns Turkish invasion of Syrian Kurdistan, offers aid
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday denounced Turkey’s invasion of Kurdish-controlled areas of northeastern Syria and said Israel was prepared to offer humanitarian aid to the Kurds in Syria facing an onslaught from Ankara.
US senators propose tough sanctions on Turkey unless it leaves Syria
A bipartisan group of US senators said Wednesday they have agreed on far-reaching sanctions to be slapped on NATO ally Turkey if its forces do not withdraw from neighboring Syria.
‘Useless,’ ‘unhelpful’: Blue and White, Likud sources trash Liberman unity plan
Sources from both Blue and White and Likud on Thursday denounced Yisrael Beytenu party leader Avigdor Liberman’s plan, unveiled the previous night, to form a unity government with the two leading parties, calling his proposal an unrealistic, feeble attempt to break the ongoing deadlock in talks.
EU demands Turkey halt Syria operation as NATO chief urges ‘restraint’
EU chief Jean-Claude Juncker on Wednesday demanded Turkey halt its military operation against Kurdish fighters in northern Syria, telling Ankara a political solution was the only way to end the Syrian conflict.
The Temple Mount’s treasure trove
A small clay bulla, or seal, that was used to sign official letters in the days of the kingdom of Judea waited nearly 2,600 years amid the rubble at the foundations of the Western Wall to be discovered by Israeli archaeologists. For eight years, the rubble has been cleared away, one bucket after another, and taken directly to the site of the Ancient Jerusalem Sifting Project, which is run under the auspices of Ir David Foundation.
Trump bars envoy’s testimony, escalating impeachment fight
President Donald Trump intensified his fight with Congress Tuesday over the Democrats’ impeachment investigation, as the administration blocked a US diplomat from testifying behind closed doors about the president’s dealings with Ukraine. House committee chairmen said they would subpoena the envoy to force him to appear.
Hamas said waging ‘secret war’ to purge jihadist groups from Gaza
Gaza’s Hamas rulers have been waging a ‘secret war’ against followers of the Islamic State and other Salafist groups in the Strip, according to a recent report in the Lebanese daily Al Akhbar.
Iran opposes military action in Syria, Zarif tells Turkey
Iran’s top diplomat Mohammad Javad Zarif told his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu in a phone call that Tehran is opposed to military action in Syria, the foreign ministry said.
Iran unveils kit to convert artillery rockets into guided missiles
The Iranian military says it has produced a new conversion kit to upgrade artillery rockets to surface-to-surface missiles, technology that Israel has accused Tehran of attempting to deliver to the Hezbollah terror group.
Gideon Sa’ar emerges as first Likud challenger to PM in over decade of rule
With a simple tweet, Gideon Sa’ar did what no Israeli politician from the ruling conservative party has done in more than a decade — openly challenge its chief, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.