Tag Archives: Middle East

CNN reports: Israel has been brought to a standstill by a “historic” general strike, as anger and unrest at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to weaken the judiciary. The action was called by Histadrut, Israel’s largest trade union federation, and has been joined or supported by workers in multiple sectors. “Stop this judicial process before it is too late,” the …

The Times of Israel reports: As the final thousands of votes were being tallied Thursday evening, Prime Minister Yair Lapid called opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu to concede the race and congratulate him on his election victory. “The State of Israel is above any political considerations,” Lapid said. “I wish Netanyahu good luck for the people of Israel and the State …

The Associated Press reports: Israeli election officials were tallying the final votes from national elections on Thursday, with former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looking likely to reclaim the premiership with a comfortable majority backed by far-right allies. Netanyahu’s top partner in the government is expected to be the far-right Religious Zionism party. Religious Zionism has promised to enact changes to …

Reuters reports: Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared well placed to return to power after exit polls following Tuesday’s election showed his right-wing bloc heading for a narrow majority lifted by a strong showing from his far-right allies. Israel’s longest-serving premier, on trial over corruption charges which he denies, was poised to take 61-62 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, …

The Associated Press reports: For the fifth time since 2019, Israelis were voting in national elections on Tuesday, hoping to break the political deadlock that has paralyzed the country for the past three and a half years. Although the cost of living is surging, Israeli-Palestinian tensions are boiling over and Iran remains a central threat, the foremost issue in the …

The Associated Press reports: Tens of thousands of people attended this year’s Pride Parade in Tel Aviv on Friday, celebrating the LGBTQ community and calling for equality in the largest annual gathering of its kind in the Middle East. The sprawling event in Israel’s seaside metropolis, which resembles a festive block party, returned last year after pandemic restrictions were mostly …

The Associated Press reports: Saudi authorities have conducted their biggest-ever crackdown on camel beauty contestants that received Botox injections and other artificial touch-ups, the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported Wednesday, with over 40 camels disqualified from the annual pageant. Saudi Arabia’s popular King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, which kicked off earlier this month, invites the breeders of the most beautiful camels …

Axios reports: China will “respect the wishes and choices of the Afghan people” after the Taliban seized Kabul and toppled Afghanistan’s U.S.-backed government, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said Monday, according to the Financial Times. Beijing’s first official comments since the Taliban installed themselves in the presidential palace in Kabul signifies a willingness to work with a Taliban-led government …

Reuters reports: The Taliban are in control of Afghanistan and British and NATO forces will not be returning to fight the insurgents, Britain’s defence minister said on Monday. “I acknowledge that the Taliban are in control of the country,” Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told Sky News. “I mean, you don’t have to be a political scientist to spot that’s where …

The Hill reports: The Pentagon has reportedly authorized the deployment of 1,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, bringing the total number of troops on the ground to 6,000 as the Taliban continues its advances in the capital city of Kabul. Reuters reported on Sunday that the additional troops will be drawn from the 82nd Airborne Division, which was already on standby. …

Reuters reports: Taliban insurgents entered Afghanistan’s capital Kabul on Sunday and an official said President Ashraf Ghani had left the city for Tajikistan, capping the militants’ lightning push for power. A senior Afghan Interior Ministry official said Ghani had left for Tajikistan. Asked for comment, the president’s office it “cannot say anything about Ashraf Ghani’s movement for security reasons”. Taliban …

Haaretz reports: In the conclusion of his speech, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attacked the new coalition, focusing his criticism on Naftali Bennett’s Yamina party. Bennett is “fake right,” Netanyahu said, while praising Yamina member Amichai Shikli, who had promised to vote against the new coalition. “He isn’t the defector,” Netanyahu said. “You, Yamina members, are the defectors.” Netanyahu accused the …

The New York Times reports: The political fate of Israel’s longest serving leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, is set to be decided on Sunday afternoon, when Parliament will hold a vote of confidence in a new government that would topple Mr. Netanyahu from power for the first time in 12 years. Mr. Netanyahu’s opponents hope that the vote, if it passes, will …

Axios reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party rejected on Thursday the comparisons being made in the U.S. between his efforts to block a transition of power and those of former President Trump after the November 2020 presidential election. On the verge of being replaced after 12 years in power, Netanyahu has been working to delegitimize the incoming government …

Axios reports: On the verge of being replaced after 12 years in power, Netanyahu is waging a desperate, Trump-style campaign to de-legitimize the incoming government and accuse its leaders of perpetrating “the fraud of the century.” The situation has become so tense — with members of the Israeli Knesset facing death threats and demonstrations from angry Netanyahu supporters outside their …

Haaretz reports: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decried what he described as election fraud on an unprecedented scale on Sunday, dubbing the establishment of a government with a slim Knesset majority as an attack on Israeli democracy itself. Speaking before Likud lawmakers at a party faction meeting in the Knesset on Sunday, Netanyahu said that “journalists are taking part in this …

The Jerusalem Post reports: “The overthrowing of Netanyahu will cause a collapse of the global right-wing – from the United States to The Hague,” read the tweet shared by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official Twitter account. The statement, made by Yamina MK Amichai Chikli, who has stated that he will not be joining the coalition led by Yamina leader Naftali …

The New York Times reports: Late Wednesday, an improbable assemblage of political parties agreed to form a coalition government. Should Parliament approve the arrangement, Benjamin Netanyahu’s singular reign as prime minister will come to an end, at least for now, and a fragile, painfully cobbled together alliance will assume power. But Mr. Netanyahu signaled early Thursday that he would not …

NBC News reports: It appears the magician has finally run out of tricks. The opponents of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Wednesday that they had reached an agreement to form a government and oust him from office, in all likelihood spelling the end of the veteran leader’s 12-year grip on power. Centrist lawmaker Yair Lapid said in a statement …

The Washington Post reports: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies on Monday worked furiously to keep opposition parties from forming a government that would displace him from Israel’s top political job for the first time in more than 12 years. Netanyahu supporters slammed right-wing parties planning to join the broad-based coalition as “traitors,” picketed their homes and issued …