iwvck11

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-30T17:09:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Palestinians blame Israel for exploratory talks' (Reuters)
US moves ahead with military sales to Bahrain (AP)
Netanyahu set to win party primary ahead of U.S. poll (Reuters)
Israeli settler seeks to beat Netanyahu in primary (AP)
Bahrain eyes tougher sentence for attacking police (AP)

Palestinians blame Israel for exploratory talks' (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Jan 2012 03:52 PM PST

Reuters - Palestinian leaders blamed Israel for the failure of exploratory talks aimed at resuming peace negotiations, and said they planned to explore other ways of bringing about a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

US moves ahead with military sales to Bahrain (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2012 11:44 AM PST

AP - The United States is selling some military equipment to Bahrain as it walks a fine line between pushing the Sunni monarchy to open talks with the opposition while proceeding cautiously with a strategic ally to counter Iran.

Netanyahu set to win party primary ahead of U.S. poll (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Jan 2012 10:51 AM PST

Reuters - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is poised to win a new mandate to lead his right-wing Likud party Tuesday in a primary vote which may signal he favors an early parliamentary election to strengthen his hand with Washington.

Israeli settler seeks to beat Netanyahu in primary (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2012 04:38 AM PST

AP - A hard-line Jewish settler who wants to pay Palestinians to leave the West Bank and Gaza is running against Israel's prime minister in Tuesday's ruling party primary election.

Bahrain eyes tougher sentence for attacking police (AP)

Posted: 30 Jan 2012 01:14 AM PST

AP - Bahrain's interior minister is calling for tougher laws that could bring up to 15 years in prison for an attack on security personnel or their families.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-29T17:04:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Economy more worrying than Mideast for Florida Jews (Reuters)
Palestinian Authority suspends plans to raise taxes (Reuters)
Abbas: Israel to blame for failure of latest talks (AP)
Climate of intolerance in West Bank, activists say (AP)
Jordan's king receives Hamas leader (AP)
Netanyahu pessimistic on Mideast peace prospects (Reuters)
Russia backs Assad, last friend in Arab world (AP)

Economy more worrying than Mideast for Florida Jews (Reuters)

Posted: 29 Jan 2012 01:07 PM PST

Reuters - Newt Gingrich describes the Palestinians as an invented people and seeks covert action against Iran, while Mitt Romney accuses President Barack Obama of throwing Israel under a bus.

Palestinian Authority suspends plans to raise taxes (Reuters)

Posted: 29 Jan 2012 12:31 PM PST

Reuters - The Palestinian Authority announced on Sunday it was suspending plans to raise income tax that have sparked widespread protests but said it was still seeking ways to cut costs in 2012 to plug a gap resulting from lower-than-expected foreign aid revenues.

Abbas: Israel to blame for failure of latest talks (AP)

Posted: 29 Jan 2012 11:58 AM PST

AP - The Israeli and Palestinian leaders on Sunday blamed each other for the impasse in newly launched peace efforts, raising doubts about whether the dialogue would continue just weeks after it began.

Climate of intolerance in West Bank, activists say (AP)

Posted: 29 Jan 2012 10:11 AM PST

AP - A Palestinian atheist who was jailed and beaten last year for expressing anti-Muslim views on Facebook and in blogs says Palestinian security forces are harassing him again, despite government pledges to respect human rights.

Jordan's king receives Hamas leader (AP)

Posted: 29 Jan 2012 08:57 AM PST

AP - A high-profile visit to Jordan by the leader of Hamas has revived contacts with the Palestinian militant group, but Jordan will not lift a ban on its activities there, a senior Jordanian official said Sunday.

Netanyahu pessimistic on Mideast peace prospects (Reuters)

Posted: 29 Jan 2012 03:35 AM PST

Reuters - Peace prospects with the Palestinians are looking poor, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday after exploratory talks aimed at relaunching negotiations ended in deadlock.

Russia backs Assad, last friend in Arab world (AP)

Posted: 29 Jan 2012 03:01 AM PST

AP - Russia's defiance of international efforts to end Syrian President Bashar Assad's crackdown on protests is rooted in a calculation that it can keep a Mideast presence by propping up its last remaining ally in the region — and has nothing to lose if it fails.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-27T17:10:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Israel proposes West Bank barrier as border (AP)
Israel says Iran 'drifting' toward nuke goal line (AP)
Hamas quietly quits Syria as violence continues (Reuters)
Palestinians unmoved as Israel presents border ideas (Reuters)
Gingrich reiterates Palestinians 'invented' people (AP)
As Israeli-Palestinian talks sink, fringe ideas gain traction (The Christian Science Monitor)

Israel proposes West Bank barrier as border (AP)

Posted: 27 Jan 2012 12:46 PM PST

AP - Israel is proposing to essentially turn its West Bank separation barrier into the border with a future state of Palestine, two Palestinian officials said Friday, based on their interpretation of principles Israel presented in talks this week.

Israel says Iran 'drifting' toward nuke goal line (AP)

Posted: 27 Jan 2012 06:51 AM PST

AP - Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Friday the world must quickly stop Iran from reaching the point where even a "surgical" military strike could not block it from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Hamas quietly quits Syria as violence continues (Reuters)

Posted: 27 Jan 2012 04:09 AM PST

Reuters - The leader of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, has effectively abandoned his headquarters in the Syrian capital, Damascus, diplomatic and intelligence sources said on Friday.

Palestinians unmoved as Israel presents border ideas (Reuters)

Posted: 27 Jan 2012 12:52 AM PST

Reuters - Israel has presented Palestinians with its ideas for the borders and security arrangements of a future Palestinian state, in a bid to keep exploratory talks alive, Palestinian and Israeli sources said on Friday.

Gingrich reiterates Palestinians 'invented' people (AP)

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 06:51 PM PST

AP - Newt Gingrich is defending himself after a questioner at the GOP presidential debate criticized him for calling Palestinians an invented people.

As Israeli-Palestinian talks sink, fringe ideas gain traction (The Christian Science Monitor)

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 01:22 PM PST

The Christian Science Monitor - As another round of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks faltered on Wednesday, a growing number of Israelis and Palestinians say that the status quo is rapidly approaching a point at which establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel is impossible or unrealistic.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-26T17:05:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Deadline looming over Israel settlement evacuation (AP)
EU still sees chance for Israel-Palestinian talks (AP)
Palestinians protest over tax increase (AP)
Bahrain says detainee dies in police custody (Reuters)
Protester in Bahrain dies after arrest (AP)

Deadline looming over Israel settlement evacuation (AP)

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 12:37 PM PST

AP - Religious nationalists living in a rogue settlement on a wind-swept West Bank hilltop are defying the Israeli government's plans to evict them, setting up a showdown that has threatened to rip the ruling coalition apart.

EU still sees chance for Israel-Palestinian talks (AP)

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 11:18 AM PST

AP - A low-level dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians is not at a dead end, the European Union's foreign policy chief said Thursday, hoping that contacts to get "real negotiations under way" will continue.

Palestinians protest over tax increase (AP)

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 05:51 AM PST

AP - Some 300 Palestinians have protested against price hikes and a recent income tax increase imposed by Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

Bahrain says detainee dies in police custody (Reuters)

Posted: 26 Jan 2012 03:58 AM PST

Reuters - Bahrain's Interior Ministry said on Thursday that a man detained by police over "acts of sabotage" died in hospital while in custody, without elaborating on the cause of death.

Protester in Bahrain dies after arrest (AP)

Posted: 25 Jan 2012 09:35 PM PST

AP - Bahrain authorities say a detainee has died after being taken into custody during clashes between security forces and Shiite-led protesters.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-25T17:23:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Israeli-Palestinian talks end with no progress: officials (Reuters)
AP Interview: Saudi warns of Mideast nuclear race (AP)
Palestinian leader: Talks with Israel over (AP)
Gaza Hamas leader leaves next week for Egypt, Iran (AP)
Bahrain police fire tear gas at rally in capital (AP)

Israeli-Palestinian talks end with no progress: officials (Reuters)

Posted: 25 Jan 2012 03:10 PM PST

Reuters - RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) -

AP Interview: Saudi warns of Mideast nuclear race (AP)

Posted: 25 Jan 2012 01:05 PM PST

AP - An influential member of the Saudi royal family warned Wednesday that unless the Middle East becomes a nuclear weapon-free zone, a nuclear arms race is inevitable and could include his own country, Iraq, Egypt and even Turkey.

Palestinian leader: Talks with Israel over (AP)

Posted: 25 Jan 2012 11:29 AM PST

AP - A low-level dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians about a future border has ended without any breakthrough, the Palestinian president said Wednesday, reflecting the impasse plaguing the negotiations for at least three years.

Gaza Hamas leader leaves next week for Egypt, Iran (AP)

Posted: 25 Jan 2012 11:06 AM PST

AP - The Hamas prime minister's office says the Gaza premier will be visiting Iran as part of his tour of Muslim countries next week.

Bahrain police fire tear gas at rally in capital (AP)

Posted: 25 Jan 2012 06:11 AM PST

AP - Security forces in Bahrain have fired tear gas and stun grenade after opposition groups staged a rare march into the center of the capital Manama.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-24T17:08:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Palestinian tax hike riles business, unions (AP)
Lebanese ex-general gets 2 years as spy for Israel (AP)
Palestinians take step toward elections, unity (AP)
EU wants "bold" peace bids by Palestinians, Israel (Reuters)
Jordan's king to receive Hamas leader (AP)
U.S. warns over Bahrain travel before anniversary (Reuters)
US shifts embassy staff amid Bahrain unrest (AP)

Palestinian tax hike riles business, unions (AP)

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 11:58 AM PST

AP - Prime Minister Salam Fayyad has sparked a furor with a push to get Palestinians to pay more taxes and reduce reliance on the massive foreign aid that has kept their self-rule government afloat for a generation.

Lebanese ex-general gets 2 years as spy for Israel (AP)

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 10:47 AM PST

AP - Lebanese judicial officials say a former army general has been sentenced to two years in prison for giving information to Israel.

Palestinians take step toward elections, unity (AP)

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 09:56 AM PST

AP - Palestinian political rivals Hamas and Fatah on Tuesday took a first practical step toward elections and possible unity by opening an office for voter registration in the Gaza Strip.

EU wants "bold" peace bids by Palestinians, Israel (Reuters)

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 06:15 AM PST

Reuters - EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton will meet Israeli and Palestinian leaders over the next two days to try to push exploratory peace talks beyond a Thursday deadline and back to full negotiations.

Jordan's king to receive Hamas leader (AP)

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 05:43 AM PST

AP - Jordan's king will host the leader of Hamas this weekend, Jordan's information minister said Tuesday, his first official visit since his expulsion 13 years ago, another sign that Jordan is seeking a more active role in Mideast diplomacy.

U.S. warns over Bahrain travel before anniversary (Reuters)

Posted: 24 Jan 2012 05:00 AM PST

Reuters - The United States has warned Americans travelling to Bahrain of potential unrest in the Gulf kingdom as the anniversary of a failed pro-democracy uprising approaches.

US shifts embassy staff amid Bahrain unrest (AP)

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 09:32 PM PST

AP - The U.S. State Department says it is moving American Embassy employees to safer locations in Bahrain after ongoing political unrest elevated security worries in the strategic Gulf kingdom.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-23T17:09:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

New U.N. council no more favorable to Palestinians: U.S. (Reuters)
Israel arrests two Hamas officials at Red Cross office (Reuters)
Gaza furniture exported to Jordan (AP)
Palestinian woman escapes father's dark captivity (AP)
Palestinian woman says locked in bathroom for 10 years (Reuters)
Hamas lawmakers arrested at Red Cross in Jerusalem (AP)

New U.N. council no more favorable to Palestinians: U.S. (Reuters)

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 12:46 PM PST

Reuters - Security Council dynamics are no more favorable now to a Palestinian U.N. membership bid than they were last year despite a partial change in the council makeup, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said on Monday.

Israel arrests two Hamas officials at Red Cross office (Reuters)

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 11:39 AM PST

Reuters - Israeli police Monday arrested two senior Hamas members at an International Committee of the Red Cross building in East Jerusalem where they had taken shelter for some 18 months, Red Cross and Israeli officials said.

Gaza furniture exported to Jordan (AP)

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 10:56 AM PST

AP - The Israeli military says Gaza furniture makers have exported goods to neighboring Jordan, the first non agricultural exports since Hamas militants seized the territory.

Palestinian woman escapes father's dark captivity (AP)

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 10:54 AM PST

AP - A young Palestinian woman who was imprisoned for 10 years in a series of dark rooms by her father said Monday she survived the ordeal by listening to the radio, dreaming of seeing sunshine again and finding small pleasure in an apple she was fed each day.

Palestinian woman says locked in bathroom for 10 years (Reuters)

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 10:40 AM PST

Reuters - A 21-year-old Palestinian woman has told authorities she was locked in a bathroom for the past decade by her father, who let her out only in the dead of night so she could clean their house.

Hamas lawmakers arrested at Red Cross in Jerusalem (AP)

Posted: 23 Jan 2012 09:07 AM PST

AP - Two lawmakers from the militant Palestinian party Hamas were arrested after hiding for over a year inside a Red Cross compound in Jerusalem, an Israeli police spokesman said Monday.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-22T17:03:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Buoyed by 'Islamic Spring,' Hamas considers new direction (The Christian Science Monitor)
Israel condemns Palestinian cleric over sermon (Reuters)
Israeli leader condemns Palestinian Muslim cleric (AP)

Buoyed by 'Islamic Spring,' Hamas considers new direction (The Christian Science Monitor)

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 01:45 PM PST

The Christian Science Monitor - Hamasâ political chief is stepping down after nearly 16 years, leaving the militant Palestinian group with a potential leadership battle just as Islamist allies elsewhere in the Middle East are enjoying momentum from election victories.

Israel condemns Palestinian cleric over sermon (Reuters)

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 09:30 AM PST

Reuters - Israel condemned the Palestinians' top cleric on Sunday for reciting, at a meeting of the dominant U.S.-backed Fatah faction, a passage from Muslim scripture that called for the killing of Jews.

Israeli leader condemns Palestinian Muslim cleric (AP)

Posted: 22 Jan 2012 08:01 AM PST

AP - The Palestinians' top Muslim cleric faced sharp Israeli criticism Sunday for a speech in which he quoted a religious text that includes passages about killing Jews in an end-of-days struggle.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-21T17:04:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Longtime Hamas leader Mashaal asks to quit (AP)
Meshaal planning to step down as leader of Hamas (Reuters)
(AP)

Longtime Hamas leader Mashaal asks to quit (AP)

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 10:02 AM PST

AP - Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal has decided not to seek another term, the movement said Saturday, paving the way for a possible leadership contest at a time when the anti-Israeli Islamic group faces far-reaching decisions on whether to stay the course of militancy or moderate.

Meshaal planning to step down as leader of Hamas (Reuters)

Posted: 21 Jan 2012 06:54 AM PST

Reuters - Khaled Meshaal, the top political official of Palestinian Islamist faction Hamas that controls the Gaza Strip, will not seek reelection when a vote to choose its leadership is held soon, the group said on Saturday.

(AP)

Posted: 20 Jan 2012 11:56 PM PST

AP - Hamas: Leader Khaled Mashaal won't seek re-election as head of Palestinian militant group.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-20T17:04:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

In Jerusalem, national parks seen by Palestinians as a land grab (The Christian Science Monitor)
U.S. Treasury, State officials to travel to Israel (Reuters)
Report: Swede blames Mossad for Bangkok arrest (AP)
Sarkozy calls Mideast peace Quartet 'a failure' (AP)
Hamas calls for end to peace feelers after arrests (Reuters)
Palestinian Fatah looks ill-prepared for election (AP)
Thailand gives official recognition for Palestine (AP)

In Jerusalem, national parks seen by Palestinians as a land grab (The Christian Science Monitor)

Posted: 20 Jan 2012 09:41 AM PST

The Christian Science Monitor - An Israeli government plan to create a greenbelt around Jerusalem, preserving the ancient city's natural beauty and archaeological wealth, is fueling opposition among Palestinians and their supporters as the project moves into a critical stage.

U.S. Treasury, State officials to travel to Israel (Reuters)

Posted: 20 Jan 2012 08:05 AM PST

Reuters - The United States deputy Treasury secretary and deputy secretary of State will travel to Israel, the West Bank and Tunisia next week to discuss diplomatic and economic relations, the Treasury Department said on Friday.

Report: Swede blames Mossad for Bangkok arrest (AP)

Posted: 20 Jan 2012 08:05 AM PST

AP - A Lebanese-Swedish man detained in a terror probe in Thailand has told a Swedish newspaper that he's innocent and blamed Israel's Mossad spy agency for his arrest.

Sarkozy calls Mideast peace Quartet 'a failure' (AP)

Posted: 20 Jan 2012 07:14 AM PST

AP - French President Nicolas Sarkozy says the so-called Quartet of Mideast negotiators is a failure and a new method for finding peace is needed.

Hamas calls for end to peace feelers after arrests (Reuters)

Posted: 20 Jan 2012 04:07 AM PST

Reuters - The Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas urged President Mahmoud Abbas Friday to suspend exploratory peace talks with Israel following Israel's arrest of two Hamas legislators, and to stop his cooperation on West Bank security with the Israelis.

Palestinian Fatah looks ill-prepared for election (AP)

Posted: 20 Jan 2012 12:10 AM PST

AP - Fatah, the mainstream Palestinian national movement whose survival is key to hopes for a peace deal with Israel, appears ill-prepared for a promised electoral showdown with the Islamic militant Hamas.

Thailand gives official recognition for Palestine (AP)

Posted: 19 Jan 2012 07:43 PM PST

AP - Thailand says it has recognized Palestine as an independent state.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-19T17:22:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Hamas: Palestinian parliament speaker arrested (AP)
Protesters try to disrupt showpiece Bahrain Air show (Reuters)
Hamas bans singing competition in Gaza (AP)

Hamas: Palestinian parliament speaker arrested (AP)

Posted: 19 Jan 2012 11:59 AM PST

AP - Hamas officials say the speaker of the Palestinian parliament has been arrested by Israeli soldiers.

Protesters try to disrupt showpiece Bahrain Air show (Reuters)

Posted: 19 Jan 2012 11:45 AM PST

Reuters - Anti-government protesters tried to disrupt the Bahrain airshow on Thursday, burning tires which sent up columns of smoke as the authorities attempt to show life is returning to normal in the troubled Gulf kingdom.

Hamas bans singing competition in Gaza (AP)

Posted: 19 Jan 2012 08:37 AM PST

AP - Organizers of the Palestinian version of "American Idol" said Thursday the Gaza Strip's Hamas rulers have banned residents from participating in the popular reality show.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-18T17:05:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Israeli strike kills 2 in Gaza (AP)
Bahrain: Activists defy ban on downtown protest (AP)
Israeli strike kills two Palestinians in Gaza (Reuters)

Israeli strike kills 2 in Gaza (AP)

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 07:26 AM PST

AP - Israeli forces on Wednesday attacked a group of suspected Palestinian militants believed to have been planting a bomb along Gaza's border with the Jewish state, the Israeli military said. Palestinian officials said two people were killed and two wounded.

Bahrain: Activists defy ban on downtown protest (AP)

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 07:05 AM PST

AP - Witnesses say Bahraini riot police have chased anti-government protesters out of the center of the island kingdom's capital.

Israeli strike kills two Palestinians in Gaza (Reuters)

Posted: 18 Jan 2012 04:53 AM PST

Reuters - An Israeli aircraft and tank strike killed two Palestinians close to the border fence in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip on Wednesday, medical officials said.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-17T17:12:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Obama: US, Jordan to consult closely on Mideast (AP)
Hamas leaders evacuating families from Syria (AP)
Gaza Shiites claim Hamas persecution (AP)

Obama: US, Jordan to consult closely on Mideast (AP)

Posted: 17 Jan 2012 01:34 PM PST

AP - President Barack Obama pledged Tuesday to cooperate closely with Jordan, a key ally in the Middle East, in order to push Israel and the Palestinians to negotiate a peace accord in a "serious fashion," even as a fresh attempt at talks shows little signs of progress.

Hamas leaders evacuating families from Syria (AP)

Posted: 17 Jan 2012 09:13 AM PST

AP - Hamas officials say senior members of their exiled leadership will evacuate their families from the group's headquarters in Syria.

Gaza Shiites claim Hamas persecution (AP)

Posted: 17 Jan 2012 08:19 AM PST

AP - Masked Hamas police beat and detained members of the Gaza Strip's tiny Shiite community during a religious commemoration last week, a follower and local rights groups said Tuesday, accusing their Islamist rulers of religious intolerance.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-16T18:39:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

UK slams Israel settlement "vandalism" as Abbas visits (Reuters)
Israeli PM: Palestinians not interested in talks (AP)
UK's Clegg says Israeli settlements 'vandalism' (AP)
Thai police seize explosives, charge Lebanese man (AP)
Israeli-US war games postponed (AP)

UK slams Israel settlement "vandalism" as Abbas visits (Reuters)

Posted: 16 Jan 2012 11:49 AM PST

Reuters - Britain condemned Israeli settlements on Monday as "deliberate vandalism" of efforts to establish a Palestinian state, and warned that time was running out for the peace process in the Middle East.

Israeli PM: Palestinians not interested in talks (AP)

Posted: 16 Jan 2012 09:31 AM PST

AP - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu charged Monday that the Palestinians have no interest in restarting peace negotiations, suggesting that newly resumed contacts between the sides are producing little progress.

UK's Clegg says Israeli settlements 'vandalism' (AP)

Posted: 16 Jan 2012 09:04 AM PST

AP - Britain's deputy prime minister accused Israel on Monday of carrying out "deliberate vandalism" by continuing to build settlements on land the Palestinians hope will form part of a future state.

Thai police seize explosives, charge Lebanese man (AP)

Posted: 16 Jan 2012 08:51 AM PST

AP - A foreign suspect with alleged links to Hezbollah militants led Thai police Monday to a warehouse filled with materials commonly used to make bombs, as Thailand and the U.S. disagreed over whether Bangkok was the target of a terror plot.

Israeli-US war games postponed (AP)

Posted: 16 Jan 2012 07:10 AM PST

AP - The Israeli and U.S. militaries have postponed large-scale war games, in part to avoid aggravating mounting tensions between the international community and Iran over its disputed nuclear program, Israeli defense officials said Monday.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-15T18:23:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Palestinian leader loses VIP status with Israel (AP)
Bahrain king announces constitutional reforms (Reuters)
Veteran Israeli settler says democracy is obstacle (AP)
Iran warns Gulf Arabs on oil (AP)
Bahrain king promises to expand parliament powers (AP)

Palestinian leader loses VIP status with Israel (AP)

Posted: 15 Jan 2012 10:44 AM PST

AP - Israel has stripped Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of VIP status and given him a watered-down travel permit that is valid for just two months, Palestinian officials charged Sunday.

Bahrain king announces constitutional reforms (Reuters)

Posted: 15 Jan 2012 08:09 AM PST

Reuters - Bahrain's king announced constitutional amendments on Sunday giving parliament more powers of scrutiny over government, but the opposition said they fell far short of demands for democracy that have driven a year of unrest in the Gulf Arab state.

Veteran Israeli settler says democracy is obstacle (AP)

Posted: 15 Jan 2012 08:05 AM PST

AP - Israel's democracy has long been a point of pride for its citizens — setting the country apart in a region of autocratic governments. But veteran settler leader Benny Katzover says democracy is getting in the way of what he believes is a higher purpose.

Iran warns Gulf Arabs on oil (AP)

Posted: 15 Jan 2012 07:23 AM PST

AP - Iran warned Gulf Arab oil producers against boosting production to offset any potential drop in Tehran's crude exports in the event of an embargo affecting its oil sales, the latest salvo in the dispute between the West and the Islamic Republic over its nuclear program.

Bahrain king promises to expand parliament powers (AP)

Posted: 15 Jan 2012 03:30 AM PST

AP - Bahrain's king promised Sunday that the strife-wracked Gulf nation will move ahead with political reforms that widen the powers of the elected parliament to oversee governments selected by the ruling monarchy.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-14T17:51:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Blast in home of Gaza militant leader kills one (Reuters)

Posted: 14 Jan 2012 11:22 AM PST

Reuters - A Palestinian man who had been preparing an attack on Israeli targets was killed on Saturday in an explosion at the home of a militant leader in the Gaza Strip, his group said.

Hezbollah rejects call by U.N.'s Ban to disarm (Reuters)

Posted: 14 Jan 2012 07:54 AM PST

Reuters - Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah dismissed on Saturday a United Nations call for his militant anti-Israel movement to disarm, saying it was determined to maintain a military capacity to defend Lebanon.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-13T17:10:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Disarm Hezbollah, U.N. chief tells Lebanon (Reuters)
UN chief urges Hezbollah disarmament (AP)
Lebanese held as terror warning issued in Bangkok (AP)
Palestinians insist on Israel talks deadline (AP)
Thailand says Lebanese suspect arrested over security (Reuters)

Disarm Hezbollah, U.N. chief tells Lebanon (Reuters)

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 11:39 AM PST

Reuters - United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon demanded Friday the disarmament of the anti-Israel Lebanese Hezbollah movement, which had said his visit to Lebanon was not welcome.

UN chief urges Hezbollah disarmament (AP)

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 10:50 AM PST

AP - The U.N. Secretary General says he is "deeply concerned" about the military capacity of the Lebanese Hezbollah militant group and lack of progress in its disarmament.

Lebanese held as terror warning issued in Bangkok (AP)

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 10:23 AM PST

AP - Thai police were questioning a Lebanese man with alleged links to Hezbollah militants as the U.S. Embassy and Israel warned Friday of a "real and credible" terrorist threat against Americans and Israelis in Bangkok. Police said a bombing had been planned and another suspect was at large.

Palestinians insist on Israel talks deadline (AP)

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 09:24 AM PST

AP - Palestinian negotiators are sticking to an end of January deadline in talks with Israel despite U.S. calls for flexibility, a Palestinian official said Friday.

Thailand says Lebanese suspect arrested over security (Reuters)

Posted: 13 Jan 2012 06:58 AM PST

Reuters - Thai authorities have arrested a Lebanese suspect after being warned by Israel of a possible attack in Bangkok, the deputy prime minister said on Friday, adding that police had stepped up security and he was confident the situation was under control.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-12T17:39:00.000-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Obama, Netanyahu talk after peace contacts resume (Reuters)
No new offers from Israel, Abbas says (AP)
Obama, Israel's Netanyahu talk Mideast diplomacy, Iran (Reuters)
Israel's top court backs bar on Palestinian spouses (Reuters)
Israel upholds limits on Palestinian spouses (AP)
Lebanon detains man suspected of spying for Israel (AP)
Hamas leader to visit Iran, Qatar in new trip (AP)

Obama, Netanyahu talk after peace contacts resume (Reuters)

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 02:29 PM PST

Reuters - President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed recent Israeli-Palestinian talks on Thursday as U.S. officials signaled that a January 26 target date for the two sides to exchange proposals could slide.

No new offers from Israel, Abbas says (AP)

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 02:09 PM PST

AP - Israel has made no new proposals in meetings with Palestinians about the possibility of resuming formal peace talks, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday.

Obama, Israel's Netanyahu talk Mideast diplomacy, Iran (Reuters)

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 09:53 AM PST

Reuters - President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday discussed a recent round of Israeli-Palestinian talks and the international community's response to Iran, the White House said.

Israel's top court backs bar on Palestinian spouses (Reuters)

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 07:34 AM PST

Reuters - Israel's top court has upheld a law denying citizenship to Palestinians married to Israelis, with one judge saying it helped the Jewish state fend off "national suicide".

Israel upholds limits on Palestinian spouses (AP)

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 01:59 AM PST

AP - Israel's Supreme Court upheld late Wednesday a controversial law that bans most Palestinians who marry Israelis from living inside the Jewish state.

Lebanon detains man suspected of spying for Israel (AP)

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 01:51 AM PST

AP - The Lebanese army has detained a man on suspicion of collaborating for years with Israel's Mossad spy agency, Lebanese media and officials said Thursday.

Hamas leader to visit Iran, Qatar in new trip (AP)

Posted: 12 Jan 2012 01:17 AM PST

AP - An adviser to Hamas' prime minister says the leader will visit Iran, Qatar and other Muslim countries at the end of the month.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-11T18:32:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Israel's identity crisis: Why it could be as detrimental as Palestinian conflict (The Christian Science Monitor)
Bahrain tries 5 police over blogger death in jail (AP)
Analysis: Peace talks flicker back to life in Mideast storm (Reuters)
Hamas sentences Palestinian to death (AP)
Report: Israel hacker stages retaliatory data leak (AP)
Mosque defaced, 3 cars torched in West Bank (AP)

Israel's identity crisis: Why it could be as detrimental as Palestinian conflict (The Christian Science Monitor)

Posted: 11 Jan 2012 12:49 PM PST

The Christian Science Monitor - When Tanya Rosenblit boarded the No. 451 bus to Jerusalem last month, she knew that the predominantly ultra-Orthodox passengers would keep their distance from her because of their adherence to strict rules of gender segregation.

Bahrain tries 5 police over blogger death in jail (AP)

Posted: 11 Jan 2012 07:36 AM PST

AP - A lawyer for the family of a prominent Bahraini blogger says five police officers have gone on trial over the activist's death while in custody.

Analysis: Peace talks flicker back to life in Mideast storm (Reuters)

Posted: 11 Jan 2012 07:11 AM PST

Reuters - Uncertainty sweeping the Middle East is raising pressure to restart the stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace process and tackle one big problem in the region that major powers believe they could, just, fix - given enough trust on both sides.

Hamas sentences Palestinian to death (AP)

Posted: 11 Jan 2012 06:54 AM PST

AP - A Hamas official in Gaza says the militant group has sentenced a local Palestinian to death for collaborating with Israel.

Report: Israel hacker stages retaliatory data leak (AP)

Posted: 11 Jan 2012 12:13 AM PST

AP - An Israeli hacker has posted information online about hundreds of Saudis, Egyptians, Syrians and others — a new salvo in the cyber war launched by an alleged Saudi hacker who leaked details about thousands of Israelis last week, an Israeli newspaper reported Wednesday.

Mosque defaced, 3 cars torched in West Bank (AP)

Posted: 10 Jan 2012 11:16 PM PST

AP - Israeli police say a mosque has been defaced with Hebrew graffiti and three cars have been torched in a Palestinian village in the West Bank.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-10T17:11:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Israel: Disagreements emerge in peace efforts (AP)
Israel prepares for fall of Assad, Syria refugees (Reuters)
Israel breaking settlement records, says Peace Now (Reuters)
Israeli military readying for Syrian refugees (AP)

Israel: Disagreements emerge in peace efforts (AP)

Posted: 10 Jan 2012 01:44 PM PST

AP - Disagreements have already emerged in nascent negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, an Israeli official said Tuesday, but he said his government remains committed to a year-end target to reaching a final peace deal.

Israel prepares for fall of Assad, Syria refugees (Reuters)

Posted: 10 Jan 2012 07:10 AM PST

Reuters - Israel is making preparations for the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and a flood of refugees from his minority Alawite sect into the Golan Heights, Israel's military chief told a parliamentary committee on Tuesday.

Israel breaking settlement records, says Peace Now (Reuters)

Posted: 10 Jan 2012 06:39 AM PST

Reuters - Israel's government broke all its settlement-building records in 2011, diminishing prospects for establishing a viable Palestinian state in the occupied West Bank, Israel's anti-settlement activist group "Peace Now" said Tuesday.

Israeli military readying for Syrian refugees (AP)

Posted: 10 Jan 2012 04:59 AM PST

AP - Israel's military chief says the country is readying to take in Syrian refugees should Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime fall.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-09T17:06:00.000-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Ohio charity accused by US of Hamas ties disbands (AP)
Saudi: 'Internal' matter if Japan buys Iran oil (AP)
Tunisia's Islamist party slams anti-Semitic chants (AP)
"The future is ours," says Hamas Gaza leader (Reuters)
Summary Box: Japan and Iran oil is internal affair (AP)
Freed Israeli soldier's father to enter politics (AP)
Israel, Palestinians spar as peace contacts resume (Reuters)
Bahrain overturns death sentences for 2 protesters (AP)
Israeli foreign minister: Redraw map to oust Arabs (AP)

Ohio charity accused by US of Hamas ties disbands (AP)

Posted: 09 Jan 2012 11:13 AM PST

AP - A charity that the government suspected of having ties to the militant Islamic group Hamas has shut down but is still negotiating a settlement with the U.S. Department of the Treasury over its frozen assets.

Saudi: 'Internal' matter if Japan buys Iran oil (AP)

Posted: 09 Jan 2012 10:49 AM PST

AP - A Saudi oil official said that whether Japan or other countries continue to buy Iranian oil was an "internal matter," reflecting the unease in many nations after the latest U.S. sanctions on Tehran and Iran's threats to choke off the Strait of Hormuz in response.

Tunisia's Islamist party slams anti-Semitic chants (AP)

Posted: 09 Jan 2012 10:02 AM PST

AP - The head of Tunisia's moderate Islamic party condemned anti-Semitic slogans chanted Monday by a handful of ultraconservative Muslims during the arrival of a top Hamas official that have alarmed the local Jewish community.

"The future is ours," says Hamas Gaza leader (Reuters)

Posted: 09 Jan 2012 10:01 AM PST

Reuters - The coming rise of Islamism in the Arab world will strengthen support for the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas, which will not give up its armed confrontation with Israel, senior Hamas official Mahmoud Al-Zahar said Monday.

Summary Box: Japan and Iran oil is internal affair (AP)

Posted: 09 Jan 2012 08:17 AM PST

AP - IT'S UP TO THEM: A Saudi oil official said that whether Japan or other countries continue to buy Iranian oil was an "internal matter," reflecting the unease in many nations after the latest U.S. sanctions on Tehran and Iran's threats to choke off the Strait of Hormuz in response.

Freed Israeli soldier's father to enter politics (AP)

Posted: 09 Jan 2012 08:10 AM PST

AP - An official from a centrist Israeli party says the father of a soldier freed in a lopsided deal with Palestinian militants is running for parliament.

Israel, Palestinians spar as peace contacts resume (Reuters)

Posted: 09 Jan 2012 05:12 AM PST

Reuters - Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman dismissed newly rekindled diplomatic contacts with the Palestinians Monday, accusing them of poor faith in peacemaking.

Bahrain overturns death sentences for 2 protesters (AP)

Posted: 09 Jan 2012 04:49 AM PST

AP - A civilian court in Bahrain overturned death sentences Monday for two protesters convicted of murdering two policemen during a wave of anti-government demonstrations last year.

Israeli foreign minister: Redraw map to oust Arabs (AP)

Posted: 09 Jan 2012 04:45 AM PST

AP - Israel's foreign minister said Monday that some Israeli Arabs should be stripped of their citizenship and placed under Palestinian sovereignty as part of any final peace deal.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-08T17:02:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Mideast governments fail to see scale of change: Amnesty (Reuters)
Bahrain eyes reforms to boost parliament's powers (Reuters)
Hamas PM: No ceding ground in struggle with Israel (AP)
Israel charges five settlers with army base rampage (Reuters)
Palestinian rivals trade barbs again despite pact (AP)
5 indicted in Israeli military base rampage (AP)

Mideast governments fail to see scale of change: Amnesty (Reuters)

Posted: 08 Jan 2012 04:03 PM PST

Reuters - Most Middle Eastern governments are failing to recognize the significance of the Arab Spring and are responding with repression or merely cosmetic change, Amnesty International said Monday.

Bahrain eyes reforms to boost parliament's powers (Reuters)

Posted: 08 Jan 2012 01:18 PM PST

Reuters - Bahrain's cabinet proposed on Sunday giving more powers to the elected chamber and allowing it to question ministers, as part of constitutional reforms in the wake of pro-democracy protests last year.

Hamas PM: No ceding ground in struggle with Israel (AP)

Posted: 08 Jan 2012 12:11 PM PST

AP - Hamas' prime minister in Gaza says the anti-Israeli militant group will never give up its arms, its territory or its claims on Jerusalem on behalf of the Palestinians.

Israel charges five settlers with army base rampage (Reuters)

Posted: 08 Jan 2012 06:22 AM PST

Reuters - Israel charged five Jewish settlers on Sunday with orchestrating a riot in an army base in the West Bank in a bid to foil plans to dismantle illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory.

Palestinian rivals trade barbs again despite pact (AP)

Posted: 08 Jan 2012 05:38 AM PST

AP - Palestinian power rivals are exchanging barbs again, less than a month after they pledged to bury their hatchets and form a unified government.

5 indicted in Israeli military base rampage (AP)

Posted: 08 Jan 2012 03:03 AM PST

AP - Israel's Justice Ministry has indicted five alleged Jewish extremists in connection with a rampage at an Israeli army base in the West Bank last month.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-07T17:55:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

U.S. concerned about Bahrain activist, urges probe (Reuters)
Opposition supporters rally in Bahrain despite ban (AP)
Palestinian Sesame Street ails without US funds (AP)

U.S. concerned about Bahrain activist, urges probe (Reuters)

Posted: 07 Jan 2012 05:12 PM PST

Reuters - The United States called on its ally Bahrain on Saturday to investigate the case of a prominent Bahraini human rights activist who the opposition says was beaten by security forces.

Opposition supporters rally in Bahrain despite ban (AP)

Posted: 07 Jan 2012 04:32 PM PST

AP - Anti-government protesters converged on the headquarters of Bahrain's main opposition party Saturday, defying a government ban on the gathering and pressing ahead with their campaign for greater political and civil rights for the nation's Shiite Muslims.

Palestinian Sesame Street ails without US funds (AP)

Posted: 07 Jan 2012 04:13 AM PST

AP - It's quiet time on Palestinian Sesame Street.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-06T17:53:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Envoy: Palestine continues pursuing UN membership (AP)

Posted: 06 Jan 2012 01:43 PM PST

AP - The Palestinians will employ new creative ideas to gain membership at the world body despite a U.S. threat to veto such an action, Palestinian U.N. observer Riyad Mansour disclosed Friday.

Lawyer: Bahrain rights activist beaten by police (AP)

Posted: 06 Jan 2012 12:41 PM PST

AP - A lawyer for a prominent human rights activist in Bahrain says his client has been hospitalized after a beating by police at an anti-government protest.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-05T17:58:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Gaza premier plays down talks with Israel (AP)
Israel, Palestinians to meet on Monday, U.S. says (Reuters)
Israel bans 12 Jewish extremists from West Bank (AP)
Ex-Israeli leader Olmert accused of seeking bribes (AP)
Israel rethinking position on prisoner swaps (AP)
(AP)

Gaza premier plays down talks with Israel (AP)

Posted: 05 Jan 2012 12:44 PM PST

AP - The prime minister of the Gaza government said Thursday the first meeting between Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators in more than a year was "a futile gesture" that will lead nowhere.

Israel, Palestinians to meet on Monday, U.S. says (Reuters)

Posted: 05 Jan 2012 10:50 AM PST

Reuters - Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators will hold their second round of face-to-face talks within a week on Monday in Amman, a U.S. State Department spokeswoman said on Thursday.

Israel bans 12 Jewish extremists from West Bank (AP)

Posted: 05 Jan 2012 04:43 AM PST

AP - The Israeli military said Thursday it has banned 12 Jewish extremists from entering the West Bank for three to nine months because they are suspected in violence against Palestinians and Israeli soldiers.

Ex-Israeli leader Olmert accused of seeking bribes (AP)

Posted: 05 Jan 2012 04:41 AM PST

AP - Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was indicted Thursday on new corruption charges for allegedly seeking hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in a wide-ranging real estate scandal that dwarfs the other cases in which he's accused.

Israel rethinking position on prisoner swaps (AP)

Posted: 05 Jan 2012 03:19 AM PST

AP - Israel is rethinking its policy on prisoner swaps to avoid the kind of lopsided deals that saw Israel recently trade more than 1,000 Palestinian prisoners for a lone Israeli soldier.

(AP)

Posted: 05 Jan 2012 05:18 AM PST

AP - Prosecutor demands death for Egypt's Hosni Mubarak, his security chief for killing protesters.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-04T17:04:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Palestinian cars burned, Hebrew graffiti at scene (AP)

Posted: 03 Jan 2012 11:03 PM PST

AP - Israeli police say two cars have been torched in a Palestinian village and that Hebrew graffiti has been spray-painted at the scene.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-03T17:32:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

No breakthrough on Mideast peace, talks to go on (Reuters)
Jordan: Israelis, Palestinians to resume dialogue (AP)
(AP)
Why US won't be center stage in new Israeli-Palestinian talks (The Christian Science Monitor)

No breakthrough on Mideast peace, talks to go on (Reuters)

Posted: 03 Jan 2012 02:47 PM PST

Reuters - Israeli and Palestinian negotiators made no breakthrough during their first high-level discussions in more than a year on Tuesday, but agreed to hold further talks in Amman on a confidential basis, Jordan's foreign minister said.

Jordan: Israelis, Palestinians to resume dialogue (AP)

Posted: 03 Jan 2012 12:48 PM PST

AP - The first meeting between Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators in more than a year ended without any significant breakthroughs on Tuesday, but in a small sign of progress, the sides agreed to continue the dialogue, officials said.

(AP)

Posted: 03 Jan 2012 07:16 AM PST

AP - Jordan says Israeli and Palestinian negotiators meet in Amman, 1st time in more than a year.

Why US won't be center stage in new Israeli-Palestinian talks (The Christian Science Monitor)

Posted: 02 Jan 2012 11:25 AM PST

The Christian Science Monitor - The United States wonât take its usual center-stage position when Israeli and Palestinian negotiators meet Tuesday for their first direct talks in more than a year.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-02T17:14:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Israelis, Palestinians to meet but prospects bleak (Reuters)
Bahrain says to review some verdicts over unrest (Reuters)
Palestinians hope peace efforts can be salvaged (AP)
Gaza's Hamas premier visits flotilla ship (AP)

Israelis, Palestinians to meet but prospects bleak (Reuters)

Posted: 02 Jan 2012 03:24 PM PST

Reuters - Israeli and Palestinian negotiators meet in Jordan Tuesday alongside international mediators trying to revive their stalled peace talks, but neither side is raising hopes they can end more than a year of deadlock.

Bahrain says to review some verdicts over unrest (Reuters)

Posted: 02 Jan 2012 09:30 AM PST

Reuters - Bahrain said on Monday it would create a judicial panel to review some verdicts a military court issued over anti-government demonstrations mounted last year by the country's Shi'ite Muslim majority and crushed by the Sunni-led kingdom.

Palestinians hope peace efforts can be salvaged (AP)

Posted: 02 Jan 2012 08:11 AM PST

AP - The chief Palestinian peace negotiator said Monday his first meeting with Israelis in more than a year will be a last-ditch effort to salvage the peace process and warned that the Palestinians would explore alternatives if no progress is made.

Gaza's Hamas premier visits flotilla ship (AP)

Posted: 02 Jan 2012 02:33 AM PST

AP - The Hamas premier of the Gaza Strip has visited a ship docked in Turkey that in 2010 was the target of a deadly raid by Israeli troops seeking to prevent an aid flotilla reaching the Palestinian territory.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2012-01-01T17:05:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Israel, Palestinians to meet Tuesday; prospects hazy (Reuters)
Clashes follow teen protester's funeral in Bahrain (AP)
Israeli, Palestinian negotiators to meet in Jordan (AP)
Funeral of Bahrain youth turns into street protest (Reuters)
Gaza's Hamas premier visits Turkey (AP)

Israel, Palestinians to meet Tuesday; prospects hazy (Reuters)

Posted: 01 Jan 2012 02:30 PM PST

Reuters - Israeli and Palestinian negotiators will meet this week after more than a year of deadlock in peacemaking, officials said Sunday, but both sides played down prospects of any imminent resumption of talks.

Clashes follow teen protester's funeral in Bahrain (AP)

Posted: 01 Jan 2012 12:58 PM PST

AP - Riot police in Bahrain fired tear gas, rubber bullets and stun grenades as they clashed Sunday with hundreds of opposition supporters, some hurling Molotov cocktails, following the politically charged funeral of a 15-year-old boy.

Israeli, Palestinian negotiators to meet in Jordan (AP)

Posted: 01 Jan 2012 12:54 PM PST

AP - Israel and the Palestinians said Sunday that their chief peace negotiators would attend a gathering of international diplomats in neighboring Jordan this week, bringing the sides together for the first time in more than a year.

Funeral of Bahrain youth turns into street protest (Reuters)

Posted: 01 Jan 2012 11:13 AM PST

Reuters - Bahraini police fired tear gas and sound grenades after hundreds of Shi'ite youths demonstrated on Sunday over the death of a 15-year-old protester a day earlier in the Sunni-ruled Gulf island kingdom, residents and activists said.

Gaza's Hamas premier visits Turkey (AP)

Posted: 01 Jan 2012 10:55 AM PST

AP - Turkey's prime minister on Sunday welcomed efforts toward reconciliation between the rival Palestinian factions during a meeting with the Hamas premier of the Gaza Strip, Turkey's state-run news agency reported.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-31T17:42:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Youth protesters, police clash across Bahrain (Reuters)

Posted: 31 Dec 2011 11:23 AM PST

Reuters - Shi'ite youths chanting slogans against Bahrain's royal family clashed with riot police across the Gulf island kingdom Saturday, trying to block highways in a second day of protests, residents said.

Clashes across Bahrain as protesters demand reform (AP)

Posted: 31 Dec 2011 10:55 AM PST

AP - Riot police in Bahrain clashed with reform activists Saturday in one of the most widespread days of protest in the Gulf kingdom for months, firing rubber bullets and filling the air with stinging tear gas. A gas canister fired from a gun at close range struck a 15-year-old in the chest and killed him, the opposition said.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-30T17:20:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Israel kills al Qaeda-linked chief in Gaza strike (Reuters)
Bahrain riot police clear protesters with tear gas (AP)
Israeli airstrike on Gaza kills militant (AP)

Israel kills al Qaeda-linked chief in Gaza strike (Reuters)

Posted: 30 Dec 2011 01:42 PM PST

Reuters - GAZA/JERUSALEM (Reuters)- Israel killed the leader of an al Qaeda-inspired faction in the Gaza Strip on Friday, accusing him of involvement in firing rockets and a planned attack on the Jewish state from the neighboring Egyptian Sinai.

Bahrain riot police clear protesters with tear gas (AP)

Posted: 30 Dec 2011 12:05 PM PST

AP - Riot police in Bahrain fired tear gas Friday to disperse several hundred protesters among thousands who took to the streets Friday to demand the government's resignation after a fact-finding report uncovered torture and other abuses against detainees.

Israeli airstrike on Gaza kills militant (AP)

Posted: 30 Dec 2011 03:16 AM PST

AP - Israeli aircraft targeted Palestinian militants preparing to launch rockets at Israel from the Gaza Strip early Friday, killing one militant, the military said.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-29T17:33:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Bahrain to try 5 police officers for torture (AP)
Gaza and Israel: Unlikely trade partners (AP)
Rights group says Hamas targeting Fatah members (AP)
Israeli police arrest 6 suspects in settler riot (AP)

Bahrain to try 5 police officers for torture (AP)

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 12:44 PM PST

AP - Five police officers will be put on trial in connection with the alleged torture of a detainee who later died in custody, the country's Information Affairs Authority said Friday.

Gaza and Israel: Unlikely trade partners (AP)

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 10:37 AM PST

AP - Each day, dozens of trucks move food, consumer products and industrial materials into the Gaza Strip at this heavily fortified crossing, in an odd arrangement that has turned Israel into a key supplier to a territory governed by its bitter enemy Hamas.

Rights group says Hamas targeting Fatah members (AP)

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 04:19 AM PST

AP - An independent Palestinian rights group said Thursday that Hamas authorities in Gaza are targeting members of the rival Fatah, questioning them and searching their homes.

Israeli police arrest 6 suspects in settler riot (AP)

Posted: 29 Dec 2011 01:31 AM PST

AP - Israeli police say they have arrested six Jewish extremists wanted for their role in a riot at a military base earlier this month.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-28T17:39:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Congress frees $40 million in aid to Palestinians (AP)
Amid bloodshed, Hamas prepares to leave Syria (AP)
Clergymen clash at Bethlehem birthplace of Jesus (AP)
Bahrain to host Saudi prince's news network (AP)

Congress frees $40 million in aid to Palestinians (AP)

Posted: 28 Dec 2011 02:05 PM PST

AP - Lawmakers have freed up a little more than 20 percent of $187 million in U.S. assistance to the Palestinians that had been frozen over the Palestinian bid for U.N. membership.

Amid bloodshed, Hamas prepares to leave Syria (AP)

Posted: 28 Dec 2011 10:15 AM PST

AP - Alarmed by bloody unrest in Syria, the Hamas militant group has pulled out many of its lower-level cadres from its Damascus headquarters and made contingency plans to move its leadership to locations across the Middle East, senior Hamas members have told The Associated Press.

Clergymen clash at Bethlehem birthplace of Jesus (AP)

Posted: 28 Dec 2011 07:11 AM PST

AP - The annual cleaning of one of Christianity's holiest churches deteriorated into a brawl between rival clergy Wednesday, as dozens of monks feuding over sacred space at the Church of the Nativity battled each other with brooms until police intervened.

Bahrain to host Saudi prince's news network (AP)

Posted: 28 Dec 2011 05:04 AM PST

AP - Bahrain has been picked to host the headquarters for Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal's new international Arabic news network despite months of unrest, according to the tiny Gulf kingdom's media oversight authority.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-27T17:23:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Anti-Semitism claims against UC Berkeley dismissed (AP)
Israel kills al Qaeda-linked militant in Gaza strike (Reuters)
Israeli airstrikes kill Gaza militant (AP)

Anti-Semitism claims against UC Berkeley dismissed (AP)

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 03:16 PM PST

AP - A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by two Jewish students who claimed the University of California, Berkeley, fostered an atmosphere of anti-Semitism by not doing enough to curb alleged harassment during pro-Palestinian protests that included mock checkpoints.

Israel kills al Qaeda-linked militant in Gaza strike (Reuters)

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 01:56 PM PST

Reuters - Israel killed an al Qaeda-affiliated militant in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, accusing him of involvement in planning to launch attacks on the Jewish state from neighboring Egypt.

Israeli airstrikes kill Gaza militant (AP)

Posted: 27 Dec 2011 01:35 PM PST

AP - Israel carried out a series of airstrikes in the Gaza Strip late Tuesday, killing a Palestinian militant wounding others. Israel said it targeted militants before they could carry out an attack on the border between Israel and Egypt.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-26T17:43:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Gaza PM in Egypt, 1st visit since Hamas takeover (AP)

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 11:31 AM PST

AP - Gaza's Hamas premier was in Egypt Monday on his first trip outside the blockaded territory since the Islamists overran it in 2007, saying his meeting with his Islamic ideological mentors threatens Israel.

State of the world: Mideast boosts global democratic progress (The Christian Science Monitor)

Posted: 26 Dec 2011 09:46 AM PST

The Christian Science Monitor - People's revolts in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria, and other nations of the Middle East and North Africa were among the most inspiring events of 2011. They've toppled, or threatened, tyrants that seemed untouchable for decades. At a stroke, they've remade the history of a politically oppressed region.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-25T17:14:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Gaza's Hamas leader launches Muslim world trip (AP)
Pope urges end to Syria bloodshed, peace worldwide (AP)
Christmas pilgrims pray for peace in Bethlehem (Reuters)

Gaza's Hamas leader launches Muslim world trip (AP)

Posted: 25 Dec 2011 05:07 AM PST

AP - Gaza's prime minister left the territory Sunday on his first trip abroad since his militant Hamas movement seized power in June 2007, hoping to improve ties with Muslim countries swept up in the uprisings convulsing the Arab world.

Pope urges end to Syria bloodshed, peace worldwide (AP)

Posted: 25 Dec 2011 04:38 AM PST

AP - Pope Benedict XVI called for an end to the bloodshed in Syria and the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in his Christmas message Sunday, an appeal for peace that was challenged by deadly attacks on Nigerian churches.

Christmas pilgrims pray for peace in Bethlehem (Reuters)

Posted: 24 Dec 2011 08:05 PM PST

Reuters - Thousands of foreign pilgrims and Palestinian Christians, some in Santa hats, gathered at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity Saturday to pray for peace at the place where Jesus was born.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-24T17:32:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Christmas pilgrims pray for peace in Bethlehem (Reuters)
Bahrain says to drop free-speech cases after protests (Reuters)
Gaza's thriving tunnel imports unleash building boom (Reuters)
OPEC to accommodate increased Libyan output (AP)

Christmas pilgrims pray for peace in Bethlehem (Reuters)

Posted: 24 Dec 2011 02:21 PM PST

Reuters - Thousands of foreign pilgrims and Palestinian Christians, some in Santa hats, gathered at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity Saturday to pray for peace at the place where Jesus was born.

Bahrain says to drop free-speech cases after protests (Reuters)

Posted: 24 Dec 2011 10:51 AM PST

Reuters - Bahrain said on Saturday it would drop charges against 343 people whose offences were linked to free speech, but the opposition said that was just a portion of those detained on such accusations during pro-democracy protests this year.

Gaza's thriving tunnel imports unleash building boom (Reuters)

Posted: 24 Dec 2011 07:31 AM PST

Reuters - At last, Nael Zeyara has a steady job in construction, thanks to the smuggling of cement through Gaza's network of tunnels to Egypt, an underground supply line that boosts the Israeli-blockaded enclave and creates jobs.

OPEC to accommodate increased Libyan output (AP)

Posted: 24 Dec 2011 02:39 AM PST

AP - There is a "gentlemen's agreement" between OPEC members to accommodate increasing output from Libya, the North African country's oil minister said Saturday.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-23T17:09:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

UNESCO cuts funds for Palestinian magazine (AP)
Bahrain police attack Shiite opposition offices (AP)
Hamas leader to AP: New focus on popular protests (AP)

UNESCO cuts funds for Palestinian magazine (AP)

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 09:48 AM PST

AP - The U.N.'s cultural agency said Friday it is pulling funding for a Palestinian youth magazine that published an article suggesting admiration for Hitler.

Bahrain police attack Shiite opposition offices (AP)

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 08:11 AM PST

AP - Security forces firing rubber bullets and tear gas attacked the headquarters of Bahrain's main Shiite opposition party in the capital on Friday after the group challenged a new government ban on its weekly protests. Police also used tear gas to disperse hundreds of opposition supporters attempting to protest elsewhere in the capital.

Hamas leader to AP: New focus on popular protests (AP)

Posted: 23 Dec 2011 06:09 AM PST

AP - Hamas will focus on a strategy of holding mass protests against Israel in the style of the Arab Spring, although it is not renouncing the use of violence against the Jewish state, the Islamic group's leader, Khaled Mashaal, told The Associated Press late Thursday.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-22T17:27:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Hamas says it plans to join Abbas's PLO (Reuters)
Latest developments in Arab world's unrest (AP)
Israel drops case against flotilla participants (AP)
Militant Hamas moves to join PLO umbrella (AP)
Bahrain to reinstate education ministry staff (AP)

Hamas says it plans to join Abbas's PLO (Reuters)

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 01:13 PM PST

Reuters - Rival Palestinian factions took a significant step towards reconciliation on Thursday as the Islamist group Hamas said it planned to join Western-backed President Mahmoud Abbas's Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO).

Latest developments in Arab world's unrest (AP)

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 12:13 PM PST

AP - Syria says more than 2,000 of its soldiers and security forces have been killed during a nine-month uprising, on the day an Arab League delegation prepares to post foreign monitors, part of a plan to end the crisis.

Israel drops case against flotilla participants (AP)

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 08:04 AM PST

AP - Israel's attorney general has decided not to prosecute Israelis who participated in a Gaza-bound flotilla that was raided a year ago.

Militant Hamas moves to join PLO umbrella (AP)

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 07:50 AM PST

AP - The rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas took an important step toward reconciliation on Thursday, announcing plans for the Islamic militants to join the umbrella group that has overseen two decades of on-and-off peace talks with Israel.

Bahrain to reinstate education ministry staff (AP)

Posted: 22 Dec 2011 07:37 AM PST

AP - Bahrain's official news agency says 79 education ministry employees who were dismissed from their jobs during months of protests will get their jobs back.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-21T17:23:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Israel says European U.N. states' criticism is wrong (Reuters)
Israel rejects criticism of settlements (AP)
Latest developments in Arab world's unrest (AP)
Abbas meets woman who aided 2001 murder of Israeli (AP)
U.N. rights head: Bahrain failing to punish abuses (Reuters)
UN extends force along Israeli-Syrian border (AP)
Imprisoned activist's daughter freed in Bahrain (AP)

Israel says European U.N. states' criticism is wrong (Reuters)

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 03:23 PM PST

Reuters - Israel Wednesday said four European U.N. Security Council members should support a resumption of stalled Israeli-Palestinian peace talks because their criticism of the Jewish state could sideline them from negotiations.

Israel rejects criticism of settlements (AP)

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 01:03 PM PST

AP - Israel is lashing out at diplomats at the U.N. who condemned Israeli settlement construction in territory claimed by the Palestinians and attacks apparently carried out by Jewish settlers.

Latest developments in Arab world's unrest (AP)

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 12:00 PM PST

AP - Government forces surround residents of a restive Syrian village and kill all those trapped inside — more than 100 people — in a barrage of rockets, tank shells, bombs and gunfire that lasts for hours, The attack pushes the death toll for two days of violence across Syria to more than 200, and is one of the deadliest single events of the entire nine-month uprising against President Bashar Assad's authoritarian rule.

Abbas meets woman who aided 2001 murder of Israeli (AP)

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 11:23 AM PST

AP - Israel is furious at Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for meeting Wednesday with a Palestinian woman who infamously lured an Israeli teen to the West Bank in 2001, where he was murdered by Palestinians.

U.N. rights head: Bahrain failing to punish abuses (Reuters)

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 10:34 AM PST

Reuters - The United Nation's top human rights official said on Wednesday Bahrain was failing to prosecute security forces who tortured people during anti-government protests in February and was still using excessive force against civilians.

UN extends force along Israeli-Syrian border (AP)

Posted: 21 Dec 2011 09:14 AM PST

AP - The U.N. Security Council voted unanimously Wednesday to extend the U.N. peacekeeping force along the Israeli-Syrian border, warning that events in the region could impact its operations.

Imprisoned activist's daughter freed in Bahrain (AP)

Posted: 20 Dec 2011 09:11 PM PST

AP - A daughter of a prominent Bahraini activist has been freed after five days in custody. She was detained last week during an anti-government demonstration in the Gulf kingdom.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-20T17:01:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

U.N. council members line up to criticize Israel (Reuters)
US targeted over failure to condemn Israel (AP)
Mercosur leaders push to bring Venezuela into bloc (AP)
Mercosur approves Palestinian free trade deal (AP)
Bahrain frees blogger on bail, to reinstate workers (Reuters)
Latest developments in Arab world's unrest (AP)
Bahrain to reinstate 180 dismissed civil servants (AP)
Hezbollah denies US money laundering charges (AP)
The man Israel didn't release from prison: Marwan Barghouti (The Christian Science Monitor)

U.N. council members line up to criticize Israel (Reuters)

Posted: 20 Dec 2011 03:24 PM PST

Reuters - Most members of the U.N. Security Council voiced deep concerns on Tuesday about the impasse in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and criticized Israel for pressing ahead with the construction of new settlements.

US targeted over failure to condemn Israel (AP)

Posted: 20 Dec 2011 02:58 PM PST

AP - Fourteen frustrated members of the U.N. Security Council pointed a finger at the United States Tuesday for blocking any condemnation of Israel's accelerated settlement construction in Palestinian territory.

Mercosur leaders push to bring Venezuela into bloc (AP)

Posted: 20 Dec 2011 02:34 PM PST

AP - South America's Mercosur trade bloc approved a Palestinian free trade deal Tuesday and then pushed to admit Venezuela as a full member, even at the cost of threatening its founding principles.

Mercosur approves Palestinian free trade deal (AP)

Posted: 20 Dec 2011 02:23 PM PST

AP - The Mercosur trade group of four South American nations has signed a free trade agreement with the Palestinian Authority.

Bahrain frees blogger on bail, to reinstate workers (Reuters)

Posted: 20 Dec 2011 01:23 PM PST

Reuters - Bahrain, under pressure to improve its right record to secure a purchase of U.S. arms, said on Tuesday it freed on bail a Shi'ite female blogger arrested last week and would reinstate state employees suspended following pro-democracy protests.

Latest developments in Arab world's unrest (AP)

Posted: 20 Dec 2011 12:13 PM PST

AP - Thousands of Egyptian women march in the streets of Cairo, protesting abuse by soldiers who dragged women by the hair, stomped on them and stripped one half naked while cracking down on anti-military protesters in scenes that shocked many in the conservative society.

Bahrain to reinstate 180 dismissed civil servants (AP)

Posted: 20 Dec 2011 05:44 AM PST

AP - Bahrain's official news agency says 180 civil servants, dismissed from their posts during months of protests and crackdowns in the Gulf kingdom will get their jobs back by Jan. 1.

Hezbollah denies US money laundering charges (AP)

Posted: 20 Dec 2011 02:27 AM PST

AP - Lebanon's Hezbollah is denying US allegations of involvement in a $300 million laundering scheme and drugs trafficking, with its deputy leader claiming in comments published Tuesday the charges were false and that America was "not fooling anyone" with accusations meant to harm his anti-Israeli group.

The man Israel didn't release from prison: Marwan Barghouti (The Christian Science Monitor)

Posted: 18 Dec 2011 01:00 PM PST

The Christian Science Monitor - There were rumors and Palestinians hopes that the Gilad Shalit prisoner swap this fall would result in the release of Marwan Barghouti, the man who many see as a possible successor to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-19T17:03:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Germany: Israel must refrain from new settlements (AP)
Gaza leader to travel for 1st time since takeover (AP)
Israel completes swap for captured soldier (AP)
Israel frees 550 Palestinians in Shalit swap (Reuters)

Germany: Israel must refrain from new settlements (AP)

Posted: 19 Dec 2011 06:17 AM PST

AP - A spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel says Germany is urging Israel to refrain from constructing new settlements in the West Bank and east Jerusalem.

Gaza leader to travel for 1st time since takeover (AP)

Posted: 19 Dec 2011 05:22 AM PST

AP - An aide says Gaza's prime minister is planning his first official trip outside the territory since the militant Hamas movement overran it in June 2007.

Israel completes swap for captured soldier (AP)

Posted: 18 Dec 2011 06:58 PM PST

AP - Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners late Sunday, the second and final phase of a swap with Gaza Hamas militants that brought home an Israeli soldier after five years in captivity.

Israel frees 550 Palestinians in Shalit swap (Reuters)

Posted: 18 Dec 2011 06:02 PM PST

Reuters - Israel released 550 Palestinian prisoners Sunday in the second stage of a deal with Hamas that brought home soldier Gilad Shalit after five years of captivity in the Gaza Strip.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-18T17:34:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Israel frees 550 Palestinians in Shalit swap (Reuters)
Israel completes swap for captured soldier (AP)
Israel seeks builders for over 1,000 settler homes (Reuters)
Tensions after killing in refugee camp in Lebanon (AP)
Bahrain police fire tear gas after funeral (AP)

Israel frees 550 Palestinians in Shalit swap (Reuters)

Posted: 18 Dec 2011 01:55 PM PST

Reuters - Israel released 550 Palestinian prisoners Sunday in the second stage of a deal with Hamas that brought home soldier Gilad Shalit after five years of captivity in the Gaza Strip.

Israel completes swap for captured soldier (AP)

Posted: 18 Dec 2011 01:22 PM PST

AP - Israel released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners late Sunday, the second and final phase of a swap with Gaza Hamas militants that brought home an Israeli soldier after five years in captivity.

Israel seeks builders for over 1,000 settler homes (Reuters)

Posted: 18 Dec 2011 12:04 PM PST

Reuters - Israel began seeking tenders to build more than 1,000 homes in the occupied West Bank Sunday, part of a settlement plan it accelerated after Palestinians won recognition by a U.N. body, but a move which complicates a return to negotiations.

Tensions after killing in refugee camp in Lebanon (AP)

Posted: 18 Dec 2011 06:54 AM PST

AP - Security officials say tensions are running high in Lebanon's largest refugee camp after a shooting that killed a bodyguard of a prominent Palestinian.

Bahrain police fire tear gas after funeral (AP)

Posted: 18 Dec 2011 06:28 AM PST

AP - Police in Bahrain on Sunday fired tear gas at thousands of demonstrators chanting anti-government slogans after the funeral of an elderly man who witnesses say died from tear gas inhalation.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-17T17:55:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Palestinian textbooks debate reaches US campaign (AP)
Protesters, police clash for third day in Bahrain (AP)
Hezbollah prisoner held by Iraq faces minor charge (AP)
Israeli lawmakers move to annex West Bank, one museum at a time (The Christian Science Monitor)

Palestinian textbooks debate reaches US campaign (AP)

Posted: 17 Dec 2011 09:27 AM PST

AP - Do Palestinian school textbooks "teach terrorism," as Newt Gingrich claimed in a recent debate among U.S. Republican presidential hopefuls?

Protesters, police clash for third day in Bahrain (AP)

Posted: 17 Dec 2011 07:15 AM PST

AP - Witnesses say opposition supporters in Bahrain have clashed with police for a third straight day along a main highway west of the capital.

Hezbollah prisoner held by Iraq faces minor charge (AP)

Posted: 17 Dec 2011 05:59 AM PST

AP - A Lebanese Hezbollah commander allegedly responsible for killing four U.S. soldiers in Iraq will be prosecuted for a lesser charge of illegal entry with a forged passport, Iraqi officials said Saturday.

Israeli lawmakers move to annex West Bank, one museum at a time (The Christian Science Monitor)

Posted: 16 Dec 2011 09:09 AM PST

The Christian Science Monitor - As Rachel Slonim shows a visitor around the modest, unheated archeological museum in this West Bank settlement, she becomes animated when she reaches a display case with artifacts from the biblical Israelite period.

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

2011-12-16T17:06:00.001-08:00

Yahoo! News: Mideast Conflict

Obama, pushing back at Republicans, defends Israel (Reuters)
Gaza paramedics: Man dies from gunfire on border (AP)
Jailed Hezbollah commander turned over to Iraqis (AP)
Congress moves to restrict aid to Egypt, Pakistan (AP)
Bahraini police fire tear gas at protesters: witnesses (Reuters)
Imprisoned activist's daughter detained in Bahrain (AP)
Tunisia lifts warrant summoning Arafat's widow (AP)

Obama, pushing back at Republicans, defends Israel (Reuters)

Posted: 16 Dec 2011 04:19 PM PST

Reuters - President Barack Obama assured Jewish voters on Friday he remains committed to Israel's security and a two-state solution with the Palestinians as he defended himself against attacks on his policy from Republican presidential challengers.

Gaza paramedics: Man dies from gunfire on border (AP)

Posted: 16 Dec 2011 04:19 PM PST

AP - Palestinian paramedics say a man has died from heavy machine gun fire on the tense border between the Gaza Strip and Israel.

Jailed Hezbollah commander turned over to Iraqis (AP)

Posted: 16 Dec 2011 01:12 PM PST

AP - The last American prisoner in Iraq, a Hezbollah commander linked to the kidnapping deaths of four U.S. soldiers, was turned over to the Iraqi government Friday, the White House said.

Congress moves to restrict aid to Egypt, Pakistan (AP)

Posted: 16 Dec 2011 12:09 PM PST

AP - Congress would impose restrictions on aid to Egypt, Pakistan and the Palestinian Authority in a $53.3 billion bill that avoids the deep cuts in foreign assistance and State Department funding that Republicans had pursued this year.

Bahraini police fire tear gas at protesters: witnesses (Reuters)

Posted: 16 Dec 2011 12:00 PM PST

Reuters - Bahraini police fired tear gas and clashed with Shi'ite Muslim protesters on Friday, a day after a man was run over and killed as he fled security forces chasing protesters near Manama, the opposition and a rights group said on Friday.

Imprisoned activist's daughter detained in Bahrain (AP)

Posted: 16 Dec 2011 08:57 AM PST

AP - A daughter of a prominent Bahraini activist was detained during an anti-government demonstration in the Gulf kingdom, which has been roiled by months of protests and crackdowns.

Tunisia lifts warrant summoning Arafat's widow (AP)

Posted: 16 Dec 2011 08:08 AM PST

AP - The Justice Ministry says Tunisia has lifted a warrant summoning the widow of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat over a corruption scandal.