Orientul Mijlociu
‘Jordan is next’: West Bank annexation signals ‘silent transfer’
Former officials and strategists warn that Israel’s new land registry laws and military pressure in the occupied West Bank are the final prelude to the ‘alternative homeland’ scenario.
For decades, the “alternative homeland” – the notion that Jordan should become the Palestinian state – was dismissed in Amman’s diplomatic circles as a distant nightmare or a conspiracy theory.
Iran cites ‘good progress’ in nuclear talks with US
Iran’s foreign minister said Tuesday that “good progress” had been made in indirect nuclear talks with the United States in Geneva, describing broad agreement on guiding principles for a potential deal even as tensions between the two countries remained high.
The negotiations, mediated by Oman, took place in Switzerland against a backdrop of military maneuvers by both sides in the Persian Gulf.
The Mass Escape of ISIS Detainees Is a Warning Against U.S. Withdrawal From Syria
Serious concerns are emerging over the ability of the Syrian government to maintain security in the northeast of the country following its recent offensive against the Kurdish-led, U.S.-allied Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
A Syrian government spokesman admitted on February 17 that since the end of January, thousands of detainees had absconded from the al-Hol detention camp previously run by the SDF. “Families escaped while we were present because the camp is large and the smuggling routes are very varied,” said Fadi al-Qassem.
Turkish foreign minister warns of nuclear arms race if Iran gets the bomb
On February 9, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan suggested that Turkey would begin developing nuclear weapons should Iran obtain them. During a televised interview with CNN Turk, Fidan warned that Iranian nuclearization would upset the “balance of power” in the Middle East and likely initiate a regional nuclear arms race, which Turkey may be compelled to join. The foreign minister declined to comment when asked if he believed Turkey should possess nuclear weapons.
Israel Approves Registration of Occupied West Bank Land as ‘State Property’
Occupied West Bank (QNN)- Israel has approved, for the first time since 1967, the registration of land in the occupied West Bank as “state property”, a move that will facilitate the dispossession and displacement of Palestinians, violate international law, and “bury the idea of a Palestinian state.”
Idlib, Release of a Group of “Hizb ut Tahrir” Detainees
The Syrian government released a number of detainees affiliated with the Islamist-oriented Hizb ut-Tahrir party who had been imprisoned in Idlib (northwestern Syria) on Monday, February 16.
Abdo al-Dali, a member of the media office of Hizb ut-Tahrir, Wilayah Syria, confirmed to Enab Baladi that several party members detained in Idlib had been freed, most notably Ahmad Abdel Wahab, head of the party’s media office in Syria.
The growing Saudi-UAE power struggle in the Horn of Africa
The rift between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has erupted beyond subtle divergences into a more overt and consequential rivalry.
While it started with an emerging proxy war over southern Yemen, it has now shifted to the Horn of Africa. But while efforts to smooth their differences have recently pointed to a quiet compromise, their underlying competition may take longer to dissipate.
Iranian diplomats ferrying millions in cash to Hezbollah
Iran International has obtained information alleging that senior Iranian diplomats transported large amounts of cash to Beirut in recent months, using diplomatic passports to move funds to Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
The transfers involved at least six Iranian diplomats who carried suitcases filled with US dollars on commercial flights to Lebanon, according to the information.