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Emergency Security Council session convened after 16 Palestinians reportedly killed by IDF troops along Gaza border; top UN official warns violence may worsen By TOI STAFF and AGENCIES /03/31/2018 UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called Friday for “an independent and transparent investigation” into deadly clashes in Gaza between Palestinians and Israeli troops as Security Council members urged restraint and a lowering of tensions on both sides. Kuwait requested the emergency Security Council meeting to discuss the situation in Gaza, where Palestinians said Israeli fire killed 16 people in the conflict’s deadliest single day since the 2014 Gaza war. After the meeting, a top UN …

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Friday’s violence was one of the first uses of the new technology, Border Police spokesman says By AGENCIES and TOI STAFF/ 03/31/2018 Israel on Friday used new technology to counter violent protests along the Gaza border, with Border Police using small drones to drop tear gas on Palestinian protesters. An AFP correspondent saw a drone release around 10 gas canisters as protesters on the border with Israel cursed the small craft. People quickly scattered when they saw the drones approaching. A police spokesman acknowledged operational deployment of the new technology. A number of people were injured by the containers, which fell from a height of …

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Merkel messed up Europe with her immigration policies, and now it’s on to the Middle East. 03/21/2018 Ever since she singlehandedly ruined Europe through her reckless immigration policy, Angela Merkel ought to be the last person to be handing out advice, now on Iran. Seems that Merkel favors the Iran Nuke Deal that was hatched by Obama, Kerry and the ayatollahs. She thinks it’s so splendid that, though nobody asked, she advised, no warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to keep hands off…or else. Apparently, she’s worried that since President Trump is on the verge of (wisely) nixing the arrangement, Netanyahu, …

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New route set to operate thrice a week will reduce journey time by 2 hours flying over Saudi airspace Direct flights operated by Air India between Tel Aviv and New Delhi are set to begin tomorrow after permission for the route to pass through Saudi Arabian airspace was granted last month, a decision lauded by Israel’s Tourism ministry as a “marketing revolution.” “I am pleased that the great efforts we made with Air India over the last two years are bearing fruit and a direct route from New Delhi to Israel has now opened,” Minister of Tourism, Yariv Levin said …

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03/21/2018 US President Donald Trump said he will meet his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in the not too distant future to discuss an arms race that Trump called “out of control.” He also congratulated Putin on his election victory. Trump answered a question about Putin as he was holding a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House. “We will be meeting in the not too distant future to discuss the arms race which is getting out of control,” Trump said, expanding on the content of the phone call with Putin on Tuesday. Read more New arms …

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UN envoy Nikolay Mladenov denounces anti-Semitism, says global body committed to fighting it. 03/20/2018   Watch this video on YouTube Nikolay Mladenov, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, spoke on Monday at the 6th Global Forum for Combating Antisemitism being held in Jerusalem. “The most appropriate today to open this forum is to have three very clear and simple messages and to address them to all who fans the flames of hatred, terror and war around the world,” the envoy said. “The State of Israel is here to stay. It is the home of the Jewish …

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The United Kingdom has expressed its discontent with Israel’s phrasing of a statement last week which condemned the poisoning of Russian spy on British soil but failed to blame Russia. “Israel views the event that took place in Great Britain with gravity and strongly condemns it,” an official statement put out by the Israeli Foreign Ministry said. “We hope that the international community will be able to join forces to prevent the recurrence of such events in the future.” London says it is “not satisfied” with the wording. Ynet

Temple Mount groups publish new data showing at least 12,125 Jews visited holy site in first half of current Jewish year, compared to 8,229 in comparable period last year—a 47% increase; actual number most likely higher, since report excludes Jews who visited independently. Kobi Nachshoni|Published:  03.20.18 , 09:41 Jewish Temple Mount organizations published new data showing that more than 12,000 people made a pilgrimage to the holy site in the first half of the current Hebrew year—an increase of almost 50 percent compared to the same period last year. In light of security tensions in Jerusalem and the fear of …

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ISIS has lost almost all its territory in Syria. 03/20/2018 – ISIS fighters holding a small district in Damascus have gained some ground after driving out Syrian army units that moved into a neighboring area that rebels abandoned last week, a war monitor said. In fighting that lasted 24 hours, the ultra-hardline militant group killed 36 Syrian soldiers, the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Syrian army could not immediately be reached for comment. The district of al-Qadam lies in the Syrian capital’s southern suburbs and has not been part of the month-long offensive waged by the army …

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03/20/2018 One year ago, two young princes began to forge a friendship at a lunch meeting in the White House’s regal State Dining Room. A snowstorm had kept away President Donald Trump’s scheduled guest that day, German Chancellor Angela Merkel – giving the president and his advisers, including son-in-law Jared Kushner, more time to spend with the visiting son of Saudi King Salman. Kushner and Prince Mohammed bin Salman, both in their 30s, had met before, but this would be their first formal sit-down since Trump’s inauguration, and a bond developed between the two men, according to people familiar with …

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03/20/2018 Russia is becoming “more aggressive,” a NATO leader warned Sunday Russia is becoming more “unpredictable and more aggressive” but to avoid war Western European allies must show force while continuing to neutralize the threat by other means, the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. The concern is that Russia will continue to build up its nuclear weapons and invest in its military capabilities, he added.   Russia is becoming more “unpredictable and more aggressive” but to avoid war Western European allies must show force while continuing to neutralize the threat by other means, the NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg …

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Ankara’s army and Syrian rebels celebrated taking over the once peaceful town, where armed Kurdish fighters say they are lying in wait and poised to strike  Monday, 19 March, 2018,  Turkish forces pillage Syrian city after expelling Kurdish fighters 18 Mar 2018 MIDDLE EAST Assad visits army troops near front in eastern Ghouta, Syria 18 Mar 2018 MIDDLE EAST Thousands more Syrians flee their homes as battles rage on Kurdish militants have vowed to wage a guerilla war against the Turkish military and their Syrian rebel proxies after the latter swept into the northern Syrian city of Afrin, seizing control …

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