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German police raid asylum-seeker shelter after Berlin attack

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Reports say driver of truck that plowed through Christmas market, killing 12, is Pakistani man who entered country a year ago BY AP AND TIMES OF ISRAEL STAFF December 20, 2016 German police on Tuesday morning searched a large shelter for asylum-seekers in Berlin in response to a fatal attack on a Christmas market Monday. German media, citing unnamed security sources, reported that the suspect in the attack is a Pakistani man who entered Germany in late 2015 or early this year. Police said Tuesday that the driver who rammed a truck into a crowded Christmas market in the heart …

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Syria Daily: Russia-Iran-Turkey Confer in Moscow Today

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December 20,2016 Foreign and defense ministers of Russia, Iran, and Turkey will confer on Tuesday over the future of Syria. The talks, held in Moscow, spurred by the imminent occupation of all of Syria’s largest city Aleppo by foreign forces — including Iranian ground units and Iranian-led Iraqi and Afghan militia, supported by Russian airstrikes — alongside Assad regime units. Russia and Iran have been essential backers of President Assad since the uprising began in March 2011, while Turkey has supported the Syrian opposition and rebels. Relations between Moscow and Ankara were at breaking point in November 2015, after Turkish …

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Russia says killing of ambassador in Ankara is act of terrorism

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Published time: 19 Dec, 2016 17:30 The attack on Russian envoy Andrey Karlov, who died of gunshot wounds received during an official event in the Turkish capital, Ankara, is qualified by Moscow as a “terrorist act,” the Foreign Ministry says. Follow LIVE UPDATES on gun attack in Ankara Announcing Karlov’s death, the ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the “day is tragic in the history of the Russian diplomacy.” The ambassador was shot at a public event in the Turkish capital, the ministry confirmed, saying that he later died of his wounds. The topic of the killing of the Russian diplomat …

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Who’s afraid of Donald Trump in the Middle East?

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DEBKAfile Exclusive Analysis December 19, 2016, 4:50 PM (IDT) Not much can be ascertained about President-elect Donald Trump’s administration future policies for the Middle East – any more than for most other parts of the world, except that his starting points are likely to be diametrically opposed to those of Barack Obama. It is all still in the making. The Russian policy he decides to pursue after he enters the White House and his administration is in place is as unfathomable as are the motives that led him to appoint his lawyer and close adviser, the pro-settlement David Friedman, as …

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The Bible’s First Promise

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And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. (Genesis 3:15) This is the first promise to fallen man. It contains the whole gospel and the essence of the covenant of grace. It has been in great measure fulfilled. The seed of the woman, even our Lord Jesus, was bruised in His heel, and a terrible bruising it was. How terrible will be the final bruising of the serpent’s head! This was virtually done when Jesus took away sin, vanquished death, …

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With plenty of Hamas help, IS deepens its war against Egypt

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Gaza’s terrorist rulers are still providing Sinai Province group with weapons and medical aid, despite a supposed thaw in their relations with Cairo BY AVI ISSACHAROFF December 18, 2016, 5:19 pm spite an apparent thaw in relations between Egypt and Gaza and the expected opening of the Rafah Border Crossing in the coming week, Hamas is still allowing the transfer of injured Islamic State fighters to the Gaza Strip, while also ignoring the smuggling of weapons to the Sinai Peninsula destined for the extremist organization’s local branch, according to Arab sources. This cooperation is taking place despite the Islamic State’s …

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Iran nod for Saudi embassy attack, mastermind claims in leaked audio

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By Saleh HamidAl-Arabiya.netSunday, 18 December 2016 The mastermind of the Saudi embassy attack in Iran, which took place earlier this year, has confessed that the attack was carried out after the Iranian government and leaders gave him a green light. The confession was revealed in an audio recording which was leaked recently. It also explains why authorities in Iran have delayed the trial of those who carried out the attack and why charges were dropped during kangaroo courts. In the audio recording reported to have been revealed by sources close to the opposition Green Movement inside Iran, the alleged mastermind …

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Russia to veto UNSC resolution calling for observers at Aleppo evacuation

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Russia, a staunch ally of Assad, has vetoed six Security Council resolutions on Syria since the conflict started in 2011 Russia’s UN ambassador has said that his country will veto a French-drafted resolution aimed at ensuring that UN officials can monitor evacuations from Aleppo and the protection of civilians who remain, according to Sky News Arabia. “We cannot allow it to pass because this is a disaster,” Ambassador Vitaly Churkin told reporters. However, he said “there could be another thing which could be adopted today by the Security Council which would accomplish the same goals,” without elaborating. Follow سكاي نيوز عربية-الآن ✔@SkyNewsArabia_B …

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Iran discusses nuclear ships plan with IAEA chief

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Construction of boats, which would likely breach permitted uranium-enrichment level, seen as retaliation over renewed US sanctions BY AFP December 18, 2016, Iran discussed its plans for nuclear-powered ships with International Atomic Energy Agency chief Yukiyo Amano on Sunday, saying it would present details within three months, Iranian media reported. Amano did not comment on the plans to produce nuclear-powered engines, but said Iran had so far met all of its commitments under last year’s nuclear deal with world powers. “We discussed the nuclear-powered engines in detail,” said Ali Akbar Salehi, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, adding that he …

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Netanyahu scores diplomatic home run in Iran’s backyard

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12/15/2016 Israel’s prime minister has completed a landmark visit to two of the world’s wealthiest Muslim nations. You wouldn’t know it from the front pages of newspapers in Israel, but its prime minister has completed a landmark visit to two of the world’s wealthiest Muslim nations. Largely eclipsed in the Israeli media by sexual harassment scandals, the Knesset dress code and the impending evacuation of Amona, Binyamin Netanyahu’s state visit this week to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan nonetheless represents a diplomatic coup against Iran. It also underlines Israel’s ability in recent years to punch holes in the former taboo in the …

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Will Netanyahu’s visits to Muslim countries bring Israel’s secret ties out of the closet?

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Azerbaijan, located in the Caucasus region, and Kazakhstan, in Central Asia, are Muslim republics. Friendly relations with both of them, and especially the strategic alliance with Azerbaijan, should not be taken for granted.  The short but productive visit by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan had two purposes. One was to improve the bilateral relations between Israel and the two nations. This is a goal that was achieved by emphasizing the strong military, oil and general trade ties and reaching understandings to enhance them in the future in the fields of agriculture, hi-tech and medicine. Azerbaijan has been …

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Amona Rejects Deal With Government, Forcing Bibi’s Hand

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Orit ben Tzvi December 15, 2016 Whether or not the government raises Amona is yet to be seen, but one thing is clear, the village’s residents understand that their mission is not personal but one that is national. The residents of Amona rejected the deal forged between Bibi Netanyahu and Naftali Bennett last week in which the Regulation Law will be passed on the back of Amona’s destruction.  The government wants the country to believe that they offered the residents of Amona an amazing deal where they would be moved 100 meters and stay on the hillside. Yet, that is not …

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Russia: Loss of Iranian nuclear deal would be ‘unforgivable’

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12/15/2016 Russian ministry also says it was disappointed by plans by the US to extend its Iran Sanctions Act by 10 years.  MOSCOW – It would be unforgivable if a deal over Iran’s nuclear program was lost, Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, the Interfax news agency reported. The ministry also said it was disappointed by plans by the United States to extend its Iran Sanctions Act by 10 years. Meanwhile on Thursday, the White House said the bill extending US sanctions against Iran for 10 years will become law without President Barack Obama’s signature, but will not affect implementation …

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Russia: The Syrian government has re-established control over eastern Aleppo

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Russia announces Aleppo under Assad’s control as rebel forces and civilians evacuate city; Over 200 executions reported Tuesday night 12/14/2016 Aleppo is under entire control of Assad’s regime as of Tuesday in an apparent end of Russia and Assad regime’s large-scale offensive of the Syrian city since November. Russia’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin announced Tuesday evening that “military activities in east Aleppo have stopped,” confirming that “the Syrian government has re-established control over eastern Aleppo.” According to reports from the Russian Ambassador, Syrian rebels have reached a ceasefire with Russia and Assad’s regime to end all military …

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