Category: 2. Middle East

Pope Francis, who died Monday aged 88, will go down in history as a radical pontiff, a champion of underdogs who forged a more compassionate Catholic Church while stopping short of overhauling centuries-old dogma.

Dubbed “the people’s Pope”, the Argentine pontiff loved being among his flock and was popular with the faithful, though he faced bitter opposition from traditionalists within the Church.

The first pope from the Americas and the southern hemisphere, he staunchly defended the most…

Gaza’s civil defence agency on Monday accused the Israeli military of carrying out “summary executions” in the killing of 15 rescue workers last month, rejecting the findings of an internal probe by the army.

The medics and other rescue workers were killed when responding to distress calls near Gaza’s southern city of Rafah early on March 23, days into Israel’s renewed offensive in the Hamas-run territory.

Among those killed were eight Red Crescent staff members, six from the Gaza civil…

Iran’s nuclear program achievements are a “red line” in talks with the United States, a senior official in the Iranian parliament has said.

Ebrahim Rezaei, a spokesperson for Iranian Parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee said Sunday the contradictions observed between US officials in recent days “continue to raise doubts about Washington’s true determination” to reach an agreement on Iran’s nuclear program.

“Iran’s…

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar has criticised France’s possible recognition of a Palestinian State as a “grave mistake”, to which Tel Aviv will respond “unilaterally”.

This came after French President Emmanuel Macron said last week that his country might recognise a Palestinian state in June.

In an interview with The Telegraph newspaper, Sa’ar claimed that by recognising a Palestinian state, Paris will lose its regional influence and harm its…

Qatar’s State Minister and chief negotiator, Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, said Doha has been working to revive the Gaza ceasefire-prisoner swap agreement between Hamas and Israel and is committed to doing so despite the difficulties.

“We’ve been working continuously in the last days to try to bring the parties together and revive the agreement that has been endorsed by the two sides,” Al-Khulaifi said Friday in an interview with AFP.

“And we will remain…

LONDON: He preferred to be called “Father” rather than “Your Holiness,” and in his simple white cassock, Pope Francis carried a message of humility far beyond Vatican walls. He washed the feet of migrants, embraced the poor and forsaken, and reminded the world that true power lies in service — not ceremony.

From the barrios of Buenos Aires to the marble corridors of the Holy See, Jorge Mario Bergoglio never lost touch with those on the margins. His papacy redefined what it meant…

LONDON: He preferred to be called “Father” rather than “Your Holiness,” and in his simple white cassock, Pope Francis carried a message of humility far beyond Vatican walls. He washed the feet of migrants, embraced the poor and forsaken, and reminded the world that true power lies in service — not ceremony.

From the barrios of…

On deserted university grounds in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian children run outside nearly empty buildings, their playground after being driven from their homes by a major Israeli “counter-terrorism” operation.

Between a stadium and flower fields where goats now graze, the children play to escape boredom. They have no school to go to since the Israeli military ordered residents to leave the Jenin refugee camp more than two months ago.

Mohammed Shalabi, a 53-year-old father who is among…

Israel’s government cancelled visas for 27 French left-wing lawmakers and local officials two days before they were to start a visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories on Sunday, the group said.

The action came only days after Israel stopped two British members of parliament from the governing Labour party from entering the country.

It also came amidst diplomatic tensions after President Emmanuel Macron said France would soon recognise a Palestinian state.

Israel’s interior ministry said…