Monthly Archives: December 2015

Egyptian Air Force jets enter Gaza airspace in bombing raids

By | 2015-12-31T16:17:29-04:00 December 31st, 2015|News|

The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) began intensive bombardment near the Gaza Strip this morning in the area surrounding the Egyptian town of Rafah. According to Palestinian media reports EAF planes entered into the airspace of Gaza itself.   The target of the air raids are positions belonging to ISIS's Egypt branch, known as "Sinai Province."

Coptic Pope’s trip to Israel stirs hope to end ban on visits

By | 2015-12-07T03:14:39-04:00 December 7th, 2015|Op-Eds|

When the subject is Israel, passions flare. In Egypt last week, a hornet’s nest of reactions surrounded Coptic Orthodox Pope Tawadros II’s decision to go to Jerusalem upon the death of the Coptic Church’s second-in-command, Bishop Abraham, who was head of the Jerusalem and Near East Orthodox Diocese in Jerusalem since 1992. Respectful of the

The Intifada comes to Austin

By | 2015-12-06T23:40:14-04:00 December 6th, 2015|Op-Eds|

Earlier this month, on November 13th, twelve members of a group calling itself the "Palestine Solidarity Committee," descended, lynch-mob style, upon an American campus in Austin, Texas. What happened next makes the grossly objectionable Apartheid Week follies slightly pale in comparison.   Here's why.   The ringleader, Mohammed Nabulsi, is a law student and presumably

Islam has superseded Christianity in France

By | 2015-12-06T23:05:27-04:00 December 6th, 2015|Op-Eds|

There is an intifada going on in France.   France is busy building a coalition to strike Islamic State in Syria after the massacre of 130 citizens in Paris. But a “mini Islamic State” is already functioning in the French suburbs.   A 2,200-page report, titled “Banlieu de la République” (Suburbs of the Republic), commissioned

Egyptian Muslim scholar: No connection between Temple Mt., Islam

By | 2015-12-06T22:22:02-04:00 December 6th, 2015|News|

Renowned Egyptian scholar Youssef Ziedan, a specialist in Arabic and Islamic studies, has given a series of interviews to Egyptian television stations of late, the purpose of which appears to be to anger his Muslim colleagues.    His main point has been to say that there is actually no connection between Jerusalem and ancient Islam.

Egypt to pay $1.76B to Israel over electricity losses

By | 2015-12-06T21:38:05-04:00 December 6th, 2015|News|

Two Egyptian gas companies will pay a sum of $1.76 billion dollars to the Israeli Electric Company (IEC), the International Chamber of Commerce ruled Sunday, for damages incurred as a result of failures to transfer gas from Egypt to Israel.    In 2011, Egyptian gas companies EGPC and EGAS stopped providing gas to Israel due

Erdogan warns: Iran ‘will pay’ for rumors Turkey buying ISIS oil

By | 2015-12-06T16:36:15-04:00 December 6th, 2015|News|

Turkey on Sunday said it was "astonished" by Iranian accusations that Ankara is supporting Islamic State (ISIS) and involved in oil dealing with the jihadists in Iraq and Syria.   Turkish foreign ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic said in a statement there was nothing in Tehran's accusations to take "seriously."   Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan

Iraq urges Turkey to ‘immediately’ withdraw troops

By | 2015-12-06T15:07:42-04:00 December 6th, 2015|News|

Baghdad demanded Saturday the immediate withdrawal of forces it said Turkey illegally deployed in Iraq, which is struggling to assert its sovereignty while receiving foreign assistance against ISIS.   AFP reports that a senior officer from the Kurdish forces in the region - which are allied to Ankara - downplayed the deployment as a routine

France and Britain to boost cooperation on ISIS

By | 2015-12-06T14:25:31-04:00 December 6th, 2015|News|

French President Francois Hollande and British Prime Minister David Cameron have agreed to "intensify their cooperation" in the fight against Islamic State (ISIS) jihadists, Hollande's office said in a statement Saturday.   The two leaders spoke by phone, with Hollande congratulating Cameron on winning a recent vote in the British parliament to start bombing ISIS

As world focuses on Syria and Iraq, ISIS tightens grip on Libya

By | 2015-12-06T13:57:05-04:00 December 6th, 2015|News|

(AFP) The Islamic State jihadist group (ISIS or IS) has strengthened its grip in its Libyan stronghold Sirte, as new recruits and foreign fighters join its ranks while world attention focuses on Iraq and Syria.   Experts and sources in Libya say Sirte has become a new focal point for the jihadist group as it