Two North American politicians – one from the U.S., one from Canada – have launched an initiative to advocate on behalf of that country’s political prisoners. The runup to the election saw a crackdown on “political activists, trade unionists and students,” with Amnesty International director for the Middle East and North Africa blasting...

Soon after it became clear to Ali Akbar Velayati that he had no chance of winning this week’s presidential election in Iran, he quickly congratulated the rest of the candidates and wished them success. “We are all competitors and friends who serve the regime well,” he said. And indeed, putting...

Earlier today the Iranian government certified that Hassan Rouhani – a cleric historically aligned with the so-called “conservative pragmatist” camp of President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani – will be Iran’s next president. Rouhani is set to take office on August 3, and will replace incumbent Iranian and long-time Rafsanjani rival Mahmoud...

The six member nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council agreed on earlier this week to take action against Hezbollah loyalists who reside within their borders. The decision was made public in a joint GCC statement: The GCC will take measures against [those] in the GCC countries affiliated with Hezbollah in...

Washington Institute fellow David Makovsky has taken to the New York Times to argue that Europe has to follow the example set two years ago by President Obama and, bluntly, make Palestinian leaders and citizens face some difficult truths: The only way to achieve Palestinian statehood is through direct, unconditional talks with Israel....

Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson announced today that Stockholm plans to cut assistance that it provides to the Palestinian Authority (PA), after Swedish officials became dissatisfied with the pace of Palestinian negotiations with Israel. Sweden currently provides $107 million annually to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank....

Israel’s Ministry of Tourism reported that May, 2013 saw a record number of visitors to the Holy Land: Israel set an all-time monthly record for tourism in May, with 336,000 visitors entering the country, a 5 percent increase over the previous May. From the start of January through the end...

The United Nations released new figures showing at least 93,000 people have died, but admits that the death toll is most likely much higher. The U.N. report says that 265,000 deaths were reported, but only victims with a name, date and location of death were counted. Analysts had to sort...

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah today committed his Lebanon-based Shiite terror group to further fighting in Syria: The leader of Lebanon’s Hezbollah group vowed Friday to keep fighting in Syria “wherever needed” and said his Shiite Muslim group has made a “calculated” decision to defend the Syrian regime no matter what the...

The Al Quds Brigade of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organization has posted pictures on its website boasting that it is giving military training in Gaza to children as young as six years old. PIJ’s boasts follow those of Hamas, which likeways runs summer camps training children to become...