MIDEAST: Egypt Bent at the Border

Tens of thousands of houses inside the Gaza Strip were destroyed by air strikes and artillery during Israel's recently concluded military campaign. Areas along Egypt's border with the hapless enclave, meanwhile, have not been immune from the devastation.

POLITICS: U.N. Chief Appalled at Israeli Destruction in Gaza

When Israel went on a military rampage during its 22-day air strikes and artillery attacks on Gaza, it largely singled out residential neighbourhoods, hospitals, schools and U.N. buildings on the pretext of targeting Hamas fighters.

Q&A: 'Without Loyalty, No Citizenship'

Arab Israeli lists Balad and Ta'al might not be allowed to take part in the upcoming elections. Last Monday, representatives from all major parties voted for the exclusion of the lists. Danny Hershtal, candidate of main instigator Yisrael Beitenu explains why his party considered such a move necessary.

EUROPE: Watching That Space, and Seeing More of the Same

Polished, clever and charismatic, Barack Obama appears the very antithesis of the bungling cowboy that his predecessor in the White House, George W. Bush was widely believed to be. That in itself helps explain why his election as the first black president of the U.S. in November delighted millions in Europe.

MIDEAST: Say it Plain, Mr. President

Europe now evidently understands what the U.S. has long understood - if you want to move Israelis on peace, you need to make them feel secure.

MIDEAST: A ‘Police State’ Celebrates

The Israeli government is stepping up efforts to suppress dissent and crush resistance in the streets. Police have been videotaping the demonstrations and subsequently arresting protesters in large numbers.

MIDEAST: Gaza War Divides Arab Governments From People

Street protests against Israel's assault on Gaza continue to be held almost daily. The anger has not ended with the ceasefire called.

MIDEAST: Ceasefire of Sorts Agreed, For Now

One Palestinian civilian died and over a dozen rockets hit southern Israel early Sunday morning just hours after Israel implemented a unilateral ceasefire halting its three-week military incursion into Gaza.

MIDEAST: Shock, Awe, and a Belated Soul-Search

"If only my three daughters will be the last victims of this horrible conflict," wept Dr. Ezzadin Abu Al-Aish, a Palestinian gynaecologist recovering from his wounds in Tel Aviv's Tel Hashomer hospital. An Israeli tank shell killed three of his nine children aged 20, 15 and 14 as well as a 14-year-old niece in their home in the Jebaliya refugee camp Saturday. Israel says its forces were responding to sniper fire.

MIDEAST: U.S. Jewish Peace Lobby Isolated on Gaza

The three-week-old war in Gaza - halted Saturday by an Israeli ceasefire - has had a polarising effect on the U.S. Jewish community, resulting in a deeper and at times acrimonious split between dovish groups that are sceptical of the Israeli military campaign, and centrist and hawkish groups that have been broadly supportive of it.

POLITICS: U.N. General Assembly Demands Ceasefire in Gaza

As Israel's military aggression in Gaza stretched to nearly a month, the 192-member U.N. General Assembly passed a resolution Friday evening calling for an immediate ceasefire.

MIDEAST: Resistance Rejects International Gaza Force

Since the outset of Israel's war on the Gaza Strip, calls have been renewed for an "international force" to protect the civilian population. But Palestinian resistance factions, chief among them Hamas, reject the idea outright.

MIDEAST: Syria Makes Its Mark on Regional Politics

The main artery of Damascus's famous covered souk (market) sports a giant red banner expressing - in Arabic and English - the disgust and anguish of a nearby private business for the Israeli military's attacks on Gaza.

POLITICS: Israeli Attacks on Gaza Escape Global Media Scrutiny

Israel's relentless air attacks on a besieged Gaza, which have killed over 1,000 Palestinians and destroyed hundreds of homes, continue to take place away from the gaze of the international news media.

MIDEAST: GCC in Security-Sympathy Fix Over Gaza

As Israel’s assault on Gaza continues into a third week, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries remain distressed on two fronts - mounting Arab anger over Palestinian causalities and concern over Tehran and Tel Aviv using Hamas to settle their differences.

MIDEAST: Coming Up to Crunch Time

"The war isn't yet over, but it's the beginning of the final chapter," said Eytan Ben-Eliyahu, former Israeli air force chief, on Israel Television Wednesday night. "This is the crunch moment," he added.

MIDEAST: U.N. General Assembly Calls Crisis Meeting on Gaza

The 192-member U.N. General Assembly, which is due to hold a special emergency meeting Thursday, may call for an international inquiry into the Israeli killing of hundreds of innocent Palestinian men, women and children in Gaza, diplomatic sources told IPS.

MIDEAST: Thousand Deaths Do Not Put Off EU

Senior European Union figures have signalled that they could push ahead with plans to strengthen formal ties with Israel, even though more than 1,000 have now been killed by the bombardment of Gaza

MIDEAST: Malaysia Exercised Over Gaza

As an economically advanced country that seeks a key role in the Muslim world, it is perhaps natural that Malaysia and its people are exercised over Israel’s war in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.

MIDEAST: Olmert Piles Up the Pressure

In the face of U.S. denials, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office confirmed Wednesday that he personally intervened to ensure that the U.S. abstained from voting on UN Security Council Resolution 1860 last week.

POLITICS-US: Olmert’s Claims Revive Spectre of “Israel Lobby”

The U.S. State Department fiercely denied claims made by Ehud Olmert about his influence over President George W. Bush, in an incident that has stirred up old debates about the role of the Israeli government and the so-called "Israel lobby" in formulating Middle East policy in Washington.