The agony of the Israeli checkpoint for Palestians crossing over every day for their jobs. - El Monitor

The scene each day at the Bethlehem checkpoint is horrifying. Lucky Palestinians who have managed to obtain authorization to work in Israel — the “ticket to life,” they call it — undergo an exhausting, agonizing wait that can last five hours, even when they arrive early in the morning to beat the crowds.

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"Has the USA Found a new friend in Iraqi's Shiite militias?" - El Monitor

 US Consul General Steve Walker said, “The US recognizes the important contribution of the Popular Mobilization Units under the command of Prime Minister [Haider al-Abadi], and most of the Popular Mobilization troops came from the south. This is why I would like to express my condolences to the people of Basra and the south who have lost their loved ones or friends in the war against the Islamic State.”
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"Can the Two State solution be revived between Israelis and Palestinians?" - El Monitor

Daoud Kuttab suggests that a two-state solution may be all but dead, absent a massive international diplomatic intervention. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanhyahu's  “unconditional support” for expanded settlement construction in the West Bank, including in an area known as E1, would cut off the north and south of the West Bank from one another. “Palestinian officials have often repeated the statement that the two-state solution is dead or almost dead. The E1 settlement possibility is clearly one tangible case in which such a claim can be physically checked out and proven to be truly detrimental to the potential of an independent and interconnected Palestinian state,” Kuttab writes. Read it all.(Photo and text from El Monitor)

"One of the oldest Christian cities in the world - Najaf's forgotten Christian heritage" - El Monitor

Recent archaeological discoveries following archaeological explorations excavation in 2008 show that this conservative Islamic city so averse to churches is one of the oldest Christian cities in the world. The remains of a worship center and a monastery are believed to be the oldest Christian monuments in Iraq, dating back to the year 270. (Photo and text from El Monitor)

"Erdogan takes authoritarian rule to a new level in fighting Kurdish separatists."

Turkey is fighting a two-front terrorist war. While early reports indicate that the Islamic State (IS) may be responsible for the bombing in Istanbul, the Turkish government has implicated Kurdish separatists as responsible for the murders in Ankara on March 13. Al-Monitor supports Turkey in defeating terrorists from any and all quarters, and expresses its deepest sympathy for the innocent victims of these inexcusable crimes. Read it all.

Istanbul Residents are retreating from public places after the bombing.

Around 11 a.m. March 19, there was a loud explosion on Istiklal Street in a central portion of the city of Istanbul. The attack claimed the lives of four people and a male suicide bomber, leaving more than 25 injured.  Two victims were American-Israeli dual citizens, an Israeli and an Iranian; five were tourists, part of an Israeli culinary tour group of 14 were injured. Most of the other wounded were Turks and foreign tourists. Read it all.

Is the arrest of a suspect in USA of concern for Turkey's politicians? Hint: It has to do with an accusation of corruption.

On March 19, an Iranian-Turkish gold trader was arrested. Does this bode well for those who want further clarifications regarding possible corruption at the highest levels of Turkish politics?

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"ISIS attacks in Paris - Terrorists are evolving in the use of Technology" - NYT

Fighters who want to be invisible . . .

This New York Times article gives a detailed look at the evolution of ISIS technology in Europe, especially in Paris. It shows:
1) how sophisticated are the plans of terrorists to take down the west;
2) how difficult it is going to be to keep another such event from happening;
3) the tremendous courage of men and women who are keeping the peace and security of modern nations.

A Medieval mentality linked to up-to-the-minute technology is what security forces are up against.

Read it an appreciate the work security forces are doing. Well worth the read. Read it all.