FRANCE 24’s coverage and analyses of political and social issues across the Middle East, including Egypt, the Gulf states, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen and beyond.https://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/Fri, 21 Jul 2023 19:32:49 GMTMiddle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230721-saudi-arabia-iran-summon-swedish-diplomats-over-koran-desecrations-at-protests Middle East powerhouses Saudi Arabia and Iran have summoned Swedish diplomats to denounce Stockholm's permission for protests that desecrate the Koran on free speech grounds. 563a0ce6-279c-11ee-8f6d-005056a97652Fri, 21 Jul 2023 08:24:10 GMT© Adil AL-Khazali, APNEWS WIRESMiddle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230721-us-sending-more-navy-ships-marines-to-the-gulf-to-counter-iran The US is sending additional warships and thousands of Marines to the Middle East to increase security in the wake of Iranian attempts to seize commercial ships there. 4e1c30b6-2779-11ee-a3b2-005056bf762bFri, 21 Jul 2023 03:52:12 GMT© Angela Weiss, AFPNEWS WIRESMiddle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230720-defiant-netanyahu-vows-to-press-ahead-with-key-vote-on-contentious-judicial-reform Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday vowed to press ahead with his contentious judicial overhaul, despite unprecedented mass protests at home, growing defections by military reservists and appeals from the U.S. president to put the plan on hold. 4dbf99f8-273a-11ee-95d3-005056bf762bThu, 20 Jul 2023 20:34:24 GMT© Ohad Zwigenberg, ReutersNEWS WIREShttps://www.france24.com/en/video/20230720-swedish-embassy-in-iraq-stormed-protesters-angered-over-quran-burning-in-sweden Hundreds of protesters in the Iraqi capital stormed the Swedish embassy in Baghdad. The building was set on fire in the early hours of Thursday morning. According to the Swedish foreign ministry all embassy staff are safe. Thursday's protest came on the heels of authorities over in Sweden approving a so-called public meeting outside Iraq's embassy in Stockholm today. Two people are expected to participate and reportedly burn the quran and the Iraqi flag. Correspondent Paul Rhys tells us more. 34213c52-26f1-11ee-ad89-005056bf762bThu, 20 Jul 2023 11:33:09 GMTFRANCE24https://www.france24.com/en/video/20230720-demonstrators-set-fire-to-swedish-embassy-in-baghdad-after-permission-granted-for-koran-burning-protest Demonstrators set fire to the Swedish embassy in Baghdad on July 20, 2023 after two men in Sweden were granted permission to stage a protest including the burning of a Koran. FRANCE 24's Antonia Kerrigan tells us more. cd453390-26d6-11ee-860d-005056a97652Thu, 20 Jul 2023 08:24:10 GMTFRANCE24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230720-protesters-storm-swedish-embassy-in-baghdad-over-planned-koran-burning Iraq on Thursday expelled Sweden’s ambassador after a man stomped on a copy of the Koran at a Stockholm demonstration just hours after the Swedish embassy in Baghdad was torched over the planned protest. 6df05ae8-269d-11ee-99f5-005056bf762bThu, 20 Jul 2023 01:33:28 GMT© Ammar Karim, AFPNEWS WIRESMiddle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230719-egypt-s-sisi-pardons-researcher-patrick-zaki-after-outcry-from-rights-groups Egypt's President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi granted a pardon Wednesday to researcher Patrick Zaki, state media said, a day after Zaki's three-year jail term sparked an outcry from local rights groups and Western governments.  7c1fb0f0-2670-11ee-b0c8-005056bf762bWed, 19 Jul 2023 20:27:56 GMT© Mohamed el-Raai, AFPNEWS WIREShttps://www.france24.com/en/video/20230718-israeli-protesters-block-highways-in-a-day-of-disruption-against-judicial-overhaul-plan Israeli protesters blocked highways and gathered outside Tel Aviv's stock exchange and military headquarters in the latest mass protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's planned judicial overhaul. It comes as longtime allies of the prime minister pushed a contentious piece of legislation through a parliamentary committee ahead of a vote expected next week. FRANCE 24's Catherine Clifford tells us more. 51774f26-256b-11ee-a5fa-005056a97652Tue, 18 Jul 2023 13:02:14 GMTFRANCE24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230718-protesters-against-israeli-judicial-overhaul-block-roads-army-headquarters Israeli protesters blocked highways and gathered outside Tel Aviv's stock exchange and military headquarters on Tuesday in the latest countrywide demonstration against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's planned judicial overhaul.  4893d8bc-253d-11ee-a5c1-005056a97652Tue, 18 Jul 2023 07:36:53 GMT© Nir Elias, ReutersNEWS WIRESMiddle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230715-israel-s-netanyahu-hospitalised-but-in-good-condition-pm-s-office-says Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was still undergoing tests in hospital on Sunday after a dizzy spell but was expected to be released later in the day, his office said. 4f0638a0-2323-11ee-81e6-005056bf762bSat, 15 Jul 2023 15:29:42 GMT© Amir Cohen, APNEWS WIRESMiddle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230715-us-sending-f-16-fighter-jets-to-strait-of-hormuz-after-iran-opens-fire-on-oil-tanker The U.S. is beefing up its use of fighter jets around the strategic Strait of Hormuz to protect ships from Iranian seizures, a senior defense official said Friday, adding that the U.S. is increasingly concerned about the growing ties between Iran, Russia and Syria across the Middle East. 05e88abc-22d1-11ee-9ea9-005056bf762bSat, 15 Jul 2023 05:51:49 GMT© Lewis Jol, APNEWS WIRESMiddle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230713-syria-is-opening-a-key-aid-corridor-to-rebel-held-areas The country has made a 'sovereign' decision to open the Bab al-Hawa corridor for six months, according to the Syrian ambassador to the United Nations. 7fc62b82-21cd-11ee-a61f-005056a97652Thu, 13 Jul 2023 22:34:58 GMT© Omar Haj Kadour, AFPNEWS WIRESMiddle East mattershttps://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/middle-east-matters/20230712-anger-on-the-streets-in-israel-parliament-backs-controversial-judicial-reform-package Protesters in Israel continue to take to the streets. The renewed demonstrations come after the Knesset adopted a key clause in the country's judicial reform package. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pressing ahead with the controversial bill that seeks to curb the power of Israel's Supreme Court, despite widespread opposition. We take a closer look. ba724d94-1fff-11ee-9218-005056a97652Wed, 12 Jul 2023 10:46:09 GMTDelano D’SOUZAhttps://www.france24.com/en/video/20230712-israel-judicial-overhaul-protesters-stage-day-of-disruption-against-controversial-vote In Israel, Thousands of protesters took to the streets again Tuesday, blockading major highways and the country's main airport. Demonstrations have been going on for weeks now against the far-right government's plans to reform Israel's justice system, severely limiting the powers of the Supreme Court. Close to seventy people were arrested in the lastest protests . FRANCE 24's Alison Sargent reports. 3eaa3216-2091-11ee-9615-005056bf762bWed, 12 Jul 2023 08:51:08 GMTFRANCE24Middle Easthttps://www.france24.com/en/middle-east/20230711-israelis-block-highways-in-protest-over-plan-to-overhaul-judiciary Israeli protesters blocked highways and converged on the Tel Aviv airport Tuesday, stepping up resistance to the hard-right government's judicial overhaul package opponents say threatens democracy. 0f571010-1fc4-11ee-9ee9-005056bf762bTue, 11 Jul 2023 08:26:47 GMT© Ohad Zwigenberg, APNEWS WIRES