At least 717 pilgrims from around the world were killed on Thursday in a crush outside the Muslim holy city of Mecca, Saudi authorities said, in the worst disaster to strike the annual Hajj pilgrimage for 25 years.
Secretary of State John Kerry flies to Riyadh this week to try to reassure King Salman that any nuclear deal with Iran will be in Saudi interests, despite the kingdom\’s fears that it may boost Tehran\’s backing for Shi\’ite Muslim groups in the region.
Israel attacked two targets in Syria, the Saudi-owned Al-Arabiya network reported.
Islamist protests descended into a bloodbath across Egypt on Friday, with around 50 killed in Cairo alone on a \”Day of Rage\” called by followers of ousted President Mohamed Morsi to denounce a crackdown by the army-backed government.
Last week, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Abdullatif Bin Rashid Al Zayani visited Yemen to mark the first anniversary of the deal that saw former President Ali Abdullah Saleh relinquish power to his longtime deputy, Abdu Rabbu Mansour Hadi, in exchange for immunity from prosecution.
Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi removed from his prepared speech to the United Nations two positive references to peace with Israel.
Israel\’s ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, said Iran targeted his embassy.
An Iranian plot to kill the Saudi ambassador to the United States, thwarted earlier this week, also involved an attack the Saudi and Israeli embassies in Buenos Aires.
The U.S. State Department is launching a study of Saudi textbooks to determine their reach and whether they promote intolerance.
Former Lebanese Minister Wiam Wahhab: The Saudi regime is used by the Jews to avenge the defeat of the Qaynuqa Tribe by the Prophet Muhammad.\n\n
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