The mountain town Zabadani, a rebel stronghold near Syria's border with Lebanon, was under siege for a month. Despite a week-long assault by government forces, the rebels drove back the army's tanks. The town is still starved of fuel and food, but as the Arab League's Syrian observer mission ended, residents of Zabadani enjoyed a fragile calm.
Syria announced Thursday that a commission of inquiry is to investigate the death of French journalist Gilles Jacquier, as the opposition claimed the Assad regime is "liquidating" journalists to silence reports on the bloody crackdown on dissent.
Despite the introduction of new legislation, known as the "anti-infiltration bill", which can send those who enter Israel illegally to prison for up to three years, authorities are struggling to keep the flow of immigrants in check. Most of Israel's African immigrants remain in limbo and are unable to work because of the documents they are given. Our Middle East correspondent Gallagher Fenwick reports.
As tensions soar between Iran and the international community, Annette Young talks to Dennis Ross, President Barack Obama’s former advisor on the Middle East and the Persian Gulf. When asked if military action could be a serious option, Ross says if Iran continues with pursuing nuclear weapons then it will pay the price.
Images of women are the latest source of tension in Jerusalem between certain members of the ultra-orthodox Jewish community and more liberal residents. The extremists want to see the city's walls stripped of any posters or advertisements depicting women. Some advertising agencies have agreed, in order to avoid incurring costs from the degradation of their billboards. Others are choosing to fight back and encourage women to take back the streets of the Holy City.
James André meets Dr. Iyad Allawi, former Iraqi prime minister, in Baghdad. With the US troop withdrawal raising concern about Iran’s influence in Iraq, Iyad Allawi gives his point of view on his country's future.
In this exclusive undercover report from France 2, we witness the steadfast resolution of the inhabitants of Homs, in central Syria, to challenge the Assad regime. Everyday citizens are struggling to survive amidst government crackdowns on dissent. The "Free Syrian Army" is facing an uphill battle, one which it seems it is not willing to relinquish. A report by M. Laroche-Joubert, C. Kenck, J. Bastion and N. Berthelot.
Marc Perelman speaks to Aly El Samman, journalist and former advisor to Anwar Sadat. He has been active in promoting inter-religious dialogue and has just published his memoirs in French, entitled “Egypt, from one revolution to another”. He discusses the events currently unfolding in Egypt, but also the country’s political history.
Philip Crowther meets William Taylor, US Special Coordinator for Middle East Transitions. They discuss US support to those countries experiencing revolutions such as Tunisia, Libya or Syria, and how the US can help these transitions succeed.
US President Barack Obama's special adviser on the Middle East will resign for personal reasons, the White House announced Thursday. Dennis Ross (pictured) was to serve for two years but remained an extra year through the Arab Spring uprisings.
