Israel plans security fence, this time on Jordan border

Special to WorldTribune.com TEL AVIV — Israel plans to erect another security fence — this time along the border with Jordan. Officials said the Defense Ministry has launched plans to establish a barrier along a 100-kilometer stretch of the Israeli-Jordanian border. They said the security barrier, estimated at about $170 million, would be required to […]

Israeli civil defense exercise to simulate biological weapons attack

Israeli civil defense exercise to simulate biological weapons attack

Special to WorldTribune.com TEL AVIV — Israel has completed plans for a major civil defense exercise. The Defense Ministry has approved an exercise in northern Israel meant to defend against a biological or chemical weapons attack from Lebanon or Syria. The two-day exercise, called Orange Flame-6, would seek to coordinate between military and civilian authorities. […]

Egypt plans to populate border areas near Israel, Libya

Special to WorldTribune.com CAIRO — Egypt has drafted a plan to develop border areas in an effort to increase security. Officials said Egypt’s military regime has approved a proposal to develop areas along the border with Israel and Libya. They said the government would offer incentives for tens of thousands of people to move to […]

Turkey considers law allowing would-be draftees to pay instead of serving

Turkey considers law allowing would-be draftees to pay instead of serving

Special to WorldTribune.com ANKARA — Turkey has been drafting legislation to allow men to pay rather than serve in the military. Officials said the government of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan was working with parliament for legislation that would resolve the status of thousands of draft-dodgers. They said the bill would be presented to parliament by […]

Prince Salman, 76, named Saudi defense minister

Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia has named one of the last surviving sons of the kingdom’s founder as defense minister. King Abdullah has named Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz, 76, the kingdom’s defense minister. Salman, the longtime governor of Riyad, would succeed the late Crown Prince Sultan, who held the defense portfolio […]

King Abdullah to appoint his half-brother as Saudi defense minister

King Abdullah to appoint his half-brother as Saudi defense minister

Special to WorldTribune.com ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia was expected to name a defense minister in the wake of the death of Crown Prince Sultan. Saudi sources said King Abdullah has decided not to transfer the Defense Ministry to Sultan’s son, Prince Khalid, now deputy defense minister. They said the king would appoint his half-brother, […]

9-11 provided major boost for Israeli security and military exports

9-11 provided major boost for Israeli security and military exports

Special to WorldTribune.com TEL AVIV — Israel has disclosed that annual defense and security exports topped $7 billion in 2010. The Defense Ministry reported a sharp rise in foreign defense sales over the past decade. Officials attributed the increase to Al Qaida’s air suicide strikes in the United States in 2001 in which more than […]