This story was originally published by the WND News Center.
JERUSALEM – Middle East/Israel Morning Brief
Trump pulls Bolton security detail despite alleged threat from Iran to former NSA
U.S. president Donald Trump has ended Secret Service protection for John Bolton, his former national security adviser turned political antagonist, despite an alleged threat to Bolton's life from Tehran, reported Iran International.
"I am disappointed but not surprised that President Trump has decided to terminate the protection," Bolton said in a statement on X on Tuesday, adding that Joe Biden had given the protection despite his criticism of Biden's policies.
"The American people can judge for themselves which president made the right call," he said, referencing Iranian threats, including an alleged plot against Trump himself.
The protection stemmed from Bolton's role in Trump's administration, where he was a key figure in the decision to kill Qassem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Qods Force in Iraq in January 2020.
In retaliation, the IRGC allegedly sought to orchestrate Bolton's assassination.
"The Justice Department filed criminal charges against an Iranian Revolutionary Guard official in 2022 for attempting to hire a hitman to target me. That threat remains today," Bolton added.
Iraq passes law that could allow for child marriages
Iraq's parliament passed three divisive laws Tuesday, including amendments to the country's personal status law that opponents say would in effect legalize child marriage, according to the Times of Israel.
The amendments give Islamic courts increased authority over family matters, including marriage, divorce and inheritance.
Activists argue that this undermines Iraq's 1959 Personal Status Law, which unified family law and established safeguards for women.
Iraqi law currently sets 18 as the minimum age of marriage in most cases. The changes passed Tuesday would let clerics rule according to their interpretation of Islamic law, which some interpret to allow marriage of girls in their early teens – or as young as 9under the Jaafari school of Islamic law followed by many Shiite religious authorities in Iraq.
Stefanik: Israel has biblical right to Judea and Samaria
Israel-related issues dominated the Senate confirmation hearing of Rep. Elise Stefanik, R–N.Y., on Tuesday to become the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, according to the Jewish News Syndicate.
