William Christou

An official in Lebanon's civil defense told The New Arab that Israelis sprayed an accelerant on a wildfire as firefighters fought to extinguish the blaze.

Rockets launched by Hezbollah created huge wildfires in north Israel on Monday, scorching over 2,500 acres of land.

Hezbollah targeted the Israeli coastal cities of Acre and al-Nahariyah on Sunday, opening a new front in the border fighting between it and Israel.

Jordan released two Syrian refugees who were slated to be deported back to Syria, after an outcry from rights groups.

Lebanon reversed its decision to grant the ICC jurisdiction to investigate war crimes on its soil, which rights monitors said would prevent accountability.

Four short films were screened, covering topics ranging from the filmmakers' sense of place in Lebanon as Syrians to memories of their mothers and childhoods.

At least 420 people have been killed in Lebanon since October, including 82 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

The announcement on Tuesday that Asma al-Assad has Leukemia provoked mixed reactions among Syrians, some of whom had little sympathy for the first lady.

A joint statement issued by rights organisations called on Lebanon to stop summary deportations of Syrian and on the EU to ensure funding is not used in abuses.

Atia Mohamad Abu Salem, a 24-year old Syrian refugee and university student, began a hunger strike on Tuesday to protest his impending deportation from Jordan.