Israeli Minister of Internal Affairs Eli Yishai has announced that the 84 year-old Nobel award-winning writer Günter Grass is no longer welcome in the country due to his recent poem which offers up criticism of Israel.
In an announcement released by the Interior Minister, Yishai states, "Günter 's lying and distorted poems are not welcome in Israel. I suggest he try them in Iran where he will find a sympathetic audience."
Günter Grass, had released the 69-line poem entitled What Must Be Said ('Was gesagt werden muss) in Germany's Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper last week. The poem expresses that with its nuclear weapons; Israel poses a threat to world peace and calls for the supervision of both Israel and Iran's nuclear programs.
Germany criticizes Israel
Volker Beck, Secretary General for the German Green Party Federal Assembly Group criticized the ban on Nobel award –winning German writer Günter Grass from entering Israel. On his website "Handelsblatt Online", Beck calls the decision made by Israel false and exaggerated and states, "This is not at all smart from a democratic standpoint. I hope that the travel ban issue will be reconsidered."
What did Nobel Laureate Günter Grass say?
Nobel Laureate, German intellectual, author and poet Günter Grass's most recent poem criticizes Israel's nuclear war plans, and questions Germany providing a submarine "equipped to transport nuclear warheads". Grass goes on to harshly criticize Israel's combatant stance against Iran.
Grass points out to the possibility of Israel attacking Iran, which has not been proven to harbor even a single nuclear weapon; a situation that he says would endanger world peace. In his poem, Grass states, "with its stance, atomic power Israel is threatening the already fragile world peace."
"Why do I only say this now, aged and with my last ink: because tomorrow will be too late and this must be said now," reads the poem, which was published in the daily Süddeutsche Zeitung on Wednesday.
The Turkish-American ‘Everything for Turkey Platform’, left a black wreath which read "The Turkish public will never forget CNN’s manipulations” in front of the CNN building in New York on Saturday. 
A foundation entitled the “Every Thing for Turkey Platform” (Her şey Türkiye İçin Platformu) has announced they will be holding a demonstration in New York aimed at preserving Turkey’s best interests.
Muhammed Alabasy, who has been working for Iran’s Al Alam television station for the past eight years of his 36-year career in journalism, has resigned due to being pressured to use the term “Turkish Spring” in reference to the nationwide protests in Turkey. 
Prime Minister Erdoğan, whose trip took him to Algeria criticized Assad stating that “His father massacred Humus. His son is doing far more. These workings are not forgivable.”
Syrian President Assad has announced that they have reaceived the initial delivery of S-300 missiles from Russia. Russian Defense Minister Shoigu stated “Russia may deliver new assault weapons to Syria.
A meeting between U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on the upcoming second Geneva Conference which aims to find a political solution to the crisis in Syria failed to reap a precise date for when the summit will actually take place. 
After a marathon negotiating session of EU Foreign Ministers, a ban on arming the Syrian opposition in order to protect the innocent public has in effect been lifted. England’s unyielding stance in favor of the embargo’s expiration was influential in the decision-making process. 
Iran has issued a four billion-dollar worth credit to Syria. 
The allegations the Syrian regime is using chemical warfare against the opposition, which have been put forth by Turkey, the United States and Israel, have now been confirmed. Reporters from Le Monde which spent months on the opposition front lines say the weapons are being masked by tear gas to make detection that much harder. 
Myanmar opposition leader and pro-democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi condemned on Monday a policy by a district government to limit Muslim Rohingya families to two children in an effort to curb their population growth, calling it both discrimination and going against human rights.
President of the Syrian National Council George Sabra says they are not hopeful regarding Geneva II and that there is no way they will attend a conference while the situation in Syria remains as it is. “You win a war on the battlefield and not at the table,” says Sabra. 
Days after Prime Minister Erdoğan called on U.S. President Obama to take action against the ongoing massacres suffered by Muslims in Myanmar, during a meeting held in the Oval Office of the White House, the U.S. leader hosted Myanmar President Thein Sein for a meeting in the very same location. 
It has come to light that the United States and Russia have agreed on having Manaf Tlass, the most influential commander to turn his back on the Assad regime, to preside over the transitional period in Syria. Tlass, will be brought on to take command of the rebel forces under the United States and Russia’s control to undertake negotiations with the Assad regime.
Upon a stern warning by Iraqi Kurdish Regional leader Barzani, the PKK’s Syrian offshoot, the Democratic Union Party (PYD), has released 75 Kurdish politicians from the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) that were abducted by the organization last week. 
