Xinhua Middle East news summary at 2200 GMT, Jan. 14

TEHRAN -- Iran on Sunday rejected the recent U.S. call for allowing foreign inspection of Iranian military sites under the pretext of the 2015 nuclear deal.

The issue of allowing foreign access to Iranian military sites is basically not included in the nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Behrouz Kamalvandi, spokesman of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), was quoted by the Tasnim news agency as saying. (Iran-U.S.-Military sites Inspection)

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RAMALLAH -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas slammed on Sunday the peace deal proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, calling it a "a slap on the face."

Abbas told members of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Central Council, who convened in the city of Ramallah for two days, that Trump's "deal of the century" is "a slap on the face," adding "we will slap back." (Abbas-U.S.-Deal of the Century)

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TRIPOLI -- Libya's eastern-based army spokesman on Sunday slammed Turkey as the sponsor of terrorism in Libya.

"Turkey is the sponsor of terrorism in our country even before the start of the military war against terrorism more than three years ago," said spokesman Ahmad Al-Mismari at a news conference in the eastern city of Benghazi on Sunday. (Libya-Turkey)

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BAGHDAD -- Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi on Sunday allied with a powerful Shiite group close to Iran in his stand for re-election in the coming national elections tentatively slated for May 12.

Abadi's "al-Naser Alliance," or Victory, and "al-Fatah Alliance," or Conquest, headed by Hadi al-Ameri, leader of powerful Shiite party Badr Organization, have signed an electoral pact on Sunday morning, said Mahmoud al-Rubaie, a Shiite politician in a statement. (Iraq-Election-Abadi)

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JERUSALEM -- Israel's Shin Bet security service said Sunday it has arrested an Arab citizen of Israel on suspicion he planned to carry out an Islamic State-inspired attack in Israel.

Hasan Khaled Taher Sheik Yusef, 26, a resident of Taibe, an Arab town in central Israel, was arrested earlier in January but a gag order was imposed on the case. (Israel-Terror Suspect) Enditem