Interview Olmert: Only Israel-Lebanon deal can curb Hezbollah, occupation 'unviable' Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Al-Monitor that Israel will only be able to defang Hezbollah if it reaches an agreement with the Lebanese government.
Interview Minister warns aid cuts to Lebanon risk empowering Hezbollah Lebanese Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed warns of resurgent sectarian tensions as Israeli strikes drive mass displacement into overcrowded Beirut. Haneen Sayyed Lebanese Minister of Social Affairs
Iran war deepens Gaza crisis as prices soar, aid falters Gazans fear that Israel could exploit the wider regional war to reenter Gaza, especially as buffer zones along the border continue to expand and civilians are targeted to keep them away. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Analysis Why Germany may struggle to meet Merz’s 80% Syria repatriation goal Germany, which hosts the EU’s largest Syrian refugee population, is pushing to repatriate Syrians, but Syria’s domestic issues and legal protections for asylum seekers complicate those efforts. By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Failure to ensure equity sows seeds of conflict, UN development chief says In an interview with Al-Monitor, the head of the UN Development Program discusses his agency’s work in conflict zones like Syria and the future of multilateralism. Syria
Failed Yemeni talks shatter hopes of Yemenis' financial recovery Residents of Houthi-controlled Sanaa pinned their hopes on a recent meeting between Yemen’s warring sides to solve economic crises as the country’s Central Bank remains divided, but no solution was found and differences remain. Saudi Arabia
Iranian teachers fill gap between state, society after floods Teachers in Iran have played an important role in relief efforts in the wake of recent flooding, shining a light on the impact of Iranians' mistrust of the state. Iran
Palestine sends surgical team to aid struggling Venezuelans The Palestinian Authority has dispatched a medical delegation to Venezuela to offer medical aid for one month, in a step it says is strictly humanitarian and not political. Palestine
Senate votes to end US involvement in Yemen war The Senate voted to end US support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. Saudi Arabia
US floats idea of division in Yemen, Houthis torpedo plan US Defense Secretary James Mattis has proposed division and self-rule areas in Yemen to end the bloody civil war, but Houthis categorically reject the proposal. Yemen
Amid famine, anger at Khashoggi murder, will Saudis be pressed to end Yemen war? UN warnings of unprecedented famine in Yemen, combined with US disgust at Saudi Arabia’s killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, could spur Congress to pressure the Donald Trump administration to force an end to the Saudi-led war. Saudi Arabia
Why is Qatar helping Hamas in Gaza? The Palestinian Authority believes the Qatari aid to the Gaza Strip serves the interests of the US and Israel, which plan to announce the "deal of the century" that aims at separating the Gaza Strip from the West Bank. Qatar
Pence pressure prompts USAID to appoint liaison for Iraqi Christians USAID has appointed a special representative for the beleaguered minority group following intense pressure from the vice president. Iraq
UN warns of famine after Yemen talks sputter In an interview with Al-Monitor, the top UN aid official in Yemen warned that 10 million more people are at risk of starving if fighting in the war-torn country doesn’t stop. Saudi Arabia
Israeli and Palestinian civil defense teams join hands to save lives The Israeli and Palestinian civil defense agencies have more regularly been conducting joint first-responder exercises for handling traffic accidents after a horrendous collision on the West Bank last October, and they also cooperate in exercises to develop regional responses to natural disasters. Palestine
US decision to cut aid could be opening for flagging Saudi approach to Syria Syria stabilization will instead likely depend on Putin’s shuttle diplomacy with Ankara and Damascus. Saudi Arabia
