Somalia’s president heads to Turkey as Israel’s Somaliland recognition rattles region The Somali leader’s visit comes amid a heightened Turkish-Israeli rivalry, fueled by Israel’s recognition of Somaliland, in the region and beyond. Turkey
Analysis In 2025, Netanyahu saved his coalition but stalled on Gaza, Iran, Lebanon With 2025 ending, Israelis are frustrated over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to fully end the Gaza war, solve the Hezbollah problem, reach a deal with Syria or find a way to constructively impact talks on the Iranian nuclear program. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Facing Israeli pushback, Turkey recalibrates public messaging on Gaza force Turkey’s top diplomat has suggested that being part of the Gaza stabilization force is not Ankara’s priority. Turkey
Qatar’s prime minister meets US officials as Gaza plan stalls Sheikh Mohammed's visit comes as questions mount over Hamas' disarmament and the role of international troops in post-war Gaza. Qatar
Analysis Stunt or recalibration? Israel's Raam to break with Muslim Brotherhood By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Analysis How the Trump administration reshaped US diplomacy toward Hamas By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Interview Cyprus weighs joining Gaza force but 'not enough clarity' on mission, FM says Constantinos Kombos Cypriot Foreign Minister
The Takeaway: Business As Usual: US-Egypt alliance finds its center Also: Bennett meets Sisi; Egypt announces vaccine factory; Saudi Arabia mulls Taliban ties; Syrian jihadi group announces "moral police" in Idlib; NGOs slam Palestinian Authority on human rights; a new Al-Monitor podcast; and more … all in about 1,500 words. Egypt
Palestinian NGOs begin campaign against political corruption The deterioration of democratic policies in the Palestinian leadership has led a coalition of nongovernmental organizations to call what is happening in Palestine "political corruption." Palestine
Bennett rules out meeting Abbas, but not economic cooperation Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said Tuesday that he will not meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, but he showed willingness to support economic and business ties with the Palestinian Authority. Israel
Capture of escaped Palestinian prisoners divides Arab-Israelis Minister of Public Security Omer Bar-Lev thanked Arab-Israelis for assisting in the capture of escaped Palestinian prisoners, but not all of them are comfortable with the situation. Israel
Egypt’s embrace of Bennett highlights divisions in Israeli cabinet While coalition partners from the center and left congratulated Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on his meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, figures on the right are busy criticizing him over Gaza. Israel
Israeli goodwill gestures fail to hook Palestinian fishermen Fishermen in Gaza are not celebrating Israel's expansion of their fishing zones, saying the measures are largely empty and there are no guarantees they will last. Palestine
Israeli prime minister praises 'foundation for deep ties' in Egypt Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi was the first visit by an Israeli prime minister to Egypt in a decade. Egypt
Israel's Bennett has lost his voter base National-religious activists and settlers are abandoning Prime Minister Naftali Bennett because of his partnering with centrist and left-wing parties. Israel
Israel, Hamas exchange fire after escaped Palestinian prisoners caught Israel has arrested four of the six Palestinian prisoners who escaped from prison last week. Palestine
Lapid unveils Israeli economic plan for Gaza Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid presented an outline for improving the lives of Gazans, offering them economic rehabilitation steps in exchange for Hamas halting its military build-up. Israel
Palestinian shot dead after attempted stabbing in Jerusalem's Old City Israeli police said the man tried to stab police officers stationed outside Al-Aqsa Mosque compound. Israel
Jailbreak unites Palestinians, confounds Israelis And: required reading to understand the last two decades in the Middle East: the 'Axis of Evil' speech Israel
