Analysis Trump's Board of Peace faces first test: Disarming Hamas President Donald Trump’s plan for a Gaza Strip lined with beachfront resorts and glitzy high-rises hinges on Hamas' disarmament. By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Putin offers $1B in frozen assets for Gaza Board of Peace — will US unfreeze them? It remains unclear how such an arrangement could be implemented, since any contribution from frozen assets would require formal unblocking by the US government. Palestine
Middle East leaders join Trump’s Board of Peace despite mandate concerns Foreign officials are scrambling to understand the board’s expansive mandate ahead of a signing ceremony Thursday. Palestine
Russia to host PA’s Abbas as Putin mulls joining Trump's Gaza Board of Peace President Mahmoud Abbas’ visit will coincide with the signing ceremony of the Trump administration's Board of Peace charter on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos on Thursday. Palestine
Analysis Turkey casts Israel’s Somaliland move as overreach, but Somalia’s fragility poses risks By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Analysis In 2025, Netanyahu saved his coalition but stalled on Gaza, Iran, Lebanon By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Israel holding Gaza militants' bodies as bargaining chips Israel decided not to return the bodies of Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Hamas members until some progress is made on returning the Israeli civilians and the bodies of IDF soldiers held by Hamas. Palestine
US optimistic about Mideast peace deal The US administration will soon publish guidelines for restarting Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. Palestine
Have Israelis forgotten that Rabin was killed over politics? After years of sidelining the fact that Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination was politically motivated, his son Yuval Rabin stands up and denounces the political incitement that led to the murder. Israel
Palestinians cry foul at FIFA decision Some say FIFA is getting involved in the political game after it refused to take action on six Israeli soccer clubs playing in settlements of the occupied West Bank. Palestine
Hamas serious about Palestinian reconciliation deal The tough economic sanctions carried out by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas against Hamas may have been the final straw to convince Hamas to finally see out a reconciliation agreement. Palestine
Netanyahu celebrates Balfour Declaration, yet ignores its legacy Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went to London for the centennial ceremony of the Balfour Declaration, sidelining the essence of the declaration and its vision of peace with the Palestinians. Palestine
Israel and Gaza's underground battle Besides constructing an underground wall obstacle to thwart the building of attack tunnels, Israel is also developing technologies to identify tunnel digging from above ground. Palestine
Is Israel really implementing economic aid to Palestinians? Palestinians argue that Israel has not implemented the economic aid measures it has promised, apart from finalizing the already authorized Hebron industrial park. Palestine
US project aims to improve water access for Palestinian farmers The US consulate in Jerusalem launched a $10 million water project to increase Palestinian farmers' access to treated irrigation water. Palestine
Netanyahu designing new Jerusalem borders The Greater Jerusalem bill and the Jerusalem proposal by Minister Zeev Elkin risk angering the Trump administration while laboring on its peace initiative. Palestine
BDS guidelines ensnare award-winning Palestinian actor A screening of the film “The Insult,” for which a Palestinian won a coveted acting award, was canceled in Ramallah because the film's director had worked in Israel on his previous movie. Palestine
Hamas' futile pursuit of a middle ground Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh called Jordanian King Abdullah II to try to engage him in efforts to achieve Palestinian unity while his deputy appears to have secured the support of Iran for the movement. Palestine
