Newsletter: Palestine Palestine elections chief: Vote ‘transparent’ despite war, restrictions In an exclusive interview, Rami Hamdallah defended the transparency of recent Palestinian local elections while outlining the political and logistical barriers to voting in Gaza and East Jerusalem. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
EU ministers agree to sanction violent West Bank settlers: What to know European foreign ministers have agreed to sanction extremist West Bank settlers, but are still discussing the list of names. Israel
Feature Gazans show cautious hope ahead of first local elections in 20 years The city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza is set to hold municipal elections for the first time in nearly two decades. By Rasha Abou Jalal In Gaza City, reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
Analysis On eve of Palestinian local elections, competition in short supply With many races unopposed and rivals excluded, the vote underscores a calibrated effort to contain dissent and prioritize stability. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Interview Olmert: Only Israel-Lebanon deal can curb Hezbollah, occupation 'unviable' Ehud Olmert Former Israeli prime minister
New Islamic bank to set up shop in West Bank, Gaza The founders of Palestine's brand-new Al-Safa Islamic Bank are working to open two branches in the West Bank and Gaza, where commercial banks vastly outnumber Islamic ones despite the wide demand for them. Palestine
How education reform could curb Palestinian unemployment To reduce unemployment among young people, the Palestinian government is developing vocational and technical education programs to meet Palestinian and Arab labor market needs. Palestine
Erdogan’s latest wake-up call on Islamic State The Obama administration weighs deeper coordination with Moscow against Jabhat al-Nusra; Erdogan’s slow turnaround on Syria policy; Hamas seeks to resume ties with Iran. Palestine
Could Turkish-Israeli reconciliation eventually end Gaza siege? The reconciliation agreement between Israel and Turkey has been modestly welcomed in the Gaza Strip, as Palestinians hope it will lead the way to the end of the blockade. Palestine
Did Turkey abandon Hamas in Israel deal? As Hamas absorbs the aftermath of the Turkish-Israeli agreement, some wonder whether Turkey should be blamed for failing to lift the siege on Gaza. Palestine
What Israel's payoff for Turkish civilians means for Palestinians Now that Israel has agreed to compensate the families of the Mavi Marmara casualties it calls terrorists, Palestinians are hoping to advance their own claims for compensation. Palestine
How rotten fish became a favorite delicacy in Gaza On the first day of Eid al-Fitr, Gazans buy and eat a salted and fermented fish called fesikh, which has a long tradition in the Gaza Strip. Palestine
How Erdogan’s Israeli gambit may cost him Islamist support For the first time, the Islamist opposition is raising its voice loudly against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, decrying the normalization agreement with Israel. Palestine
Has EU given up hope in Israel’s new defense minister? European Union officials believe that actions taken by Israel's new Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman in favor of the settlement enterprise reflect his true political colors. Palestine
Why Netanyahu quietly applauds Brexit Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must be pleased with Brexit, which will weaken the European Union and draw its attention away from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestine
Palestinians divided over PA's attendance at Israeli conference The Palestinian Authority sent an official representative to participate at Israel's Herzliya Conference on June 14-16, which raised the ire of various Palestinian factions. Palestine
Why Hamas resumed ties with Iran In light of its worsening financial crisis and need for military support, Hamas has resumed relations with Tehran, which have been strained since the start of the Syrian revolution. Saudi Arabia
