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
Father of Tel Aviv attacker: If I had the chance, I'd ask Khaled why he did it The father of Tel Aviv attacker Khaled Mahmara told Al-Monitor he did not know about the intentions of his son. Palestine
Will Arab-American voters rally around Clinton? Arab-Americans tend to vote Democratic in presidential elections, but will the community coalesce around Hillary Clinton despite the attraction of Bernie Sanders’ views on the Middle East? Palestine
Why Palestinians are tuning into this reality TV show to select the next president A Palestinian reality TV show allows the public and a jury to elect a so-called president of Palestine, which shed light on the need to hold free and fair elections in the Palestinian territories. Palestine
Gaza attempts to deal with beggars The Ministry of Social Affairs recently launched a campaign to curb the begging phenomenon quickly spreading in the Gaza Strip, but critics say this is not the solution to the problem that should be resolved at the source. Palestine
The education of Israel's new defense minister In the past, Avigdor Liberman was called to use an iron fist against Palestinians in order to curb terror, but as Israel's new defense minister he might change his tone. Palestine
Gaza markets full of Ramadan treats, but who can afford them? With the onset of Ramadan, Gaza’s merchants have plenty of goods to sell for fair prices, but face a costumer base with very little cash. Palestine
Netanyahu's two-state bluff Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated his willingness to adopt parts of the Arab Peace Initiative, conveniently ignoring the essential parts of Palestinian statehood along the 1967 borderlines. Palestine
What are Jerusalem Day festivities really celebrating? While Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu takes pride in his "united Jerusalem," the truth is that the city is more divided than ever as Jerusalem Day celebrants ignore the severe discrimination against the city's Arab population. Palestine
How Gaza's summer camps teach youth more than just sports Each year, organizers of summer camps in the Gaza Strip compete to lure youngsters to their program of activities — and to their ideology. Palestine
Settlement house of wounded soldier unites Israeli left, right Israelis across the political spectrum are united in wanting to provide handicapped access at the settlement home of a wounded soldier, but the law won't allow it. Palestine
What Israel calls progress, Palestinians see as oppression Israel says it will streamline checkpoint procedures to facilitate Palestinians' movements, but some see the promise as merely a public relations move and a reminder of the occupation. Palestine
Israel's selective memory on Armenian genocide The German resolution recognizing the 1915 Armenian genocide highlights Israel's refusal to do so and its preference of political considerations over a moral stance. Palestine