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
Why Abbas turned Biden down Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas refused US Vice President Joe Biden's offer to reopen talks with Israel, convinced that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no real intention of negotiating. Palestine
Will Israel, Turkey decide the fate of Gaza? Reports on a possible Israeli-Turkish agreement on the construction of a floating harbor off the Gaza Strip and that would be served from Turkish Cyprus rekindled internal Palestinian wrangling between Fatah and Hamas. Palestine
How this new divorce law further marginalizes Gaza's women The Sharia court in Gaza has ruled that husbands can divorce their wives on grounds of abuse, which also relieves the men of having to pay the women support. Palestine
Why this Palestinian poet still sparks controversy in Israel For many Israelis, Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish is the symbol of Palestinian resistance and struggle, who, even after his death, keeps raising strong emotions among Israelis across the political spectrum. Palestine
Will Hamas lose Gaza? Fatah officials have recently threatened to retake Gaza by force, which Hamas leaders see as a step that undermines reconciliation efforts. Palestine
The intifada of attrition Unlike the first two intifadas, the current uprising appears unlikely to lead to political breakthroughs or the rise of a new Palestinian leadership. Palestine
Literary world celebrates Palestinian poet's 75th birthday The Palestinian cause is omnipresent in the minds of Arab and world peoples thanks to renowned poet Mahmoud Darwish, whose work is still widely appreciated seven years after his death. Palestine
Is the West Bank cracking down on free speech? MP Najat Abu Bakr, who ended her two-week sit-in at parliament headquarters in Ramallah, spoke to Al-Monitor about corruption and freedoms in the West Bank. Palestine
A glimpse into the world of Gaza’s cyber pirates Home to more than 2,000 hackers, the Gaza Strip is no longer the isolated place it used to be, with rising cyberattacks driven by national and personal motives. Palestine
Egyptian government accuses Hamas of killing attorney general The Egyptian interior minister made a shocking announcement by accusing Hamas of assassinating prosecutor Hisham Barakat back in the summer of 2015, further straining already fragile ties with the movement. Palestine
Will Palestinians declare independence in June 2017? After 50 years of occupation, Palestinians intend to declare the establishment of an independent state in June 2017. Palestine
Hamas drags feet on choosing between Iran, Saudi Arabia Since the Gulf Cooperation Council decided to label Hezbollah a terrorist organization, Hamas has remained silent and refrained from taking sides so as not to endanger its regional relations. Saudi Arabia
