Israel's Netanyahu suing New York Times over column on Palestinian rape Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rejected New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof's accusations of systematic sexual abuse and rape of Palestinian prisoners, calling the claims a "blood libel." United States
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump arrives in China with Iran war looming over talks Tehran will closely watch whether Beijing seeks to restrain Washington or quietly aligns with US pressure on Iran’s oil exports and regional role. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis Israel’s drone dilemma: Hezbollah’s low-cost threat reshapes Lebanon front While Israeli and Lebanese delegations are set to meet in Washington for the third time, the Israeli military faces a growing threat from Hezbollah’s cheap yet highly lethal drones. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Iran’s Ghalibaf: US must accept Tehran proposal By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis CIA report on Iran missiles undercuts Netanyahu as war euphoria dissipates By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Hezbollah commanders killed as renewed strikes test Lebanon-Israel talks By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Israel cheers on Kurds while ignoring Palestinians Senior Israeli politicians and the Israeli media have been showering the Kurds with warmth and support in their independence effort while ignoring the Palestinian aspirations for self-determination. Palestine
Netanyahu’s outdated Iran agenda Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu campaigns for the breakup of the Iran deal, ignoring the fact that a US withdrawal from the pact won’t be in Israel’s interest. Israel
Can Iranian threat shield Netanyahu from police investigations? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a master at using his UN speeches to convince his Israeli electorate that he is the only person capable of defending the country from the Iranian threat. Israel
Aoun calls for 'Levantine common market,' safe return of Syrian refugees Lebanon's president outlines a regional approach to combating poverty and extremism; Mahmoud Abbas nears moment of truth regarding Dahlan’s role in Fatah-Hamas talks. Palestine
Palestinian leader rejects compromise on 'martyr' stipends Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas zeroed in on the two-state solution in his speech to the UN General Assembly, giving no quarter to talk about compromising on the support provided to families of martyrs. Palestine
New Israeli closure at Al-Aqsa escalates tensions Israeli-Jordanian ties are likely to deteriorate following an Israeli court decision to close the Bab al-Rahma building inside Al-Aqsa Mosque and to try the Islamic Religious Endowments as a terrorist organization. Palestine
PA struggles to stop gas smuggling in the West Bank Smuggling adulterated fuel from Israel into the Palestinian territories has been on the rise. Palestine
At UN, Netanyahu uses Iran threat to sideline Palestinians In a move that seemed coordinated with the White House, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu revived the Iranian nuclear threat in Israel and around the world, pushing the Palestinian issue off the international agenda. Palestine
How Israel's support is swaying Kurdish sentiment ahead of referendum Turkey’s Kurds may have divergent views on Israeli backing for the referendum in Iraqi Kurdistan, but their support for the independence bid remains robust. Iraq
Israeli right wing takes on Supreme Court The claim by HaBayit HaYehudi leaders that their latest initiative is intended to create a balance of power between the different government branches is nothing but a smoke screen; their real purpose is to undermine the Supreme Court. Israel
How sweet Jewish New Year tradition causes bitter fight in Israel Israeli beekeepers are concerned about shrinking living spaces for bees, the challenges of wild bees and nature preservation activists. Israel
Is Hamas offering too little too late? Hamas is willing to display flexibility in order to ease the heavy isolation it faces, but what its leaders view as a significant compromise is likely far from what Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is willing to accept. Palestine