Newsletter: Daily Briefing Israel's Oct. 7 accountability debate Houthis strike Yemen airport, claim new attacks on Saudi Arabia; How language barriers are bringing Syria’s Kurds and Arabs closer; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Why Netanyahu still resists an independent probe 3 years after Oct. 7 Alongside official memorial ceremonies taking place across Israel on Monday, civil society groups are holding protests calling on Prime Minister Netanyahu to take responsibility for the Oct. 7 attacks. Israel
West Bank olive harvest begins amid settler attacks on Palestinians, groves Between 80,000 and 100,000 Palestinian families in the West Bank rely on the olive harvest for primary or secondary sources of income, according to the United Nations. Palestine
Analysis Three years after Oct. 7, Hamas’ grip on Gaza tests Netanyahu’s ‘total victory’ Israeli intelligence assessments indicate that Hamas remains active, with the group estimated to have about 30,000 armed fighters, roughly the same as its estimated strength before the attack. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis How Netanyahu is capitalizing on MBZ meeting, FlyDubai attack to gain in election polls By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Analysis How FlyDubai attack exposes gaps in Israel-UAE security ties By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Exclusive Rights, faith groups urge Congress to block $2.8B bomb sale to Israel By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Rafah crossing used as a bargaining chip in Gaza crisis The economic and humanitarian interests of the people of the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula are relegated to the political game that will determine whether the Rafah crossing is reopened or not. Palestine
Stuck in the '90s: Israel’s peace camp is losing public interest After weeks of rocket fire, the Israeli public, including many in the left, feel that the peace camp has no adequate proposals and can offer no updated paradigm for a diplomatic solution. Palestine
Gaza cease-fire talks hit snag over sea, air ports Egypt has proposed that discussions of sea and air ports for Gaza be postponed until September, a move that is unlikely to receive a warm response from Hamas. Palestine
US missile shipment delay should teach Israel lesson Now that the White House policy of scrutinizing arms shipments to Israel is out in the open, Israel might begin to understand the price it will pay for rejecting a diplomatic process with the Palestinians. Palestine
Will US Middle East policy change after the Gaza war? After the Gaza war, the challenge for the Obama administration will be to stabilize the region, prevent an intifada and create a basis for future progress. Palestine
Aleppo's Christians in Syrian crossfire Christians in Aleppo fear an uncertain fate; Iran’s decisive role in the appointment of Haider al-Abadi as Iraqi prime minister-designate; battle for Arsal may not be over yet; Netanyahu is Israel’s "weakest prime minister" ever; lobbying profiles of Gulf countries to be released. Iraq
Jerusalem culture nights under fire When Gaza war erupted, the organizers of the Jerusalem Season of Culture decided to cancel most of its events, and to create, in their stead, exceptional content that corresponds with the security situation and internal Israeli conflicts. Palestine
Southern Israeli city of Sderot is tired of cease-fires Fourteen years of rockets have bred hard feelings in the southern Israeli city of Sderot — which range from despair to utter despair — with residents actually hoping for a continuation of the battles, and frustration over the fact that the IDF did not conquer the Gaza Strip. Palestine
Homeless Gazans struggle to find shelter Thousands of Gazans have been left homeless following Israeli attacks, with many dispersed across the Strip living in tents, garages, basements and parks. Palestine
Lapid sets up separate communication channel with US While the Israeli prime minister blames the US administration and the IDF for his political failure in the Gaza incursion, US officials prefer to communicate with Finance Minister Yair Lapid or Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon. Palestine
Who's responsible for what happened in Gaza? Israel’s policy of strangling the Gaza Strip while ignoring Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is what strengthened Hamas; thus, any agreement that will be reached in Cairo will be viewed by the Israeli public as surrendering to terror, even if its terms appear in previous agreements signed by Israel. Palestine
'Dirty deal' finances settlements, instead of Israel's south In an interview with Al-Monitor, Knesset member Stav Shafir blames coalition members in the concocting of a ''dirty deal'' where money will go to settlements instead of the southern localities. Israel