Analysis In 2025, Netanyahu saved his coalition but stalled on Gaza, Iran, Lebanon With 2025 ending, Israelis are frustrated over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s refusal to fully end the Gaza war, solve the Hezbollah problem, reach a deal with Syria or find a way to constructively impact talks on the Iranian nuclear program. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Analysis Trump has upper hand over Netanyahu, but is it enough for Gaza? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been stalling on the implementation of the second phase of President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, but at the end of the day, Trump has much more leverage over Netanyahu. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Newsletter: Palestine Abbas bets on ministry merger as financial crisis deepens The Palestinian government has merged its finance and planning ministries under Estephan Salameh in a bid to confront a deepening financial crisis and restore donor confidence amid mounting fiscal and political pressures. By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Maersk resumes Red Sea passage after two-year halt amid easing Houthi threat A ceasefire reached between Israel and Hamas in October has prompted some shipping companies to consider resuming services, but security concerns persist. Yemen
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump expands travel ban By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Analysis Trump's Syria envoy Barrack tests Israel's patience as Netanyahu pushes back By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis How the Trump administration reshaped US diplomacy toward Hamas By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Will PLO and Hamas find common ground? Hamas’ popularity has risen sharply, but this doesn’t help them much with the outside world. An understanding with Fatah is key to any potential role in regional diplomacy. Palestine
Blinken visits Middle East to bolster Israel-Hamas cease-fire Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Jerusalem, Ramallah, Cairo and Amman this week for discussions on maintaining the fragile cease-fire between Israel and Hamas. Israel
Israeli-Palestinian conflict forces Biden to put Mideast on agenda Egyptian and Palestinian Authority leaders are back at center stage of US regional diplomacy. Israel
Did Iran instigate latest Gaza escalation? Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip deny reports that Iran pushed for the latest round of escalation, despite Tehran's close ties to both Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Palestine
Hamas ignores Abbas' call for unity government as cease-fire holds After he remained on the sidelines of the latest round of escalation between Israel and Palestinian factions in Gaza, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' call for a national unity government is being largely ignored. Palestine
Cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian factions enters into force The cease-fire between Israel and Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip entered into force at 2 a.m. May 21, ending a round of fighting that lasted 11 days, claimed the lives of more than 240 people and destroyed many properties. Palestine
Israeli campaign against Gaza further strains already fragile health sector The Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip announced that the only COVID-19 laboratory in the coastal enclave has gone out of service as a result of the Israeli aggression that wreaked havoc on the health sector. Palestine
Israel-Hamas conflict exposes Turkey’s irrelevance in region Turkey’s apparent exclusion from cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas shows President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s foreign policy is in tatters. Turkey
World leaders react to Israel-Hamas cease-fire, pledge to rebuild In a White House address, President Joe Biden pledged to rally international support for reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip. Israel
Hamas downplays damage to tunnel network While Israel says it destroyed much of Hamas’ underground network in the Gaza Strip, Gaza City’s mayor tells Al-Monitor strikes have destroyed roads, water stations and electricity installations. Palestine
Israel bombs ice cream factory in Gaza Eleven days of relentless Israeli attacks has caused heavy damage to Gaza's factories and farmland. Palestine
Are Palestinians gaining in court of world opinion? Independent observers have noticed a marked difference in public attitudes around the world and especially in the United States regarding the latest violent escalation in Palestine and Israel, changes connected to timing, messaging and the platforms carrying those messages. Palestine
