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Palestine

December 28, 2025

Ramallah 3:09 pm

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Analysis

Gaza realities test Trump’s 2025 Middle East ambitions

During its first year, the second Trump administration confronted wars in Gaza and Sudan, forged new ties with Syria and grappled with the growing nuclear threat from Iran.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participates in a joint news conference with US President Donald Trump (not seen) in the State Dining Room at the White House on Sept. 29, 2025, in Washington.

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.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

US President Donald Trump speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, in Jerusalem on Oct. 13, 2025.

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.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Latest News

Maersk resumes Red Sea passage after two-year halt amid easing Houthi threat

A ship sails along Egypt's Suez Canal near Ismailia, April 16, 2025.

Facing Israeli pushback, Turkey recalibrates public messaging on Gaza force

Saeed Jaras / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Trump's Syria envoy Barrack tests Israel's patience as Netanyahu pushes back

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) meets with US special envoy Tom Barrack, Jerusalem, Dec. 15 2

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Beatrice Farhat

Associate Editor (Lebanon)

In Beirut, reporting on regional news, culture, conflict

Daoud Kuttab

Palestine Columnist

In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics

Rasha Abou Jalal

In Gaza City, reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Abeer Ayyoub

In Istanbul, reporting on Palestine

Naima Morelli

In Rome, reporting on Middle East culture

Fatima AbdulKarim

In Ramallah, reporting on the West Bank

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar (C) takes part in a rally as Palestinians call for a "Day of Rage" to protest Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied West Bank, in Gaza City on July 1, 2020. - Expectations of a major Israeli announcement on controversial annexations in the occupied West Bank dimmed, as global criticism of the project mounted and Palestinian protesters began gathering in Gaza. (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS / AFP) (Photo by MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images)

Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar tests positive for COVID-19

The 58-year-old Hamas official was tested after experiencing symptoms.

A worker sets up lights on a giant Christmas tree at the Church of the Nativity compound as mass was celebrated to ceremonially launch the beginning of the Christmas season, in Bethlehem in the Israeli-occupied West Bank November 28, 2020. (Photo by Emmanuel DUNAND / AFP) (Photo by EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images)

No Christmas cheer in Bethlehem this year amid coronavirus pandemic

The municipality of Bethlehem in the southern West Bank has begun preparations to celebrate the holidays amid exceptional measures due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Gaza blockade responsible for $16B in economic damage, UN agency says

UN trade and development agency says Gaza economy "near collapse."

Palestinians radio silent on Netanyahu’s visit to Saudi Arabia

The Palestinian Authority keeps mum on the alleged visit of Benjamin Netanyahu to Saudi Arabia, as it does not wish to get on the wrong side of Riyadh.

Will Biden save the two-state solution?

President-elect Joe Biden must know that opting for confidence-building measures, instead of pushing the sides into negotiating a permanent settlement, would only perpetuate the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Palestinians gather to commemorate the birth of Prophet Mohammed, known in Arabic as "al-Mawlid al-Nabawi", outside the Dome of the Rock in the al-Aqsa mosque compound, Islam's third holiest site, in the old city of Jerusalem on October 29, 2020. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Palestinians in quandary about new visitors from Gulf

Palestinians and Jordanians are working to ensure that Gulf visitors to Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Palestinian half of Jerusalem abide by the same rituals and traditions that all Muslims have practiced when visiting the holy sites.

A Palestinian man walks past street art showing doctors mask-clad due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic in the Nusseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on November 16, 2020. (Photo by MOHAMMED ABED / AFP) (Photo by MOHAMMED ABED/AFP via Getty Images)

West Bank, Gaza record highest ever daily virus toll

The UN recently warned that parts of the Palestinian territories are not prepared to cope with a major outbreak of COVID-19.

Trump-Heights settlement in Golan here to stay

Several Israeli families are preparing to move in to the Trump Heights settlement village in the Golan Heights.

Hamas seeks to lock in Qatar aid while exchanging border fire with Israel

As Israel fails to fulfil its part of the truce understandings and in light of Qatar's alleged refusal to increase and renew its financial grant to the Gaza Strip, tensions have resumed between Israel and Hamas.

Pompeo’s visit to Psagot settlement, a farewell gift from Trump to Israel

US Secretary of State Pompeo's visit to the Psagot settlement, built on occupied land in the West Bank, reflects the Donald Trump administration’s decision to consider the Israeli settlements in the West Bank to be legal.

Palestinians carry the portrait of president Mahmud Abbas as they gather to commemorate the second intifada and to protest the Israeli normalisation deals with the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, in the town of Tubas, in the occupied West Bank on September 27, 2020. - The second intifada lasted five years, during which attacks were carried out in Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. In response Israel reoccupied much of the West Bank and began building a separation barrier between the two communities

Palestinians trying to dig themselves out of isolation

It seems Palestinians are trying to get out of international and Arab isolation by taking a series of measures, including restoring ties with Israel and returning their ambassadors to the UAE and Bahrain, in anticipation of the Joe Biden administration’s arrival into office.

Even with Biden, talks with Palestinians not on Israel’s agenda

Despite the election of Joe Biden, no one in Israel is keen to rush to the negotiating table with the Palestinians.