At Mar-a-Lago, Netanyahu seeks Iran strike approval while Trump presses Gaza plan US President Donald Trump is expected to push Israel to enter the second phase of his Gaza peace plan, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will focus on securing Trump’s approval for a potential strike on Iran’s ballistic missile program. Israel
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. By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
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 By Daoud Kuttab In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Trump expands travel ban By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
What’s behind Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's foreign tour? The Hamas delegation returned to the Gaza Strip from a foreign tour in which it sought further support for the Palestinian cause from the international community. Palestine
Hamas-Fatah division deepens with Soleimani’s assassination Palestinians express conflicting opinions over the US assassination of Iran's Gen. Qasem Soleimani in Iraq, while faction leaders praise him as a martyr. Palestine
Ottoman archives help Palestinians reclaim their land The Palestinian Authority is heavily relying on Ottoman archives to prove ownership of thousands of dunams of lands claimed by Israel in the West Bank. Palestine
Abbas mulls option of postponing Palestinian elections Al-Monitor has learned that President Mahmoud Abbas is getting ready to postpone the Palestinian general elections under the pretext of Israel’s yet to be announced reponse to a request to allow Palestinians in Jerusalem to vote. Palestine
Can Israel, Hamas keep it calm after US killing of Soleimani? For Israel, the return of deterrence is tainted with the possibility of a nightmare scenario. Palestine
Small West Bank school holds firm despite settler attacks To get an education, the students in Yanoun, a Palestinian village near Nablus, must deal with attacks by Israeli settlers on the way to school and even in their homes. Palestine
Hamas intensifies Western dialogues to break political isolation Hamas has stepped up its meetings with US and EU officials in an attempt to break its isolation and emerge on the international diplomatic scene. Palestine
Hamas must choose: Egypt or Iran? Angered that Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh broke an agreement not to visit Iran, Egypt will make Hamas understand that it must choose sides and break with Iran if the movement hopes to survive. Palestine
Young Middle Easterners turning on to podcasts Young people in the Middle East are turning to podcasts to generate wide-ranging and in-depth conversations on politics, events and other topics of personal interest. Palestine
Haniyeh’s visit signals Hamas seeks stronger Iranian alliance Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh's busy schedule when he visited Iran for the funeral of Quds Force commander Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani indicates Hamas seeks to forge a deeper alliance with Iran and obtain additional support. Palestine
Palestinians hope Putin’s visit means bigger Russian role in peace process Russian President Vladimir Putin will visit the Palestinian territories, where he and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas are expected to discuss trade ties, peace negotiations and the upcoming Palestinian elections. Palestine
Hamas unfazed by Israel warnings As Israel is making economic concessions in the Gaza Strip, sporadic rockets continue to be launched from the enclave, prompting Israel to threaten to end all concessions. Palestine