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
Congress forces Trump to restore Palestinian aid Congress has a plan to restore some of the Palestinian aid that President Donald Trump eliminated. Palestine
Potential consensus candidate helps Hamas, Fatah communicate The name of Nasser al-Din al-Shaer, former deputy prime minister in the government of Hamas politburo chief Ismail Haniyeh, has been coming up as a potential consensus candidate in the Palestinian elections, given that he is close to both Hamas and Fatah. Palestine
Arab parties stand to gain from political chaos in Israel The Arab Joint List seeks to boost its number of seats in the Israeli Knesset in the March election by increasing turnout in the Arab community, with the ultimate goal of dealing a fatal blow to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, preventing him from forming a government. Palestine
Israel's defense minister tries blocking arrangement with Hamas Defense Minister Naftali Bennett has taken a series of decisions that are meant not only to please his right-wing camp but also to block arrangement talks with Hamas. Palestine
Is Jerusalem a real obstacle or a convenient excuse? The Palestinian elections expected sometime in 2020 are still in doubt because of lack of clarity about the participation of Jerusalemites, but is this a real reason or an excuse? Palestine
Israeli-PA coordinated arrest campaign against Hamas in West Bank The arrest campaign targeting Hamas leaders and members in the West Bank has intensified in recent weeks, suggesting an attempt by the PA to intimidate the movement from participating in the upcoming elections. Palestine
Can Gaza's troubles get Ireland an Oscar? Ireland's nominee to the Academy Awards, "Gaza," sets the siege — brought on by history, Israel, Hamas and the abandonment of the international community — as the villain. Palestine
How Malaysia is becoming Hamas' gateway to Asia Hamas will participate in Malaysia’s Islamic Summit, another indication of the growing ties between the two. Saudi Arabia
Palestine seeks economic relations with Oman A Palestinian ministerial delegation is preparing to visit Oman early next year as part of efforts to sever economic ties with Israel, but some analysts wonder what benefits are to be gained by either party. Oman
Rumors, denials fly about long-term Israel-Gaza truce Just the suggestion that a long-term truce could be in the works between Israel and the Gaza Strip factions has Palestinians fired up. Palestine
Israel worried by Erdogan's meddling in Palestinian affairs Israel believes Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is trying to gain some control over Jerusalem and the Palestinian Authority and is therefore trying to influence the Palestinian battle to succeed Mahmoud Abbas. United Arab Emirates
Is proposed site in Gaza really a hospital, or spy station? Some Palestinian authorities have pledged to obstruct plans to build what they fear could be a US-Israeli military intelligence camp, while Hamas says the facility will be a field hospital in the Gaza Strip. Palestine