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
Israeli politicians only condemn settler violence when it targets soldiers It takes inured soldiers for Israel's politicians to speak out against settler violence, an inherent companion of the occupation. Palestine
Why Egypt agreed to release Islamic Jihad detainees The Islamic Jihad’s visit to Cairo has resulted in the release of some of its members who were arrested by the Egyptian authorities during the latest anti-regime demonstrations. Palestine
25 years on, Jordan-Israel peace is frostier than ever While there is no love lost between Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, neither will take the risk of jeopardizing the fragile peace between their two states, at least for now. Palestine
Putin's critique of US peace plan gives Palestinians hope The Russian president's recent statements about the "deal of the century" have given Palestinians hope that Moscow will support the Palestinian cause and rights. Palestine
Behind Egypt's gift to Islamic Jihad Egypt has freed some 80 Islamic Jihad prisoners as a goodwill gesture in an effort to bring about an extended calm in Gaza and by extension prevent a conflagration in the Sinai Peninsula. Palestine
PA seeks warmer ties with Saudi Arabia Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas visited Saudi Arabia for the first time in months, reflecting warmer relations between the two countries. Saudi Arabia
Palestinian prime minister vows to stop Israeli raids A promise by Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh to halt Israel's raids into Area A of the West Bank leaves Palestinians wondering what comes next. Palestine
Palestinian government passes law protecting whistleblowers For the first time, the Palestinian government passed a law on the protection of whistleblowers, witnesses and experts in corruption cases, as part of efforts to raise awareness against corruption. Palestine
Netanyahu discovers hospitality has its limits Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried to ingratiate himself at both the White House and the Kremlin, but now finds himself home alone. Palestine
Abbas rallies election support, with or without Hamas The Arab League has announced its backing for Palestinian legislative elections, as Hamas and Fatah remain divided over them. Palestine
Palestinians seek Egypt’s support to join free trade pact Palestinians are anxiously awaiting admittance to an Arab free trade agreement that should help reduce their economic dependence on Israel. Palestine
Why Israel’s Gantz should propose a minority government Blue and White leader Benny Gantz should remember that over the years, Israel's narrowly led governments generated much larger moves than unity governments did. Palestine