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Palestine

July 30, 2026

Al Bīrah 2:19 pm

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Flags of Spain and Argentina

Culture

How Argentina-Spain World Cup final became debate over Israel, Palestine

Governments and fans alike have turned teams and players into symbols of political division.

Government Media Office Director Ismail Thawabteh (R) and Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem (L) speak at a press conference.

Explainer

What does Hamas' move to dissolve its Gaza government mean?

Hamas has agreed to hand civilian administration over to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, but the committee is not yet in Gaza and may not deploy until Hamas’ disarmament is resolved.

Joint List Party leader Ayman Odeh attends a meeting on April 5, 2021 in Jerusalem, Israel.

Interview

Ayman Odeh says Arab parties could back Bennett or Eisenkot to block Netanyahu

In an interview with Al-Monitor, head of the Arab-Israeli Hadash-Ta'al Knesset faction, Ayman Odeh, said his party is prepared to make difficult decisions to topple Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

Ayman Odeh

Head of the Knesset's Hadash-Ta'al faction

Latest News

Who is Melat Kiros, the pro-Palestinian who unseated a longtime Democrat?

Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images

Amnesty International accuses Israel of state-led ethnic cleansing in West Bank

Israeli security forces attempt to disperse Palestinians who had gathered to protest the reported burning of land by Israeli settlers in the Palestinian village of Idna, west of Hebron in the occupied West Bank, on June 5, 2026.

Ireland bans hard-line Israeli ministers Ben-Gvir, Smotrich: What to know

Israeli policemen surround Israeli Minister of National Security and far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir as he arrives outside the Damascus Gate of the walled Old City of Jerusalem on May 26, 2025, during a flag march for Jerusalem Day, commemorating the Israeli army's 1967 capture of the city's eastern sector during the Arab-Israeli war.

Record Israeli arms exports highlight global rush for air defense

People stand in front of the Arrow 3 shield system during an event of the German Air Force to declare the Initial Operating Capability for the Arrow Weapon System for Germany at the Annaburger Heide Air Base in Schoenewalde / Holzdorf, eastern Germany, on Dec. 3, 2025.

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

mosaic floor of ancient synagogue in Jericho

Palestinian fears rise as settlers visit synagogue ruins in Jericho

Israeli settlers' increased visits to the ruins of two synagogues in the Jericho area in the West Bank worry Palestinians.

An elderly Palestinian walks through a cemetery in Hebron, with in the background an old market building along al-Shuhada Street that was designated by Israel to be a new settlement, with existing settler buildings behind, West Bank, Jan. 28, 2020.

Israel buries Palestinians in numbered graves

Three years after he was killed by Israel near the Gaza border, the body of a 16-year-old Palestinian was returned to his family, reviving controversy of Israel’s so-called cemeteries of numbers.

Dancers with El-Funoun Palestinian Popular Dance Troupe perform during the opening night of the Palestine International Festival, Ramallah, West Bank, July 2, 2009.

Palestinian dancer jailed in Israel

Palestinians are accusing Israel of arbitrarily cracking down on cultural expression.

Mahmoud Abbas gives televised speech

Palestinian president decides — on his own — to postpone elections

The rationale was that Israel refused to allow residents of East Jerusalem to participate.

A Palestinian boy plays with a homemade sparkler as tires burn during a rally in support of demonstrators in Jerusalem on April 24, 2021, in Gaza City.

Sparks from Jerusalem rain on Gaza's tinderbox

The situation on the Israel-Gaza border is escalating with a barrage of rockets and mortar shells from Gaza and Israeli strikes on Hamas military positions.

Employees of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission display electoral lists ahead of the upcoming general elections, at the commission's district offices, Hebron, West Bank, April 6, 2021.

Hamas braces for delay of Palestinian elections

Hamas is considering its next moves ahead of the expected announcement of the postponement of the Palestinian legislative elections.

Staff of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission display electoral lists ahead of the upcoming general elections, at the commission's local offices in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, on April 6, 2021.

The Takeaway: Does Hamas win if Abbas delays Palestinian elections?

Plus: Fallout in Turkey from Biden’s designation of genocide in Armenia.

The high cost of delaying Palestinian elections

The high cost of delaying Palestinian elections

Whether to postpone the Palestinian elections will be decided on April 29. What are the scenarios and possible repercussions of such a decision on the Palestinian scene?

A Palestinian man walks in a pool of water next to the entrance of tunnels, used for smuggling supplies between Egypt and the Gaza Strip, Rafah, Gaza Strip, Sept. 18, 2015.

Despite Egyptian campaign, Gaza border tunnels resume smuggling activity

Despite the largely successful security campaign launched by Egypt in February 2013 against the Palestinian border tunnels in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, there are reportedly Palestinian attempts to bring back some of the destroyed tunnels to life.

MAHMUD HAMS/AFP via Getty Images

Hamas considers creating Christian media center

A Christian leader in the Palestinian territories has called on Hamas to establish a media center to counter Western propaganda about the movement’s ties with Christians.

Palestinian students gather in front of a school run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza Strip, on the first day of school after local authorities eased some of the restrictions that were imposed in a bid to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, on Aug. 8, 2020.

Senate Republicans: condition aid to Palestinian refugee agency on reforms

A group of 21 senators called on Secretary of State Antony Blinken to tie funding to UNRWA, the UN's Palestinian refugee agency, to "much-needed and meaningful reforms."

Netanyahu and Gantz at Knesset swearing-in

A tale of two elections: Netanyahu, Abbas face the abyss

The Israeli prime minister and Palestinian president are both losing control of their traditional coalitions.