Analysis Gaza progress, Syria pullback: What Turkey wants from Israel’s next government Ankara sees room for limited improvement in ties if Israel’s next government eases Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and reduces military pressure on Syria. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Analysis What Israel's election could mean for Palestinians in Gaza, West Bank The ouster of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could provide Palestinians some relief, but is unlikely to improve their prospects for statehood. By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Washington Post journalist hospitalized after Israeli settler attack in West Bank The assault was one of several attacks on Friday as Palestinians gathered to harvest olives across the West Bank. Israel
Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar sues Netanyahu for nearly $1M over Oct. 7 claims Bar is suing for 3 million shekels ($970,000) over a Sept. 28 post on X in which Netanyahu blamed the former Shin Bet chief for Oct. 7 intelligence failures and accused him of withholding warnings. Israel
Analysis Three years after Oct. 7, Hamas’ grip on Gaza tests Netanyahu’s ‘total victory’ By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Israel’s 'Loyalty in Culture' law spreads to other ministries The spirit of the "Loyalty in Culture" law starts seeping into other government ministries, defunding cultural programs that criticize the government’s occupation policy. Palestine
Israeli celebration of ties with Gulf states premature The visit of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Oman is Sultan Qaboos’ way of signaling to Israelis what peace could look like, should they end the occupation of the Palestinians. United Arab Emirates
Midterms revamp Middle East policymaking in Congress Tuesday’s elections will re-order the committees in charge of foreign policy. Saudi Arabia
Israel's defense minister pushes death penalty for terrorists Despite objections by Israel's security and defense establishments, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has given Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman a green light to push ahead with a bill allowing military courts to more easily sentence terrorists to death. Palestine
Muslim family will not give up keys to iconic Jerusalem church despite pressure The controversy over the key to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem’s Old City says more about the lack of political leadership in Jerusalem than about the current custodian's suitability for the role. Palestine
The second assassination of Yitzhak Rabin Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his associates encouraged and benefited from the incitement that led to the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995, but are now portraying themselves as the real victims. Palestine
East Jerusalem students clean up city An EU-sponsored project called "My Green Jerusalem" has students from nine East Jerusalem schools cleaning up the city and recycling waste into artwork. Palestine
Will Oman broker Israeli-Palestinian peace talks? The Sultanate of Oman has been making the headlines by receiving Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, followed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, raising speculation about an Omani mediation to advance the peace process between Palestinians and Israelis. Oman
IDF commander seeks help for traumatized soldiers A veteran Israeli commander is helping raise awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder and raise money to allow some of his former soldiers to obtain treatment for the PTSD they suffer as a result of the 2014 war in Gaza. Palestine
Is Bibi’s restraint on Gaza a sea change, or last act before war? Israeli prime minister, for now, claims “no interest” in toppling Hamas. Palestine
Is the PLO serious about suspending its recognition of Israel? Questions arise as to whether the recent PLO’s Central Committee's decision to stop security coordination and suspend recognition of Israel will be implemented this time. Palestine
PA, Turkey closer than ever The death of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi seems to have strengthened Turkey's position in the regional competition with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia