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Palestine

May 11, 2026

Ramallah 10:01 pm

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Two men stand next to the burned remains of a Palestinian vehicle in the Wadi al-Rakhim area of Susya village in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on May 1, 2026.

EU ministers agree to sanction violent West Bank settlers: What to know

European foreign ministers have agreed to sanction extremist West Bank settlers, but are still discussing the list of names.

An elections employee tapes a poster with instructions to voters ahead of the upcoming municipal elections in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on April 21, 2026.

Feature

Gazans show cautious hope ahead of first local elections in 20 years

The city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza is set to hold municipal elections for the first time in nearly two decades.

Rasha Abou Jalal

By Rasha Abou Jalal

In Gaza City, reporting on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Women read instructions to voters ahead of the upcoming municipal elections in Deir el-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on April 21, 2026.

Analysis

On eve of Palestinian local elections, competition in short supply

With many races unopposed and rivals excluded, the vote underscores a calibrated effort to contain dissent and prioritize stability.

Daoud Kuttab

By Daoud Kuttab

In Amman, reporting on Palestinian politics

Olmert

Interview

Olmert: Only Israel-Lebanon deal can curb Hezbollah, occupation 'unviable'

Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Al-Monitor that Israel will only be able to defang Hezbollah if it reaches an agreement with the Lebanese government.

Ehud Olmert

Ehud Olmert

Former Israeli prime minister

Latest News

Meloni suspends Italy's military cooperation agreement with Israel

Meloni

'Apartheid': Arab countries including UAE, Jordan decry new Israeli law

MOJAHID NAW/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Settler violence spike exposes Israeli government rift with military

Israeli settler violence graffiti

Wartime closures at Jerusalem holy sites raise fears of lasting shift among Palestinians

Muslim worshippers break their fast outside the old city walls of Jerusalem on March 17, 2026, as the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound remains closed.

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

Israeli tech companies start contracting in Gaza

Israeli IT companies have started contracting Gazan engineers to work on projects in a move that will not please Hamas but could improve Gaza's economy.

Amid reconciliation efforts, Palestine sets its eyes on Gaza gas field

The Palestinian Authority is deploying continuous efforts to begin excavation works in the Gaza Marine gas field off the coast of the Gaza Strip.

Trump’s policies radicalize Israeli, Palestinian stances

President Donald Trump’s shift toward more radical policy positions on the Middle East is generating a radicalization in the tactical positions of both Israelis and Palestinians.

Exploiting Palestinian workers is not ‘economic peace’

Palestinians increasingly depend on Israel’s goodwill to open its gates for poor West Bank workers.

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Metropolitan Theophilos (2nd R) takes part in the Easter Sunday mass procession inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City, May 1, 2016. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - S1BETBNQAEAA

Are days numbered for Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox patriarch?

The Greek Orthodox community in Palestine and Jordan is in open revolt against Patriarch Theophilos III over the sale of church lands to Israel and Israelis.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a cornerstone-laying ceremony for the Miriam and Sheldon Adelson Health and Medical Sciences School building, at Ariel University, in the Israeli settlement of Ariel in the occupied West Bank June 28, 2017. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RC13C8037510

Netanyahu's fuzzy math on settlement construction

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in a tough spot trying to please his right-wing electoral base with more settlement construction without upsetting President Donald Trump with too much construction.

With appointment of new deputy chief, Hamas leadership more militant than ever

The appointment of Saleh al-Arouri as Hamas’ No. 2 reflects the movement's desire to preserve ties with Iran, Hezbollah and Syria, and could mean trouble for political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh.

Why Hamas should thank Netanyahu

The Netanyahu government has done its fair share to strengthen Hamas as part of its efforts to weaken Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and distance the possibility of peacefully resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attends the 72nd United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 19, 2017. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz - RC18BCA57BD0

Pollster: Abbas would lose in elections, Fatah still safe

Based on recent polling, should President Mahmoud Abbas decide to run for re-election, his chances of winning would be slim, while Fatah would fare better in legislative elections.

Who will control Gaza forces?

An Egyptian proposal for a Fatah-Hamas joint security council in the Gaza Strip could pave the way for Palestinian reconciliation.

Was Abbas' endorsement of one-state solution plea or ploy?

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas ended his UN speech with an assurance that the "inevitable" freedom coming for Palestinians may take the form of a single-state solution.

Hamas’ weapons risk could kill Palestinian reconciliation

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has set new conditions for reconciling with Hamas that some say could hinder the process, though others are more optimistic.