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Palestine

July 26, 2026

Ramallah 7:55 pm

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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

Wang Kejian (left) meets Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar on Oct. 17, 2023. - Hamas via Telegram

Three reasons behind rare China-Hamas meeting in Qatar

From the location to the timing and the messaging, the China-Hamas meeting on Sunday underscored Beijing's messaging and approach to the Gaza war without, however, elevating its role to a broker in the conflict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a joint press conference with the German Chancellor after their meeting in Jerusalem on March 17, 2024.

Republican House speaker courts Netanyahu amid partisan split on Gaza

If he accepts Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson’s planned invite to speak before Congress, chances are Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will find an even less receptive audience than listened to his 2015 address.

People inspect damage and recover items from their homes following Israeli air strikes on March 19, 2024, in Rafah, Gaza.

Rights groups warn US over Israel's assurances on weapons use

In a report to the Biden administration, Oxfam and Human Rights Watch challenged Israel's assertion that it's using US weapons in accordance with international law.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken disembarks from the plane upon his arrival at King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Feb. 5, 2024.

Blinken to visit Saudi Arabia, Egypt as US-Israel rift grows over Gaza

The top US diplomat will return to the Middle East as US alarm grows over Israel’s planned military offensive in Rafah.

Wang Kejian, during a visit to the head of Hamas' political bureau Ismail Haniyeh

China’s Middle East diplomat meets Hamas' Haniyeh in Qatar

China confirmed a meeting between a Foreign Ministry official and Hamas’ political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Doha as Beijing seeks a wider role in the region.

Children play in the rubble of Al-Faruq Mosque, which was destroyed during Israeli bombardment, in Rafah on the southern Gaza Strip on March 17, 2024.

Israeli delegation to visit White House as Biden-Netanyahu Rafah rift continues

The White House has invited an Israeli delegation to Washington to discuss ways forward in the campaign against Hamas, likely seeking to buy time after failing to secure a cease-fire in Gaza war before Ramadan.

An undated image of Faiq Mabhouh.

Israel kills Hamas’ Faiq al-Mabhouh as US confirms Marwan Issa’s death

US national security advisor Jake Sullivan confirmed that Hamas' number three, Marwan Issa, was killed last week while Israel took out another high-ranking Hamas security official.

West Bank

Why West Bank tensions could boil over during Ramadan

The increasing Israeli raids and armed attacks against Israeli forces have raised fears that the situation in the West Bank will explode.

An undated image of Samaher Esmail provided by her family.

Family sees double standard in Israel’s detention of US citizen

The Biden administration speaks often of its pledge to bring home every unjustly detained American. But what happens when the accusation of unjust detention involves a close ally?

AFP via Getty Images

Israeli delegation heads to Qatar to review Hamas' cease-fire proposal

Israel and Hamas have so far failed to agree on the terms of a cease-fire in Gaza that would include a prisoner swap.

This photograph shows the Israeli settlement of Efrata built on the land of the Palestinian town of Al-Khader in the Bethlehem governorate in the occupied West Bank on March 6, 2024.

US sanctions West Bank outposts linked to settler attacks on Palestinians

The sanctions are a response to an uptick in settler violence in the West Bank that the United Nations blames for the deaths of at least nine Palestinians since Oct. 7.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken holds a news conference at the State Department Harry S. Truman headquarters on March 13, 2024, in Washington, DC.

Israel should ease 'unnecessary restrictions' on key Gaza goods, Blinken says

The top US diplomat acknowledged Israeli concerns about "dual-use" items ending up the hands of Hamas, but said "greater clarity" is needed for humanitarian groups whose work is hindered by "unnecessary restrictions."