Sudan: 14 killed in camp shelling blamed on RSF as Darfur violence grows An attack on the Abu Shouk displacement camp in El Fasher has killed 14 people amid ongoing assaults on civilians and humanitarian convoys. Sudan
US vetoes UN resolution demanding Gaza ceasefire The blocked resolution also called for the release of hostages and the unrestricted flow of aid into Gaza. Israel
What Bahrain’s election to UN Security Council means for Mideast diplomacy The election of new members to the UN Security Council comes ahead of a vote on a resolution calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Bahrain
Iran, Egypt, IAEA hold nuclear talks as Tehran mulls US proposal: What to know Iran is engaging on multiple diplomatic fronts as it weighs a new US proposal and braces for potential censure by the UN’s nuclear watchdog. Iran
International pressure on Israeli settlements renews push for US anti-boycott laws Pro-Israel advocates trying to fight boycotts of Israel's settlements face a new urgency as the UN turns its spotlight on the West Bank, but legal challenges to federal and state laws are creating significant hurdles. Palestine
Trump seeks to slash funding for UN missions in Mideast The State Department budget is seeking across-the-board cuts to international peacekeeping missions worldwide. Lebanon
Can Palestinians bear halt of US aid? As the United States withholds more than half of its financial contribution to UNRWA, fears arise about the repercussions the decision will have on the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian economy. Palestine
Moscow mulls scenarios as Mideast mediator The United States recently riled up the Middle East with its pronouncement on Jerusalem, giving Russia an opportunity to quietly step up its work in the background on Palestinian-Israeli negotiations. Palestine
US, Israel isolated as UN votes in defiance of Trump on Jerusalem The overwhelming vote at the UN General Assembly meeting against the US move on Jerusalem will not bring peace any closer, but it does restore a sense of integrity to the world body. Palestine
Congress calls Trump’s bluff on threat to cut aid over UN vote Democratic lawmakers made clear they will oppose any move to slash assistance to countries that vote at the United Nations to criticize the president's position on Jerusalem. Palestine
US envoy to the UN points finger at Iran in Yemen war Ambassador Nikki Haley vowed a tough US response after displaying what she called “concrete evidence” that Iran provided missiles that Houthi rebels used to target Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia
Has US given up on Middle East diplomacy? US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson calls on Saudis to "consider consequences" of actions; Is Lebanese President Michel Aoun making the right call on Hariri? Saudi Arabia
Israel may regret hasty UNESCO exit Israel reacted quickly to the US announcement that it was pulling out of UNESCO with one of its own, potentially forfeiting an opportunity to shore up its international presence. Qatar
Qatari crisis seeps into UNESCO elections The Qatari crisis has cast a shadow across the election of UNESCO's next director-general with competing candidates from Egypt and Qatar. Saudi Arabia
Arab states coordinate efforts to block Israel's UN Security Council bid Arab League member states have formed a committee aimed at preventing Israel from obtaining a seat on the UN Security Council in next year's elections, yet some argue the move comes too late in light of Israel's extensive outreach to gain support. Near East
Netanyahu’s outdated Iran agenda Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu campaigns for the breakup of the Iran deal, ignoring the fact that a US withdrawal from the pact won’t be in Israel’s interest. Israel
