Palestine - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Palestine cover image

Palestine

September 6, 2026

Ramallah 10:26 pm

21°C

A woman walks past a model of a Lora missile, Israel's long range artillery missile at the Israel defence stall at the international DefExpo 2008 defence fair, in New Delhi on February 16, 2008. India kicked off South Asia's largest defence fair, with hundreds of global weapons firms offering their latest hardware to the country's technology-hungry military. About 450 weapons companies from 30 countries are present at the four-day "DefExpo" in New Delhi, with several big-ticket announcements expected. AFP P

Analysis

LORA missile test reveals limits of Germany’s Gaza criticism of Israel

The German navy tested Israel’s LORA ballistic missile as Berlin considers acquiring the system, deepening defense ties with Israel despite criticism of the Gaza war.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Israeli soldiers arrive in the village of Qusra, south of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which has faced escalating Israeli settler violence over the past month, on Aug. 29, 2026.

Analysis

As Israeli settler attacks mount, Trump avoids public pressure on Netanyahu

President Donald Trump has stayed silent amid a spate of settler attacks on Palestinians and their property in the West Bank.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Evan Vucci / Getty Images

Analysis

Why Palestinians see success of Trump talks as contingent on Israeli elections

Some view the channel to Jared Kushner as necessary for reaching a political settlement, but others see a US effort to secure Palestinian acquiescence to Trump’s Gaza plans.

Mohammed Najib

By Mohammed Najib

A boy walks carrying a table on his back past salvage workers scrapping the rubble of a building that was destroyed during Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza City on Aug. 16, 2026. — Photo by Omar Al-Qattaa / AFP via Getty Images

Israel, Hamas bide their time as Gaza peace plan stalls

As the Israel-Hamas ceasefire approaches the one-year mark in October, the Board of Peace is under pressure to deliver results in the Gaza Strip.

Latest News

Ex-defense minister: Israel in ‘worst possible’ Gaza situation as Hamas gains strength

Palestinian militant group Hamas police officers stand guard as people attend the opening of the Fatah party's eighth general conference at Al-Azhar University in Gaza City on May 14, 2026.

Turkey seeks Interpol Red Notices for Netanyahu over Gaza flotilla

Murat Kocabas / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

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

Meet the woman who introduced kimbaps to Gaza

Samah Haboub, renowned for her delicious Palestinian meals, has launched an online Korean food business.

7,000 runners expected to join Palestine Marathon's seventh race

Since 2013, the Palestine Marathon has been an eloquent call for freedom of movement in the West Bank.

What’s the holdup on passing 2019 Palestinian budget?

The Palestinian government has yet to approve the 2019 general budget two weeks before a deadline extension expires and is now working on a new emergency budget that accounts for Israel withholding tax revenues.

Championing legalizing cannabis, Israeli ultra-right party amasses support

The head of the Zehut party, Moshe Feiglin, is a gifted politician: He advances Libertarian principles and legalization of cannabis while concealing his ambitions for a Jewish State law that would expel Arabs and annex the West Bank and Gaza.

How this online app gives gamers keys to Al-Aqsa

The new Protector of Al-Aqsa phone app seeks to familiarize younger generations with the role of this holy site in the Islamic heritage.

Islamic group OKs fund to support Palestinians via UN

A new endowment fund established by the Organization of Islamic Cooperation with the participation of the Islamic Development Bank will support UN efforts to help Palestinians, who have been cut off from US funding.

Senior Fatah official Mohammad Shtayyeh gestures during a Palestinian leadership meeting in Ramallah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank February 20, 2019. Picture taken February 20, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman - RC1E0018C6D0

Abbas picks Fatah heavyweight Shtayyeh to lead government

President Mahmoud Abbas appointed Mohammad Shtayyeh, a veteran politician and member of the Fatah Central Committee, as prime minister, placing on his shoulders the heavy burden of forming a government that pleases all Palestinians.

Palestinians pray as Israeli border police stand guard near the entrance door leading to the compound housing al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem's Old City March 12, 2019. REUTERS/Ammar Awad - RC1CD60A6C60

Netanyahu, King Abdullah in bind over Temple Mount

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Jordanian King Abdullah II share a similar dilemma: They both need for tensions on the Temple Mount to calm down, but cannot afford to appear as the weak side in this affair.

U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) speaks during a news conference to discuss the FBI background investigation into the assault allegations against U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., October 4, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas - RC19A2D8E130

GOP blocks Trump administration’s bid to save Palestinian aid

The Donald Trump administration has pushed Congress to preserve Palestinian security aid only to find resistance from the president’s Republican allies.

Dahlan bloc upends election at Fatah university in Gaza

The political bloc affiliated with the Democratic Reformist Current of dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan won the majority of seats in the election of Al-Azhar University’s workers union, a blow to Fatah’s popularity.

Netanyahu fears tackling Democrats

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has kept quiet so far on the matter involving US Rep. llhan Omar, D-Minn.; he knows his policies have been helping reduce Democratic support for Israel for years.

White House adviser Jared Kushner attends a plenary session at the Middle East summit in Warsaw, Poland, February 14, 2019. Agencja Gazeta/Slawomir Kaminski via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. POLAND OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN POLAND. - RC1F9B11F600

Kushner's clues to peace deal raise more questions than answers

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner recently talked about the administration's long-awaited Mideast peace plan, saying Gaza and the West Bank must be united under one leadership, which raised speculation and doubt in Palestinian circles.