Iran rejects Trump's claim frozen funds will buy US soybeans: What to know Trump said Wednesday that the US would release “some” Iranian frozen funds and would use them to purchase corn, wheat and soybeans from American farmers. Iran
Analysis Pilot zones at center of Israel-Lebanon talks as Trump pressures Netanyahu With the fifth round of talks set to begin Tuesday, Israel is prepared to withdraw from at least one “pilot zone,” allowing the Lebanese army to take control of the area. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis As US reshapes Lebanon strategy, Israel finds itself sidelined The deal advanced between Washington and Tehran sees a linkage between the Iranian and Lebanese theaters and creates a deconfliction mechanism — without consulting Israel beforehand. By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
US, Iran to form 'deconflicting cell' on Lebanon, sidelining Lebanese state The agreement came during talks between Iran and the United States following a preliminary deal reached last week to end the war across the Middle East, including in Lebanon. Lebanon
Analysis How Netanyahu used Lebanon strikes to push back on Trump’s Iran deal By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Trump-linked lobbyist turns from Gulf Arabs to more toxic clients Robert Stryk’s Sonoran Policy Group is hemorrhaging both clients and employees. Saudi Arabia
12 years later, Olmert plan discussions could resume Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in New York to discuss reviving the Olmert plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Palestine
Pentagon tit-for-tat with Iran goes on A Katyusha rocket strikes an Iraqi base where US troops are housed and the US Navy intercepts an apparent Iranian arms shipment for Yemeni rebels as the conflict between the United States and Iran and its proxies continues. Yemen
Intel: Republican-held Senate sides against Trump on Iran war powers The Republican-held Senate passed a resolution 55-45 today to constrain President Donald Trump from initiating offensive military action against Iran. Congress
Low chances of success for Abbas’ alternative to US peace plan Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas proposed his vision for a peace process with Israel as an alternative to the United States' deal of the century. Palestine
Egypt treads cautiously in response to Trump's deal of the century Egypt is caught between a rock and a hard place in supporting Palestinians and not rejecting the US peace plan, being careful to sustain good ties with the United States. Palestine
Democrats call on Trump to sanction Libyan warlord Khalifa Hifter Democrats are wary that the Donald Trump administration may be too friendly with Libya’s Khalifa Hifter, so they’re calling for sanctions. Turkey
Peace with the region is not a peace plan The Trump peace plan is flawed because it has more to do with building a coalition against Iran rather than with promoting peace between Israelis and the Palestinians. Saudi Arabia
Palestinians tell Trump, Israel: We are not for sale The Trump administration boasts of a generous economic framework offered to the Palestinians, while in truth it hopes the private sector will come up with the funds. Palestine
Trump budget holds Palestinian aid hostage to progress on peace plan The Donald Trump administration is doubling down on its bid to cut Palestinian aid by tying it to congressional funding for the president’s Middle East peace plan. Palestine
Pentagon slashes funding for Islamic State fight The United States would see a diminished budget in its ability to fight Islamic State militants in 2021 if the new budget revealed by the Trump administration is approved. United States
Europe worries as Trump seems to lose interest in new Iran deal Europeans with embassies on the ground disagree with the belief by Donald Trump administration officials that the Iranian regime is on the brink of collapse, and that the administration can wait for Iran to surrender to a long US wish list. United States
