Explainer Saudi Arabia, Turkey advance plans to revive historic Hejaz Railway Turkish and Saudi officials signed agreements as part of a Turkish push to revive the Hejaz Railway linking Turkey to the Gulf through Syria, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Turkey
Culture 10 MENA teams at 2026 World Cup: Morocco eyes title, Iran faces visa hurdles Jordan is competing in its first World Cup, while Iraq is making only its second appearance, as teams from the region seek to advance against European and Latin American powerhouses. Iran
Israel energy minister says gas flowing to Egypt, Jordan despite shutdown reports Israeli Energy Minister Eli Cohen told Al-Monitor that despite security concerns and partial shut down of marine gas platforms, Israel continues to supply gas to Egypt, Jordan and Israeli consumers. Israel
Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar to deepen security ties amid Iran war: What to know Gulf states and Jordan are aligning more closely as Iranian attacks persist. Saudi Arabia
Hundreds of Jordanians march toward capital demanding jobs As unemployment rates rise, youths from different parts of Jordan have begun marching to the Royal Court in Amman for sit-ins demanding job opportunities. Jordan
Jordanian trail-blazer empowers women through kickboxing Lina Khalifeh began learning martial arts for fun, but helping a friend showed her it can do much more. Jordan
Palestinians, Jordanians challenge Israel at Al-Aqsa over banned prayer space Tensions are mounting between Jordan and Israel after the latter arrested members of the Islamic Waqf Council for entering a supposedly banned prayer room at Al-Aqsa Mosque. Palestine
Tensions ramp up on Temple Mount ahead of Trump’s peace plan With President Donald Trump set to unveil his much-hyped peace plan and Israel deducting Palestinian tax revenues, the disputed compound of Al-Aqsa or the Temple Mount is crackling with tension. Palestine
Netanyahu’s diplomacy: success or failure? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu presents himself as a diplomatic magician, though he is accumulating failures on Syria, Iran and ties with Gulf states. Saudi Arabia
Iraq-Jordan trade deal opens new doors for regional trade A breakthrough trade agreement may signal new trend toward integration; Erdogan plays Syria card in Turkish elections; HTS undermines Turkish-backed groups in Idlib. Iraq
Israeli-Jordanian joint project to save Dead Sea may be poised for approval The Red Sea-Dead Sea water conveyance project would pipe water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, allowing surrounding areas including Israel and Jordan to deal with severe water shortages and other environmental issues. Israel
New Aqsa council gives Palestinians greater control in Jerusalem Jerusalemites have publicly welcomed the new Islamic Waqf Council as a leadership vehicle that will allow them to forge ahead with a clear and implementable strategy for Jerusalem and its holy places. Palestine
Jordanians see Israel as only winner at Warsaw summit While Jordan doesn't want to align itself too closely with Washington's anti-Iran coalition, the kingdom's reliance on Washington for aid was likely behind its attendance at the Poland summit. Palestine
Baghdad defends advantages of Iraq-Jordan agreement from critics Iraq's recent agreement to exchange Iraqi discounted oil with imported goods from Jordan free of customs fees has stirred the outrage of Iraqis. Iraq
Will Palestine finally recognize local evangelicals? In light of the growing influence of Christian Zionism in the West, the Palestinian leadership is revisiting recognition of evangelicals in the Palestinian territories and engaging local evangelicals to speak with Western Christians about support for Israel and the Palestinian movement. Palestine
Why residents of Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah face eviction Eleven families are about to be thrown out of their home in Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood to make room for settlers. Palestine
