Settler violence spike exposes Israeli government rift with military Knesset member Ram Ben-Barak of centrist Yesh Atid told Al-Monitor that the government must permit the use of administrative detention for extremist settlers to curb the violence. Israel
Wartime closures at Jerusalem holy sites raise fears of lasting shift among Palestinians Palestinians say sweeping restrictions during Ramadan and ahead of Eid reflect security concerns, but there is concern they could ultimately reshape access to worship in the Old City. Palestine
Analysis Hamas sits out Iran war as Gaza, Gulf interests take priority Hamas has so far stayed out of the escalating Iran war, despite its longstanding alliance with Tehran, reflecting a cautious strategic calculation. By Abeer Ayyoub In Istanbul, reporting on Palestine
Spain recalls Israel ambassador, calls Iran war 'flagrant illegality': What to know Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the US-Israel war in Iran a "flagrant illegality.” Israel
Analysis Why Turkey’s exclusion from Gaza force may be a strategic blessing By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Hamas quietly allows Gaza doctors to get COVID-19 training in Israel Gazan medical staff received training inside Israel on the novel coronavirus in unpublicized coordination between Hamas and Israel. Palestine
Gantz-Netanyahu deal legitimizes annexation The possibility of further Israeli annexation of occupied territories has received legitimacy from the Israeli government, pushing even further into the abyss the slight possibility of a two-state solution. Palestine
Coronavirus reveals Palestinian economic dependence on Israel The coronavirus crisis reveals the dependence of the Palestinian economy on its Israeli counterpart, especially with regard to workers and the sources of income of thousands of families in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestine
Palestinians claim COVID-19 efforts blunted by Israel in East Jerusalem Some East Jerusalemites accuse Israel of not being forthcoming about the spread of the coronavirus in East Jerusalem and criticize it for shutting down local efforts against the virus that are backed by the Palestinian Authority. Palestine
Palestinian men take up cooking in quarantine Forced to stay at home due to precautions against COVID-19, some Palestinian men are learning to cook for the first time in their lives. Palestine
Trump’s COVID-19 aid for Palestinians, Yemenis falls short of Congress’ directives The Donald Trump administration’s new COVID-19 aid for Palestinians and Yemenis represents a tiny portion of the funding Congress actually appropriated to help both peoples. Yemen
How is Palestine dealing with added hunger, poverty from COVID-19? Thousands of new Palestinian households fell below the poverty line due to COVID-19 which is an additional challenge to the government’s efforts in the fight against the epidemic and ramifications on the community. Palestine
Saving Palestinian prisoners’ lives requires releasing the elderly and sick As Palestinians commemorate Prisoners' Day on April 17, the biggest demand appears to be how to safeguard prisoners from the threat of the coronavirus pandemic. Palestine
Hamas prepares for COVID-19 outbreak to worsen Hamas in the Gaza Strip is facing major challenges in dealing with the coronavirus pandemic due to the scarcity of financial and medical resources, despite strict containment measures. Palestine
COVID-19 offers new opportunities for Israel-Arab relations In secret diplomatic ties or in open posts on social media, Israel reaches out to Arab neighbors battling with the coronavirus. United Arab Emirates
Extremist settlers exploit pandemic to step up violence While the Israel Defense Forces and the political leadership are busy fighting the novel coronavirus, Israel's notorious hilltop youth are rioting and attacking Palestinians with impunity. Palestine
Coronavirus killing off what's left of Gaza Strip's economy Due to measures taken to tackle COVID-19, the Gaza Strip economy is at a virtual standstill, worsening unemployment and poverty. Palestine
