'Apartheid': Arab countries including UAE, Jordan decry new Israeli law A group of foreign ministers struck out at a new Israeli law requiring the death penalty for Palestinians convicted of terrorism in military courts. Palestine
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
Analysis Why Turkey’s exclusion from Gaza force may be a strategic blessing By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Palestinian security forces criticized for attack on press Palestinian journalist associations and rights organizations condemned the Palestinian security forces’ handling of reporters covering the protests that took place in Ramallah in support of the Gaza Strip. Palestine
Israel announces destruction of underwater Hamas tunnel Palestinian analysts believe that Israel announced the destruction of a recently discovered underwater tunnel in the Gaza Strip as part of a media strategy aimed at deflecting attention from its response to Gaza border protests. Palestine
Indonesian cleric’s call for compassion lost in controversy over Jerusalem visit During a visit to Israel, Yahya Staquf, leader of the world’s largest Islamic organization, expressed his vision for the peaceful resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict and his strong support of the Palestinian cause. Palestine
Palestinians skeptical of humanitarian efforts in Gaza Israel and the United States have indicated that they seek to ease the blockade on Gaza and improve the humanitarian situation in the coastal enclave, but Palestinians question their real intent. Palestine
Israeli bill forbids documentation of IDF abuses Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman claims an Israeli bill criminalizing the filming of Israeli soldiers is meant to protect them from harm, but human rights workers point out that it will also shield them from prosecution. Palestine
How changing West Bank name could advance peace The struggle between the Greeks and the Macedonians of the former Yugoslavia over what the latter should call their state can serve to remind Israelis and Palestinians that nomenclature — i.e., the West Bank versus Judea and Samaria — does not determine borders or stop historical necessity. Palestine
Can PA's push for e-payments help ease its cash crunch? The Palestinian Authority has approved a plan to promote the use of electronic payment methods to reduce the need for cash, especially hard currency, and to catch up with international developments in financial transactions. Palestine
Trump's Israel-Palestine deal targets Saudi alliance, not peace President Donald Trump knows that in order to get the Saudis into a regional alliance with Israel against Iran, he must first present a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians. Saudi Arabia
Does latest Gulf aid to Jordan come with strings? Analysts wonder whether a Gulf aid package to help Jordan deal with its current economic crisis is in fact an attempt to pressure the kingdom into accepting the Israeli-Palestinian peace plan being developed by the United States. Legacy: Gulf
Abbas agrees to end death penalty, but Hamas objects Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has signed a protocol to abolish the death penalty, but the measure faces opposition in the Gaza Strip, where Hamas continues to support the sentence. Palestine
Why Israel’s 11-year closure didn’t topple Hamas It took Israel a decade to realize that its closure policy won’t topple the Hamas regime. Palestine
Rapid spread of gas stations fuels controversy in Gaza Gas stations are increasingly being invested in under the degenerating economic and humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, pointing at conflicting interests between Gaza’s Ministry of Finance and Planning and the Ministry of Local Government. Palestine
