Analysis Europe’s West Bank trade ban fires warning shot at Israel’s economy Weeks before key Israeli elections, a dozen nations announced new trade restrictions targeting settlements in the West Bank, delivering a sharp rebuke to Israel's government that could presage additional international pressure. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Netanyahu threatens to sue Haaretz for reporting UAE warned Israel of Oct. 7 attack The Emirati president reportedly warned that a planned attack could cause bloodshed, destabilize the region and threaten the Abraham Accords. Israel
Majority of Palestinians lose trust in Hamas and Fatah, new poll finds A recent poll by a Palestinian survey center found that trust in Palestinian factions has declined, amid stalled efforts to implement the Gaza peace plan and escalating settler violence in the West Bank. Palestine
12 countries including France, UK, Canada end trade with West Bank settlements The decision comes against the backdrop of an escalation in settler violence and settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank. Israel
Analysis LORA missile test reveals limits of Germany’s Gaza criticism of Israel By Rina Bassist In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs
Analysis As Israeli settler attacks mount, Trump avoids public pressure on Netanyahu By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Analysis Why Palestinians see success of Trump talks as contingent on Israeli elections By Mohammed Najib
Can Gaza's Islamic Jihad ease tensions with Egypt? Palestinian Islamic Jihad has been exerting efforts to open the Rafah crossing, angering Hamas, which believes the initiative will divide the Palestinian resistance. Palestine
Canal project from Dead Sea to Red Sea makes waves The Bahrain canal project to link the Dead Sea to the Red Sea seems to be of great benefit to Israel, while Palestinians will mostly be affected negatively, politically and environmentally. Palestine
Palestinian women demand quota increase Palestinian feminist movements are discussing with PLO factions the possibility of increasing the female quota system, while women’s representation within Hamas remains timid. Palestine
Gazans build temporary houses while awaiting reconstruction In the absence of funds and construction materials, which delayed the reconstruction process in the Gaza Strip, Palestinians are resorting to relief associations that provide them with temporary wooden houses. Palestine
Palestine's first female governor recounts her struggle Palestine's first female governor, Laila Ghannam, talks to Al-Monitor about her journey in politics and stresses that she owes her success to her supportive family. Palestine
Hamas expands international outreach Recent meetings between Hamas and international figures suggest that ties are deepening between the movement and Western diplomats, who are quietly meeting to discuss Gaza’s future, the reconciliation with Fatah and a proposed truce with Israel. Palestine
Israel should be wary of Hamas' truce proposal The dire situation in Gaza has apparently prompted Hamas' political leaders to offer Israel a long-term cease-fire, but the dominance of the movement's military wing casts doubt on such a truce holding. Palestine
Hana Salah on why she writes Al-Monitor contributor Hana Salah shares her thoughts on journalism. Palestine
Israel tightens control on Erez crossing The Israeli authorities have arrested at the Erez crossing Palestinian and Israeli merchants who were accused of smuggling prohibited goods to the resistance in Gaza, which is said to be using these materials to rebuild the tunnels destroyed during the war in summer 2014. Palestine
Why is Israel still blind to settler violence against Palestinians? Despite resolutions by Israeli administrations to adopt the 2003 Road map for Peace and the Sason report on illegal West Bank outposts, settler violence against Palestinians continues unabated. Palestine
Gazan women surge ahead with startups Young, educated women in the Gaza Strip are among the most likely to be unemployed in an area where nearly half of people are out of work, as many of these women are now turning to business incubators to find funding and support to build their own businesses. Palestine
Concerns rise over plots to oust Abbas With security tensions on the rise in the West Bank, there is talk of conspiracy in which Hamas, Israel and ex-Fatah official Mohammed Dahlan are spreading chaos with the goal of toppling President Mahmoud Abbas. Palestine
