Middle East Monitor Latest news from the Middle East and North Africa

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  Italian opposition slams government for not joining sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  Italy’s opposition parties on Wednesday slammed the government for not joining a group of countries imposing restrictions on trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to the La Repubblica newspaper, Anadolu reports. Five Star Movement leader Giuseppe Conte called on the government to “show a shred of dignity” and back an opposition bill in parliament to impose sanctions on Israeli settlements. “Show a shred of dignity and approve our bill in parliament to proceed with sanctions,” Conte said, criticizing Rome’s decision not to join the initiative. Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein also condemned Italy’s absence, calling it “shameful” and accusing the government of missing another opportunity to defend international law and avoid “double standards.” Foreign Minister

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  Palestinian families in Jordan Valley face displacement deadline today

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  Thirty-six Palestinian families in the Abu El Ajaj Bedouin community, near Jiftlik in the occupied West Bank’s Jordan Valley, face the threat of forced displacement today after more than 40 demolition orders were issued against their homes and community structures, the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP) has said. According to residents, armed Israeli settlers issued the demolition orders and set a deadline of Wednesday 9 September — today — threatening violence against anyone who refuses to leave. In the nearby community of Ash-Shuneh, residents given a similar verbal ultimatum have since received a postponement, though MAP said threats from settlers remain. The threats come a day after Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband announced a new package of UK measures against

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  Israel’s Campaign Trail Runs on Cruelty Towards Palestinians | Palestine This Week

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  In this episode of Palestine This Week, we look at Israel’s election campaign and how politicians are competing to run the most hateful campaign in an effort to win support from an increasingly radicalised Israeli public. We also discuss the push to expel Palestinians from Gaza and the occupied West Bank, Israel’s efforts to win US backing for its plans, allegations of apartheid against Palestinian students in Israeli universities, Britain’s proposed sanctions on illegal settlements, Nicaragua’s case against Germany at the ICJ and concerns over the future of UNRWA.     WATCH: Is Evidence of Genocide in Gaza Being Erased? | Palestine This Week

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  Trump allies push ‘Israel First’ retaliation against UK at Americans’ expense

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  Prominent American Zionist commentator and ally of President Donald Trump, Mark Levin has called on nearly 40 US states to retaliate against Britain using controversial anti-BDS laws, raising fresh questions over the willingness of Israel’s most vocal supporters to impose economic and constitutional costs on Americans in defence of a foreign state. Levin issued the threat after Britain announced a ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. “SO NOW OUR STATES CAN BOYCOTT THE UK” said Levin on X arguing that states with laws penalising boycotts of Israel should deploy them against British companies complying with the new measures. SO NOW OUR STATES CAN BOYCOTT THE UK Close to 40 states across the U.S. have

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  Tunisian businessman Lazhar Sta dies after health deteriorates in prison

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  Tunisian businessman Lazhar Sta, who was being held in connection with a financial case, died at Charles Nicolle Hospital in Tunis, his daughter Amina Sta said in an Instagram post. Amina said her father died around midnight after being transferred from Mornaguia Prison in critical condition on the evening of Saturday, 5 September 2026. She said he had been suffering from several illnesses and that prison conditions, including high temperatures and limited water supplies, had worsened his health. She accused the authorities of negligence and said she would take legal action before international courts against those responsible for the deterioration of her father’s health and his subsequent death. She also criticised the authorities for failing to inform the family immediately

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  Israeli military court sentences Palestinian journalist to 4 years for ‘incitement’

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  An Israeli military court on Tuesday sentenced Palestinian journalist Mahmoud Fatafta to four years in prison on charges of so-called “incitement”, the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate said. The syndicate condemned the sentence in a statement, calling it “a new chapter in the targeting of Palestinian journalists and a systematic attempt to silence voices and suppress freedom of opinion and expression”. The Israeli army arrested Fatafta on 30 May 2024 while he was passing through the Container checkpoint northeast of Bethlehem in the southern occupied West Bank. READ: Israel isolates detained Palestinian journalist Bushra al-Tawil in Ramle prison The syndicate said prosecuting journalists in Israeli military courts over their journalistic work or expression of their views was “a flagrant violation of international law

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  What next after Tel Aviv closed London’s consulate—one older than the State of Israel itself?

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  While following Channel 4’s coverage of Tel Aviv’s decision to close the British Consulate in Jerusalem, I was struck by a comment from the presenter or commentator on the story. He noted, in essence, that the consulate was older than the “State of Israel” itself. The remark may seem like a passing historical observation, but it captures something of the paradox in the situation we are witnessing today. Britain’s diplomatic presence in Jerusalem dates back decades before the establishment of the State of Israel. Yet this long-standing British institution now finds itself facing an Israeli decision to close it, against the backdrop of measures taken by London toward Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. And this inevitably raises the

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  UN investigators: Israeli operations in Syria may amount to war crimes

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  UN investigators said on Tuesday that Israeli operations in Syria, including the detention of dozens of people, may amount to “war crimes”.  “We are deeply alarmed by violations of human rights and international humanitarian law by Israel on Syrian territory, which may amount to war crimes,” Commissioner Fionnuala Ni Aolain told the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government in December 2024, Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on Syria, mainly targeting military sites. Israel has said the strikes are aimed at preventing the new authorities from taking control of the former regime’s weapons stockpiles. Israeli forces have also moved beyond the buffer zone bordering the Golan Heights, most of which Israel has

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  Israeli settlers call for Oslo accords to be scrapped in response to sanctions

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  The leadership of Israel’s settler movement on Tuesday called for the Oslo Accords to be scrapped, settlements to be expanded into Areas A and B of the occupied West Bank, and the Palestinian Authority to be dismantled, in response to recent European sanctions targeting settlements. Israeli political and settler circles are also working to push the United States to take countermeasures, according to Israel’s public broadcaster Kan 11. The broadcaster reported that Yesha Council chairman Yisrael Gantz met US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee to discuss possible US steps in response to sanctions imposed by Britain, France and other countries on settlements. READ: Israel advances plans for more than 1,000 settlement homes in central West Bank It said the meeting was

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  Hamas says Israel exploits Board of Peace silence to step up Gaza attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said on Tuesday that Israel’s destruction of homes near displacement camps in Gaza showed it is continuing its attacks on Palestinians. Qassem said Israel is exploiting the Board of Peace’s silence and weak response, along with the failure of mediators and Arab and Islamic states to take practical steps to stop the attacks. He called on all parties to move beyond statements and take practical steps to stop the attacks, warning that the lack of effective measures would allow Israel to continue killing Palestinians and destroying their homes as a prelude to displacing them. READ: Board of Peace says Israel must implement Gaza commitments to move roadmap forward The comments came as Israeli aircraft carried out a

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  Huckabee warns UK of US backlash over Israeli settlement product ban

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has warned that British trade measures against products from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank could backfire and harm economic ties between the two countries. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Huckabee said the British measures were likely to have “repercussions”, which he described as “very negative”, and argued that they would not achieve London’s intended goal. The US ambassador said several US states, including Florida, have laws that could restrict trade with entities that take similar measures against Israel. READ: Huckabee repeats claim despite Trump remarks: US would not exist without Israel He warned that British restrictions on a US ally such as Israel could affect British companies, saying the measures could prompt US

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  When allies change the rules: A language Israel has never liked hearing

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  The United Kingdom’s decision to impose sanctions on Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank was not a routine legal measure, nor a narrow trade restriction. It was a political declaration—clear, deliberate, and unusually blunt—that London, alongside eleven other states, has finally chosen to speak in a language Israel has long resisted: the language of accountability. For the first time in decades, Britain—historic ally, early sponsor of the Zionist project, and a state that has traditionally avoided any step that might irritate Tel Aviv—issued a condemnation of remarkable clarity. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told the House of Commons that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank is “entirely illegal,” and that what is unfolding there amounts to “ethnic cleansing carried out

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Col. Lawrence Wilkerson: Does US Conduct Unlawful Military Strikes and is Israel a Terrorist Country?

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Michael Ratney: Iran: The Rules of the Game Have Changed, Now What?

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  Report: US officials consider reducing Middle East footprint after Iranian strikes expose base vulnerabilities

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  US military and intelligence officials are discussing whether to reduce or restructure the country’s presence in the Middle East after Iranian missile and drone attacks exposed vulnerabilities at American facilities across the region, according to a CNN report. CNN reported that repeated Iranian strikes had targeted a number of US military installations in the Middle East, causing significant damage and killing 18 US service members. The attacks have prompted discussions within the US government about whether some military and intelligence operations could be conducted without relying as heavily on permanent facilities in the region, according to officials cited by the network. CNN reported that US facilities in Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait sustained substantial damage during Iranian attacks. The

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  Tehran plans to equip metro stations as civilian air-raid shelters

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  Authorities in Tehran are developing plans to equip the Iranian capital’s metro stations for use as civilian shelters during air raids, according to Iranian media reports. Mehdi Chamran, head of the Tehran City Council, said work was underway to prepare metro stations to accommodate civilians during emergencies and to identify the facilities and services required at or near the stations. “We are currently working on equipping subway stations so they can be used as shelters,” Chamran was quoted as saying by the Iranian news website Didban. “We are also identifying the necessary facilities located within or in the immediate vicinity of these stations.” Authorities are also expected to install signs directing residents to designated shelter areas, according to the report.

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  Egypt, Jordan welcome UK measures restricting trade linked to illegal Israeli settlements

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  Egypt and Jordan welcomed measures by the UK restricting trade linked to illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, calling for further international action to halt settlement expansion and protect the two-state solution, Anadolu Agency reported. Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said Tuesday that the UK’s decision to ban trade in goods and certain services associated with illegal settlements is an important step that reflects a commitment to international law and relevant international resolutions. The ministry said the measures will help counter illegal settlement activity and attempts to impose new realities on the ground in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem. “Continued settlement expansion undermines the territorial unity of Palestinian land and the possibility of establishing an independent, viable Palestinian

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  Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says it seized US unmanned underwater vessel near Strait of Hormuz

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Tuesday that its naval forces had seized a US unmanned underwater vessel near the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz, amid heightened military tensions between Tehran and Washington. In a statement carried by Iranian media, the IRGC Navy said it had captured and taken control of what it described as an intelligent US unmanned submarine during an operation in the Strait of Hormuz area. According to the Iranian account, the vessel is now in the possession of Iranian forces. Iranian media reported that images of the captured vessel were expected to be released. READ: US sanctions 36 Iran-linked targets under ‘Economic D-Day’ campaign The type of underwater vehicle involved, its mission and the

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  Israel advances plans for more than 1,000 settlement homes in central West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  Israeli authorities have announced a land designation covering approximately 1,665 dunams for the settlements of Keida and Hadat in the central West Bank, a step intended to facilitate plans for the construction of more than 1,000 housing units. Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also holds responsibilities within the Defence Ministry relating to West Bank civilian affairs, announced the move alongside Binyamin Regional Council head Yisrael Gantz, who also heads the Yesha Council, an umbrella organisation representing Israeli settlements. According to the announcement, authorities have completed a so-called “Blue Line” designation defining the boundaries of land associated with Keida and Hadat, both located in the Shiloh settlement bloc. Israeli officials described the designation as an important step toward advancing development

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  More than 1,000 flights canceled at UK airports following technical failure

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  More than 1,000 flights were canceled at UK airports following a technical failure at a Britain’s air traffic control service center, according to reports on Tuesday. The National Air Traffic Services (NATS) said in a statement that technical issues were causing disruptions in flight departures at UK airports including major London airports. “We are investigating a technical issue which is causing some disruption to flight departures,” NATS said in the statement. It later determined that the issue was in “our flight processing system.” Flight-tracking site FlightRadar24 said that as of 8 pm local time (1900GMT) more than 1,000 flights were cancelled due to the technical failure including inbound flights to London, Manchester, Birmingham airports. READ: Belgian union threatens strike over Brussels

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  Rajoub Doubts Palestinian elections will be held in November, calls 2021 postponement ‘strategic error’

  by Mehdi Editor on September 9, 2026

  Senior Fatah official Jibril Rajoub has expressed doubt that Palestinian elections scheduled for 28th November will take place as planned, arguing that the political arrangements and consensus required to hold the vote have not yet been reached. Rajoub, secretary-general of Fatah’s Central Committee, made the remarks during a televised interview with Al-Ghad TV on Monday, in which he discussed the electoral process, internal Fatah affairs and broader Palestinian political developments. “It is my conviction that the elections will not take place on 28th November — period,” Rajoub said. Rajoub argued that a presidential decree setting the election date should have been preceded by a comprehensive national dialogue among Palestinian political factions to establish the rules, guarantees and conditions governing the

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  US sanctions 36 Iran-linked targets under ‘Economic D-Day’ campaign

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  The US Treasury Department announced Tuesday that it imposed sanctions on 36 targets linked to Iran’s aviation sector, including 27 airlines, accusing the sector of facilitating the movement of weapons, personnel and illicit cargo, Anadolu reports. The action, carried out under the Treasury’s “Operation Economic Outcast,” includes sanctions against Iran’s remaining active airlines, as well as companies and intermediaries accused of helping Tehran acquire US-origin aircraft and aviation technology. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measures were intended to cut financial lifelines supporting the government and warned companies doing business with sanctioned Iranian airlines that they could face exclusion from the global financial system. The Treasury Department said the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) was also targeting third-country firms

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  UK announces sanctions on illegal Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  Citing the existence of “ethnic cleansing of Palestinians,” Britain will impose a trade ban on goods from illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, the country’s foreign secretary announced Tuesday. In a statement to lawmakers in the House of Commons, Ed Miliband said today marks the “beginning of a new approach” on Israel, announcing that the UK will introduce an import ban on goods from illegal settlements. “The legislation I have announced today will be in place within six to nine months and we will also take more immediate steps,” he noted. Today’s measures “represent a clear message” to the government of Israel, to the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories, and to the world that “we will not acquiesce in

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  Poll shows Israeli opposition within reach of majority as Netanyahu bloc falls to 47 seats

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  Israel’s opposition could secure a parliamentary majority if a new party led by Yoaz Hendel joins its bloc, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s allies would win just 47 seats, according to a new poll published Tuesday, Anadolu reports. The survey, conducted by the private Lazar Research Institute and published by Israeli daily Maariv, projects 57 seats for the opposition parties and four for a new party led by Hendel and economist Yaron Zelekha. If the Hendel-Zelekha party joins the opposition, the bloc would reach 61 seats, the minimum threshold needed to form a government in Israel’s 120-member Knesset. Hendel and Zelekha have not yet indicated which political bloc they would support if their party enters parliament. Maariv said Netanyahu’s bloc lost

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  China says dialogue, not military pressure, can solve US-Iran conflict

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday that military pressure is not a solution to the conflict between the US and Iran, Anadolu reports. Wang made the remarks during a meeting with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Beijing, according to a Chinese Foreign Ministry statement. The two ministers discussed the situation in the Middle East and Gulf region, which Wang said was seriously affecting regional security and continuing to disrupt energy, shipping and supply-chain stability. Dialogue and negotiations are the only way forward, Wang said, stressing that the sovereignty and security of all countries in the region should be “fully respected.” He added that the legitimate concerns of all parties should be properly

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  US MQ-1 drone downed by Iran over Strait of Hormuz: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  A US MQ-1 drone was shot down by Iranian air defenses over the Strait of Hormuz, the semi-official Fars news agency reported Tuesday. The drone was detected and targeted by the Iranian army’s air defense units stationed in the country’s southeast while flying over the strategic waterway, Fars said. It was tracked by air defense systems operating under Iran’s integrated air defense network before being hit and destroyed, according to the agency. Fars said the drone was downed using domestically developed air defense systems, adding that further details on the incident will be announced later. READ: Iran airs footage purporting to show missile strikes on US warships There was no immediate comment from the US on the report. The reported incident

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  All of Israel’s plans and actions amount to Palestinian erasure

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  During Israel’s genocide in Gaza, people around the world understood that diplomacy was not truly averse to the erasure of Palestinians. When Israel spoke openly of its plan to empty Gaza of Palestinians, it was granted weapons and diplomatic support. When forced transfer was revealed to be part of the plan very early into the genocide, the international community responded through refusal, but the arms sales kept going strong. It became clear that Israel was allowed to turn international law violations and war crimes into exclusive rights granted solely to its colonial agenda.  Now, as forced transfer once again makes the news with Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir announcing a seven year plan in which 250,000 Palestinians would

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  Drone strikes killed 1,120 civilians in Sudan in first half of 2026: UN

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  At least 1,120 civilians were killed in drone strikes in Sudan in the first six months of 2026, accounting for 80% of all civilian deaths documented by the UN human rights office during the period, a senior UN official said Tuesday, Anadolu reports. Addressing the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Awa Dabo said the Kordofan region remains the “current epicenter” of Sudan’s conflict, with the majority of civilian deaths documented by the office this year recorded there. While drone strikes in El Obeid, North Kordofan, decreased sharply in July, civilians continue to face “dire conditions and grave risks,” she said. READ: Mercenaries, drone shipments and military technology fuel Sudan war, UN report says Repeated strikes

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  11 European countries plus Canada vow restrictions on trade with illegal Israeli settlements

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  Eleven European countries plus Canada announced plans on Tuesday to introduce national restrictions on trade in goods with Israeli settlements that are illegal under international law, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot announced, Anadolu reports. “Today, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, Denmark, Spain, Finland, Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Poland, Portugal and Sweden confirm their intention to impose national restrictions on trade in goods with settlements that are illegal under international law and/or to support European restrictions to this effect,” said a joint declaration issued by Barrot. The statement reaffirmed that the 12 countries are “seriously considering” adopting such restrictions or other measures in accordance with their national procedures. “In this regard, France, the United Kingdom and Canada welcome the significant measures already taken

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  Turkiye hopes Development Road Project with Iraq will be implemented soon: Parliament speaker

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  Turkiye’s parliament speaker voiced hope Tuesday that the Development Road Project linking Iraq with Turkiye would become fully operational as soon as possible, Anadolu reports. “I hope the Development Road Project will become an active, visible and fully implemented project with all its components as soon as possible,” Numan Kurtulmus told a joint news conference in the capital Ankara with Haibat al-Halbousi, his visiting Iraqi counterpart. “The Development Road Project is a very important project that will ensure connectivity in the fullest sense and, in the coming period, contribute to the development of Iraq and the region, as well as Turkiye’s development,” he said. “Through this project, Asia and Europe will be connected via Iraq and Turkiye, and the Asian and

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  Qatar says ‘no war, no peace’ between US, Iran ‘unacceptable’, urges unconditional reopening of Hormuz

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  Qatar said Tuesday that the continued state of “no war, no peace” amid the US-Iran conflict is “unacceptable,” calling for the crisis to be resolved through dialogue and the Strait of Hormuz to be reopened without conditions, Anadolu reports. “It is unacceptable for the state of neither peace nor war in the region to continue. This is draining the region, and the crisis must be ended through dialogue,” Ibrahim al-Hashimi, director of the Media and Communications Department at the Qatari Foreign Ministry, told a press conference. “The Strait of Hormuz must be opened without conditions, and ensuring that it is not used as a pressure card is a top priority,” he added. READ: Qatar rejects Iran claim strikes only targeted US military

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  Netanyahu warned by UAE president before Oct. 7 events, failed to brief security chiefs: Haaretz

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu received an “explicit warning” from the United Arab Emirates about Hamas plans to carry out a major attack before the Oct. 7, 2023 events, but he failed to brief Israel’s security chiefs, Haaretz reported on Tuesday. The Israeli daily said UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed held a 45-minute phone conversation with Netanyahu about a week and a half before Oct. 7, warning him that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was preparing a major operation against Israel. Haaretz, which based its report on dozens of Israeli and foreign sources as well as recordings, internal documents and correspondence, said the UAE president urged Netanyahu to take the threat seriously. The Israeli premier reportedly responded that he believed

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  Iranian president vows to continue resistance until ‘aggressors’ regret attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tuesday that Tehran would continue resisting attacks until what he called the “aggressors” fully regret their actions, Anadolu reports. “Iran has always opposed war and has regarded avoiding warmongering as essential to safeguarding the interests of the people and regional security,” Pezeshkian said on the US social media company X. “But just as it has bravely defended itself against aggression until today, it will continue this resistance with strength until the aggressors fully regret it, and will safeguard the rights of the great Iranian nation,” he added. His remarks come amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict and heightened tensions across the region. READ: Iran warns South Korea of ‘serious consequences’ over military role in Hormuz Iran and the

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  Israeli court rejects 3 petitions to freeze East Jerusalem settlement plan

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  An Israeli court on Tuesday rejected three petitions to freeze a tender for the construction of 1,234 settlement units in occupied East Jerusalem, despite widespread international criticism of the project that would undermine prospects for establishing a Palestinian state, Anadolu reports. This came in a joint statement by Israeli organizations Ir Amim, Bimkom and Peace Now. According to the statement, the Jerusalem District Court rejected petitions for an interim order to freeze the tender for building 1,234 settlement units in the E1 area and to halt any further steps to implement the plan. Judge Nimrod Flax ruled that a long time still separates the publication of the tender from the start of actual implementation and changes on the ground, it added.

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  Lebanon’s energy diplomacy: Turning vulnerability into connectivity

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  Lebanon’s electricity crisis is usually attributed to fuel shortages, financial collapse and institutional failure. All three explanations are valid, but they are incomplete. The deeper problem is that Lebanon remains an energy island in a region increasingly shaped by cross-border grids, gas corridors and flexible electricity markets. Lebanese households and businesses have learned to survive without reliable public electricity. Diesel generators filled the first gap; rooftop solar panels and batteries are filling the next. Yet survival is not energy security. Lebanon’s electricity supply may have become more decentralised, but the country has not become less vulnerable. Lebanon must now turn connectivity into an instrument of diplomacy. This does not mean replacing one foreign dependency with another. It means creating diversified

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  Israeli forces demolish Palestinian homes, vital facilities in Masafer Yatta

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  Israeli forces deployed bulldozers and heavy machinery to Khirbet al-Fakhit in the Masafer Yatta region south of Hebron on Tuesday, tearing down Palestinian homes, livestock shelters, water wells, and solar power installations, Anadolu reports. Head of the Masafer Yatta Village Council Nidal Younis said Khirbet al-Fakhit became the second hamlet completely leveled by Israeli authorities within a single week. The demolitions struck residential dwellings, animal pens, essential water cisterns, solar systems powering the community, and historic caves dating back to the Canaanite era. READ: US envoy to Israel visits occupied West Bank, calls occupiers attacking Palestinians ‘terrorists’ Troops gave residents no time to salvage their possessions, leaving schoolbags, textbooks, basic food supplies, and furniture crushed beneath the concrete debris as children

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  Amnesty International blames the victim in a time of genocide

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  The late Dr. Israel Shahak once related that during WWII when a collaborator at the Warsaw ghetto was eliminated, the jubilant inmates (himself included) danced with joy.[0]  Maybe the extreme situation didn’t permit the semblance of a legal process, but natural law ran its course. Now imagine if at that time a sanctimonious body were to pop up and chastise the inmates for this “crime”.  Under the circumstances, it would appear hypocritical for anyone to criticise the inmates, let alone refer to their action as “unlawful” and demand “accountability”. Well, Amnesty International just published an article that fits that description in a contemporary setting.  It just published a news release, “Hamas must stamp out extrajudicial executions…” [1], which is an

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  Why is El-Sisi’s regime considering the sale of the Suez Canal?!

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  A proposal to sell the Suez Canal, in north-eastern Egypt, has sparked widespread concern among Egyptians, who are already deeply suspicious of the government’s accelerated sale of state assets, vital infrastructure and strategic ports to Gulf allies. The idea was put forward days ago by Hassan Heikal, an adviser to the Egyptian Prime Minister, as part of what has been described in the media as the “grand swap”, involving the exchange of state assets and the transfer of debt between state institutions. Under the proposal, domestic debt would effectively be wiped out by transferring part of the state’s assets – such as its stakes in public companies or the Suez Canal – to the Central Bank of Egypt, provided that

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  Israel Katz threatens ‘all-out war’ if Palestinian Authority forces prepare major attack

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel has instructed its military to prepare for an “all-out war” against the Palestinian Authority if PA security forces launch, or are found to be preparing, a large-scale attack against Israeli forces or settlements in the occupied West Bank. Katz made the remarks on Monday following a stabbing attack in the northern West Bank in which one person was injured. The Israeli military said the Palestinian assailant was subsequently killed. “If there is a shift in direction, and the Palestinian Authority’s security services and affiliated bodies begin launching a terror attack — like the 7th October attack — against IDF forces and Jewish settlements, or if we obtain definitive confirmation that they are on

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  Nearly 1,000 Sudanese leave Egypt for home under voluntary return program

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  A total of 980 Sudanese nationals departed Cairo for Sudan on Monday aboard 20 buses as part of an organised voluntary return program, according to Sudan’s state news agency SUNA. The “Hope for Voluntary Return” committee organized the departures from the Al-Matba’a area and Al-Aziziyah Square in Cairo’s Abdeen district. Maher al-Zein, head of the committee responsible for transportation, said return operations would continue for Sudanese nationals in Egypt who wish to travel home. He added that transportation for university faculty members and students is scheduled to begin on Thursday to allow them to participate in Sudan’s new academic year. Monday’s departures were the latest in a series of organised returns from Egypt. The committee reported that 550 people returned

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  Germany asks ICJ to dismiss Nicaragua case over support for Israel

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  Germany has asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to dismiss a case brought by Nicaragua accusing Berlin of violating its international obligations through its political and military support for Israel during the war in Gaza. German lawyers began four days of hearings before the UN’s highest court on Monday as Berlin challenges the Court’s jurisdiction and the admissibility of claims brought by Nicaragua. Nicaragua filed the case in 2024, accusing Germany of facilitating violations of the Genocide Convention and international humanitarian law by providing military assistance to Israel. As part of the proceedings, Nicaragua asked the ICJ to impose provisional measures requiring Germany to halt assistance to Israel, particularly the supply of military equipment. In April 2024, the Court

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  Jerusalem court adjourns incitement trial of Al-Aqsa preacher Ekrima Sabri

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  A Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court on Monday held its first evidentiary hearing in the trial of Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, preacher at Al-Aqsa Mosque and head of the Supreme Islamic Council in Jerusalem, who faces charges of incitement brought by Israeli prosecutors. During the hearing, an Israeli prosecution witness testified regarding Sabri’s participation in condolence gatherings and statements he had made publicly, according to reports on the proceedings. Sabri’s defence team challenged the testimony, arguing that it lacked specificity, was not directly connected to the allegations contained in the indictment and did not comply with established procedures for hearing witnesses. The court accepted the defence’s objection and discontinued that portion of the witness’s testimony. At the conclusion of the hearing, the court

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Michael Ratney: Iran: The Rules of the Game Have Changed, Now What?

  by Mehdi Editor on September 8, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Dr. Murat Aslan: How Will Turkey’s Meteoric Rise Change The Middle East?

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  Morocco’s PJD unveils election platform as Benkirane acknowledges challenge of winning majority

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  Morocco’s Justice and Development Party (PJD) has unveiled its platform for the upcoming parliamentary elections, placing education, healthcare, employment and anti-corruption measures at the center of its campaign as it seeks to recover from its heavy electoral defeat in 2021. The platform, presented under the slogan “To Achieve Citizen Dignity,” pledges to improve the quality of education, strengthen healthcare coverage, expand access to decent employment and address corruption and conflicts of interest. The campaign marks a change in emphasis from the PJD’s 2021 electoral platform, which was presented under the slogan “Credibility, Democracy and Development.” In its latest program, the party also offers a critical assessment of Morocco’s political and socioeconomic trajectory during its five years in opposition. It argues

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  Gaza hospital reports severe NICU overcrowding amid rise in premature births

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  The neonatal intensive care unit at Al-Tahrir Hospital, part of the Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis in southern Gaza, is operating far beyond its capacity amid an increase in premature births and shortages of essential medical supplies, according to a doctor at the facility. Pediatrician Darwish Abu al-Khair said the neonatal unit was experiencing its highest level of overcrowding since it was established in 2000. According to Abu al-Khair, the hospital admitted 10 premature infants on 4th September, bringing the number of newborns receiving care in the unit to 54. He said the figure represented approximately 200 percent of the unit’s capacity, while the hospital was also facing critical shortages of medicines and oxygen. The overcrowding has forced medical

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  Former Shin Bet chief: Israel is losing war and heading towards end of Zionist project

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  Former Israeli Shin Bet chief Ami Ayalon said he believed Israel had achieved military victories on several fronts but had failed to achieve the war’s strategic objectives. In an interview on Rumble, Ayalon said: “Israel is winning battles, but losing the war.” He said the Israeli military had achieved exceptional battlefield gains against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, but that these tactical victories did not amount to victory in the wider war. He said Hamas and Hezbollah had not been dismantled and continued to pose a strategic threat despite the heavy losses they had suffered. Ayalon said the main problem was the lack of a political objective for the war, turning it into an end in itself rather than a means

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  Gaza water crisis reaches critical levels, municipality warns

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  Gaza’s water crisis has reached critical levels, the Gaza Municipality said, warning that continued shortages could lead to severe thirst threatening residents’ lives, particularly as temperatures rise and Israel restricts the entry of essential supplies, maintenance materials, spare parts, fuel and industrial oils in sufficient quantities. Municipality spokesman Husni Muhanna told Arab21 that the destruction of wells, water networks, pumping stations and desalination plants across the Gaza Strip, along with shortages of fuel, maintenance materials, spare parts and industrial oils, had sharply reduced the amount of water available to residents. In Gaza City, daily water needs are estimated at about 100,000 cubic metres, while only about 30,000 cubic metres are available even under the best conditions, representing a 70 per

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  Eisenkot accuses Netanyahu of putting political interests ahead of Israel security

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  Gadi Eisenkot, the main challenger to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the October legislative election, accused him on Monday of putting political interests ahead of Israel’s security. Eisenkot, a former army chief of staff, unveiled his Yashar party’s candidates for the 27 October election and criticised Netanyahu for failing to fulfil his responsibilities since Hamas’ 7 October 2023 attack on southern Israel, the deadliest in the country’s history. “At a time of the deep rupture that occurred on 7 October and the serious challenges facing the State of Israel, we need leadership that rises to the level of responsibility, knows how to unite and restore the principles of Zionism,” Eisenkot said at a campaign rally in the Israeli settlement

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   Israeli universities expel 100 Palestinian students over Gaza war criticism

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  Israeli universities have permanently or temporarily expelled 100 Palestinian students for criticising the war in Gaza since October 2023, a Palestinian-run rights group Adalah said on Monday. The figures were published in a report by the group titled “Apartheid in Israeli Academia: Palestinian Students After 7 October 2023” The report examines how Israeli higher education institutions have changed their treatment of Palestinian students since the start of the war on Gaza on 8 October 2023. It documents cases in which Israeli universities suspended Palestinian students, launched disciplinary proceedings against them and classified their social media posts as “support for terrorism”. “In more than 80 cases, institutions imposed temporary suspensions before holding any hearing and before even determining whether the alleged

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  Egypt calls for new Arab security framework to counter regional threats

  by Marwa A on September 8, 2026

  Egypt has called for new Arab security arrangements to strengthen collective efforts to protect Arab security, integrate defence capabilities and turn political will into practical mechanisms for deterrence and crisis response. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty said at the Arab League Council’s 166th ordinary ministerial session in Cairo that Egypt is ready to work with the Arab League and its member states to develop a comprehensive framework for the arrangements. The framework would define areas of cooperation, coordination and crisis response, as well as implementation and follow-up mechanisms. Abdelatty said the Arab security system should focus on greater security and defence integration, better coordination of Arab capabilities, and building on the 1950 Arab Treaty of Joint Defence and relevant Arab

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  Nauru opens Israel embassy in occupied Jerusalem in violation of international resolutions

  by Marwa A on September 7, 2026

  The South Pacific nation of Nauru opened its embassy to Israel in occupied Jerusalem on Monday, making it the ninth country to take the step in violation of international resolutions, Anadolu reports. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar took part today in the official opening of Nauru’s Embassy in occupied Jerusalem, together with Vice President and Foreign Minister Lionel Aingimea, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Today, Nauru becomes the ninth country, and the third from the South Pacific, to open an embassy in Jerusalem. More are on the way,” Sa’ar said at the opening ceremony. The island nation is the world’s third-smallest country, with an area of 21 square kilometers (8.1 square miles) and a population of around