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

• 
  Iraq establishes special security force to combat oil smuggling, protect pipelines

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Iraq has established a specialized security force to combat oil smuggling and theft and protect its pipeline network, alongside additional measures to tighten security at oil fields and monitor facilities, an official said Friday. Lt. Gen. Hamid al-Husseini, director general of Iraq’s Energy Police, told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA) that violations were not limited to crude oil pipelines but extended to the country’s wider pipeline network. He said security forces had recently detected attempts to illegally tap pipelines in southern Basra province using advanced sensors and monitoring old valves. Al-Husseini said a new “anti-smuggling and theft force” had been established in the southern region under his direct command. The unit will patrol vast desert areas to protect pipeline

• 
  Sudanese army, allied forces say they recaptured areas in North Kordofan from RSF

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  The Sudanese army and allied Joint Force said Friday they had recaptured Sarif Ankoush and surrounding areas along the Al-Khuway axis in North Kordofan state following fierce clashes with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), according to the official SUNA news agency. In a statement, the Joint Force said the operation began at dawn and inflicted heavy losses on the RSF in personnel and equipment. It said the commander of the RSF unit stationed in the area was killed during the fighting. The Joint Force added that its troops were conducting extensive search operations and pursuing remaining RSF fighters in the area. READ: US watchdog expose Israeli intelligence links with Sudan’s RSF It vowed to continue operations alongside the Sudanese Armed

• 
  Israel’s Eisenkot denounces ‘racist, hostile’ campaign against Arab citizens, cites progress in coalition talks

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister-designate Gadi Eisenkot on Friday accused caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of fueling a “racist and hostile” campaign against Arab citizens for political gain, while reporting progress in talks to form a new government. In a lengthy post on US social media platform X, Eisenkot highlighted that Arab citizens account for more than one-fifth of Israel’s population. “Arab citizens of Israel make up 21 percent of the total population. Since the start of the election campaign, they have faced a racist and violent campaign of delegitimization fueled by the outgoing prime minister and his circle for political reasons.” “The prime minister of Israel is the prime minister of all citizens, including those who did not vote for him,”

• 
  Yemeni army accuses Houthis of targeting Aden with ballistic missiles

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Yemen’s army said Friday that the Houthi group had targeted civilians and civilian facilities with ballistic missiles in the country’s temporary capital, Aden, Anadolu reports. Military spokesman Col. Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili said the attack occurred Friday evening, describing it as a serious escalation that threatened the safety of residents. He held the Houthis responsible for the consequences, accusing the group of targeting cities and vital infrastructure whenever it suffered battlefield losses. Al-Nuzaili said the attack violated international humanitarian law and would not deter the armed forces from fulfilling their duties. READ: Yemeni army says 138 Houthis killed, injured in recent military operations He vowed that the army would continue protecting civilians and state institutions, pressing ahead with Operation “Dawn of Yemen”

• 
  Turkiye, Qatar sign 5 agreements following Erdogan-emir talks in Istanbul

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Turkiye and Qatar signed five agreements covering trade, education, diplomacy and defense Friday following talks between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in Istanbul, Anadolu reports. The signing ceremony was held at the Presidential Dolmabahce Office following private and delegation-level talks during the 12th meeting of the Turkiye-Qatar High Strategic Committee. Erdogan and al-Thani signed a mutual defense agreement between the two countries. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in peace, reconciliation and conflict resolution. READ: Turkiye, Qatar deepen defense ties with joint production goals The two ministers also signed a joint declaration following the

• 
  Franco-Palestinian group seeks court ban on Israeli real estate fair in Paris

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  A Franco-Palestinian association has asked a Paris court to ban an Israeli real estate fair scheduled for Sunday in the French capital, alleging that it promotes properties in occupied Palestinian territories, broadcaster FranceInfo reported. The NIDAL association filed an emergency petition with the Paris Administrative Court seeking to prohibit the ninth Icube real estate and investment fair or, alternatively, bar exhibitors from promoting properties in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. The group pointed to the participation of Israeli real estate company BH Nadlan, which advertises apartments in both areas, and alleged that the event’s promotional materials offer financial incentives to people seeking to settle in the West Bank. The association said it had previously requested intervention from the

• 
  UN warns Israeli attacks have pushed Gaza’s health system to brink of collapse

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Years of Israeli attacks have pushed the health system in the Gaza Strip to the brink of collapse, the UN warned Friday, Anadolu reports. The UN Human Rights Office in Palestine said in a statement that an Israeli airstrike on Nov. 11 hit a building housing the surgical department at Nasser Medical Complex, killing six Palestinians and injuring around 30 others. The office said Nasser Medical Complex was among the few hospitals still struggling to provide medical services in the besieged enclave. Three missiles were used in the attack, but only one detonated, it said, warning that the unexploded ordnance posed an additional threat to patients, health workers and civilians. The statement also recalled Israeli attacks on Nasser Medical Complex

• 
  “I have no regrets”: A Brazilian socialist leader sentenced over pro-Palestine speech

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  A Brazilian socialist leader sentenced to two years in prison over a pro-Palestine speech has warned that his conviction could set a dangerous precedent for freedom of expression and expose other Palestine solidarity activists in Brazil to similar prosecutions. José Maria de Almeida, widely known as Zé Maria, president of Brazil’s Unified Socialist Workers’ Party (PSTU), was convicted by a federal court in São Paulo on racism charges over remarks he made during a pro-Palestine demonstration on 22 October 2023. Born in 1957 in São Paulo state, Zé Maria is a veteran socialist and former metalworker whose political activism dates back to Brazil’s military dictatorship (1964–1985). A longstanding figure in the country’s labour movement, he was arrested in 1977 for

• 
  Israel’s Liberman to head Knesset Foreign Affairs Committee amid coalition talks

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Avigdor Liberman, head of Israel’s Yisrael Beiteinu, said on Friday that he would officially take over as chair of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday, Nov. 16, calling the move a “first step” toward forming a new government, Anadolu reports. “This is the first step toward forming a good government with a stable coalition majority that will lead Israel into a new era,” Liberman wrote on US social media platform X. The committee oversees the security establishment and serves as a “safeguard against military actions taken for political purposes,” he stressed. His statement came amid government formation efforts in Israel following legislative elections on Oct. 27. READ: Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot slams Netanyahu’s ‘shameful’ Knesset speech, urges Israeli

• 
  CENTCOM denies Iranian claim of attack on US radar in Bahrain, says 2 drones shot down

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  The US Central Command (CENTCOM) on Friday denied Iranian claims that its forces had targeted and destroyed a US early-warning radar installation in Bahrain, saying two Iranian drones launched toward the Gulf country were intercepted, Anadolu reports. In a statement on US social media platform X, CENTCOM described the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) claim as false, saying: “The IRGC launched two one-way attack drones toward Bahrain and both were shot down by US forces. There were no injuries or damage.” The IRGC said earlier Friday that it had targeted and destroyed a US early-warning radar facility in Bahrain in retaliation for an attack on a telecommunications tower in Iran’s southern Sirik region. “This serves as a serious warning to

• 
  9-month-old baby dies from severe cold in Gaza, 1st cold-related death this winter: Health Ministry

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  A 9-month-old Palestinian baby died from severe cold in the Gaza Strip, marking the first recorded cold-related death in the enclave during the current winter season, the Health Ministry said Friday, Anadolu reports. In a statement carried by the Gaza Media Office, the ministry identified the infant as Kinan Ahmed Arqiq, saying he died after suffering a sharp drop in body temperature. The baby was transferred from the Kuwaiti Hospital to Nasser Medical Complex on Thursday, where he arrived dead, the ministry said. A forensic examination confirmed that severe hypothermia was the cause of death, it added. The ministry said 10 people died from cold exposure in Gaza during the 2025 winter season. READ: Gaza’s floods are no accident, but the

• 
  Pro-Palestine protesters in Dublin rally against European Political Community Summit

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Pro-Palestinian demonstrators staged a protest in Dublin, Ireland, on Thursday, against the European Political Community Summit, Anadolu reports. Protesters carrying Palestinian flags, banners and placards marched through the streets and chanted slogans. Clashes broke out between demonstrators and police, with several protesters detained. Dublin hosted the 9th summit of the European Political Community in Dublin, bringing together heads of state and government from across the continent and leaders of key European and international institutions. The forum aims to promote dialogue and cooperation on shared issues, with a focus on security, stability and prosperity in Europe. READ: Pro-Palestine protesters arrested outside UK’s ruling Labour Conference in Liverpool

• 
  Palestine Book Awards 2026 opens with evening of literary celebration in London

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  The 15th Palestine Book Awards got under way in London last night with a two-hour evening celebrating the authors whose work continues to preserve Palestinian history, land, culture and memory in the face of their erasure. Middle East Monitor’s (MEMO) annual “Meet the Shortlisted Authors” event at the P21 Gallery drew a full house of readers, academics and activists, who heard shortlisted authors discuss the books, research and inspirations behind this year’s nominated works. The evening was hosted by author and translator Hazem Jamjoum, who won last year’s Translation Award for his English translation of Maya Abu Al-Hayyat’s novel No One Knows Their Blood Type. Jamjoum was joined by four of this year’s shortlisted authors: Thomas Suárez, whose Palestine Mapped

• 
  Israeli strike on vehicle outside wedding hall kills one Palestinian in central Gaza

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  An Israeli strike on a Palestinian-owned vehicle outside a wedding hall killed one person in Deir al-Balah in the central Gaza Strip on Thursday, Anadolu reports. The victim was reportedly driving a couple who were making preparations for their wedding. The attack came amid continued Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement that took effect Oct. 10, 2025. READ: 53 countries, organizations urge Israel to allow rapid humanitarian access to Gaza As of Wednesday, the violations had killed 1,622 Palestinians and wounded 5,878, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The figures do not include Thursday’s casualties. Since Oct. 8, 2023, Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians and wounded over 175,000, most of them women and children. The war

• 
  Israeli Defence Minister says military operations do Not require opposition or judicial approval

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the government does not require approval from the political opposition or judicial authorities to direct military operations in Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria or Iran, rejecting calls to limit major security decisions during Israel’s political transition. Katz asserted that the prime minister and defence minister retain the authority to issue military directives despite ongoing negotiations over the formation of a new government. He said this authority extends to ordering targeted killings in Gaza, conducting defensive and offensive operations in Lebanon, maintaining a security zone in Syria to protect communities in the occupied Golan Heights, and continuing military operations in the West Bank. Katz also referred to an Israeli military operation in a

• 
  Israeli forces shell 5 southern Lebanon towns as drones fly low over Beirut

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  The Israeli army carried out artillery shelling and machine-gun fire against five towns in southern Lebanon on Friday, while drones flew at low altitude over the capital Beirut, according to official media. Lebanon’s National News Agency said an Israeli tank fired two artillery shells toward a house in the Al-Mashaa area of Mayfadoun in the Nabatieh district. In the Marjayoun district, Israeli artillery targeted the towns of Tallousa and Bani Hayyan, accompanied by machine-gun fire toward Tallousa. In the Tyre district, artillery shelling struck Majdal Zoun and Buyout al-Sayyad towns, while Israeli forces opened machine-gun fire toward the main road leading to the town of Al-Mansouri. READ: Israeli army builds new roads linking military posts in southern Lebanon The agency also

• 
  Gulf states welcome UN resolution calling on Houthis to halt attacks

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Gulf Cooperation Council’s Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi welcomed on Friday a UN Security Council Resolution urging Yemen’s Houthi group to halt its attacks immediately, Anadolu reports. Albudaiwi “welcomed the international consensus on the United Nations (UN) Security Council Resolution 2837, which demands the terrorist Houthi militia to halt its military escalation and attacks immediately and unconditionally, including assaults targeting civilian populations and civilian infrastructure,” according to a statement issued by the bloc. The secretary-general appreciated the UK’s efforts in submitting the draft resolution. READ: Saudi-led coalition says it destroys Houthi missile launcher in Sanaa targeting eastern Saudi Arabia  “This resolution represents a significant step in consolidating the international stance that rejects the treacherous Houthi attacks,” he stated, according to the statement.

• 
  X suspends Palestinian American Ahmed Moor’s campaign account after Senate bid

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Social media platform X has suspended the campaign account of Palestinian American writer Ahmed Moor, days after he announced a Democratic primary challenge against US Senator John Fetterman in Pennsylvania’s 2028 election, Anadolu reports. Moor announced the suspension Wednesday through his personal X account, sharing a screenshot of the notice displayed on his campaign account, @moorforpa. “FRIENDS! It’s official! We’re a threat,” he wrote. “They’ve suspended the campaign account. Help us maintain the momentum by retweeting and please consider donating.” The suspension notice stated that X “suspends accounts that violate our rules” but did not identify the specific rule allegedly breached or explain the decision. The campaign account had attracted more than 33,000 followers within approximately three days of its

• 
  Iran claims it destroyed US early-warning radar in Bahrain

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Friday that its forces targeted and destroyed a US early-warning radar installation in Bahrain, stating that it came in response to an attack on a telecommunications tower in Iran’s Sirik, Anadolu reports. “This serves as a serious warning to the aggressor enemy to cease its aerial provocations and oil smuggling in the Strait of Hormuz. “Should these violations and acts of aggression recur, the IRGC Aerospace Force stands in full readiness to engage without limits,” Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA reported, citing the IRGC. On Thursday evening, IRNA cited official sources as saying that Sirik was hit by an “enemy” strike. READ: Iran says 2 oil tankers caught fire after hitting naval mines

• 
  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Kelley Beaucar Vlahos: War, Congress, Chaos: Has Trump Finally Run Out of Escape Routes?

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Dr. Khodr Zaarour: What Defeated The Republicans, Energy Prices or The War on Iran?

• 
  Oil prices rise more than 1% after Trump comments on Iran

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Oil prices rose by more than 1 per cent in global markets on Thursday after US President Donald Trump said there is “no need for a deal with Iran”. The gains affected both Brent crude and US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) futures, as markets reacted to Trump’s comments on Washington’s stance towards Iran and their potential impact on regional geopolitical tensions and energy supplies. Oil markets are closely monitoring developments in US-Iran relations, given the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for transporting large volumes of oil to global markets. READ: Trump says US ‘doesn’t need’ deal with Iran, claims control of Strait of Hormuz

• 
  Israel bars French left-wing leader from entering country, prompting Paris response

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Israel has banned Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the French left-wing party La France Insoumise (France Unbowed), from entering the country, accusing his party of adopting an “extremely anti-Israel position”, the Israeli Foreign Ministry announced. In a statement on Thursday, the ministry said Israel would “deal firmly with anyone seeking to harm its interests or incite hatred against its citizens”, adding that it would not allow such individuals to enter its territory. READ: Israel bars crew members holding 29 nationalities from flights to Ben Gurion Airport French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot condemned the decision. In a post on X, Barrot described it as a “demagogic decision” by a government that has repeatedly violated international law. He added that the decision “plays into

• 
  European Commission to examine call to suspend EU-Israel agreement after 1.1 million signatures

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  The European Commission announced on Thursday that it will examine a European citizens’ initiative calling for the suspension of the EU-Israel Association Agreement over allegations of serious violations of human rights and international law. The announcement came after the initiative collected more than 1.1 million verified signatures from citizens in 12 EU member states, exceeding the minimum threshold required for it to undergo an official review by EU institutions. The initiative was launched under the European Citizens’ Initiative mechanism, which allows EU citizens to call on the Commission to propose legislative or policy action on issues within its remit, provided they collect at least one million signatures and meet the minimum signature threshold in at least seven member states. READ: EU

• 
  Hamas says Board of Peace adopts misleading Israeli narrative on Gaza hospitals

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Hamas on Thursday strongly rejected the Board of Peace’s adoption of what it called a misleading Israeli narrative about the use of hospitals in Gaza for military purposes, accusing the board of covering up Israeli violations against civilians and medical facilities in the besieged territory. The movement’s statement came in response to a statement issued by the board on Thursday following an Israeli airstrike on Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, southern Gaza, which killed six Palestinians, including a child and a doctor, and injured around 30 others. The board called for the immediate implementation of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan and condemned what it described as Hamas’s continued use of hospitals and other vital civilian infrastructure for military purposes,

• 
  Egypt seeks international support to help meet needs of refugees

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty has discussed strengthening cooperation with European Union Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner in the areas of migration, border management and combating migrant smuggling. Abdelatty outlined the burden on Egypt as a result of hosting millions of refugees who have fled prolonged regional conflicts, according to a Foreign Ministry statement on Thursday. He said Egypt had achieved tangible results in this area, reflected in a decline in irregular migration from its territory towards Europe. He stressed that hosting such large numbers places additional economic burdens on the state, making international support necessary to help Egypt meet its obligations towards refugees and continue providing them with essential services. READ: Egypt, Iran foreign ministers discuss efforts

• 
  Humanitarian aid cannot battle colonialism

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  Seasons, especially summer and winter, are useful to determine the inadequate humanitarian aid reaching Palestinians in Gaza. As winter approaches, forcibly displaced Palestinians have already experienced flooding and deaths as a result of Israeli colonialism, primarily. Had there been no colonialism and no forced displacement, Palestinians would not be living in tents. Combined with the genocide and military occupation of Gaza, the hazardous conditions have briefly entered mainstream consciousness. However, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has his rhetoric ready.  In response to the Board of Peace’s statement that Gaza is facing an immediate humanitarian emergency, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said that “Hamas alone is responsible for the suffering of Gaza’s residents.”  Israel has backing from the international community for

• 
  Elbit Systems holds lobbying gala at the German Bundestag

  by EditorMehdi on November 13, 2026

  On 4th November, the arms manufacturer Elbit Systems Deutschland held a lobbying event at the German Bundestag. As the company recently announced on its social media profiles, it was delighted to have had “the great honour of hosting”, together with almost 200 guests and numerous MPs, the first “Parliamentary Evening” organised by Elbit on the roof of the German Bundestag. A photograph posted alongside the announcement shows Bezhalel “Butzi” Machlis, President and CEO of Elbit Systems, David Federmann, Chairman of Elbit Systems, and Marian Rachow, CEO of Elbit Systems Deutschland, together with Thomas Daum, Vice Admiral in the German Armed Forces and Chief of the Cyber and Information Domain Service, and Marcus Faber. Faber was an MP for the economically

• 
  53 countries, organizations urge Israel to allow rapid humanitarian access to Gaza

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  A group of 53 countries and organizations, including Turkiye, urged Israel on Thursday to allow rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access into the Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports. Sarah MacIntosh, the UK’s permanent representative to the UN, delivered a statement on behalf of the co-signatories of the Gaza Call to Action on Humanitarian Access and Health, led by the UK, Qatar and Jordan. “The comprehensive peace plan, endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803, provides for the immediate entry into Gaza of full humanitarian assistance at levels no lower than those agreed on 19 January 2025. This has not yet been realized,” MacIntosh said at a news conference at UN headquarters. She noted that since the October 2025 ceasefire, “progress to

• 
  Iran says 2 oil tankers caught fire after hitting naval mines near Strait of Hormuz

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Two oil tankers caught fire Thursday after striking naval mines in restricted waters east of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s army said, according to Iranian broadcaster IRIB. In a statement, the army’s public relations department said the vessels entered a prohibited and unsafe area Thursday afternoon despite warnings and after switching off their radar systems. The army accused US President Donald Trump of bearing primary responsibility for the incident, also blaming the vessels’ owners for relying on what it described as misleading statements from Washington. READ: Rezaei: Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until Iran’s seven conditions are met The statement did not identify the tankers, their flags or the extent of the damage. There was no immediate independent confirmation of

• 
  Palestinian American says Israeli army bars him from entering his West Bank home

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  The Israeli army prevented a Palestinian American man from entering his home in the occupied West Bank town of Turmus Ayya, north of Ramallah, on Thursday and fired tear gas in the area, the homeowner told Anadolu Agency. Naji Abu Awad, who lives in the US state of Texas, said he arrived in his hometown carrying an American flag and his luggage and went to his house, but Israeli troops stationed inside prevented him from entering. He said he asked the soldiers why they were in his home and how long they intended to remain there, but was told the area had been designated a military zone and that he was not allowed to stay there. The soldiers also threatened

• 
  Trump says US ‘doesn’t need’ deal with Iran, claims control of Strait of Hormuz

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  President Donald Trump said Thursday that Washington no longer needs an agreement with Iran, claiming the US holds significant leverage over Tehran, including control of the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. “We don’t need a deal with Iran. Those days have long since passed,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He claimed that Washington secured Iranian financial assets and control of the strategically important waterway. “We’ve got their money, Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and we’ve got their Strait!” he declared. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy shipping route, has long been a flashpoint between Iran and the US, with tensions in the waterway carrying significant importance for international oil markets and regional security. READ: Netanyahu calling Trump

• 
  Israeli arms company drops plans for factory site in Germany’s Sangerhausen amid protests

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Israeli defense company Elbit Systems has abandoned plans for a production facility in the eastern German town of Sangerhausen after months of protests by local groups and peace activists, according to media reports. The company’s German unit told the Mitteldeutsche Zeitung newspaper that the site was not suitable for its needs and failed to meet key operational requirements, so it would no longer be considered in further site selection. Residents, peace activists and groups had demonstrated for months, accusing the firm of involvement in war crimes and genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Claudia Wittig, a senior lawmaker for the left-wing BSW in the Saxony-Anhalt state parliament, welcomed the decision. READ: Activists raise Palestinian flag outside German parliament “Resistance works!”

• 
  Israel places 16-year-old Palestinian girl in 4-month administrative detention

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Israeli authorities on Thursday placed 16-year-old Palestinian girl Rimas Asaad Dweikat from the northern occupied West Bank province of Nablus in administrative detention for four months without charge, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Society, Anadolu reports. The group said in a statement that the decision raised the number of Palestinian women held under administrative detention to 21 out of 90 female detainees in Israeli prisons. Dweikat is also one of three girls currently held in Israeli prisons, it added. The group said Israeli forces detained Dweikat on Nov. 4 after raiding her family home in the town of Beita in Nablus province. She is a high school student, according to the statement. The number of Palestinians held under administrative detention

• 
  ‘Hero’, ‘king’, ‘righteous’: Israelis hail professor accused of plotting to massacre Palestinians

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Social media users in Israel praised and justified an Israeli professor accused of plotting to massacre hundreds of Palestinians, according to an analysis of thousands of comments under news reports of his indictment, published by the Israeli-Palestinian outlet +972 Magazine. The analysis, by political activist and software engineer Fadi Shabita, examined reactions to the case of Shahar Nevo, a 59-year-old mathematics professor at Bar-Ilan University. Israeli prosecutors charged him last month with preparing a terrorist attack, blackmail and obstruction of justice.  According to the indictment, Nevo spent more than three years planning to recruit 72 Jewish attackers, organised into 12 armed cells, to carry out simultaneous attacks on Palestinian communities inside Israel and in the occupied West Bank. He allegedly

• 
  Turkiye, Saudi Arabia ready to deepen defense ties, expand joint production

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Turkiye is ready to expand defense industry cooperation with Saudi Arabia, backed by over 1,400 projects and a $120 billion portfolio, the country’s top defense official said on Thursday. The head of Secretariat of Defense Industries (SSB), Haluk Gorgun, spoke at the Turkiye-Saudi Arabia Defense Industry Days in Istanbul, organized by Turkiye’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEIK), defense industry cluster SAHA Istanbul, and Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI). Saudi Minister of State and Acting Governor of the General Authority for Military Industries (GAMI) Bandar Al-Khorayef, Turkiye’s Deputy Industry and Technology Minister Cetin Ali Donmez, and Istanbul Governor Davut Gul also attended. “With our nearly 4,500 defense SMEs, over 1,400 projects, a roughly $120 billion portfolio, and our president’s mandate, we

• 
  Israeli occupiers burn Palestinian vehicle, spray racist slogans in occupied West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Israeli occupiers set fire to a Palestinian vehicle and spray-painted racist slogans in Hebrew on walls in the town of Taybeh, east of Ramallah in the central occupied West Bank, on Thursday. Issa Assi, a resident told Anadolu Agency, that the attack came amid repeated assaults as residents face harassment and are prevented from accessing their land and harvesting olives. We are worried “because of the settlers, who come at night and burn property,” Assi said. Local sources said earlier Thursday that the Israeli occupiers attacked the Palestinian town of Atara in the West Bank occupied by the Israeli army. Dozens of occupiers attacked several Palestinian homes in Atara and assaulted their residents, leaving several people injured, while also smashing

• 
  Israel occupation attack car in Gaza near Al-Shifa Hospital

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  An Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle near Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, northern Gaza Strip, on Thursday, leaving several Palestinians injured. The injured Palestinians were reported to be in critical condition following the attack. The attacks came amid continued Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025. The violations have killed 1,622 Palestinians and wounded 5,878 others. Since October 2023, Israel’s war on Gaza has killed more than 74,600 Palestinians and wounded nearly 176,000 others. Most of those killed or wounded were women and children. The war has also destroyed 90% of the territory’s infrastructure. READ: 6 Palestinians killed, dozens injured in Israeli strike on Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis

• 
  Overzealous UK Charity Commission accused of policing prayers for Palestinians

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  A south London mosque has accused the Charity Commission of trying to restrict Islamic worship, solidarity with Palestinians and the work of Muslim charities. The mosque has rejected an official warning issued over sermons delivered at its premises and is now considering legal action. The Lewisham Islamic Centre said on Tuesday that it was seeking legal advice after the regulator made public an official warning it had issued to the charity on 20 October. The Commission said it had found “misconduct and/or mismanagement” connected to, “but not limited to”, two sermons hosted by the charity that “included content that was inflammatory, divisive and not in the charity’s best interests”. It ordered the centre to introduce a “robust” events and speakers

• 
  Israel’s Lieberman warns Netanyahu against war-related decisions without parliamentary oversight

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Avigdor Lieberman, head of Israel’s Yisrael Beiteinu party, warned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s caretaker government against making decisions that “could drag Israel into war without parliamentary oversight,” Anadolu reports. “I warn that a caretaker government is not authorized to make decisions that could drag Israel into war without parliamentary oversight and the full approval of all security establishment bodies,” Lieberman wrote on US social media company X. “I stress: ‘all’ security establishment bodies,” he added. Lieberman, a former defense minister, thus joined Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, who warned Netanyahu on Wednesday against launching a military operation. His remarks also came after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said earlier Thursday that neither he nor the prime minister “needed approval from

• 
  Israeli occupation must not deprive people of right to tackle climate change: Palestinian PM

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohammed Mustafa, said Thursday that Israeli occupation must not deprive Palestinians of their right to sustainable development or their ability to confront climate change calling for international support to rebuild Gaza on sustainable foundations, Anadolu reports. Addressing the COP31 UN climate summit in Turkiye’s southern province of Antalya, Mustafa said “Israel’s restrictions on access to land, water and natural resources have compounded Palestine’s climate challenges.” He said widespread destruction in Gaza, including damage to water, sewage and energy infrastructure, agricultural land and waste management systems, had “worsened environmental and health risks and undermined residents’ resilience.” READ: Gaza’s floods are no accident, but the result of Israel’s destruction of its infrastructure The primer minister called for international partnerships to

• 
  Beyond Makkah: Defence pacts must become economic networks

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  A treaty can be signed in a day. A trading bloc takes a generation. On 7th August 2026, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye signed the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, which treats an armed attack on any of them as an attack on all. Commentators have dubbed it the “Mecca Defence Alliance.” It is a defence treaty, not an economic bloc, and the difference matters. Together the three economies are worth roughly $3 trillion. Yet Pakistan’s annual trade with Turkiye stands at only $1.3–1.5 billion, and with Saudi Arabia at around $4–5 billion. The distance between their strategic ambition and their commercial reality is the real story. If the Muslim world is serious about collective influence, the next move must be

• 
  Lewis Hamilton condemns Gaza genocide, urges Israel to ‘let the aid trucks in’

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton condemned Israel’s genocide in Gaza as “appalling” and urged it to allow humanitarian aid into the Palestinian enclave after visiting the Rafah border crossing in Egypt, Anadolu reports. “The past three years of Israel’s genocide in Gaza is appalling,” the British driver wrote on Instagram, criticizing the denial of Palestinians’ freedom, safety and dignity. “No human being should be treated as though their life matters less,” he said. Hamilton visited the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing Tuesday and toured Egyptian Red Crescent aid warehouses in El Arish, where he was briefed on preparations and coordination for humanitarian deliveries to Gaza. Describing the visit, the Ferrari driver said he saw walls stretching for

• 
  Israeli courts reject petitions to release 14 Palestinian doctors detained without charge

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Israeli courts have rejected two petitions seeking the release of 14 Palestinian doctors from the Gaza Strip who remain detained without charges or trial, according to the Israeli human rights organization Physicians for Human Rights. The organisation said the doctors, including hospital directors and specialists in critical medical fields, remain in Israeli detention facilities under difficult conditions despite the severe shortage of healthcare personnel in Gaza. In a statement, Physicians for Human Rights said some of the doctors had been held for more than two years without being formally charged or brought before a court for trial. The organisation condemned their continued detention as a violation of their fundamental rights, warning that it also deprives patients in Gaza of urgently

• 
  Israeli cabinet to meet Sunday amid opposition fears of strike on Iran

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Israel’s security cabinet is expected to meet Sunday amid opposition concerns that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu could launch a military strike on Iran to remain in power, Anadolu reports. Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported Thursday that the security cabinet was expected to convene for the first time since Oct. 5. The meeting comes after reports emerged Wednesday evening that the cabinet had instructed the military to step up preparations for a possible attack on Iran and a potential military confrontation, the broadcaster said. The reported directive came after Gadi Eisenkot, the lawmaker tasked with forming Israel’s next government, urged Netanyahu in a letter to refrain from unnecessary military operations until a new government is formed, according to KAN. “You currently

• 
  US Ambassador Huckabee rejects the term ‘settler violence,’ says only hundreds involved in West Bank attacks

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has rejected the term “settler violence” to describe attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, claiming that only a few hundred individuals are responsible for such acts. Speaking in an interview with Israel’s public broadcaster on Tuesday evening, Huckabee argued that the term unfairly characterises the wider Israeli settler population. “I am careful to avoid the term ‘settler violence’; it is an inaccurate characterization that does not fairly represent all those living in Judea and Samaria,” Huckabee said, using the biblical terminology for the West Bank. He estimated that those involved in violent incidents numbered no more than 400 to 500 people, adding that some did not live in West

• 
  Eisenkot warns Netanyahu against politically motivated security decisions amid Iran tensions

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Gadi Eisenkot, leader of Israel’s Yashar party, has warned outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against taking what he described as dangerous and unnecessary security measures amid the country’s political crisis, urging him not to use national security considerations to preserve his government. In an official letter dated 11th November, Eisenkot expressed concern over recent developments and reports suggesting political interference in sensitive national security matters. Addressing Netanyahu as a former coalition partner and drawing on his own experience overseeing Israel’s military and security institutions, Eisenkot warned against involving the security establishment in political disputes. He emphasised that Netanyahu currently heads a transitional government that no longer enjoys the support of a parliamentary majority, claiming that only 46 members of the

• 
  German Government report highlights immigrants’ economic contributions and integration challenges

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Immigrants make significant contributions to Germany’s economy and social security system through taxes, pension contributions and their role in addressing skilled labour shortages, according to the government’s 15th Integration Report, presented Wednesday in Berlin. Germany’s Minister of State for Migration, Refugees and Integration, Natalie Pawlik, unveiled the report at a press conference, highlighting the economic importance of immigration while calling for stronger measures to address persistent barriers to integration. Pawlik expressed concern over planned budget cuts affecting integration courses and vocational language training, warning that adequate resources are essential to support immigrants’ participation in German society and the labour market. The report recommends expanding early-childhood language education, improving access to educational opportunities, accelerating the recognition of foreign professional qualifications and

• 
  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Dr. Khodr Zaarour: What Defeated The Republicans, Energy Prices or The War on Iran?

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Phyllis Bennis: Netanyahu Out, Eisenkot In, Will Israel Change or Remain Genocidal?

• 
  Arab League chief issues urgent humanitarian appeal as flooding deepens Gaza crisis

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Fahmy issued an urgent humanitarian appeal Wednesday evening, calling on the international community and Arab and international relief organizations to coordinate immediate assistance for Palestinians affected by worsening humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip. Fahmy urged humanitarian agencies and governments to mobilize essential relief supplies to save lives, warning that severe shortages of food, water, medicine and shelter were compounding the consequences of Israel’s military offensive. “Gaza continues to bleed—suffering from pain, hunger, and destruction, alongside a severe shortage of medicine, water, and food,” Fahmy said. He accused Israel of pursuing policies that have severely disrupted daily life for more than two million Palestinians since 7th October 2023. The Arab League chief warned that the arrival

• 
  Debris from 2 intercepted missiles falls in Mecca region, Saudi Arabia says

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Saudi Arabia said debris from two ballistic missiles intercepted by its air defences fell in the Mecca region on Wednesday, amid an escalating exchange of attacks between the kingdom and Yemen’s Houthi group. Saudi state television reported that the debris fell in the village of Sabouha, about 35 km north-east of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, and in Wadi al-Maghamas, about 21 km east of the mosque. The Saudi Civil Defence said in a statement that the two missiles had been launched towards the region and were intercepted and destroyed. READ: Egypt confirms military presence in Saudi Arabia, plans to strengthen defensive deployment The Houthis have repeatedly denied Saudi accusations that they have targeted Mecca and Medina, saying their operations are