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

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  Houthi official warns Turkey and Pakistan against intervention on Saudi Arabia’s side

  by Mehdi Editor on September 11, 2026

  Senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti has warned Turkey and Pakistan against intervening in support of Saudi Arabia in its confrontation with the Yemen-based group, following a defence agreement involving Riyadh, Ankara and Islamabad. Israeli newspaper Maariv quoted al-Bukhaiti as dismissing the defence arrangement between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan as largely “symbolic.” At the same time, he warned that any direct Turkish or Pakistani intervention on Saudi Arabia’s behalf would carry a “heavy price.” READ: Yemen’s Houthis claim strikes on Saudi oil tanker, troop concentrations The remarks come amid heightened tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia and concerns that further involvement by regional powers could broaden the confrontation. Turkey and Pakistan have strengthened defence cooperation with Saudi Arabia, although al-Bukhaiti’s

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  Israeli reserve General Ofer Winter criticises Netanyahu, says Hamas ‘still standing’

  by Mehdi Editor on September 11, 2026

  Israeli reserve Brigadier General Ofer Winter has criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, arguing that Hamas remains active despite the war and that significant challenges continue to confront Israel, according to a report by Maariv. Winter made the remarks amid growing political debate in Israel ahead of upcoming elections and continuing scrutiny of the government’s handling of the wars in Gaza and on the northern front. “Instead of worrying about the people of Israel, it would be better to worry about the fact that Hamas is still standing, that the Israeli media is not functioning, and that the North is not recovering,” Maariv quoted Winter as saying. READ: Hamas says Israel exploits Board of Peace silence to step up Gaza attacks His

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  How 9/11 remade the Middle East

  by Mehdi Editor on September 11, 2026

  Few events have altered the geopolitical trajectory of the Middle East as profoundly as 11 September 2001. The attacks on New York and Washington did not merely trigger an American military response. They transformed the way power, sovereignty and security were understood across the region.  The United States responded by declaring a global “War on Terror”, initially targeting Al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan. But the campaign soon expanded into a broader doctrine of preventive war, regime change and military intervention. The Middle East became the principal theatre in which Washington tested a new conception of American power. The consequences were far more complex than the architects of the post-9/11 strategy anticipated. Military superiority proved capable of destroying regimes, but

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  Ismail Haniyeh’s sister appears in Israeli court on incitement charges

  by Mehdi Editor on September 11, 2026

  Sabah Haniyeh, sister of the late Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh, appeared before an Israeli court in Beir Al-Saba on Thursday on charges related to alleged incitement and identification with Hamas. Haniyeh, a resident of Tel Al-Saba in southern Israel’s Negev region, faces charges stemming from WhatsApp messages she allegedly sent to relatives following the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7th October 2023. According to Israeli authorities, Haniyeh posted a message in a family WhatsApp group on the morning of 7th October stating, “The war has begun.” Prosecutors also allege that on 10th October she sent another message containing a prayer calling for the destruction of people she described as enemies. READ: Israel court extends detention of Hamas chief Ismail

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Retired Col. Bill Keegan: Trump: We have defeated Iran, so why is the IRGC keep fighting?

  by Mehdi Editor on September 11, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Dr. Ali Akbal Dareini: Iran is Changing its Military Strategy, Will it Work?

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  We must challenge the UAE’s role as a haven for hostile state activity

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  The international community has rightly become more alert to the threat posed by hostile states beyond their own borders. Putin’s war machine depends on networks that circumvent Western sanctions. Beijing’s repression does not stop at China’s borders. And dirty money and cross-border financial crime undermine the rule of law at home. Concerningly, the UAE has become a haven for all three problems at once. Addressing this now matters because as the West is deepening its economic relationship with the UAE. The European Union is considering a bilateral free trade agreement, while the UAE is also pursuing accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). A closer relationship may bring economic opportunities, but the West should not avoid

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  Irish PM says ‘settler terrorists’ in West Bank undermining prospect for 2-state solution

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  The Irish prime minister on Thursday rejected the Israeli government’s “overreaction” to the UK following sanctions on illegal settlements, Anadolu reports. He said “terrorist settlers” are undermining the prospects of a two-state solution in the occupied Palestinian territory. “I welcome the decision by the United Kingdom in the first instance. Secondly, I believe the reaction from the Israeli government is completely unnecessary,” Micheal Martin said at a news conference with leaders of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia at a Visegrad Group Leaders meeting in Bratislava. Calling Israeli statements an “overreaction,” the prime minister said Tel Aviv should respect democratic governments that come to decisions, “primarily driven by humanitarian considerations and by our commitment to a two-state solution.” Israel

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  Algeria to close airspace to UAE-registered aircraft after severing diplomatic ties

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Algeria announced Thursday that it will close its airspace to UAE-registered civilian and military aircraft from midnight Sept. 11, following a decision to sever diplomatic relations with the United Arab Emirates, Anadolu reports. The Defense Ministry said the measure applies to all UAE-registered civilian and military aircraft flying to or from the country. The decision exempts Emirati commercial civilian flights operating to and from Houari Boumediene International Airport in Algiers, which will be allowed to continue until the end of 2026, when the contract expires. Algeria announced earlier Thursday that it was severing relations with the UAE and gave the Emirati ambassador 48 hours to comply with the decision. READ: Algeria severs diplomatic ties with UAE, gives ambassador 48 hours to comply

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  London police arrest 2 over suspected Iran intelligence service links

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Two people were arrested in London on suspicion of assisting Iran’s intelligence service as part of an investigation into suspected National Security Act (NSA) offences, police said Thursday, Anadolu reports. A 42-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man were arrested Wednesday at an address in north-west London by officers from Counter Terrorism Policing London, as part of an investigation into suspected NSA offences, the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. “Both were arrested on suspicion of an offence under section 3 of the NSA, 2023 – assisting a foreign intelligence service. The country to which the investigation is linked is Iran,” it added. Police noted that the arrests were made following two searches that were carried out June 24 at residential

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  4 members of same family killed in Israeli strike on Gaza home despite ceasefire

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Four Palestinians from the same family were killed on Thursday in an Israeli airstrike targeting a home in Beit Lahia, northern Gaza Strip, despite an ongoing ceasefire, according to a medical source, Anadolu reports. The source told Anadolu that the four bodies were taken to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City after the strike hit a house belonging to the Ahmed family in Beit Lahia Project. Several others were also injured in the attack, while many were missing under the rubble, the source said. Meanwhile, several injured were taken to Al-Shifa Hospital early Thursday after Israeli military vehicles and a drone opened fire on shelters and tents housing the displaced in Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza, WAFA news agency reported. Israeli

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  Trump says Iran war could end before US midterms, revising forecast

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  US President Donald Trump suggested Thursday that the war with Iran could end before the Nov. 3 midterm elections, a day after predicting it would conclude immediately afterward. “I don’t know that they’re gonna be able to hold out. But it’ll get settled after the elections. Or maybe sooner,” Trump reportedly told broadcaster NewsNation over the phone, referring to mounting US economic pressure on Iran. Trump also denied reports that Iran’s latest retaliatory strikes on a US base in Jordan damaged US aircraft in the region. “Nope… None whatsoever. No damage. No nothing.” On Wednesday, Trump had said the war would “end immediately” after the midterms. “I think the war will end immediately after the election because they can’t hold

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  Qatar in talks to buy US LNG as Iran war disrupts exports: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Qatar is holding talks to purchase liquefied natural gas (LNG) from US suppliers under long-term agreements as the Iran war severely disrupts its ability to serve customers, Bloomberg reported Thursday. State-owned QatarEnergy is considering supplies from both operating and under-construction US export projects, the report said, citing people familiar with the private negotiations. The potential agreements would mark the first indication since the war began that Qatar is looking beyond the Middle East to expand its LNG portfolio and secure alternative supplies for its customers. Qatar previously accounted for around one-fifth of global LNG supplies, but its shipments have almost entirely stopped because of the risks associated with moving gas tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. QatarEnergy did not respond

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  Permanent 5 members clash in UN Security Council over Iran sanctions snapback

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  The five permanent members of the UN Security Council clashed Thursday during a high-stakes session about the legal validity of international sanctions against Iran and the reimposition of UN sanctions under the 2015 nuclear accord’s “snapback” provision, Anadolu reports. The snapback clause, established under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), was designed to automatically reinstate UN Chapter VII sanctions if Iran breached the deal, intentionally bypassing the veto power of permanent council members. “The mechanism for reinstating previously adopted Security Council resolutions on Iran, a mechanism set forth in Resolution 2231, was not activated, and this for a whole host of legal and procedural reasons,” said the Russian representative, demanding a procedural vote to block a scheduled briefing

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  International Quintet Mechanism rejects parallel governing structures in Sudan, says no military solution

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  The international Quintet Mechanism on Sudan reaffirmed Thursday its respect for the country’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and rejected parallel governing structures as it concluded a good-office mission to Khartoum, according to Sudan News. The mechanism, comprising the UN, African Union, EU, Arab League and Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD), stressed that there is no military solution to the war. The Quintet said in a statement cited by Sudan News that any sustainable political process must include concrete steps to protect civilians and end hostilities. It said its efforts are aimed at advancing an inclusive and credible Sudanese-led and Sudanese-owned political process leading to a transition toward a democratic civilian government reflecting the aspirations of the Sudanese people. The

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  Arab states condemn Netanyahu’s incursion into Mount Hermon in Syria

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Several Arab countries on Thursday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s illegal entry into Syria’s Mount Hermon and urged the UN Security Council to take action to halt attacks on the sovereignty of the Arab country, Anadolu reports. Netanyahu entered the occupied Syrian area of Mount Hermon on Wednesday accompanied by Defense Minister Israel Katz, in a move that observers viewed as part of his campaign ahead of Knesset elections scheduled for Oct. 27. In a statement, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry strongly condemned Netanyahu’s “illegal entry” into Syrian territory, describing it as a “flagrant violation” of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a “blatant breach” of international law. It said continued Israeli incursions and attacks inside Syrian territory represented an

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  Israeli attacks damage 22.5% of agricultural land in southern Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Israel’s attacks have damaged more than 22.5% of agricultural land in southern Lebanon, Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani said Thursday, Anadolu reports. Hani made the remarks after meeting President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace east of Beirut, according to a statement from the presidency. The minister said he briefed Aoun on the “significant agricultural damage in the south, which exceeded 22.5% of agricultural land, or more than 56,000 hectares.” Israeli attacks have intensified in southern Lebanon in recent days despite a framework agreement signed by Beirut and Tel Aviv under US sponsorship in late June, providing for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from occupied territory in exchange for the deployment of the Lebanese army there. The developments come as preparations are underway

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  Iraqi premier to visit France, Germany next week to bolster economic ties

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi is set to pay an official visit to France and Germany early next week as Baghdad seeks to strengthen its relations with Europe, an official said Thursday. Government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi told the Iraqi News Agency (INA) that the prime minister will lead a high-level official delegation during the European tour. Al-Aboudi said the visit will include high-level talks aimed at developing bilateral cooperation in the economic, investment, trade, energy, industrial, technological, cultural and educational fields. The talks will also address political and security issues as well as regional and international developments, he added. The spokesman said al-Zaidi is seeking to strengthen Baghdad’s relations with Paris and Berlin and advance them toward higher levels

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  Israeli defense minister renews threat to strike Iran’s energy facilities

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz renewed his threat Thursday to strike Iranian energy facilities if Tehran launches an attack against Israel, Anadolu reports. “Given the possibility that Iran may decide to take action against Israel, I repeat my warning to the Iranian leadership,” said Katz. “Any attack on Israel, for any reason and from any location, will be met with a strong response.” “This includes strikes against vital energy facilities,” Katz said. He added that “in accordance with the instructions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and my own instructions, the military is prepared to carry out this mission.” Katz made the threat in a recorded video marking the Jewish New Year, which begins Friday, a week after issuing a similar

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  Israeli newspaper rejects Netanyahu’s demands, vows to reveal truth in court after lawsuit threat

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Israeli left-wing newspaper Haaretz rejected three demands Thursday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to avoid being sued and vowed to reveal the truth in court, Anadolu reports. The dispute concerns a report published Tuesday by the newspaper that said Netanyahu received a warning from United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in a call before Oct. 7, 2023, that Hamas was planning to launch an attack. Netanyahu denied having any contact with the UAE president or receiving any warning from him. The UAE Foreign Ministry said it does not comment on reports of talks between government leaders. Haaretz said in a statement that it recently sent a response to Netanyahu’s lawyers rejecting his threat to sue the newspaper and

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  Brent crude tops $105 as US-Iran conflict fuels supply concerns

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Brent crude rose above $105 per barrel on Thursday as the escalating US-Iran conflict heightened concerns over prolonged disruptions to global energy supplies, Anadolu reports. The international benchmark climbed 4% to $105.24 per barrel, reaching levels last seen in May. The US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) increased 4.4% to $100.27 per barrel, surpassing the $100 threshold for the first time since May. The gains came as the US-Iran conflict entered its seventh month, with intensifying attacks on shipping raising fears of further disruption to oil flows from the Middle East. READ: Netanyahu says Israel ‘very close’ to achieving goals against Iran during southern Syria visit Meanwhile, senior White House advisers have privately discussed with US President Donald Trump the possibility

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  Turkiye’s Havelsan, Egyptian AOI ink sales deal for jointly developed drone

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Turkish Havelsan and Egyptian Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) signed a deal to start sales of their jointly developed Hamza-1 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), Anadolu reports. The contract was finalized during the El Alamein International Airshow 2026, marking a new milestone in the two firms’ collaboration. The deal followed a cooperation agreement signed in August 2025 to establish the framework to manufacture vertical takeoff and landing drones in Egypt. Havelsan’s autonomous systems engineering and AOI’s localized manufacturing infrastructure were combined in the making of the Hamza-1 platform. READ: Israeli report: Egypt may acquire Russian S-400 missiles through deal with Turkey Havelsan drew upon its technological expertise developed in its own domestic drone platforms, including the Baha, Bozbey, Poyraz and Bulut drones. The

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  US pushes NATO allies to dismantle ICC, withdraw from founding treaty: Politico

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  The US has launched a diplomatic push pressing its NATO allies to help dismantle the International Criminal Court (ICC) and withdraw from its founding Rome Statute, Politico reported on Thursday. At a closed-door meeting in Brussels in mid-July, US Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker urged member states to abandon the tribunal and immediately halt all material assistance. “The United States will systematically dismantle the capabilities of the ICC … we firmly request that you immediately take steps to withdraw,” the US Mission to NATO wrote in a diplomatic paper. “Let us end the charade of the ICC once and for all.” Whitaker warned allied nations that Washington “will be watching closely who stands with America,” while American envoys simultaneously raised

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  Israeli army arrests 33 Palestinians in occupied West Bank, including 2 journalists

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  The Israeli army arrested 33 Palestinians, including two journalists, two minors and former prisoners, during raids Thursday in the occupied West Bank, according to the Palestinian Prisoners Media Office. The non-governmental group said Israeli forces raided dozens of homes and searched them, damaging the contents of some properties during the operation, which was concentrated in the provinces of Nablus, Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Tubas and Tulkarem. It said 17 Palestinians were arrested in Nablus, seven in Bethlehem, three in Hebron, one in Jenin, two in Tubas and three in Tulkarem. The group identified two journalists among those arrested as Sabri Mousa Jibril and Muath Ammarna — both from Bethlehem. In Jenin, an Israeli special forces unit infiltrated the area around the

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  Bangladesh protests Israeli plan to advance settlement construction in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Bangladesh on Thursday strongly protested Israel’s plan to advance settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, urging the international community to intensify diplomatic efforts to prevent actions that undermine Palestinian statehood, Anadolu reports. “Bangladesh strongly condemns Israel’s plan to advance settlement construction in the E1 area of the occupied West Bank,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. “Such actions are contrary to international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and further undermine the territorial integrity of the occupied Palestinian territory and prospects for a viable two-state solution,” it added. Dhaka also called on Israel to immediately halt all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory. Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority nation of 175 million people that does not recognize Israel,

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  Morocco kicks off parliamentary election campaign with 27 parties in race

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Morocco’s campaign for parliamentary elections kicked off Thursday, with 27 political parties vying for 395 seats in the House of Representatives ahead of a Sept. 23 vote, Anadolu reports. More than 15.8 million voters are registered for the elections, which will determine the makeup of the lower chamber of Parliament. Campaigning will continue until midnight Tuesday, Sept. 22, with voters heading to the polls the following day. According to official data, 15,801,162 voters were registered on electoral rolls as of July. The elections will test the standing of the parties that have governed Morocco since the last parliamentary vote in 2021, when Aziz Akhannouch’s National Rally of Independents (RNI) emerged as the largest party with 102 seats. The Authenticity and

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  BDS co-founder dismisses as ’empty talk’ Adidas apology over Israeli soldier campaign

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  The Palestinian-led Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement has dismissed as “empty talk” an apology posted by Adidas over an ad campaign featuring an amputee Israeli soldier, Anadolu reports. Speaking to Anadolu Agency, BDS co-founder Omar Barghouti said: “The fact that Palestine is home to the highest number of child amputees in the world makes this marketing choice even more obscene; it celebrates the very instrument of that suffering.” The German sportswear brand has faced growing criticism and calls for a boycott after choosing retired Israeli soldier Shalev Biton as the face of its “single shoe service” campaign. Critics have called the campaign tone-deaf, saying it ignores the large number of Palestinians who have lost limbs as a result of

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  Saudi aircraft carry out 40 airstrikes in Yemen: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Saudi aircraft carried out 40 airstrikes on four Yemeni provinces on Thursday, including nine strikes on areas in the western Al-Hudaydah province, the Houthi-run Saba news agency reported. The agency, citing a security source, said Saudi aircraft carried out 10 strikes on the Al-Hazm and Al-Ghayl districts in Al-Jawf province and three strikes on the Al-Jubah district in Marib province. It added that 18 strikes targeted the districts of Mawza, Maqbanah, the Mocha Junction and other areas in Taiz province. READ: Yemen’s Houthis claim strikes on Saudi oil tanker, troop concentrations In Al-Hudaydah, the agency said Saudi aircraft carried out nine strikes targeting the districts of Al-Salif and Al-Tuhayta and Kamaran Island. The report did not provide details on possible casualties

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  One year after ‘Britain Owes Palestine’, London shifts on the occupation but not on its own history

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  A year ago this week, a 400-page legal petition arrived on the desks of the UK Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, the Defence Secretary and the Attorney General, setting out the case that “Britain Owes Palestine” over its unlawful conduct between 1917 and 1948. That conduct led to the Nakba and set in motion decades of colonial dispossession and illegal occupation, culminating in the crime of all crimes: the genocide in Gaza. In the twelve months since, however, Britain’s declared position on the region it once governed has shifted further than at any point in decades: settlement goods are being banned from British shelves, the occupation of the West Bank has been declared unlawful, and ministers now use, in Parliament,

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  Rendering the two-state paradigm obsolete required international complicity with colonialism

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  The two-state paradigm is already obsolete. Therefore, when the Board of Peace’s High Representative Nickolay Mladenov gives yet another reason why the two-state will become obsolete, the warning does nothing but repeat the absurdity of the international community’s futile attempts to promote solutions without addressing colonialism, colonial violence and, since October 2023, genocide. Speaking at the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi this month, Mladenov stated, “I would say that if Gaza continues the way it is not, or does not move into implementing … the plan that we have under the comprehensive plan, the two-state solution will become practically impossible.” In July 2016, the Middle East Quartet report issued a similar warning: “While the majority of people on both sides

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  Iran and USA – The US shows signs of decline, Iran ascends

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  “The decline of a great power does not begin when it loses its weapons. It begins when its weapons can no longer deliver the political outcomes they were meant to guarantee.” The relationship between the United States and Iran has for decades been one of the defining conflicts of West Asian geopolitics. It has involved diplomatic rupture, sanctions, covert operations, military confrontation and a continuing struggle over who determines the political future of the region. But the present confrontation raises a question that goes beyond the immediate war: is the balance between the two countries beginning to change? The United States remains the world’s most powerful military state, with enormous technological capabilities, a vast defence budget and a global network

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  Algeria severs diplomatic ties with UAE, gives ambassador 48 hours to comply

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  Algeria has today, Thursday, decided to sever diplomatic relations with the UAE and gave the UAE ambassador 48 hours to comply with the decision, Anadolu reports. In a statement reported by the official news agency, the Algerian Foreign Ministry said that the UAE ambassador (who was not named) was received at the ministry headquarters earlier on Thursday. He was officially informed of the decision to sever diplomatic relations and given a 48-hour deadline “to comply with this decision.” The ministry explained that the decision was made “after exhausting all avenues to preserve bilateral relations.” The Foreign Ministry accused the UAE of engaging in what it described as “provocative or hostile actions,” stating that Algeria had “exercised a great deal of

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  Pakistan’s Mecca pact: From sovereignty to Saudi subcontracting

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  There was a time when Pakistan could still distinguish an alliance from an employment contract. In April 2015, Saudi Arabia wanted Pakistani aircraft, warships and troops for its war in Yemen. Pakistan’s parliament did something that now looks almost embarrassingly sensible: it said no. Another country’s war, it understood, does not become yours merely because its rulers are richer, louder, and accustomed to being obeyed. The Gulf response stripped away the sentimental language of fraternity. Anwar Gargash, then the UAE’s minister of state for foreign affairs, warned Pakistan that it could pay a “heavy price” for its supposedly ambiguous position. Ambiguous? Parliament had unanimously voted for neutrality. In the diplomatic vocabulary of petro-monarchies, it seems, “ambiguity” can mean nothing more

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  Indonesia-UAE ties need to go beyond the dam

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates (UAE) wants to invest in a large dam in Indonesia. The dam, called Bulango Ulu, sits in Bone Bolango, in Gorontalo province, on the northern arm of Sulawesi island, north of Bali. The UAE’s ambassador visited the site last month and said UAE companies, including state-owned clean energy firm Masdar, are in talks to add value to the project, most likely by supplying and operating the equipment needed to turn some of the dam’s water flow into electricity. Officials have said the dam should eventually supply water to 880,000 people and irrigate 5,000 hectares of rice fields; some reports have also cited an electricity figure as high as 80 megawatts, though public project documents point to

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  A new sanctions regime: Targeting Israel’s West Bank settlements

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  International responses to Israel’s policies in the occupied West Bank, notably regarding redrawing the ethnic composition of the territory, have been a slow burn affair.  Condemnation and admonitions have issued from various international bodies and civil society groups regarding the settlements of zealous Israeli nationalists.  The International Court of Justice, in its 2024 advisory opinion, clarified the point that the settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem had “been established and are being maintained in violation of international law” and that “the State of Israel is under an obligation to bring to an end its unlawful presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory as rapidly as possible”.  Aside from tepid pronouncements at the government level, specific individuals associated with settlement

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  Turkey and the move away from US security strategies

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  The Trump administration has begun preparing a US strategy for the period following the end of the war with Iran, intended to guide its Middle East policy during the final two years of Trump’s term. US sources have outlined several principal directions under consideration. The first, and most important, is the creation of a regional alignment among US allies to contain Iran, with the United States acting as its guarantor. The second, which is structurally linked to the first, is the expansion of the Abraham Accords and normalisation between Israel and countries in the region, foremost among them Saudi Arabia. On the other side, countries in the region appear to be exploring entirely contradictory strategies, mindful of the transformations brought

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  Israeli forces demolish Palestinian home near Bethlehem

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Israeli forces demolished a Palestinian-owned home in the village of Battir in Bethlehem province in the southern occupied West Bank on Thursday, Anadolu reports. The Israeli army claimed that the house was demolished because it had been built without a permit. Israeli heavy machinery was used to raze the building as soldiers carried out a raid in the area. Israeli soldiers and occupiers carried out 2,256 attacks against Palestinians, their land, and property during the same month, according to the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission. It said Israeli forces were responsible for 1,458 of the attacks, while occupiers carried out 798. READ: Israeli forces arrest Palestinian police officers over detention of armed Israeli soldier near Beitunia Israel’s current government has

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  Smotrich says Israel demolished 35 Palestinian structures in northern West Bank

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said authorities demolished 35 Palestinian structures near access roads serving new settlements in the northern West Bank, describing the buildings as unauthorised and linking the operation to efforts to strengthen Israeli settlements in the area. Smotrich said the demolitions were carried out by the Civil Administration’s enforcement unit, which falls under his authority as part of his responsibilities within the Defence Ministry relating to civilian affairs in the West Bank. “We are demolishing illegal construction, creating a deterrent effect, and protecting the northern West Bank settlements that serve as a security belt for Israel,” Smotrich said. He added that Israeli authorities were working to “fortify and strengthen the settlements.” Smotrich did not identify the precise

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Dr. Ali Akbal Dareini: Iran is Changing its Military Strategy, Will it Work?

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

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

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  Gaza resumes secondary exams after two-year disruption and extensive damage to schools

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  Palestinian education authorities have resumed the General Secondary Education Examination, known as the Tawjihi, in the Gaza Strip after approximately two years of disruption, despite extensive damage to educational infrastructure and continuing difficulties caused by the war. Jamal Youssef, director-general of examinations at the Palestinian Ministry of Education, said the damage to Gaza’s education system had severely disrupted the administration of the Tawjihi exams and affected tens of thousands of students. Speaking during an interview on the Tallat Sabah program, broadcast by Radio Al-Rabea, Ma’an Satellite Channel and the Ma’an Network, Youssef described the destruction of educational facilities in Gaza as “systematic and near-total.” He said the ministry and its General Examinations Committee had introduced a series of exceptional measures

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  Netanyahu says Israel ‘very close’ to achieving goals against Iran during southern Syria visit

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel was “very close” to achieving its objectives in its confrontation with Iran, as he visited Israeli forces deployed on Mount Hermon (Jabal al-Sheikh) in Syrian territory. Netanyahu toured an Israeli military position on Mount Hermon accompanied by Defence Minister Israel Katz and Deputy Chief of Staff Tamir Yadai. He received an operational briefing from Northern Command chief Ori Gordin and 210th Division commander Yair Peli, according to Israeli reports. Speaking from the summit, Netanyahu highlighted Israel’s military position across its northern front, pointing to Damascus, Lebanon and the Golan Heights and asserting that Israeli forces had established an unprecedented degree of control over the surrounding area. “We control the entire region

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  Israeli forces arrest Palestinian police officers over detention of armed Israeli soldier near Beitunia

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  Israeli forces have arrested three Palestinian police officers in connection with the detention of an armed Israeli soldier near Beitunia, west of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, approximately two weeks ago, according to Palestinian and Israeli media reports. Among those arrested is Sergeant Fadi Muhammad Ali, a Palestinian police officer who works at the Beitunia police station, according to local sources cited by Quds Press. The sources said Ali, a resident of the Batn al-Hawa neighborhood, was arrested earlier this week as part of Israeli action against Palestinian police personnel allegedly involved in the incident. According to the reports, Israeli authorities allege that the officers participated in setting up a checkpoint and detaining an Israeli national in the Beitunia

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  Hamas rejects possible postponement of Palestinian legislative elections

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  Hamas has rejected suggestions that upcoming Palestinian Legislative Council elections could be postponed, calling for the vote to be held as scheduled and for arrangements to be made to ensure a free and fair electoral process. Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said in a statement on Wednesday that the group was concerned by recent remarks from Palestinian Authority officials raising the possibility that the elections might not take place on time. Qassem called for adherence to the announced electoral timetable and said the necessary political and administrative arrangements should be completed to allow the vote to proceed. His comments follow remarks by senior Fatah official Jibril Rajoub, who said this week that he did not believe elections scheduled for 28th November

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  Hebrew report: Syrian group attacking Israel linked to Muslim Brotherhood and Hezbollah

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  The Israeli news channel i24NEWS has reported that the group Uli al-Baas, which has claimed attacks against Israel, is a joint arrangement involving networks linked to Hezbollah and figures associated with the Muslim Brotherhood. However, there is no conclusive public evidence to prove this. In a special investigation, the channel said the name “Islamic Resistance Front in Syria – Uli al-Baas” had re-emerged in southern Syria after claiming operations targeting Israeli military positions. This came as a security report circulated alleging that the group was linked to media and funding networks that reportedly bring together figures associated with the Muslim Brotherhood and others who had ties to Lebanon’s Hezbollah. The channel said the group denies the allegations and insists that

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  Likud accuses Dahlan of seeking to oust Netanyahu and right-wing bloc in next election

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  Israel’s Likud party stepped up its attack on a Haaretz report on Wednesday evening over an alleged warning that UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed gave Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the 7th October 2023 attack, moving from denying the report’s contents to accusing Palestinian and Israeli figures of trying to interfere in the election in cooperation with foreign parties, and calling for a criminal investigation. In a strongly worded statement, Likud claimed that “the real issue that has emerged over the past two days is blatant foreign interference in the Israeli election”. It alleged that ousted Palestinian Fatah movement’s leader Mohammed Dahlan, who lives in the UAE, was behind information published by Haaretz journalists Shlomi Eldar and Roth Yuval.

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  Israeli army conducts military exercises near borders with Egypt, Jordan

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  The Israeli army has conducted large-scale and unprecedented military exercises along its borders with Egypt and Jordan, as it prepares for several scenarios, all stemming from the failure to prevent the 7 October 2023 attack. Hebrew-language media reported that the 80th Division, responsible for the southern borders, had completed extensive training for its forces, with a particular focus on the borders with Egypt and Jordan. The exercises also covered rapid responses to emergencies, while increasing manpower and strengthening the forces’ presence and movement on the ground. The reports said close coordination was carried out between the ground and naval forces to maintain readiness in the Red Sea city of Eilat. An operations officer in the Yoav Brigade said the exercise

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  Lebanese army: Nearly 7,700 Israeli violations since framework agreement

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  The Lebanese army said on Wednesday it had recorded nearly 7,700 Israeli violations since a framework agreement was signed on 26 June, warning that continued violations threatened existing understandings and arrangements. In a statement, the army command said Israel had stepped up attacks on residential areas and institutions in recent days, killing and wounding large numbers of people. The latest incident killed at least 12 people, including women and children, in what the army described as a massacre in the town of Kafr Rumman in the Nabatieh district. Israeli attacks have intensified in several areas of southern Lebanon in recent days, particularly around Nabatieh, amid continued air strikes and artillery shelling. The escalation comes as preparations are under way for

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  Syria condemns Netanyahu’s ‘illegal entry’ into its territory on Mount Hermon

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  Syria on Wednesday condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “illegal entry” into its territory and visit to the Mount Hermon area, calling it a “blatant violation” of its sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law. The Syrian Foreign Ministry issued the statement after Netanyahu entered the Syrian-controlled part of the occupied Mount Hermon area earlier on Wednesday, accompanied by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz. Netanyahu’s visit comes as Israel prepares for a Knesset election scheduled for October. The ministry said Syria strongly condemns the “illegal entry” by Netanyahu into Syrian territory and his visit to Mount Hermon, describing it as a “provocative step and blatant violation” of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic and international law. It

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  Iran rejects IAEA Board resolution on nuclear file

  by Marwa A on September 10, 2026

  Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi has rejected a decision by the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Board of Governors to refer Iran’s nuclear file to the UN Security Council, for the first time in 20 years. In a post on social media on Wednesday, Gharibabadi said US and Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities under IAEA safeguards had disrupted the inspection and verification process sought by the agency. “They attack our safeguarded nuclear facilities, disrupt the normal verification process, and then use this disruption itself as a pretext to secure a decision from the IAEA Board of Governors,” he said. Gharibabadi described the approach as “fabricated”, saying: “With these fabrications, you cannot make up for the failure of your

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  From Sabra and Shatila to Gaza: The cost of impunity

  by Mehdi Editor on September 10, 2026

  Imagine this scene: “One young woman, fearing she would not survive, stepped out of the crowd and handed her infant to one of the female doctors.” Those are the words of American Jewish nurse Ellen Siegel, recalling that moment from Shatila—one of Lebanon’s 12 official Palestinian refugee camps, established in 1949—and the adjacent Sabra neighborhood, which was predominantly Palestinian but was not itself an UNRWA refugee camp. Siegel had volunteered to go to Lebanon as a nurse to help Palestinians and Lebanese civilians caught up in Israel’s 1982 invasion, and was working at Gaza Hospital in the Sabra area when the massacre began. On September 18, as she and other foreign medical workers were being forced out of the hospital

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  Extremist Israeli minister unveils 1,000 new settlement units after trade sanctions

  by Marwa A on September 9, 2026

  Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Wednesday announced plans for 1,000 new settlement housing units in the northern occupied West Bank, a day after 12 Western countries said they intended to impose trade restrictions on goods from illegal Israeli settlements, Anadolu reports. Smotrich said on US social media company X that 1,665 dunams (411.5 acres) had been added to the Kida and Havat settlements, allowing for the construction of 1,000 new housing units. The leader of the Religious Zionism party described the move as “another historic step in the settlement revolution.” Israel has occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since 1967. The international community considers Israeli settlements built on occupied Palestinian territory illegal under international law, a position