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

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  Israel’s Eisenkot set to secure 67 recommendations after Arab Joint List announces support

  by EditorMehdi on November 5, 2026

  Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot is set to receive recommendations from 67 lawmakers, a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, after the Arab Joint List announced Thursday that it would back him to form the next government, according to Ynet, Anadolu reports. The Joint List said it would formally inform President Isaac Herzog later Thursday of its decision to recommend Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, during consultations on who should be tasked with forming a government. “We have decided to endorse Gadi Eisenkot,” the Joint List said. “We reached this decision unanimously, following consultations among the parties that make up the Joint List. It was not an easy decision,” it added. “Despite our determination to oust Netanyahu, the opposition camp

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  Turkish, Iranian foreign ministers discuss Tehran-Washington negotiations in phone call

  by EditorMehdi on November 5, 2026

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi spoke by phone, Turkish diplomatic sources said Thursday, Anadolu reports. During the call, the two discussed ongoing negotiations between Tehran and Washington as the Iran war is now in its eighth month. They also exchanged views on other regional developments, according to the sources. READ: Turkish foreign minister warns new attack on Iran would escalate regional conflict

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  Israeli Knesset speaker rejects opposition request for vote to replace him at opening session

  by EditorMehdi on November 5, 2026

  Outgoing Israeli Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana on Thursday rejected an opposition request to hold a vote on replacing him during the new parliament’s opening session next Tuesday, saying such a move would require the signatures of at least 61 lawmakers, Anadolu reports. Ohana, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, addressed opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Yousef Jabareen, Yair Golan, Mansour Abbas and Avigdor Liberman in a statement on US social media company X. “The customary time for electing a Knesset speaker is when the government is formed,” Ohana said. He said an exception could be made if a letter bearing the signatures of a majority of Knesset members, at least 61 lawmakers, requests an earlier election.

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  Lebanon issues arrest warrants for 2 Hezbollah members in explosives truck case

  by EditorMehdi on November 5, 2026

  Lebanon issued arrest warrants Thursday for two detained Hezbollah members as part of an investigation into a truck carrying explosives seized in the eastern Dahr al-Baidar area, according to the country’s National News Agency. First Military Investigative Judge Ghada Abu Alwan issued the warrants for Ali al-Kurdi and Haitham Amhaz after questioning them in the presence of their lawyer, the agency reported. The warrants place the two men under formal judicial detention as the investigation proceeds. Abu Alwan also postponed until Nov. 17 the questioning of six other defendants who remain at liberty after their lawyer filed procedural objections, allowing the military prosecution time to review them and submit its position. Lebanese judicial authorities on Oct. 30 charged 13 people

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  A script that fails Palestinians

  by EditorMehdi on November 5, 2026

  It has been over a year since France recognised the State of Palestine during the 80th session of the UN General Assembly in 2025, and diplomacy has not moved beyond symbolism and regurgitated rhetorical efforts. In a meeting held in Ramallah, the Palestinian Authority’s Vice-President Hussein Al Sheikh and the French Envoy for Palestine Andre Parant discussed all the obvious international law violations that have been recurring for decades as a result of Israeli colonialism, such as settler violence in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem, as well as “the ongoing suffering” in Gaza.  Countless meetings have been held to discuss the same issues without discussing colonialism. However, as reported by the Palestine Liberation Organisation’s Negotiations Affairs Department, Al Sheikh

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  Turkiye, Qatar deepen defense ties with joint production goals

  by EditorMehdi on November 5, 2026

  Turkish and Qatari defense chiefs held a high-level meeting in Ankara to evaluate new opportunities to strengthen defense cooperation between the two countries and implement joint production projects, Anadolu reports. Turkish Defense Industries Secretary Haluk Gorgun hosted Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Affairs Saoud Al Thani alongside a Qatari delegation. The meeting followed the signing of the Badr memorandum between Turkiye, Qatar, Pakistan and Indonesia, which aims to promote technological development, research and development (R&D), and defense industry cooperation to strengthen the signatories’ capabilities and lay the groundwork for future joint projects. The ongoing bilateral talks are expected to lead broader multilateral commitments under the Badr pact into concrete joint production projects between Turkiye and

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  US intelligence report describes Iran as ’emerging’ space power

  by EditorMehdi on November 5, 2026

  Iran is “emerging” as a space power capable of challenging US military operations in the Middle East, despite American strikes on key Iranian space-related facilities, according to a Pentagon intelligence report, Anadolu reports. The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) said in the report that Iran took offensive action against US space capabilities during Operation Epic Fury, using land-based jamming systems that can disrupt satellite-based GPS signals. It said that Tehran is expanding its military and civilian space programs to strengthen its military capabilities, economic development and national prestige. “Space is accessible and affordable today,” Brig. Gen. Todd Benson, commander of Space Forces Central, said at a Mitchell Institute webinar last month. READ: Iranian official claims military and political victory over Trump following

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  Israeli army demolishes 5 Palestinian homes near Jerusalem, displacing over 20

  by EditorMehdi on November 5, 2026

  The Israeli army demolished five Palestinian homes in the town of Biddu, northwest of Jerusalem, leaving more than 20 Palestinians homeless, Anadolu reports. The demolitions were carried out without prior notice on the grounds that the homes lacked building permits. The Israeli army also reportedly damaged trees and agricultural land near a military checkpoint at the entrance to the town of Beit Iksa. READ: Israeli army demolishes home housing two Palestinian families near Hebron

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Michael Ratney: Yemen, the most Difficult and Confounding Nut to Crack

  by EditorMehdi on November 5, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Ronnie Chatah: Guns, Threats, Diplomatic Apprach, and the Prospect of War!

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  The Israeli and US elections and the future of the war on Iran

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  The results of Israel’s parliamentary election and the US midterm elections revealed a decline in public support for the policies of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump. The escalation of the war against Iran and its repercussions in both countries, across the Middle East and around the world were among the factors shaping the election outcomes, alongside domestic issues. How, then, will these results affect Netanyahu’s prospects of remaining in power and Trump’s room for manoeuvre in dealing with Congress? And what might they mean for the continuation and course of the war? Netanyahu made no secret of his outright hostility towards Iran, even before first becoming prime minister in 1996. He warned the Knesset in

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  A Nuclear Strike on Iran Would Poison the Region It Claims to Protect

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  On the day Americans vote in the midterms, what Washington does about Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain is no longer an abstract question. Tucker Carlson claims the Trump administration may be days from a nuclear strike on the site. The White House says he “has no insight into military planning”, and Iran denies any nuclear activity there. The claim is unverified. But the debate shows how close the world is to treating the unthinkable as an option. What is actually on the table Carlson alleges Israeli pressure and says only an atomic weapon can reach tunnels under roughly 300 feet of granite. President Trump has said the U.S. might have to go after Pickaxe if there is no deal. But he has

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  Texas’s Political Earthquake: What It Means for Global Energy

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Texas’s November 3, 2026, election results overturned assumptions that had shaped American politics for decades. Democratic victories in major statewide races, alongside the party’s capture of Congress, immediately raised questions about the country’s political direction. They also drew attention from energy producers and governments whose interests are tied to Texas’s oilfields, pipelines, and export terminals. The international interest is understandable. Few regional economies have comparable influence over global energy supplies. Yet the significance of this election will emerge through decisions about investment, infrastructure, and regulation. The central question is how much the new political leadership can change and whether those changes make energy more affordable, reliable, and commercially attractive. A breakthrough whose durability remains untested By the morning of November

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  Israeli expert reportedly training Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces in drone and air defence operations

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  An Israeli military expert identified as Meir Cohen is reportedly working with Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Nyala, South Darfur, to develop the group’s aerial, intelligence and electronic warfare capabilities, according to field sources cited in a report published Wednesday. The sources said Cohen has been assigned technical and military responsibilities, including training RSF personnel in drone operations, strengthening air defence systems and overseeing the construction of ground fortifications. His reported duties also include establishing and maintaining communications infrastructure, electronic jamming equipment, navigation systems and air traffic control capabilities. According to the sources, Cohen previously lived in Ethiopia, where he worked within the country’s air defence apparatus, specialising in modern air defence systems, communications technology and unmanned aerial vehicles.

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  Syrian president, Saudi crown prince discuss bilateral cooperation, regional developments

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed strengthening cooperation and regional and international developments during a meeting Wednesday in Riyadh, according to the Syrian presidency. The meeting was held at Al-Yamamah Palace, attended by ministers and senior officials from both countries, the statement read. The talks addressed “bilateral relations and ways to develop them and strengthen cooperation between the two brotherly countries in various fields,” it added. During the visit, Syria’s Finance Ministry signed six concessional loan agreements worth more than $403 million with the Saudi Fund for Development, according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA). The agreements cover electricity, water, healthcare, emergency services, housing reconstruction and digital transformation of government financial services. Syrian

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  ‘America is not lost’: Lapid banks on pro-Israel Democrats as AIPAC celebrates 234 wins

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has told Israelis not to give up on the United States after the Democrats swept this week’s midterm elections, insisting that the party’s leaders remain pro-Israel even though most of its voters have turned against US support for Israel. “It’s easiest to scream, ‘America is lost,’ because if it’s lost, there’s no need to work,” Lapid wrote on X on Wednesday. “But that’s not true. Not at all.” Lapid singled out Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, who will lead the Democrats in the House of Representatives and the Senate. “Both are my friends; both voted with Israel this year even when the majority of their party caucus voted otherwise,” he said. השינויים בקונגרס – עובדות,

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  Iranian official claims military and political victory over Trump following US midterm elections

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, claimed that Iran had inflicted both military and political defeats on US President Donald Trump, citing confrontations in the Strait of Hormuz and the Republican Party’s losses in the US midterm elections. In a post on X on Wednesday, Rezaei described Iran’s military actions and the election results as setbacks for the US president. “The Iranian nation has inflicted a strategic defeat on Trump on the battlefield and in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as a political defeat in Washington,” Rezaei wrote. He warned that “anyone who commits aggression against Iran will pay the price.” The Iranian official also referred to the financial consequences of the conflict, arguing that Americans

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  Gadi Eisenkot’s Coalition Challenge

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Israel faces a defining political moment as Gadi Eisenkot attempts to assemble a new governing coalition. His four principles offer a framework for national renewal, but the arithmetic of the Knesset, ideological divisions and the question of Arab political participation threaten to complicate his ambitions. Israel’s political landscape has entered another critical period. Following the October 27, 2026 general election, the country faces a familiar but increasingly urgent question: who can assemble a government capable of governing effectively, restoring public confidence and addressing the deep divisions within Israeli society? At the centre of this political contest stands Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party and former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff. Having campaigned on a promise to change the

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  Israeli commentator links Republican election setback to declining support for Israel in US

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  An Israeli political commentator has argued that the Republican Party’s setback in the US midterm elections, which saw Democrats gain control of both houses of Congress, reflects not only a political defeat for President Donald Trump but also a broader decline in Israel’s standing among Americans. Gili Cohen, a political correspondent for Israeli public broadcaster Kan, said the election results coincided with growing criticism of Israel across the US political spectrum. In an article titled “The Defeat in the United States Is Not Just for Trump, but Also for Israel’s Standing,” Cohen pointed to changing attitudes toward Israel within the Democratic Party, where positions range from those represented by Senator Chuck Schumer to those of Representative Rashida Tlaib. She argued

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  Thousands rally in Tehran against US and Israel, mock Republican election setback

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Thousands of Iranians gathered outside the former US Embassy in Tehran on Wednesday, chanting slogans against the United States and Israel, mocking President Donald Trump’s electoral setback and calling for vengeance over the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The demonstration coincided with Iran’s annual commemoration of the 1979 takeover of the US Embassy, which this year took place amid a regional war that began in late February. The conflict has intensified tensions between Tehran and Washington, while diplomatic efforts to negotiate an end to the confrontation have stalled. Demonstrators chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” waved Iranian flags and carried placards condemning Washington and Israel. Participants also mocked the losses suffered by Trump and his Republican Party

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  Ruwa Romman becomes first Palestinian-American elected to Georgia State Senate

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Democratic politician Ruwa Romman has become the first Palestinian-American elected to the Georgia State Senate after defeating Republican candidate Ayaz Sheikh in the race for the state’s 7th District. According to the reported election results, Romman secured approximately 66 percent of the vote, compared with 34 percent for Sheikh, marking her transition from the Georgia House of Representatives to the State Senate. Romman first entered Georgia politics in 2022, when she won election to the state House of Representatives for the 97th District, becoming the first Muslim woman and first Palestinian-American elected to the Georgia legislature. She was reelected in 2024 before pursuing a seat in the State Senate in 2026. Born in Amman, Jordan, Romman is the granddaughter of

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  Two Palestinian-American women make electoral history in New York and Georgia

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Two Palestinian-American candidates, Abeer Kawas and Ruwa Romman, have won seats in the New York and Georgia state senates in Tuesday’s US midterm elections, marking a significant achievement for Palestinian-Americans in legislative institutions and bringing new voices critical of US policies supporting Israel into state politics. Kawas won a seat in New York State Senate District 12, representing neighbourhoods in the borough of Queens, becoming the first Palestinian woman elected to the state legislature. In Georgia, Romman won the state Senate seat for District 7, defeating her Republican rival, Aizaz Sheikh, by 22,153 votes to become the first Palestinian-American elected to the Georgia State Senate. The victories are significant not only because two candidates of Palestinian origin have secured legislative

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  Trump went to Iran for regime change. Iran delivered it in Washington

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Donald Trump went to war against Iran to demonstrate the invincibility of American empire. Eight months later, Iran has helped deliver one of the most devastating strategic defeats in the history of American imperial power. The battlefield was in Iran. The political earthquake struck Washington. Trump wanted regime change in Tehran. American voters delivered it in Congress. The November midterm elections have demolished Republican control of both the House and Senate. But this is more than an electoral humiliation. It is a historic indictment of the imperial arrogance, Israeli-driven militarism, and political establishment that dragged America into another catastrophic Middle Eastern war. The implications are staggering: Iran survived the American-Israeli assault. Trump’s congressional majority did not. On 28th February, Washington

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  Iran says 4 oil tankers destroyed by sea mines in Strait of Hormuz

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Iranian media reported on Wednesday that four oil tankers were destroyed after hitting mines in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s Press TV quoted the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as saying the vessels had attempted to use a route through the strategically important waterway without obtaining Tehran’s approval. Iran has recently stepped up its attacks on ships, particularly along a southern route through the strait. Last Monday, US media reported that the United States had carried out defensive strikes against several Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz. The US news website Axios quoted a US official as saying that an American military aircraft had carried out a self-defence strike, destroying a missile launcher on Qeshm Island. The official added

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  Vance’s remarks raise Israeli concerns over possible decline in US support

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  US Vice-President JD Vance’s remarks on Wednesday about the need to reconsider relations with Israel have raised concerns among political and media circles in Tel Aviv, amid warnings that their implications could go beyond disagreements over the war on Iran to affect traditional forms of US support for Israel, including military aid and political backing in international forums. The comments carry particular significance as they came from one of the most senior officials in President Donald Trump’s administration, following the Republicans’ defeat in the midterm elections. Vance outlined four steps to win back voters who have turned away from the Republican Party: ending the war against Iran, addressing the rising cost of living and inflation, adopting an “America First” policy,

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  Ethiopia expels six Sudanese diplomats amid accusations of RSF support

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Ethiopia has ordered six Sudanese diplomats to leave the country, a senior Ethiopian official said on Wednesday, in a move reflecting further deterioration in relations between the two countries as each accuses the other of supporting its enemies. Sudan accuses Ethiopia of supporting the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), while Addis Ababa accuses Khartoum of backing rebels in the northern Ethiopian region of Tigray. The mutual accusations, which both sides deny, have raised fears that the wars in the two countries could become increasingly intertwined, potentially widening the conflict across the Horn of Africa. The Sudanese government said on Sunday that it had filed a complaint against Ethiopia with the United Nations Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and

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  Netanyahu alleges foreign interference in Israeli elections, calls for broad right-wing government

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday there were “serious suspicions” of foreign interference in the elections, after the results were officially announced and the president began consultations on appointing a candidate to form a government. In a video, Netanyahu said there were “serious suspicions that foreign countries spent huge sums of money to influence the results of the elections in Israel”. He added that “a government relying on parties that support terrorism will not be able to face the challenge of radical Islam, which threatens Israelis from within and abroad”. Netanyahu said only “a broad national government led by the Likud and under my leadership, including all components of the national camp and all Zionist parties that wish

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  Hamas urges mediators to pressure Israel to implement Gaza agreement

  by Marwa A on November 5, 2026

  Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem has called on mediators, the US administration and Gaza’s Board of Peace representative Nikolay Mladenov to act immediately to ensure Israel implements the agreements reached under US President Donald Trump’s Gaza peace plan and its roadmap, following the end of the Israeli elections. In a press statement on Wednesday, Qassem said the end of the Israeli elections, which Mladenov had cited as a reason for delaying action, made it necessary for the mediators, the US administration and Mladenov to move immediately to ensure Israel fulfils its commitments under Trump’s Gaza peace plan and its roadmap. He added that the mediators, the US administration and Mladenov must make serious efforts to stop Israel’s continued escalation against the

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  Trump says Iran war worth it despite midterm election losses

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the war in Iran was worth the political and economic costs as his Republican Party lost the midterm elections, insisting that the country had “no choice” but to take military action to prevent Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons, Anadolu reports. Asked at the White House whether he believed the conflict was worth it, Trump responded: “I do. Yeah. I mean, well, you have no choice.” “The Iran thing we had to do, and we continue to do it,” he added. Asked about Vice President JD Vance’s suggestion that the war in Iran contributed to Republican losses, Trump agreed, acknowledging that the conflict had pushed gasoline prices higher in the short term. “Well, I

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  Israel’s ‘Preferential Democracy’: Accept Inequality or Lose Your Seat | Palestine This Week

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  Israel’s election has left neither camp with a majority, and unseating Benjamin Netanyahu is impossible without the 19 seats held by Palestinian parties, yet no Zionist party will govern with them. This week we ask what that deadlock reveals about a state that offers Palestinian citizens the vote but not equality, from Gadi Eisenkot’s demand that Arab parties recognise Israel as a Jewish state to liberal Zionists rebranding inequality as “preferential democracy”. We also look at a new report tracing an Islamophobic influence campaign in Europe to Israel, and at the anti-Muslim smears dominating the US election campaign.   WATCH: Israel Can’t Vote Its Way Out of Apartheid | Palestine This Week

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  Israel’s Eisenkot vows to strengthen ties with US under Trump, form new government

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot pledged Wednesday to strengthen relations with the US under President Donald Trump and form a new government following last week’s parliamentary elections, Anadolu reports. Eisenkot, who leads the Yashar party, said in a statement on US social media company X that efforts were underway to establish a national emergency government as soon as possible. “Our democracy remains strong and vibrant. We are working to fulfill the will of the Israeli people by forming a new government as soon as possible – a national emergency government,” he said. The former Israeli military chief pledged to introduce new leadership that would serve all Israelis and uphold liberal values and equality. He described the relations with the US

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  A historic Arab vote: Can Palestinians disrupt Israel’s apartheid system?

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  The results of Israel’s 27th October elections were welcomed by Palestinian Arab communities in Israel and millions of Palestinians worldwide. Neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc nor that of his rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, secured the 61 seats required to form a government. This made the 19 seats won by Arab parties all the more consequential. In a political system structured to marginalise its Arab minority, the electoral achievement of the Joint List and Ra’am cannot be overstated. Through their relative unity and an extraordinary convergence of political circumstances, Palestinian voters have seemingly managed to beat the system at its own game. The achievement came despite fearmongering and outright racist rhetoric by mainstream Jewish political parties,

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  From public opinion to political pressure: Gaza and the US midterm elections

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  The genocidal Israeli war on Gaza has contributed to a shift in the American political environment and created an opportunity to strengthen political and institutional pressure within the United States. The US midterm elections, held on 3rd November 2026, witnessed a major political shift, with the Democratic Party securing control of both chambers of Congress, the Senate and the House of Representatives, in a clear political defeat for the Republican Party and President Donald Trump. This means that Trump’s ability to push through his agenda will be diminished, opposition to his performance is growing, particularly over the economy and the war with Iran. It is widely recognised that several key factors contributed to this outcome. The economy and the cost

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  Fetishists for bombing: Resuming the attacks on Iran

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  Tenured insanity is set to return after the midterm elections in the United States.  In October, US President Donald Trump seemed to ice the ongoing conflict against Iran with the dismissive promise that it would be dealt with after 3rd November.  This could involve the renewal of force so far shown to be woefully incapable of bringing Tehran to heel.  “Somebody asked me before, when will the war in Iran end?” He stated during a campaign stop in Lubbock, Texas last month.  “I said, ‘Whenever I want it to end.’  It’ll be very quick, but we have to have it end properly, with total and complete – a total statement they will never have a nuclear weapon.” The Pentagon is

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  The bill for the war on Iran is heading to Europe

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  Late on Monday night, residents of Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz reported a series of explosions. US officials later confirmed what they called limited “defensive” strikes, saying they were responding to an Iranian attack on an American aircraft. Hours earlier, Iran said it had shot down two US reconnaissance drones over the same waters, a claim Washington denies. On the same day, Vice President JD Vance told reporters that he and President Donald Trump “feel pretty good about the prospect of reaching a settlement” with Tehran. That sequence captures the war as Americans vote in today’s midterm elections. Talks are moving, strikes are continuing, and the distance between the two can close in a single night. It also

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  Palestine is a testing ground for a new type of fascism, artists told at London event

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  Palestine has become a testing ground for a new kind of fascism, and the oppression Palestinians face is a microcosm of what people across the world are up against, the Palestinian writer and organiser Sarona Bedwan told an audience of artists and activists in east London last night. Bedwan chaired Cultural Resistance: From Bangladesh to Palestine, an evening of talks and short films held at Proposition in Bethnal Green. The speakers were the Bangladeshi photographer Shahidul Alam, the London-based curator Rahila Haque and the Iranian artist-filmmaker Maryam Tafakory. Each spoke about the role art has played in resistance in their own countries. The event was co-hosted by Artists for Palestine UK, a network of arts workers launched in 2015 to

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  Elections in Israel: The names change, but colonisation continues

  by Marwa A on November 4, 2026

  With every election in “Israel”, the expectation resurfaces that replacing the prime minister will pave the way for Palestinian freedom. History demands a different test: which structures of domination will be dismantled? As long as occupation, settlements, ethnic cleansing and the denial of self-determination persist, changes of government will continue to reshuffle the leadership of the Zionist state without addressing the colonial question. In June 2021, when Naftali Bennett replaced Benjamin Netanyahu, I wrote that the proclaimed “government of change” offered no grounds for expecting a break with colonisation. Bennett supported settlements and opposed Palestinian sovereignty. Opposition to Netanyahu brought together a heterogeneous coalition, but did not turn it into an instrument for the emancipation of an occupied people. That

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  ‘Slightest inclination to surrender will embolden’ US, says Iran’s supreme leader

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei warned Wednesday that the “slightest inclination to surrender” would embolden the US amid ongoing diplomatic efforts to resolve tensions between Washington and Tehran, Anadolu reports. Such a position “will only encourage the arrogant enemy to seek more excesses and further wars and audacity,” Khamenei said in a statement carried by Iran’s state-run broadcaster IRIB. A renewed conflict “will take on much broader dimensions if the aggressions are repeated,” he said. READ: Iran’s parliament speaker says US voters rejected war, Tehran backs this message The statement marked the supreme leader’s first remarks since the US midterm elections, in which President Donald Trump’s Republican Party lost control of both chambers of Congress. It also came amid diplomatic efforts

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  Israeli army arrests 30 Palestinians in new raids across occupied West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  The Israeli army arrested 30 Palestinians, including two women and a journalist, on Wednesday during raids across cities, towns, and refugee camps in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Media Office said the Israeli army carried out a wide-scale arrest campaign in Jenin governorate in the north, detaining 14 Palestinians. The army also rearrested former prisoner Shaima Abu Ghali during a raid on the eastern neighborhood of Jenin city. In Nablus governorate, the Israeli forces arrested five Palestinians from al-Ain refugee camp, a woman during a raid on the Old City, and a former prisoner from his home in Yatma, south of the governorate. In Tulkarem governorate, they rearrested journalist Hazem Nasser after raiding

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  Iran threatens to target ‘enemy leaders’ if its commanders are attacked, IRGC adviser says

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  An adviser to the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) warned Wednesday that Tehran would target “enemy leaders” if Iranian commanders and leaders were attacked in any renewed conflict. “If they target our commanders and leaders this time, they should expect their own commanders and leaders to be killed,” Mohammad Moghadamfar said, according to Iran’s Fars News Agency. Moghadamfar said Iran would adopt new methods in confronting any renewed war, warning that its response would no longer be reciprocal or proportional. “Our responses will no longer be reciprocal or proportional. We will go beyond the point of attack and set their assets ablaze, regardless of time or place,” he said. READ: Iranian army orders ground forces to maintain highest

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  Human rights discourse serves the two-state paradigm, not the Palestinian people

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Since Israel commenced with its genocide in Gaza, Israeli leaders openly spoke of ethnic cleansing and forced displacement. Protected by a web of international complicity, Palestinians who were not killed during the genocide are now living in around 30 per cent of what remains of Gaza which is not militarily occupied by Israel.  As winter draws near, Ajith Sunghay, head of the UN Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory stated, “Those displaced before the announcement of a ceasefire have little to no prospect of return to the areas they fled, most of which are inaccessible because they fall beyond the so-called yellow line. And they continue to be displaced again and again.”  This is the brutality of colonial violence.

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  Turkish court lifts ban on Sayyid Qutb’s Milestones following prosecutor’s review

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  A Turkish court has overturned a nationwide ban on the printing, distribution and sale of Milestones (Ma’alim fi al-Tariq), a book by Egyptian Islamic thinker Sayyid Qutb, following a review that questioned the grounds for linking the publication to the Islamic State (ISIS). The First Criminal Peace Court in Antalya reversed the restrictions on 16th October 2026, after accepting a request submitted by the Antalya Public Prosecutor’s Office, according to Turkish news outlet TRHaber. The prosecutor’s request followed an investigation by the Counter-Terrorism Department of the Antalya Provincial Security Directorate, which identified a chronological inconsistency in claims connecting the book to ISIS. Investigators noted that Qutb was executed in 1966, decades before ISIS emerged in 2013, raising questions about the

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  Iranian security chief says US response to Tehran’s demands is ‘not convincing’

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Iran’s Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, has said that the US response to Iran’s demands was “not convincing”. In a post on X, Rezaei said: “America’s response to Iran’s rights and demands was not convincing. It must fully and explicitly address Iran’s seven conditions and act accordingly. Only then will the Strait of Hormuz be reopened.” He added: “We have repeatedly stressed the need for Iran’s seven announced conditions to be met. If these conditions are fulfilled, the path to diplomacy will be open.” READ: Iran says US response to its demands ‘not convincing’ Rezaei also warned: “If any action is taken against our country, we will, in accordance with the instructions issued today by the Supreme

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  Abdul El-Sayed: ‘Trump can just call me senator now’

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  All the states were on one side of the scale, and Michigan was on the other. Donald Trump did not see the Michigan Senate race as one seat out of a hundred. He made it a personal fight against one man, Abdulrahman “Abdul” El-Sayed. He mocked his name, attacked his religion and questioned his family. Then on Wednesday morning America woke up to the news: the Associated Press called the race for the Egyptian-American doctor. He is now the first Muslim ever elected to the United States Senate. To be honest, El-Sayed did not only beat Mike Rogers. He beat Trump, and he took Michigan from him. A name Trump wanted to turn into an accusation Trump used every tool

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  Egypt and Iran discuss regional de-escalation and resumption of negotiations

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held telephone talks with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, on Tuesday to discuss regional developments, efforts to reduce tensions and the possibility of resuming negotiations amid concerns over renewed military confrontation. According to a statement from Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the discussions took place Tuesday evening as part of ongoing consultations between the two ministers. Ministry spokesperson Nader Zaki said the talks addressed recent regional developments and growing concerns that escalating tensions could trigger further military action. The ministers also discussed diplomatic initiatives undertaken by regional partners to contain tensions, promote dialogue and facilitate a return to negotiations aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement that addresses the concerns of all parties. READ: Egypt urges resumption

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  Shin Bet seeks to question Arab party leaders over alleged foreign interference in Israeli elections

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) Director David Zini is seeking to question four Arab members of the Knesset, including three party leaders, under caution as part of an investigation into suspected foreign interference in Israel’s parliamentary elections, according to Israeli media reports. The reported request comes amid efforts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party to challenge aspects of the election results, particularly the Arab vote. Israeli news channel i24NEWS reported Tuesday that Zini had requested the questioning of Ahmad Tibi, leader of the Arab Movement for Change (Ta’al); Mansour Abbas, leader of the United Arab List (Ra’am); and Sami Abu Shehadeh, leader of the National Democratic Assembly (Balad). The report referred to a fourth Arab lawmaker but did not

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  Trump says US and Israel agreed to end $3.8 billion in annual military aid

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he had reached an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end Washington’s annual military assistance to Israel, estimated at approximately $3.8 billion, by the end of 2026. The announcement reportedly surprised Israel’s security establishment, where senior officials said they had not received advance notice or detailed information about the decision and its potential implications. Israel’s public broadcaster Kan 11 quoted a senior security official as saying the announcement had caught the defense establishment off guard despite ongoing consultations with Washington. “We did not expect this announcement—certainly not today,” the official said. “There is a constant dialogue with the Americans, yet it is fair to say that we were taken by surprise,”

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Ronnie Chatah: Guns, Threats, Diplomatic Apprach, and the Prospect of War!

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with David Miller: From Israel to the Caribbean: Britain’s Moral Reckonings

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  Israeli forces evict Palestinian family and convert home into military post near Hebron

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Israeli forces raided a Palestinian home in the village of Al-Burj, southwest of Hebron, on Tuesday, forcing its residents to leave before converting the property into a military post, according to local sources. The house, located in Al-Burj village in the town of Dura, belongs to Palestinian resident Abdul Jalil Khalil Hassan Al-Talahma. Local sources reported that Israeli soldiers entered the property, evicted Al-Talahma’s family and subsequently used the residence as a military staging post. The incident follows similar operations in Hebron last October, when Israeli forces seized Palestinian homes in several neighborhoods, forced residents to evacuate and converted the properties into military barracks and observation posts. READ: Palestinians report more than 3,100 attacks by Israeli army, occupiers in occupied West

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  Gaza Education Ministry says Israeli airstrike kills schoolgirl as University College bombing leaves 15 casualties

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  The Ministry of Education and Higher Education in the Gaza Strip said Tuesday that a 16-year-old Palestinian schoolgirl was killed in an Israeli airstrike while returning home from school, hours after another strike hit a university college in Gaza City, killing one person and injuring 14 students. In a statement, the ministry identified the schoolgirl as Rimas Ismail Al-Madhoun, saying she was killed shortly after leaving Al-Saraya Secondary School for Girls on her way home. Earlier that morning, the University College of Applied Sciences was bombed while students were present on campus, according to the ministry. The attack killed one Palestinian and injured 14 students, the statement said. The ministry condemned the attacks, warning that the killing of students and

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  ‘JD, Habibi’: El-Sayed jokes about ‘delicious irony’ of Vance having to swear him into US Senate

  by EditorMehdi on November 4, 2026

  Democrat Abdul El-Sayed took aim at US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance during his election victory speech in Michigan early Wednesday, after defeating Republican Mike Rogers in the US Senate race, Anadolu reports. El-Sayed made history as the first Muslim American elected to the US Senate, securing the seat previously held by retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters. Addressing supporters, El-Sayed mocked Vance over the vice president’s constitutional role in administering the oath of office to newly elected senators. “JD, habibi, there is this delicious irony in the fact that you’re constitutionally obligated to swear me in in January,” he said. READ: Anti-Muslim hate targeting Michigan Senate nominee El-Sayed surged after primary win: Study Beginning his speech with “Michigan,