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

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  Jordan, France, Lebanon leaders meet in Paris to discuss support for Lebanese army

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  The leaders of Lebanon, Jordan and France discussed ways Thursday to strengthen cooperation and support the Lebanese army and Internal Security Forces amid continued regional tensions, according to the Lebanese presidency, Anadolu reports. The talks between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Jordan’s King Abdullah II and French President Emmanuel Macron took place at Les Invalides in Paris, ahead of a preparatory session for an international conference supporting Lebanon’s army and security forces. They discussed ways to deepen coordination and cooperation among the three countries in areas of mutual interest. They also reviewed the importance of France hosting a new round of the Aqaba Process meetings focused on supporting the Lebanese army and strengthening its ability to carry out its duties in protecting

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Gary Samore: Was the War on Iran Inevitable or an Israeli Deception?

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with David Miller: The British Employment Appeal Tribunal Verdict: Anti-Zionism is not antisemitism

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  Syrian court issues death, prison sentences for 2025 coastal violence

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  A Syrian military criminal court in the northern city of Aleppo sentenced one defendant to death Thursday, another to life imprisonment and a third to 20 years for deadly violence in the coastal region in 2025, Anadolu reports. A fourth defendant was acquitted. State-run Alikhbariah TV broadcast the proceedings from Aleppo’s Justice Palace. Judge Zakaria Bakkar, head of the Military Criminal Court, presided over the sentencing hearings in the presence of judicial authorities. The rulings covered four of seven defendants, with verdicts for the remaining three expected at a later date, said the channel. Public trials in the coastal violence case began at Aleppo’s Justice Palace on Nov. 18, 2025. At the time, 14 defendants were put on trial. Seven

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  UK taxpayers subsidised therapy for Israeli soldiers committing genocide in Gaza, investigation finds

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  British taxpayers subsidised therapy for Israeli soldiers committing genocide Gaza, according to a new video by Declassified UK. The investigation focuses on UK Toremet, a registered British charity that reportedly channelled donations to projects in illegal Israeli settlements and provided funding to Regavim, a settler group sanctioned by the European Union. The latest video follows Declassified’s investigation published last month, which revealed how British taxpayers subsidised therapy through the Yahalom Foundation, an Israeli organisation supporting serving members and veterans of the army’s elite Yahalom engineering unit. Emails obtained by Declassified show that the Yahalom Foundation told British supporters to donate through UK Toremet, which it called its “registered partner platform in the UK”. Eligible donations through UK Toremet can attract

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  Bab al-Mandeb Strait’s shipping traffic comes to halt amid conflict in Yemen

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Escalating conflict off Yemen’s western coast brought shipping traffic through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait to a standstill, threatening a critical chokepoint for global logistics, Anadolu reports. The waterway is facing its quietest days ever, coupled with the crisis in global trade and energy supply due to the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The Bab el-Mandeb Strait carries 10% of global maritime trade and accounts for 12% of crude oil shipments. It has become a weak point in the global supply chain due to the military developments in the region. The resurgence of conflict in Yemen since July altered the map of control of the region, as the Houthis secured the entire province of Hodeidah and advanced westward to Taiz,

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  1 killed, 2 injured by falling Houthi drone debris in western Saudi Arabia

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  One person was killed and two others were injured Thursday by debris from a drone Saudi authorities said was launched by Yemen’s Houthis and intercepted over the western city of Taif, according to the Saudi Press Agency. A Civil Defense spokesperson said emergency teams responded after fragments from the intercepted drone fell across parts of the city, the agency reported. A Yemeni resident was killed, while a Saudi woman and a Pakistani resident were injured, the spokesperson said, adding that the Pakistani national was in critical condition. The falling debris also caused material damage to several buildings and vehicles. Saudi authorities said the drone had been launched by Yemen’s Houthi group, according to the report. READ: Saudi Arabia issues emergency alerts

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  Irish broadcaster confirms Eurovision boycott for 2nd year in row

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Ireland’s public broadcaster said Thursday it will boycott next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, stressing that its position “remains unchanged,” Anadolu reports. In a statement, RTE confirmed that it will boycott the song contest for the second year in a row, noting that it will not participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, nor will it broadcast the competition. “RTE feels that Ireland’s participation cannot be justified given the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk,” it noted. The statement added: “RTE also remains deeply concerned by the continued denial of independent access to international journalists to the territory.” RTE was among several European broadcasters

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  Netanyahu, wanted by ICC, set to take UN podium while Palestinian leader Abbas unable to attend

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) over war crimes committed in Gaza, is preparing to take the podium at the UN General Assembly in New York, while Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose people are facing genocide, is unable to travel to the city due to Washington’s visa restrictions, Anadolu reports. As it did last year, the US administration has once more denied Abbas a visa, preventing him from attending the UN General Assembly in person. As a result, Abbas is expected to address the General Assembly by video conference again this year. Under the 1947 UN Headquarters Agreement, the US is required to allow representatives of member and observer states to enter New

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  Jordan, France sign defense cooperation agreement

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Jordan and France signed a defense cooperation agreement on Thursday in the presence of Jordanian King Abdullah II and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, Anadolu reports. “I discussed with President Macron ways to advance our longstanding bilateral relations and continued coordination, and we witnessed the signing of a defense cooperation agreement,” King Abdullah said on US social media company X. He did not provide details on the agreement or the areas of defense cooperation it covers. The Jordanian king said he and Macron also met with Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun and stressed the importance of Paris hosting a new round of the Aqaba Process meetings in support of the Lebanese army. “We look forward to continuing our work to achieve

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  Israel’s Eisenkot leads Netanyahu by 9 points as coalition edges opposition by 2 seats: Poll

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot leads Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by 9 percentage points in a new opinion poll on who is better suited to serve as prime minister, while Netanyahu’s governing bloc narrowly leads the opposition in projected Knesset seats, Anadolu reports. The Channel 13 poll, conducted Tuesday in cooperation with Index, Stat-Net, Sample and Askaria, surveyed 886 respondents and had a margin of error of 3.3%. According to the findings, 45% of respondents said Eisenkot, leader of the opposition Yashar party, was better suited to serve as prime minister, compared with 36% for Netanyahu, who leads the Likud party. Israel is scheduled to hold general elections on Oct. 27, with Netanyahu seeking to form a new government to replace

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  Israel reduces number of patients allowed to leave Gaza for treatment in Egypt from 136 to 61

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Israeli authorities on Thursday reduced the number of patients and wounded Palestinians allowed to leave the Gaza Strip for medical treatment in Egypt from 136 to 61 patients and companions, Gaza’s Health Ministry said, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the ministry said “a group of 136 patients and their companions had received official approval to travel before Israeli authorities reduced the number to 72 patients and companions and sent the remaining cases back.” Despite the ministry’s objection to the measure and the start of transporting patients, the Israeli side requested that an additional 11 patients and companions be returned, bringing the final number allowed to leave to 61. The ministry stressed that the patients and wounded Palestinians included in the group

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  Iran orders Swedish diplomat to leave within 48 hours in tit-for-tat move

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Iran on Thursday ordered a Swedish diplomat to leave the country within 48 hours in a reciprocal move after Stockholm expelled an Iranian embassy official a day earlier, Anadolu reports. The Iranian Foreign Ministry said it summoned Sweden’s ambassador in Tehran, Mathias Otterstedt, and informed him that one Swedish diplomat would have to leave Iran within 48 hours, according to the official news agency IRNA. The ministry said the decision came after Sweden ordered an Iranian diplomat working at Iran’s embassy in Stockholm to leave the country. It rejected what it called Sweden’s “baseless” accusations that Iran had interfered in the country’s security affairs and strongly condemned the expulsion of the Iranian diplomat. Tehran described Sweden’s move as “unjustified” and said

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  UN mission finds ‘reasonable grounds to believe US committed war crimes’ in Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  A UN fact-finding mission found on Thursday that the US committed war crimes during airstrikes on Iran, causing the death of civilians, injuries, and damage to civilian objects in Iran, Anadolu reports. The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran issued a report, finding reasonable grounds to believe that the US committed war crimes “during a pair of airstrikes which killed at least 178 civilians, including women and children.” The mission noted that the war crimes included “launching indiscriminate attacks resulting in the loss of life or injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects,” during the US and Israeli attacks in February. The cited attacks involved Tomahawk missile strikes on a primary school in Minab, which killed over 150 and another

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  ‘We are not like everyone else’ laws that bind other nations do not apply to Israel, says Likud lawmaker

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Laws that bind other nations do not apply to Israel, says Likud lawmaker Hanoch Milwidsky, claiming that the Jewish people’s divine calling exempts them from constraints imposed on others. “We are not like everyone else, and that is why all the laws that apply to everyone else do not apply to us,” said Milwidsky. His comments advocating Jewish supremacy was captured on video and has been shared on social media. Hanoch Milwidsky of Member of Knesset for the Likud explains why Israel is a nation blessed by God and therefore does not have to follow any of the laws which bind other nations. As perfect an encapsulation of the Jewish supremacy behind Israeli policy that you can find. pic.twitter.com/E0k7HwWtCI —

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  British university re-enrolls Egyptian student suspended over pro-Palestinian protests

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  King’s College London (KCL) will reinstate an Egyptian student who was suspended after his participation in pro-Palestinian protests, CNN reported Thursday. Usama Ghanem, 22, will return to KCL this fall, nearly 18 months after university officials suspended him indefinitely and moved to withdraw his visa sponsorship over allegations concerning his involvement in student-led pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Ghanem reportedly received an email from the university in late August stating that it continued to uphold its finding of non-academic misconduct against him, while also informing him that he had committed “no breaches” of the terms of his exclusion. “The conditions set have been met and there is no reason for your suspension or exclusion to remain in place,” the email said. “Accordingly, you

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  Houthis release footage purportedly showing wreckage of downed Saudi F-15

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthis said Wednesday they had shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib province using a locally manufactured missile, a claim that Saudi Arabia had not immediately confirmed. Video released by the group purportedly shows lights in the night sky followed by burning wreckage and debris on the ground, including what appears to be part of an aircraft wing bearing a Saudi flag. The location and timing of the footage could not be independently verified. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the aircraft was carrying out military operations over Marib when it was hit. He also claimed Houthi forces later engaged Saudi F-15 and Typhoon fighter jets searching for the wreckage and forced them to withdraw. Saree accused

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  Trump to hold Iran talks with Gulf leaders next week in New York: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  US President Donald Trump is expected to meet with Gulf leaders on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York next Tuesday to discuss next steps in the war with Iran, the Axios news site reported Wednesday, citing three sources with direct knowledge, Anadolu reports. Axios said the meeting is expected to focus on US ideas for a postwar strategy, with the Trump administration working on a broader “day-after” plan expected to be finalized after the US midterm elections in November. Leaders or foreign ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council countries — Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman — are expected to attend, according to the report. READ: Trump says Iran wants deal with US

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  Turkey accuses Greece of militarising demilitarised Aegean islands

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has renewed accusations that Greece is militarising demilitarised islands in the Aegean Sea, a claim Athens rejected as part of an escalation strategy, reviving a long-running dispute between the two NATO members. Speaking in Azerbaijan, Fidan said the militarisation of the islands constitutes “a threat to Turkey,” according to Greek newspaper Kathimerini. Fidan’s remarks come as Turkey faces what Ankara considers more pressing challenges in the Middle East. OPINION: The Aegean’s new arms race isn’t about weapons anymore Greek Foreign Ministry spokesman Panagiotis Giannakoulias quickly rejected claims that Greece was being used as a tool to destabilise the region, saying they “have nothing to do with reality.”  He said Greece, like any other country, ensures

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  Aramco is not the Kaaba

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  There are few political tricks more effective than wrapping the interests of a state in the sanctity of God. Saudi Arabia now says that its air defences intercepted an Ansar Allah drone south of Mecca before it entered the Holy City’s restricted airspace. Ansar Allah denies targeting Mecca or any Islamic holy site. The factual dispute matters enormously. But so does the political reflex the accusation immediately activates: once Mecca enters the sentence, Saudi national security is invited to disappear into Islamic sacred geography, as though the kingdom, the monarchy and the Haram were three names for the same thing. They are not. The Kaaba is sacred. The House of Saud is a ruling family. Confusing the two is not

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  Israel prepares for new ground operation in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  The Israeli military is preparing to launch a new ground offensive in the Gaza Strip as there are no signs that Hamas is willing to disarm, Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported. In a report published on Wednesday, 16 September, the newspaper said the military’s Southern Command is strengthening its positions along the Yellow Line and continuing targeted strikes, claiming that Hamas was rebuilding its capabilities. Israel now has wider military control over parts of the Gaza Strip, the newspaper said, but maintaining that control poses complex challenges. READ: Israeli army chief orders investigation into documentary revealing AI-assisted Gaza strikes The newspaper quoted Israeli officials as saying that unless Hamas voluntarily surrenders its weapons under the US-backed framework, the military could eventually

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  US extends visa ban on Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian officials

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  The US State Department has announced that it will extend measures barring visas for Palestinian Authority officials and members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), including Mahmoud Abbas, ahead of the United Nations General Assembly. “As a consequence of their failure to reform, contrary to their commitments to the United States, and their ongoing activities that undermine the prospects for peace, the United States will extend sanctions that deny visas to PLO members and PA officials,” the State Department said in a statement. During Trump’s first term, his administration imposed a series of restrictions on Palestinian officials, including closing the PLO office in Washington in 2018 and cutting US aid to the Palestinian Authority. READ: 330-foot shroud bearing names of 20,000

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  Ghalibaf: Interest rates cannot reopen Strait of Hormuz or curb US inflation

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Wednesday that changes in interest rates cannot reopen the Strait of Hormuz, ease the resulting energy shock, or curb inflation in the United States. Ghalibaf said in a post on X that the US Federal Reserve’s interest-rate decision would have no effect on the situation, asking whether the Fed, by raising interest rates, could reopen the Strait of Hormuz or produce even one additional barrel of oil. “Let’s see if a hike could open SOH or produce a single barrel,” he stated. He added that neither raising nor lowering interest rates could stabilise inflation expectations in the United States, arguing that they are being affected by a supply shock caused by the closure

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  330-foot shroud bearing names of 20,000 Gaza children killed by Israel displayed at UN Church Center

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  An interfaith coalition unveiled Wednesday a 100-meter (328-foot) memorial shroud bearing the handwritten names of more than 20,000 Palestinian children killed by Israel in the Gaza Strip at the UN Church Center in New York, Anadolu reports. “Not a number, but a name,” organizers emphasized, explaining that the project aims to restore individual identity to every young person killed in the enclave, while demanding an end to Israeli military operations and establishing accountability for war crimes. The Gaza Children’s Shroud memorial was prepared by Doctors Against Genocide, Priests Against Genocide USA, Justice for All and partner groups. READ: Gaza Media Office: Israel has killed 21,500 children, targeted 1,244 mosques since October 2023 The ceremony at the UN Church Center featured the

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  Al-Azhar condemns reported attempt to target Mecca

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Al-Azhar, Egypt’s top Islamic authority, on Wednesday strongly condemned what it described as an attempt to target Mecca, Islam’s holiest city and direction of prayer, saying any attempt to endanger the sacred city was a grave crime and an attack on a sanctity revered by Muslims. In a statement, Al-Azhar warned against expanding the conflict to include Islamic holy sites, stressing that Mecca must not become a battleground or a target of threats. It said the sanctity of Mecca is a fundamental principle of Islam that must not be violated or threatened. Al-Azhar Al-Sharif stressed that the security of the Two Holy Mosques — the Sacred Mosque in Mecca and Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem — is not a political or

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  Israel: Far-right activists protest outside parents’ home of Israeli film Naza director

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Dozens of far-right Israeli activists protested outside the home of the parents of NAZA filmmaker Rachel Szor in Savyon, central Israel, on Wednesday evening, chanting slogans including “death penalty for traitors”, Hebrew-language media reported. The protesters were demonstrating against the film, co-directed by Szor and Yuval Abraham, which features testimonies from Israeli officers and soldiers about alleged war crimes during Israel’s war in Gaza. Hebrew news site Walla reported that dozens of protesters gathered outside Szor’s parents’ home in Savyon, calling for the two directors to be condemned over the film. One protester was quoted as saying the directors “will be ashamed to walk the streets”. Another said: “The directors of NAZA went and presented the fighters who are currently

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  Muslim Brotherhood says it has begun mediation contacts amid Yemen escalation

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  The Muslim Brotherhood said it had begun contacts aimed at helping de-escalate fighting in Yemen between the Houthis and Yemeni government and Saudi forces, calling for an immediate halt to hostilities and a return to dialogue. In a statement, the group warned against further casualties and urged the parties to pursue de-escalation amid heightened tensions in Yemen and the wider region. Salah Abdel-Haq, acting General Guide of the Muslim Brotherhood, said the protection of human life should take priority and called for an end to the fighting. “The sanctity of all Yemeni blood—and indeed all Muslim blood—demands an end to the escalation,” Abdel-Haq said. The group called on all sides to halt attacks on Yemeni and Saudi territory and avoid

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  Gaza public works ministry says around 3,000 buildings at risk of collapse

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  Around 3,000 buildings across the Gaza Strip have been classified as dangerous or at risk of collapse, Gaza’s Ministry of Public Works and Housing said on Wednesday, warning that damaged structures pose a threat to thousands of residents. The warning followed the collapse of a residential building in the Rimal neighbourhood of Gaza City early Wednesday. The ministry said the building collapsed while people were inside, resulting in deaths and injuries. According to the ministry, buildings identified as hazardous contain damaged structural components or sections that could fall, placing families who continue to live in or near them at risk. The ministry attributed the problem to extensive structural damage sustained by residential buildings and other facilities during Israeli military operations

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  IOM says 2,776 Yemenis crossed into Djibouti amid west coast fighting

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  More than 2,700 Yemenis have crossed into Djibouti since the beginning of September amid escalating fighting along Yemen’s western coast, while more than 104,000 people have been displaced within Yemen during the same period, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) said on Wednesday. According to the UN agency’s latest figures, 2,776 people have crossed from Yemen to Djibouti as the humanitarian impact of the renewed fighting continues to grow. The IOM said it was providing emergency assistance to the new arrivals in Djibouti, including 1,500 hot meals twice a day. Fighting between forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government and the Houthi movement has intensified in recent months following a prolonged period of comparatively lower levels of hostilities. Within Yemen,

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  CBO estimates US war with Iran has cost $38 billion, strained munitions stockpiles

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  The United States’ war with Iran has cost approximately $38 billion after more than six months of fighting and has placed significant pressure on US munitions inventories, according to a report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The CBO estimate, which covers spending through 1st August, projects that the conflict could add approximately $3 billion per month to US government costs if current operations continue. The report also estimates that the economic effects of the conflict could increase US inflation by around 0.5 percentage points during the first three months of 2027, partly reflecting higher energy prices. The $38 billion estimate is close to the $37.5 billion figure cited by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth during a Senate hearing on

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  The Mangoush affair, three years on: Palestine remains a red line in Libya’s foreign policy

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  When news broke, in 2023, that Libya’s first female foreign minister, Najla Al-Mangoush, had secretly met her Israeli counterpart, Eli Cohen, in Rome, most Libyans were stunned. It was, as far as is publicly known, the first official meeting between the two countries and the first known high-level diplomatic contact between Libya and Israel. It was not an accidental encounter or a chance meeting, but a deliberately arranged session with a specific agenda — apparently, both sides wanted the meeting. That distinction is crucial to understanding what became known as the Mangoush affair. The significance of the meeting was not simply that a Libyan foreign minister had spoken to an Israeli foreign minister. It was that the episode exposed a

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  At least 60 killed in gold mine collapse in Sudan’s West Kordofan

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  At least 60 people have been killed in the collapse of a gold mine in Sudan’s West Kordofan state, while other miners are believed to remain trapped underground, according to reports from the area. The collapse occurred on Sunday at the Al-Zarrah mine in the Al-Fajja area, northwest of the city of En Nahud. The local Kordofan Observatory said more than 70 miners had been killed or were missing following the collapse of a series of nearby mining sites. The group said a miner who managed to escape on Tuesday reported that other survivors remained trapped underground, raising pressure for rescue operations to reach the site quickly. Specialised rescue teams had not yet reached the remote mining area, according to

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with David Miller: The British Employment Appeal Tribunal Verdict: Anti-Zionism is not antisemitism

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Paolo von Schirach: Toppling Maduro: Ushering Democracy or Imperial Grab??

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  Family says Israeli police informed them of Palestinian detainee’s death without providing circumstances

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  The family of 21-year-old Palestinian detainee Moataz Nizam al-Atrash (Abu Sneineh) said Israeli police informed them on Wednesday that he had died in Israeli custody but provided no information about the circumstances of his reported death. The family said it had not yet received confirmation from Palestinian authorities or prisoner advocacy organizations. According to the Palestinian news website Ultra Palestine, al-Atrash’s brother, Basha al-Atrash, said Israeli police at the Kiryat Arba station near Hebron contacted their father on Wednesday and asked him to report to the station. Police informed the father there that his son had died, but did not provide details about when or how the death occurred, according to the family. The family said Israeli police also asked

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  Israeli drone strikes kill nine Palestinians across Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  At least nine Palestinians were killed and around 40 others injured in a series of reported Israeli drone strikes across the Gaza Strip over a 24-hour period, according to Palestinian media reports. Quds Press reported on Wednesday that the strikes targeted individuals, vehicles and groups of people in several areas of northern, central and southern Gaza. In Gaza City, a drone strike reportedly targeted a vehicle carrying Ahmed al-Batsh, whom Quds Press identified as a commander in Hamas’s armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, on Al-Saftawi Street. The report said Youssef al-Zaim was killed in a separate strike near the 17th Roundabout in western Gaza City. In the Sheikh Radwan neighbourhood, Civil Defence officer Sharif Labad and a child identified as

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  From Count Bernadotte to the ‘Gaza Board of Peace’

  by Mehdi Editor on September 17, 2026

  On the afternoon of 17th September 1948,  a three-car convoy wound its way through the tense, war-torn streets of Jerusalem. Inside one of the vehicles sat Count Folke Bernadotte, the Swedish aristocrat  and diplomat who had achieved international renown during World War II for saving thousands of concentration camp inmates from the brink of Nazi slaughter. As the first United Nations mediator for Palestine appointed in 1947, with a mandate to promote a peaceful adjustment of the situation, he was tasked with a different kind of rescue mission: arresting a spiralling regional war and establishing a framework for a just, legal peace. The convoy never reached its destination. In the Katamon neighbourhood, the vehicles were ambushed by four men dressed

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  Netanyahu vows to revoke citizenship of those who ‘defame’ Israeli soldiers in Gaza documentary NAZA

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Wednesday to revoke the citizenship of those who “defame” Israeli soldiers in NAZA, a documentary on killings in Gaza, and impose significantly higher financial penalties on them, Anadolu reports. Netanyahu made the remarks in a video statement following the recent screening of the Israeli documentary at the Venice International Film Festival. The film documents alleged crimes committed by Israeli forces during the war on the Gaza Strip. “Regarding the film NAZA, which portrayed Israeli army officers and soldiers as war criminals, I will now introduce two bills, both government bills,” Netanyahu said. He said the first bill would revoke the citizenship of those who “defame Israeli army soldiers.” The second, according to Netanyahu,

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  Lewis Hamilton backs Macklemore after Ed Sheeran tour removal for Palestine remarks

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton expressed support for US rapper Macklemore after he was removed from the US leg of Ed Sheeran’s tour following pro-Palestinian remarks, Anadolu reports. Hamilton commented on Macklemore’s Instagram post addressing his removal from Sheeran’s Loop Tour, writing: “Thank you for using your voice, standing with you.” Macklemore detailed the situation in a lengthy post that emphasized he does not view himself as a victim, and reiterated that the focus should remain on the human toll of the war in the Gaza Strip. READ: Zionist billionaire pressure to silence Macklemore sparks exodus from Ed Sheeran tour The “Thrift Shop” rapper was dropped from the remaining US dates after making pro-Palestinian remarks during performances at New

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  Syrian army chief visits Khmeimim Air Base, meets Russian military commanders

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Syrian Chief of General Staff Maj. Gen. Ali al-Naasan inspected Khmeimim Air Base in western Latakia province on Wednesday and met Russian military commanders stationed there, according to the Defense Ministry, Anadolu reports. Al-Naasan was accompanied by Air Force Commander Brig. Gen. Asim Hawari and Navy Commander Brig. Gen. Mohammed al-Saud, it said in a statement. The visit included meetings with Russian military commanders at the base, it added, without providing details about the talks. The visit comes about a month after Damascus and Moscow announced a memorandum of understanding to reorganize the Russian presence on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, including the Khmeimim Air Base and the port of Tartus. READ: Syria raises fuel prices by up to 40% amid higher import costs and

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  Is Europe restraining Israel—or merely protecting the two-state illusion?

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  This time, Europe seems serious about holding Israel accountable – or at least that is what 11 European countries, together with Canada, want us to believe. On September 8, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK announced their intention to introduce national restrictions, support European restrictions, or actively consider measures against trade in goods with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Undeniably, the announcement represents a significant political and legal precedent. Dismissing it outright would be impulsive, particularly considering the participation of governments such as those of Canada and the UK, which have historically provided Israel with extensive political and diplomatic support. Yet celebrating the announcement as an earth-shattering event without

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  Turkiye delivers 2,000 tons of flour to Palestinian refugees, displaced families in Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Turkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) has delivered 2,000 tons of flour to Palestinian refugees and displaced families in Lebanon. A ceremony marking the delivery was held on Wednesday at the Port of Beirut, attended by Turkiye’s Ambassador to Lebanon Murat Lutem, Lebanese Higher Relief Council chief Bassam Nabulsi, and the director of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in Lebanon, Dorothee Klaus. The flour will be distributed to Palestinian refugees and families displaced by Israeli attacks. Turkiye is expected to continue providing assistance to people in need across Lebanon. ‘Our solidarity with Lebanon will continue’ Speaking to Anadolu, Ambassador Lutem said Turkiye’s assistance to people in need in Lebanon was ongoing. He recalled that the Health Ministry

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  No peace in Middle East without 2-state solution: UN chief

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that lasting peace in the Middle East is impossible without a two-state solution for the Palestinians, Anadolu reports. “In the context of upheaval across the Middle East, we must never forget the dramatic suffering of the Palestinian people — both in Gaza and the West Bank,” he said at a news conference ahead of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. “The peace plan for Gaza must be fully implemented with unrestricted humanitarian aid,” he said. Turning to the occupied West Bank, Guterres said: “And the creeping annexation of the West Bank must stop.” He stressed that a political resolution remains the only path forward. “There will be no peace in the Middle East

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  Israeli government ‘not gaining friends, losing allies all over’: Top UK diplomat

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  The British foreign secretary said the Israeli government is losing friends and allies because of its actions in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, which he said have mobilized people around the world, Anadolu reports. The “Israeli government is losing friends. It’s not gaining allies; it’s lost allies. It’s losing allies all over,” Ed Miliband said Tuesday in an interview with UK-based podcast The Rest is Politics. He noted that the recent sanctions announcement targeting illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank came after warnings that the two-state solution is being “destroyed by the facts on the ground.” “All measures were to make a difference to that, the sanctions regime targeting the illegal occupation, not targeting or delegitimizing in any

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  Iran rejects German chancellor’s claims on nuclear program, regional allies

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Iran on Wednesday rejected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s accusations concerning Tehran’s nuclear program and regional allies, accusing Berlin of presenting a “knowingly distorted” narrative, Anadolu reports. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on US social media company X that it was the US and Israel, not Iran, that launched the war, criticizing Germany for failing to condemn the attacks. He rejected Merz’s description of Iran’s regional allies as “proxies,” saying they are “independent actors with their own clear causes and calculations.” READ: Iran issues passive defence plan for 3 scenarios, including full-scale war Baqaei denied that Tehran has a military nuclear program and accused Germany of supporting Israel while presenting itself as a “champion of peace.” Merz urged Iran on Tuesday to end

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  117 journalists displaced from Yemen’s western coast amid escalation: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  At least 117 journalists and media workers have been displaced from Yemen’s western coastal city of Mokha and surrounding areas amid a military escalation since the beginning of September, the Yemeni Media Freedoms Observatory said Wednesday, Anadolu reports. The nongovernmental organization said in a statement that the journalists and media workers fled Mokha, in southwestern Taiz province, and nearby areas amid recent military developments and the entry of Houthi forces. It said the displacement was sudden, with several journalists leaving their homes in the hours before Houthi forces entered Mokha, amid fears of arrest or detention because of their journalistic work. Some journalists were forced to leave without taking their personal belongings or professional equipment, it added. The observatory quoted

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  European Parliament’s Left Group accuses von der Leyen of ‘double standards’ over Ukraine and Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  The Left group in the European Parliament accused European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of applying “glaring double standards” in her foreign policy after she criticized attacks on civilians in Ukraine, but according to the group, continues to defend Israel, Anadolu reports. “The President of the European Union Ursula von der Leyen delivered a lackluster State of the Union address this year, with an incredible amount of glaring omissions despite a speech that dragged on for over an hour,” the group said in a statement after von der Leyen’s State of the Union address on Wednesday. The Left said the president “rightly” condemned the use of so-called “double tap” airstrikes against Ukrainians but accused her of failing to apply the same

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  Israeli forces arrest 16 Palestinians, demolish homes, Bedouin community structures in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Israeli forces arrested 16 Palestinians, including two women and two teenagers, and demolished Bedouin community and Palestinian structures across the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, according to Palestinian sources, Anadolu reports. The Palestinian Prisoners Media Office, a nongovernmental organization, said in a statement that Israeli forces carried out widespread raids and home searches in the provinces of Tulkarem, Hebron, Nablus, and Jenin. Tulkarem recorded the highest number of arrests, with 10 Palestinians detained in Tulkarem city, Deir al-Ghusun, and Dhanaba, including two women and members of families of prisoners, according to the statement. In Hebron, Israeli forces arrested two young Palestinians, aged 15 and 18, after detaining them for more than four hours on Al-Ikhwan Street in the southern part

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  US senator vows to block $2.8B arms transfer to Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  US Sen. Chris Van Hollen vowed Wednesday to block a proposed $2.8 billion arms transfer to Israel, criticizing the provision of heavy munitions amid persistent bombardments across the Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports. “Trump is sending $2.8 billion of bombs paid for by you, the American taxpayer, to a govt led by a wanted war criminal,” the Democratic lawmaker from the state of Maryland wrote on US social media company X. Van Hollen argued that the military aid is moving forward while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “keeps bombing Gaza & blocks justice for Americans killed on his watch.” He questioned how the policy aligns with domestic interests and US President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy. “We will work to stop it,” he

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  US filmmaker Oliver Stone says America has ‘hunger for war’

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Oscar-winning US filmmaker Oliver Stone criticized what he described as America’s continuing militarism, saying the country has a “hunger for war” and warning of the risk of an even larger conflict, Anadolu reports. Speaking at Rome’s Casa del Cinema during a screening of his 1989 film Born on the Fourth of July, Stone reflected on the Vietnam War and subsequent US conflicts, according to Italian daily La Repubblica on Tuesday. “America has a hunger for war, it’s sort of a need of this country. I think it’s the saddest thing I’ve ever seen,” Stone said. “A lot of it is just absurd, and our country has been deeply hurt by it.” Stone, a Vietnam War veteran known for films including

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  Nature has its say in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  For nearly three years, Palestinians in Gaza have been taught, brutally, that almost everything necessary for ordinary human life can be destroyed or turned into an instrument of war. A home can disappear, a neighbourhood can be flattened, a road made impassable, a hospital rendered dysfunctional, a field made unreachable and a human contact can be turned into spying . Water pipes, wells, sewage networks and treatment plants can all be damaged until the very infrastructure of everyday existence collapses. Palestinians have been denied the simple possibility of an abode: four walls and a roof to protect a family from the scorching summer sun, the winter rain and the harsh winds of the Mediterranean. The rhythms that constitute everyday life

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  Saudi Arabia warns of Houthi threats to Red Sea navigation

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Saudi Arabia warned Wednesday that attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group pose a threat to maritime security in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, calling for joint international action to protect key waterways, Anadolu reports. The warning came during a UN Security Council session, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Abdulaziz Alwasil delivered the Kingdom’s statement at the meeting. “Protecting maritime corridors and ensuring freedom of navigation are shared international responsibilities that require adherence to international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” the statement said. Riyadh warned that Houthi threats to maritime security in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb could have repercussions for international trade and global supply chains. Saudi Arabia also highlighted the