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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

• 
  Overzealous UK Charity Commission accused of policing prayers for Palestinians

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

• 
  Beyond Makkah: Defence pacts must become economic networks

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

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

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

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

• 
  Suits, caves and silence: Powell’s PR machine must speak up about Bilal’s prison hell in Syria

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Jonathan Powell is one of the most influential, shadowy figures in Britain; a posh, Oxford-educated mandarin who seems to fancy himself as a modern-day Lawrence of Arabia, swanning around the Middle East to cut secret deals with warlords. As the UK’s National Security Adviser — a powerful, unelected political appointment secured under Keir Starmer and remarkably retained under Prime Minister Andy Burnham — Powell sits at the very heart of Downing Street’s security machine. He learned his craft at the feet of his ultimate political mentor, Tony Blair. Wherever and whenever dubious Middle Eastern interventionism is cooking, Blair’s shadow is never far away. Serving as Blair’s right-hand man during the disastrous Iraq War era, Powell demonstrated early on that he

• 
  6 Palestinians killed, dozens injured in Israeli strike on Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Six Palestinians were killed and dozens injured in an Israeli airstrike on a building inside Nasser Medical Complex in western Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, early on Thursday. Several departments inside the hospital complex also sustained extensive damage. Gaza Civil Defence spokesman Mahmoud Bassal said rescue teams had recovered six bodies and evacuated more than 20 injured people following the Israeli strike on the Yassin building inside the complex. Medical sources identified those killed as Jihad Naim Abu Tilkh, doctor Rizq Abu Shaeera, Murad Abu Zarifa, Saif Ghazi Abu Hatab, Khaled Suleiman Abu Anza and Mohammed Nafiz Abu Ouda. READ: Lewis Hamilton visits Rafah crossing to see Egypt’s aid operation for Gaza Witnesses and local sources said the strike caused extensive

• 
  UN condemns restrictions on aid supplies entering Gaza as winter approaches

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  The United Nations has warned that continued Israeli restrictions on the entry of supplies into the Gaza Strip as winter approaches could lead to more deaths, this time from the cold, as tens of thousands of Palestinians continue to live in flimsy tents. Tom Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator, issued the warning on Wednesday. “Stop this collective punishment,” Fletcher said in a statement. READ: UK premier vows to continue pressure on Israel to allow aid into Gaza He called for all border crossings into Gaza to be opened, UN partners to be allowed to carry out their work, and commercial markets to be kept functioning. “Fund the plan. End this predictable and preventable suffering. The

• 
  Israeli army decides to allow settlers to remain in 8 Jericho homes without providing protection

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  The Israeli military has decided not to evacuate a group of settlers who moved into eight homes in Jericho, in the occupied West Bank’s Area C, a week ago, despite their move taking place without prior coordination with the army. The Israeli army on Wednesday disclosed the findings of a security assessment conducted by its Central Command into the settlers’ move. According to Israeli Channel 13, the assessment, carried out over the past few days, concluded that there was no genuine security obstacle, from the army’s perspective, to the settlers remaining in the homes at this stage. However, the army decided not to provide security protection for the settlers at the site, unlike the arrangements in place at other Israeli

• 
  Netanyahu: US military aid to Israel to be phased out

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged on Wednesday that US military aid to Israel would be gradually phased out. A statement issued by Netanyahu’s office said he had declared in 1996 that Israel would gradually stop receiving US financial aid, which amounted to $1.3 billion, and had fulfilled that pledge. “Thirty years later, Netanyahu has declared that Israel’s economy is strong enough to gradually stop receiving US military aid as well,” the statement said. It added that Israel’s economy is now strong and stable, and that Israel and the United States are taking an important step towards moving from aid to partnership. The statement said Netanyahu had outlined this position last May in an interview with CBS programme 60 Minutes,

• 
  Red Mecca: The Life and Afterlives of the Arab-Soviet Romance

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  Russia features prominently in the lives and minds of certain Arab writers, thinkers and filmmakers. While Arabic writings on what is today Russia go back centuries and include seminal works such as Ibn Fadlan’s Land of Darkness written in the 10th century, the last century has seen a distinctly different fascination with both Russia and Post-Soviet republics. Margaret Litvin’s Red Mecca: The Life and Afterlives of the Arab-Soviet Romance tells the story of a generation of Arab students, travelers, authors, scientists and others who made the Soviet Union and later post-Soviet republics home from the 1950s until the present-day. With a particular focus on Arabic writings, it captures the conflicts and tensions between the migrants and wider society. Many of

• 
  134 violations against Palestinian journalists reported in October, with Hebron worst affected

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate’s Freedoms Committee recorded 134 crimes, attacks and violations against Palestinian journalists and media institutions in October 2026, allegedly committed by Israeli occupation forces, settlers, Hebrew-language media platforms and Israeli military courts. According to the committee’s monthly report, the violations included measures aimed at obstructing journalists’ work and restricting their ability to cover events, including detention, bans on coverage, arrests, harassment and threats, as well as raids on homes and media institutions. Detentions and restrictions on media coverage topped the list, with 70 cases, followed by 27 incidents involving tear gas and stun grenades, eight raids on journalists’ homes and media institutions, seven arrests and an equal number of cases in which journalists were referred to military

• 
  Brazil must not offer holidays to those who committed crimes in Gaza

  by EditorMehdi on November 12, 2026

  The arrival of Israeli soldiers and former soldiers at Brazilian holiday destinations demands a question: does accountability for crimes disappear when military uniforms are exchanged for beachwear? Brazil cannot welcome as ordinary visitors people against whom there is credible evidence of involvement in atrocities without investigating those suspicions. As I have repeatedly argued, the genocide in Gaza is part of the history of Zionist settler colonialism. The Nakba, which uprooted more than 750,000 Palestinians in 1948, never ended. It continues through land dispossession, forced displacement and the denial of self-determination. The destruction of Gaza deepens this process of expulsion and the attempt to eliminate the Palestinian presence. In September 2025, the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry concluded that Israeli

• 
  Israel’s Eisenkot warns Netanyahu against ‘dangerous moves’ before new government takes office

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  Gadi Eisenkot, tasked with forming Israel’s next government, warned caretaker Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against launching military or security operations without an immediate threat, Israeli media reported Wednesday. In a letter to Netanyahu, Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, said the prime minister was heading a caretaker government that no longer enjoyed the confidence of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, according to the Ynet news website. “Only 46 Knesset members still support your continued tenure as prime minister,” said Eisenkot. He stressed that Netanyahu had a responsibility to exercise particular caution when making security and national decisions during the politically sensitive transition period. “The deployment of security forces without a direct and immediate threat that cannot be delayed could have devastating

• 
  US watchdog expose Israeli intelligence links with Sudan’s RSF

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  Midas Project, the US-based organisation, exposed this Tuesday that a network of 400 sockpuppet accounts on the X platform was found to advance the cause of many entities, including the RSF militia.  The network traced back to Koios, the Israeli intelligence company, which claimed it stopped its business last year, but at the same time, a new company with the same staff and business model appeared. The account associated with Koios kept posting online.  Accounts affiliated with the network shared tweets claiming the RSF militia is pro-peace and pro-ceasefire, and that it works to promote stability and protect civilians, end local rivalries, and facilitate humanitarian access. In addition to accusing the Sudanese Army of having ties with the Muslim Brotherhood. 

• 
  The beginning of the end: Israel at the heart of America’s political civil war

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  On the very morning of the critical US midterm elections, President Donald Trump made what seemed like a shocking announcement: no more aid to Israel. “Bibi Netanyahu and I have made a deal that we give Israel $4 billion a year, and we made a deal months ago that we’re stopping,” Trump told Fox News’ Fox & Friends. He goes on to make two seemingly contradictory assertions: “We won’t be paying Israel,” and “We’ll help Israel if they need it.” In truth, there was little euphoria among those who have long campaigned against US funding of Israel. The lack of enthusiasm can be explained by two factors: few take Trump’s pledges seriously, and his remarks were widely understood as a

• 
  Israeli settlement council chief denied entry to France: Report

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  French authorities denied entry to the head of the settlement council in the northern occupied West Bank, in what Israeli media described as a “diplomatic precedent.” i24NEWS, citing his office, said French immigration authorities stopped Yossi Dagan at a Paris airport after he arrived for meetings with elected French officials. The broadcaster said there was no known previous case of a Western country directly barring the head of an Israeli regional council in the occupied West Bank. Dagan’s office said immigration officials took him aside for questioning at passport control last week. An official showed him documents citing his role in building 35 settlements in the occupied West Bank and his efforts to reestablish Gush Katif, a bloc of Israeli

• 
  Iran says it sent clear response to US, awaits Washington’s decision

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  Iran’s parliament speaker and chief negotiator said Wednesday that Tehran had delivered a clear response outlining its demands to the US but has yet to receive an official reply from Washington. “We have provided a clear and transparent response to the United States that includes our demands,” Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf told Al Jazeera in an interview. He said Tehran conveyed its response through Qatari mediation and was awaiting a decision from Washington. He said Washington has not yet provided an official or specific response to Iran’s message. “The ball is now in the Americans’ court. They must make a decision and announce it,” he added. Qalibaf said Iran’s priority is peace if Washington accepts its conditions, stressing that Tehran does

• 
  French lawmakers submit bill to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  French lawmakers have submitted a bill to the National Assembly seeking a ban on trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to media reports. The bill was submitted by Socialist Party (PS) First Secretary Olivier Faure and has received the support of more than 100 lawmakers from eight different political groups. It was approved by a parliamentary committee and proposes banning imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, as well as commercial and financial dealings with them. It is expected to be put to a vote in the National Assembly’s plenary session on Nov. 19. The proposed legislation also seeks to prohibit financial services that contribute to maintaining the settlements, including the rental of tourist

• 
  Maldives president reaffirms ban on Israeli passport holders entering country

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  The Maldives’ president has reaffirmed his country’s ban on Israeli passport holders, saying they will not be allowed to enter under any circumstances, according to a statement from his office, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a news conference at the President’s Office on Monday, Mohamed Muizzu said proposed immigration legislation would establish an unconditional prohibition on entry for Israeli passport holders, regardless of changing circumstances. He explained that earlier proposals had sought to prohibit entry until Israel ended the genocide against Palestinians that began in October 2023, but the new bill would make the restrictions unconditional. Muizzu described Israel’s actions against Palestinians as genocide and said allowing Israeli passport holders to enter the Maldives was unacceptable. He also reiterated the Indian

• 
  US-Israeli attacks on Iran caused 1.5M tons of carbon emissions: Iranian President

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Wednesday that US and Israeli attacks on fuel facilities in Iran released 1.5 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, causing extensive environmental damage, Anadolu reports. Pezeshkian said at the COP31 UN climate summit in Turkiye that attacks on fuel facilities in Asaluyeh released 500,000 tons of carbon dioxide. In comparison, strikes on fuel storage tanks near Tehran produced another 1 million tons. Israeli strikes targeted oil storage facilities in Tehran on March 7, while gas processing facilities in Asaluyeh in southern Iran were hit March 18. The president accused Washington and Tel Aviv of causing severe environmental destruction during the military offensive, which began Feb. 28. He said the attacks highlighted a contradiction

• 
  Turkiye can turn climate promises into action at COP31

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  Climate diplomacy earns public trust when it delivers cleaner air, reliable water supplies and affordable energy. As COP31 gathers in Antalya, Turkiye has an opportunity to turn international commitments into practical cooperation, with benefits extending far beyond its borders. In his opening address on 11th November, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called for a conference centred on implementation. His emphasis on accessible climate finance, vulnerable countries and the environmental consequences of war offers a clear direction. The challenge is to translate that vision into lasting results. For me, environmental cooperation with Europe has a personal history. On 21st December 2009, while I was Turkiye’s Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator, we opened Chapter 27 on Environment in our accession negotiations

• 
  Yemeni army says 138 Houthis killed, injured in recent military operations

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  The Yemeni Defense Ministry said Wednesday that 138 Houthi fighters were recently killed or injured in military operations across several fronts, Anadolu reports. In a statement on US social media company X by Armed Forces spokesperson Col. Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili, the ministry said the operations were carried out in recent hours as part of Operation Dawn of Yemen, targeting Houthi positions, commanders, reinforcements and military equipment. It said government forces conducted 23 airstrikes, 44 drone strikes, 37 rocket artillery attacks and 773 field artillery strikes against Houthi positions and fortifications. The operations killed or injured 138 Houthi fighters, including field commanders allegedly trained by experts from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), it said. READ: UN Population Fund says over 13,000

• 
  Netanyahu’s bloc loses 1st vote in new Israeli Knesset as opposition secures majority

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc suffered its first parliamentary defeat in the newly elected Knesset on Wednesday, as opposition and Arab parties secured a majority in a vote to establish the Arrangements Committee, Anadolu reports. The proposal passed by 63 votes to 50, with Roy Folkman of Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party set to chair the committee. In a statement on its website, the Knesset said lawmakers approved the proposal submitted by Folkman to establish the committee and determine its composition. Under the approved arrangement, Netanyahu’s Likud party will hold five seats on the committee, while Yesh Atid, the Joint List, the Democrats and the United Arab List (Ra’am) will each have two. Yisrael Beiteinu, Otzma Yehudit, United Torah Judaism,

• 
  World at ‘global tipping point’ as Hormuz energy disruption shakes markets, climate targets at risk: EU

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said Wednesday that the world is at a “global tipping point” amid disruptions to energy supplies and intensifying climate challenges, Anadolu reports. “At the same time as the climate crisis is unfolding, disruption of energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz is shaking global energy markets,” von der Leyen told the high-level segment of the COP31 UN climate summit in Antalya. “The world is witnessing the cost of continuing with the status quo for our climate and for energy security, we are at a global tipping point,” she said. Citing devastating floods in Nepal, droughts from Sudan to Central America and “one of the worst wildfire seasons on record” in Europe, she said

• 
  Gaza’s floods are no accident, but the result of Israel’s destruction of its infrastructure

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  At least six people have been killed as torrential rain once again floods Gaza. On 8 November, Gaza’s Civil Defence said a woman and four children had been killed when a sand embankment collapsed onto tents sheltering displaced families in Deir al-Balah, in central Gaza. An infant was also reported to have drowned. The woman was identified as Tahrir Nabhan, and two of the children killed were reported to be her own. Flooding began on Friday 6 November as heavy rain and strong winds swept across the Strip. Gaza’s Government Media Office said at least 70,000 tents were flooded within the first 12 hours of the storm, and the Health Ministry later said 350,000 displaced Palestinians were left sleeping in

• 
  Iraq has lost more than 50% of agricultural land to climate change: President

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  President Nizar Amidi said Wednesday that Iraq has lost more than 50% of its agricultural land to accelerating climate change, urging greater international support for countries facing its effects, Anadolu reports. “Accelerating climate change has led to the loss of more than 50% of our agricultural land and an unprecedented rise in desertification rates,” he said during the opening day of the high-level segment for heads of state and government at the COP31 UN climate conference in Antalya. Amidi said successive wars and deteriorating political and economic conditions had weakened Iraq’s ability to adapt. About 20,000 people had been forced to leave their homes after losing their livelihoods, he said, and indicated that climate change had also disrupted ecosystems and

• 
  UK premier vows to continue pressure on Israel to allow aid into Gaza

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Wednesday that the humanitarian situation in Gaza remains “heartbreaking,” adding that his government is doing “everything” possible to pressure Israel to allow necessary aid into the territory, Anadolu reports. “The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains heartbreaking,” Burnham said during the weekly Prime Minister’s Questions session in the House of Commons. His comments came after he was asked about the recent storm in Gaza, which flooded more than 70,000 tents and brought down dozens of war-damaged walls, according to the Government Media Office. “We are doing everything that we can to put pressure on the Israeli government to allow the necessary aid into Gaza and to lift the restrictions on it,” the prime minister added.

• 
  Republicans lost the election. Trump keeps talking

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  I am not fascinated by Donald Trump in the way an Irish friend of mine once was. Yet journalism has its own logic. Some public figures simply refuse to grant you the luxury of ignoring them. They remain in the headlines, dominate public debate, and linger in everyday conversation. Just when you think their story is drawing to a close, another chapter forces its way onto the front page. Last week, Republicans suffered a bruising defeat in the midterm elections. The party’s standing in Congress weakened. Questions began to swirl around key figures in the administration, including Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth. Trump himself acknowledged that the war with Iran had contributed to the Republicans’ losses.  Yet one thing remained unchanged.

• 
  Israel detains 11 foreign activists, deports 12 for supporting Palestinian farmers in occupied West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  Israel has detained 11 foreign activists and deported 12 others from the occupied West Bank while they were taking part in activities supporting Palestinian farmers against attacks by Israeli occupiers, the coordinator of the Palestinian “Fazaa” campaign said, Anadolu reports. In an interview with Anadolu, campaign coordinator Mohammed Matar said “around 800 foreign activists, including diplomats, had participated in the campaign’s activities since it was launched on Sept. 28 to support Palestinian farmers and communities targeted by occupiers.” According to Matar, Israeli authorities detained 11 activists in the al-Bawabeer area of Masafer Yatta, while 12 international activists were deported from the village of Kafr Ni’ma, west of Ramallah. The detainees in Masafer Yatta hold Italian, German, American and Hungarian citizenship,

• 
  Israeli army, occupiers carry out over 1,180 arson attacks in occupied West Bank over 3 years

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  The Israeli army and occupiers carried out 1,182 arson attacks targeting Palestinian property and land in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, between Oct. 7, 2023, and Sept. 30, 2026, according to official Palestinian figures, Anadolu reports. The Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission said in a statement Wednesday that 809 attacks targeted property, vehicles and facilities, while 373 others affected Palestinian land. The central West Bank governorate of Ramallah and al-Bireh and the northern governorate of Nablus alone recorded 711 attacks, accounting for 60.2% of the total, the commission said. The statement came after Israeli occupiers set fire early Wednesday to more than 100 vehicles at a lot used to collect old and damaged cars in the village

• 
  BBC presenters put Israel’s case in 252 interviews but the Palestinian case in only 15, study finds

  by EditorMehdi on November 11, 2026

  BBC News presenters repeatedly put Israel’s position to guests who criticised its conduct in Gaza, but rarely put the Palestinian position to guests who defended Israel, a new study of three years of the corporation’s coverage of the Gaza genocide has found. The study, BBC: The Would Say Files, was published on 5 November by the media monitoring platform NewsCord and written by Nima Akram. It examined broadcast interviews and written articles from October 2023 to this month.  The researchers searched the subtitles of more than 51,000 BBC News channel programmes for phrases such as ‘Israel would say’, then checked each result by hand to confirm that a presenter was putting one side’s position to a guest from the other