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

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  Syrian Sovereign Fund, UAE developer sign $7B deal for major Damascus project: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  The Syrian Sovereign Fund and UAE real estate developer Arada signed a deal worth around $7 billion on Monday for a major residential and commercial project in Damascus, Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported. The “New Damascus” project will cover some 4 million square meters (43 million square feet) and include 11,000 residential units, according to SANA. It will also include hotels, healthcare and educational facilities, offices, commercial spaces and recreational areas, the agency said. The deal marks Arada’s first project in Syria and was signed in Damascus by Ahmed al-Khushaybi, the company’s CEO; and Mohammed al-Khayyat, CEO of the sovereign fund’s real estate development sector. Mazen al-Salhani, chairman of the Syrian Sovereign Fund, said the agreement also includes plans

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  Germany faults Israel over closed probe into World Central Kitchen strike

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Germany on Monday criticized Israel for not pursuing a criminal investigation into the deadly 2024 strike on a World Central Kitchen convoy in Gaza, Anadolu reports. “We regret the IDF (Israel army) announcement on Aug. 19, 2026, that it would not initiate an investigation into the incident involving employees of the organization World Central Kitchen,” a German Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement. The spokesman said the German government expects Israel to comply with its humanitarian and international legal obligations. “This also includes the investigation and prosecution of violations of international humanitarian law,” he said. “The government continues to call for a transparent and comprehensive investigation into the incident by the competent Israeli authorities,” he added. The Israeli army

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  Jerusalem private schools suspend classes over Israeli entry permit restrictions

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Palestinian private schools in occupied East Jerusalem announced Monday that they will suspend classes starting Tuesday until further notice, protesting Israel’s failure to renew entry permits for a large number of teachers and staff from the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. The decision came as the 2026-2027 school year is scheduled to begin Tuesday in Jerusalem. Private school owners said in a statement that the suspension was prompted by Israeli authorities’ failure to renew entry permits for “a large number of teachers and staff without prior notice.” They said schools’ lack of preparedness in health, hygiene, security and safety measures posed an additional obstacle to the start of a safe and stable academic year. Classes will resume “immediately after all

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  UN ‘very concerned’ over Gaza civilian deaths as Israel continues ceasefire breaches

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  The UN expressed concern Monday over the rising civilian deaths in Gaza amid continued Israeli airstrikes and military operations that have repeatedly violated the enclave’s ceasefire, Anadolu Agency reports. “We continue to remain very concerned about the impact on civilians because of the continued Israeli airstrikes,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters. Dujarric highlighted reports that a young boy was among recent fatalities and that a strike damaged the Al-Aqsa Hospital compound in Deir al-Balah. Medical sources said a 3-year-old child and a young man were killed over the weekend when Israeli forces shelled a group of civilians. Dujarric stressed that civilians and civilian infrastructure “must always be protected.” The UN also warned that preparations for the upcoming rainy season

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  Turkiye, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia agree to further institutionalize cooperation under Mecca defense pact: Joint statement

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia agreed on Monday to take steps to further institutionalize their cooperation under the Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense, according to a joint statement issued after the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee in Istanbul, Anadolu reports. “Acting with a sense of regional ownership, the three countries reiterate their determination to work together within the framework of the Mecca Agreement to achieve sustainable peace and stability in their region,” the statement said. “To that end, they will continue to support efforts towards de-escalation and restraint to encourage peaceful resolution of crises,” it added. The three countries agreed to further institutionalize their cooperation “in a manner that would enhance their solidarity, ensure the credibility

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  Trump ‘sending message’ to Iran with Kharg bombing video: US vice president

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  US Vice President JD Vance said on Monday that US President Donald Trump is utilizing social media to deliver a warning to Iranian leadership following the release of a video depicting the destruction of strategic infrastructure, Anadolu reports. “I think that he’s sending a message to the Iranians,” Vance told reporters at Joint Base Andrews. Vance characterized Trump’s message as saying Iran was “behaving like a terrorist country” and warned that if the attacks did not cease, “there are going to be some consequences.” Vance noted that Trump remains committed to using “a lot of tools at our disposal” to protect maritime transit. READ: US to respond to Iranian attacks on forces in Middle East: Trump The remarks follow a post

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  Far-right Israeli minister storms Al-Aqsa Mosque under police protection

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Monday under police protection, with circulating images showing him performing prayers inside, Anadolu reports. Ben-Gvir entered the compound accompanied by police guards and several Israeli occupiers, an official from the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity. Images circulated on social media showed the minister performing prayers in the eastern section of the mosque. Ben-Gvir, the leader of the far-right Jewish Power party, has stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound several times, drawing widespread Palestinian, Arab, Islamic and international condemnation. READ: Ben-Gvir’s visit to Palestinian female prisoners’ cells draws criticism Monday’s incursion came nearly two months before Israel’s general elections,

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  Israeli explosions cause collapse of part of Al-Qantara mountain in Lebanon: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  A series of powerful Israeli explosions caused part of Al-Qantara mountain in southern Lebanon to collapse Monday, the Lebanese National News Agency reported. The collapse followed several “powerful and consecutive” Israeli blasts that shook the area in the Marjayoun district, according to the news agency. Israeli drones also flew at low altitude over several towns in the Tyre district and over Beirut’s southern suburbs, it said. Earlier Monday, the agency reported that Israeli forces carried out a major blast near Beaufort Castle in the Nabatieh district, while artillery fire struck several nearby towns. Beaufort Castle, a 12th-century landmark overlooking the Litani River near Arnoun, has long held strategic importance because of its elevated position. READ: Lebanon welcomes Araghchi, urges Iran to

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  EASA extends flight warning for Gulf until September 30

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has extended its flight warning for the Gulf region until September 30, 2026, due to increasing geopolitical risks in the region, Anadolu reports. The Cologne-based agency updated its warning under the Conflict Zone Information Bulletin for the Middle East and the Gulf on Monday. Accordingly, the civil flight warning over the Gulf, covering the airspace of Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE, has been extended until September 30, 2026. The new advisory came after military tensions between the US and Iran escalated for the first time since the end of July. EASA has also narrowed its general recommendation that previously advised avoiding all airspace of the countries in question. READ: US to respond to Iranian

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  5 Palestinians killed, several others injured in Israeli attacks on Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Five Palestinians were killed and several others injured Monday in Israeli attacks in various parts of the Gaza Strip, amid the Israeli army’s continued violations of a ceasefire agreement in place since October 2025, Anadolu reports. Three Palestinians were killed and several others injured when an Israeli drone struck a civilian vehicle in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood of southern Gaza City, a medical source told Anadolu Agency. Their bodies were taken to Al-Shifa Hospital. Earlier Monday, two Palestinians were killed and others injured when an Israeli drone strike targeted the entrance of a residential building near Gaza Municipality Park in central Gaza City, a medical source told Anadolu Agency. In another incident, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a

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  Saudi Arabia committed to activating Mecca defense pact mechanisms: Defense minister

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Saudi Arabia is committed to activating mechanisms under the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement to strengthen integration and advance security and stability, Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said Monday, Anadolu reports. “I was pleased to lead the Kingdom’s delegation in the first Meeting of the Strategic Political Defense Committee,” Prince Khalid said on US social media platform X. “We affirmed our commitment to activating the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement pathways in a way that strengthens integration and advances security and stability,” he added. READ: Saudi Arabia reaffirms no normalisation with Israel without Palestinian state Türkiye is hosting the inaugural meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee, established under the agreement to provide strategic direction for its implementation. The committee brings together

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  1,014 Palestinian athletes killed by Israel during Gaza genocide: Sports official

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  The number of Palestinian athletes killed by Israel in its genocide on the Gaza Strip has risen to 1,014, including players, coaches, referees and Palestinian Football Association officials, a Palestinian sports official told Anadolu Agency. The toll increased after Jabalia Services Club player Abdel Fattah Abu al-Aish was killed Saturday when an Israeli strike hit an electric motorcycle operated by a private delivery company in Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa neighborhood, Palestinian Sports Media Federation Secretary-General Mustafa Siam said. Abu al-Aish had been preparing with his team to compete in the Thousand Martyrs’ Cup, a tournament organized by the Palestinian Football Association that was scheduled to begin Sept. 4, Siam said. His death comes amid “continued Israeli attacks on Palestinian sports,”

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  US interested in ‘continuing war,’ Iranian president says in talks with India’s Modi

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Monday said that the US was interested in “continuing the war,” in remarks during a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Anadolu reports. The two leaders met in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek on the sidelines of the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency. Iran adhered to its commitments stemming from a Pakistan-mediated framework deal with the US, Pezeshkian said, accusing Washington of not fulfilling its commitments. “However, we continue to try to realize the path of agreement and understanding and believe that the continuation of the war is neither in our interest, nor in the interest of the region, nor in the interest of humanity,” he said. The solution

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  Israel establishes new illegal settlement southeast of Jenin in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Israeli authorities established a new illegal settlement on land in the Jenin governorate in the northern occupied West Bank on Monday, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa. The settlement, named “Noa,” was established south of the “Ganim” and “Kadim” settlements on Palestinian land southeast of Jenin, Wafa said. “A ceremony marking the establishment of the settlement was held in the presence of several Israeli ministers and Knesset members,” it said. The agency added that the move reflects “growing official Israeli support for settlement expansion in the occupied Palestinian territories.” Wafa warned that the new settlement was established “amid the escalating Israeli settlement project in the northern West Bank, particularly in areas from which Israeli settlements were evacuated in

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  56 days before Israeli elections, Prime Minister Netanyahu grows weaker: Analysis

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  With 56 days left until Israel’s elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears increasingly weakened as his rivals gain ground, Anadolu reports. Israel’s Knesset elections are scheduled for Oct. 27, with polls showing declining support for Netanyahu and his Likud party. Netanyahu views the vote as decisive for his political and personal future as he faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust. In addition to corruption charges, Netanyahu has faced an International Criminal Court arrest warrant since 2024 on charges related to war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. He sees remaining in power as protection from a possible criminal conviction, as Israel’s Central Court continues to hear the corruption case against him. Netanyahu hopes the election

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  Mecca defense agreement launches process for ‘new regional security, cooperation architecture’: Turkish foreign minister

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  The Mecca defense agreement has launched a process to establish a “new security and cooperation architecture” in the region, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Monday, Anadolu reports. Speaking in Istanbul following the first meeting under the trilateral agreement between Turkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, Fidan said: “With this agreement, the process of testing a new security and cooperation architecture in our region has begun.” Regional countries urgently need to act together for security, stability, prosperity and lasting peace, he added. Fidan attended the meeting at Istanbul’s Ciragan Palace alongside Turkish National Defense Minister Yasar Guler and Chief of General Staff Gen. Selcuk Bayraktaroglu. Pakistan’s delegation included Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif and army chief Field

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  Trump calls for war crimes trial of Iranian leadership over alleged protesters’ deaths

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  US President Donald Trump on Monday said the Iranian leadership should face trial for crimes against humanity following allegations that it has killed over 100,000 protesters, Anadolu reports. “They must be tried for war crimes against humanity,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. He characterized Iran as “officially a failed nation” with a leadership in “total disarray.” “They have no Navy, they have no Air Force, they have no currency,” the US president claimed. “It is dead,” he said, noting that the only assets remaining for Tehran are “fake news” from the US and a “willingness to kill their protesters,” alleging a death toll of 100,000 demonstrators. There has been no independent confirmation of the alleged 100,000 deaths.

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  Israeli army demolishes 3 Palestinian buildings, detains 7 in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  The Israeli army demolished three Palestinian buildings and detained seven Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, according to witnesses and Palestinian sources. Witnesses told Anadolu Agency that Israeli military units raided the Taawun Ulwi area of Nablus in the northern West Bank. Israeli forces demolished a home belonging to Palestinian Omar Saad, claiming it was built in Area C. Saad said he had received a demolition notice on Friday, adding that the three-story house had been home to three families on each floor, with a total of 10 people living in the building. READ: Smotrich calls for removal of 40 Palestinian memorials in West Bank within 24 hours He said he would continue to remain on the site even if the

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  Iraqi premier rejects proposal to keep some international coalition forces beyond Sept. 30

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi has rejected a proposal to keep some international coalition forces in Iraq beyond Sept. 30, government spokesman Haider al-Aboudi said Monday, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a press conference cited by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), Al-Aboudi said the government is continuing procedures and commitments to restrict weapons, regulate their use and unify decision-making. He said talks with factions are “proceeding regularly,” adding that the process will be completed before Sept. 30. “State decisions are built on the basis of national interests,” Al-Aboudi said, describing the talks as positive and adding that the next stage would be based on cooperation and mutual interests. He said Al-Zaidi rejected a proposal for some coalition forces to remain after Sept.

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  Scottish government urged to fully implement sanctions against Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  The Scottish Greens have called on Scotland’s first minister to fully implement boycott and sanctions measures against Israel in his upcoming Programme for Government, according to media reports on Monday, Anadolu reports. “The Programme for Government must be the moment that changes. We need clear commitments and a plan to end Scotland’s complicity in the systemic abuse of Palestinians,” Scottish Greens MSP Patrick Harvie was quoted by Scottish daily The National as saying. The call comes after the Scottish Greens repeatedly urged First Minister John Swinney to end contracts with companies identified by UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk as being involved in Israeli settlement activity in the occupied West Bank. The Greens are also calling for local authorities

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  Israel, Greece sign €3B defense deal for ‘multi-layered’ air defense network

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Israel and Greece have signed an approximately €3 billion ($3.5 billion) defense deal, dubbed “Achilles Shield,” to provide Greece with its first integrated, “multi-layered” air defense network, Anadolu reports. The system will integrate Israel’s Spyder, Barak MX and David’s Sling air defense systems, the Israeli Defense Ministry said in a statement. The agreement was signed in Tel Aviv in the presence of senior officials from both countries, the ministry said. A separate €26 million ($30 million) deal was also signed for Rafael’s Drone Dome systems “to defend strategic sites against UAVs and drones and to reinforce existing defenses.” The two countries will also “expand industrial defense cooperation, including the transfer of knowledge and technology to the local industry,” the statement added.

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  Israeli police clash with ultra-Orthodox Jew protesters over military service

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Israeli police and ultra-Orthodox Jewish protesters clashed in Tel Aviv on Monday during a demonstration against military service, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the police said demonstrators blocked roads near the Tel Hashomer recruitment office as officers moved to disperse the anti-draft protest. Officers repeatedly warned demonstrators through loudspeakers before accusing them of “disturbing public order,” blocking roads and clashing with police, it said. Video footage showed police officers forcibly removing protesters from a street near the recruitment office in Tel Hashomer. The Jerusalem Post reported that dozens of ultra-Orthodox protesters tried Monday morning to block roads leading to the recruitment office. The protest aimed to prevent the recruitment of ultra-Orthodox Jews into the army. The demonstrators slept on the ground

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  US to respond to Iranian attacks on forces in Middle East: Trump

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States will retaliate against Iran following missile and drone attacks on American forces in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). “We’re going to hit them hard. There will be a response,” Trump told Fox News. He noted that US air defense systems intercepted most of the incoming fire. One missile was identified as “not going to hit anything significant,” and US forces allowed it to pass through the airspace, Trump said. READ: US strikes Iranian launchers on Larak Island, marking first attacks in weeks The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Monday it had struck the King Hussein and Azraq airbases in Jordan with ballistic missiles while also targeting Al

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  Iran says US strikes on Kharg Island did not stop oil production

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  An Iranian official said on Monday that Iran’s Kharg Island was bombed “several times by the US-Israeli enemy,” adding, however, that the strikes did not stop oil production on the island, Anadolu reports. The remarks by the CEO of Iran’s national oil company came in response to US President Donald Trump’s earlier remarks saying that “Kharg Island being blown to smithereens,” according to Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency. Calling Trump’s comments “laughable,” the outlet quoted the official as saying: “As I speak to you, several contractors are carrying out operations to rebuild and renovate storage tanks.” READ: Iran fires missiles from multiple locations toward regional targets: Report “None of the ongoing work on Kharg has stopped. Some projects are currently 20% to

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  The Israeli occupation forces struck a car in the Tal al-Hawa area, west of Gaza City, resulting in casualties

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  WATCH: Palestinian families bury 50 recovered bodies from beneath the rubbles

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  Former Israeli premier says Israel associated with ‘genocide’ among US students

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Israel has become associated with “genocide” among American students, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said, Anadolu reports. “For the first time since the establishment of the State of Israel, among the American public, Israel has become a negative brand,” Bennett said in a recent interview. “If you ask an American student, ‘Israel — what comes to mind?’ They say genocide. That’s the situation,” Bennett said. Drawing a comparison with how countries are commonly associated with symbols, he added: “You say Italy — ‘pasta, spaghetti.’ You say Israel — ‘baby killers.’” Bennett rejected that perception, saying: “Obviously, that isn’t true and it isn’t fair, but that is the situation.” He also blamed part of the shift in public opinion on what

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  Washington has two failed peace deals and both failed the same way

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  The sixty-day window that Washington and Tehran gave themselves to end their war expired on August 17 without an agreement, leaving the two sides deadlocked over the Strait of Hormuz and the future of frozen Iranian funds. Europe offers no better news, since formal peace talks between Russia and Ukraine have not reconvened since the bombing of Iran began in late February. Two American-brokered frameworks now lie dead within six months of one another, and the instinct in Washington will be to treat them as unrelated misfortunes with unrelated causes. They are not unrelated in the slightest, and the thread running between them has nothing to do with bad luck or the bad faith of adversaries. Both collapsed because the

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  Finnish opposition party calls extension of defence deal with Israel a “historic shame”

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Part of the Finnish opposition has strongly criticised the extension of a defence cooperation memorandum with Israel, which was reportedly renewed “secretly” until 2034, Israeli media reported on Sunday. Channel 12, citing the Israeli financial newspaper Globes and Finnish media reports, said Sofia Virta, leader of the opposition Green League party, described the Finnish government’s policy on the issue as a “historic shame”. Virta criticised the government’s move to deepen ties with Israel instead of putting more pressure on it over the ongoing war in the region, referring to the conflict with Iran, according to the report. READ: German Left Party opposes Volkswagen’s planned defence deal with Israeli firm Meanwhile, Finnish Defence Minister Antti Häkkänen defended the agreement, saying the recently

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  US deports dozens to Central African Republic, including Afghan man who aided US military

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  The United States has deported dozens of people to the Central African Republic, including an Afghan national who had previously been granted protection by a US judge from deportation to Afghanistan over fears he could face persecution by the Taliban. The Associated Press quoted his lawyer, Alma David, as saying that the Afghan man, who is around 20 years old, had been granted protection from deportation to Afghanistan because of concerns over possible persecution by the Taliban. She said the man’s family in Afghanistan had received threats from the Taliban because of the work carried out by his brothers in support of the US military. READ: Afghan government urges its citizens stranded in Qatar while awaiting US visas to return home

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  Israeli rabbi calls for Palestinians’ expulsion from occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  An Israeli rabbi has called for Palestinians to be expelled from the occupied West Bank, claiming that non-Jews have no national rights in what he described as the “land of Israel,” Anadolu reports. In footage published Sunday by Al Jazeera English, Menachem Ben Shahar is heard telling a group that Arabs who refuse to accept Jewish sovereignty should leave the territory. Ben Shahar also said that even a 5-year-old child “loses his right to exist” if the child’s parents are considered “enemies,” according to the broadcaster. READ: Palestine calls for int’l action to end Israel’s ‘suffocating siege’ on West Bank town The date and precise location of the encounter were not immediately clear. Israeli police detained and questioned Ben Shahar in October 2025

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  Erdogan: Turkish army is going through its strongest period

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday that the Turkish army is going through its strongest period today. Erdogan made the remarks in a speech at The National Defense University Military Academies Graduation and Flag Handover Ceremony is held at the Turkish Military Academy in Ankara. He said the National Defence University is strengthening its standing globally year after year. “We are, so to speak, competing with ourselves in the defence industry, where we have raised the rate of domestic production to more than 82 per cent,” he said.  Erdogan also said that over the past ten years, they had succeeded in purging the army and military colleges of members of the Gulen “terrorist organisation”. READ: Report: Turkish warships force

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  The EU’s complicity with Israel renders support for UNRWA negligible

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  The EU, as well as individual European countries, have criticised Israel’s forced entry at the Qalandia Vocational Training Centre and the seizure of UNRWA’s installations in East Jerusalem. In a statement that reads as futile as any other, Israel was urged to “honour its obligations and to halt all disruptions to UNRWA’s activities and operations without delay.” Israel’s response was typical – according to its Foreign Ministry, the EU and individual European countries are supporting “an organisation that is a breeding ground for terrorism.” Terrorism, according to Israel, was the reason UNRWA was banned from operating in the occupied Palestinian territories. It referenced a recent US Agency for International Development report which stated that over 100 current or former UNRWA

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  Lebanon welcomes Araghchi, urges Iran to deal with state institutions

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Beirut has welcomed Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi keenness to establish good relations with the Lebanese government, while saying that “rationality requires dealing with states first, rather than with internal parties or factions”. On Friday, Araghchi said in comments carried by Al-Alam TV that Iran wanted “good relations with all groups and factions in Lebanon, and we are ready for good relations with the Lebanese government”. “Of course, we do not agree with some of the Lebanese government’s policies, and we hope the Lebanese Foreign Ministry will show more rationality,” he added. READ: Israeli forces raise flag on under-construction building in southern Lebanon On Sunday, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it “welcomes the Iranian foreign minister’s keenness

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  Smotrich calls for removal of 40 Palestinian memorials in West Bank within 24 hours

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to instruct the Israeli military to dismantle 40 Palestinian memorials across the occupied West Bank within 24 hours, according to Israeli media reports. Smotrich made the request in an official letter to Netanyahu following controversy surrounding the demolition of a memorial that Israeli authorities said commemorated a Palestinian responsible for attacks against Israelis. According to Israel’s Channel 14, Smotrich said the removal of such memorials was necessary as part of efforts to assert what he described as “state sovereignty” and combat what he called “infrastructure of terrorism and incitement.” Smotrich reportedly attached a list identifying 40 memorials across the West Bank that he said commemorate Palestinians involved in

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  Israeli media: Senior RSF commander Abdel Rahim Dagalo secretly visited Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Senior Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander Abdel Rahim Dagalo has made several secret visits to Israel, according to a report by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan). Dagalo, the brother of RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as Hemedti, is one of the most senior figures in the paramilitary force, which has been fighting the Sudanese Armed Forces since April 2023. Kan reported that Dagalo had visited Israel on several occasions but did not provide details in the report about the timing, purpose or officials involved in the alleged visits. READ: Hundreds of fighters, including commanders, defect from Sudan’s RSF, army says Dagalo has been subjected to international sanctions over allegations of serious human rights abuses connected to the

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  Report: Turkish warships force Israeli naval vessels to alter course in Mediterranean

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Turkish warships approached Israeli naval vessels in the Mediterranean Sea and forced them to alter their routes, according to a report by the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation (Kan). Kan, citing unnamed sources, reported that Turkish naval vessels approached Israeli ships operating in the Mediterranean and influenced the routes they were able to take. The report did not specify when or precisely where the encounters occurred. The reported encounters come amid heightened tensions between Turkey and Israel and an increased Turkish naval presence in the Eastern Mediterranean. READ: Tel Aviv raises concerns over Turkey’s new hypersonic missile as strategic threat to Israel Israeli media have recently reported several encounters involving Turkish and Israeli naval vessels in international waters. None of the reported

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  Report: Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to hold first meeting under Joint Defence Agreement

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Senior officials from Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan are expected to meet in Istanbul on Monday for the first committee meeting under a joint defence agreement signed earlier this month, according to a Reuters report, Anadolu reports. Reuters cited a Turkish Foreign Ministry source as saying that the three countries’ foreign ministers, defence ministers and military chiefs of staff would participate in the meeting. “International security issues will be on the agenda,” the source said. The talks are also expected to focus on strengthening defence capabilities and interoperability among the three countries’ armed forces, as well as expanding cooperation in defence industries, including the joint development and production of military equipment. READ: Saudi Arabia says Mecca Agreement with Turkiye, Pakistan ‘long-term’ deal to

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  Settlers begin infrastructure work at outpost east of Bethlehem

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Israeli settlers have begun infrastructure work at an outpost established near the village of Al-Maniya, southeast of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, according to a local Palestinian official, Anadolu reports. Ahmed Kawazba, head of the Al-Maniya village council, said on Sunday that work was progressing rapidly at the outpost in the Al-Qarn area, east of the village. Kawazba said land had been bulldozed and alleged that the infrastructure work was intended to facilitate the expansion of the outpost and eventually turn it into a permanent settlement. READ: 89% of property fires in West Bank caused by Israeli occupiers, says Palestinian commission He also reported continuing settler attacks and harassment targeting Al-Maniya residents, including damage to homes and vehicles, attempted livestock

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  Iran fires missiles from multiple locations toward regional targets: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Iran early Monday fired missiles from multiple locations across the country toward targets in the region, state television reported, Anadolu reports. Iran’s Press TV also reported missile fire directed toward US vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, without providing further details. Iranian state television separately reported explosions in the southern city of Sirik, saying they may be linked to Iranian attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. Senior Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi warned that retaliation is coming. “Test our will once more, and pay a heavier price,” Azizi wrote on US social media platform X. He added: “Retaliation is coming; just run!” Azizi also said testing Iran’s resolve again would only increase the cost of what he described as “humiliating defeats.”

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  Ben-Gvir’s visit to Palestinian female prisoners’ cells draws criticism

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has drawn criticism after footage showed him visiting cells holding Palestinian female prisoners and highlighting the stringent conditions imposed on detainees in Israeli prisons. The footage prompted criticism from Palestinian officials and commentators, who accused Ben-Gvir of seeking to publicly showcase the harsh conditions under which Palestinian prisoners are being held. Khaled Mahajneh, a lawyer with the Palestinian Authority’s Commission of Detainees and Ex-Detainees Affairs, said the footage offered a rare public view of conditions faced by Palestinian women in Israeli detention. “Perhaps the world will hear this time,” Mahajneh wrote on X, referring to female prisoners shown speaking from inside their cells about basic necessities they said they had been denied. READ: Israel’s national

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  Oil tanker hit by unidentified projectile off Oman: UKMTO

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  An oil tanker was hit by an unidentified projectile off the coast of the Omani city of Khasab, near the Strait of Hormuz, with no casualties or environmental damage reported, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) agency said on Sunday. In a statement, the agency said: “We received a time-late report of a maritime incident 12 nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman, where a tanker travelling towards the entrance to the Strait of Hormuz was struck by a projectile of unknown origin.” READ: Trump says millions of barrels of oil flowing through Strait of Hormuz UKMTO said the incident occurred on Saturday, adding that there were no casualties or environmental impact. It said the relevant authorities had launched an investigation to

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  US strikes Iranian launchers on Larak Island, marking first attacks in weeks

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  US forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, marking the first strikes on Iranian territory since late July, an official told Axios, Anadolu reports. The operation, which followed a month-long period of relative stagnation in direct military engagements, targeted systems allegedly being prepared to launch rockets carrying sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil transit point. According to the US official, American forces are “monitoring the area closely and remain prepared to protect the free flow of commerce” through the strategic waterway. The Strait of Hormuz narrows to just 39 kilometers (24 miles) between Larak Island and Oman’s Great Quoin Island. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said several fighters and civilians were killed

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Kelley Beaucar Vlahos:The D-Day Sanctions Against Iran: Will They Work or Backfire?

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Mark Pfeifeil: Trump says I stopped thinking about time, is this self-denial or self-deception?

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  Iran says it controls Strait of Hormuz and has stopped 30 ships from crossing

  by Mehdi Editor on August 31, 2026

  Iran has prevented 30 ships from making unauthorised crossings through the Strait of Hormuz since 22nd August, saying it has full control over maritime traffic in the area. The Mehr news agency quoted informed sources as saying that the armed forces had intercepted attempts to cross the waterway without authorisation. The sources said shipping through routes approved by Tehran is currently taking place at a minimal and limited level, subject to prior coordination and payment of the required fees. READ: Iran’s parliament speaker rejects US Treasury chief’s claims over economic pressure The sources said maritime freight traffic had fallen sharply compared with the period before the outbreak of the war in January 2026, when more than 1,500 oil tankers and 1,700

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  Islamabad, Riyadh agree to boost Pakistani agriculture and food exports to $3B in 2 years

  by Marwa A on August 30, 2026

  Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have agreed to boost Pakistani agricultural and food exports to the oil-rich kingdom up to $3 billion within the next two years, a joint statement on Sunday, Anadolu reports. According to the statement, shared by the prime minister’s office, the agreement was reached after talks between Saudi Arabia’s Agriculture Ministry and Pakistan’s Food Security Ministry, at the initiative of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The development comes after a Saudi delegation led by Environment, Water and Agriculture Minister Abdulrahman A. Alfadley visited Islamabad last week. The Pakistani side was led by National Food Security and Research Minister Rana Tanvir Hussain. Sharif also met the Saudi delegation and discussed potential areas of bilateral cooperation. The two sides identified

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  Turkiye mobilised all resources after passenger ship capsize off Northern Cyprus: President Erdogan

  by Marwa A on August 30, 2026

  Trkiye has mobilised all available resources after the capsizing of a passenger ship sailing from Kyrenia to Mersin’s Tasucu port, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday, Anadolu reports. In a statement on Turkish social media platform NSosyal, Erdogan offered his well wishes to the Turkish nation and Turkish Cypriot people over the accident. “Immediately after the accident, we launched extensive search and rescue operations in cooperation with the authorities of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus,” he said. “As a result of these efforts, 237 passengers and crew members were rescued safely, while unfortunately seven of our brothers and sisters lost their lives,” Erdogan added. He said efforts to reach those still missing were continuing uninterrupted, expressing hope for

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  Culinary larceny: Why the true history of Palestine belongs to the soil, not the Israeli kitchen

  by Marwa A on August 30, 2026

  If you want to spark an absolute inferno of geopolitical passion over Palestine, you do not need to see the odious Benjamin Netanyahu swagger into the UN waving his map of a Greater Israel with expanded borders, trashed treaties and stolen lands. You simply need to walk into a kitchen and ask who owns the hummus. Food is the ultimate archive of identity. There is a specific type of cultural larceny that occurs when Israelis brazenly attempt to claim indigenous Levantine staples like hummus, falafel or couscous as their own national creations. It is a soft-power effort to consume the culture of the very people they are actively displacing and ethnically cleansing from the land. This cultural appropriation is visible

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  Israel’s national security minister ‘pleased’ with harsh conditions of Palestinian prisoners

  by Marwa A on August 30, 2026

  Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir said Sunday that he is “pleased” with the harsh treatment of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, adding that he is directly responsible for the prison conditions, Anadolu reports. His remarks came in a video released on the US social media company X during which he was talking to Palestinian female prisoners. “The conditions here are very bad, and we women are not afforded any special rights, such as access to personal necessities,” a Palestinian prisoner said in the video. “This is our third day without showers. We are not receiving medical treatment, and our clothes are not clean,” she added. “The good conditions that used to exist in the prisons are over,” Ben-Gvir responded

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  Nearly 20,000 people displaced by escalating fighting in Sudan’s Blue Nile: Local group

  by Marwa A on August 30, 2026

  Nearly 20,000 people have been displaced in Sudan’s Blue Nile state due to deteriorating security conditions and escalating risks facing residents, according to a local relief group on Sunday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Geissan Emergency Room said that the City 12 area in Geissan locality was experiencing a new wave of displacement involving residents and displaced civilians staying in shelters. Initial estimates indicate that “the number of displaced people is approaching 20,000, including families, children, women and elderly people,” it added. The displaced people have scattered across several areas, including Shira, Abu Qami and Al-Hilla Al-Qadima, as well as Wad Al-Mahi locality to the east, while others headed to shelters in the city of Damazin, the group said.

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  Masked Israeli occupiers attack Palestinian woman, NBC News crew in occupied West Bank

  by Marwa A on August 30, 2026

  Masked Israeli occupiers attacked and injured a Palestinian woman and three members of an NBC News team in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, the US broadcaster reported, Anadolu reports. The journalists were interviewing Aida Ahmed Abdullah, 51, and her family in the Palestinian town of Jalud, near Nablus, when the attack occurred. Abdullah told the team that Israeli occupiers had forced her family from their home. She and the journalists were walking down a hill toward the house when a vehicle with Israeli license plates reversed toward them, according to video footage of the incident. At least four masked men then got out of the vehicle and attacked Abdullah and the journalists with sticks and rocks, NBC News reported.