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

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  What a Somali-British MP Reveals About Europe’s Hijab Obsession

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  What would George Orwell make of today’s debates over identity, integration, and the Muslim veil in Europe? It is an impossible question, of course. Orwell has been dead for more than seventy years. Yet one of literature’s great privileges is that it allows us to bring the dead back into contemporary arguments, if only as witnesses against our assumptions. To imagine Orwell’s answer, it is worth returning to his lesser-known observations from Morocco in 1938. His notes were never intended as a comprehensive study of Moroccan society, nor should they be treated as one today. Yet they remain striking precisely because they were written by an Englishman who arrived with inherited assumptions and left with a more complicated picture than

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  Overland lifelines under pressure: Iran’s trade with its neighbours

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  Iran is turning to its land borders for ways to keep trade moving as the U.S. naval blockade constrains shipping. But these routes are best seen as a buffer, not a substitute for maritime trade. They can help move selected goods, give merchants more options, and support businesses in border regions. They cannot make up for lost oil revenue, and they depend on infrastructure and political cooperation that Iran cannot control alone. The recent suspension of trade at two crossings with Pakistan is a reminder that land routes, too, can be disrupted with little warning. The blockade and the shift to land The loss of crude exports is at the heart of the problem. Citing Vortexa, Reuters reported that Iran’s

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  Lavrov says Trump’s Gaza plan remains ‘ink on paper,’ calls for Palestinian statehood

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Sunday that US President Donald Trump’s plan for the Gaza Strip remains “ink on paper,” arguing that the principles outlined in the initiative have not been respected. Lavrov made the remarks during the ninth ministerial meeting of the strategic dialogue between Russia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), held in Bahrain’s capital, Manama. According to remarks reported by Sputnik Arabic, Lavrov criticized the lack of progress in implementing the US-backed initiative and said the prospect of a political settlement leading to an independent Palestinian state remained distant. The Russian foreign minister also praised regional mediation efforts aimed at preventing further escalation, emphasizing the need for solutions that address the underlying causes of regional conflicts.

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  Iraq seeks to host talks between Iran and Gulf States in Baghdad

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said Sunday that Baghdad is working to organise a meeting between Iran and Gulf states as part of diplomatic efforts to narrow differences and promote regional stability. Speaking at the conclusion of the 52nd session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hussein said Iraq was maintaining contacts with both sides to facilitate dialogue. “There are ongoing communications between Iraq, the Gulf states, and Iran aimed at bringing their perspectives closer together,” Hussein said, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). “We are working to hold a meeting in Baghdad between Iran and the Gulf states,” he added, without specifying a date or the level of representation expected. The

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  Gaza security-linked website warns of increased Israeli intelligence activity ahead of parliamentary elections

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  A website affiliated with Palestinian armed groups’ security networks has warned of increased Israeli intelligence activity in the Gaza Strip ahead of Israel’s parliamentary elections scheduled for 27th October, raising concerns about possible targeted assassinations. On Sunday, Al-Majd Security, a website described as close to the security apparatus of armed groups in Gaza, reported that field observations and intelligence assessments indicated heightened Israeli surveillance activity across the territory. The website cited an increased presence of Israeli unmanned aerial vehicles, including surveillance drones locally known as zannana, as an indication of intensified intelligence operations. It also reported that other drones had been observed flying at low altitudes near residential areas, prompting concerns about potential surprise attacks. READ: Secret meeting held between US

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  Winter rains deepen Gaza’s humanitarian crisis as displaced families face severe shelter shortages

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  The return of winter rains is worsening humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, where widespread destruction, repeated displacement and shortages of adequate shelter have left hundreds of thousands of Palestinians exposed to cold weather and flooding. According to figures compiled by Arabi21 from government authorities and United Nations agencies, many displaced families are living in deteriorating tents or damaged buildings that provide little protection against rain and falling temperatures. Field assessments indicate that more than 162,000 of approximately 270,000 tents in Gaza have become worn out or completely unusable because of prolonged use and exposure to harsh weather. Gaza’s Ministry of Social Development has called for the urgent provision of 200,000 weather-resistant tents and 300,000 shelter kits, including thermal insulation

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  Ben-Gvir accuses Netanyahu of promising European countries to exclude his party from next government

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Sunday of assuring several European Union countries that his far-right Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party would not be included in the next government. According to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Ben-Gvir claimed to have obtained documented information indicating that Netanyahu’s office had communicated the commitment to European officials. “According to confirmed and documented information that has reached me in recent days, the Prime Minister’s office has formally pledged to several European Union countries that Ben-Gvir will not be part of the next government,” he said. Ben-Gvir added that the message had been conveyed to foreign ministers and other senior officials, informing them that Netanyahu did not intend

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  UNICEF says 60,000 children in Gaza have lost one or both parents during war

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  Approximately 60,000 children in the Gaza Strip have lost one or both parents during the war, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), which warned of the lasting psychological and humanitarian consequences for children affected by the conflict. Speaking at a press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, UNICEF communications officer and deputy spokesperson Riccardo Pires said around 800,000 children remain displaced, with most living in tents or damaged buildings considered unsafe. Pires said nearly all displaced children require some form of mental health and psychosocial support to help them cope with the trauma of the war. He also reported that more than 340 children have been killed and hundreds injured in Gaza since the ceasefire was

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  Guardiola criticise Israeli policies, urges world not to stay silent over Gaza children’s suffering

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  Former Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has renewed his support for the Palestinian people, calling for continued solidarity with them and urging the world not to remain silent over their suffering. In a video message published by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) on Sunday, the Spanish coach spoke about the humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians, particularly children who have lost their families and homes during Israel’s war on the Gaza Strip. READ: ‘This is our problem’: Guardiola speaks out on Gaza genocide, global injustice In the video, shared by UNRWA’s Spanish-language account on X, Guardiola stressed that the victims of the war were not just numbers, but people with names, families and dreams. He warned against

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  A year after El Fasher tragedy, atrocities continue to haunt Hemedti’s forces

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  A year after El Fasher was overrun, the atrocities committed there continue to draw international scrutiny, as reports document the scale of serious violations by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) following their takeover of the city. The RSF is a Sudanese paramilitary force led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known as Hemedti, which has been fighting the Sudanese army, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, since April 2023. READ: IOM warns El Obeid risks becoming another El Fasher’ as fighting intensifies in Sudan The city’s fall came after a year-long siege marked by starvation and widespread atrocities. As reports of abuses and systematic crimes continue to emerge, Hemedti’s forces face mounting pressure at international forums over the suffering inflicted on victims in

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  Israeli media: 110,000 people evading military service

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  The number of people classified as evading military service in the Israeli army has risen to around 110,000, up from about 75,000 at the beginning of 2026. Israeli public broadcaster Kan reported on Sunday evening that the increase followed the activation of tens of thousands of military call-up orders, with the number expected to rise further in the coming period. According to Israeli army estimates, ultra-Orthodox Jews, known as Haredim, account for around 80 per cent of those currently classified as evading military service. Despite the unprecedented number and a Supreme Court ruling stressing that the law must be enforced against draft evaders, enforcement measures remain largely frozen, with only limited exceptions. READ: Thousands of Haredim protest in Jerusalem against Israeli

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  Gaza education ministry calls for urgent international action to protect schoolchildren after 3 killed

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  The Ministry of Education and Higher Education on Sunday called for urgent international action to protect schoolchildren in the Gaza Strip, warning of growing threats to their lives amid what it described as increasing targeting by Israeli forces. The ministry issued the statement after three students were killed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip over the past 24 hours. It stressed the urgent need to protect children and ensure their right to reach schools and other educational facilities and continue their education safely. The ministry said putting students’ lives at risk while travelling to and from school threatens their fundamental rights and requires immediate international intervention to stop attacks against them and ensure a safe learning environment. READ: UN chief

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  Egypt unveils new laser system to intercept drones in Sinai

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  Israeli media outlets specialising in military affairs have reported the appearance of a new Egyptian laser system during Second Field Army exercises in Sinai, highlighting its ability to intercept drones and comparing it with similar systems worldwide. The Israeli platform Nziv Net reported that the Egyptian laser system, named EGY-HEL 01, was officially unveiled this month during live-fire exercises conducted by Egypt’s Second Field Army. The name is likely an abbreviation for Egyptian High-Energy Laser, version one, it said. The platform said the system was designed to intercept drones, primarily providing short-range air defence against unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), small drones and projectiles. READ: Sisi warns against threats to Saudi Arabia, says Gulf security is linked to Egypt’s national security It

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  Houthis declare Saudi airspace unsafe, exempting Mecca, Medina

  by EditorMehdi on October 19, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthis have warned employees, workers and citizens to stay away from Saudi oil facilities, declaring Saudi airspace unsafe except over the cities of Mecca and Medina. The Houthi-run Saba news agency quoted a military source as saying: “Saudi airspace is unsafe, except over Mecca and Medina.” The source added: “Those who have been warned have no excuse,” in a fresh threat amid continuing military escalation in the region. The military source also urged shareholders in Saudi oil giant Aramco to sell their shares, saying: “To avoid losses, we advise Aramco shareholders to withdraw their shares before it is too late.” The group gave no further details about the nature of the threats or any action it might take. READ: Saudi

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  Palestinian girl killed by Israeli army fire in central Gaza

  by Marwa A on October 18, 2026

  A Palestinian girl was killed by Israeli army fire in the central Gaza Strip on Sunday, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported, Anadolu reports. Medical sources said Misk Hazem al-Dalou died from wounds sustained when Israeli forces opened fire toward tents housing displaced Palestinians in the Maghazi refugee camp. Separately, Israeli military vehicles opened heavy fire toward tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in the al-Mawasi area of Rafah in southern Gaza. Israeli artillery also shelled areas northeast of Khan Younis. The attacks came despite a ceasefire in effect in Gaza since Oct. 10, 2025, amid continued Israeli violations of the agreement. At least 1,511 Palestinians have been killed and 5,375 injured in Israeli attacks since the ceasefire, according to Gaza’s

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  Vance acknowledges ‘failures’ in US handling of Iran war

  by Marwa A on October 18, 2026

  US Vice President JD Vance acknowledged “a lot of mistakes and a lot of fundamental failures” in the handling of the Iran war, as he faced questions over the conflict’s rising human and economic costs during a CBS News town hall, Anadolu reports. Vance made the remarks in response to Joey Amor, whose wife, Master Sgt. Nicole Amor, was among six US Army Reserve soldiers killed in an Iranian strike on a military site in Kuwait in the opening hours of the war that began in late February. At least 21 US service members have been killed and hundreds wounded so far. Amor questioned reports that the facility had not been adequately secured, demanding accountability from the Trump administration. “Though

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  EU condemns Israeli occupier attacks on Palestinians, European diplomats in occupied West Bank

  by Marwa A on October 18, 2026

  The EU on Sunday strongly condemned recent attacks by violent Israeli occupiers in the occupied West Bank, including attacks targeting European diplomats, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the EU’s diplomatic service acknowledged condemnations by several Israeli representatives but called for accountability and concrete measures to prevent further violence. “The EU strongly condemns the latest attacks by violent settlers in the West Bank, including on European diplomats,” the statement said. The bloc said it expected “full accountability as well as effective measures to prevent continued acts of violence and violent harassment against Palestinians, including during the ongoing olive harvest season, as well as against journalists.” It also urged Israel to comply fully with international humanitarian and human rights law and halt

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  Egyptian parliament adjourns session on potential military support for Saudi Arabia

  by Marwa A on October 18, 2026

  Egypt’s parliament adjourned a Sunday emergency session to discuss authorizing military support for Saudi Arabia, Anadolu reports. A second session to discuss the matter will be held on Monday, Egypt’s Al Qahera News channel reported, without revealing further details. The session came at the request of Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, who said on Saturday that Cairo would take all necessary measures to defend Saudi Arabia if Riyadh requested assistance. Saudi Arabia has recently come under attack by Yemen’s Houthi group. Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since the Houthis seized the capital Sanaa and several provinces in September 2014. That prompted a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in March 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government. While a UN-brokered truce

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  California governor says US military aid to Israel must be conditioned

  by Marwa A on October 18, 2026

  California Governor Gavin Newsom said Saturday that US military aid to Israel “has to be conditioned,” describing the position as increasingly becoming the Democratic Party’s consensus as he campaigns in New Hampshire ahead of a potential 2028 presidential run, Anadolu reports. “Aid has to be conditioned,” Newsom told the Washington Examiner, citing settler violence in the occupied West Bank and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies, which he said undermine prospects for a two-state solution. “Bibi Netanyahu has done a remarkable job of really isolating himself from the rest of the world and increasingly from the American people,” Newsom said, adding that “the damage he’s done is incalculable.” Newsom called Israel’s war in Gaza a “moral catastrophe” but declined to

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  Gaza buries remains of 75 Palestinians recovered from rubble of homes destroyed by Israel

  by Marwa A on October 18, 2026

  Hundreds of Palestinians on Sunday attended the funeral of 75 people, including women and children, whose remains were recently recovered from beneath the rubble of homes destroyed by Israeli forces in Gaza City during the early months of Israel’s genocidal war, Anadolu reports. The funeral procession began outside the Daraj Sports Club before the remains were buried at Sheikh Radwan Cemetery in Gaza City. The remains, wrapped in Palestinian flags, had been laid out at the site Saturday evening to allow relatives to bid farewell. Abdullah al-Majdalawi, director of public relations and media for Gaza’s Civil Defense, told Anadolu that the remains had been recovered over recent weeks from several destroyed homes in the Daraj neighborhood in northeastern Gaza City.

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  Egypt’s defence council pledges ‘all forms of support’ to defend Saudi Arabia amid escalating Houthi attacks

  by Marwa A on October 18, 2026

  Egypt’s National Defence Council on Sunday pledged to provide Saudi Arabia with “all necessary and possible forms of support” to defend its security and stability amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom, Anadolu reports. The council, chaired by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the presidential palace in Cairo, reviewed “dangerous” regional developments, particularly the escalating attacks on Saudi Arabia, Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS) said in a statement. It declared Egypt’s “full solidarity” with Saudi Arabia, citing the historical ties between the two countries and stressing that Saudi national security is linked to Egyptian and Arab national security. The council decided to provide “all necessary and possible forms of support” to Saudi Arabia to defend its security and stability, protect

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  UK police take no further action against security adviser’s wife over Palestine Action post

  by Marwa A on October 18, 2026

  British police said Saturday they would take no further action against the wife of the government’s national security adviser over a social media post referencing the banned group Palestine Action, Anadolu reports. Sarah Helm, who is married to Jonathan Powell, wrote on the US social media company X on Thursday: “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action.” London’s Metropolitan Police said the post was “assessed by specialist officers and it was determined that it did not meet the criminal threshold,” the BBC reported. “No further police action will be taken,” the force added. The announcement came a day after police said they were assessing the post to determine whether further investigation was required. Helm was responding to

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  The language of extermination: NAZA, Artificial Intelligence and Gaza

  by Marwa A on October 18, 2026

  The 80-minute documentary NAZA, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, is chastening.  It examines the conduct of the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) during its ferocious, unremitting war in Gaza, drawing upon the interviews of 24 anonymised military and intelligence personnel.  The interviews were filmed on Tel Aviv rooftops at night, with profiles and voices appropriately altered.  The name of the documentary draws on a Hebrew acronym for nezek agavi or collateral damage, an obscene term used when counting the estimated number of civilians who will perish in a military strike.  Last month, the film won the Special Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, receiving a standing ovation lasting 25 minutes. The interviewees focus on the terrifyingly

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  If Anne Frank were alive today

  by Marwa A on October 18, 2026

  Anne Frank would be 97 years old if she were alive in 2026. We know that her life was cut short by the German Gestapo. Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany bears the mark of her last days, where she bade adieu to this world for good. She became a Holocaust celebrity throughout the world. She hid in the secret annex in her father’s business premises in Amsterdam. Children around the world grew up reading the diary she kept as her only companion to fight suffocation in her hiding place due to Nazi Germany’s Jewish pogrom. If she were alive today, what would she do? First, she would ask Hitler for which crime the Jews were killed? Then she would ask

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  Thousands rally in Tunis against President Saied

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Thousands of people protested against Tunisian President Kais Saied’s policies in Tunis on Saturday, calling for freedom of expression and the protection of civil liberties, Anadolu reports. The demonstration began outside the headquarters of the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT) and was organized by the union, civil society organizations and political parties. Protesters marched through the capital, chanting slogans opposing the government and demanding greater freedoms. They also called for Saied’s resignation. Representatives and supporters of various political groups, including the People’s Movement, the Ennahda Movement and the National Salvation Front, joined the march. At a rally outside the municipal theater at the end of the march, UGTT Secretary-General Salah Eddine Salmi said that if the authorities sidelined dialogue, the

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  Cosmic Breath: Global calls to prayer answer rising Islamophobia in London

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Tucked away just a stone’s throw from the relentless hum of Oxford Street, a new sonic sanctuary has taken root in central London. Joe Namy, an American-born Lebanese artist and composer whose practice encompasses sound, its history, and its physical impact on the built environment, has brought his multi-channel sound installation, Cosmic Breath, to the UK capital, Anadolu reports. The work is reimagined for Ibraaz’s Musalla, a space dedicated to spiritual practice as both lived experience and creative expression. Composed of recordings of the adhan—the Islamic call to prayer—the installation brings together historical and contemporary calls from different geographies, amplified through horn speakers like those mounted on mosque minarets. Played simultaneously, each speaker softly emits a different adhan recording, inviting

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  Belgium condemns attack by Israeli occupiers on Palestinians, diplomats in West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot on Saturday strongly condemned an attack by masked Israeli occupiers against Palestinians, diplomats and Catholic representatives in Taybeh in the occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. “I condemn in the strongest terms the attack by masked settlers in Taybeh, in the occupied West Bank, against Palestinians, our Consul General, French and Polish diplomats as well as catholic representatives. A French mayor was assaulted and a Belgian vehicle damaged. Our team is safe,” Prevot said. He stressed that Palestinians face such violence daily, with occupiers also targeting journalists and diplomats. “Harvesting olives, reporting the news or carrying out diplomatic duties should never put anyone at risk of attack,” he said on US social media company X. READ: Israeli

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  Hegseth says Iran has choice between deal or ‘devastation’

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Saturday that Iran faces a choice between abandoning its “nuclear ambitions” and reaching a deal or facing devastating military action, Anadolu reports. “Iran’s going to have a choice to make real quick about whether they’re going to give those up at the table or face the kind of devastation that America can bring and will bring swiftly if necessary,” Hegseth told Reserve Officers’ Training Corps cadets and military recruits at the University of Tennessee. He accused Tehran of building a large conventional missile arsenal to deter military action while pursuing “nuclear ambitions,” arguing that US military strength was essential to forcing adversaries to negotiate. READ: Iran says renewed talks with US require ‘credible guarantees’ against

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  US Rep. Ilhan Omar challenges legality of FBI home search: WSJ

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  The defense of US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar have challenged the legality of a search of her Washington home, demanding that federal prosecutors immediately return all seized property and provide recordings made during the operation, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday. In a letter sent late Friday, the Minnesota Democrat’s legal team argued that the search, conducted by Homeland Security Investigations agents early Monday under a federal judge-approved warrant, was “neither justified nor lawful.” According to the Journal, the investigation focuses partly on how Omar, 44, obtained US citizenship after arriving from Somalia decades ago. “There is no legitimate basis for any suggestion that she has violated any law concerning her citizenship status,” the letter said. Her lawyers alleged that

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  Israeli occupiers attack European diplomatic delegation in occupied West Bank

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Israeli occupiers attacked a diplomatic delegation comprising representatives from France, Belgium and Poland on Saturday while visiting the town of Taybeh, central occupied West Bank, causing injuries. The attack took place after an official ceremony marking the signing of a twinning agreement between the Palestinian town of Taybeh and the French town of Saint-Pierre, Taybeh Mayor Suleiman Khourieh told Anadolu Agency. The ceremony was attended by the French and Belgian consuls, a Polish representative whose name was not disclosed, and Saint-Pierre Mayor Christian Ravain. The attack targeted the delegation in the western part of the town, as well as Palestinians who were picking olives. It left several town residents injured and shattered the window of a vehicle belonging to the

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  Egyptian parliament to discuss authorizing action to defend Saudi Arabia if requested

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Egypt’s parliament will convene a plenary session on Sunday following a call by President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi for authorization to provide Saudi Arabia with defensive aid if requested, Anadolu reports. “In light of the president’s request, it has been decided to hold the council’s plenary session at 1 pm (1000GMT) tomorrow, Sunday, 18 October 2026,” Egypt’s Al-Ahram newspaper cited the parliament as saying in a Saturday statement. Speaking at the Egyptian Military Academy’s graduation ceremony in the New Capital on Saturday, Sisi said Egypt would take all necessary measures to defend Saudi Arabia if Riyadh requested assistance. READ: Sisi warns against threats to Saudi Arabia, says Gulf security is linked to Egypt’s national security He noted that any such action would require

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  Iran says renewed talks with US require ‘credible guarantees’ against new attacks

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Iran remains open to negotiations but requires “credible guarantees” before resuming talks, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Saturday, state news agency IRNA reported. “Iran does not accept coercion, threats and intimidation and will not relinquish its sovereign rights under pressure. But it remains ready for dialogue based on mutual respect and credible guarantees,” Araghchi told the 52nd session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Council of Foreign Ministers in Baghdad. He said Iran negotiated “in good faith” over the past two years, but claimed diplomatic efforts were repeatedly followed by military attacks, creating “deep mistrust” over restarting negotiations without guarantees against a recurrence. Nevertheless, Araghchi said, Tehran has kept the door to diplomacy open. He referred to a

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  Palestinians in Gaza City protest Israeli military’s ‘Yellow Line’ expansion

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Palestinians gathered in eastern Gaza City on Saturday, to protest the Israeli military’s recent expansion of the “Yellow Line” buffer zone into residential neighborhoods, Anadolu reports. The “yellow line” is a notional line inside the Gaza Strip to which the Israeli army withdrew under the first phase of US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war, under which a ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, 2025. It separates areas in eastern Gaza that remain under Israeli army control from areas west of the line where Palestinians are allowed to move. The line separates areas occupied by Israeli forces in the east from areas where Palestinians are permitted to remain in the west. Israeli ceasefire violations have killed 1,488 Palestinians

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  Iranian lawmaker says indirect talks with US continuing through Qatar, Oman: Report

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Indirect talks between Iran and the US are continuing through mediation by Qatar and Oman, an Iranian lawmaker said Saturday, as Tehran-Washington tensions remain high, according to local media. Yaqoub Rezazadeh, a member of the Iranian parliament’s National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, told the ILNA news agency that both sides had presented conditions through the mediators. “We have presented a set of conditions, and the other side has also presented a set of conditions. We are now waiting to see whether the conditions we announced will be accepted by the Americans,” Rezazadeh said. He said the contacts were being conducted with the involvement of Qatar and Oman. Rezazadeh said the negotiations were being overseen by Iran’s Supreme National Security

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  Israeli forces enter western Daraa countryside in southern Syria

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Israeli forces entered an area in the western countryside of Syria’s Daraa province on Saturday, according to the country’s state-run SANA news agency. A force consisting of two Israeli military vehicles entered the Wadi al-Ruqqad area, SANA reported. The incursion coincided with Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flying over the western part of the Yarmouk Basin, it said, adding that no attacks or arrests had been reported. On Friday, Israeli forces entered an area west of the al-Razaniya farm in neighboring Quneitra province and opened fire toward shepherds to prevent them from grazing before withdrawing. Israeli forces also entered and surrounded the town of Abidin in the Yarmouk Basin in western Daraa countryside on Friday. READ: Damascus rejects Israeli politicisation of Syria’s Druze

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  Iran’s IRGC says 2nd supertanker hits naval mine in Strait of Hormuz

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said Saturday that a second supertanker had struck a naval mine and caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the IRGC Navy said the tanker was carrying more than 2 million barrels of crude oil and had switched off its positioning and radar systems while attempting to use an “unauthorized” route. The mine strike caused a major explosion in the vessel’s engine room, leaving the tanker immobilized, the statement said. The IRGC did not identify the vessel or provide information about its crew, casualties, or possible environmental damage. READ: Strait of Hormuz transits remain 70% below pre-conflict levels: UK maritime agency The latest incident came after the IRGC said

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  Banking sanctions halt Iran’s exports to Pakistan: Official

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Iran’s exports to Pakistan have been “temporarily” halted due to banking sanctions, while imports from Pakistan continue, Iranian media reported Saturday. Peyman Sanandaji, head of the Transportation Commission at the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, told Mehr News Agency that the shared land border remains open, rejecting reports that a border crossing had been closed. He said Pakistani importers are required to submit electronic import forms through Pakistan’s banking system for goods purchased from Iran. Sanandaji said sanctions on Iran’s banking system have made the process difficult, creating problems for Iranian exporters and Pakistani importers. READ: Iran’s navy reports oil tanker fire in Gulf of Oman Imports from Pakistan into Iran, however, continue, he said. Sanandaji warned that if the banking restrictions

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  Israel’s election: The Arab vote and Netanyahu’s politics of exclusion

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Mansour Abbas is offering Israel a practical demonstration that Arabs and Jews can share responsibility for their country. Benjamin Netanyahu presents that possibility as a threat. Too many of his opponents still behave as though he is right. That contradiction could determine whether Israel’s election on 27th October produces a change of government. At a recent Economist conference in Thessaloniki, where I was also a speaker, former Israeli foreign minister Shlomo Ben-Ami highlighted the dilemma: Netanyahu’s opponents may need Arab parliamentary support to govern, yet remain reluctant to accept that partnership. Netanyahu does not necessarily need his opponents to lose. He needs them to remain unable to govern together. The New York Times’ 16th October profile describes Abbas’s partnership with

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  Syria’s Quneitra governor urges UN force to document Israeli violations

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  The governor of Syria’s southern Quneitra province on Saturday called on the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) to monitor and document Israeli violations in the area, Anadolu reports. Ghassan al-Sayyed Ahmad made the call during talks with UN Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix, according to the Quneitra Governorate. The two discussed the situation in the province, UNDOF’s responsibilities, and the impact of Israeli violations on local residents. Ahmad said documenting the violations in line with UNDOF’s mandate could help protect residents and mitigate the effects on local population. The meeting came amid continued Israeli incursions into Quneitra, including raids, searches, detentions, and temporary military checkpoints. READ: Israeli army enters Syria’s Quneitra countryside, blocks construction work A UN report issued on

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  Chile’s Lawyers for Palestine call for investigation into country’s ambassador to Israel

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Lawyers for Palestine in Chile have issued a press statement confirming that they have filed a formal petition with the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic. The petition is requesting an investigation into Chile’s Ambassador to Israel, Gabriel Zaliasnik, over an interview broadcast on 26th August by the US program “Defending Israel” on the Jewish Broadcasting Service (JBS).  Introduced as Chile’s Ambassador, Zaliasnik accused Chile’s Palestinian community of manipulating its numbers: “They play with the number because that’s politics.” In the same interview he conceded that, as to the figure, “we can speculate only.” He was asked only about the community’s size, yet he went on to refer to the “radicalizing” of “some small sectors” of it, without

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  UK security adviser’s wife faces scrutiny over Palestine Action post

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  British police are assessing a social media post by the wife of national security adviser Jonathan Powell that references the banned group Palestine Action, the BBC reported on Friday. Sarah Helm, an author and journalist, wrote on X: “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action.” She was responding to a Sky News discussion about author Sally Rooney, whose novels will no longer be supplied to UK booksellers following her announcement that she intends to use royalties to support the group. The Metropolitan Police said it had been made aware of Helm’s post, published Oct. 15. “It is in the process of being assessed to determine whether any further police investigation may be required,” a spokesperson said. READ: Lloyds

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  Beyond oil: The Gulf crisis is becoming a food security crisis

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Ask most people what the Gulf crisis will cost the world and they will say oil. Fair enough. Prices are the part we can watch every morning. But the bill that worries me more will arrive later and quietly: a farmer who buys less fertilizer than he needs, a thinner harvest, a family that can no longer afford a decent meal. Two things are happening at once. The Gulf states import most of what they eat, so every delayed ship is a problem for their own tables. And the same region sells the raw materials that farmers elsewhere rely on to grow food. Block the sea lanes and you hurt the people eating in the Gulf and the people growing

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  Egypt’s Sisi says presidential term will end in 2030, rules out constitutional changes

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Saturday that his presidential term will end in 2030, stressing that the country’s constitution will not be amended to extend his tenure, according to state-run Al-Ahram newspaper. “The year 2030 will mark the end of my presidential term. This matter is completely settled,” Sisi said during a graduation ceremony at the Egyptian Military Academy in the New Administrative Capital. Sisi said the Egyptian constitution “will not be touched,” stressing the need to prevent any violation of constitutional and democratic principles. He said the constitution defines the role of the armed forces in protecting the constitutional order, democracy and the fundamental pillars of the state. READ: Egypt has ‘no hidden agendas,’ ambitions against anyone: President “I

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  OIC foreign ministers discuss regional crises, cooperation at Baghdad meeting

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member states gathered in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on Saturday for the group’s 52nd session, with regional crises, Palestine, and cooperation among member states high on the agenda, Anadolu reports. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi opened the meeting, according to the Iraqi News Agency (INA). Welcoming delegates, al-Zaidi said the Islamic world faces growing challenges that test its ability to coexist and adapt to economic, cultural, and media transformations. “What we are witnessing in terms of crises at the regional and international levels calls for greater joint action to protect the interests of our peoples, serve the causes of our nation and ensure the future of our generations,” he said.

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Craig Murray: Should the UK deploy the Royal Navy to Bab Al-Mandeb?

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Scott Ritter: Is Striking Iran Trump’s Only Remaining Option?

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  Repeated displacement leaves Gaza shelters deteriorating ahead of winter: IOM

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Repeated displacement during three years of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza has left shelters across the enclave increasingly deteriorated, while restrictions and funding shortages are hampering preparations for winter, a senior UN migration official said late Friday. Karl Baker, regional crisis coordinator for the Gaza response at the International Organization for Migration (IOM), said some Palestinians have been displaced as many as eight times, damaging or destroying tents and other temporary shelters each time families are forced to move. “When they move, all those goods that they currently have or did have either get destroyed, or they have to seek new shelter,” Baker told UN News. Even basic materials such as tarpaulins need to be replaced roughly every six months,

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  Morocco forms new government under 1st ever female prime minister

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Morocco announced a new cabinet on Friday, ushering in a historic era with the country’s first female prime minister leading a four-party coalition, Anadolu reports. According to state-run Maghreb Arabe Presse (MAP), King Mohammed VI received members of the new cabinet, led by Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, and presided over their appointment ceremony at the Royal Palace in the capital Rabat. El Mansouri is the first Moroccan woman to hold the country’s top government post. She will lead a new government formed by a four-party coalition comprising her Authenticity and Modernity Party, the Istiqlal Party, the Socialist Union of Popular Forces and the Party of Progress and Socialism. The new government includes seven women, including El Mansouri, compared with six

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  Vance suggests disagreement with Trump over Iran war

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  US Vice President JD Vance suggested in an interview aired Friday that he may have disagreed with President Donald Trump over the Iran war, Anadolu reports. “Even if you disagree with him on that one issue, you can have that disagreement. And I think I have had that disagreement,” Vance said on a political talk show hosted by former White House spokesman Sean Spicer. Vance was responding to a question about his relationship with political commentator and former Trump ally Tucker Carlson, who has sharply criticized the Iran war, arguing that it serves Israeli rather than American interests and contradicts Trump’s pledge to avoid costly foreign military interventions. READ: Trump says US may have gone too far in targeting Iranian leaders

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  Strait of Hormuz transits remain 70% below pre-conflict levels: UK maritime agency

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remained about 70% below pre-conflict levels as attacks on commercial vessels continued, a UK maritime agency said Friday. In its weekly overview, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) reported 125 outbound and 129 inbound transits over the past seven days. The figures marked a decline from 129 outbound and 146 inbound transits recorded the previous week, according to the agency. UKMTO reported 12 attacks on vessels during the week, including 10 in the Strait of Hormuz, one in the Gulf and one in the Gulf of Oman. Six vessels continued or reached port, one was lost, two were disabled or not under command, and three have unconfirmed outcomes. Container ship sinks after

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  Saudi Arabia backs UN Security Council statement urging cooperation to prevent Houthis from acquiring arms

  by EditorMehdi on October 17, 2026

  Saudi Arabia welcomed a UN Security Council presidential statement condemning Houthi attacks against the kingdom and urging cooperation to prevent the group from obtaining weapons, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the ministry welcomed the council’s condemnation of continued and escalating attacks by the Houthis against Saudi Arabia, including attacks targeting airports and energy infrastructure. It also highlighted the council’s condemnation of “ongoing threats to navigation in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab.” “The Kingdom affirmed the importance of the statement’s provisions, including its emphasis on the importance of full implementation of Security Council resolution 2216 (2015) and subsequent resolutions, and its call for practical cooperation to prevent the terrorist Houthi group from acquiring weapons and other forms of support,” the