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

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  Report: Khamenei orders enriched uranium to remain in Iran as Putin proposes transfer to Russia

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei has reportedly ordered that Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium remain inside the country, according to a report by Reuters citing two Iranian sources. The sources said the directive prohibits exporting Iran’s stockpile of weapons-grade enriched uranium, reflecting what they described as a broader consensus within the Iranian leadership. Meanwhile, Russian media outlet Interfax reported that Russian President Vladimir Putin proposed to his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping the idea of transferring and storing Iranian enriched uranium in Russia. The issue of Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile remains one of the central disputes in negotiations aimed at ending the US-Israeli conflict with Iran. According to the Reuters report, Iranian officials believe removing the uranium from the country

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  Druze leader Hikmat al-Hijri reiterates calls for Syrian division and thanks Israel

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  Hikmat al-Hijri, one of the Druze spiritual leaders in Syria’s southern Sweida province, has renewed his calls for the partition of Syrian territory and separation from Damascus, in remarks that also included clear attempts to seek Israel’s sympathy and seek its strength.  In a recorded speech on Thursday, he said: “Our choice of freedom and self-determination is not subject to bargaining or conditional loyalties. The dignity of this mountain (referring to the Druze-majority Jabal al-Druze area in southern Syria) is above all considerations, and its rights are derived from the authenticity of its history and the strength of its present.” He added: “No matter how much de facto powers try to impose guardianship through coercion and misinformation, they will find

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  Houthis warn against Somaliland-Israel normalisation, threaten continued fighting

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  Mahdi al-Mashat, head of the Houthi-affiliated Supreme Political Council in Sanaa, criticised moves by Somaliland towards normalising relations with Israel, calling it a “serious mistake” that threatens Yemen and regional stability. He also warned against any new “American or Zionist aggression” against Yemen and the wider region. Al-Mashat said his forces were ready to continue fighting until the “liberation of the last inch” of Yemeni territory, while reaffirming Sanaa’s support for Palestine, Lebanon and Iran. In a speech marking the 36th anniversary of Yemeni unity, he said the “US-Israeli enemy” was no longer hiding what he described as the “Greater Israel” project, adding that the war on Iran aimed to remove the “main obstacle” to Israeli plans in the region.

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  Jordan condemns Israeli seizure of properties near Al-Aqsa Mosque

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  The Palestine Committee in the Jordanian parliament has condemned Israeli measures to seize Palestinian properties and Islamic endowments in the Bab al-Silsila area adjacent to Al-Aqsa Mosque. In a statement, committee chairman MP Suleiman Abdul Aziz Al-Saud said the committee completely rejected all Israeli measures, describing them as a clear violation of international law and the historical and legal status quo in occupied Jerusalem. He said the “illegal practices” represented a blatant breach of international law, a direct attack on the identity of the city and its holy sites, and a dangerous attempt to impose a new reality by force. Al-Saud warned of the seriousness of the escalating measures and their potential to inflame tensions further, saying they posed a

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  Hamas accuses Mladenov of adopting Israeli narrative over Gaza

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said that a call by Nikolay Mladenov, head of the so-called Board of Peace in Gaza, for the UN Security Council to pressure Hamas “by all means” to fulfil its commitments reflects continued adoption of the Israeli narrative and an attempt to justify escalating Israeli attacks on Gaza residents and tightening the blockade on the territory. In a press statement on Thursday, Qassem added that Mladenov’s continued talk about increasing aid contradicts the reality on the ground, which he said shows Israel is continuing to restrict the entry of aid and reshape its policy of starvation. READ: Board of Peace envoy says there is ‘no recovery’ in Gaza despite ceasefire gains

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  Despite blackout, satellite images reveal damage to Israeli military bases during Iran war

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  An analysis by satellite imagery company Soar has revealed the extent of damage caused to Israeli military bases during March by Iranian strikes and attacks by Hezbollah. According to the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, an analysis of satellite images published by Soar showed damage to several Israeli military bases across the country following the latest round of fighting, before a ceasefire came into effect last month. Images from the Sentinel-2 satellite showed that the Ramat David Airbase was damaged in two areas during the war with Iran. The images indicated that one of the damaged areas appeared to be used for support vehicles and equipment, while the second area was used for refuelling and maintenance of fighter jets. The images

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  UN reports nearly 50 illegal Israeli occupier attacks across West Bank in 1 week

  by MI on May 21, 2026

  The UN reported on Thursday at least 49 illegal Israeli occupier attacks across the West Bank in a single week. Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during a news conference that between May 12 and 18, Israeli occupier attacks “caused casualties or damage, including a rise in arson attacks against homes, farmland, vehicles and a mosque.” “With this, over 870 settler attacks across more than 220 communities have caused casualties or property damage this year alone,” he said. Dujarric addressed an Israeli High Court ruling affecting international non-governmental organizations operating in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, stressing that “international NGOs are indispensable to the overall humanitarian operations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”

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  Board of Peace envoy says there is ‘no recovery’ in Gaza despite ceasefire gains

  by MI on May 21, 2026

  A senior Board of Peace official said Thursday that there is “no recovery” in Gaza despite some progress under a ceasefire deal, Anadolu reports. Nickolay Mladenov, high representative for Gaza, told the UN Security Council that mass destruction, displacement and humanitarian challenges continue to define conditions on the ground. “When I last appeared before you, the framework for the decommissioning of weapons in Gaza had been agreed among the guarantors and presented to the parties, and I told you the engagement was serious. The first written report on the implementation of Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025) of the Board of Peace is now before you,” he said. Noting that there had been limited but important improvements since the ceasefire took hold,

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  Trump says US opposes Strait of Hormuz tolls, vows to get uranium from Iran

  by MI on May 21, 2026

  President Donald Trump said Thursday that the US opposes any tolls on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and vowed that Iran will not be allowed to retain highly enriched uranium, Anadolu reports. “We don’t want tolls. It’s an international waterway. They’re not charging tolls right now,” Trump told the reporters at the White House. Trump claimed Iran is suffering major financial losses because of restrictions on shipping activity. Asked whether Iran could retain its stockpile of highly enriched uranium under any future arrangement, Trump answered bluntly. “No, we get the highly enriched; we will get it,” Trump said. “We don’t need it. We don’t want it. We’ll probably destroy it after we get it, but we’re not going to let

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  UN official says renewed Gaza war would have ‘disastrous consequences’ for civilians

  by MI on May 21, 2026

  A senior UN official said Thursday that a return to full-scale war in the Gaza Strip would have “disastrous consequences” for civilians, while cautioning that worsening violence and illegal Israeli settlement expansion across the occupied Palestinian territory are deepening instability, Anadolu reports. “As I brief you today, the situation across the Occupied Palestinian Territory is increasingly precarious,” Ramiz Alakbarov, UN deputy special coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, said at a UN Security Council session to discuss the latest report of the Board of Peace for Gaza. He said tensions in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, continue to intensify as “settlement expansion, settler-related violence, and incitement continue to drive tensions.” Turning to Gaza, Alakbarov said momentum generated by

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  US intelligence believes Iran quickly rebuilt military industrial base, producing drones: Report

  by MI on May 21, 2026

  US intelligence believes that Iran resumed parts of its drone production during the six-week ceasefire with Washington that started in early April, signaling a rapid recovery of some military capabilities damaged by US-Israeli strikes, CNN reported Thursday. Intelligence assessments suggest Iran’s military is rebuilding far more quickly than expected, said the report, which cited US intelligence officials. The effort includes restoring missile sites, launch systems and manufacturing capacity for critical weapons that were damaged or destroyed during the conflict. Officials reportedly warned that the rapid recovery means Iran could still pose a major threat to regional allies if US President Donald Trump decides to resume military operations. READ: Iranian parliament speaker warns of “strong response” to any new US attack The

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  France rejects any possible NATO role in Strait of Hormuz

  by MI on May 21, 2026

  France rejects any possible NATO role in securing the Strait of Hormuz, insisting that the alliance’s mandate does not extend to the Middle East, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Thursday, Anadolu reports. During a press briefing, Pascal Confavreux said Paris opposes NATO involvement in operations aimed at securing navigation in the strategic waterway after Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz. “Our position is clear and consistent: the North Atlantic Treaty applies to the North Atlantic; it is neither the vocation nor the right alliance for a subject in the Middle East and Hormuz,” Confavreux said. The remarks came two days after NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Alexus Grynkewich said the alliance was “considering” a possible contribution to maritime security

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  Italy requests EU to sanction Israeli minister Ben-Gvir over treatment of Gaza flotilla activists

  by MI on May 21, 2026

  Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced Thursday that he had requested the EU to impose sanctions against Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over his treatment of Global Sumud Flotilla activists, Anadolu reports. Tajani said through US social media company X that he had formally asked EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas to include the adoption of sanctions against Ben-Gvir on the agenda of the next meeting of EU foreign ministers. He noted that the request comes in response to “the unacceptable acts committed against the Flotilla, seizing the activists in international waters and subjecting them to harassment and humiliation, in violation of the most basic human rights.” Jurgen Hardt, a senior German lawmaker from Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU),

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  ‘Unacceptable’: Denmark condemns Israeli treatment of Gaza flotilla detainees

  by MI on May 21, 2026

  Denmark on Thursday voiced concern over the treatment of detainees intercepted during a Gaza flotilla mission, after footage shared by Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir appeared to show activists zip-tied and forced to kneel following their detention by Israeli forces in international waters, Anadolu reports. “Deeply concerned about the Israeli security minister Ben-Gvir’s unacceptable treatment of detainees from the Gaza flotilla. It is absolutely crucial that detainees are treated with respect, and that their rights are upheld, which Denmark has also made clear to Israel,” Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen wrote on the US social media company X. The Global Sumud humanitarian aid flotilla said Tuesday that all 50 vessels in its convoy had been seized by Israel following

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  Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia call for presidential, parliamentary elections in Libya

  by MI on May 21, 2026

  Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia on Thursday called for accelerating the holding of simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections in Libya following a ministerial meeting in Cairo under a trilateral mechanism by Libya’s neighbors, Anadolu reports. In a joint statement, the three countries stressed “the importance of advancing the political process in Libya under UN auspices and creating suitable conditions for holding presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously.” The statement was issued after a meeting of the foreign ministers of Egypt, Algeria and Tunisia held within the framework of the “Tripartite Neighboring Countries Mechanism on Libya” to discuss the latest political and security developments in the country. The three countries also called on all Libyan parties to “avoid escalation” and prioritize the country’s “supreme

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  Kuwait sends IRGC-linked suspects to court over ‘illegal entry’

  by MI on May 21, 2026

  Kuwait said Thursday it referred suspects accused of affiliation with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to court on charges of crossing the country’s maritime border and infiltrating a prohibited military zone, Anadolu reports. Kuwaiti authorities said May 13 that they had detained IRGC members who “tried to infiltrate” its territory after a “clash” with the army. Kuwait also summoned Iranian Ambassador Mohammad Toutounchi and handed him a protest note. The Public Prosecution said the IRGC-affiliated members were arrested after unlawfully entering the country, crossing its maritime border and infiltrating a prohibited military zone, according to local newspapers, including Al-Nahar and Al-Anbaa. The suspects were detected by armed forces assigned to secure the site and were intercepted inside the military zone

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  Senior barristers accused of misusing legal status in pro-Israel campaign against Palestine activists

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  Three of Britain’s most senior barristers have been accused of lending the weight of their professional status to a pro-Israel lawfare campaign targeting Palestine solidarity activists, charities, student groups, teachers and cultural workers. The allegation forms part of a formal complaint submitted to the Bar Standards Board (BSB) by the European Legal Support Centre (ELSC) and the Public Interest Law Centre (PILC). The complaint names Lord David Pannick KC, Lord Anthony Grabiner KC and Stephen Hockman KC in their roles as patrons of UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI). The BSB regulates barristers in England and Wales. The complaint asks the regulator to examine whether the three barristers’ names and senior legal status were used in UKLFI correspondence in a way

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  Pro-Israel commentator warns critics face ‘buzzsaw’ of ‘Jewish money’ after Massie defeat

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  Leading neoconservative commentator and staunch defender of Israel, John Podhoretz, has turned the defeat of US Representative Thomas Massie into a warning to every candidate who challenges the pro-Israel lobby, declaring that “Jewish money” should be used openly to force such politicians through a political “buzzsaw”. Speaking at a meeting, Podhoretz celebrated the role “Jewish money” played in the defeat of Massie and issued what is likely to be regarded as a direct threat to other candidates who challenge Israel’s influence in American politics. John Podhoretz celebrates the role that “Jewish money” played in defeating Rep. Thomas Massie: “We have to use what means there are at our disposal, and…that is Jewish money!” “This is an existential issue for Jews!”

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  The bell tolls in Beijing: Xi’s warning and the shadow of Thucydides

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  “It was the rise of Athens and the fear that this instilled in Sparta that made war inevitable.” Two thousand five hundred years on, the trap is being set again — and this time the stakes are nuclear. When Xi Jinping stood on Chinese soil and asked Donald Trump whether America and China could “transcend the Thucydides Trap,” he was not extending an olive branch. He was issuing a veiled warning, the kind that comes not in thunder, but in the low, measured tremor of a man who believes the fault line has already shifted beneath his rival’s feet. “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” — Sun Tzu, The Art of War. In 2014,

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  Legal centre: Israeli forces subjected flotilla activists to severe physical and psychological abuse

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  The Arab legal rights centre in Israel, Adalah, said it had documented severe violence, including electric shocks, physical and psychological abuse, and broken ribs, against detainees from the Global Sumud Flotilla by Israeli forces. In a statement issued on Wednesday evening and received by Anadolu Agency, the centre said its legal team had “provided legal consultations to hundreds of detainees” who took part in the flotilla, amid testimonies of “severe violence,” humiliation and serious injuries allegedly inflicted by Israeli forces. The statement came after widespread anger and condemnation following a video showing far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir overseeing what was described as the mistreatment of detained activists. The video showed detainees kneeling with their hands tied behind their

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  The geopolitics of energy algorithms: Who will control oil markets in the age of Artificial Intelligence?

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  From oil wells to data power For decades, power in the global energy market was defined by oil reserves, production capacity, pipelines, shipping routes and geopolitical geography. States that controlled strategic chokepoints, export corridors and vast hydrocarbon resources were considered the central actors of the international energy order. Yet recent developments suggest that the world is gradually entering a new phase in which data, algorithms and artificial intelligence are becoming part of the infrastructure of energy power itself. Today, competition over energy is no longer confined to oil fields in the Gulf or gas pipelines in the Eastern Mediterranean. Increasingly, it is taking place inside data centres, predictive systems and AI-driven analytical platforms. Major energy companies, investment banks, sovereign wealth

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  Dehumanisation, colonialism and its accomplices

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  Colonialism is dehumanising. It is something akin to a spectacle that several world leaders and ministers have partially woken up to that fact, after a video showing Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir humiliating the kidnapped Global Sumud Flotilla activists generated much negative attention on social media. Israeli ambassadors were summoned, while the US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said that Ben Gvir “betrayed the dignity of his nation. Ben Gvir did not betray dignity. He exposed Israel’s disregard of dignity. In colonialism, dignity does not exist. The outrage was merely controlled diplomatic theatrics, as dehumanisation spilled over to non-Palestinians. When images of Palestinians, detained, bound, and held in pits first emerged on social media during the genocide, Israel’s security

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  Israel’s High Court gives aid groups 30 days to submit employee lists or cease operations

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  Israel’s High Court has rejected a petition filed by international aid organizations operating in Palestine and gave them one month to submit employee lists to the government or cease operations, according to an Israeli government statement on Wednesday. The government said the petition was filed by AIDA, an umbrella group representing 19 international non-governmental relief organisations working in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. According to the statement, the petition came after the organisations refused to provide Israel with lists of their local employees “as required under NGO registration and security screening procedures.” Dozens of international aid groups have opposed new Israeli requirements that include submitting names of local staff members, identifying aid beneficiaries, and refraining from criticising

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  Sudan: Hemedti strips defected RSF commander of rank, sentences him to death in absentia

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) commander, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, has stripped defected brigadier Ali Rizqallah, known as Al-Safana, of his military rank, referred him to retirement and declared him an outlaw. Hemedti also issued a death sentence in absentia against Al-Safana after accusing him of desertion and rebellion against the constitutional order. On 11th May, Al-Safana, considered one of the RSF’s senior commanders, announced his formal defection from the force and sharply criticised its leadership. On 15th May, the defected commander arrived in the Sudanese capital, Khartoum, declaring his intention to fight alongside the army in Kordofan before advancing towards Darfur. A directive issued by RSF administration chief Omar Hamdan to all force departments and sectors said the RSF commander

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  Trial opens in Germany over attack on Israeli arms company

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  A German court is continuing the trial of five pro-Palestinian activists accused of attacking the German branch of Elbit Systems in the southern German city of Ulm. On the third day of proceedings, several defendants were forcibly brought into the courtroom after refusing to enter voluntarily, according to their lawyers. Defence attorneys said the defendants objected to being seated behind security glass and were therefore carried into the courtroom by security personnel. One defendant entered in a wheelchair, while four others were carried by officers holding their arms and legs, prompting applause from some audience members. The session began after a delay of around 90 minutes. Shortly after proceedings resumed, the court adjourned again following a request by a defence

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  Trump’s Gaza ‘peace’ board in turmoil as funding pledges fail to materialise

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  Donald Trump’s controversial “Board of Peace” for Gaza has warned that a gap between pledged funds and money actually disbursed must be closed urgently, raising fresh doubts over the US-led scheme already widely viewed as the president’s vanity project rather than a serious plan to rebuild the besieged Palestinian enclave. A report submitted to the United Nations Security Council said: “The gap between commitment and disbursement must be closed with urgency.” It warned that funds pledged but not transferred mark “the difference between a framework that exists on paper and one that delivers on the ground for the people of Gaza.” Trump established the Board of Peace to oversee his plan to end Israel’s genocide on Gaza and rebuild the

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  Palestinian Prisoners Club says Israel uses detention of solidarity activists to intimidate global supporters

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  The Palestinian Prisoners Club said on Wednesday that Israel has turned the detention and abduction of international solidarity activists into a systematic policy aimed at intimidating supporters of the Palestinian cause worldwide. In a statement, the organisation said Israeli authorities seek to send a message that anyone showing solidarity with the Palestinian people could face detention, abuse, arrest and torture. The statement followed the circulation of videos released by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir showing the mistreatment of activists from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and the “Global Solidarity Flotilla,” who were detained by Israeli forces while attempting to reach the Gaza Strip. According to the Prisoners Club, Israeli authorities intercepted the activists in international waters and forcibly transferred them

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  Israeli minister boasts of mistreatment of Gaza flotilla activists

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  Israeli Transport Minister Miri Regev has boasted about the mistreatment of activists from the Global Sumud Flotilla detained by Israel, saying that “prison is the place for terrorism supporters”. Regev, from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, posted a video from Ashdod port in southern Israel showing the arrival of a ship carrying dozens of detained flotilla activists under the title: “This is what will be done to terrorism supporters who came to break the blockade on Gaza.” In the video, Regev said she had arranged for Israel’s national anthem, Hatikvah, to be the first thing heard by the 140 flotilla activists upon their arrival at the port. “So they understand what will happen to those who arrive in this

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Avi Shlaim: The journey of a moral historian from Baghdad to Israel to Oxford

  by MI on May 21, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Jamil K. Mroue: Netanyahu’s Pipe Dream of Disarming Hezbollah

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  Israeli foreign minister slams Ben-Gvir over mistreatment of flotilla activists

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar publicly criticised National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over videos showing the mistreatment of activists from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, accusing him of deliberately damaging Israel’s international image. In a post on X responding to footage filmed in Ashdod, Sa’ar wrote: “You have deliberately damaged the state with this shameful display, and this is not the first time.” He added that Ben-Gvir had undermined the efforts of Israeli soldiers, diplomats and state employees, stating: “No, you are not the face of Israel.” The controversy followed the circulation of videos showing Ben-Gvir and security personnel confronting detained flotilla activists after one participant shouted “Free Palestine.” The footage showed activists being humiliated and forcibly restrained while under Israeli

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  Iran threatens permit system for internet cables crossing Strait of Hormuz

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Monday threatened to place internet fibre-optic cables passing through the Strait of Hormuz under a “permit system”, in a move seen as part of Tehran’s efforts to tighten control over one of the world’s most important routes for energy, trade and communications. Among the main cables crossing the Strait is a branch of the AAE-1 (Asia-Africa-Europe 1) cable, a major submarine cable system linking Asia and Europe through the Middle East, connecting points from Hong Kong to France via Egypt. The Falcon and Gulf Bridge cables also pass through the Strait, linking Gulf countries, including Iran, with India and East Africa, extending to Egypt. “These cables carry all types of data, from videos, emails and social

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  Iranian parliament speaker warns of “strong response” to any new US attack

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Wednesday that the United States is seeking to launch a new war and force Iran into surrender, following renewed threats by US President Donald Trump to carry out military strikes if no agreement is reached. Ghalibaf warned that Tehran is preparing a “strong response” to any future attack similar to the strikes launched by the United States and Israel during the war that began on 28 February. In an audio message carried by Iranian media, Ghalibaf said: “The enemy’s actions, both overt and covert, show that despite economic and political pressure, it has not abandoned its military objectives and is seeking to start a new war.” He added that close monitoring of

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  France and Italy protest after video of Freedom Flotilla activists in Israeli custody circulates

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  France and Italy summoned Israeli ambassadors on Wednesday after videos circulated showing activists from the Freedom Flotilla Coalition being mistreated while detained by Israeli authorities. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the scenes involving handcuffed activists forced to kneel and mistreated by Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir as “unacceptable,” particularly because several detainees were Italian citizens. “It is unacceptable that these demonstrators should be subjected to treatment that violates human dignity,” Meloni said in a social media statement. In Paris, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said he would convey France’s “outrage” to the Israeli ambassador and demand explanations regarding the footage. Barrot stressed that the safety of French nationals remained a priority and called for the detained activists to

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  US lifts sanctions on Francesca Albanese, UN expert on Palestinians following court order

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  The United States on Wednesday lifted sanctions imposed on UN Special Rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, Francesca Albanese, a sharp critic of Israel, following a court order. A notice on the US Treasury Department website showed that sanctions against Albanese had been removed after she was previously placed on a global blacklist, which made it impossible for her to use major credit cards or carry out banking transactions. Washington imposed sanctions on Albanese in July 2025 after she made statements criticising US policy towards the Gaza Strip. Albanese, who took up her post in 2022, has said that Israel committed “genocide in Gaza”. Last week, US District Judge Richard Leon suspended the US sanctions against Albanese.

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  Maps of a vanished world: The myth of containing Iran

  by Marwa A on May 21, 2026

  Despite decades of maximum pressure, crippling sanctions, and diplomatic isolation, the geopolitical reality of the Middle East suggests a profound paradox: the more the West and its regional allies speak of “containing” Iran, the more central Tehran becomes to the regional order. From the Levant to the Gulf of Aden, the Islamic Republic has moved beyond being a mere “disruptor” to becoming a structural pillar of the Middle East’s political and security landscape. The Western-led strategy of containment has largely operated on the assumption that Iran could be boxed in until it either capitulated or collapsed. However, this approach has failed to account for Tehran’s “strategic depth”—a sophisticated blend of asymmetric alliances, ideological soft power, and a resilient, albeit battered,

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  Hormuz closure could trigger global food price crisis within a year, UN agency warns

  by Marwa A on May 20, 2026

  The closure of the Strait of Hormuz could trigger a severe global food price crisis within six to 12 months, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) warned on Wednesday, calling the disruption “the beginning of a systemic agrifood shock,” Anadolu reports. The Rome-based agency said the disruption is no longer only a shipping or energy-market problem, warning that the shock is moving through global agrifood systems in stages. “The shock is unfolding in stages: energy, fertiliser, seeds, lower yields, commodity price increases, then food inflation,” the FAO said in a podcast titled Policy Recommendations to Prevent a Global Food Crisis | Hormuz Crisis 2026, published Wednesday. The FAO said the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed since Feb.

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  Spain summons Israeli charge d’affaires for ‘monstrous’ treatment of Gaza flotilla activists

  by Marwa A on May 20, 2026

  Spain summoned Israel’s charge d’affaires on Wednesday after Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares condemned what he described as the “monstrous,” “inhumane” and “disgraceful” treatment of activists aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla, Anadolu reports. In a video message shared on the US social media platform X, Albares said: “I have seen a horrific, inhumane and disgraceful video in which members of the flotilla were treated unjustly and humiliatingly by an Israeli minister and the police.” Among them, he noted, were Spanish citizens on the flotilla, calling the incident “deeply alarming.” “I repeat, this treatment is monstrous, it is disgraceful, it is inhumane,” Albares added, demanding “a public apology from Israel.” The Spanish minister said Madrid had urgently summoned the Israeli charge d’affaires

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  Canada demands Israel ensure ‘safety and security of Canadians’ on Gaza-bound flotilla

  by Marwa A on May 20, 2026

  Prime Minister Mark Carney on Wednesday denounced Israel’s “abominable” treatment of activists aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla, demanding that Tel Aviv ensure the “safety and security” of Canadians, Anadolu reports. “The abominable treatment of civilians aboard the flotilla, including that which is documented in footage shared by (Israeli National Security Minister) Itamar Ben-Gvir, is unacceptable,” Carney wrote on the US social media platform X. Noting that the Canadian Foreign Ministry has summoned Israel’s ambassador to Ottawa, Carney said it demanded “assurances regarding the safety and security of Canadians involved.” “Canada has already imposed strict sanctions on Mr. Ben-Gvir, including asset freezes and a travel ban, in response to his repeated incitement of violence,” he said. “The protection of civilians and respect

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  Poland demands ‘justice’ for its citizens after Israeli treatment of Gaza flotilla members, calls for consequences

  by Marwa A on May 20, 2026

  Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski on Wednesday demanded “justice” for Polish citizens after footage was circulated by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir showing Israel’s treatment of activists detained after attempting to reach the Gaza Strip by sea, Anadolu reports. “You may not treat Polish citizens who have committed no crime in this way,” Sikorski said in a post on the US social media company X. “In the democratic world we do not abuse and gloat over people in custody,” he added. “We demand justice for our citizens and consequences for you,” Sikorski said. The remarks came after a video posted by Ben-Gvir showed detained activists zip-tied and forced to kneel after being detained by Israeli forces in international waters.

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  UN chief strongly condemns Israel’s decision to set up army base on UNRWA compound in East Jerusalem

  by Marwa A on May 20, 2026

  UN chief Antonio Guterres on Wednesday strongly condemned Israel’s decision to establish military facilities at a UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) compound in occupied East Jerusalem, calling it “wholly unacceptable,” Anadolu reports. “The Secretary-General condemns in the strongest terms the Israeli authorities’ decision to establish military facilities at the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound in East Jerusalem that they had seized in January,” his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement. Stressing that UNRWA is “an integral part of the United Nations,” the statement noted that the Sheikh Jarrah compound “remains United Nations premises,” adding that the measures constitute “a breach of the inviolability of United Nations premises” and undermine the agency’s mandate in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East

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  Debunking The Founding Myths of Israel | Palestine This Week with Mouin Rabbani

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  In this week’s episode, we take on some of the most persistent myths used to justify Zionism, erase Palestinian dispossession and rewrite the history of the Nakba. We begin with the claim that Arab conquest expelled Jews over the centuries, before examining how this distorted reading of history is used to present Zionism as a “return of Jews to their ancestral homeland” rather than a colonial project. We then turn to the Nakba, challenging claims that Israel was founded on legally purchased land, that the 1948 war was a war of annihilation against Israel and that Palestinians left because Arab leaders told them to evacuate. The episode also unpacks the accusation that Palestinians want to “push Jews into the sea”,

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  Sovereignty, Palestine, and Power Vacuum: The Urgent Need for a United Arab Initiative

  by Marwa A on May 20, 2026

  US President Donald Trum’’s state visit to China will go down in history as the day the United States finally acknowledged Beijing’s ascendancy as a global superpower. That acknowledgment does not need to be articulated in a formal statement; it can be clearly read in the subtext of diplomatic behavior, global perception, and shifting media coverage. During the summit, Trump’s delegation—accompanied by prominent American corporate leaders—engaged with President Xi Jinping not from a position of absolute global dictation, but through a lens of defensive pragmatism. This transactional approach focused on securing bilateral trade commitments and preventing catastrophic economic friction. The spectacle of the leader of the Western world navigating Beijing’s terms, while actively managing domestic economic anxieties, signals a profound

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  Italy summons Israeli ambassador after Ben-Gvir filmed taunting Gaza flotilla detainees

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  Italy has summoned Israel’s ambassador and demanded an apology after far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir was filmed mocking detained Gaza flotilla activists, including Italian citizens, who had been handcuffed, blindfolded and forced to kneel. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani issued a joint statement condemning the images as “unacceptable” and saying the treatment of the demonstrators violated human dignity. The Italian government said it was acting “at the highest institutional levels” to secure the immediate release of the Italian citizens involved. READ: LIVE UPDATES: 87 Gaza-bound aid flotilla activists launch hunger strike over Israeli detention “The images of Israeli Minister Ben Gvir are unacceptable,” the statement said. “It is inadmissible that these demonstrators, including

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  CAAP slams Israel participation in inter-American forum

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  The Caribbean Against Apartheid in Palestine (CAAP) has today condemned plans to allow an Israeli delegation to attend an Inter-American Development Bank investment forum in Barbados from 26th May to 28th.   A statement from the organisation said: “CAAP registers its utter abhorrence and disapproval of persons from the Zionist State of Israel being given permission to enter Barbados, to participate in events on our soil and conduct business here.”   Attorney Lalu Hanuman, CAAP’s Secretary said: “During apartheid in South Africa, persons aligned to that State would never have been allowed entry to Barbados. It is deplorable that persons associated with the Zionist apartheid state of Israel, whose leaders are subject to pending warrants of arrest issued by the International Criminal

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  India’s Gulf gamble in a fragmenting Middle East

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s five-nation diplomatic tour across the United Arab Emirates, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, and Italy from May 15-20, 2026 reflects India’s broader effort to establish itself as a consequential actor in an increasingly fragmented multipolar order. As geopolitical rivalries intensify, supply chains reorganize, and energy markets remain volatile, New Delhi is pursuing partnerships capable of supporting both economic modernization and strategic autonomy. India’s outreach to Europe and the Gulf is driven largely by economic and technological considerations. Access to semiconductor ecosystems, renewable energy cooperation, logistics infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, and foreign investment has become central to India’s long-term development strategy. Negotiations surrounding the India-EU Free Trade Agreement and the India-EFTA Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement illustrate New Delhi’s attempt

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  Pro-Palestinian activists hold protest at Belgian university rectorate, demand full Israeli academic boycott

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  Pro-Palestinian activists staged a protest at Ghent University’s (UGent) rectorate building in Belgium on Wednesday, calling for a full academic boycott of Israel, Belga News Agency reported. The activists said the university’s recent decision to phase out five research collaborations with Israeli partners was insufficient and called for all ties to be severed. “Not just 5, cut all ties,” read one of the slogans sprayed on the building, referring to the university’s decision to end five Horizon research projects it deemed problematic. The Ghent University said it continues to maintain a limited number of collaborations with partners it does not consider involved in serious human rights violations. READ: Belgian university to withdraw from 5 EU education projects involving Israeli partners It

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  Israel’s High Court gives aid groups 30 days to submit employee lists or cease operations

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  Israel’s High Court has rejected a petition filed by international aid organizations operating in Palestine and gave them one month to submit employee lists to the government or cease operations, according to an Israeli government statement on Wednesday, Anadolu reports. The government said the petition was filed by AIDA, an umbrella group representing 19 international nongovernmental relief organizations working in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank. According to the statement, the petition came after the organizations refused to provide Israel with lists of their local employees “as required under NGO registration and security screening procedures.” Dozens of international aid groups have opposed new Israeli requirements that include submitting names of local staff members, identifying aid beneficiaries, and refraining from

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  Trump, Netanyahu hold ‘lengthy, dramatic’ call as decision on Iran nears: Israeli media

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a “lengthy and dramatic” phone call overnight, their second contact in just a few days, Israel’s Channel 12 reported on Wednesday. No details were provided about the content of the discussions, but the channel characterized the talks as “lengthy and dramatic.” The broadcaster said the call came as the two leaders appeared to be “on the verge of a decision” regarding the Iran war. Neither the White House nor Netanyahu’s office issued a statement about the call. On Sunday, Netanyahu and Trump spoke in a call that lasted more than 30 minutes and focused on “the possibility of renewing fighting in Iran,” according to Israeli media. READ: Iran warns renewed

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  Jewish groups launch new diaspora movement rejecting Israel’s ethno-nationalism

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  A new coalition of Jewish organisations has launched under the banner of the Jewish Diaspora Movement (JDM), seeking to advance a vision of Jewish life rooted outside the framework of Israeli state power and in explicit rejection of ethno-nationalism. The movement, launched on 18 May, brings together dozens of synagogues, prayer communities, cultural organisations and activist groups, mostly in North America, including Jewish Voice for Peace, Rabbis for Ceasefire, IfNotNow, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice and the American Council for Judaism. Its official website says the coalition now includes 46 member organisations in its “founding minyan”. The JDM describes itself as “a participatory network advancing an ethical future for Jews, Jewishness, and Judaism” rooted in diasporic traditions, solidarity and

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  Palestinian ministry condemns illumination of Ibrahimi Mosque in Israeli flag colors

  by MI on May 20, 2026

  The Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs on Wednesday condemned the illumination of the walls of the Ibrahimi Mosque with the Israeli flag colors and Hebrew phrases, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the ministry called it “a blatant assault” on the sanctity of the mosque located in the West Bank city of Hebron. The mosque is “a purely Islamic endowment in which non-Muslims have no right,” it added. “Israeli measures inside the mosque are invalid and illegal, and are a dangerous attempt to alter its historical features and impose a new Judaization reality by force of arms,” the ministry added. It called on the international community and rights groups to urgently intervene to stop violations against Islamic holy sites. It