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

• 
  Israeli forces use phosphorus shells in southern Lebanon attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Israeli forces used phosphorus munitions while shelling several towns in southern Lebanon on Friday, state news agency NNA reported. Artillery struck the outskirts of Zawtar al-Sharqiyah, Mayfadoun and Nabatieh al-Fawqa in the Nabatieh district. Phosphorus shells were used in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, while Israel later renewed attacks on Zawtar al-Sharqiyah with similar munitions. In the Tyre district, artillery fire also targeted Wadi Zibqin and the outskirts of Haris and Haddatha. READ: Israeli army sets fire to government hospital in southern Lebanon Lebanese army specialists dismantled two unexploded Israeli aerial bombs in Majdal Selm and Al-Ghandouriyah in the Marjayoun and Bint Jbeil districts and moved them to a safe location. The Israeli offensive in Lebanon has killed at least 4,386 victims, wounded 12,407

• 
  Trump doubts Iran deal, plans renewed strikes after midterms: WSJ

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  US President Donald Trump has turned down a seven-day truce offer from Iran and told aides he expects to launch new strikes once November’s midterm elections are finished, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on Friday. The Journal, citing officials familiar with the matter, said Iranian negotiators floated the offer through mediators in Qatar, proposing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart nuclear talks if Washington ended its naval blockade of Iranian ports. US officials told Tehran and the mediators there is no plan to lift the blockade, calculating that continued economic strain will eventually force Iran into an agreement on Washington’s terms, the report said. READ: Iran says Strait of Hormuz can reopen within 7 days if US accepts

• 
  Bahrain rejects permit, fee regime for Strait of Hormuz passage

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Bahrain on Friday rejected any permit or fee system for passage through the Strait of Hormuz saying transit through the international waterway cannot be suspended or subjected to unilateral conditions, Anadolu reports. Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani said the right of transit through the strait is guaranteed under international law for vessels of all states. “The kingdom categorically rejects any permit or fee regime imposed on passage,” Al Zayani told the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. He also rejected using international waterways as instruments of pressure or economic coercion, warning that accepting restrictions in Hormuz could set a precedent for other strategic waterways. Al Zayani said alternative shipping routes could not replace the right of passage

• 
  Egypt calls for end to Israeli violations, rejects forced displacement of Palestinians

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Egypt urged an end to Israeli violations against Palestinians on Friday, and firmly rejected any attempt to forcibly displace the population from the Gaza Strip or the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, Anadolu reports. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly told the 81st UN General Assembly in New York that the Gaza ceasefire must be fully implemented, Israeli violations halted and the withdrawal completed. He called for a sustained humanitarian access, the start of early recovery and reconstruction, and a political process addressing the roots of the conflict. “Peace cannot be built on uprooting a people from their land,” said Madbouly, warning that regional stability cannot be achieved while Palestinian suffering continues and the occupation is managed rather than ended. He

• 
  RSF military group defects, joins Sudanese army: State media

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  A military group affiliated with Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Friday defected and joined the Sudanese Armed Forces, state news agency SUNA reported. The force was led by Al-Tayeb Mohammed Ahmed, also known as Al-Tayeb Al-Wahido. Senior officials from the Sudanese army and the General Intelligence Service received the defecting force. Al-Wahido said in a press statement he had broken away from the RSF and joined the Sudanese army after witnessing “tragedies” within the paramilitary group’s ranks. He called on RSF members to join the army, “return to the homeland” and reconsider their positions, saying “there is no cause that justified the continuation of the fighting.” READ: More than 308,000 displaced from Sudan’s Kordofan since October 2025: UN migration

• 
  Iran says Strait of Hormuz can reopen within 7 days if US accepts plan

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days if the US accepts a plan it conveyed through Qatar, Anadolu reports. Araghchi told reporters in New York on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly that the seven-day timeline would begin once Washington accepts the proposal. He said the US would be expected to take steps within the first four or five days, allowing the strait to reopen on day six. Talks between Tehran and Washington on a final agreement would then begin on day seven, he said. READ: Iran tells Washington its conditions for reopening Strait of Hormuz The foreign minister said the measures sought from Washington were already included

• 
  Iran warns regional air travel could be halted because of ban on its airlines

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Iran warned on Friday that air travel across the region could be disrupted if Iranian airlines continue to be denied access to flights and airport services, Anadolu reports. Tehran will not accept regional countries “aligning themselves with hostile US policies against Iran,” Mohammad Mokhber, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, said in a post on US social media company X. “Our strategy on this matter is clear: Either air travel in the region is available to everyone or to no one,” said Mokhber. “If Iran cannot travel by air and receive airport services, no country in the region will be able to do so either,” he added in a thinly veiled threat. Mokhber said the decision by regional countries

• 
  Netanyahu has driven Israel’s standing in US to ‘unprecedented low’: Haaretz

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  Israeli daily Haaretz said on Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has driven Israel’s standing in the US to an “unprecedented low.” “Anyone following the conduct of Israel and its relations with other countries, especially the United States, has for years warned of an unprecedented crisis in Israel’s strategic relations with its most important ally,” Haaretz said in an editorial. “It was clear that the damage caused by Benjamin Netanyahu and his government would bring relations with the United States to a new low.” “He has ignored the many warnings regarding the damage he is causing to Israel-US relations,” the newspaper said. The damage continued with his “blatant interference in American politics in favor of (President Donald) Trump and the

• 
  UN says Israel’s 942 checkpoints, barriers in occupied West Bank restrict Palestinian movement

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  An extensive network of Israeli military checkpoints, gates and barriers stretches across the occupied West Bank, restricting Palestinian movement between cities, towns and villages, and separating communities from one another and their agricultural land, Anadolu reports. The network has reached 942 checkpoints, closure points and other barriers, according to updated data from the Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). The system includes 824 fixed checkpoints and closure points, as well as 118 linear barriers, including earth mounds, trenches and roadblocks, spanning a combined 107.7 kilometers (70 miles). Hebron tops list The Hebron governorate has the highest number of fixed checkpoints and closure points at 221, followed by Ramallah and

• 
  Aafia, Adiala, and the architecture of the war on terror

  by Mehdi Editor on September 26, 2026

  There is something revealing about the geography of Muslim moral courage. Western Muslim leaders and institutions can summon magnificent clarity when the perpetrator is Washington, Delhi or Tel Aviv. They have spoken, often rightly and courageously, about Palestine, Kashmir, Islamophobia, Guantánamo, rendition, drone warfare and the obscenities committed under the banner of the War on Terror. The harder test begins when the road leads somewhere less comfortable. To Islamabad. And two names now expose that discomfort with unusual force: Aafia Siddiqui and Imran Khan. Aafia belongs to the beginning of the War on Terror. Adiala belongs to its afterlife. For more than two decades, Aafia Siddiqui has haunted Pakistan’s political conscience. She disappeared with her three children in 2003 before

• 
  5 Netanyahu claims at UN that clash with documented findings

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly used the UN General Assembly podium to defend Israel’s actions in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, making claims that have been challenged by international bodies, humanitarian agencies and, in some cases, data from Israel’s own military, Anadolu reports. In speeches between 2024 and 2026, Netanyahu rejected allegations of genocide, described civilian casualties as exceptionally low, blamed Hamas for Gaza’s aid crisis and played down Israeli occupier violence in the occupied West Bank. A review of five such claims shows substantial discrepancies between Netanyahu’s account and documented findings. – Genocide allegation is ‘the greatest lie of the century’ In his 2026 UN address, Netanyahu called accusations that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza

• 
  US university ends contract for sending human cadavers to train Israeli military personnel

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  The University of Southern California (USC) has terminated an arrangement involving the transfer of human cadavers used to train Israeli military medical personnel, campus news organization Annenberg Media reported, Anadolu reports. The university concluded the agreement between its Keck School of Medicine and the US Navy on Thursday, ending a program that spanned more than five years and generated more than $1 million for the university. Officials at the medical school said decision did not stem from recent student demonstrations sparked by media disclosures of the initiative. Instead, the school confirmed the agreement ended because the University of California San Diego (UCSD) declined to continue supplying donated bodies for the venture. The University of California Health Communications team explained that

• 
  Army halts arrests of ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jews draft dodgers: Israeli newspaper

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  The Israeli army has halted arrests of ultra-Orthodox Haredi Jews wanted for failing to comply with military draft orders amid concerns that the arrests could trigger protests, according to Israeli media. Haaretz reported Friday that the army had decided to suspend arrests of Haredi draft dodgers over fears of unrest and protests across the country as Israeli elections approach. The army attributed the move to “operational needs,” without providing further details, according to the newspaper. Haaretz said arrests had been extremely limited even before the decision was taken. According to figures cited in an Israeli Supreme Court ruling, only 16 Haredi draft dodgers were arrested during the first half of 2026, the newspaper said. Haaretz cited unnamed police sources as

• 
  Yemeni government forces seize strategic mountain range in Lahj after clashes with Houthis

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  Yemeni government forces said Friday that they seized control of the strategic Numan mountain range in the southern province of Lahj following clashes with the Houthis, Anadolu reports. The Yemeni army’s media center said government forces, backed by the Popular Resistance, took control of the mountain range overlooking the Al-Wazi’iyah and Al-Mudarabah districts. Houthi fighters withdrew from the area and suffered heavy losses in personnel and military equipment, it added. The Nation’s Shield Forces said its units, backed by the Giants Brigades and local tribesmen, seized the summit of Jabal Numan and the nearby Dar al-Kafir position in a rapid military operation. According to the force, the operation began with an overnight infiltration followed by the encirclement of the position

• 
  UN chief calls for end to Sudan war, voices regret that Burhan was denied US visa

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an end to the war in Sudan and the suffering of its people, while expressing regret that Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman Abdel Fattah al-Burhan was not issued a visa to attend this week’s UN General Assembly, Anadolu reports. Guterres made the remarks during a meeting with Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohieddin Salem on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly in New York, according to Sudan’s state news agency. He stressed the importance of pursuing dialogue as a means to resolve the conflict and achieve peace in Sudan. Guterres also praised the Sudanese government’s cooperation in facilitating the delivery of humanitarian aid to people affected by the ongoing war. He expressed regret over the

• 
  Maldives vice president tells UN Israel’s genocide in Gaza ‘must end’

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  Maldives Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef told the UN General Assembly in New York on Friday that Israel’s genocide “must end,” calling for an end to Israel’s occupation and settlements and for humanitarian aid to reach Palestinians safely and rapidly, Anadolu reports. He called for accountability under international law, saying no state should be shielded by its power or political alliances. “Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestine and other Arab lands must end. Illegal settlements must end. Humanitarian assistance must reach Palestinians safely, rapidly and at scale. And the decisions of international courts and the resolutions of this Organization must be respected and implemented,” Latheef said. He reiterated the Maldives’ support for an independent Palestinian state based on the pre-1967 borders,

• 
  Israeli opposition party leader says state’s global standing at all-time low, warns of economic collapse

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  Yisrael Beiteinu opposition party leader Avigdor Liberman said Friday that Israel’s global standing had reached an “unprecedented low,” warning of a “real economic collapse” because of European sanctions and their impact on trade, Anadolu reports. Liberman made the remarks in a post through US social media company X, commenting on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to the UN General Assembly in New York. “Israel’s standing in the world has reached an unprecedented low,” Liberman said. “For years, Israel benefited from the American veto at the UN Security Council. I believe that as long as (US President Donald) Trump remains president, the veto will continue to be available to us. Under the next president, whether Republican or Democrat, the reality could

• 
  Turkiye rejects East-West divide, says Mecca defense pact not aimed at Iran or Israel: President

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkiye would not choose between East and West as the global balance of power shifts, emphasizing Ankara’s commitment to NATO while pursuing deeper partnerships with China, Russia, and regional powers. In an exclusive written interview with US-based Newsweek magazine published Friday, Erdogan outlined Turkiye’s approach to a changing international order, addressing the new Mecca Joint Defense Agreement with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, tensions involving Iran and Israel, the war in Ukraine, and developments in Syria. “We do not believe it is right to impose on Turkiye a choice between the West or the East,” Erdogan said, stressing that the country’s geographical position requires a multidimensional foreign policy. He said Turkiye was strengthening its position

• 
  China helping Iran would be ‘totally unacceptable,’ Trump told Xi during visit: US ambasador

  by Marwa A on September 25, 2026

  US President Donald Trump told visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping this week that Beijing providing any assistance to Iran would be “totally unacceptable,” according to the US ambassador to China, Anadolu reports. Speaking to CNBC on Friday, David Perdue said the issue of Chinese support for Iran has been a recurring subject in US-China discussions and was raised again during Trump and Xi’s White House talks on Thursday. “We made it very clear to them weeks ago that any help that they would give Iran, whether it be direct or indirect, whether it be intelligence, or parts, or military equipment, was totally unacceptable,” Perdue said. “President Trump made that very clear again yesterday.” Perdue said Washington remains concerned about what

• 
  Zionism is racism, says Green leader Zack Polanski

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Green Party leader Zack Polanski has said Zionism is a form of racism and declared himself an anti-Zionist, drawing boos and heckling at a Jewish community election hustings in London. Asked whether Zionism was racist, Polanski said: “If you’re defining Zionism as a displacement genocide, which is how, in practice, Zionism has become, then that is racism.” His answer followed a qualification that people understood the term differently, Jewish News reported. Speaking in Holborn and St Pancras on Thursday, Polanski acknowledged that his declaration of anti-Zionism would be difficult for some audience members to hear. When challenged about where Jewish people should go, he argued that Israel’s exercise of self-determination relied on the displacement and genocide of Palestinians. The response

• 
  71,000 children displaced in Yemen in 3 weeks amid escalating conflict: UNICEF

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Some 71,000 children have been forced from their homes in Yemen over the past three weeks amid escalating conflict, UNICEF said Friday, warning that hunger and displacement are putting children at growing risk, Anadolu reports. Akhil Iyer, UNICEF’s country representative in Yemen, told reporters in Geneva that nearly 130,000 people, including 71,000 children, had been displaced during the period, with most uprooted from or within the southwestern governorate of Taiz. “Conflict is driving hunger, and hunger makes children even more vulnerable to conflict,” Iyer said. UNICEF in recent weeks, has screened nearly 2,900 children through mobile nutrition teams in areas where it has safe humanitarian access. More than one in four were found to be acutely malnourished, while around 200

• 
  Egypt urges resumption of US-Iran talks, regional de-escalation

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Egypt stressed Friday the need to resume negotiations between the US and Iran and halt escalation in the straits of Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb during separate meetings between Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Iranian and Omani counterparts, Anadolu reports. The meetings were held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, according to two statements by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. Abdelatty and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed efforts and proposals aimed at reaching an agreement that would contain tensions and reduce escalation. “The utmost importance of every country fulfilling its responsibilities to ensure the movement and freedom of international navigation, limiting the negative repercussions of the crisis on the global economy,” the Egyptian foreign minister stressed. He

• 
  Saudi grand mufti urges front-line troops to unite against Houthis

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Saudi Grand Mufti Sheikh Saleh bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan urged the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and Saudi soldiers stationed along the front line to remain united in confronting the Houthis and defend Saudi territory and Muslim holy sites, Anadolu reports. In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency on Thursday and addressed to coalition forces and Saudi soldiers stationed along the border, Al-Fawzan called the Houthis “a misguided faction and deviant group,” urging the soldiers to “cooperate with one another and unite your word.” Guarding the country’s borders, “repelling aggression against them and punishing anyone who seeks to harm even an inch of it are among the greatest duties,” he said. “Restoring security and stability in Yemen under its legitimate

• 
  Israeli army prepares for new phase of fighting in southern Lebanon: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  The Israeli army is preparing to enter a new phase of fighting in southern Lebanon in the coming days, Israeli media reported on Friday. The report comes as the army continues its attacks in southern Lebanon, in violation of a US-brokered framework deal signed with Beirut in June. The army will reorganize its forces in what it called the “yellow zone,” including reducing and redeploying troops stationed along the line, Israel’s Channel 12 said. In April, Tel Aviv announced it established what it calls the “yellow line” in southern Lebanon. It is an imaginary line separating an Israeli-occupied “buffer zone” from the rest of Lebanese territory, extending up to 10 km (around 6.2 miles) into Lebanon in certain sections. Israel

• 
  Iran just gave Washington a deadline. Watch Islamabad, not the White House

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Iran’s message at the United Nations this week wasn’t subtle. President Masoud Pezeshkian stood before the General Assembly and told the room his country would not surrender, hours after President Trump had reportedly threatened Iran with annihilation. The American delegation walked out mid-speech. Then came the real substance: Iran’s Supreme National Security Council secretary, Mohsen Rezaei, said Tehran had handed Washington a written road map — a phased 60-day ceasefire, a gradual reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, an end to the US naval blockade — and given the Americans four to five days to accept it. That’s not the language of a peace process finding its footing. It’s the language of a war entering its final act, one way

• 
  Report: UK’s ‘double lock’ on arms to Israel suspends nothing

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  The British government has not suspended or revoked a single additional arms export licence for Israel since announcing what Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband described as a “double lock” on military sales, according to an investigation by Declassified UK. Miliband announced a package of measures on 8 September targeting Israel’s illegal occupation and settlement activity. The measures included plans to prohibit trade with illegal settlements and refuse applications for arms and other exports that materially contribute to the occupation of Palestinian territory. However, responding to a parliamentary question from independent MP Iqbal Mohamed, the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade confirmed that no further licences had been suspended or revoked since the announcement. The department said this was largely because

• 
  Protesters outside UN’s New York headquarters demand Netanyahu face war crimes charges

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  A large crowd of protesters gathered in New York to denounce Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his Thursday address to the UN General Assembly, demanding he face prosecution for his war crimes. “I’m so shocked and disgusted that the United Nations even allows the war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu to speak before it,” Medea Benjamin, the co-founder of US-based anti-war group Code Pink, told Anadolu. Saying his hands are “dripping in blood,” she added: “We’re here to say we’re the ones who represent the global community that says Netanyahu should not be here. He should be in The Hague facing war crimes (charges).” In November 2024, the International Criminal Court, based in The Hague, issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu

• 
  Rising from the ashes: Post-Assad Syria is slowly stirring

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  The adage goes, “No news is good news,” and a lack of headlines generally means that all should be well. In the case of Syria, that is true to some extent, though during the latter years of the conflict, numbness to Assad’s many crimes meant that reporting seemed to dwindle as observers accepted his “victory”. Nevertheless, Syria is generally out of the headlines when considering the region more broadly. There can be no question that the state is in a much better place than it was before 8 December 2024, but headlines in recent days remind us that there is still a great deal to consider. There have undoubtedly been many successes in Syria since the removal of Bashar Al-Assad.

• 
  Abbas at UN: ‘Do not allow Palestinian homes to be burned while residents sleep’

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the UN General Assembly on Thursday that Palestinians would not leave their homeland or accept forced displacement, while reiterating his support for a negotiated peace based on a two-state solution. In a recorded address to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Abbas said Palestinians would not allow others to determine their political future and called for international action to protect Palestinian communities. “We will not remain waiting, nor will we accept what the governments of the Israeli occupation state decide for us,” Abbas said, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA. “No lasting security can be built upon the occupation of another people and the denial of their legitimate

• 
  Delegates walk out as Netanyahu defends Israel’s regional wars in UN address

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Dozens of delegates walked out of the UN General Assembly on Thursday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began an address defending Israel’s military aggression against Iran and other regional adversaries and rejecting mounting international criticism of his government’s policies. Netanyahu responded to the walkout by describing the departing delegates as “moral cowards.” The protest left a large number of seats in the General Assembly hall empty as he continued his speech. The Israeli prime minister portrayed his country as fighting a “seven-front war,” naming Hamas, Hezbollah, Yemen’s Houthis, Iran, armed groups in Iraq and Syria, and Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank. “We are going to win. We have no other choice,” he said. Turning to the war

• 
  Netherlands bans trade in products from Israeli settlements

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  The Netherlands has begun enforcing a ban on the import and trade of goods originating from Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian and Syrian territories, as part of measures aimed at preventing Dutch economic activity from contributing to settlements considered illegal under international law. The measure took effect on 22nd September and covers products originating from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, as well as the occupied Golan Heights. The prohibition applies not only to commercial imports but also to intermediary trade in settlement goods. Dutch companies operating abroad are also required to comply with the measure. According to Dutch authorities, the restrictions can also apply to settlement products carried into the Netherlands by individual travellers, including

• 
  Barghouti proposes Fatah reunification ahead of Palestinian elections

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Imprisoned Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti has proposed an initiative aimed at reuniting the movement’s competing factions ahead of upcoming Palestinian elections, including a call for Fatah to contest the legislative vote on a single, inclusive list. Fatah official Ahmed Ghunaim said on Thursday that Barghouti’s proposal had been formally submitted to the movement’s leadership, Central Committee and Revolutionary Council. According to Ghunaim, the initiative calls for restoring unity among Fatah’s different components and addressing previous decisions that resulted in the exclusion, marginalization or dismissal of members and prominent figures. The proposal also calls for Fatah to contest the legislative elections through a unified list representing the movement’s various currents rather than one faction within it, Ghunaim said. Earlier reports about

• 
  Ankara: Netanyahu’s claims against Turkey, Erdogan are desperate attempts to cover up Gaza war

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Ankara has described claims made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against Turkey and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as “desperate and empty attempts” to cover up Israel’s war in Gaza and its ongoing aggression in the occupied West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and elsewhere. The statement was issued by a Turkish diplomat at the rank of third secretary at the Foreign Ministry, speaking on behalf of Turkey during the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York, in response to what it described as baseless claims by Netanyahu. Turkey firmly rejects the baseless and malicious accusations directed against the country and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the statement said. It added that the departure of a large number of delegations

• 
  Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan discuss activating Mecca agreement against Houthi attacks

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan discussed activating the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement at a meeting in New York on Friday, as Houthi attacks target Saudi Arabia and Iran seeks to distance itself from the advances of its allies in Yemen. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met his Pakistani counterpart Mohammad Ishaq Dar and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan at the Kingdom’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, where the ministers reviewed progress in establishing the secretariat, committees and working groups under the Mecca Agreement, as well as preparations for them to begin work. According to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the meeting also discussed arrangements for an urgent meeting of the three countries’ chiefs of

• 
  School deaths and narco killings: The UN and US crimes in international law

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  This month has seen the United Nations issue two reports alleging the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity by the United States in two theatres of engagement.  In one, the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran concluded that the US had committed war crimes in two attacks on Iran on the first day of the war killing civilians, including over 120 children.  The other, featuring exploits in the Caribbean Sea entitled Operation Southern Spear, involved the extravagantly murderous campaign waged by the Trump administration against alleged drug traffickers using small vessels.  These narco-strikes (a reported number of 68, resulting in the deaths of 223 people), provoked the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and

• 
  More than 1,000 Palestinian figures call for an elected National Council and diaspora representation

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  More than 1,000 people have signed a Palestinian petition calling for the Palestinian National Council (PNC) to be elected rather than formed through appointments, according to a document reviewed by Al-Arab in UK. The petition places the participation of Palestinians in the diaspora, including those living in Britain, at the centre of efforts to renew national representation. The Palestinian National Authority for Popular Action launched the petition in August 2026 under the slogan “No legitimacy through appointment, and no representation without elections.” It calls for free, fair and inclusive elections that allow Palestinians to choose their representatives, while rejecting exclusion, interference in the electoral process and attempts to disregard the results. What does the petition demand? The petition states that

• 
  Al-Ansari: Netanyahu’s accusations against Qatar seek to divert attention from Israel’s violations in Palestine

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari has rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusation that Qatar is waging a campaign to influence public opinion against Israel. In a statement posted on his X account, Al-Ansari said: ” We categorically reject Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s accusation, made in his address to the UN General Assembly, that the State of Qatar is conducting a campaign to influence public opinion against Israel. This continuing rhetoric against Qatar is nothing more than an attempt to divert attention from the atrocities committed by his government in the occupied Palestinian territories and their grave humanitarian consequences.” He said reducing the growing shift in global public opinion, particularly among young people, to alleged “influence campaigns” was

• 
  Hamas slams Netanyahu’s UN speech: He should be in prison to face trial for crimes

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Hamas has criticised Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the UN General Assembly, describing it as full of lies and slogans and saying it reflects the crisis he faces over Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip and occupied West Bank. In a statement responding to Netanyahu’s speech, Hamas said his “blatant lies” could no longer convince governments or international public opinion, saying Israel’s actions in Gaza had exposed its policies of starvation, deprivation of water and destruction of the means of life. Hamas rejected Netanyahu’s claim that the Israeli army is “the most moral army in the world”, saying this contradicted the killing of civilians in Gaza, including women and children, as well as reports by independent UN bodies

• 
  Macron says France to deploy forces to protect Saudi oil export port

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that France would send military assets to “protect” facilities in Yanbu, western Saudi Arabia, one of the kingdom’s key oil sites on the Red Sea coast. “This is what we discussed with the Saudis. We will send military assets, namely troops, radars and defence systems, to protect this site, not to engage in any conflict, but to protect the site,” Macron said in an interview with two French television channels. He said the deployment was also aimed at helping to calm oil markets. Yanbu is Saudi Arabia’s main port for crude oil exports on the Red Sea and has played a key role during the war in the Middle East amid disruptions to

• 
  Israeli drone blast kills two soldiers in Gaza, wounds others

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Two Israeli soldiers were killed and several others wounded, some seriously, on Thursday after an Israeli military drone exploded near their unit in the Gaza Strip, Hebrew-language sources reported. The wounded soldiers were transferred to Barzilai Hospital in Ashkelon for treatment, where an Israeli military helicopter later landed, the sources said. Israeli reports described the incident as accidental, but gave no further details about the circumstances or cause of the blast. The incident comes as Israeli military operations continue in Gaza following the start of the war on 7th October 2023, including extensive ground operations and fighting across the territory. According to Israeli military figures, 968 soldiers and officers have been killed since the start of the war, including 472

• 
  Trump’s new Middle East has one missing piece: Palestine

  by Mehdi Editor on September 25, 2026

  Do you remember Condoleezza Rice’s “new Middle East”? During the 2006 war on Lebanon, Rice spoke as if war could give birth to a new regional order. Twenty years later, Washington seems to be returning to the same dream. Only this time, Donald Trump wants to assemble the pieces himself. After the war with Iran, Trump wants something “much bigger” in the Middle East. According to recent reports, his administration is working on a post-war strategy built around three ideas: containing Iran, closing the open files left after 7 October, and expanding the Abraham Accords, especially through a possible Saudi-Israeli normalization deal. At first glance, this looks like a grand strategy. In reality, it is an old map with new

• 
  Egypt urges ‘sustained’ humanitarian access to Gaza, start of early recovery

  by Mehdi Editor on September 24, 2026

  Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty urged “sustained and unhindered” humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip on Thursday and the start of early recovery efforts to provide livelihoods for Palestinians, according to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Anadolu reports. Abdelatty made the remarks while participating in a ministerial roundtable on humanitarian access and healthcare in Gaza. The meeting was held in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly and hosted by the UK in partnership with Jordan and Qatar to discuss humanitarian access and healthcare in Gaza. UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Secretary Ed Miliband hosted the meeting, which was co-chaired by Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi and

• 
  US, Iran should return to dialogue to end war, Xi tells Trump at White House

  by Mehdi Editor on September 24, 2026

  During a closed-door meeting at the White House, Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday urged the US and Iran to return to dialogue to end their war. China has “always believed that the sovereignty and security of all countries should be respected” and has played a constructive role in easing tensions, Xi told US President Donald Trump, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. It has “encouraged relevant parties to stay committed to peaceful solutions and maintain the momentum of talks,” he said. He expressed China’s support for the US and Iran returning to the framework deal they agreed to in June and voiced hope that both sides ultimately reach a comprehensive agreement covering the nuclear issue and other matters

• 
  UAE suspends flights by Iranian air carriers until further notice

  by Mehdi Editor on September 24, 2026

  The United Arab Emirates on Thursday suspended flights by Iranian air carriers to and from the country until further notice, according to the state-run WAM news agency. The General Civil Aviation Authority said the decision took effect on Thursday, Sept. 24. In a statement carried by WAM, the authority said that “the decision was made in light of the US ban imposed on Iranian airlines from using airports in various countries around the world.” The authority said it will continue to update relevant authorities and the public on any developments until air traffic between the UAE and Iran returns to normal. It also urged the public to rely only on official sources for information. READ: Shin Bet expected to extend restrictions

• 
  Arab lawmaker criticizes exclusion of Arab lists from Israeli election

  by Mehdi Editor on September 24, 2026

  Arab member of the Israeli Knesset Ayman Odeh on Thursday criticized the Central Elections Committee’s decision to bar Arab electoral lists from running in the Oct. 27 parliamentary election, Anadolu reports. Israeli Army Radio quoted Odeh as saying: “All the Kahanists are allowed (to run the elections), but representatives of the Arab population are prohibited from competing.” Palestinian citizens make up around 21% of Israel’s population of more than 10 million. The term “Kahanism” refers to a far-right Israeli ideology associated with Meir Kahane, an Israeli-American rabbi and politician who founded a movement known for its extremist views. On Wednesday, the Central Elections Committee voted to disqualify the Joint Arab List and the United Arab List, or Ra’am, as well

• 
  Israel uproots 400 olive trees in occupied West Bank as harvest season approaches

  by Mehdi Editor on September 24, 2026

  The Israeli army uprooted 400 olive trees and bulldozed 31 dunams (3.1 hectares, 7.6 acres) of Palestinian-owned land Thursday in Beit Rima in northwestern Ramallah in the occupied West Bank as harvest season approaches, Anadolu reports. Sources told Anadolu Agency that bulldozers cleared the land and uprooted the trees, two days after Israeli authorities issued a military order targeting two areas of land in the town. They added that the military order demanded “removing wild vegetation and uprooting olive and other trees from the targeted areas.” The Palestinian Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission said Tuesday that Israeli authorities issued five military orders targeting the uprooting of trees and removal of wild vegetation from 533.5 dunams of Palestinian land in the

• 
  Gaza and the dystopian future of AI-powered war | Palestine This Week

  by Mehdi Editor on September 24, 2026

  In this week’s Palestine This Week, Nasim Ahmed and Muhammad Shehada discuss allegations that Israel is destroying evidence of war crimes in Gaza, the growing use of AI to select targets and the disturbing revelations in the documentary NAZA. They also examine genocidal rhetoric and Israeli exceptionalism, plans for Gaza’s reconstruction, state-backed settler violence in the occupied West Bank, the controversy surrounding Ed Sheeran and the political weaponisation of Iran’s protest death toll.     WATCH: 9/11 at 25 — Why Israel Fuels Islamophobia | Palestine This Week

• 
  With Netanyahu ostracized, his US visit will be very short, with Trump unwilling to meet him: Israeli analysts

  by Mehdi Editor on September 24, 2026

  Israeli analysts and figures criticized the global standing of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel as he visits New York this week to address the UN General Assembly, saying he will hold few meetings during his short stay, as he is now internationally shunned, Anadolu reports. One analyst said US President Donald Trump – a longtime ally of the Israeli leader – would rather not meet with Netanyahu. Barak Seri, an Israeli military intelligence analyst and former officer, said Netanyahu’s visit to New York was “very unusual, very short, and almost devoid of meetings.” “Netanyahu is now ostracized, and Trump does not want to meet him,” Seri told local radio station 103 FM. Eli Ohana, a former soccer star and

• 
  Iraq has important role in strengthening collective Arab security: Egyptian president

  by Mehdi Editor on September 24, 2026

  Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi stressed the importance of Iraq continuing to play a “constructive role” in strengthening the collective security of Arab countries Thursday and safeguarding the resources of the region’s peoples amid ongoing regional tensions, Anadolu reports. Sisi made the remarks during a meeting with Ammar al-Hakim, leader of Iraq’s Hikma Movement, in the presence of Egyptian General Intelligence chief Hassan Rashad and Iraqi Ambassador to Cairo Qahtan Taha Janabi, according to a statement by the Egyptian presidency. The meeting came amid regional tensions stemming from the US-Iran war that erupted in late February, during which Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq launched attacks against Arab countries — moves that Baghdad condemned and began investigating. The presidency said the

• 
  28% of Israeli police officers resigned since Ben-Gvir took office: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on September 24, 2026

  Twenty-eight percent of Israeli police officers have resigned since Itamar Ben-Gvir became national security minister in December 2022, Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Thursday. The newspaper said the figures were presented and documented during closed-door discussions held against the backdrop of a manpower shortage in the Israeli police force. The data also showed an increase in police recruitment during Ben-Gvir’s tenure, but more than a quarter of the new recruits were assigned to the Border Police or the so-called National Guard, which falls under the National Security Ministry, Haaretz said. READ: Israeli election committee rejects bid to bar extremist Ben-Gvir’s party from Knesset elections Despite the recruitment drive, there is still a shortage of around 2,000 officers at police stations and in