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

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  Trump backs down on Hormuz toll threat as US bombing continues

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  US President Donald Trump has abandoned his plan to impose a 20 per cent charge on cargo passing through the Strait of Hormuz, only hours before it was due to take effect, while maintaining a naval blockade of Iranian ports and ordering further attacks on Iran. Trump announced on Tuesday that he had withdrawn the proposed fee following what he described as “highly productive conversations” with Middle Eastern leaders. He appeared to portray the apparent U-turn not as a retreat but as a negotiated victory, claiming that Gulf Arab states had offered trade and investment commitments in place of the proposed toll.  No details, however, were given about the countries involved, the value of the agreements or when they would

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  Israel’s Netanyahu appears in court as corruption trial resumes

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared before the Jerusalem District Court on Wednesday as proceedings resumed in his long-running corruption trial, Anadolu reports. Video footage showed Netanyahu entering the courtroom. Wednesday’s hearing featured testimony from Minister Ze’ev Elkin, whose name appears several times in the indictment related to Case 2000, in which Netanyahu is charged with fraud and breach of trust, according to the Israeli daily Maariv. The trial is scheduled to continue through July 20 before the judiciary begins its summer recess. Proceedings will resume in early September, with judges deciding that hearings will be held five days a week after the court returns from its October holidays, the newspaper said. Israel is scheduled to hold general elections on

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  Israeli occupiers storm Al-Aqsa Mosque, chant provocative slogans

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  Israeli occupiers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday morning, chanting provocative songs and slogans inside its courtyards, the Jerusalem Governorate said, Anadolu reports. The governorate published video footage showing occupiers inside the mosque compound during the incursion. Since 2003, Israeli police have allowed Israeli occupiers to enter the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound daily, except on Fridays and Saturdays. According to a report released Sunday by the Palestinian Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs, Israeli forces carried out 26 incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in June. Palestinians say Israel has intensified efforts for decades to Judaize East Jerusalem, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, and erase the city’s Arab and Islamic identity. Earlier on Tuesday, Israeli Knesset member Tzvi Sukkot

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  Iran says 7 soldiers killed, 13 others in 1st direct US strike on army

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  Seven Iranian army personnel were killed and 13 others wounded in what the military described as the first direct US attack on the Iranian army since the current conflict began, after a missile strike hit a barracks in southeastern Iran early Wednesday, Anadolu reports. State broadcaster IRIB reported that the US military fired 13 missiles at a residential area and accommodation facility at a barracks of the Iranian army’s ground forces in the city of Bampur, in Sistan and Baluchestan province. The Iranian army said seven members of the 388th Brigade were killed and 13 others were injured in the attack, while several others were wounded and are receiving medical treatment. The military condemned the strike and vowed a “decisive response”

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  “Israel Loses Europe and America, Gains Somaliland” | Palestine This Week

  by Marwa A on July 15, 2026

  In this episode of Palestine This Week, we examine the EU’s new Gaza initiative, claims that Gaza’s authorities obstructed the delivery of humanitarian aid, the escalating campaign against UNRWA and Washington’s attack on the International Criminal Court. We also discuss Ro Khanna’s detention by Israeli settlers, shifting US and UK political attitudes towards Palestine, Lindsey Graham’s legacy, the renewed Iran conflict and reports of an alleged Israeli plan involving Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.   WATCH: Concentration Camps Inside a Concentration Camp: Israel’s New Plan for Gaza | Palestine This Week

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  Israeli prime minister plans US visit next week, Israeli broadcaster reports

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to travel to the United States in the coming days and remain in Washington early next week, public broadcaster KAN reported late Tuesday, Anadolu reports. The broadcaster did not provide further details about the planned visit or the agenda of Netanyahu’s expected meetings. Earlier this month, Netanyahu said no date had been set for a visit to Washington. The memorandum provides a framework for negotiations on a ceasefire, sanctions relief, Iran’s nuclear program, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and broader regional security arrangements. The planned visit also comes as tensions between the US and Iran have escalated in recent days over the Strait of Hormuz, with the two sides exchanging attacks despite the

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  Tunisian opposition party accuses Saied supporter of calling for its leader’s assassination

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  Tunisia’s opposition Workers’ Party has accused a supporter of President Kais Saied of publicly calling for the assassination of the party’s Secretary-General, Hamma Hammami. In a statement issued on Tuesday, the party said a man identified only by the initials R.N., described as a supporter of Saied, had posted a video on social media containing what it called “an explicit call” to assassinate Hammami because of his opposition to what the party described as “populist authoritarianism” since Saied’s power grab on 25 July 2021. The party said the video remained available on social media and accused the authorities of failing to remove it or take action against its publisher. It alleged that the authorities, while quick to prosecute bloggers for

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  Khalil sues Trump officials under KKK Act over pro-Palestine crackdown

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against senior Trump administration officials and several pro-Israel organisations, accusing them of conspiring to target, detain and deport him because of his advocacy for Palestinian rights. The Center for Constitutional Rights filed the complaint on Tuesday in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. Hardline Zionist groups the Heritage Foundation, Canary Mission and Betar, as well as White House adviser Stephen Miller, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other current and former officials, are named in the complaint.   The lawsuit alleges that the government worked with the private groups to identify non-citizen students and scholars who supported Palestine before

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Gideon Levy: A War Council, Elections Fever, or Mending Relations?

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Elhanan Miller: Netanyahu: Gasping for Life, Will Another War Save Him?

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  Rubio thanks Safadi for Jordan’s contribution to regional security

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the situation surrounding Iran and regional security with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi during a meeting in Washington on Tuesday, the US State Department said. State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott said: “Secretary of State Marco Rubio met today with Jordan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Ayman Safadi. The Secretary and Foreign Minister discussed a range of bilateral and regional issues, including the Iranian regime’s ongoing attacks on shipping and against countries in the region.”    Pigott said Rubio condemned Iran’s actions and thanked Jordan for its contribution to regional security. The meeting came amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran in recent days. US forces have

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  Israeli strike kills couple and their daughter in central Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  An Israeli strike killed a Palestinian couple and their six-year-old daughter in central Gaza early on Wednesday, while two children were injured in separate attacks across the enclave, according to medical and local sources. The incidents came amid what Palestinian sources described as continued Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement that has been in force in Gaza since 10 October 2025. A medical source at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir al-Balah said the bodies of Omar Abu Qasem, 33, his wife Asma Abu Qasem, 32, and their daughter Habiba, 6, were brought to the hospital after an Israeli strike hit their home. Their four-year-old son, Sami, was also injured. According to Anadolu’s correspondent, citing witnesses and local sources, an Israeli

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  Iran threatens to close Bab al-Mandab Strait

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has threatened to close “all other export routes used by the United States and its allies” after Iran shut the Strait of Hormuz and Washington reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports. According to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, the IRGC said in a statement that the region’s energy exports would be “either for everyone or for no one”. Analysts told Reuters that Iran was signalling it could rely on its Houthi allies in Yemen to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait, the strategic waterway leading to the Red Sea. Such a move could open a new front against Washington and threaten two of the world’s most important energy shipping routes. The Bab al-Mandab Strait

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  IRGC says Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until US operations stop

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has issued a fresh warning to Washington, saying the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed to shipping and that oil and gas exports from the region will not be allowed to resume as long as what it described as US aggression in the region continues. In a statement, the IRGC said US military operations and its intervention in international shipping lanes were the main threat to regional stability. It added that continued US attacks would only delay the reopening of the strategic waterway. OPINION: Chokepoints of power: Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb, and the new corridor wars

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  World Cup fans turn stadiums into platform for solidarity with Palestine

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  The 2026 FIFA World Cup has become a visible platform for expressions of solidarity with Palestinians, despite the absence of the Palestinian national team from the tournament, according to an opinion article by American writer David Vine. Writing for Foreign Policy in Focus on 14th July 2026, Vine argued that the tournament has witnessed widespread public displays of support for Palestinians amid the continuing war in Gaza and increasing restrictions on pro-Palestinian demonstrations in some countries. According to the article, fans, players, and coaches from numerous countries—including Egypt, Scotland, Brazil, South Korea, Morocco, Mexico, Türkiye, Norway, Senegal, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Algeria, and Spain—publicly expressed support for Palestinians and called for their rights to life, freedom, and return. READ: Palestine solidarity takes

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  Iranian parliament’s national security committee says US-Iran Memorandum of Understanding is no longer valid

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  Iran’s Parliamentary National Security and Foreign Policy Committee said on Tuesday that the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Iran and the United States is no longer valid, accusing Washington of violating its commitments under the agreement. Committee member Fada Hossein Maleki told the Iranian news website Tabnak that recent US actions had undermined the agreement. “With this current approach, there is no longer any point in continuing negotiations and implementing the agreement,” Maleki said. He warned that if the United States continued its current course, “the scope of the war will encompass the entire region.” Maleki also criticized US President Donald Trump, alleging that Washington had breached numerous provisions of the memorandum. He claimed that the United States had failed

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  Reports of more than 16 settler-related incidents across the West Bank in the past 24 Hours

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  Reports from the occupied West Bank indicate that more than 16 incidents involving Israeli settlers were recorded over the past 24 hours, affecting Palestinian communities, agricultural land, and private property in several governorates. According to the reports, the incidents included livestock grazing on agricultural land, crop seizures, damage to greenhouses, attempted livestock theft, and entries into residential and rural areas. In Hebron Governorate, settlers were reported to have entered the Hamroush area east of Sa’ir, grazed livestock on agricultural land in Khirbet al-Kharaba near As-Samu’, and stole water tanks from agricultural structures in the Al-Latoun area near Khallat al-Homs, south of Yatta. In Tubas Governorate, settlers reportedly grazed cattle on land in Khirbet Yarza, east of Tayasir, and conducted tours

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  EU rejects US campaign against the International Criminal Court

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  The European Commission on Tuesday rejected the US administration’s campaign against the International Criminal Court (ICC), describing threats against the court’s judges, their families, and those cooperating with the institution as “completely unacceptable”. The European response came a day after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sharply criticized the ICC amid continuing tensions between Washington and the Hague-based court over its investigations related to Israel and the issuance of arrest warrants for Israeli officials. European Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said the European Union remains firmly committed to international criminal justice. “We are firmly committed to international criminal justice,” El Anouni said during a press briefing. He added that “attacks or threats against judges of the Court, their families, or

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  Chokepoints of power: Hormuz, Bab el-Mandeb, and the new corridor wars

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  The concept of “corridor wars” describes intensifying competition among major powers over critical trade, energy, and transit routes in an era of weaponized interdependence. Unlike traditional territorial conflicts, these struggles center on controlling, securing, bypassing, or disrupting chokepoints: narrow maritime passages and overland links through which global commerce flows. Key arenas include the Strait of Hormuz, the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea, and connected corridors such as the Suez Canal.  As of July 2026, disruptions arising from the US-Iran conflict have exposed these vulnerabilities more clearly, with Hormuz largely blocked since February and threats extending toward Bab el-Mandeb. Instability at one chokepoint can therefore spread across a wider network of energy and trade routes, turning corridor security into a

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  Israel approves 1.3 billion Shekels for new settlement development in the West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  Israel’s Security Cabinet approved a budget of approximately 1.3 billion shekels ($434,579,210.00 US) for the development of new settlements in the occupied West Bank, according to an announcement made on Tuesday. The budget, approved about a month ago, is allocated for the construction of residential neighbourhoods, infrastructure, and development works associated with new settlements. According to the announcement, the funding is in addition to other government decisions made in recent months concerning settlement planning, road construction, and security measures. The decision was prepared by the Prime Minister’s Office and is scheduled to be implemented through the Ministry of Housing and the Ministry of Construction and Housing. The Israeli government said the objective is to establish the initial infrastructure needed for the

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  Iran says it destroyed US Fifth Fleet HQ in Bahrain and targeted bases in Kuwait, Jordan

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Wednesday it had carried out attacks on US sites and facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, describing the operation as a response to what it called American aggression. The IRGC claimed it had destroyed the headquarters of the US Fifth Fleet, as well as fuel facilities and military equipment in Bahrain, according to Reuters. It also said it had targeted the US military logistics support centre at Abdullah Port in Kuwait, claiming it had set the site on fire and destroyed it. The group added that it had also struck the port itself. Iranian state media, quoting the country’s military, also reported that US military facilities at Al Azraq Air Base in Jordan

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  The lesson of time: What Iraq might learn from Japan’s two devastating experiences

  by Mehdi Editor on July 15, 2026

  Nations, like men, learn most from the wounds they survive. Japan learned twice. The first lesson nearly destroyed it. The second rebuilt it. Iraq has yet to learn either. Whether it still has time to internalize the hard lesson is the question this moment forces us to ask. The black ships and the first lesson On 8 July 1853, four American warships under Commodore Matthew Perry entered Uraga harbor. They trained their guns on the town. Perry refused Japanese demands that he sail on to Nagasaki, the only port then open to foreigners. He did not fire. He did not need to. The threat alone was enough. The Tokugawa shogunate, having watched China humiliated in the Opium War a decade

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  Israel kills 11 Palestinians, including police chief, in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  At least 11 Palestinians, including the director of the police station in Jabalia refugee camp, and several police officers, were killed Tuesday in a series of Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian officials. The strikes came amid continued Israeli violations of the ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, 2025. The bodies of seven Palestinians, including a woman, were taken to Al-Shifa Medical Complex and the American field hospital after an Israeli strike near Shadia School in the Al-Falouja area west of Jabalia refugee camp, a medical source told Anadolu. In a statement, the Gaza Interior Ministry said those killed included Col. Mohammed Marwan Salem, director of the Jabalia refugee camp police station, along with several police

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  Pro-Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil sues Heritage Foundation, Stephen Miller, others

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil filed a federal lawsuit on Tuesday against the Heritage Foundation, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller and others, accusing them of participating in a coordinated effort to retaliate against him for his advocacy on Palestinian rights, Anadolu reports. Khalil said the case was brought under the Ku Klux Klan Act, a Reconstruction-era civil rights law designed to combat conspiracies to deprive individuals of their constitutional rights. “Today, I sued the Heritage Foundation, Stephen Miller, a Columbia affiliate, and others under the KKK Act,” he said, adding that this lawsuit is about “accountability and justice.” READ: Poll: 40 % of non-religious US Jews accuse Israel of genocide in Gaza Khalil, a lawful US resident and a

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  Lebanon, Israel conclude 1st day of direct talks in Rome

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  The first day of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel in Rome concluded on Tuesday following a seven-hour meeting at the US Embassy, an Anadolu correspondent said. The Italian capital is hosting a sixth round of direct negotiations on Tuesday and Wednesday, following five previous rounds in Washington that resulted in the signing of a framework agreement. A high-level Lebanese official, who requested anonymity, told Anadolu that the first day of talks was “positive and constructive, but the matter requires further discussion.” The Israeli side “requested clarifications regarding the mechanism of Lebanese army deployment and the verification of its complete control after the Israeli withdrawal,” the official said. “These clarifications will be addressed during Wednesday’s session, which will begin at

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  Israeli Knesset passes law banning arrest of Haredi draft dodgers

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  The Israeli Knesset (parliament) on Tuesday passed a law temporarily banning the arrest and prosecution of ultra-Orthodox Jews evading military service. Lawmakers passed a bill exempting Haredi draft dodgers in the second and third readings by 58-54 votes, the daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was absent from Tuesday’s vote on the controversial bill, championed by the ultra-Orthodox parties. The law grants tens of thousands of Haredi draft evaders immunity from arrest until Nov. 30, and extends that protection to those who become eligible for military service after it takes effect. It also suspends ongoing criminal proceedings against those already facing enforcement measures. There are roughly 72,000 Haredi men who were liable to arrest until today, according to

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  Trump urged Netanyahu to pull Israeli troops out of Syria, Lebanon: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  US President Donald Trump urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a phone call on Thursday to pull Israeli troops out of Syria and Lebanon, Axios reported on Tuesday. Citing US and Israeli officials, the report noted Trump told Netanyahu that the Israeli military’s presence in Syrian territory was creating tensions and could lead to further escalation. “They don’t want you there. You should redeploy,” Trump told Netanyahu, according to a US official cited by Axios. It also claimed that Trump also made a similar request regarding Lebanon, while Netanyahu argued that Israel needs security zones along its borders. Axios said the call came a day after Trump met Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit

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  UN rights chief urges immediate return to Iran-US ceasefire

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  UN human rights chief Volker Turk urged an immediate return Tuesday to a ceasefire between Iran and the US as tensions escalate, warning that renewed hostilities are a “huge setback” for civilians and risk deepening regional instability, Anadolu reports. “It undermines peace efforts and deepens instability, with grave risks for human rights across the entire region,” Turk said in a statement. He said reported Iranian attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, reported US attacks against civilian infrastructure in Iran, and Iranian attacks against civilian objects in other countries in the region “must stop immediately.” Turk urged all parties to respect international humanitarian and human rights law, take all necessary measures to protect civilians and civilian objects, and

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  Trump: No country ‘should be able to’ charge fee for Strait of Hormuz

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Tuesday that no country should be allowed to charge fees to transit the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. “We would like to invest tremendously in the United States as opposed to charging a fee. And I like that actually because I don’t think anybody should be able to charge a fee for the strait or for any other strait relationship in terms of other sections of the world,” Trump said at a meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House. Trump said Gulf countries indicated a willingness to increase investments in the US instead of relying on transit fees. “The Gulf states are going to invest a tremendous amount of money into

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  US House minority leader to oppose bid to cut off Israel aid

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Tuesday he will oppose Republican Rep. Thomas Massie’s amendment that would cut off all US assistance to Israel, Anadolu reports. The amendment, which the House of Representatives is expected to consider in the coming days as part of a broader foreign operations spending bill, would mark the first standalone vote of the current Congress on ending US military and other assistance to Israel. The measure is expected to expose deep divisions within the Democratic Party on support for Israel. Dozens of Democrats are expected to back the proposal, which would eliminate the $3.3 billion in annual US assistance to Israel. In a letter, Jeffries argued that the amendment would limit the US’ ability to

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  Russia says renewed strikes against Iran violate memorandum, undermine nuclear settlement efforts

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Tuesday that renewed military strikes against Iran undermine efforts to resolve the dispute over Tehran’s nuclear program, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a joint news conference after talks with Chadian Foreign Minister Abdoulaye Sabre Fadoul in Moscow, Lavrov said the resumption of military action against Iran violated the memorandum signed between Tehran and Washington last month. The agreement mediated by Pakistan aimed at ending the war that began in February permanently, as well as hold negotiations over the nuclear program. But the US and Iran have exchanged renewed strikes over the past days, and have claimed control of the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for oil and gas shipping that Tehran blocked after

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  Israel briefly closes Al-Aqsa Mosque gate under pretext of military drills

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  Israeli forces briefly closed the King Faisal Gate, one of the entrances to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem, on Tuesday during military drills, Palestinian officials said. The Palestinian official news agency Wafa, citing local sources, said Israeli forces closed all entrances to the mosque compound while carrying out military exercises. In a statement, the Jerusalem Governorate said Israeli forces closed the King Faisal Gate for about 30 minutes during the drills inside the mosque compound. The governorate said Israeli forces also tightened restrictions at the compound’s other gates, disrupting the movement of worshippers entering and leaving the site during the closure. READ: Israel detains Jerusalem grand mufti, bars him from Al-Aqsa Mosque for 1 week The latest measure

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  Israel faces reserve troop, tank shortages: Army Radio

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  Israel’s army is facing shortages of reserve personnel and combat-ready tanks, with some reserve formations nearing “effective collapse,” according to a report by Israeli Army Radio on Tuesday. Under the headline “The Army’s Warning of the Collapse of the Reserve Forces,” the broadcaster said reserve brigades and battalions are operating below strength, with insufficient tanks available for combat. It said a reserve armored brigade was recently deployed to a key operational sector in Lebanon, but accounts from commanders and soldiers painted a different picture from the one presented by decision-makers. “These are not full brigades,” the report said. “They are far from it.” According to the broadcaster, the military no longer has enough combat-ready tanks after many were damaged in

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  Iran condemns UK designation of IRGC as ‘terror group’

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  Iran on Tuesday condemned the UK government’s decision to designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist group, saying Britain would bear the “political, legal and diplomatic consequences” of the move, Anadolu reports. In a statement, Iran’s Foreign Ministry described the designation as “unjustified and irresponsible” and said it violated international law, including the principles of sovereign equality and non-interference in the internal affairs of states. The ministry accused the UK of basing its decision on what it described as “baseless security allegations.” It said Iran reserved all its rights under the UN Charter and international law to take countermeasures in response to what it called Britain’s “inappropriate” action. On Monday, the UK designated the IRGC as a

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  Spanish campaign urges Congress to unblock arms embargo bill on Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  Organizations behind Spain’s “End Arms Trade with Israel” campaign demonstrated outside the Congress of Deputies in Madrid on Tuesday, calling on lawmakers to immediately unblock legislation that would ban arms trade with Israel, Anadolu reports. The protest, held under the slogan “Time is Running Out, Arms Embargo Now,” was organized by the Solidarity Network Against the Occupation of Palestine (RESCOP) and backed by junior coalition partner Sumar, the Podemos party, and Basque and Catalan opposition parties represented in parliament. Campaign representatives criticized lawmakers for failing to advance the bill, saying it has yet to reach the parliamentary floor despite being submitted nearly two years ago. During the demonstration, organizers presented hourglasses to parliamentary groups to symbolize the urgency of approving

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  Israel signs $2.3B deal to expand West Bank settlements with 12,000 new homes

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  Israel signed a 8.5 billion-shekel ($2.3 billion) framework agreement to expand illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, including the construction of 12,000 new housing units and major infrastructure projects, according to Israeli media. Israel’s Channel 14 described the agreement as a “giant” step aimed at expanding settlements and “changing the face of the region.” The agreement was signed at an official ceremony attended by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Israel Land Authority Director General Yehuda Eliyahu and Yossi Dagan, head of the Shomron Regional Council, which oversees numerous Israeli settlements in the northern West Bank. READ: Israeli forces demolish Palestinian home near Hebron in occupied West Bank The report said the agreement would “give significant momentum”

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  Seven Palestinians, including a woman, killed in Israeli strike on police station in Gaza

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  Watch: Israeli forces demolish Palestinian home near Hebron in occupied West Bank

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  Fee fantasies and false openings: Trump’s Hormuz delusions continue

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  With the Iran-US ceasefire all but retired to the infirmary of international politics, Washington has conducted air strikes on Iran for a third straight night.  On early July 14, Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency reported explosions in the southern port city of Bandar Abbas and six explosions on Kish Island, with further blasts on Qeshm Island. Prior to those strikes, President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House that, “We’re attacking them tonight, and we’re taking out all their capability for anything having to do with the Strait of Hormuz”.  That bit of wishful thinking was also accompanied by the hope that a diplomatic agreement with Tehran might still be reached, despite the latest mayhem.  US Central Command (CENTCOM)

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  What context is left out of humanitarian aid announcements?

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  Humanitarian aid, wherever it comes from is, is becoming murkier. The only clear aspect about humanitarian aid is that each scheme announced signifies a bid for political influence at the expense of the forcibly displaced population of Gaza. US Ambassador to the UN Jeff Bartos recently urged UNRWA donors to fund the Board of Peace instead, in a bid to oust UNRWA completely and render the agency irrelevant to Palestinian refugees. The bid, of course, is futile, since UNRWA was created specifically to cater for Palestinian refugees. Despite all the discrepancies it operates from as a result of diplomacy and enforced neutrality, UNRWA is still part of the Palestinian refugees’ narrative, as well as a vital component of the international

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  Malaysian PM says he has kept pledge to keep fuel prices below Saudi Arabia, Qatar

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said he had fulfilled his earlier pledge to keep fuel prices in Malaysia lower than those in Saudi Arabia, according to the Malaysian online newspaper The Star on Tuesday. Anwar said fuel prices in Malaysia are lower than those in major oil-exporting countries such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar, adding that comparisons should be made with those countries rather than with non-oil-producing nations, where fuel prices are much higher. His remarks came in response to a question from a member of parliament during the Prime Minister’s Question Time in Malaysian parliament, the Dewan Rakyat, on Tuesday. Anwar said: “When we previously called for petrol (prices) to be reduced to RM1.50, the price in

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  Gulf states: Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia require firm international response

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) said on Monday that continued Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia require a firm international response, describing the group’s latest attack on southern Saudi Arabia as a “cowardly attack”. GCC Secretary-General Jasem Al Budaiwi strongly condemned what he described as a “terrorist ballistic missile attack” carried out by the Houthi militia against the southern region of Saudi Arabia, according to a statement issued on Monday evening. Al Budaiwi said the “cowardly attack” was a flagrant violation of international law and international humanitarian law, reflecting the militia’s determination to undermine security and stability and threaten the safety of civilians and vital installations. He stressed that the Houthis’ continued “terrorist attacks”, their violations of international law and the

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  UN calls for lower tensions in Yemen and resorting to dialogue

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  The United Nations has called on all parties in Yemen to reduce tensions and resolve their differences through dialogue, warning that renewed military escalation could undermine efforts to achieve peace in the country. Khaled Khiari, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for the Middle East, Asia and the Pacific, made the appeal on Monday during an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on developments in Yemen, according to the UN web site. The meeting came shortly after Yemen’s Houthi group said in a video statement by its military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, that it had targeted Abha International Airport in southern Saudi Arabia with several ballistic missiles and drones. The group said the attack was in response to strikes on Sanaa International

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  Red Ribbons Campaign calls for immediate implementation of Israeli Supreme Court ruling restoring ICRC access to Palestinian hostages and prisoners

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  The Red Ribbons Campaign for the Release of Palestinian Hostages and Prisoners Held in Israeli Prisons has renewed its urgent call on the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to take immediate humanitarian action to ensure the practical implementation of the Israeli Supreme Court’s ruling of 3rd June 2026, which revoked the blanket prohibition on ICRC visits to Palestinian prisoners and detainees held in Israeli custody. The statement follows the publication last week of the Campaign’s open letter to the President and Director-General of the ICRC, urging the organisation to use all appropriate humanitarian means within its mandate to restore regular, meaningful and independent access to Palestinian hostages and prisoners in accordance with international humanitarian law and the ICRC’s

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  The Green Zone’s anti‑corruption purge: Justice or a new round of spoils?

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  For two decades, I have never been optimistic about the political order built in Iraq after 2003. My scepticism was not emotional but structural: the state was engineered in a way that carried its own failure within it. Even Tom Barrack, the US envoy to Iraq, eventually admitted that Washington had “created a failed state in Iraq.” That belated confession merely echoes what Iraqis have lived through for twenty years—a political system rooted in sectarian apportionment, a rentier economy distributed through party networks, and armed groups outside the state that guarantee the survival of those networks regardless of who sits in government. Yet this long arc of pessimism is now confronted by a hesitant temptation: the urge to pin hope

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  Israeli forces demolish Palestinian home near Hebron in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on July 14, 2026

  Israeli forces demolished a Palestinian family’s home in the village of Ad-Deirat, near Yatta east of Hebron, on Tuesday, citing the lack of a building permit, Anadolu reports. Before the demolition began, members of the family and other Palestinians rushed to remove as many belongings as possible from the house owned by Osama Issa Musaif. Israeli forces were deployed around the area as construction equipment carried out the demolition, and tensions flared between Palestinian residents and Israeli troops at the scene. Israel continues to demolish Palestinian homes and structures in the occupied West Bank, claiming they were built without permits. Palestinian and Israeli rights groups say Israeli authorities impose strict restrictions that prevent Palestinians from obtaining building permits, especially in

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  Second International Legal Conference launch initiative to defend the International Criminal Court

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  The Second International Legal Conference, held under the theme “Crimes of the Israeli Occupation in Palestine: Between Legal Accountability and Achieving Justice,” concluded in Istanbul this week after bringing together judges, lawyers, academics, international law experts, representatives of bar associations, and legal and human rights organisations from around the world. The conference was jointly organised by the Istanbul No. 2 Bar Association, the International Legal Coalition for Palestine, and the Jordanian Bar Association. Throughout its sessions, the conference addressed the crime of genocide in the Gaza Strip, war crimes and crimes against humanity, settlements and forced displacement, violations against Palestinian prisoners and detainees, the independence of the International Criminal Court (ICC), universal jurisdiction as a tool of accountability, and the

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  Washington considers new measures to isolate the International Criminal Court and limit its operations

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  The administration of US President Donald Trump is considering a broad range of measures aimed at diplomatically isolating the International Criminal Court (ICC) and limiting its ability to investigate or prosecute US and Israeli officials, according to US officials cited by Reuters. According to the report, the administration is weighing additional sanctions, travel restrictions, visa revocations, and diplomatic efforts to encourage countries to withdraw from the court or suspend financial support. A US State Department official told Reuters that the administration views the ICC as posing a threat to US sovereignty and is examining multiple options to counter its activities. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the ICC and its supporters are waging “a legal war” against the United

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  Katz boasts of Gaza’s destruction, says it is the result of a ‘well-thought-out policy’ and announces plan for three military outposts

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  Israeli Defence Minister Yisrael Katz defended the widespread destruction in the Gaza Strip during a visit to northern Gaza on Sunday, describing it as “the result of a well-thought-out policy” and announcing plans to establish three military outposts inside the territory. In an interview broadcast Monday by Israel’s Channel 14, Katz was asked how he felt about the destruction in Gaza. He replied: “It feels good, doesn’t it?” adding that “all of this (destruction) is the result of a well-thought-out policy aimed at eliminating threats.” Katz said Israel had shifted from what he described as a strategy of temporary military raids to a more permanent presence. “Instead of the raid method—entering and exiting—the Israeli army is inside, the terrorists are

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  Israeli prison guard shoots Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti in the leg, family says; prison service denies incident

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  The family of imprisoned Palestinian political leader Marwan Barghouti revealed that he was shot in the leg by an Israeli prison guard with a rubber-coated bullet while in custody. In a statement posted on Facebook, Fadwa Barghouti, his wife, said that a prison guard shot Barghouti in the leg last week, causing bleeding and a painful injury. She described the incident as part of what she called a pattern of ongoing assaults against him. Barghouti’s son, Arab Barghouti, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that the incident occurred at Ganot Prison in Israel’s Negev region and said his father had not received medical treatment for the injury. According to the family, they learned of the alleged incident through Barghouti’s lawyer, Avigdor Feldman,

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  Indonesia’s half-hearted response to Khamenei’s funeral undermines its own foreign policy

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  Indonesia eventually sent Foreign Minister Sugiono and MPR Speaker Ahmad Muzani to attend the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. It was the correct decision. But the way Jakarta arrived at that decision revealed a troubling lack of confidence in its own foreign policy. The problem was not that Indonesia attended. The problem was that it hesitated. Initially, Jakarta informed Tehran that Indonesia would be represented by its ambassador in Iran, Rolliansyah Soemirat. Only later did the government decide to send a higher-level delegation. Sugiono explained that Indonesia learned of Iran’s protocol requirements too late and that logistical constraints made an earlier decision difficult. That explanation may be reasonable. But diplomacy is not only about explaining decisions

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  ‘Palestine is disappearing’: Church backs genocide report despite Chief Rabbi’s bid to block debate

  by Marwa A on July 14, 2026

  A detailed Palestinian Christian report documenting Israel’s genocide in Gaza, the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and Israel’s apartheid system will be discussed across the Church of England after its General Synod overwhelmingly backed engagement with the document, despite warnings from pro-Israel groups, including Britain’s chief rabbi, Sir Ephraim Mirvis. The Synod voted to stand in solidarity with Palestinian Christians and their fellow Palestinians. The motion encourages engagement at every level with the report A Moment of Truth: Faith in a Time of Genocide, also known as Kairos Palestine II, which describes Israel’s assault on Gaza as part of a continuing project to seize Palestinian land and ethnically cleanse its indigenous population. The Synod also committed the Church to hearing the