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

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  ‘I will not shut up’: UN chief says he will keep pushing for 2-state solution

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he will “not shut up” while speaking out on the future of the two-state solution to the Palestinian issue, stressing that he will continue to push for political progress, Anadolu reports. His remarks came during the 2025 UN Reham Al-Farra (RAF) Fellowship session on Friday, where he warned young journalists that the world is facing a “perfect storm” of conflicts, climate chaos, deepening inequality and unregulated artificial intelligence. The UN chief said he would not give up on efforts to advance a political path forward, stressing that avoiding a return to past violence is “not enough.” “It is absolutely essential that we move to Phase Two, and that the final result is the two-state solution…

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  Protesters rally in Stockholm against Israel’s actions in Gaza

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  Hundreds of people gathered at Odenplan Square in Stockholm on Saturday, Dec. 6, to protest Israel’s ongoing strikes in Gaza, responding to a call by several civil society groups, Anadolu reports. Demonstrators accused Israel of violating the 10 October ceasefire with renewed air raids and restricting humanitarian aid into the enclave. Carrying signs reading “Bombing civilians is not self-defence,” “Say no to genocide,” “Stand up for Palestine,” “End food restrictions” and “Israel must respect the peace agreement,” protesters urged the Swedish government to impose a full military embargo on Israel. The crowd later marched toward the Swedish Parliament. READ: Israeli drone strike kills 2 Palestinians in Gaza despite ceasefire Earlier Saturday, the Israeli military launched a series of heavy airstrikes and

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  Saudi Arabia urges to stop ‘redefining’ Gaza ceasefire, warns against altering agreed terms

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  A senior Saudi official called Saturday to “stop redefining” the Gaza ceasefire and avoid renegotiating terms already endorsed by the UN Security Council, Anadolu reports. “We cannot be open to redefinition and renegotiation of what we have already agreed to and also what was issued as a Security Council resolution that was passed and welcomed by all parties,” Manal Radwan, Minister Plenipotentiary at the Saudi Foreign Ministry, told the Doha Forum 2025. “So we cannot go back and redefine what we mean by ceasefire, what we mean even by disarmament, what we mean by a Palestinian-led process in governing Gaza.” Radwan said that altering key principles risks placing the region on a “sidetrack” that focuses on tactical details while losing

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  Gaza ceasefire remains incomplete without West Bank, Qatari prime minister says

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Saturday that the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip will be incomplete without the West Bank, Anadolu reports. Qatar “is committed to the stability of the region, and sees it an essential component of its own national security,” he said during a panel at the Doha Forum 2025. Qatar “does not aspire to project power through military means, but rather through diplomacy, investment, and strategic partnerships – an approach he described as Qatar’s defining contribution in this field,” he added in his comments cited by a foreign ministry statement. He said Qatar “works to resolve conflicts through mediation in an increasingly fractured international landscape.” Qatar “consistently seeks to keep channels

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  Syrian president warns Israel against tampering with 1974 ceasefire agreement

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa warned Saturday that any attempt by Israel to alter the 1974 Disengagement Agreement or pursue alternative arrangements, including a proposed buffer zone, would turn the region into “a dangerous place with unknown consequences,” Anadolu reports. Speaking during a dialogue session at the Doha Forum 2025, Sharaa said Israel is attempting to “export its crises to other countries” and avoid responsibility for the ongoing massacres in Gaza. He accused Israel of justifying all actions under the pretext of security concerns, while Syria, since its liberation, has “sent positive messages aimed at strengthening regional stability.” READ: Damascus says the Golan is Syrian land and must be fully restored Sharaa said Syria insists that Israel must adhere strictly to the

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  Egypt calls for deploying international stabilization force along Gaza’s ‘yellow line’ to verify ceasefire

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  Egypt’s Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty called Saturday for deploying an international stabilization force “as soon as possible” along Gaza’s so-called “yellow line” to verify the ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas, Anadolu reports. He spoke as Israel continues to occupy more than 50% of Gaza’s territory under the ceasefire agreement, with the yellow line separating Israeli military deployment zones from areas where Palestinians are permitted to move. During a session at the Doha Forum 2025, the minister said international monitors are needed because “one party, which is Israel, is every day violating the ceasefire and claiming that the other side is the one who is violating.” He said Egypt favors a peacekeeping “rather than peace-enforcing” mandate, stressing the need to

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  Italy’s public broadcaster RAI backs Israel’s participation in Eurovision, confirms its own entry

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  Italy’s public broadcaster RAI announced on Saturday its support for Israel’s participation in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, set to take place in Vienna, and confirmed that Italy will also compete in the event, Anadolu reports. The statement came after the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) General Assembly approved Israel’s entry for the 70th edition of the contest. While several countries, including Ireland, the Netherlands, Spain and Slovenia, have since withdrawn in protest, RAI publicly endorsed the decision. “Italy has always believed in and invested in the Eurovision Song Contest, making significant contributions to its development and international success, including financial support,” RAI said in a written statement. “In recent years, our commitment has steadily increased, demonstrating the value we place

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  Turkiye-Egypt defense cooperation produces Aqrab unmanned ground vehicle

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  Aqrab and Hamza-1, unmanned platforms developed by Turkish defense giant Havelsan through a local collaboration in Egypt, were unveiled for the first time at the EDEX 2025 Egypt Defense Fair, Anadolu reports. At the fair held in Cairo, Havelsan introduced its software-based solutions and technology products and held meetings with delegations from participating countries. The platforms produced in Egypt through cooperation between Havelsan and the Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) attracted remarkable attention. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi also visited and received information about the vehicles during his visit to the fair. The Hamza-1, a vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aerial vehicle, attracted attention as one of the standout innovations at the fair. READ: Reports: US pressures Israel to approve $35

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  German Chancellor Merz voices support for US peace plan in call with Palestinian President Abbas

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz held a detailed phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, expressing strong support for the US-led peace initiative for Gaza, the German government said Saturday, Anadolu reports. In a written statement, government spokesman Stefan Kornelius said Merz “underlined his support for US President Donald Trump’s peace plan” during the conversation and welcomed the Palestinian Authority’s cooperative stance toward the proposal. The chancellor stressed that the Palestinian Authority must now urgently implement long-needed reforms, the statement said, adding: “If this is achieved, it can play a constructive role in the post-war order.” Merz reiterated that a negotiated two-state solution to the Israel-Palestine conflict must remain the ultimate objective, emphasizing that such a framework could open a path

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  Syrian president meets Lebanese prime minister, Qatar’s emir in Doha

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  yrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa met Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on the sidelines of the Doha Forum, which kicked off on Saturday, Anadolu reports. In meeting with Nawaf, the two discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and develop bilateral relations between the two countries, the Lebanese National News Agency reported. Sharaa attended the opening of the forum, being held under the theme “Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress,” the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported, without providing further details. Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim later received Sharaa on the sidelines of the event, according to the Syrian presidency. The talks were held in the presence of Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. Qatar

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  German Greens urge chancellor to step up pressure on Netanyahu over settlement policy

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  Germany’s opposition Green party on Saturday called on Chancellor Friedrich Merz to increase his pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his highly controversial settlement policy, Anadolu reports. “He must take a clear stance against the Israeli government’s settlement policy, which violates international law.” This would include sanctions against Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who are considered ultra-right hardliners, Green Party leader Franziska Brantner told German Press Agency (dpa) in Berlin. “Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s policies have also contributed significantly over the years to making a Palestinian state impossible and undermining a two-state solution. I expect the chancellor to speak clearly in his talks with Mr. Netanyahu,” she added. Germany on Friday urged Israel

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  Turkiye ready to ‘do whatever it takes’ to contribute to ongoing Gaza peace efforts: Foreign minister

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  Turkiye is ready to “do whatever it takes” to contribute to the ongoing peace efforts regarding Gaza, the foreign minister said on Saturday, Anadolu reports. Hakan Fidan’s remarks came during the 23rd edition of the Doha Forum in Qatar’s capital, when asked whether Ankara was considering sending troops to Gaza. Stating that a comprehensive discussion is underway about an International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, Fidan said a thorough assessment is being conducted regarding how the force would be deployed, what its mission would be, and under which rules it would operate. He called for a “realistic” approach to the force’s mission when setting expectations, “because there are realities in the field.” “I think our first objective in deploying ISF

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  Israeli drone strike kills 2 Palestinians in Gaza despite ceasefire

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  An Israeli drone strike killed two Palestinians and wounded two others on Saturday morning in the Al-Atatra area of Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza despite a ceasefire reached nearly two months, medical sources told Anadolu. Staff at the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City received the bodies of the two men and two injured Palestinians after the strike, which medical sources said was carried out by an Israeli quadcopter drone. In a separate incident, Gaza’s Civil Defense Directorate said an Israeli strike killed on Friday evening one of its members, Suhail Abdullah Dahman, and critically wounded his son as they were heading to inspect their home in the Beit Lahiya housing project, an area outside Israeli military control. The directorate said

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  Gaza ceasefire – A pause by name, while atrocities continue unabated

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  The world has acknowledged and observes yet another blank ‘ceasefire’. To the people of Gaza, the word has no meaning. Ceasefires in Gaza do not stop the killing; they merely rearrange it. They reduce the noise but not the cruelty. They temper the headline, not the suffering. Israel’s operations continue through loopholes, exceptions, “security necessities,” and the ever-elastic language of occupation. Even within the so-called pause, shells land in the peripheries, sniper fire continues near aid distribution zones, drones terrorise the skies, and families move through ruins trying to locate the last place still standing. This time is no different. Hospitals are still overwhelmed with untreated wounds. Children still die from dehydration and untreated infections. Elderly people still collapse in

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  Sudan accuses RSF of killing 79 civilians in West Kordofan drone strike

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  The Sudanese Foreign Ministry accused the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Friday of killing 79 civilians, including 43 children, in “a massacre” in the city of Kalogi in South Kordofan state, Anadolu reports. A ministry statement said the attack was “part of an ongoing campaign of genocide carried out by the terrorist Rapid Support Forces militia against Sudanese communities.” It said the Thursday strike killed 79 civilians, including 43 children and six women. The ministry said “the militia targeted a kindergarten with rockets launched from a drone with the aim of killing a large number of children.” When residents rushed to help the injured, the RSF “targeted the kindergarten again, killing more people, including children who were not hurt

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  Doha Forum 2025 kicks off in Qatar’s capital

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  The 23rd edition of the Doha Forum kicked off in the Qatari capital on Saturday under the theme “Justice in Action: Beyond Promises to Progress,” Anadolu reports. Speaking at the opening session, Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said the world is witnessing “serious setbacks” in justice, the rule of law and, accountability. “Justice has, in many cases, become invisible on the path of international law,” Sheikh Mohammed, who is also the foreign minister, said, adding that weakened legal mechanisms have deepened global crises. He said today’s conflicts and humanitarian emergencies are rooted in a “culture of impunity,” placing the world “in an unprecedented cycle of crises.” The prime minister said Qatar sees mediation not as a

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  Gaza urges world action nearly a year since Israel’s arrest of hospital director

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  The Gaza Health Ministry on Friday reminded the international community of the case of Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, director of Kamal Adwan Hospital, as the first anniversary of his arrest by Israel approaches, urging action to disclose his fate and secure the release, Anadolu reports. Abu Safiya was arrested on Dec. 27, 2024, when Israeli forces stormed the Kamal Adwan Hospital, detaining him at gunpoint. In October, the Amnesty International, citing a lawyer who visited Abu Safiya and other detainees, said he had been subjected to abuse and other forms of ill-treatment. “We appeal to the countries of the world to secure the release of Abu Safiya, disclose his fate, and provide him with protection under international law,” the head

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  Over 57,000 households in Gaza now headed by women face extreme hardship: UN

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  The UN Population Fund (UNFPA) on Friday reported that more than 57,000 households in the Gaza Strip are now headed by women, many of whom face extreme vulnerability amid overcrowded shelters, hunger, and disease, Anadolu reports. “Most families still live in overcrowded shelters where hunger and disease threaten daily,” UNFPA Representative in Palestine Nestor Owomuhangi told a virtual news conference, describing his visits to hospitals, safe spaces for women and girls, youth hubs, and displacement camps across Gaza. Stressing that “more than 57,000 households in Gaza are now headed by women,” he added: “Many of them are deeply vulnerable, with no income to support their children.” He highlighted the impact of weather conditions, saying that “winter rains and flooding are adding

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  251M children and young people worldwide lack access to education: Turkish first lady

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  Worldwide, some 251 million children and young people still lack access to education, Türkiye’s first lady Emine Erdogan said Friday at the 5th Istanbul Education Summit, Anadolu reports. The forum brought together policymakers, academics, teachers, researchers, opinion leaders, and civil society representatives from different countries for two days to discuss contemporary issues in education. The annual summit organized by the Turkish Maarif (education) Foundation was held this year under the theme “Healing the World Through Education,” with Anadolu serving as one of the global communication partners. In addition to Erdogan, opening speakers included Syrian first lady Latifa Al-Droubi, Turkish National Education Minister Yusuf Tekin, and Maarif Foundation head Mahmut Ozdil. In her speech, Erdogan emphasized that the summit would showcase

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  Canada removes Syria from state sponsors of terrorism list

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  Canada has removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, the country’s Foreign Ministry said Friday, Anadolu reports. “Following extensive review, the Government of Canada has removed Syria from Canada’s List of Foreign State Supporters of Terrorism under the State Immunity Act, as well as removed Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) from the List of Terrorist Entities under the Canadian Criminal Code,” the ministry said in a statement. It said the measures align with recent decisions by the UK and US, and follow Syrian transitional government efforts to advance stability, build an inclusive future, and work with global partners to counter terrorism. The ministry stressed that Canada “remains committed … to counter global security threats, such as those posed

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  The Abraham Accords gambit: Washington’s high-stakes balancing act in the Middle East

  by MI on December 6, 2025

  As Israeli forces continue operations in Syrian territory, a public rebuke from President Donald Trump-the incursions are “counterproductive”-exposes the fault lines in America’s Middle East strategy. Yet in Netanyahu’s defiant response, maintaining that Israel will not retreat one step from territories it occupies, a deeper reality lies: even as the administration pursues an audacious diplomatic endgame, which might reshape the region, the limits of Washington’s influence extend to its closest regional ally. Behind closed doors, three strategic imperatives reportedly drive US policy in the Middle East. All of them are fraught with contradictions that may forge a historic peace or ignite new conflict between America’s own allies. The Abraham Accords: From achievement to ambition The crown jewel of Trump’s Middle

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  UN sounds alarm over repeated Israeli airstrikes near peacekeepers in Lebanon

  by Marwa A on December 5, 2025

  The UN on Friday warned Israel again over the latest airstrikes against southern Lebanon, calling the repeated attacks “clear violations” of Security Council Resolution 1701, Anadolu reports. “On Thursday afternoon, peacekeepers from the peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon, known as UNIFIL, observed a series of Israeli airstrikes in its area of operations in south Lebanon,” UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference, adding that the Israeli attack “comes as the Lebanese Armed Forces continue operations to control unauthorized weapons and infrastructure in south Lebanon.” “These actions are clear violations of Security Council resolution 1701,” he said, urging the Israeli military to “use the liaison and coordination mechanisms available to them to settle these issues.” Late Thursday, UN peacekeepers

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  UN General Assembly renews mandate of UN agency for Palestinian refugees for 3 years

  by Marwa A on December 5, 2025

  The UN General Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution to renew the mandate of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), Anadolu reports. During a vote held at the General Assembly, the resolution received 151 votes in favor, 10 against, and 14 abstentions. Welcoming the decision to renew its mandate, UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini said on US social media company X that the decision “reflects the broad solidarity of people across the world with Palestine Refugees.” “It is also an acknowledgement of the international community’s responsibility to support the humanitarian + human development needs of Palestinian refugees pending a just & lasting solution to their decades-long plight,” he said. Lazzarini also urged that the decision “be translated into a genuine

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  Green Party leader accuses UK Chief Rabbi of promoting Israel’s political agenda

  by Marwa A on December 5, 2025

  The leader of the UK Green Party, Zack Polanski, has publicly accused the Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis of failing to represent British Jews, saying instead that the Rabbi “speaks in the interests of defending the Israeli government.” The comments come amid rising tensions over Israel’s genocide in Gaza and intensifying debate within British Jewish communities over what constitutes legitimate communal leadership. Polanski made the remarks on The Rest Is Politics, hosted by Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart. Though describing himself as “proudly Jewish but not religious,” he said he feels “less safe” in the UK because of what he sees as efforts to conflate anti-Semitism with anti‑Zionism. Read: Britain’s chief rabbi looks like the latest hate preacher to surface

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  Illegal Israeli settlers torch Palestinian vehicles, cut water lines in West Bank attacks

  by Marwa A on December 5, 2025

  Illegal Israeli settlers carried out two separate attacks early Friday in the occupied West Bank, torching vehicles east of Ramallah and cutting water lines in the northern Jordan Valley, the official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported, Anadolu reports. In the village of al-Taybeh, east of Ramallah, illegal settlers set fire to two cars belonging to Palestinians and spray-painted racist slogans during the raid, according to the agency. In a separate incident, a group of illegal settlers cut water-supply lines in Khirbet al-Deir in the northern Jordan Valley, Wafa said. Rights activist Aref Daraghmeh told the agency that illegal settlers severed hoses used to draw water from a nearby spring owned by a local resident. According to the Colonization and Wall

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  EU lawmakers urge foreign policy chief to ‘end complicity in genocide’ against Palestinians

  by Marwa A on December 5, 2025

  A group of European Parliament lawmakers called on the EU’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, to act in line with international law and “end your complicity in the genocide against the Palestinian people,” according to a letter seen by Anadolu on Friday, Anadolu reports. The letter, addressed to Kallas, followed a Dec. 3 event titled “EU: End Your Complicity in the Genocide Against the Palestinian People.” It urged the EU to suspend the EU–Israel Association Agreement, implement a comprehensive arms embargo, respect decisions of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC), protect Palestinian human rights organizations, and condemn sanctions imposed against the ICC. READ: Amnesty International protests German chancellor’s upcoming visit to Israel “After 789

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  Gaza hunger crisis worsens as Israel’s inhumane blockade continues despite ceasefire

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  Palestinians in the Gaza Strip continue to face a worsening hunger crisis, as Israel’s inhumane blockade continues despite a ceasefire after more than two years of genocide, Anadolu reports. In the Mawasi area of Khan Younis, in southern Gaza, hot meals were distributed to displaced Palestinians at a community kitchen. Palestinians say the deepening humanitarian emergency has left them increasingly dependent on these meals and basic food assistance to meet their daily needs. Israel continues to restrict the entry of food and medicine into Gaza, where some 2.4 million people face dire conditions, according to the Gaza government media office. The blockade on the besieged enclave has left thousands of families struggling to secure even the most basic necessities. The ceasefire

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  Amnesty International protests German chancellor’s upcoming visit to Israel

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  Amnesty International staged a demonstration in central Berlin on Friday to protest German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s planned weekend visit to Israel amid ongoing war crimes in Gaza, Anadolu reports. Human rights activists gathered at Pariser Platz, placing a tank replica in front of the Brandenburg Gate to demand an end to German arms exports to Israel. They carried banners reading “Weapons are not welcoming gifts for war criminals” and “No weapons for war crimes in Gaza.” Katja Muller-Fahlbusch, a Middle East and North Africa expert at Amnesty International, criticized Merz’s decision to visit Israel despite the Israeli government’s genocidal policies in Gaza and its violations of international law. “We are protesting here today to say clearly and loudly, no business as

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  Palestinian rights group warns Israel plotting to assassinate jailed Palestinian leader Barghouti

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society warned Friday of a “dangerous plan” it said aims to assassinate imprisoned Palestinian leader Marwan Barghouti inside Israeli jails, amid allegations of severe assaults and growing international calls for his release, Anadolu reports. Barghouti, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee and a leading figure in Palestinian politics, was arrested by Israel in 2002 and convicted of murder and attempted murder. He is serving five life sentences and remains widely popular among Palestinians. Amjad al-Najjar, the group’s director general, said in a statement that “the escalation of assaults against the leader Marwan Barghouti, coinciding with international movements and figures calling for his immediate release, reflects dangerous intentions within the occupation government to get rid of him while in

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  Germany urges Israel to stop settlement construction in West Bank ahead of Merz-Netanyahu meeting

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  Germany on Friday urged Israel “to stop settlement construction” in the West Bank ahead of this weekend’s meeting between Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Anadolu reports. “We are, of course, following developments very closely and have always said that they must comply with the provisions of international law. We have repeatedly condemned the massive violence perpetrated by settlers against Palestinian civilians,” said Sebastian Hille, a government spokesman, at a press briefing in Berlin. “We reject any steps aimed at annexing the West Bank. We see this as a significant obstacle on the path to a negotiated two-state solution and the implementation of the peace plan,” he added. Hille reiterated that Israel’s ongoing settlement construction in the West

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  Palestinian man killed by Israeli army fire in West Bank

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  A Palestinian man was killed Friday by Israeli army fire during clashes south of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank, authorities said, Anadolu reports. The Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement that Bahaa Abdel Rahman Rashid, 38, died after Israeli soldiers shot him in the head during clashes in the village of Odala. The Palestinian Red Crescent said its crews responded to a man with a critical gunshot wound to the head and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) at the scene before his death was confirmed. Confrontations erupted after Friday prayers, with Israeli forces firing live rounds and tear gas at Palestinians, witnesses told Anadolu. Further details were not immediately available. Northern West Bank districts have seen wide Israeli military raids

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  Syrian Central Bank inks agreement with Visa for digital payment system

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  The Central Bank of Syria (CBS) announced that it has signed a cooperation agreement with Visa to develop a roadmap for establishing a modern and secure digital payment system in the country, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported Friday, Anadolu reports. Building a secure payments infrastructure with authorized financial institutions is the main goal of the agreement, which was formalized during a meeting at the Central Bank on Thursday, according to the report. In order to ensure operational preparedness for worldwide interoperability, initiatives include issuing payment cards and enabling digital wallets that adhere to international standards. Visa will enable merchants to accept payments through low-cost solutions such as QR codes and “Tap to Phone.” It was noted that Visa operates

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  Lebanese president meets UN delegation in Beirut, calls for pressing Israel to enforce ceasefire

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun met on Friday with a visiting delegation of UN Security Council ambassadors, urging them to press Israel to enforce the ceasefire and comply with international resolutions, the country’s presidency said, Anadolu reports. The delegation expressed support for Lebanon’s stability through the implementation of UN resolutions and conveyed their countries’ readiness to assist in strengthening the Lebanese army, including its full deployment in southern Lebanon and the principle of arms being held exclusively by the state. The Lebanese government on Aug. 5 approved a plan, based on a draft proposal presented by US Special Envoy Tom Barrack, to place all weapons — including those held by Hezbollah — under state control and tasked the army with implementing the

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  China pledges $100M in aid to Palestine to help alleviate humanitarian crisis in Gaza

  by Marwa A on December 5, 2025

  Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged $100 million in aid to Palestine to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports. Xi made the announcement during talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, who wrapped up his three-day state visit to China on Friday. “China will provide $100 million of assistance to Palestine to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and support its recovery and reconstruction,” said Xi during a meeting held on Thursday in Beijing, according to a statement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry. He said that the world today is “far from tranquil,” as complicated international political disputes and conflicts continue across various regions. “China and France will work together for the realization of a comprehensive,

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  BBC backs decision to allow Israel’s participation in 2026 Eurovision amid controversy

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has backed the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) decision allowing Israel to participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, even as four European broadcasters announced they will boycott the event, Anadolu reports. National broadcasters of Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands and Slovenia announced that they will not take part in the 2026 competition after the EBU cleared the way for Israeli broadcaster KAN to participate. The BBC however said it backs the decision to allow Israel to take part in the contest. “We support the collective decision made by members of the EBU. This is about enforcing the rules of the EBU and being inclusive,” said a BBC spokesperson. The decision drew criticism from some British lawmakers. Independent

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  UN resolutions on Gaza and the Golan: Global legitimacy under pressure, but no path to real peace

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  The two recent United Nations resolutions one calling for an end to the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and another reaffirming Syria’s sovereignty over the occupied Golan Heights have been celebrated in parts of the international community as signs of a shifting global conscience. Yet what they truly reveal is something deeper: international institutions are responding to unprecedented global public pressure, not to a strategic shift among major powers. These resolutions emerged at a moment when the UN’s own legitimacy has become entangled with its willingness to acknowledge, at least symbolically, the realities of occupation, displacement and structural violence. For the UN, doing nothing had become more damaging than doing something symbolic. The voting patterns themselves illustrate this transformation. A large

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  Iraqi PM orders urgent probe after Hezbollah and Houthis “mistakenly” added to asset-freeze list

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  Iraq’s prime minister, Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani, has ordered an immediate investigation into what he described as an “error” that led to Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Ansarullah (the Houthis) being included on an Iraqi government list of organisations whose assets were to be frozen for alleged links to terrorism. In a statement issued on Thursday, Sudani’s office said he had directed that “an urgent investigation be conducted, responsibilities identified, and those negligent held accountable for the error made in the Committee for Freezing Terrorists’ Assets decision … which included texts conveying positions that are not accurate”. The statement stressed that Iraq’s approval of the asset-freeze measures was “limited to listing entities and individuals linked to the terrorist ISIS and al-Qaeda organisations”.

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  Egypt warns: Israel unilateral opening of Rafah crossing breaches peace treaty

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  Egypt has warned that Israel’s unilateral announcement that it will open the Rafah crossing only for the exit of Gaza residents constitutes a breach of the peace treaty between the two countries, according to senior Egyptian officials. The tensions erupted after Israel’s Channel 12 reported that, “in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and directives from the political leadership, the Rafah crossing will be opened in the coming days for the exit of Gaza residents only.” The Egyptian Media Office swiftly rejected the announcement, saying it had not agreed to such an arrangement. “If there is an agreement, the crossing will open in both directions,” it said, stressing that any unilateral move would violate existing agreements. An unnamed Israeli official responded

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  Reports: US pressures Israel to approve $35 bn gas deal with Egypt

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  Israel’s Energy Minister, Eli Cohen, is expected to approve a major gas export agreement with Egypt worth an estimated $35 billion, according to the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. The deal, previously rejected in recent weeks, is now anticipated to be announced shortly amid reported pressure from the United States. The agreement would commit Israel to exporting fixed quantities of natural gas to Egypt until 2040. The development coincides with a government discussion scheduled for Thursday on a Finance Ministry proposal to restrict natural gas exports in order to safeguard domestic energy security. Roughly 70 per cent of Israel’s electricity production relies on natural gas, prompting concerns over how much can be exported without jeopardising national supply. According to the report,

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  Tunisian opposition leader Chebbi arrested as crackdown escalates

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  Tunisian police on Thursday arrested top opposition figure Nejib Chebbi to enforce a 12-year jail term on a conviction for conspiracy, his family said, the latest sign of an escalating crackdown on political dissent by President Kais Saied. Chebbi, 82, has been a prominent opposition figure since the 1970s, throughout the autocratic presidencies of Habib Bourguiba, the country’s first leader, and Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was toppled in the 2011 pro-democracy uprising. Last week an appeals court handed jail terms of up to 45 years to dozens of opposition leaders including Chebbi, business figures and lawyers on charges of conspiracy to overthrow Saied, underlining his increasingly authoritarian rule, critics said. Police have also arrested Chaima Issa to enforce

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  Experts say gang- leader’s killing exposes fragility of Israel’s militia strategy in Gaza

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  Two Palestinian analysts say that the killing of Yasser Abu Shabab, the leader of a militia backed by Israel in the Gaza Strip, has dealt a major blow to the Israeli security project that relies on irregular armed groups to establish so-called “green zones” in the territory. They argue that the incident further complicates Israel’s efforts to shape the governance of Gaza in the post-war phase. Alaa al-Rimawi, an expert on Israeli affairs, said the Hebrew press had highlighted the implications of Abu Shabab’s killing and raised doubts about the effectiveness of relying on militias that lack discipline and enjoy no social legitimacy among Palestinians in Gaza. Speaking to Quds Press, al-Rimawi said the death of Abu Shabab—whether at the

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  Hamas claims responsibility for assassination of Israeli- backed gang leader in Gaza

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  A source close to the Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas, has said that the killing of Yasser Abu Shabab; the Israeli- backed gang leader,  on Thursday was carried out through a carefully planned ambush inside the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip. According to the source, the operation was executed by a young man from the Abu Shabab clan who pretended he wished to join the armed group led by Abu Shabab. He later carried out the plan with precision, killing the group’s leader along with several of his associates. The source stated that the ambush came as a complete surprise. Israeli-backed militias in Rafah reportedly expected any attack by the Qassam Brigades to come from

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  Egypt urges immediate implementation of phase 2 of Gaza ceasefire

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Badr Abdel Aty strongly opposed any talk of dividing the Gaza Strip and called for immediate action to implement the second phase of the ceasefire agreement. He said: “We have full confidence that President Trump and the US side will participate in implementing the plan they prepared. This plan was designed for practical implementation, and we are working to strengthen this through continuous communication with the US side.” Abdel Aaty emphasised that efforts are focused on moving without delay to carry out the second phase of the ceasefire, which he described as essential. He warned against any factor that could hinder or slow down the plan’s implementation. Referring to discussions about deploying an international force in Gaza,

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  Israel seizes ancient columns from Palestinian town in West Bank

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  Israeli forces seized ancient stone columns on Thursday after raiding a hilly area in the town of Al-Mazra’a Al-Sharqiya, east of Ramallah, in the central occupied West Bank. Witnesses told Anadolu Agency that Israeli troops, accompanied by teams from the Israeli Civil Administration, raided a mountainous area in Al-Mazra’a Al-Sharqiya and took around five columns from an archaeological site dating back to the Byzantine era. In previous periods, various areas of the West Bank have seen Israeli forces looting archaeological sites from ancient historical periods. Israel claimed it recovered dozens of artefacts from a site where Palestinians had built a structure in its centre, which allegedly damaged the remaining historical remains, according to Hebrew media. The Hebrew site i24 reported

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  Netanyahu tries to convince Trump he is being persecuted to push for pardon

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  The Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that the comments made by Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Thursday evening were intended to convince US President Donald Trump that he is being persecuted during his trial, in order to push Trump to increase his efforts to grant him a pardon. On Thursday evening, Netanyahu posted a video on his page on the platform X, speaking in English and claiming that his trial is political, began six years ago, and could continue for another four years. In the video, he said: “It’s a political trial. They [the prosecutors] are not interested in justice; they are interested in getting me out of office.”    Netanyahu also tried to explain the reasons for his trial,

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  Israeli reserve officer commits suicide after serving in Gaza war

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  A reserve officer from the Givati Brigade ended his life on Thursday after suffering severe psychological distress linked to his participation in the Gaza war, according to Hebrew media. The newspaper Israel Hayom reported that a 28-year-old Israeli reserve officer died by suicide following intense mental trauma connected to fighting in Gaza settlements on the first day of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation. The paper said the officer, Tomas Adzgauskas, a Givati Brigade reservist, died by suicide after experiencing psychological distress following his involvement in the fighting in Gaza settlements on 7 October 2023, possibly due to post-traumatic stress disorder, and later during ground operations inside the Gaza Strip. According to the newspaper’s website, he had written shortly before the incident

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  Prisoner Mohammad Abu Tir’s transfer to Rakevet section seen as “death sentence”

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  The Palestinian Prisoners Club said on Thursday that Israel’s decision to transfer Jerusalemite administrative detainee and elderly parliamentarian Mohammad Abu Tir, aged 75, to the underground Rakevet section in Nitzan Prison in Ramla amounts to a death sentence.  In a statement, the organisation said that what happened to Abu Tir forms part of what it described as a systematic approach aimed at physically eliminating detainees, especially after repeated accounts from survivors who were held in this section, which is designated for detainees from Gaza. It added that the Israeli authorities renewed Abu Tir’s administrative detention for four months, only eight days after his arrest following a raid on his home in Bethlehem in the central West Bank. READ: Report: Palestinian journalist

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  Gaza tribes on Abu Shabab’s killing: the occupation has never afforded safety to anyone

  by MI on December 5, 2025

  The Higher Commission for Tribal Affairs in Gaza said that the death of Yasser Abu Shabab was expected for someone who chose to abandon his people, their values and traditions, and to stand with their enemy instead of remaining loyal to what it called a just cause. In a statement issued on Thursday evening, the council said that the Palestinian people — with all their factions, national forces, tribes and families — clearly distinguish between a political dispute, which can be managed and resolved through dialogue, and becoming, as it put it, a soldier in the ranks of the occupying forces, which it said care only about crushing the will of the Palestinians. The statement added that the occupying forces have

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  Finnish students call on universities to cut ties with Israel

  by MI on December 4, 2025

  Finland’s Students for Palestine movement held demonstrations calling on universities to cut their ties with Israel, according to broadcaster Yle, Anadolu reports. Students in the capital Helsinki and other cities gathered on campuses Wednesday urging administrations to commit to an academic boycott of Israel and halt financial ties with Israeli universities. A petition released by the movement urged the University of Helsinki to cut all ties with Israeli institutions, including its participation in 15 EU-funded Horizon Europe research projects. Students said ending research cooperation would show that Finnish universities will not tolerate human rights violations. READ: Finland’s president condemns Israel’s Gaza assault as breach of international law Officials from the University of Tampere and the University of Eastern Finland told Yle

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  Backlash grows after Israel cleared for Eurovision 2026, prompting several countries to withdraw

  by MI on December 4, 2025

  Thursday’s confirmation of Israel’s participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest drew an immediate backlash, with multiple national broadcasters announcing their withdrawal from the competition, Anadolu reports. During the European Broadcasting Union General Assembly in Geneva, the majority of members voted to allow Israeli broadcaster KAN to compete in next year’s contest, scheduled to be held in Vienna, Austria. Following the decision, Spain announced that it would not participate in Eurovision 2026, nor broadcast the contest, citing political interference and Israel’s use of the competition for “political purposes.” “The situation in Gaza, despite the ceasefire and the approval of the peace process, and Israel’s use of the contest for political purposes, is making it increasingly difficult to maintain Eurovision as