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Rev. Johnnie Moore, a White House adviser during President Donald Trump's first term, and Rabbi Abraham Cooper, from the Jewish human rights organization Simon Wiesenthal Center, have promoted interfaith dialogue in Arab states for years (Read more at MSN).
In the podcast interview, Trump said the Iranians seem to be using delaying tactics. “I’m less confident now than I would have been a couple of months ago. Something happened to them, but I am much less confident of a deal being made,” he said (Read more at Middle East Monitor).
The US is lobbying foreign governments not to attend a UN conference next week sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The cable, sent to countries on Tuesday, warns them against taking "anti-Israel actions" and says attending the conference would be viewed by Washington as acting against US foreign policy interests (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The U.S. military is set to allow families of service members in Bahrain to temporarily depart the country because of heightened tensions in the region, a U.S. official told Reuters on Wednesday. The official was speaking on condition of anonymity (Read more at Yahoo news).
The diplomatic demarche, sent on Tuesday, says countries that take "anti-Israel actions" following the conference will be viewed as acting in opposition to U.S. foreign policy interests and could face diplomatic consequences from Washington (Read more at Bundle).
"It will be one of the highest honors of my life to address the Israeli Knesset at this fateful moment. Our ties run deeper than military partnerships and trade agreements,” Johnson said in a statement (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).
Defence Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh said on Wednesday that Iran would target US military bases in the region if the US attacked it first. “Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don’t come to fruition. If a conflict is imposed on us … all US bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries,” Nasirzadeh told reporters, the Reuters news agency reported (Read more at Aljazeera).
The United States and Israel are seeking to turn nuclear talks into a "strategic trap" for Iran, they said. "The US is not serious in negotiations at all. It has set the goal of talks as imposing its demands and has adopted offensive positions that are diametrically opposed to Iranians' inalienable rights," the statement from parliamentarians said (Read more at Daily Star).
Netanyahu is interested in negotiating an updated security deal and working up towards a full peace agreement, according to a senior Israeli official. These would be the first such talks between Israel and Syria since 2011, and would be particularly remarkable given recent history. The Netanyahu government was highly concerned about the new Turkey-backed Syrian government, and lobbied the Trump administration to move cautiously in engaging with it (Read more at Axios).
“The State Department regularly reviews American personnel abroad and this decision was made as a result of a recent review,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly told Reuters when asked about reports of the partial evacuations, without giving further details. A White House official said U.S. President Donald Trump was aware of the move. The partial evacuations come at a moment of heightened tensions in a region already aflame after 18 months of war in Gaza that has raised fears of a wider conflagration pitting the U.S. and Israel against Iran and its allies (Read more at CNBC).
Israelis are more than twice as likely (69%) as the average (34%) among citizens of 24 countries, which the Pew Research Center polled, to have at least some faith in U.S. President Donald Trump’s foreign policies. The only one of the 24 countries that had a higher degree of confidence in the president’s global approach was Nigeria (79%), followed, after Israel, by Kenya (64%), Hungary (53%) and India (52%). (Read more at JNS)
The US State Department declined to comment Tuesday on remarks by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee that the US is no longer pursuing the goal of an independent Palestinian state. "I'm not going to characterize the ambassador's remarks. I'm not going to explain them or really comment on them at all. I think he certainly speaks for himself," spokeswoman Tammy Bruce told reporters. Asked whether Huckabee was speaking on his own or if his remarks represented a change in the Trump administration’s policy, Bruce suggested that the reporter ask the White House (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemned sanctions imposed by the UK, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia on two right-wing members of the Israeli Cabinet. "These sanctions do not advance US-led efforts to achieve a ceasefire, bring all hostages home, and end the war,” Rubio said on X (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı)
Michael Kurilla, the Commander of the United States Central Command (CENTCOM), has revealed that the U.S. military has developed a broad range of military options in preparation for a possible confrontation with Iran should nuclear negotiations fail. Speaking before the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, June 10, Kurilla emphasized the strategic readiness of U.S. forces and indicated that these options have been presented to the President Donald Trump and the Defense Minister Pete Hegseth (Read more at Khaama Press).
The US on Tuesday sanctioned five individuals and five charities that it said were providing financial support to Hamas’s military wing, the al-Qassam Brigades, in addition to one charity it said was supporting the Popular Front For The Liberation Of Palestine (PLFP). “Today’s action underscores the importance of safeguarding the charitable sector from abuse by terrorists like Hamas and the PFLP, who continue to leverage sham charities as fronts for funding their terrorist and military operations,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender said in a statement (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Alexander’s release paved the way for the subsequent talks. But soon after the preliminary ceasefire deal was struck, Witkoff changed course and came up with a modified plan that was accepted by the Israelis, thus tossing the ball back into Hamas’s court. Clearly, Witkoff could not persuade the Israelis to accept what had been agreed with Hamas in Doha, instead adopting as his own Israel’s counterproposal - which, to Hamas, seemed nothing short of capitulation. The Israelis and their US backers might have concluded that after many months of war, Hamas had been severely battered and was too weak to reject the proposal. This is not the first time they’ve been proven wrong (Read more at Middle East Eye).
"We discussed a lot of things, and it went very well, very smooth. We'll see what happens," Trump said. "You know, we're trying to do something with a country we just spoke about, Iran," he added. Noting the difficulty of engaging with Iran, Trump said: "They are good negotiators, but they're tough. Sometimes they can be too tough, that's the problem." (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).
Trump did not elaborate and the White House did not immediately respond to a request for details of Iran’s involvement. The United States has proposed a 60-day ceasefire between Israel and Hamas (Read more at Dawn).
"I have provided the secretary of defense and the president with a wide range of options," U.S. Army General Michael "Erik" Kurilla, the head of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), told a congressional hearing. Kurilla was responding to Representative Mike Rogers of Alabama, the chairman of the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee, who asked if CENTCOM was prepared to respond with overwhelming force if Iran does not permanently give up its nuclear ambitions (Read more at Global Banking and Finance).
The former Arkansas governor chosen by Donald Trump as his envoy to Israel went further by suggesting that any future Palestinian entity could be carved out of “a Muslim country” rather than requiring Israel to cede territory. “Unless there are some significant things that happen that change the culture, there’s no room for it,” Huckabee was quoted as saying. Those probably won’t happen “in our lifetime”, he said (Read more at Guaridan).
The White House has appointed Wayne Wall as the new senior director for Middle East at the National Security Council. Wall is one of the first senior hires at the NSC since the big purge ordered by President Trump and acting national security adviser Marco Rubio more than two weeks ago (Read more at Axios).
“Where is the outrage for these two young victims?” Rep. Mike Johnson said. “We must stand up and protect our Jewish brothers and sisters.” They remembered Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky at the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday evening, as lawmakers of both political parties vowed to continue the fight against the Jew-hatred that has led to violence and the deaths of two young Israeli embassy employees on a Washington street earlier this month (Read more at JNS).
“They don’t want to have to give up what they have to give up. They seek enrichment. We want just the opposite,” Trump said during a business round table (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Saudi Arabia is batting down the hatches for a "long and shallow” oil price war, in part to clip the wings of US shale energy companies, the Bank of America’s top commodities expert said (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Esmaeil Baghaei, the ministry’s spokesman, told a weekly news conference on Monday that Iran was not satisfied with a US proposal and it would present its version via mediator Oman (Read more at Aljazeera).
A senior U.S. official told Axios the president sees both crisis as intertwined and part of a broader regional reality he is trying to shape. The meeting on Iran and Gaza was attended by Trump, Vice President Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, chief of staff Susie Wiles, special envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA director John Ratcliffe and other senior officials. Trump said Monday that "generals and admirals" also attended the meetings but declined to say what was discussed (Read more at Axios).
President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Washington had delivered a "reasonable offer" to Tehran to limit its nuclear programme, Netanyahu's office said in a statement (Read more at Barrons).
An Egyptian immigrant who had overstayed his visa in the US and was angry with Israel’s killings in Gaza was last week arrested and charged with a hate crime after he threw firebombs at a pro-Israel rally in Boulder, Colorado. No act of violence should be condoned or encouraged. Eight people suffered severe burns and were hospitalized as a result of the attack, during which Soliman yelled “Free Palestine.” The problem is that Americans are the biggest hypocrites when it comes to the rule of law. Americans are the worst when it comes to embracing consistent morality. Americans scream when someone commits an act of aggression against them, but are silent when their country’s actions fuel acts of aggression against others (Read more at Arabnews).
If the U.S. goes ahead with this massive funding, it will become the biggest donor to the foundation and will de facto "own" the operation. While such a move will increase the U.S. credibility in asking other countries to donate money to the foundation, it would also draw the U.S. deeper into active involvement in the Gaza war and make it more responsible for the humanitarian situation in the enclave (Read more at Axios).
Residents in northeastern Syria have described a US military vehicle patrolling the area and displaying the word "kafir" - infidel in Arabic - on its front as "offensive" and a "provocation". "Markings of this nature violate U.S. Department of Defense policy," the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve (CJTF-OIR) said in a written statement (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The foundation began distributing aid last week as Gaza’s 2.3 million people face widespread hunger, with many having been displaced by the conflict. But its operations, which circumvent traditional humanitarian agencies, have drawn criticism from the UN and major aid groups, which say it does not obey humanitarian principles (Read more at The National).
"The decision to ban the entry of Iranian nationals - merely due to their religion and nationality - not only indicates the deep hostility of American decision-makers towards the Iranian people and Muslims but also violates... international law," a senior Foreign Ministry official said in a ministry statement posted on the X social media platform (Read more at The Hindu).
The US officials have yet to determine the security conditions to export the advanced chips or how the agreement with the Gulf state will be enforced, leaving the deal far from resolved (Read more at New Arab).
It targets over 30 individuals and entities linked to three Iranian brothers who allegedly laundered billions of dollars through the international financial system. “Iran’s shadow banking system is a critical lifeline for the regime through which it accesses the proceeds from its oil sales, moves money, and funds its destabilizing activities,” said Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent emphasized (Read more at G Captain).
The head of Hamas in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, said in a pre-recorded speech on Thursday the group had not rejected the latest US proposal for a ceasefire with Israel but demanded changes that would secure the end of the war on the enclave (Read more at The Dawn).
The US State Department announced sanctions on Thursday against four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC), targeting them over investigations involving the United States and its ally Israel. The sanctioned judges are: ICC Second Vice-President Reine Alapini-Gansou (Benin), Solomy Balungi Bossa (Uganda), Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza (Peru) and Beti Hohler (Slovenia). Alapini-Gansou and Hohler were targeted for their role as Pre-Trial judges in issuing arrest warrants in November 2024 for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. The charges involve alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Israel has sold a record amount of debt in the US since the war on Gaza erupted. The starting price for non-tradable retail Israeli bonds is as low as $36 (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The candidates were asked what their first foreign trip would be as mayor. “Given the hostility and the antisemitism that has been shown in New York, I would go to Israel,” said Andrew Cuomo, the former New York governor. Zohran Mamdani, an anti-Israel New York state representative who just received the endorsement of far-left, progressive “Squad” member Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), said that he would stay in the city (Read more at JNS).
“It’s a very important time, especially with Israel at war, that both Republicans and Democrats come together with Jewish and Christian leaders to celebrate the undivided capital of Jerusalem,” Josh Reinstein, president of the Israel Allies Foundation and director of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus said. “Jerusalem is the symbol of Israel, and it’s a symbol of unwavering bipartisan support for Israel as well,” he added (Read more at JNS).
US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in West Jerusalem on Wednesday, reaffirming Washington's vision of a Syria that cannot be used as a launchpad for regional threats (Read more at Medyanews).
In the course of supporting six operations in the ongoing campaign, five in Iraq and one in Syria, the US military reported two IS operatives were killed, two were detained – including an IS leader – and multiple weapons were recovered (Read more at Defense Post).
"We have close partner relations with Tehran and, naturally, President Putin said that we are ready to use this level of partnership with Tehran in order to facilitate and contribute to the negotiations that are taking place to resolve the issue of the Iranian nuclear dossier," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said (Read more at Mehrnews).
The U.S.-based Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said only two sites in southern Gaza’s Rafah area would operate Thursday, after all sites were closed the day before for maintenance. GHF had opened three sites earlier in the week, and one of Thursday’s sites was in a new location, it said (Read more at NBC News).
He urges action against the group due to its ties to extremism and antiquated influence under the Biden administration. Lawmakers have identified multiple strategies to financially target the Muslim Brotherhood, already labeled as a terrorist group by several Middle Eastern countries (Read more at Straightt Arrow News).
Judi Weinstein-Haggai and Gad Haggai from Kibbutz Nir Oz were murdered during the Oct. 7 attack while they were on their morning walk. Their bodies were held by a Hamas 0ff-shoot called "The Mujahideen Brigades" for more than 600 days (Read more at Axios).
The text, co-sponsored by Algeria, Denmark, Greece, Guyana, Pakistan, Panama, the Republic of Korea, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, and Somalia – collectively known as the E-10 – received 14 votes in favour, with the US casting the lone vote against (Read more at UN News).
Leavitt launched her attack on the BBC after being asked about reports that Israeli forces opened fire near a food distribution centre in Rafah. Brandishing a print-out of images taken from the BBC’s website, she accused the corporation of having to “correct and take down” its story about the fatalities and injuries involved in the attack. The BBC has defended its reporting on the war in Gaza and accused the White House of misrepresenting its journalism after Donald Trump’s administration criticised its coverage of a fatal attack near a US-backed food distribution site (Read more at Guardian).
The United States will scale down its military bases in Syria while changing its policy toward the country due to previous failures, the new U.S. ambassador to Türkiye and Donald Trump’s Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack said (Read more at Daily Sabah).
The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation on Tuesday named as its executive chairman an American evangelical Christian leader who has publicly backed President Donald Trump's proposal for the United States to take over the Palestinian enclave (Read more at Arabnews).
The GHF said it has asked the Israeli military to "guide foot traffic in a way that minimizes confusion or escalation risks" near military perimeters; develop clearer guidance for civilians; and enhance training to support civilian safety. Hospital officials have said more than 80 people were shot dead and hundreds wounded near distribution points in a three-day period from Sunday, including at least 27 killed on Tuesday. Locals say Israeli soldiers opened fire on the crowds, who gather before dawn to seek food. The military has denied this, but acknowledged on Tuesday that soldiers had fired at "suspects" who had ignored warning shots and were approaching their lines (Read more at CBC).
The U.S. State Department has approved the potential sale of equipment and services related to sustainment support for M1A2 Abrams main battle tank systems to Kuwait for an estimated $325 million. The principal contractor for the sales is General Dynamics (Source: Reuters).
The comments were delivered in a speech on Wednesday as the US and Iran continue to negotiate the details of a possible new nuclear deal. The issue of uranium enrichment has remained a sticking point in the talks, with the US reportedly demanding a complete halt or low-level enrichment in exchange for the lifting of Western sanctions against Tehran (Read more at Aljazeera).
The United States and the United Arab Emirates have agreed to start negotiations for a potential bilateral trade agreement that could ease tariffs on the Gulf state's steel and aluminium industry, according to four people familiar with the matter. Emirati officials discussed the possibility of a trade agreement with U.S. counterparts during President Donald Trump's two-day visit to Abu Dhabi last month, the sources said (Read more at Reuters).
President Trump has set a two-month deadline for reaching a deal with Iran. U.S. officials said the White House started counting this deadline once the talks with Iran began on April 12. That deadline will expire in a week (Read more at Axios).
"The article failed to make clear if attributing the deaths to Israel was the position of the Gaza health ministry or a fact verified by The Post," the newspaper said. "The Post didn't give proper weight to Israel's denial and gave improper certitude about what was known about any Israeli role in the shootings," it added. An archived version of the article indicates that an Israeli military statement about being "currently unaware of injuries caused by" the army was included in the second paragraph (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The officials being dismissed are all those with previous track records opposing what are shaping up to be Trump’s most significant Middle East endeavours: swiftly lifting sanctions on Syria and negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran. The reshuffle comes after Trump’s landmark visit to Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar last month. In a speech in Riyadh, Trump tore into "interventionists" and American "nation builders". Eric Trager was notified late last month that he would be removed from his position. Trager is an Iran hawk. He also wrote a book criticising the Muslim Brotherhood and Qatar. Unlike previous Middle East directors at the NSC, his influence in the White House was limited. Another notable firing was Merav Ceren, the NSC director for Israel and Iran, in late May (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The talks address IS detainees, integration of SDF into Syrian military, and Kurdish governance in high-stakes negotiations over the country's future (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Valued at $260 million, the deal includes the delivery of 612 FGM-148F Javelin missiles and 200 lightweight launch platforms, along with associated training equipment and logistical support. This includes training munitions, technical manuals, spare parts, diagnostic tools, training programmes for gunners and ammunition officers, as well as inspection, maintenance and integration services, and support tailored for tactical aviation and ground munitions (Read more at Arab Weekly).
A panel of experts examine Iraq’s balancing act amid changing US–Iran dynamics: 5 June 2025 — 6:00PM TO 7:00PM By Chatham House (Register here).
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said it would have to see if there are changes in the US position on sanctions, as the two countries negotiate a deal to resolve a decades-long dispute over Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “I regret to inform you that the American side has not yet been willing to clarify this issue,” ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said in a weekly press conference in Tehran (Read more at Middle East Monitor).
"Iran is drafting a negative response to the U.S. proposal, which could be interpreted as a rejection of the U.S. offer," said a senior diplomat, who is close to Iran's negotiating team (Read more at APA).
Adani Group companies are under inquiry by US prosecutors into whether they have been involved in importing Iranian petrochemical products. Certain tankers regularly traveling between Mundra and the Persian Gulf displayed behaviors typical of ships aiming to circumvent sanctions (Read more at Business Standard).
The United States has given its blessing to a plan by Syria's new leadership to incorporate thousands of foreign jihadist former rebel fighters into the national army, provided that it does so transparently, President Donald Trump's envoy said (Read more at Reuters).
The race on Saturday was organised by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unrwa) USA at Rock Creek Park in Washington, DC. People of all ages and walks of life took part in the five-kilometre run, with supporters coming from Massachusetts, New York, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC. (Read more at Middle East Eye)
A Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said proposed amendments focused on “the U.S. guarantees, the timing of hostage release, the delivery of aid and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.” There were no details. A separate Hamas statement said the proposal aims for a permanent ceasefire, a comprehensive Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and an ensured flow of aid. It said 10 living hostages and the bodies of 18 others would be released ” in exchange for an agreed-upon number of Palestinian prisoners.” Fifty-eight hostages remain and Israel believes 35 are dead. Witkoff on social media instead described a 60-day ceasefire deal that would free half the living hostages in Gaza and return half of those who have died. He urged Hamas to accept the framework proposal as the basis for talks that he said could begin next week (Read more at AP).
"If US seeks a diplomatic solution, it must abandon the language of threats and sanctions," an unnamed Iranian official said, adding that such threats "are open hostility against Iran's national interests." (Read more at Business Standard)
Omani Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi “paid a short visit to Tehran today to present elements of a US proposal which will be appropriately responded to in line with the principles, national interests and rights of the people of Iran,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X (Read more at Dawn).
US President Donald Trump’s decision to ease sanctions on Syria is a hopeful but calculated gamble. With Americans now allowed to transact with Damascus and invest in the country, the ball is now in its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa’s court. How he repays this show of goodwill will determine how the US proceeds (Read more at Semafor).
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Israel “backed and supported” the new proposal. Hamas officials gave the Israeli-approved draft a cool response, but said they wanted to study the proposal more closely before giving a formal answer. “The Zionist response, in essence, means perpetuating the occupation and continuing the killing and famine,” Bassem Naim, a top Hamas official, told The Associated Press. He said it “does not respond to any of our people’s demands, foremost among which is stopping the war and famine.” (Read more at AP)
The document, which says the plan is guaranteed by US President Donald Trump and mediators Egypt and Qatar, includes sending humanitarian aid to Gaza as soon as Hamas signs off on the ceasefire agreement. The aid will be delivered by the United Nations, the Red Crescent and other agreed channels (Read more at Dawn).
The warning was made a week after Trump announced the direct talks between U.S. and Iran. Alarmed at the prospect of further instability in the region, Saudi Arabia's 89-year-old King Salman bin Abdulaziz dispatched his son, Prince Khalid bin Salman, with the warning destined for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the report said (Read more at i24).
The Solidify Iran Sanctions Act of 2025—introduced in the Senate after unanimously passing the House earlier this month—would permanently extend provisions of the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, removing the current sunset clause that allows it to expire (Read more at Iran News Update).
The leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates all argued against a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities during President Trump's recent visit and encouraged him to continue pushing for a new nuclear deal (Read more at Axios).
The newly-appointed United States Syria envoy said he believed peace between the Syrian Arab Republic and Israel was achievable as he made his first trip to Damascus on Thursday, praising the new government and saying it was ready for dialogue. Syria signed a $7 billion energy deal on Thursday with a consortium of Qatari, Turkish and US companies as it seeks to revive the war-torn country's crippled power sector. It aims to generate 5,000 megawatts (Read more at France 24).
In this friendship, money talks and strategic interests walk. America’s embrace of Qatar has always been a strange fit, but recently, President Donald Trump has doubled down, transforming this unholy alliance into something approaching the profane (Read more at JNS).
By late afternoon on Tuesday, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation said it had distributed about 8,000 food boxes, equivalent to about 462,000 meals, after an almost three-month-old Israeli blockade of the war-devastated enclave (Read more at MSN).
Chaos at aid distribution sites in southern Gaza. The UN has distanced itself from the operations of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation that's backed by the US and Israel. What’s behind this move to establish a separate aid mechanism? And what needs to change to help desperate Palestinians? (Listen here).
Witkoff sounded an optimistic note speaking at the White House on Wednesday, saying, “I have some very good feelings about getting to… a temporary ceasefire and a long-term, peaceful resolution of that conflict.” US President Donald Trump on Thursday confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had accepted a new ceasefire proposal from Witkoff, but added that Hamas had not yet accepted (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The White House is optimistic a new proposal from Trump envoy Steve Witkoff could help bridge the remaining gaps between Israel and Hamas and produce a ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza soon. President Trump has made clear he wants to end a war that has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians and more than 1,600 Israelis. Over the past two weeks, Witkoff has been negotiating with Prime Minister Netanyahu and his top adviser Ron Dermer, and with Hamas leaders in Doha through Palestinian-American businessman Bishara Bahbah (Read more at Axios).
An Iranian national has pleaded guilty in the U.S. over his involvement in an international ransomware and extortion scheme involving the Robbinhood ransomware. Sina Gholinejad (aka Sina Ghaaf), 37, and his co-conspirators are said to have breached the computer networks of various organizations in the United States and encrypted files with Robbinhood ransomware to demand Bitcoin ransom payments (Read more at Hackernews).
Mohammad Eslami, head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI), told reporters on the sidelines of a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that the deputy director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will visit the remaining locations as agreed in the March 2023 joint statement (Read more at Mehrnews).
Asked if he warned Netanyahu not to attack Iran, Trump said "I would like to be honest, yes I did." Trump stressed he told Netanyahu a military strike on Iran in the current timing would be "inappropriate" because the U.S. and Iran are close to a deal. Trump said he believes the Iranian nuclear crisis can be solved with "a very strong document," and without military action (Read more at Axios).
“My impression is that if you have that type of agreement, a solid, very robust inspection by the IAEA ... should be a prerequisite, and I’m sure it will be, because it would imply a very, very serious commitment on the part of Iran, which must be verified,” Grossi said (Read more at Arabnews).
Iran may pause uranium enrichment if the U.S. releases frozen Iranian funds and recognises Tehran's right to refine uranium for civilian use under a "political deal" that could lead to a broader nuclear accord, two Iranian official sources said (Read more at AOL).
The U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which Washington says operates independently, stated that “misinformation” had circulated about its operations on Tuesday and that it delivered supplies on Wednesday “without incident.” “Across the two sites, approximately 14,550 food boxes have been distributed so far. Each box feeds 5.5 people for 3.5 days, totaling 840,262 meals” (Read more at JNS).
Gaza Humanitarian Foundation had faced criticism from aid groups even before this week’s chaotic rollout. The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation had said it would securely provide food supplies to the Gaza Strip, ending an Israeli blockade that UN officials say have led to the brink of a famine. Instead, early reports and leaked video of its operations that began this week have depicted a scene of chaos, with crowds storming a distribution site and Israeli military officials confirming they had fired “warning shots” to restore order. Gaza health officials said at least one civilian had been killed and 48 injured in the incident (Read more at Guardian).
A fringe faction of the Democratic Socialists of America is praising the murder of two Israeli diplomats outside a Washington, DC, Jewish museum, and lionizing suspected killer Elias Rodriguez, according to posts on social media. The DSA Liberation Caucus, a self-identified Marxist-Leninist-Maoist caucus within the DSA, glorified Rodriguez in a social media post that appeared to be a direct call for more domestic terrorism. “It is right to rebel against the enemy. This is Maoist law,” the post from the DSA Liberation Caucus read (Read more at New York Post).
Ankara's latest effort to end a four decades long Kurdish insurgency is opaque and is full of risks and opportunities for Turkey and Syria's Kurds says lawmaker Cengiz Candar (Listen here).
The meeting was part of Noem’s larger jaunt to Italy, Bahrain and Poland, where she also spoke to world leaders about advancing US security interests. While in Israel, “the Secretary and Prime Minister had a candid conversation where the Secretary reiterated POTUS’s desire to bring peace to the region and for Iran to never have a nuclear weapon,” a readout of the meeting read (Read more at New York Post).
Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter thanked Vance for the gesture (Read more at Vinnews).
U.S. Customs and Border Protection confirmed to JNS that former Hamas hostage Liri Albag was delayed for inspection at John F. Kennedy International Airport after she informed officials she had previously been held captive in Gaza (Read more at JNS).
The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation is taking over the handling of desperately needed aid under a new, U.S. and Israeli-backed system despite concerns raised about the group from the United Nations and the recent resignation of its executive director (Read more at AP).
SolarWinds is eyeing double-digit revenue growth in the Gulf as the Texas-based IT software company rebuilds following a cyberattack in 2020. More than 80% of government entities in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar already use its software, and the now privately held company aims to accelerate the rollout of new tools for the artificial intelligence age, SolarWinds’ chief technology officer said (Read more at Semafor).
One idea that was raised by Oman and adopted by the U.S. calls for establishing a regional consortium that will enrich uranium for civilian nuclear purposes under monitoring by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the U.S. One big question is where the consortium's uranium enrichment facilities would be located. The U.S. wants them to be outside Iran. Another idea is for the U.S. to recognize Iran's right to enrich uranium, while Iran fully suspends its uranium enrichment (Read more at Axios).
"We want to see if we can stop that. And Israel, we've been talking to them, and we want to see if we can stop that whole situation as quickly as possible," he said. Many of Israel's international allies, aside from Trump, have already broken publicly with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his decision to expand the Gaza operation, suspend humanitarian aid, and oppose a long-term ceasefire. Trump has so far declined to publicly pressure Netanyahu (Read more at Axios).
The move comes after a Swiss NGO submitted a request for a probe into GHF's aid plan, which the United Nations has opposed, saying it is not impartial or neutral and forces further displacement and exposes thousands of people (Read more at WAFA).
"I think we could have some good news on the Iran front," Trump said. He added serious progress had been made. He did not elaborate on the talks in Rome between US special envoy Steve Witkoff and an Iranian delegation (Read more at Geo.TV).
Iran will be able to survive if negotiations with the US over its nuclear programme fail to secure a deal, President Masoud Pezeshkian has said, after US President Donald Trump described weekend talks with Tehran as "very good". Masoud Pezeshkian's comments follow Foreign Minister's denial that Tehran could freeze enrichment for three years (Read more at The National).
Negotiations have shown little progress. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces are proceeding with an operation to displace all 2 million Palestinians in Gaza to a "humanitarian zone" and flatten most of the enclave (Read more at Axios).
Joseph Neumayer, 28, allegedly posted on social media that he planned to "burn down the embassy" in Tel Aviv before traveling there, writing, "Death to America," according to a DOJ release. Social media posts from an account believed to be used by him also revealed threats to assassinate President Trump, the DOJ said. Neumayer was taken into custody Sunday by FBI agents at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York after being deported from Israel, federal prosecutors said (Read more at Axios).
Kristi Noem, the U.S. secretary of homeland security, shared “unwavering support for the prime minister and the State of Israel” during a meeting on Sunday evening with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Jerusalem office, per an Israeli readout. “She also expressed great appreciation for the prime minister’s policy of building a fence along the Egyptian border and for his conduct of the war,” Netanyahu’s office stated (Read more at JNS).
“I stressed the cessation of sanctions against Syria will preserve the integrity of our primary objective – the enduring defeat of ISIS – and will give the people of Syria a chance for a better future,” said Donald Trump’s old friend Thomas Barrack, now serving as the US ambassador to Turkey and special envoy for Syria (Read more at Guardian).
Five Al-Qaeda members have been killed in a strike blamed on the United States in southern Yemen. Though the names of those killed in the strike were not known, it was believed one of Al-Qaeda’s local leaders was among the dead (Read more at Defense Post).
Speaking to JNS on May 23, McKenzie elaborated on the leverage the U.S. currently holds. When asked what specific U.S. capabilities or kinetic steps could credibly pose an existential threat to the Iranian regime, compelling this choice, the general replied, “Threatening the nuclear program is a key element of any threat to the regime. Beyond the nuclear program, potential targets could include the energy sector, including distillation and loading/holding facilities, power generation, and transmission lines. In short, targets that would immediately bring the economy of Iran to a halt.” (Read more at JNS)
The Treasury Department issued a general license that authorizes transactions involving the interim Syrian government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, as well as the central bank and state-owned enterprises. The general license, known as GL25, "authorizes transactions prohibited by the Syrian Sanctions Regulations, effectively lifting sanctions on Syria," the Treasury said in a statement (Read more at CGTN).
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump visited three countries in the Middle East—Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar—on the first scheduled foreign trip of his second term. While many of the headlines from the trip focused on the 747 jetliner Qatar donated for use as Air Force One, it’s probably more notable that Trump rejected decades of Western intervention in the region and declared that there would be “no more lectures” from America. Is the Trump administration re-aligning American priorities in the region? F. Gregory Gause, visiting scholar at the Middle East Institute, joins FP Live to discuss why the Gulf monarchies are rising in importance (Listen here).
Bruce also told reporters that a U.S. team wouldn’t be readying for a fifth round of nuclear pact discussions with Iran in Rome on Friday “if we didn’t think that there was potential for it.” Amid mixed messaging from the Trump administration, Bruce said that the American position is that Iran can carry out “no enrichment” of uranium (Read more at JNS).
“The fifth round of Iran-US talks have concluded today in Rome with some, but not conclusive, progress,” said Omani mediator Badr al-Busaidi after Friday’s meeting at the Omani embassy in Rome’s Camilluccia neighbourhood. “We hope to clarify the remaining issues in the coming days,” he said after the high-level talks, which were led by Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff (Read more at Aljazeera).
The U.S. secretary of state said in testimony on Capitol Hill that American pressure led to Israel lifting the blockade on Gaza aid. Rubio, who was called upon for information about the U.S. State Department’s budget requests, told the panel that the Trump administration is taking measures to get additional aid into the enclave (Read more at JNS).
The fifth round of Iran-US talks over Tehran's nuclear program will take place in Rome on Friday, Oman's Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi announced in a brief statement on Wednesday evening. International benchmark Brent crude decreased by around 1.2%, trading at $63.45 per barrel at 10.17 a.m. local time (0717 GMT), down from $64.22 at the previous session's close (Read more at Anadolu Agency).
Netanyahu, who had previously made no public comment on the issue, told reporters at a news conference that he had spoken to Trump around ten days ago and the president had told him: “Bibi I want you to know, I have a complete commitment to you and I have a complete commitment to the state of Israel.” (Read more at Middle East Monitor)
“Iran strongly warns against any adventurism by the Zionist regime of Israel and will decisively respond to any threat or unlawful act by this regime,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said in a letter addressed to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. The minister said Tehran would view Washington as a “participant” in any such attack (Read more at Aljazeera).
Turkey's authorities should present credible evidence of corruption against Istanbul's jailed mayor or immediately release him, U.S. Senator Adam Schiff said on Thursday as he urged his colleagues to back a resolution calling out President Tayyip Erdogan over what he called democratic backsliding (Read more at Straits Times).
“As we await additional details, one thing remains clear: antisemitism has no place in our country, and we need to take action to put an end to this vile hate as violence worsens both at home and around the globe,” stated Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.). (Read more at JNS).
The American Jewish Committee had been hosting an event at the Capital Jewish Museum aimed at bridge-building in the Middle East and North Africa. Lischinsky and Milgrim had exited the event when they were fatally shot around 9 p.m. After the shooting, the suspect walked into the museum looking “distraught,” JoJo Drake Kalin, who organized the Young Diplomats event, told Sky News. “I actually offered and gave him water, unbeknownst to me that I was actually looking evil in the eye,” Kalin said (Read more at NBC News).
The Trump administration welcomed progress from the Syrian government on two U.S. priorities during a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Wednesday. John Kelley, the acting U.S. alternate representative to the United Nations, told the global body, “We take note of the Syrian government’s actions so far on critical files, including the destruction of Bashar al-Assad’s chemical weapons and the search for missing U.S. and foreign citizens in Syria.” (Read more at JNS).
Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj speak with MEI Senior Fellow Mohammed Soliman about President Donald Trump’s recent trip to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, which yielded a wave of major US-Gulf tech and AI deals. Soliman explains how these partnerships mark a shift in the relationship—from oil and arms to compute power and data infrastructure—and what it means for the Gulf’s strategic role in the global AI ecosystem. The discussion explores the energy bottlenecks behind AI development, evolving US export control policy, and the social and geopolitical implications of the Gulf’s ambitions to become a digital hub for emerging markets (Listen here).
Microsoft has fired an employee who interrupted a speech by CEO Satya Nadella to protest the company’s work supplying the Israeli military with technology used for the war in Gaza (Read more at AP).
The United States will appoint President Donald Trump’s longtime advisor and current US ambassador to Turkey, Thomas Barrack, as a special envoy for Syria, a person with direct knowledge of the matter and a diplomat in Turkey said, according to Reuters. The decision follows Trump’s landmark announcement last week that US sanctions on Syria would be lifted. It also suggests US acknowledgement that Turkey has emerged with key regional influence on Damascus since Bashar al-Assad’s ouster by rebels in December (Read more at Turkish Minute).
"The secretary of defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and regulations," Sean Parnell, chief Pentagon spokesman, said in a statement. "The Department of Defense will work to ensure proper security measures and functional-mission requirements are considered for an aircraft used to transport the president of the United States," he added (Read more at ABC News).
In a statement, the U.S. Department of State said on Wednesday it had found Iran’s construction sector was controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and that it had identified another 10 strategic materials now subject to U.S. sanctions. The 10 materials include austenitic nickel-chromium alloy, magnesium ingots, sodium perchlorate, tungsten copper and certain aluminum sheets and tubes, among others, it said (Read more at whbl).
Speaking before the Senate Appropriations Committee, Rubio said that while the United States has not followed European countries in issuing sanctions or public warnings over aid shortfalls, the administration has conveyed its expectations (Read more at JNS).
What sets Iran apart from every other nuclear-armed nation—or those seeking the bomb—is its disbelief in mutual assured destruction. Iranian leaders openly embrace martyrdom. And that’s what terrifies Israelis—and what should alarm the entire world (Read more at JNS).
Resurfaced video shows New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a member of the state assembly, saying New York tax dollars were used to fund trips to Israel for state politicians (Read more at JNS).
Such a move would mark a “brazen break” from President Donald Trump’s diplomatic push. While no final decision has been made by Israeli leaders, “intercepted Israeli communications and observations of Israeli military movements” suggest an imminent strike. And the prospect of a Trump-negotiated US-Iran deal that doesn’t remove all of Iran’s uranium makes the chance of a strike more likely (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).
As Gulf states shower him in riches, the US president seems ready to break with any diplomatic tradition in order to expand his 'America First' vision. The primary goal was to make “America First” a global brand - not just a vision for the United States and its people, but also a political and economic aspiration for as many other countries as possible, stemming from the exceptionalist belief that, regardless of whether a Republican or Democrat is in the White House, what’s good for the US is good for the world.
There is no doubt that over the last quarter of a century, “America” as a brand has suffered periods of extended reputational damage. Its endless wars in the Middle East fuelled chaos and illegal migration flows; its sanctions policies irked enemies and allies alike; and Wall Street’s unregulated financial schemes led to a global financial crisis with massive consequences. In rebranding the US according to Trump’s vision, there are no taboos. Even the most exorbitant privilege, the US dollar as the global reserve currency, can be discussed. Trump’s economic advisers now suggest that this status is no longer an asset, but rather a liability reflected in the country’s huge trade deficit (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Set in a post-9/11 America, this animated series is full of nostalgic references to the early 2000s and a native’s familiarity with Egyptian-American family dynamics. In 2025, actor and comedian Ramy Youssef could very well be the most famous Egyptian celebrity in the US (Read more at Middle East Eye).
“During (former President Ebrahim) Raisi’s time there were also indirect negotiations that didn’t result in anything, and now we also doubt we will reach a conclusion, and we don’t know what will happen,” he was cited as saying on his website (Read more at CNN).
Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund is planning to at least double its annual US investments in the next decade, its CEO said on Tuesday, after the fund has already pledged to invest $500 billion in the US economy over the next 10 years (Read more at Arabnews).
The United Nations says the U.S.-backed distribution plan does not meet its long-held principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence. U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher has said time should not be wasted on the alternative proposal (Read more at AOL)
The delegations discussed shared priorities in Syria, including sanctions relief according to President Trump’s directive. The United States and Türkiye recognize the importance of maintaining the territorial integrity of Syria (Read more at U.S. Department of State).
He is upset by images of suffering of Palestinian children, and has told his aides to tell Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he wants him to wrap it up, two White House officials said (Read more at Axios).
From Gaza to Riyadh, the US president is making deals that undercut Israeli priorities. But these tactical shifts should not be misread as a break from America's imperial strategy (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The firm, Safe Reach Solutions, or SRS, says it is actively looking for “Humanitarian Liaison Officers” who will “serve as vital connectors between our operational teams and the broader humanitarian community,” according to one job description (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Palestinian Lebanese film student, Maya Abdullah, 23, ended up in hospital on 18 May after she fainted on the ninth day of her hunger strike, while seeking to pressure her university to divest from Israel. Hunger strikes in solidarity with Gaza are spreading across US campuses as Palestinians face a humanitarian catastrophe (Read more at Middle East Eye).
American Jewish leaders, who attended Pope Leo XIV’s inaugural Mass in Rome on Sunday and met with the pontiff at the Vatican the following day, are optimistic about the future of Jewish-Catholic relations. But they told JNS that they remain clear-eyed about what they think is likely to be a continuation of the Church’s approach of holding Israel uniquely responsible for the war that Hamas started on Oct. 7, 2023 (Read more at JNS).
“If Hamas wants to come forward and make a legitimate offer they’re willing to stand by and release hostages, we’re always open to that,” the U.S. hostage affairs envoy said. Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) had stated unequivocally that “we have to completely destroy Hamas” at a conference at the Pierre hotel in Midtown Manhattan on Monday. But on his way out, he was intercepted by relatives of Evyatar David, a 24-year-old Israeli hostage held captive by Hamas in Gaza, and his comments grew more nuanced. Many families of the hostages and other Israelis are calling for an immediate deal to free the remaining captives in the Gaza Strip, even if Hamas retains power for the time being (Read more at JNS).
The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has condemned the Israeli government for letting just nine aid trucks into Gaza. The “trickle of aid” will “do nothing to relieve the threat of famine” for “two million Palestinian men, women and children besieged in Gaza”, CAIR said in a statement (Read more at Aljazeera).
A now-former Bloomberg News reporter was arrested when anti-Israel protesters took over Columbia University’s main library this month. Jason Kao, who also used to work at the New York Times, was charged with criminal trespass after NYPD officers entered Butler Library to regain control of the building on the elite Morningside Heights campus on May 7. The graphics reporter is no longer employed by the financial news outlet, a Bloomberg spokesperson said (Read more at New York Post).
The poll shows that 69 percent of Americans view a negotiated agreement to limit Iran’s nuclear programme with monitoring as the best way to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Notably, 64 percent of Republicans say they want a deal, too. Iran acknowledges discussions on nuclear consortium but says it could not replace its right to enrich uranium (Read more at Middle East Eye).
An estimated 40,000 people, including members of Congress and the Knesset, Israeli ministers, local public officials and former hostages and their families, lined Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue on Sunday as part of the 77th annual Celebrate Israel Day parade (Read more at JNS).
The U.S. official said Vance made the decision because he didn't want his trip to suggest the Trump administration endorsed the Israeli decision to launch a massive operation at a time when the U.S. is pushing for a ceasefire and hostage deal (Read more at Axios).
"We have one very, very clear red line, and that is enrichment. We cannot allow even 1% of an enrichment capability," Witkoff said. While Witkoff was reiterating President Donald Trump's position about uranium enrichment, Iran's response was evidence that the two sides have a long way to go to reach any agreement over Iran's nuclear program (Read more at The Star).
Nothing captured Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s isolation more starkly this week than the image of US President Donald Trump shaking hands with Syria’s leader Ahmed al‑Sharaa — a man Israel has branded “an al‑Qaeda terrorist in a suit” (Read more at SelangorJournal).
Raytheon has signed a $1-billion agreement with Qatar to deliver the Fixed Site – Low, Slow, Integrated Defeat System (FS-LIDS), making Doha the system’s first international customer. The agreement includes production work in the US, contributing to engineering and advanced manufacturing. The technology is designed to detect, track, and neutralize small, slow-moving drones (Read more at Defense Post).
Announced by US President Donald Trump during the last leg of his three-nation trip to the Gulf region, the agreement entails the creation of extraction and refining capabilities of gallium at EGA’s alumina refinery. It will make the UAE the world’s second-largest gallium producer behind China. Gallium is an important metal for the most advanced electronics systems but remains commercially challenging to produce (Read more at Defense Post)
Schumer introduced the "Presidential Airlift Security Act" after news last week that President Donald Trump planned to accept a $400 million airplane from Qatar, which legal experts said raised a raft of questions about the scope of laws that relate to gifts from foreign governments and are intended to thwart corruption and improper influence (Read more at AOL).
“Our stance on enrichment is well-known and firm — we consider it a national achievement and will not abandon it,” Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takhtravanchi said (Read more at Anews)
The Trump administration is trying to stave off a massive Israeli operation in Gaza, release more hostages, and allow aid into Gaza to prevent starvation and a humanitarian catastrophe. Now, White House envoy Steve Witkoff has given Israel and Hamas an updated proposal for a Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal and is pressing the parties to accept it (Read more at Axios)
In an official statement posted to their X account, the embassy described these claims as “completely baseless” and clarified that no such proposals have been discussed with Libyan authorities or any other parties. The categorical denial directly addresses speculation that appeared in several US news outlets, which had suggested the US administration was considering establishing temporary shelter zones in multiple countries, including Libya, to accommodate Gazans amid the humanitarian situation in the Strip (Read more at Libyan Express).
In a speech to a group of teachers gathered for a state ceremony in Tehran on Saturday, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said some of Trump’s comments were not even worth responding to (Read more at Aljazeera).
“We can easily say that there is a softening in CAATSA,” Erdoğan told reporters on his return from a European summit, referring to the 2017 US law known as the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (Read more at Turkish Minute).
U.S. congressional Democrats on Thursday sought to block arms sales to the United Arab Emirates over its alleged involvement in Sudan's civil war and concern about cryptocurrency ties, the same day Republican President Donald Trump announced $200 billion in new deals with the Gulf State. Democrats Chris Murphy, Chris Van Hollen, Brian Schatz and Tim Kaine, and Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, introduced resolutions of disapproval in the Senate that would block three arms sales to the UAE (Read more at Reuters).
The agreement comes as part of more than $200 billion in trade deals between the US and the UAE. According to a White House statement, Etihad Airways has agreed to purchase 28 US-made Boeing aircraft – including the next-generation Boeing 787 and 777X models – powered by GE engines (Read more at Express Tribune).
The Secretary affirmed the United States’ support for sanctions relief to stabilize Syria. He welcomed the Syrian government’s calls for peace with Israel, efforts to end Iran’s influence in Syria, commitment to ascertaining the fate of U.S. citizens missing or killed in Syria, and elimination of all chemical weapons. The Secretary underscored the critical importance of protecting the human rights of all Syrians regardless of ethnicity or religion,” the U.S. State Department said in a statement (Read more at ArmenPress).
After a joint US-Israel plan to deliver aid into Gaza drew heavy criticism, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday invited alternative suggestions while stressing that the US was troubled by the humanitarian situation in the besieged Palestinian enclave. "We are for all the aid we can get without Hamas being able to steal it from people" Rubio said (Read more at France 24)
The deal, which was finalised on Thursday during Trump’s visit to Abu Dhabi, is a major win for the UAE, which has been trying to balance its relations with its longtime ally the US and its largest trading partner China. It reflects the Trump administration’s confidence that the chips can be managed securely, in part by requiring data centres be managed by US companies (Read more at HumEnlish).
Congresswoman says measure aims to recognise forced displacement of Palestinians during the establishment of the Israeli state. “The Nakba is well-documented and continues to play out today,” Tlaib, who is of Palestinian descent, wrote on Twitter. “We must acknowledge that the humanity of Palestinians is being denied when folks refuse to acknowledge the war crimes and human rights violations in apartheid Israel.” The Democratic congresswoman said the resolution is cosponsored by her fellow progressives Betty McCollum, Marie Newman, Ilhan Omar and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Read more at Aljazeera).
Mike Huckabee, the U.S. ambassador to Israel, visited Yad Vashem on Thursday to pay tribute to the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust (Read more at JNS).
U.S. President Donald Trump concluded his Middle East tour on Friday with a visit to the Abrahamic Family House in Abu Dhabi, an interfaith complex housing a mosque, church and synagogue (Read more at JNS).
Eight anti-Israel protesters were busted during a wild march late Thursday – and cops are still hunting a ski mask-wearing agitator who bashed an NYPD cop in the face with a metal barricade, police said (Read more at AOL).
Trillions of dollars were pledged during the US president’s three-nation tour of the Gulf this week. So, are the Gulf nations now in sync with Washington on some of the biggest challenges in the region? And is Donald Trump re-shaping the Middle East, or will the Gulf states dictate future US foreign policy? (Listen here)
President Trump announced multibillion-dollar AI deals between U.S. companies and Gulf countries this week even as many in Washington continue to fear that China could gain backdoor access to advanced AI chips and worry that critical AI infrastructure could end up based outside the U.S (Read more at Axios).
“Iran wants to trade with us, okay, if you can believe that. And I’m OK with it,” the president told host Bret Baier. “I’m using trade to settle scores and to make peace. But I’ve told Iran we make a deal.” Trump confirmed to reporters on Air Force One on his way back to Washington from the Middle East that the U.S. has given Iran a formal proposal for a new nuclear agreement, adding, “more importantly, they know they have to move quickly.” (Read more at The Hill)
The President says the US will ‘take care of’ the situation in Gaza on the final day of the Persian Gulf tour in Abu Dhabi. Israeli officials have consistently denied that the tight blockade imposed on the devastated territory more than 10 weeks ago has caused hunger, and Trump’s comments will be seen as further evidence of tensions between Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel’s closest ally (Read more at Guardian).
United Nations: The United Nations said on Thursday it will not take part in a US-backed humanitarian operation in Gaza because it is not impartial, neutral or independent, while Israel pledged to facilitate the effort without being involved in aid deliveries (Read more at deccanherald).
"Gaza has been a territory of death and destruction for many years," Trump said. "I have concepts for Gaza that I think are very good — make it a freedom zone. Let the United States get involved and make it just a freedom zone." (Read more at NPR)
The United States targeted two senior Hezbollah officials and two financial facilitators with new sanctions on Thursday for their role in coordinating financial transfers to the Iran-backed group, the Treasury Department said (Read more at Reuters).
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized “the deep U.S. commitment to its historic relationship with Israel and the ironclad U.S. support for Israeli security” in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, according to Tammy Bruce, the State Department spokeswoman (Read more at JNS).
House and Senate Republicans urged U.S. President Donald Trump to reject any nuclear deal with Iran that allows the Islamic Republic to continue enriching nuclear material. “The scope and breadth of Iran’s nuclear buildout have made it impossible to verify any new deal that allows Iran to continue enriching uranium,” House and Senate Republicans wrote (Read more at JNS).
US President Donald Trump has signed record-breaking agreements during his state visit to Qatar. It's part of a three-nation tour of the region. A trip that's expected to fetch America billions in new investments. But what do the Gulf states gain from this trip? (Listen here)
The US on May 14 unveiled fresh sanctions against six people and 12 firms – including several Chinese nationals – for their support of Iran’s ballistic missile programme. The May 14 sanctions are aimed at organisations involved in “efforts to help the Iranian regime domestically source the manufacturing of critical materials needed for Tehran’s ballistic missile programme”, according to the US Treasury Department (Read more at Straits Times).
U.S. President Donald Trump, whose family has major business interests in the Gulf countries he is visiting this week, said there was no talk of building a Trump Tower in Syria or golf during his meetings in Saudi Arabia. Trump’s family has forged multi-billion dollar business deals in the Gulf, moves that Democrats and other critics say could open pathways to improperly influence the president (Read more at AOL).
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Thursday he will discuss the U.S. decision to lift sanctions on Syria and the roadmap ahead in a meeting with his U.S. and Syrian counterparts later in the day (Read more at Investing).
“We’re not going to be making any nuclear dust in Iran,” he said. “I think we’re getting close to maybe doing a deal without having to do this.” Trump said he was basing his optimism on new statements by Iran. “You probably read today the story about Iran. It’s sort of agreed to the terms,” he said (Read more at Aljazeera).
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Qatar will invest $10 billion in coming years in the Al Udeid Air Base southwest of the country's capital Doha, the largest U.S. military facility in the Middle East. In a speech to U.S. troops at the base during his tour of the Gulf, Trump also said Qatari defence purchases signed on Wednesday are worth $42 billion (Read more at Awani).
An Iranian official told NBC News in an interview published on Wednesday that Iran was willing to agree to a deal with the U.S. in exchange for lifting economic sanctions (Read more at Reuters).
A U.S.-backed humanitarian organization will start work in Gaza by the end of May under a heavily-criticized aid distribution plan, but has asked Israel to let the United Nations and others resume deliveries to Palestinians now until it is set up. No humanitarian assistance has been delivered to Gaza since March 2, and a global hunger monitor has warned that half a million people face starvation - a quarter of the population in the enclave where Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas have been at war since October 2023 (Read more at MSN).
In Washington, senior officials at the State Department and Treasury Department scrambled to understand how to cancel the sanctions, many of which have been in place for decades, according to four U.S. officials familiar with the matter. The White House had issued no memorandum or directive to State or Treasury sanctions officials to prepare for the unwinding and didn’t alert them that the president’s announcement was imminent, one senior U.S. official said (Read more at Astroawani).
It was clear during U.S. President Donald Trump's tour of the Gulf states that his foreign policy is in a very "different place" than Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's, Washington-based veteran diplomatic journalist Laura Rozen said on the Haaretz Podcast, pointing to the growing divergence in interests between the White House and Israel's ruling coalition, both on Gaza and Iran (Listen here).
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said an Iranian nuclear deal would increase regional investment, while Trump credits Qatar for pushing talks. Trump also said that Iran should say a “big thank you” to Qatar for lobbying him to strike a deal. Qatar and Iran share the world’s largest natural gas field. “Iran is very lucky to have the emir [of Qatar] because he is actually fighting for them,” Trump said (Read more at Middle East Eye).
One of the co-founders of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream said that he could not call himself an American without putting his “body on the line” after he was arrested during a Senate health committee hearing for protesting against US support for Israel’s war on Gaza (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Trump unveiled an arms sales package to Saudi Arabia worth nearly $142bn this week. A White House statement called it "the largest defense cooperation agreement” in American history. Although it didn’t specify which arms the US would sell Saudi Arabia, F-35s are on the table, the officials said (Read more at Middle East Eye).
US senator says Trump foreign policy officials may have floated 'option' of assassinating President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The remarkable statement by a US senator reveals the deep hostility toward Sharaa in some circles of the Trump administration. It reaffirms Trump's own statements that he has been lobbied directly by foreign leaders to give Sharaa a chance, while his own advisors are sceptical (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Biden administration veterans who spoke with Axios raised questions about Trump's motivations but grudgingly saluted his boldness. "Gosh, I wish I could work for an administration that could move that quickly," one admitted. "He does all this, and it's kind of silence, it's met with a shrug," says Ned Price, a former senior State Department official under President Biden. "He has the ability to do things politically that previous presidents did not, because he has complete unquestioned authority over the Republican caucus." (Read more at Axios)
“With the support of the great leaders in this room, we are currently exploring normalising relations with Syria’s new government,” Trump said, confirming his brief meeting with al-Sharaa (Read more at Aljazeera).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has concluded a series of extended meetings with U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and members of the negotiating team regarding the ongoing efforts to secure the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas in Gaza (Read more at JNS).
Celebrations in Syria after the US president announced that he's lifting decades of sanctions. Donald Trump says his decision will give the nation a chance at greatness after years of civil war. So, can Syria's new leadership deliver on the hopes of the people and rebuild the country? (Listen here)
“If, for instance, the US and Iran can successfully conclude their nuclear negotiations, that will remove a huge burden of risk in our region, and will open up significant avenues for even greater cooperation, greater regional integration, greater region cooperation, trade, investment,” in very significant ways, Prince Faisal stated, adding that Kingdom “fully supports” the current nuclear negotiations between US and Iran (Read more at Iran Front Page).
Saudi Arabia’s PIF, one of the world’s largest sovereign wealth funds with over $900 billion in assets, sits at the heart of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s economic transformation agenda. Saudi Arabia is in a race to secure more outside money to keep ambitious plans to diversify its economy on track. The country set itself a lofty target to attract $100 billion in annual foreign direct investment by the turn of the decade (Read more at Investing).
The agreements include a $96 billion deal with Qatar Airways to buy up to 210 Boeing (NYSE:BA) 787 Dreamliner and 777X airplanes with GE Aerospace engines, the fact sheet said. They also include a statement of intent that could lead to $38 billion in investments at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base and other air defense and maritime security capabilities, it said (Read more at Investing).
“He [Trump] thinks he can come here, chant slogans, and scare us. For us, martyrdom is far sweeter than dying in bed. You came to frighten us? We will not bow to any bully,” Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said (Read more at Aljazeera).
A new "Trump trade" is driving the stock market during US President Donald Trump's visit to the Gulf. Chipmakers' shares are soaring as investors bet that Gulf sovereign wealth funds are set to spend billions on their products, which Trump just freed from export controls (Read more at Middle East Eye).
A Virginia court issued an injunction for a nonprofit group advocating for Palestine to turn over financial documents as part of an investigation by the state’s attorney general (AG) into whether they have provided material support to "terrorist" organisations (Read more at Middle East Eye).
President Donald Trump urged Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords while giving a speech in the country on Tuesday as part of his first overseas trip in his second term (Read more at MSN).
As Air Force One approached Riyadh, Saudi pilots in six American-made F-15 fighter jets escorted the plane. After a traditional coffee ceremony inside the royal terminal at the airport, Trump’s limousine was flanked by riders on white Arabian horses carrying American and Saudi flags. An honor guard was lined up with golden swords (Read more at AP).
US intelligence started picking up indications the Yemeni fighters were looking for an exit after seven weeks of relentless US bombings, four US officials said. US Central Command recommended a campaign lasting at least 8 months. Iran played a significant role in encouraging Houthi negotiations (Read more at Business Standard).
Nvidia stock gained 5.6 per cent on news that it would supply 18,000 AI chips to Saudi Arabia. The company's market value touched $3 trillion (Read more at Livemint).
"Saudi Arabia has proved the critics totally wrong," Trump said. Complimenting the gleaming skyscrapers in the desert capital, Trump said: "The transformation that has occurred under the leadership of King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad has been truly extraordinary." "I've never seen anything at that scale happen before," he said (Read more at Jakarta Post).
Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei slammed U.S. officials for their "contradictory" remarks about what they sought to achieve in the talks, stressing that the other side should regulate their minds and refrain from making contradictory comments. Baghaei said Iran is steadfast in the negotiations and its positions are "determined, clear and unchangeable," adding that Iran has entered the talks seriously as "we have always entered negotiations to achieve results, not to use talks as a tool to waste time." (Read more at Xinhua)
