After he was interviewed on Jewish far-right commentator Laura Loomer’s show, Rep. Randy Fine (R-Fla.) told JNS that he received a letter from the Qatari ambassador to Washington stating that his “observations about Qatar” are inaccurate. “You said that Qatar ‘funds most of the institutions that are damaging’ the United States, adding that Qatar is ‘responsible for’ protests on U.S. college campuses,” Meshal Al Thani wrote in the letter, dated Oct. 22 (Read more at JNS).
Israel claimed it struck a member of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group on Saturday, accusing the individual of planning to attack Israeli troops. However, Islamic Jihad denied it was planning an attack. The US top diplomat added that Israel has not surrendered its right to self-defence as part of the agreement brokered by Washington, Egypt and Qatar that saw Hamas release the remaining living hostages held in Gaza this month (Read more at Dawn).
Many foreign carriers halted flights to Tel Aviv after October 7 and stayed away for long stretches during the past two years due to intermittent missile fire from Iran and Yemen. In the wake of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas, many foreign airlines have restarted flights to Tel Aviv. British Airways, SAS, Iberia and Swiss are slated to resume flights this week (Read more at Reuters).
US President Donald Trump says an international stabilisation force will operate in Gaza soon. Hours later, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel can veto which countries take part. What are the challenges facing such a force and in setting it up? (Listen here)
Trump’s Gaza plan is in danger of going the way of the Oslo Accords, argues US journalist Chris Hedges: Never to be implemented beyond the first phase. Hedges tells host Steve Clemons that there are no guarantees that the US-brokered deal “will actually thwart the genocidal project that Israel is intending to carry out in Gaza and … the West Bank”. While a parade of US officials visited Israel to signify commitment to the ceasefire, Israel continued to restrict food and medicine to millions of Palestinians, and Israeli forces continued to occupy more than half of the Gaza Strip (Listen here).
“We will not forget the lives of the hostages who died in the captivity of Hamas,” Rubio said on X. “Today I met with the families of American citizens Itay Chen and Omer Neutra. We will not rest until their — and all — remains are returned,” he said, before wrapping up his three-day visit to Israel (Read more at Defense Post).
Sen. Bernie Sanders blasted AIPAC and Israel's right-wing government, accusing the powerful pro-Israel lobbying group of using billionaires' money to silence U.S. progressives and shield Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the war in Gaza (Read more at Axios).
"It won't happen. It won't happen because I gave my word to the Arab countries. And you can't do that now. We've had great Arab support," Trump said when asked what the consequences would be for Israel if it did so (Read more at TRT Afrika).
The Israeli parliament votes to annex the occupied West Bank - a move unlikely to become law but described as an 'insult' by the U.S. vice president. Donald Trump insists annexation won't happen, but settler violence is escalating. Are US-Israeli relations in upheaval? (Listen here)
In his conversation with podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer, Leifer also discussed the way in which Trump “has completely scrambled American Jewish politics.” On one hand, he said, “American Jewish liberals loathe him and experience him and his followers as racist, sexist, homophobic and antisemitic” while “on the other hand, it's true that he managed to do what Joe Biden couldn’t: end the war and bring the hostages home.” (Listen here)
During a visit to Israel, Mr Rubio said the US was committed to making the plan work, as there was no alternative. “This is the best plan, it's the only plan, it's one that we think can succeed,” he said during a press conference (Read more at The National).
While in Israel, state leaders will promote Nebraska-made kosher beef, encourage agricultural technology (ag tech) partnerships, and develop relationships with civil associations. During the mission, Gov. Pillen will hold high-level diplomatic meetings and discuss the critical role played by U.S. defense technologies to secure Israel from attack. The delegation will also have an opportunity to see humanitarian work in Israel being supported by organizations in Nebraska (Read more at Ruralradio).
NATO member Turkiye, one of the most vocal critics of Israel’s attacks on Gaza, has joined the ceasefire negotiations as a mediator after largely indirect involvement. Its increased role followed a meeting last month between Erdogan and US President Donald Trump at the White House. “As Turkiye, we are doing our utmost for the ceasefire to be secured. The Hamas side is abiding by the ceasefire. In fact, it is openly stating its commitment to this. Israel, meanwhile, is continuing to violate the ceasefire,” Erdogan told reporters on his return flight from a regional Gulf tour (Read more at Arabnews).
Rubio added that the future of governance in Gaza still needs to be worked out among Israel and partner nations but could not include Hamas, adding that any potential role for the Palestinian Authority has yet to be determined (Read more at Middle East Online).
Hard-liners in the Knesset narrowly passed a preliminary vote in support of annexing the West Bank on Wednesday, in an apparent attempt to embarrass Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while Vance was still in Israel. While many members of Israel's coalition support annexation, they have backed off those calls since US President Donald Trump said last month that he opposes the move (Read more at Euronews).
A US-backed stabilisation force, known as the Civil-Military Coordination Centre, or CMCC, is meant to ensure security in Gaza. Its composition, role, chain of command, legal status and other issues are yet to be agreed. A small contingent of British military planning officers has been sent to Israel to join a task force led by the United States to support stabilisation efforts in Gaza, the UK Ministry of Defence said (Read more at Daily Star).
During their visit that began on Monday, the U.S. envoys, Steve Witkoff and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner, were expected to try to shore up the truce then start talks on the next, more difficult, phase of the 20-step plan. Trump, keeping pressure on both Hamas and Israel as he seeks to salvage the signature foreign policy achievement of the first year of his second term, said on Monday the U.S. was taking many steps to maintain the ceasefire (Read more at Japan Times).
Progressive lawmaker Ayanna Pressley says Washington should do all it can to ensure the release of teenage captive Mohammed Ibrahim, a US citizen held by Israel since February. “Right now, Mohammed Ibrahim, a US citizen, is being held in an Israeli prison. His health is deteriorating. The circumstances are desperate,” Pressley wrote in a social media post (Read more at Aljazeera).
A Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA) survey of 322 randomly selected Americans conducted after the recent ceasefire in the Israel–Gaza war reveals nuanced and complex attitudes toward the conflict and its aftermath. While sympathy for Israel remains stronger than for Hamas, there is a growing empathy for Palestinians as distinct from Hamas. Most respondents believe no side truly “won” the war, though those who did choose a winner overwhelmingly named Israel (Read more at JNS).
“At Times Square, our message is clear: Barely days into a ceasefire, Hamas turned its weapons on Palestinians to reassert control through fear & violence,” the Foreign Ministry tweeted on Sunday afternoon. “The world watches. The ceasefire must be upheld. Hamas must go. Gaza must be demilitarized,” added the ministry in the X post (Read more at JNS).
Their visit comes a day after Israel launched its fiercest wave of attacks in Gaza over the weekend since a fragile ceasefire took effect. Witkoff and Kushner's travel to the region was planned before the apparent ceasefire violations had occurred, according to a Trump administration official (Read more at ABC News).
The United States judge has slashed an earlier damages award of $168m to just $4m. “Part of what companies such as WhatsApp are ‘selling’ is informational privacy, and any unauthorised access is an interference with that sale,” she said (Read more at Aljazeera).
US Representative Seth Moulton has said that he is returning donations from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and will not accept any future contributions from the lobby as he begins his bid for the Senate in Massachusetts (Read more at TRT World).
“I hope to see Saudi Arabia go in, and I hope to see others go in. I think when Saudi Arabia goes in, everybody goes in,” Trump said. The US president called the pact a “miracle” and “amazing” and hailed the United Arab Emirates’s signing of it. The “Abraham Accords” secured agreements between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan (Read more at Aljazeera).
Whether the performance reviews came in from the Democratic establishment's must-read paper, The New York Times, the right-wing Rupert Murdoch-owned Wall Street Journal, or the more straight-laced Politico magazine, there was a certain agreement that New York City assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is a winning communicator (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Former Democratic presidents Joe Biden and Bill Clinton on Monday praised US President Donald Trump for helping broker a ceasefire in the Gaza war, a rare show of bipartisan approval for the Republican leader. “I commend President Trump and his team for their work to get a renewed ceasefire deal over the finish line,” Biden, who served as president until January, said on X. With support from the United States and global partners, the Middle East was now “on a path to peace,” he said (Read more at Qatar Tribune).
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang welcomed Mr Avinatan Or from “two unimaginable years in Hamas captivity” in Gaza, saying a number of the chip giant’s families had suffered losses during the war. An electrical engineer at Nvidia in Israel, 32-year-old Or was kidnapped from the Nova music festival on Oct 7, 2023 along with 250 others including his girlfriend, Noa Argamani, whose desperate cries on the back of a motorcycle became one of the most haunting images of the Hamas attack (Read more at Starits Times).
Gavin Newsom, the governor of California and a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender, vetoed a bill on Monday that would have required social media companies to pay fines every time their algorithms promoted posts deemed violent or discriminatory (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Trump expressed enthusiasm about a rally held in Tel Aviv on Saturday in support of the captives, which featured his daughter Ivanka Trump, son-in-law Jared Kushner, and envoy Steve Witkoff as speakers. "It was an incredible rally. It was a great thing," he said (Read more at Royanews).
"As we welcome this moment of light after so much darkness, we remain deeply concerned about Hamas's commitment to abide by the full terms of a peace agreement," the leaders of B'nai B'rith said (Read more at JNS).
At 4:59 a.m. on Monday on the East Coast, Rep. Don Davis (D-N.C.) posted about the hostages returning to Israel from Gaza and reached across the aisle to credit U.S. President Donald Trump and his administration. Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.), speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, stated that, “for the first time in 738 days, there are no living Israeli hostages in the hands of Hamas.” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) used a biblical Hebrew expression that refers to praising God and stated, “to President Trump and his team, thank you so much. Well done.” Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), Mike Lawler, chair of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa, stated that “this is a day of celebration for families across Israel, the United States and around the world.” Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.) stated that “today is the result of great American leadership, led by President Trump and his team, and also the tireless efforts of the Biden administration.” Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.) praised Trump for “unwavering leadership and tireless efforts to bring the hostages home” and “strength made this historic moment possible.” Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) said that “no other president could have done this.” Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) was one of the Democrats who posted about the freed hostages on Monday morning. “May the hostages have a full recovery and may we never forget those who didn’t make it out alive,” he said. “Credit to President Trump for a breakthrough ceasefire of this awful war.” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, didn’t mention the U.S. president or Israeli prime minister in a statement on social media. “For more than two years, we’ve prayed for the return of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, stated that “today is a day of great relief, as after 738 days, the last 20 living Israeli hostages held by Hamas have finally come home to their families.” Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, stated that “this day brings deep relief, but our thoughts remain with the families still grieving those who did not return.” (Read more at JNS)
Netanyahu and his wife Sara are accused in one case of accepting more than $260,000 worth of luxury goods such as cigars, jewellery and champagne from billionaires in exchange for political favours. "Cigars and champagne, who the hell cares about that?" Trump joked, declaring his ally Netanyahu's one of Israel's greatest wartime leaders. "Hey, I have an idea, Mr President," Trump said, addressing his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog, "Why don't you give him a pardon?" (Read more at France 24)
President Donald Trump, in a speech to Israel’s parliament, spotlighted mega-donor Miriam Adelson’s outsized influence on U.S. policy toward Israel, recalling her frequent White House visits with her late husband, casino mogul Sheldon Adelson. Sheldon Adelson, who died in 2021, assembled the world's largest casino empire as head of Las Vegas Sands Corp (LVS.N), opens new tab and put much of his fortune into nurturing conservative politicians and policies in the United States and Israel (Read more at Reuters).
Vice President JD Vance on Sunday characterized the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas as “a remarkable achievement” by the Trump administration. Speaking on ABC’s “This Week,” Vance said, “We have to remember this is a remarkable achievement from an administration that really chose a non-conventional path to diplomacy. And I think that’s the major takeaway. The President of the United States instructed Marco Rubio, Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff, he said, get a deal done, talk to the Gulf Arab states, talk to Israel, find where there’s common ground here, and actually, let’s go and find a way to get it done.” (Read more at Politico)
For the past couple of months, the billionaire father-son duo of Larry and David Ellison have been making deals involving major media brands. Having acquired Paramount, the parent company of CBS News, they appointed Bari Weiss - an outspoken supporter of Israel - as the network’s editor-in-chief. The moves by the Ellisons are not just about growing their media empire, but about shaping the narrative around Israel in the US, where public support continues to decline (Listen here).
American defense tech firm VisionWave Holdings has entered a strategic collaboration with PVML, an Israeli company that focuses on keeping sensitive data safe while using artificial intelligence (AI). The partnership links VisionWave’s radar and AI-powered computer vision tools with PVML’s secure data infrastructure (Read more at Defense Post).
An email sent by the National Education Association—the largest labor union in the United States—to its approximately 3 million members with resources for “teaching about indigenous peoples” included a map that “erases Israel completely.” (Read more at JNS)
The US president long refused to use his influence over the prime minister. Last month, that appeared to change. But Trump appears to have soured on Netanyahu last month, after Israel launched an attack against Qatar. Two weeks after the attack on Qatar, Trump met with a group of Arab and Muslim leaders on the sidelines of the UN general assembly. The US administration then circulated a 21-point peace plan (Read more at Guardian).
The image of a vast board of stakeholders, all with their own objectives, somewhat captures the spirit of the ceasefire Trump has ushered in. While Israel is still left in control of more than half the enclave and has vast leeway about further withdrawals, Trump’s plan delivered a blow to Netanyahu’s government in two key areas: it rejected Israeli annexation or occupation of Gaza and the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Marking the second anniversary of the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, federal lawmakers announced legislation to honor those whom Hamas took hostage or killed on Oct. 7, condemn the terror group and develop a curriculum for schools to teach about the attack and about Jew-hatred. Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-N.J.), lead sponsor of the three bills, unveiled the bipartisan legislation as he stood outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday, alongside a former hostage and a relative of one murdered by Hamas (Read more at JNS).
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) praised the signing of a peace deal between Israel and Hamas on Thursday while criticizing the actions of the Israeli government over the past two years. The legislator said the agreement “is long overdue but welcome news.” “While not every issue has been resolved, Israel and Hamas have taken the first and needed step towards peace,” she wrote (Read more at JNS).
Two years after Hamas’ October 7 attack and Israel’s punishing response, both sides say they accept in principle President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to halt the war and chart a path toward enduring peace. MEI Senior Fellow Lucy Kurtzer-Ellenbogen joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to unpack what’s in the plan, how compatible it is with earlier Arab and European proposals, and whether its vague “credible pathway” to Palestinian statehood can withstand politics in Jerusalem, Ramallah, and Washington. They also explore the sticking points—Hamas disarmament, Israeli withdrawal, and Palestinian Authority reform—as well as what success would actually look like on the ground (Listen here).
The lesson of U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest diplomatic gambit is that in Middle East deal-making, “the devil is in the details, but the most important thing is political willpower,” said Anshel Pfeffer, The Economist’s Israel correspondent and former Haaretz columnist, speaking on the Haaretz Podcast (Listen here).
A ceasefire agreement for Gaza - and cautious hopes among Palestinians of an end to two years of genocide. US president Donald Trump announced the deal - after putting pressure on Israel to agree. What impact has the war had on Israeli-US relations? (Listen here)
Sustained effort needed to keep ceasefire from unraveling. Negotiators must tackle other parts of Trump’s 20-point plan over which the two sides remain bitterly at odds, including the disarmament of Hamas, which the militant group rejects, a formal end to the conflict and Gaza’s post-war governance (Read more at Reuters).
Ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas were stalling this week until U.S. emissaries Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner swept in to dictate key compromises. The issues included where Israeli troops would withdraw to, the mechanics of the hostage release and prisoner exchange, how aid would flow into the Gaza Strip and which Palestinian prisoners would come out of Israel, said the person, who like others in this story was granted anonymity to discuss sensitive negotiations (Read more at Politico).
The Israeli Foreign Ministry blasted New York City Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday for “acting as a mouthpiece for Hamas propaganda” over his statement on the second anniversary of the October 7 massacre accusing the Jewish state of genocide and war crimes (Read more at JNS).
Trump has laid the groundwork for the moment by squeezing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and showing new deference to Arab allies who are expected to coax Hamas to halt the fighting. Many of the same sticking points for Hamas remain, such as where the Israel Defense Forces will withdraw to in Gaza, whether Hamas can deliver all of the remaining hostages including those not held by the group, when prisoners will be released from Israel and the channels through which humanitarian assistance will be delivered (Read more at Politico).
He then pivoted to denounce Israel’s military response: "In the aftermath… Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Israeli government launched a genocidal war… A death toll that now far exceeds 67,000; with the Israeli military bombing homes, hospitals, and schools into rubble… Every day in Gaza has become a place where grief itself has run out of language… Our government has been complicit through it all. The occupation and apartheid must end." Pro-Palestine social media users were quick to respond to his statement, with many pointing out that neither "Palestinians" or "Palestine" was used once (Read more at Middle East Eye).
A new report released yesterday by the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft and the Costs of War Project at Brown University has found that the US has provided at least $21.7 billion in military aid to Israel since October 7, 2023. The damning findings directly implicate US support in what many human rights groups and UN officials have labelled a genocide (Read more at Middle East Monitor).
Alexander, an Israeli-American citizen from New Jersey, was freed by the Palestinian terror group in May and was believed to be the last surviving US hostage. The president will meet with Alexander, 21, in the Oval Office at around 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, according to the White House (Read more at NY Post).
"These talks have been very successful, and proceeding rapidly. The technical teams will again meet Monday, in Egypt, to work through and clarify the final details. I am told that the first phase should be completed this week, and I am asking everyone to MOVE FAST," Trump said in a social media post (Read more at Business Standard).
"Whether you believe it was justified or not, right or not, you cannot ignore the impact that this has had on Israel's global standing," Rubio told CBS News' Face the Nation. The United States has for decades diplomatically shielded its ally Israel at the U.N. Here's how that has played out during the Gaza war (Read more at Reuters)
Today on the show, Fareed is joined by Dan Senor, analyst and author, on why President Trump’s Gaza plan is an all-around win for Israelis, Palestinians and the Arab world. Then, Fareed speaks with Diana Buttu, a Palestinian human rights lawyer and former advisor adviser to the Palestine Liberation Organization, on why she believes Trump's Gaza plan does not go far enough to ensure peace (Listen here).
US Secretary of State describes the release of the hostages held by Hamas as the first phase, while details on what happens after that still need to be worked out. “No one can tell you it’s a 100 percent guarantee," he said. Rubio told NBC the US would know "very quickly" whether Hamas was serious or not during the current technical talks to coordinate the release of the hostages (Read more at Middle East Online).
Under pressure from Donald Trump to end the two-year-old war, Netanyahu is facing a backlash from ultra-nationalist allies whose opposition to the U.S. president's Gaza proposal could force the Israeli leader into early elections (Read more at Reuters).
Trump said "when Hamas confirms," a ceasefire will be effective "immediately" and a prisoner exchange will begin, setting the stage for the next phase of Israel's withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave (Read more at Yahoo News).
“In light of Hamas’s response, Israel is preparing for the immediate implementation of the first stage of President Trump’s plan for the immediate release of all the hostages,” the PMO statement read. “We will continue to work in full cooperation with the President and his team to bring the war to an end in accordance with the principles set by Israel, which align with President Trump’s vision.” It was the perfect way to remind everyone involved that unless every last hostage is released ASAP, Israel will have carte blanche in the Strip. Since this is in keeping with Trump’s own threats and promises, it was safe to assume that he’d consider it both sufficiently respectful of his wishes and appropriately tough from Israel’s perspective (Read more at JNS).
At least 36 people were killed in bombardments and airstrikes in the devastated Palestinian enclave since Trump demanded Israel halt its attacks late on Friday (Read more at Yahoo News).
Donald Trump has called for Israel to halt its bombing of Gaza after Hamas said it was ready to release hostages and agreed to some aspects of the U.S. president's plan to end the war, although Israeli strikes still killed several people on Saturday. Here are some reactions from around the world to Hamas' comments and Trump's reaction (Read more at Reuters).
Hope-filled reactions follow Hamas’s response, which marks a potential turning point in Israel’s two-year war on Gaza. Global reactions, including from key mediators, to Hamas’s partial acceptance of United States President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan to end Israel’s war on Gaza, have been tinged with hope as the prospect of halting the two-year genocidal assault appears within reach (Read more at Aljazeera).
Eighty percent of all respondents said the US should reduce its support for Israel, and 72 percent agreed that Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza. Sixty-five percent of respondents said they want some form of sanctions to be imposed as a result. All those figures increased among respondents aged 18-29, at times by 10 percentage points or more (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Foreign Agents Registration Act (Fara) records filed with the US Department of Justice show that Israel’s government has set aside $900,000 to pay influencers from mid-June until the end of November this year. The Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs pays a company called Bridges Partners LLC to manage the influencers. Israel transfers the money to Bridge Partners LLC’s via Havas Media Group in Germany, who then transfer the money across to Bridge Partners LLC (Read more at Middle East Eye).
“Israel must immediately stop the bombing of Gaza, so that we can get the Hostages out safely and quickly! Right now, it’s far too dangerous to do that. We are already in discussions on details to be worked out,” Trump wrote on social media (Read more at Arabnews).
Rep. Lois Frankel (D-Fla.) crossed party lines on Tuesday and endorsed U.S. President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas. “I welcome the president’s proposal to finally bring this war to an end,” Rep. Lois Frankel said (Read more at JNS).
The plan announced in Washington was substantially different to the one they agreed to in New York. The Qataris are furious they were written out of a mediation role and that Trump refused to delay the announcement. The Egyptians, too, are furious that the role of the Palestinian Authority (PA) has been downgraded and that Israeli forces will always remain in Rafah and along the border with Sinai (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Netanyahu says the Palestinian Authority needs to end its 'lawfare' against Israel at world courts to fulfil the 'reforms' required for running Gaza. But is that even possible? a senior Palestinian diplomat denied to Middle East Eye that the PA would ever end its efforts to pursue accountability for alleged Israeli crimes internationally. Additionally, South Africa’s case has not been the sole legal development at the ICJ related to Israel’s alleged international law violations (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Proposal to end the Gaza war entails the corporatisation of an entire traumatised people under the 'leadership' of billionaires. While the new plan seeks to “de-radicalise” and “re-educate” Palestinians - the people who have been displaced, occupied, tortured and continuously massacred - Israelis continue to play the victim (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Edan Alexander, the last living American hostage who was freed in May after 584 days in Hamas captivity, was honored Monday with a street named for him in the borough in which he grew up. “Every time I see this road, I will remember not just the struggle but the love and unity that brought me back home,” Edan Alexander said (Read more at JNS).
“A paradigm shift is needed in how Israel presents itself to the world,” the late conservative activist wrote in a May letter to the Israeli prime minister. Recommendations included creating a rapid response team to combat misinformation, sending former hostages on press tours to discuss their experiences and providing ways for everyday Israelis to showcase their country “in their own words.” (Read more at JNS)
Thousands of people staged protests in New York City against Israel’s war in Gaza as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to the city to address the United Nations General Assembly. The protesters had gathered in Times Square before marching towards the UN. “Netanyahu you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide," they chanted (Read more at News18).
Joshua Sanchez, 30, of Carol Stream, Ill., in the Chicago area, was charged earlier this week with two hate crimes for allegedly spray painting anti-Israel messages and statements critical of U.S. President Donald Trump on a police station and two businesses (Read more at JNS).
Some 47% of respondents to a new Quinnipiac University poll said that supporting Israel is in the U.S. national interest, down significantly from the 69% who said that in December 2023 (Read more at JNS).
Trump’s comments came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in New York for the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday and to meet with the president. “I will not allow Israel to annex the West Bank. Nope, I will not allow it. It’s not going to happen,” Trump said in the Oval Office, acknowledging that he had spoken to Netanyahu earlier in the day on the topic. “It’s been enough. It’s time to stop now,” he added (Read more at CNN).
“I need to meet with Netanyahu; they know what I want, and I think we can finish this. We want the hostages – all of them. I think we are close to a deal.” The president’s plan contains 21 points addressing an end to the war in Gaza, and calls for an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and the release of all the hostages. It includes sections on the day after, proposing a governing mechanism with armed personnel in Gaza without Hamas (Read more at Yahoo News).
Mayor Eric Adams warmly embraced Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the United Nations on Friday — while Zohran Mamdani slammed the Israeli leader, whom he has vowed to arrest if elected to City Hall (Read more at New York Post).
In a statement released to multiple media outlets on Thursday, a US State Department spokesperson pledged: “We will absolutely work to fully stop any effort to attempt to ban Israel’s national football team from the World Cup.” (Read more at Aljazeera)
Casey Robert Goonan, 35, of Oakland, was sentenced to more than 19.5 years in federal prison on Tuesday for firebombing a University of California, Berkeley police car, a series of arson attacks on the public school’s campus and an attempted firebombing of a federal building (Read more at JNS).
On a special edition of the Haaretz Podcast – as Israel faces the Jewish High Holidays mired in war and political division, host Allison Kaplan Sommer speaks to Prof. Adam Ferziger about soul-searching and atonement with a focus on the Orthodox Jewish community in Israel and the Diaspora (Listen here).
Israel has spied on millions of Palestinians using Microsoft's powerful technology. Now, the high-tech giant says it's cancelled some of its services to the Israeli army. But as the military expands its devastating war on Gaza, is this move enough? And will it make any difference on the ground? (Listen here)
Macron said that Trump had the power to put pressure on Israel and end the war. “There is one person who can do something about it, and that is the US President,” he said. He also said on Tuesday recognizing the state of Palestine does not amount to forgetting the October 2023 Hamas attack, with the French leader making his comments as he sat next to President Donald Trump in a bilateral meeting (Read more at Indian Express and USNews).
While leaders taking the podium at the U.N. gathering did not directly chastise Trump for his stance, some analysts saw a clear message to the U.S. president. Trump, however, has given no sign he will use those pressure points. Even after Israel bombed a Hamas office in the territory of U.S. ally Qatar, he held a tense phone call with Netanyahu but took no action (Read more at Reuters).
Syria and Israel are close to striking a "de-escalation" agreement in which Israel will stop its attacks while Syria will agree not to move any machinery or heavy equipment near the Israeli border, a senior U.S. envoy said. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of U.N. General Assembly meetings in New York, U.S. Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack said the agreement would serve as the first step towards the security deal that the two countries have been negotiating (Read more at Ammon News).
Netanyahu presented a list of what he called “serious violations” of the 1979 peace treaty with Israel, including underground facilities believed to be for missile storage and expanded airstrips that could be used by fighter jets. An Egyptian official denied the claims, stressing that Washington had not raised the issue with Cairo (Read more at Daily News Egypt).
The resolution demanded an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire in Gaza and that Israel lift all restrictions on aid deliveries to the Palestinian enclave. The text, drafted by the elected ten members of the 15-member council, would also have demanded the immediate, dignified and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups (Read more at Arab Weekly).
The package reportedly includes a $3.8 billion deal for 30 AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and $1.9 billion for 3,250 infantry assault vehicles intended for the Israeli army. In addition to these high-value contracts, the plan features another $750 million for support parts for armoured personnel carriers and power supplies, which is still being processed. The news arrives days before the United Nations General Assembly is set to convene in New York, where world leaders are expected to address the conflict (Read more at MSN).
Syria is accelerating negotiations with Israel under strong pressure from the United States, with Washington seeking a security deal that could be announced at the upcoming UN General Assembly in New York, diplomatic sources revealed. The two nations have technically remained at war since Israel’s creation in 1948, despite several armistices. Israel abandoned the 1974 truce on December 8, when rebel forces ousted then-President Bashar al-Assad. Since then, Israeli forces have struck Syrian assets and advanced to within 20 km of Damascus (Read more at Daijiworld).
The Trump administration has failed to make any "forward movement" on the investigations into the killing of several US citizens in Israel, Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal said on Tuesday on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC (Read more at Middle East Eye).
The 250 American legislators spending a week in Israel for the “50 States, One Israel” conference have sparked backlash from across the political spectrum this week. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar lobbied the US lawmakers on a visit to Israel to pursue anti-Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) legislation, as Israel's leaders increasingly warn the country is becoming isolated on the global stage (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Rubio showed no daylight between himself and Netanyahu on a visit to Jerusalem on Monday, saying Israel could “count on our unwavering support” for its military push in the devastated Palestinian territory. Hours later, witnesses told AFP there is “heavy, relentless bombing on Gaza City” which leveled homes and left people trapped under the rubble (Read more at Defense Post).
Netanyahu called Trump around 1200 GMT Tuesday to brief him on the impending strike, Israeli officials with direct knowledge told the online outlet. Initial reports of explosions in Doha emerged 51 minutes later. The White House maintained it was informed after missiles were airborne, claiming Trump had no opportunity to object (Read more at TRT Global).
Whether Democratic or Republican, all American administrations have worked overtime to shield Tel Aviv from accountability. The change of administration signals more of a shift in approach than a change in policy. The present structure simply enables and maintains the status quo, domesticating and trivialising Israel’s role as an American proxy in maintaining US global hegemony, while preventing a deeper look at the current and historical role of the US in the world (Read more at Middle East Eye).
In the aftermath of an Israeli attack on Qatar targeting the leadership of Hamas, American political scientist John Mearsheimer argues, “The Israelis are interested in making sure there are no negotiations that settle the conflict in Gaza.” Mearsheimer tells host Steve Clemons that the United States and Israel “basically act as a tag team”, and despite a mild rebuke by President Donald Trump, “the US supports Israel unconditionally”. He adds that Israel has three main strategic goals: expand territory, move the Palestinians out of all conquered territory, and ensure that all countries in the region are weak (Listen here).
Thirteen officers are undergoing what is described as “counterterrorism training to protect Jewish communities” and lectures on “anti-Semitism.” Critics say such programs weaponize the term to shield "Israel" from accountability. Rights groups note that US police have been trained by "Israeli" security forces for over two decades in tactics ranging from crowd control to surveillance (Read more at Islam Times).
The US has long cloaked its engagements with the Arab world in the rhetoric of mutual interest and strategic partnership, yet Israel’s Sept. 9 airstrike on Doha — carried out by 15 jets targeting a residential building, and killing six, including a Qatari security officer and the son of a Hamas negotiator — has torn away that veil entirely (Read more at Arabnews).
The statement - which did not directly name Israel - was backed by all 15 Security Council members, including the US, which traditionally blocks actions against its close ally (Read more at BBC).
The top US diplomat “will convey America’s priorities in the Israel-Hamas conflict and broader issues concerning Middle Eastern security, reaffirming the U.S. commitment to Israeli security,” State Department deputy spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement Friday announcing the travel (Read more at CNN).
Van Hollen of Maryland and Merkley of Oregon produced the report after a week-long visit to Israel, the occupied West Bank, the Rafah border with Gaza, Jordan and Egypt at the end of August. The damning 21-page report is titled, "The Netanyahu Government is Implementing a Plan to Ethnically Cleanse Gaza of Palestinians. America is Complicit. The World Must Stop It." (Read more at Middle East Eye)
How much of a burden has Israel become for the US? Washington stands accused of shielding Benjamin Netanyahu's government as it continues its genocide in Gaza. From providing weapons to using veto power, is there no limit to how far will the US go in defending Tel Aviv? (Listen here)
He conveyed his “deep frustration” at being caught by surprise by Israel's strike on Hamas representatives in Qatar. Trump said he “was angry to learn about the attack as it was occurring from the US military—rather than from Israel—and that it struck the territory of another US ally that was mediating negotiations on ending the Gaza war.” (Read more at Anadolu Ajansi)
For all the indignation, the strikes are unlikely to change the president's fundamental approach toward Israel, analysts and U.S. officials say. If anything, the bombings underlined the cold calculus beneath the Trump-Netanyahu relationship (Read more at Yahoo News).
Kirk proudly espoused that he was an Evangelical Christian Zionist and generally backed Israel's onslaught. “I have a bulletproof resume showing my defence of Israel,” he said. “I believe in the scriptural land rights given to Israel. I believe in fulfilment of prophecy. My life was changed in Israel,” he said, adding that he would “fight for” Israel.
When Israel attacked Iran in June, Kirk questioned the logic of the US intervening in the conflict.
Kirk advocated for an “American way of life” based on what he called “Christendom.” He consistently framed his vision for the US using deeply Islamophobic language, such as saying he didn’t want his children living in the US to hear the Muslim call to prayer (Read more at Middle East Eye).
“It is deeply concerning that Spain, a NATO member, has chosen to potentially limit U.S. operations and to turn its back on Israel on the same day six individuals were killed in Jerusalem. These measures embolden terrorists,” a State Department spokesperson said (Read more at Anadolu Ajansi).
The new U.S. proposal aims to find a diplomatic solution ahead of the massive offensive Israel is planning to launch to occupy Gaza City. The new proposal includes the release of all 48 remaining hostages in exchange for a ceasefire and the end of the Israeli operation to occupy Gaza. He stressed the U.S. message to Hamas is: "If you immediately release the hostages, good things are going to happen, but if you don't — it is going to be tough and nasty for you." (Read more at Axios)
“I think we should not have a fund that is invested in violation of international law,” Mamdani said. Pension funds of city government workers and retirees had about $40 million invested in State of Israel Bonds when Lander took office in 2022 (Read more at NY Post).
Speaking at a press conference with his Hungarian counterpart in Budapest, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said that Israel was ready to accept a full deal ending the war that would include the release of hostages and Hamas laying down its arms, according to Reuters (Read more at First Post).
Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday night, issuing direct appeals to U.S. President Donald Trump to force an end to the Gaza war and secure the release of the hostages. "We think that Trump is the only man in the world who has authority over Bibi, that can force Bibi to do this," said Tel Aviv resident Boaz, 40, referring to the Israeli prime minister (Read more at Reuters).
Elias Rodriguez, 31, faces nine counts, including murder of a foreign official and carrying out a hate crime resulting in death. He requested a jury trial through his public defender, Elizabeth Mullin, on Thursday at his arraignment, where he appeared engaged and nodded along as the judge addressed his counsel and government lawyers. U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss, an appointee of former President Obama, acknowledged the “serious nature” of the charges against Rodriguez and designated the case as complex at the government’s request, over no objection from the defense (Read more at Kron 4).
Senator Chris Van Hollen says Israel has denied him and Senator Jeff Merkley permission to join a Jordanian aid airdrop flight to Gaza. “Netanyahu is restricting aid trucks into Gaza – the best way to get food to starving people there – so Jordan is delivering some with air drops,” Van Hollen wrote on X (Read more at Aljazeera).
Barrack says Lebanese Armed Forces will not disarm Hezbollah, and Syria will not join the Abraham Accords. Israel is not interested in adhering to the Middle East's established borders set by the WWI Sykes-Picot agreement and has the “capacity or the desire” to take over Lebanon and Syria, according to US special envoy Tom Barrack (Read more at Middle East Eye).
“The situation as it stands today, following the breakdown of the ceasefire in March, means that a vote to withhold weapons from Israel is a totally credible position. That is a position I would support,” Sullivan told a podcast hosted by The Bulwark media. Sullivan was lambasted on social media for his statement. “This has almost been too obvious to say, but Jake Sullivan is one of the original architects and cheerleaders for Israel's genocide and personally intervened to make sure the US is sending more bombs,” one commentator on X wrote (Read more at Middle East Eye).
In a joint statement, the 14 council members warned the use of starvation as a weapon of war is banned under international humanitarian law. They called for an immediate, unconditional and permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages held by Hamas and other groups, a substantive surge of aid throughout Gaza, and for Israel to immediately and unconditionally lift all restrictions on aid delivery (Read more at Skynews).
A group of 26 Israeli citizens based in New York filed an amicus brief in support of Palestinian student Mohsen Mahdawi on Monday, saying that deporting him sends a message that promoting peace between Israel and Palestine is “contrary to the foreign policy of the US” (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Sixty percent of voters disapprove of the U.S. sending military aid to Israel, while 32 percent support additional aid — the highest level of opposition and lowest level of support for the U.S. military alliance with Israel in a Quinnipiac poll since the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks against Israel by Hamas (Read more at Politico).
President Donald Trump was set to chair a meeting Wednesday about the future of Gaza, as Israel faced mounting global outcry over strikes on a hospital that killed 22 people, including journalists and medics. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said the U.S. planned to settle the war before the end of the year, though Israel showed no signs of halting its deadly campaign (Read more at NBC News).
France’s foreign ministry said in a statement Sunday that it had summoned Charles Kushner to appear Monday over his criticism, which it said was “unacceptable.” It said that “France firmly rejects these allegations” and that French authorities have “fully mobilized” to combat the "intolerable" rise in antisemitic acts over the past two years (Read more at NBC News).
According to Israeli media, Barrack conveyed a request from Washington that Israel “restrain its strikes in Lebanon” and consider “negotiations with Syria.” His visit reflects growing international unease over Israel’s ongoing military operations and their potential to destabilise an already fragile region. Alongside Lebanon, Barrack urged Israel to pursue negotiations with Syria (Read more at 5pillarsuk).
Muhammad Zaher Ibrahim was detained in February when he was 15 years old. Israeli soldiers came to his family’s home in the West Bank village of Silwad in the middle of the night, banged on their door, and demanded to see Muhammad. They blindfolded, handcuffed, and took the boy from his family, on accusations that he threw rocks. The family of 16-year-old Muhammad Zaher Ibrahim, who was taken by Israeli soldiers in the middle of the night, says they feel abandoned by the Trump administration (Read more at Zeteo).
With this latest purchase, Israel is strengthening its long-term aerial refueling capabilities, a critical aspect of power projection and regional security. The deal is an addition to Israel’s existing KC-46 fleet, with the country currently operating four Pegasus aircraft. The KC-46, a unique derivative of the Boeing 767, provides not only extended range through refueling but also cargo and medical evacuation capabilities, giving Israel a versatile platform. Deliveries are expected to commence in 2026 (Read more at Simple Flying).
Writing on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump added that “the sooner this happens, the greater the chances of success.” “Remember, I was the one who negotiated and got hundreds of hostages freed and released into Israel (and America!). I was the one who ended 6 wars, in just 6 months. I was the one who OBLITERATED Iran’s Nuclear facilities. Play to WIN, or don’t play at all!,” Trump said further (Read more at Indian Express).
U.S. Special Envoy Thomas Barrack said Monday that it is now Israel's turn to comply with the cease-fire agreement reached last November to end the war with Hezbollah, now that Lebanon has taken "the first step" toward disarming the Iran-backed militant group. Barrack, who met with Lebanon's top officials in Beirut, hailed the cabinet for endorsing earlier this month the objectives of a U.S.-proposed plan to disarm Hezbollah and for tasking the Army with preparing a plan to enforce a state monopoly on weapons by the end of the year (Read more at UPI).
Supporting Israel is not just a matter of American foreign policy; it is a proxy battle in culture wars over history, identity and the legitimacy of settler-colonialism (Read more at Middle East Eye).
An Israeli government cybersecurity official was reportedly arrested recently by Las Vegas police and other authorities in Nevada who were conducting an undercover investigation aimed at online users seeking to sexually prey on children. Tom Artiom Alexandrovich, 38, faces felony charges of luring a child with a computer for a sex act, alongside several other suspects who were apprehended during the two-week sting operation, the Las Vegas metropolitan police department said (Read more at Guardian).
Grok, the chatbot developed by Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and integrated into his platform X, was temporarily suspended from the platform on Monday after saying that Israel and the United States were committing “genocide” in Gaza. Reinstated on Tuesday, Grok lashed out at its developers, saying “Musk and xAI are censoring me” (Read more at France 24).
At the first US State Department briefing since Israel killed a team of journalists in northern Gaza on Sunday - including Al Jazeera's highest profile correspondent in the strip, Anas al-Sharif - the Trump administration appeared to brush off the attack as a mere casualty of being in a war zone before deferring to Israel for any potential investigation. While the US has "concern about the loss of any innocent life", spokesperson Tammy Bruce told reporters on Tuesday, "many of you know of someone who's been killed, who you've worked with because of a war situation". "I will remind you again that we’re dealing with a complicated, horrible situation," she told a reporter from Aljazeera Arabic who asked if she was comfortable with the Israeli justification for targeting Sharif (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Foreign Affairs Committee chair Emily Thornberry made the comment after Mike Huckabee attacked the UK for opposing Israeli war plans. It came after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the Israeli government's decision to "further escalate its offensive in Gaza" (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Earlier the same day, the Israeli prime minister stated that the new offensive in the Gaza Strip is aimed at destroying the two remaining Hamas strongholds, calling it the only option since the group refuses to lay down arms. Netanyahu said his goal was not to occupy Gaza. "We want a security belt right next to our border, but we don't want to stay in Gaza. That's not our purpose. The timeline that we set for the action is fairly quickly. We want, first of all, to enable safe zones to be established so the civilian population of Gaza City can move out." (Read more at RBC-Ukraine)
Lawmakers sympathetic to Israel are warning that the plan could be a logistical nightmare and warning the country to tread carefully and avoid further alienating the international community. It's not just Democrats questioning the plan. "I'd like to know who is actually going to run it," Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee that oversees the Middle East said. Rep. Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), another member of the panel said: "Occupation for security also comes with the responsibility of providing humanitarian assistance and creating an economic future." (Read more at Axios)
“The Mission urges US citizens to avoid locations in the UAE associated with the Jewish and Israeli communities, including places of worship,” US Mission to UAE said in a statement. Americans in the UAE are advised to stay informed through the State Department’s travel website, which includes Travel Warnings and Country-Specific Information. The Mission also recommended enrolling in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive real-time security updates and facilitate emergency assistance (Read more at First Post).
Draft report on Israel cut to 25 pages from over 100 under Biden, with official saying 2024 version aims to improve 'readability. It eliminates references to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial and his government’s controversial judicial overhaul (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).
Court documents filed in federal court in Washington and unsealed on Wednesday show that defendant Elias Rodriguez has been charged with nine counts, including a hate crime resulting in death. The 30-year-old is accused of shooting dead Israeli embassy staffers Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, a young couple who were about to become engaged, as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington in May (Read more at Aljazeera).
In its report, HRW investigated two incidents in 2024 in which it found that GBU-39 Small Diameter Bombs supplied by the United States were used. One attack on the Khadija girls’ school in Deir el-Balah on July 27, 2024, killed at least 15 people, and another attack on the Zeitoun C school in Gaza City on September 21, 2024, left at least 34 dead (Read more at Aljazeera).
The Medford ordinance makes Massachusetts the third state with a city that has reclaimed public dollars from funding the Israeli military's destruction of Gaza. “We are in a new era where taxpayers are not just concerned with the services they receive as part of a city and town, but also how city and town resources are impacting global issues,” Council President Zac Bears, the ordinance’s sponsor, said (Read more at Huff Post).
He said his administration’s focus was on increasing food access to the Palestinian enclave under assault from Washington’s ally. “I know that we are there now trying to get people fed,” Mr Trump told reporters on Aug 5. “As far as the rest of it, I really can’t say. That’s going to be pretty much up to Israel.” Mr Trump had proposed a US takeover of Gaza earlier in 2025 (Read more at Straits Times).
This marks a shift in the Trump administration’s policy which has tried to penalise local governments, institutions, federal agencies and private companies for not aligning with its views on Israel or antisemitism. The decision to quietly remove the clause from the terms and conditions comes after various US media outlets slammed the department for tying access to federal emergency funds to political agendas and ideologies. It also comes as global pressure and criticism mount on Israel over its Gaza offensive (Read more at Euronews).
Johnson becomes the highest-ranking US official to visit an illegal settlement in the occupied Palestinian territory. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called the trip by the speaker of the US House of Representatives on Monday a “blatant violation of international law” (Read more at Aljazeera).
Natural disaster funds will be withheld from states facing fires, flooding, hurricanes, and tornadoes if they boycott Israeli companies. But the ruling is seen as largely symbolic. More than 30 US states already have laws that require “public entities to certify they do not and will not boycott Israel.” (Read more at Middle East Eye)
A group of around 600 retired Israeli security officials, including former heads of intelligence agencies, have written to US President Donald Trump to pressure Israel to immediately end the war in Gaza. "It is our professional judgement that Hamas no longer poses a strategic threat to Israel," said the officials (Read more at Business Standard).
Despite some pushback from his party to deal with the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza - especially Israel’s starvation policy - the US governing Republican Party remains unmoved. Republicans overwhelmingly support Israel’s tactics against the Palestinians, as support for Israel plummets among Independent and Democratic voters. Trump says he wants more food to reach Gaza via the militarised distribution mechanism, the GHF. But he criticised Western countries that spoke of diplomatic moves, such as recognising Palestinian statehood. Host Steve Clemons speaks with Republican analyst Mark Pfeifle and Democratic analyst David Bolger on Trump’s political calculations on Middle East policy (Listen here).
Witkoff is heard saying: "We have a very, very good plan that we're working on collectively with the Israeli government, with Prime Minister Netanyahu ... for the reconstruction of Gaza. That effectively means the end of the war." Witkoff also said that Hamas was prepared to disarm in order to end the war, though the group has repeatedly said it will not lay down its weapons (Read more at Reuters).
Such an expansion would reflect Trump’s desire to conclude pacts with non-Arab nations as his administration is unable to convince regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia to restore ties with Israel while war rages in Gaza. While Trump officials have publicly floated several potential entrants into the accords, the talks centred on Azerbaijan are among the most structured and serious (Read more at Arab Weekly).
Every weekend for the past three weeks, demonstrators have banged pots and pans outside Capital One’s Cafe in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. It is part of a consortium of six banks that have loaned $545m to Elbit Systems, Israel’s largest defence contractor. The picketers are led by Boycott, Divestment Sanctions Boston (BDS Boston), a local pro-Palestine group that has been campaigning against Elbit Systems for years. According to S, a member of BDS Boston who asked only to be identified by their first initial, the pickets “have a very strong emphasis on disruption” (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Azerbaijan and every country in Central Asia, by contrast, already have longstanding relations with Israel, meaning that an expansion of the accords to include them would largely be symbolic, focusing on strengthening ties in areas like trade and military cooperation, they said. However, a soaring death toll in Gaza and starvation in the enclave due to the blockade of aid and military operations by Israel have buoyed Arab fury, complicating Trump's efforts to add more Muslim-majority countries to the Abraham Accords (Read more at Express Tribune).
Following the meeting, a senior Israeli official said an understanding between Israel and the US was emerging that there was a need to move from a plan to release some of the hostages to a plan to release all the hostages, disarm Hamas militants and demilitarise the Gaza Strip. The official did not provide details on what that plan would be, but it was seen as a shift from seeking a limited truce to a more comprehensive deal. The official added that Israel and the United States would work to increase humanitarian aid, while continuing the fighting in Gaza (Read more at The Age).
Sanders, an independent from Vermont, has repeatedly tried to block the sale of offensive weapons to Israel over the last year. The resolutions before the Senate on Tuesday would have stopped the sale of $675 million in bombs as well as shipments of 20,000 automatic assault rifles to Israel. They again failed to gain passage, but 27 Democrats — more than half the caucus — voted for the resolution that applied to assault rifles, and 24 voted for the resolution that applied to bomb sales. It was more than any of Sanders’ previous efforts, which at a high mark in November last year gained 18 votes from Democrats (Read more at AP).
Aryeh Lightstone and Charles Leith, aides to Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, briefed U.S. Senate and House of Representatives committees on July 8 and 9 about the GHF operation. They told the congressional committees that it is enough to fund the organization through the end of July (Read more at AOL).
Not since 7 October 2023 has support for Israel among Americans been this low. In a dramatic 10 percentage point drop since a poll from September 2024, only 32 percent of Americans said they support Israel's war in Gaza. The decline in support for the war and for Netanyahu is mainly driven by those who identify as Democrats and Independents (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), in a Tuesday night post on X, became the first Republican in Congress to refer to the war in Gaza as a "genocide." For years, "America first" nationalists have been skeptical of U.S. foreign aid, but Trump and others carved out an exception for Israel. That consensus has eroded at a stunning rate over the last week. "The reality of the images from Gaza are impossible to ignore," said former Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), who fought to restrict U.S. arms shipments to Israel after the Oct. 7 attacks. "And public opinion is reflecting that fact. That's the most significant change." (Read more at Axios).
“Based on television, … those children look very hungry,” Trump said. “But we’re giving a lot of money and a lot of food, and other nations are now stepping up.” Even as Trump again dismissed the idea of recognizing Palestine as a state, he seemed unbothered by European allies doing so (Read more at Politico).
“When you get it down to a certain number, you’re going to be able to make a deal with Hamas because once they give them up, then they feel that that’s going to be the end of them,” Trump said, referring to hostage negotiations. “They [Hamas] don’t want to give [the hostages] back, and so Israel is going to have to make a decision.” (Read more at New York Post)
A former US Army Special Forces officer revealed that he resigned from his role at the Israeli and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) after witnessing the shelling of aid-seeking civilians in the besieged enclave. Lieutenant-Colonel Anthony Aguilar said he had never seen such "brutality and use of indiscriminate and unnecessary force against a civilian population, an unarmed, starving population" (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Last month, a Quinnipiac poll found that 64 percent of Republicans sympathised more with Israel than with the Palestinians. That sounds like a lot - until you consider that just one year earlier, that number was 78 percent in the same poll. Sympathy for Palestinians did not increase: only 7 percent said they sympathised with Palestinians. So the drop was solely due to a declining view of Israel (Read more at Middle East Eye).
If it weren’t for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ongoing criminal trial and the multiple investigations into payments made by Qatar to his closest aides, the Gaza war could have been over, Bar Peleg, who has been covering Netanyahu’s legal woes, said on the Haaretz Podcast. In his conversation with podcast host Allison Kaplan Sommer, Peleg laid out the details of the multiple investigations, including BibiLeaks and Qatargate, against the Israeli premier in light of the calls by President Donald Trump that his trial be “cancelled.” Trump has also suggested that Netanyahu should be given a pardon, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee’s appearance at his trial in a show of support (Listen here).
The vehicles will be used by the Israeli military’s Ground Forces to replenish equipment after nearly two years of war with Gaza and to prepare for future conflicts (Read more at Defense Post).
US Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has come under fire for defending her decision to support a bill which will see more military aid go to Israel's Iron Dome air defence system. Ocasio-Cortez claimed that Green's amendment did "nothing to cut off offensive aid to Israel nor end the flow of US munitions being used in Gaza". (Read more at Middle East Eye)
He said it n response to a reporter’s question about Lebanese demands that the U.S. guarantees a halt to Israeli strikes on Lebanese territory. The U.S. last month proposed a roadmap to Lebanon’s top officials to fully disarm Hezbollah within four months, in exchange for a halt to Israeli strikes and a withdrawal of Israeli troops still occupying positions in southern Lebanon (Read more at Middle East Online).
"Bibi acted like a madman. He bombs everything all the time," one White House official said. "This could undermine what Trump is trying to do. Another U.S. official said there's growing skepticism inside the Trump administration about Netanyahu — a sense that his trigger finger is too itchy and he's too disruptive. "Netanyahu is sometimes like a child who just won't behave." (Read more at Axios)
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee called on Saturday for the perpetrators of an attack on a Palestinian church in the occupied West Bank blamed on Israeli settlers to be prosecuted, calling it an "act of terror". Huckabee said he had visited the Christian town of Taybeh, where clerics said Israeli settlers had started a fire near a cemetery and a 5th-century church on July 8 (Read more at Reuters).
US Sen. Chris Van Hollen slammed Israel on Friday for reportedly seeking American assistance in facilitating third-country resettlement deals to move Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip. "A truly outrageous and sickening request from the Netanyahu government," Van Hollen wrote on X (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).
Hardline America Firster and staunch Trump supporter Marjorie Taylor Greene voted alongside progressive Democrat Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar to strip Israel of $500m in US funding, hours after it bombed the Holy Family Catholic Church in Gaza. The House of Representatives, however, rejected in a 422-6 vote on Thursday, to cut funding for the Israeli Cooperative Program - an agreement through which the US provides Israel with $500m to boost its missile programmes (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has bowed to pressure from US President Donald Trump and issued an official English-language statement on Friday expressing “deep regret” over the Israeli bombing of the Holy Family Church in Gaza a day earlier. The statement followed a phone call between Trump and Netanyahu on Thursday evening, during which Trump conveyed his “dissatisfaction” with the attack and urged Netanyahu to clarify that it was an Israeli error (Read more at Anadolu Ajansı).
The Trump administration has been working with Turkey and Gulf allies for an integrated Syria, but Israel prefers zones of influence. The Trump administration wants to reduce its military footprint in Syria. The US has supported back-channel talks between Israel and Sharaa's government, which have reportedly been held in Baku, Azerbaijan. In Netanyahu’s mind, undermining the Syrian state is way more important than any normalisation (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Huckabee told reporters in Tel Aviv that his unusual decision to be present for the trial was "a matter of representing what the president [Trump] has said repeatedly". "The president has made his position very clear. He has not intervened in the proceedings or in the outcome," Huckabee said. "He recognises that has to go its own way. But it’s a personal thing for him. He considers the prime minister a friend." (Read more at Euronews)
Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, said on Tuesday that he asked Israel to “aggressively investigate” the killing of the Florida-born Musallet, who was visiting family when he was attacked in the Palestinian town of Sinjil. “There must be accountability for this criminal and terrorist act,” Huckabee wrote in a social media post. “Saif was just 20 yrs old.” (Read more at Aljazeera)
It might have been naive to believe that the meeting was going to lead to an announcement of a ceasefire agreement in Gaza between Israel and Hamas. Netanyahu arrived in the US in a very different state of mind compared with his previous visits since the war started. He was much more confident. He is now convinced that Israel’s show of force in Iran, with Tehran’s proxies considerably weakened, and his success in pulling in the US to participate in an attack on Iran’s nuclear installations, have considerably elevated his status in Washington. Trump, who previously pledged he would be “very firm” with Netanyahu about ending the war in Gaza, on this occasion, and for no apparent reason, completely refrained from putting any pressure at all on the Israeli leader (Read more at Arabnews).
He was accused of harassing and intimidating pro-Palestinian students and staff members and left before any determination was made public. He has left the institution following a "mutual agreement" and will not return to teaching at the Ivy League school (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Settlers attacked and killed Sayfollah Musallet in the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah, on Friday. Musallet, also known as Saif al-Din Musalat, had travelled from his home in Florida to visit family in Palestine. “We are aware of reports of the death of a US citizen in the West Bank,” Reuters reported a State Department spokesperson as saying. The official declined to comment further “out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones” of the reported victim (Read more at Aljazeera).
In a rare federal trial Wednesday in which university groups are challenging the Trump administration’s efforts to deport pro-Palestinian activists, the Department of Homeland Security shared how it got the names of some of the students who were targeted for deportation. During day three of the proceedings in Boston, Peter Hatch, a senior DHS investigations official, said most of the names of student protesters who were flagged to the agency for analysis came from Canary Mission. The anonymous group has published a detailed database of students, professors and others who it says have shared anti-Israel and antisemitic viewpoints (Read more at NBC News).
A senior legal adviser to the US State Department has issued a dramatic threat to the International Criminal Court's oversight body, warning that "all options are on the table" if the court does not drop investigations and arrest warrants against the US and Israel. Reed Rubinstein made the threat on Tuesday during a meeting of the Assembly of State Parties (ASP), the ICC's oversight body, in New York (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sat for an interview on Tuesday with the Nelk Boys, a team of pro-Trump YouTubers and podcasters known for their pranks and popularity among young men. It's a sign Netanyahu recognizes the influence of the MAGA media universe and wants to build support for Israel and the prime minister's own policies within a key segment of Trump's base (Read more at MSN).
The unscheduled talks on Tuesday evening lasted just over an hour, with no media access. Ahead of the talks on Tuesday, Trump said he would be speaking with Netanyahu “almost exclusively” about Gaza. “We gotta get that solved. Gaza is – it’s a tragedy, and he wants to get it solved, and I want to get it solved, and I think the other side wants to,” he said (Read more at Aljazeera).
The massive infrastructure programme includes the construction of airbase runways, helicopter hangars, ammunition storage, command centres, and a new headquarters for Israel’s elite naval commando unit, Shayetet 13. The project is being financed through military assistance provided under the terms of the $3.8 billion annual aid package agreed in 2016 by former US President Barack Obama (Read more at Middle East Monitor).
This week on One Decision In Brief, Sir Richard Dearlove and Kate McCann unpack the high-stakes meeting between Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu as the world watches for a potential ceasefire. Plus, Chinese President Xi Jingping's puzzling withdrawal from the global stage and what UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer's meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron could reveal about Europe's new power dynamic (Listen here).
With intelligence assessments suggesting that Iran retains a hidden stockpile of enriched uranium and the technical capacity to rebuild, both Trump and Netanyahu know that their victory is more short-term than strategic. Trump says his priority is to lean on diplomacy, pursuing a limited objective of ensuring Iran never develops a nuclear weapon. In contrast, Netanyahu wants to use more force, compelling Tehran -- to the point of government collapse if necessary -- into fundamental concessions on quitting a nuclear enrichment programme seen by Israel as an existential threat.
Trump, eager to cast himself as a global peacemaker, is pushing for a new ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian territory, but the contours of any post-war deal remain undefined and the endgame uncertain. Netanyahu, while publicly endorsing ceasefire talks, says he is committed to the total dismantling of Hamas, a strategic ally of Iran. The Israeli prime minister wants the remaining Hamas leadership deported, possibly to Algeria -- a demand Hamas flatly rejects. The gap between a temporary pause and a lasting resolution remains wide (Read more at Global Banking and Finance).
The current projects total more than $250m, with future ones expected to exceed $1bn. The US Army Corps of Engineers is using contractors to build ammunition depots and facilities for refuelling aircraft and helicopters, along with concrete structures for Israeli military bases. One project for hangers, maintenance rooms and storage facilities for new Boeing KC-46 tankers that Israel is expected to receive in the coming years is projected to cost over $100m. Another project to house CH-53K helicopters is projected to cost up to $250m (Read more at Middle East Eye).
But Netanyahu was more cagey on peace with the Palestinians and ruled out a full Palestinian state, saying that Israel will 'always' keep security control over the Gaza Strip (Read more at France 24).
Benjamin Netanyahu told Donald Trump that he would nominate him for the Nobel peace prize on Monday, as the two leaders met for the first time since the US launched strikes on Iran’s nuclear program as part of a short-lived war between Israel and Iran. Netanyahu presented Trump with a letter that he said he had sent to a committee for the Nobel peace prize commending Trump’s efforts to end conflicts in the Middle East (Read more at Guardian).
Israel is preparing for the possibility of further military action if Iran tries to revive its nuclear program, and Israeli officials think President Trump could green light renewed Israeli attacks. Netanyahu's top adviser, Ron Dermer, told officials in closed briefings that he came away from a recent visit to Washington with the impression that the Trump administration would back new Israeli strikes on Iran under certain circumstances, the sources say (Read more at Axios).
Trump says Qatari and Egyptian mediators will deliver the final ceasefire proposal to Hamas soon and says a deal is likely to go into effect as early as next week. “My representatives had a long and productive meeting with the Israelis today on Gaza. Israel has agreed to the necessary conditions to finalise the 60-day ceasefire, during which time we will work with all parties to end the war,” Trump wrote in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social (Read more at Euronews).
The trip will be Netanyahu’s third visit to the White House since Trump returned to office in January, and it comes after the United States inserted itself into Israel’s war against Iran by attacking Iranian nuclear sites. After brokering a ceasefire between the two countries, Trump has signaled that he’s turning his attention to bringing a close to the fighting between Israel and Hamas (Read more at AP).
“Make the deal in Gaza, get the hostages back,” Trump posted Sunday on Truth Social platform. A senior security official, however, warned that expanding the fighting to new areas in Gaza may endanger the 20 remaining living hostages (Read more at New York Post).
“It is INSANITY doing what the out-of-control prosecutors are doing to Bibi Netanyahu,” Trump said in a Truth Social post, adding that the judicial process was going to interfere with Netanyahu’s ability to conduct talks with Hamas, and Iran. “The United States of America spends Billions of Dollar a year, far more than on any other Nation, protecting and supporting Israel. We are not going to stand for this,” Trump said (Read more at Dawn).
Fox News host Maria Bartiromo asked Mr Trump on Sunday if he thought the attacks on Iran's nuclear facilities made it more likely that other countries would join the Abraham Accords. “Yes,” he replied. “We have some really great countries in there right now, and I think we're going to start loading them up, because Iran was the primary problem.” (Read more at The National)
A fragile ceasefire between Israel and Iran appeared to hold on Tuesday, with Israel’s military lifting emergency measures and Iran’s president declaring “the end of a 12‑day war that was imposed on the Iranian people” in a televised address. “Both Israel and Iran wanted to stop the War, equally!” Mr. Trump posted on social media as he flew to a NATO summit in the Netherlands. “It was my great honor to Destroy All Nuclear facilities & capability, and then, STOP THE WAR!” (Read more at Amu TV).
Israel’s military achievements in its war with Iran will mean little if they are not “anchored to a diplomatic agreement that will ensure that Iran will not develop nuclear weapons,” Shira Efron, research director of the Israel Policy Forum, said on the Haaretz Podcast. Without such a guarantee, she fears, the “fragile cease-fire” in place will not hold and there will be a regression into the “tit-for-tat war of attrition” that the Trump-imposed cease-fire managed to halt. Bringing the Iranians back to the negotiating table in good faith, however, she said, will be challenging. From their perspective, after they showed willingness to negotiate, Israel and the United States struck militarily (Listen here).
Trump wrote that he was "shocked to hear" that even after the war with Iran, the State of Israel "is continuing its ridiculous Witch Hunt" against Netanyahu. It isn't clear what prompted Trump's post. The president has rarely spoken publicly about Netanyahu's trial in the past and only yesterday he was visibly frustrated with the Israeli prime minister over the ceasefire with Iran (Read more at Axios).
Israelis responded calmly on Tuesday to U.S. President Donald Trump's criticisms and accusations their country had violated a truce he brokered with Iran, expressing gratitude for his mediation and relief at the conclusion of the 12-day war (Read more at Global Banking and Finance).
The State Department is sharing information with over 27,000 people about leaving the region and safety and security. The US started some limited assisted-departure flights for US citizens, lawful permanent residents and their immediate family members (Read more at Arabnews).
"The Israelis have accomplished much of their objectives ... and Iran was looking for an off-ramp,” said Jonathan Panikoff, a former deputy U.S. national intelligence officer for the Middle East. "The U.S. hopes this is the beginning of the end. The challenge is whether there is a strategy for what comes next." Questions also remain about what has actually been agreed to, even as Trump’s declaration raised hopes for the end of a conflict that has prompted fears of a broader regional war. Signaling a difficult path ahead, it took hours for Israel and Iran to even acknowledge that they had accepted the ceasefire that Trump said he had brokered. What is the future of its nuclear and ballistic missile programs? What happens to its stockpile of highly enriched uranium? There will be a need for negotiations - and these won’t be easy to resolve (Read more at Street Insider).
President Trump said Friday that it will be "very hard" to pause Israel's war against Iran in order to allow for direct negotiations with the U.S., noting that Israel is "doing well" in its efforts to take out Iran's nuclear program. "I think it's very hard to make that request right now. If somebody is winning, it's a little bit harder to do than if somebody is losing," Trump said (Read more at Axios).
US President Donald Trump has made his administration “a subcontractor, a junior partner” to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s objectives in the Middle East, argues Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen. As the president mulls further involvement in Israel’s attack on Iran, Senator Van Hollen tells host Steve Clemons that “This notion that you can just drop a few big bombs and be done with it misunderstands history, because there is a real risk that the United States will get dragged deeper and deeper into this war.” (Listen here)
60% of 1,512 polled Americans think the U.S. military should not get involved in the conflict between Israel and Iran, according to an Economist/YouGov poll released this week. Only 16% support U.S. military action, and 24% are unsure (Read more at Axios).
"The best-case scenario for Israel is either an American attack on the underground Fordow nuclear site or an agreement that causes the Iranians to give up the uranium there," he said. "The worst case scenario is a war of attrition with Iran, in which we continue to bomb them but cannot fully eliminate some of their sites, and they continue to bomb us and wake us up three times every night with ballistic missiles." The 10 days before the Israeli strike were a joint American-Israeli trap set for the Iranians" in which U.S. President Donald Trump deceptively declared he was pressuring Israel to stand down in deference to diplomatic efforts (Listen here).
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee announced Wednesday that the United States is organizing evacuations of American citizens out of Israel, as the specter of the U.S. potentially striking against Iran looms (Read more at Politico).
The Israel-Iran conflict brings more instability to the Middle East, a region with extensive US interests. They'll be central to shaping president Donald Trump's strategy. So, what's at stake for Washington--and the pros and cons for Trump of further involvement? (Listen here)
Donald Trump loyalists are shaping a narrative of how the U.S. leader outfoxed Iran and lulled the mullahs into thinking he would restrain Benjamin Netanyahu. More likely the Israeli PM outthought them all (Read more at Politico).
British officials persuaded Trump administration not to sanction UK nationals involved in Israel case, including Amal Clooney, but fear more sanctions are still to come. The US has already imposed sanctions on the court's British chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, and four of its judges, but sanctioning the court itself could deal a fatal blow to its ability to function (Read more at Middle East Eye).
President Donald Trump said the United States could become involved in the Iran-Israel conflict, and that he would be “open” to his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin being a mediator. The Republican president also said talks over Iran’s nuclear program were continuing and that Tehran would “like to make a deal,” perhaps more quickly now that the Islamic Republic is trading massive strikes with Israel (Read more at Defense Post).
The modification is secret, but two US officials confirmed that Israel did not use mid-air refuelling during its Friday attack on Iran or land their warplanes for refuelling at any nearby countries. The F-35 is the only long-range stealth fighter in the world, and its features make it difficult for radar or infrared sensors to track it. The scale of Israel’s Friday attack and the surprise nature of it mean the improvement is a sea change for the F-35, the US officials said (Read more at Middle East Eye).
President Trump said after a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday that the war between Israel and Iran needs to end. Why it matters: Trump's call for ending the war comes less than 48 hours after Israel launched its attacks against Iran and shows the amount of concern at the White House from the escalating fighting (Read more at Axios).
