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).
Israel has asked the Trump administration over the past 48 hours to join the war with Iran in order to eliminate its nuclear program, according to two Israeli officials. The big picture: Israel lacks the bunker buster bombs and large bomber aircraft needed to destroy Iran's Fordow uranium enrichment site, which is built into a mountain and deep underground. The U.S. has both within flying distance of Iran (Read more at Axios).
The US State Department specifically named Iran, Iraq, Jordan, and Israel in its alerts, urging Americans in certain areas to shelter in place and in some cases leave immediately (Read more at MSN).
Trump would have undoubtedly been regarded with less ill will in Tehran had he stuck to the “America First” policy that is the cornerstone of his second administration. As the name suggests, this policy ostensibly promotes a focus on US citizens and their needs rather than on, you know, bombing people in other countries. And yet the at least tacit endorsement extended by Trump for today’s attacks on Iran would seem to call into question American priorities – and raise the possibility that the US is instead putting “Israel First” (Read more at Aljazeera).
"I think it's been excellent. We gave them a chance and they didn't take it. They got hit hard, very hard. They got hit about as hard as you're going to get hit. And there's more to come. A lot more," Trump was quoted as saying by an ABC reporter (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Iran launched a major counterattack against Israel on Friday, firing around 100 missiles in two barrages, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The retaliatory attack began 18 hours after Israel launched a war against Iran, attacking its nuclear facilities and missile sites and killing top military leaders and nuclear scientists. The U.S. is helping to intercept incoming ballistic missiles, according to an Israeli official and a senior U.S. official (Read more at Axios).
The US sent around 300 Hellfire missiles to Israel. The transfer of such a large quantity of Hellfires suggests that the Trump administration was well-informed of Israel’s plans to attack the Islamic Republic of Iran (Read more at Middle East Eye).
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).
The U.S. would almost certainly help Israel defend itself from Iranian retaliation, as it has during past Iranian attacks. While Israel could cause significant damage to Iran's nuclear program, an Israeli operation would be more limited than one involving U.S. participation (Read more at Axios).
MAGA erupted with warnings that the movement could fracture if President Trump green-lights — or fails to stop — Israeli strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities. Non-interventionism is one of the core pillars of the "America First" movement — arguably as important to the MAGA base as immigration and trade (Read more at Axios).
White House envoy Steve Witkoff privately warned top Senate Republicans last week that Iran could unleash a mass casualty response if Israel bombs their nuclear facilities (Read more at Axios).
“We are not involved in strikes against Iran and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defense.” (Read more at New York Post)
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).
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).
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)
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)
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).
“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).
The Hostages and Missing Families Forum sent a letter to U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, thanking him for helping secure an agreement to free the hostages being held by terrorists in Gaza and inviting him to meet with the group during his reported upcoming visit to Israel. “We would be deeply honored if you would meet with us during your upcoming visit to Israel. This could be one of the greatest shows of support in the history of Israel to a friend and ally. We know you will not rest until every last hostage is brought home,” the Tel Aviv-based organization wrote (Read more at JNS).
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).
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).
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).
"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).
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 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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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)
“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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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).
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)
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).
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).
The USS Nimitz aircraft carrier rerouted from the South China Sea to the Middle East on Monday, a move that will put two U.S. aircraft carriers in the region as the conflict worsens between Israel and Iran. Dozens of Air Force refueling aircraft also left their U.S. bases this weekend in a new deployment to Europe, a preventative measure to support any operations in the Middle East (Read more at Politico).
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).
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).
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).
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).
US Special Envoy Adam Boehler and Steve Witkoff, US special envoy to the Middle East, met families of hostages for almost two hours in Tel Aviv on Tuesday. Of the 58 hostages held in Gaza, about 20 are said to be alive. US officials told families of hostages still held in Gaza they see a better chance of a deal for their release after Washington reached an accord with militant group Hamas for an American hostage that largely bypassed the Israeli government (Read more at MSN).
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) arrived in Turkey on Tuesday for “the express purpose of assessing the situation in Syria,” the senator stated. Although he would support relieving sanctions on Syria under the “right conditions,” Graham said that it is vital to remember that “the current leadership in Syria achieved its position through force of arms, not through the will of its people.” (Read more at JNS)
United States President Donald Trump says that forging formal relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel would be a “dream”, but he wants the kingdom to do it on its “own time” (Read more at Aljazeera).
"The message to the region was clear: Israel is no longer a top U.S. priority," wrote Itamar Eichner, diplomatic correspondent for Israeli news outlets ynet. One Israeli official said Trump's announcement on the Houthis was "kind of an embarrassment" and that the president acts "for good and for bad" (Read more at Daily Observer).
Negotiations for a possible deal to secure the release of all hostages in Gaza would continue “under fire, during preparations for an intensification of the fighting,” Netanyahu said in a statement released by his office. Hamas on Sunday said it would release Edan Alexander, a US-Israeli soldier held in Gaza, as the group revealed it was engaged in direct talks with the United States towards a ceasefire (Read more at Defense Post).
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Sunday that Israel fully endorses U.S. President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza aid. Trump recently repeated a U.S. pledge to help get food to Palestinians in Gaza. A U.S.-backed mechanism for getting aid into Gaza should take effect soon, Washington's envoy to Israel also said (Read more at MTV).
They discussed nuclear talks with Iran and Israel’s war in Gaza. Dermer met with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday and had several meetings in the White House (Read more at Middle East Monitor).
Trump appears to want the Middle East to have a respite from war and mass starvation during his trip to the oil-rich Gulf starting on Tuesday. He is signalling that he can leave Israel in the dust if it doesn’t go along for the ride. The ceasefire with the Houthis had the whiff of an “Aramco moment,” referring to Trump’s decision in 2019 not to respond to a massive drone attack claimed by Yemen’s Houthis on Saudi Arabia’s oil installations. Israeli media reports have said that Trump could unveil a new Gaza ceasefire plan this weekend. According to the reports, Trump could float a role for Hamas in Gaza's future governance (Read more at Middle East Eye).
"As long as they announced the cessation (of U.S. strikes) and they are actually committed to that, our position was self-defence so we will stop." Mohammed Abdulsalam, the chief Houthi negotiator said. He reiterated they would also carry out strikes against the U.S. if Washington resumes its attacks on Yemen (Read more at Reuters).
Other unnamed nations "would be invited to take part" in the provisional U.S.-led administration, which "would draw on Palestinian technocrats but would exclude Islamist group Hamas and the Palestinian Authority." (Read more at Common Dreams)
While the White House has never confirmed that Israel would be part of his upcoming trip, there have been widespread rumors in diplomatic and national security circles that he would extend his trip to visit the U.S. ally (Read more at Reuters).
Israel’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) is reportedly in “advanced talks” with the US to procure Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM) from Lockheed Martin (Read more at Defense Post).
Sheba Medical Center, the largest hospital in Israel, announced on Wednesday that it will open its first U.S.-based health-care startup accelerator in Massachusetts in 2026 (Read more at JNS).
Concern about civilians in Gaza has risen since Republican President Donald Trump, who is a staunch supporter of Israel, began his second term on January 20. The six senators - Chris Van Hollen, Dick Durbin, Jeff Merkley, Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren and Peter Welch - wrote to Comptroller General Gene Dodaro asking him to launch an investigation by the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office of the U.S. government's implementation of laws regarding the delivery of humanitarian assistance (Read more at AOL).
Israel's NSO Group was handed a $168 million penalty by a federal jury in California on Tuesday for hijacking the servers of WhatsApp in order to hack users of the Meta-owned chat platform on behalf of foreign spy agencies. The case caps a six-year battle between the American social media giant and the surveillance firm. It has also cast an unusual amount of light on the inner workings of the spyware industry (Read more at Yahoo Finance).
Benjamin Netanyahu's government may have announced plans to intensify its Gaza offensive and call up thousands of reservists – but "many Israelis, and especially the IDF top brass, are actually hoping that President [Donald] Trump will again intervene and reach some kind of deal," Haaretz senior security analyst Amos Harel said on the Haaretz Podcast (Listen here).
This would be Hegseth's first trip to Israel since taking his role. It comes at a time when the U.S. and Israeli governments are divided over the possibility of military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, and with the war in Gaza and the U.S. military campaign in Yemen ongoing (Read more at Axios).
The United States, Israel and representatives of a new international foundation are close to an agreement on how to resume the delivery of humanitarian aid to Palestinians in Gaza without it being controlled by Hamas (Resource: Yahoo).
A Jordanian national in Orlando, Florida, was sentenced to six years in U.S. federal prison for threats against and attacks on businesses over their perceived support for Israel, the U.S. Justice Department said. Hashem Younis Hashem Hnaihen, 44, described by prosecutors as "a Jordanian national residing illegally in Orlando," broke into a solar power generation facility in Wedgefield, Florida, in June 2024, according to prosecutors. He caused more than $450,000 in damage (Read more at MSN).
On the third day of hearings by the World Court in The Hague examining Israel’s legal humanitarian obligations in occupied Palestine, the US rejected the opinion held by the majority of states that Israel has breached international law in its attacks on UN and international organisations during its war on Gaza since October 2023 (Read more at Middle East Eye).
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir concluded his visit to the United States on Monday with a meeting on Capitol Hill with House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) (Read more at JNS).
The initiative was championed by Representative Mindy McAlindon and supported by American Friends of Judea and Samaria (AFJS). Founders Yigal Dilmoni and Rafi Lizerovitz praised the decision, calling it a powerful step in “spreading the historical truth about Judea and Samaria to the world.” Arkansas’ decision may set a precedent for other pro-Israel states across the country. Governor Sanders, daughter of newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, has made clear her strong support for Israel and its historical claims. Similar legislation is reportedly under consideration in Washington State (Read more at 5 Towns Central).
Last week, conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson featured a senior Department of Defence official who he claimed was ousted because he was seen as an obstacle to the US bombing Iran. Dan Caldwell, a top advisor to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, was removed from the Pentagon earlier this month on charges that he allegedly leaked classified information about Hegseth’s use of a Signal chat (Read more at Middle East Eye).
An upgraded trade pact would ease restrictions on data sharing that would enable significant collaboration. Most U.S. goods are already exempt from Israeli tariffs under a 1985 trade deal (Read more at AOL).
Israel told the US, its largest trading partner and closest ally, that it will ease import standards for US goods, the minister said, in line with a similar concession made to the European Union last year. That reform became known as ‘What’s Good for Europe is Good for Israel’ (Read more at Bloomberg).
Asked whether Israel would be willing to strike Iran's "military facilities" by itself, Dermer said he would not "talk about operational issues" but that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be believed when he said he would do whatever it takes to prevent Iran developing a nuclear weapon (Read more at MSN).
New York City Mayor Eric Adams said on Sunday that police were investigating a series of incidents that have erupted from clashing pro-Palestinian protests and pro-Israeli counter-protests, including the reported assault on Thursday of two women by a pro-Israeli crowd. Demonstrations have taken place in recent days during a visit to New York by far-right Israeli national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, a West Bank settler who has pressed for an intensification of U.S. ally Israel's war in the Gaza Strip (Read more at AOL).
No aid has been delivered to the Palestinian enclave since March 2. Israel has said it would not allow the entry of goods and supplies into Gaza until Palestinian militant group Hamas releases all remaining hostages. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump was asked whether concerns about humanitarian aid access came up in his phone call with Netanyahu earlier this week. "Gaza came up and I said, 'We've got to be good to Gaza ... Those people are suffering,'" Trump said (Read more at APA Group).
“In total, six individuals were taken into custody,” the NYPD said. “Five of the individuals were issued criminal court summonses, and one was arrested.” (Read more at JNS).
