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

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  Netanyahu allies push to bar Arab party from Israeli elections

  by Marwa A on May 25, 2026

  Israeli Channel 13 has reported that figures close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are working to advance political and legal measures that could lead to banning the United Arab List party from taking part in the next elections. The channel said discussions within Netanyahu’s circle have focused on promoting action against the Islamic Movement, regarded as the parent movement of the United Arab List (Ra’am), over allegations that it transferred donations to Gaza during the war. According to Channel 13, citing two unnamed sources close to Netanyahu, the move would require legislation in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, as well as assessments and positions from Israeli security bodies, led by the Shin Bet internal security agency. The report added that the

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  Iran rejects linking frozen assets to nuclear talks with US

  by Marwa A on May 25, 2026

  Iran does not accept linking the release of its frozen assets to the issue of enriched nuclear materials, Iranian news agency Tasnim quoted informed sources as saying. The agency cited the sources as saying that Tehran “has made it clear that no agreement will be reached without the release of a specified portion of its frozen assets in the very first step.” They added that Iran has not made any commitments at this stage regarding the details of the nuclear file. “No final understanding has been reached with the United States so far, and disagreements remain over some clauses,” the sources said. FACTBOX – Iranian, US versions of potential agreement proposals

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  Republican Senator Graham warns Saudi Arabia of ‘severe consequences’ if it does not join Abraham Accords

  by Marwa A on May 25, 2026

  US Senator Lindsey Graham said Saudi Arabia and other countries would face “severe repercussions” if they did not join the Abraham Accords with Israel in the event of an agreement between Tehran and Washington. In a post on X, Graham said: “If in fact as a result of these negotiations to end the Iranian conflict, our Arab and Muslim allies in the region agreed to join the Abraham Accords, it would make this agreement one of the most consequential in the history of the Middle East.” The Republican senator said that Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Pakistan joining the accords “would be beyond transformative for the region and world,” describing it as a “brilliant move” by US President Donald Trump. Addressing

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  Trump seeks Arab-Israeli peace deals after Iran war, report says

  by Marwa A on May 25, 2026

  US President Donald Trump told a group of Arab and Muslim leaders during a joint call on Saturday that he wants their countries to join the so-called Abraham Accords and sign peace treaties with Israel if an agreement is reached to end the war against Iran, according to a report. Israeli Channel 12 reported on Sunday evening, citing two US officials familiar with the call, that Trump spoke with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Jordan and Bahrain to discuss the expected agreement with Iran. According to the report, Trump’s remarks during the call “point to the next major step he wants to take in the Middle East” after the war with Iran. It

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  FACTBOX – Iranian, US versions of potential agreement proposals

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  Both the US and Iran have recently signaled progress on efforts to reach a deal to end their conflict, though their accounts of its terms differ on some issues across respective media narratives, Anadolu reports. US President Donald Trump on Saturday said an agreement with Iran to end the war was “largely negotiated” and awaited finalization. On Sunday morning, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency also published a report on the details of a potential agreement. However, certain aspects of what has been agreed seem to diverge. Here is a comparison of the US and Iranian versions of the deal by key issues. Strait of Hormuz Citing a US official, Axios said the deal that Washington and Tehran are close to signing would

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  Israeli strikes kill 14, wound several in southern Lebanon in latest ceasefire violation

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  At least 14 people were killed and several others wounded in Israeli airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Sunday amid continued violations of an ongoing ceasefire, Anadolu reports. The Lebanese Health Ministry said 11 people were killed and nine others injured in an Israeli strike on the town of Seir al-Gharbiyeh in Nabatieh province in southern Lebanon. A fighter jet struck the town of Bazouriyeh in the Tyre district, killing one person and injuring two others, the state news agency NNA reported. An Israeli drone strike also killed a young man in the town of Arabsalim in Nabatieh district, the outlet said. A house was also hit in an Israeli strike in the town of Toura in Tyre, killing a woman and injuring

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  US official says Washington, Tehran reach preliminary deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz: Reports

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  The US and Iran have agreed in principle to a deal that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, in exchange for Tehran’s commitment to dispose of its highly enriched uranium, a US official said, according to a report by The New York Times on Sunday. The official said that the agreement has not yet been signed and remains subject to final approval by US President Donald Trump and Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, a process that could take several days, noting that the method for disposing of Iran’s highly enriched uranium is still being negotiated. The proposed deal does not address Iran’s missile stockpile nor include a moratorium on uranium enrichment, the official said, adding that these issues are expected

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  5 Palestinians killed, 5 injured by Israeli fire in Gaza

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  Five Palestinians, including three members of the same family, were killed and five others injured in fresh Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip on Sunday amid daily violations of an ongoing ceasefire, medical sources said. One of the Palestinians was killed by Israeli gunfire in the center of Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza and his body was transferred to Al-Shifa Hospital in western Gaza City, the sources told Anadolu. A couple and their child were also killed, and three others were wounded in an Israeli airstrike that targeted their home in the Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, the sources added. In a separate incident, the sources said a child died from injuries sustained in an Israeli strike that

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  Iran ready to reassure world it is not pursuing nuclear weapons, president says

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  Iran is ready to reassure the international community that it is not pursuing nuclear weapons or instability in the region, President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday, Anadolu reports. “Prior to the martyrdom of Ayatollah (Ali) Khamenei, Iran’s late Leader, we declared — and we reiterate now — that we are ready to assure the world we do not seek nuclear weapons,” Pezeshkian said in remarks carried by state-run news agency IRNA. “It is rather Tel Aviv that is driving regional instability,” he said, accusing Israel of pursuing a vision of “Greater Israel.” Iranian negotiators will never compromise on the country’s “honor and dignity,” added Pezeshkian. His remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump on Saturday said an agreement with Iran

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  Trump says Iran talks ‘constructive’ but blockade will remain until final deal is reached

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Sunday that negotiations with Iran are “orderly and constructive” and vowed the blockade will remain in place until a final agreement is reached, Anadolu reports. “The Blockade will remain in full force and effect until an agreement is reached, certified, and signed. Both sides must take their time and get it right. There can be no mistakes!,” Trump said in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. He also said US-Iran relations are becoming “much more professional and productive,” while warning that Tehran must not develop or acquire a nuclear weapon. Trump further thanked Middle Eastern countries for their “support and cooperation,” saying engagement would be strengthened through broader participation in the Abraham Accords, and

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  Escape or escalate: Trump’s tactical crossroads in the Iran conflict

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  The war that Donald Trump declared won last month looks rather different from the inside of the Pentagon. The resulting stalemate has drained American military stockpiles, emboldened Iranian commanders, and left the US with far worse options than before the conflict began. The administration’s triumphalist framing has struck a jarring note among those who have spent careers studying the Iranian military and the limits of American power projection. Declaring victory when the enemy is still standing, still armed, and still controlling the waterway you went to war over is not a strategy. It is a wish dressed up as a press release. At the heart of the impasse are two demands that Tehran has consistently and categorically rejected. Iran will

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  18 countries condemn Somaliland move to open ‘embassy’ in occupied Jerusalem

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  The foreign ministers of Turkiye and 17 other countries strongly condemned the “illegal and unacceptable” move by the breakaway Somaliland region to open a so-called embassy in occupied Jerusalem, Anadolu reports. A joint statement was issued by the foreign ministers of Turkiye, Algeria, Bangladesh, Djibouti, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mauritania, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. “The ministers condemn in the strongest terms the illegal and unacceptable step taken by the so-called ‘Somaliland’ region in opening a purported ‘embassy’ in occupied Jerusalem,” the statement said. It said the move constituted a “flagrant violation” of international law and relevant international resolutions, and represented a direct infringement on the legal and historical status of occupied Jerusalem. READ: Israel approves first

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  Iran shoots down Israeli spy drone in country’s south: Report

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  Iranian air defenses have shot down an Israeli surveillance drone over the country’s southern Hormozgan province, Iran’s semi-official news agency Mehr reported on Sunday. The wreckage of a destroyed Orbiter drone was found in coordination with Iranian naval forces, the outlet added. Israel has yet to comment on the report. The development came after US President Donald Trump on Saturday said an agreement with Iran to end the war was “largely negotiated” and awaited finalization. Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in February. Tehran retaliated with strikes targeting Israel as well as US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A ceasefire took effect on April 8

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  Israeli premier expresses concern over US handling of Iran nuclear file in call with Trump: Report

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed concern over the US administration’s handling of Iran’s nuclear file during a phone call with President Donald Trump, according to Israeli media on Sunday, Anadolu reports. Netanyahu also voiced worries over a possible linkage of a ceasefire in Lebanon and a potential US-Iran agreement, Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported, citing an informed Israeli source. This came after Trump on Saturday said an agreement with Iran to end the war was “largely negotiated” and awaited finalization, following Pakistani army chief Asim Munir’s visit to Tehran, his second in recent weeks. Netanyahu and the Israeli security establishment believe that “the Iranians are stalling to buy time, and that Tehran will announce its unwillingness to make concession after 60

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  EU Commission chief welcomes progress toward US-Iran deal

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Sunday welcomed progress toward a possible agreement between the US and Iran, stressing the need for a deal that would reduce tensions and prevent further escalation in the region, Anadolu reports. “I welcome the progress towards an agreement between the US and Iran. We need a deal that truly de-escalates the conflict, reopens the Strait of Hormuz and guarantees toll free full freedom of navigation,” von der Leyen said through the US social media company X. She reiterated that Iran “must not be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon” and called on Tehran to end actions she described as “destabilizing in the region, directly or through proxies, as well as its unjustified and

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  Rubio says progress made on ‘outline’ to open Strait of Hormuz ‘without toll’

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that progress has been made on an “outline” to open the Strait of Hormuz “without toll” but that would need “full Iranian acceptance and then compliance,” Anadolu reports. “Some progress has been made, significant progress, although not final progress has been made,” Rubio told reporters in Indian capital New Delhi, referring to ongoing indirect talks between the US and Iran, mediated by Pakistan. On the Strait of Hormuz, Rubio said: “This is an international waterway. They don’t own it. It’s an international waterway.” Emphasizing a diplomatic solution, Rubio said the US has “made some progress over the last 48 hours working with our partners in the Gulf region on an outline.” The outline,

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  Iran says potential memorandum with US includes end of war on all fronts: Tasnim

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  A potential memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Iran and the US includes an end of the war on all fronts, Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday. This includes Israel’s attacks in Lebanon, and that Washington would also commit to waiving sanctions on Iran’s oil during negotiations. If the agreement is reached, the Strait of Hormuz will not fully return to its pre-war status; instead, the number of ships allowed to pass would be restored to pre-war levels within 30 days, according to Tasnim. Iran, the news agency said, emphasizes the enforcement of its sovereign rights over the Strait of Hormuz through various means, the details of which will be announced later. Meanwhile, Iran insists on at least a partial release

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  US, Iran near 60-day ceasefire deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  The US and Iran are close to signing a 60-day ceasefire extension that would reopen the Strait of Hormuz, allowing Iran to resume oil sales and creating a window for negotiations on Tehran’s nuclear program, according to a US official familiar with the draft agreement, the Axios news website reported. The proposed deal, which has not been finalized, could be announced as soon as Sunday. Officials cautioned, however, that the agreement could still collapse before it is signed. Under the draft memorandum of understanding, Iran would clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz and allow ships to pass without tolls. In exchange, Washington would lift its blockade on Iranian ports and issue limited sanctions waivers permitting Tehran to sell oil

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  Pakistan welcomes Trump’s ‘extraordinary efforts’ to reach peace with Iran: Premier

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  Pakistan early Sunday welcomed President Donald Trump’s “extraordinary efforts” to pursue peace, following a call with leaders from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkiye, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Pakistan, Anadolu reports. “I congratulate President Donald Trump on his extraordinary efforts to pursue peace and for holding a very useful and productive telephone call earlier today, with the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkiye, Egypt, the UAE, Jordan and Pakistan,” said Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Sharif said the discussion provided a useful opportunity to exchange views on how to move the process forward and achieve lasting peace in the region. He also said Pakistan would continue its peace efforts “with utmost sincerity” and expressed hope that it could host the next round

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  Acceptable till it wasn’t: Itamar Ben-Gvir and the Global Sumud Flotilla

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  It has been a sorry though predictable exercise.  When he lived up (or down) to expectations of atrocious conduct befitting the proud bigot that he is, Israel’s Minister for National Security had to be seen as aberrant, the man who strayed, if only slightly.  The conduct in question involved Itamar Ben-Gvir’s posting of footage on social media mocking the fate of activists of the Global Sumud Flotilla who had made a failed humanitarian effort to break the blockade of Gaza.  The activists, seized in international waters by Israeli forces off the coast of Cyprus, had been blindfolded, their hands bound, and forced to kneel on the floor at the Port of Ashdod.  The caption of the posted video featured the

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  Hezbollah says it launched 12 attacks targeting Israeli Iron Dome launchers, drone defense systems

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  Lebanese group Hezbollah said Sunday that it carried out 12 attacks in the last 24 hours against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and northern Israel, Anadolu reports. The attacks included strikes targeting military vehicles, drone jamming systems and launchers belonging to Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system. The group said in a statement that the attacks came in response to Israeli ceasefire violations and attacks on southern villages. Hezbollah said it targeted an Israeli military engineering vehicle with drones in the southern Lebanese city of Bint Jbeil. The group also said it struck a technical device and a command vehicle at the Jal Al-Allam site in northern Israel, claiming direct hits. According to Hezbollah, an Israeli Heron 1 drone was confronted above

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  Legal challenge launched against the IHRA definition of antisemitism in British court

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  A British rights group, Right to Protest, has issued a press statement announcing that Dr Ranjeet Brar, a vascular surgeon, is bringing a judicial review to challenge the misuse of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism by public bodies – notable among them is King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. On 6th April 2026, Dr Ranjeet Brar, was suspended by the Trust following his speech at a memorial for the 186 children killed in a school strike in Minab, Iran. In that speech, he criticised Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the policies of the Israeli, US and British governments. Shortly after, Dr Ranjeet Brar was suspended from work. Dr Brar believes the IHRA definition of antisemitism

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  Iran agrees on plan to end fighting, reopening Hormuz: Report

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  Iran has agreed to a draft plan to end fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, The New York Times reported Saturday, citing three senior Iranian officials. The proposed plan would halt fighting across all fronts, including in Lebanon, while focusing primarily on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report. The proposal includes lifting the US naval blockade on Iran and allowing unrestricted commercial shipping through the strategic waterway without Iran imposing tolls, said the newspaper. Contentious issues related to Iran’s nuclear program, a major sticking point in negotiations, would be deferred for separate talks within 30 to 60 days. The proposal would also release $25 billion in Iranian assets frozen overseas, according to the report. Pakistani and

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  Qatar’s emir holds Saudi, UAE talks amid diplomatic push for US-Iran deal

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held separate calls Saturday with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan about regional developments and efforts to reduce tensions and promote stability, Anadolu reports. A statement from Qatar’s Amiri Diwan said Sheikh Tamim and the Saudi crown prince reviewed ties and ways to strengthen cooperation, in addition to exchanging views on key regional and international developments. The two sides also discussed efforts to support political solutions aimed at strengthening security and stability in the region and stressed the importance of reaching comprehensive and lasting solutions that address the root causes of crises. In a separate call, Sheikh Tamim and the UAE president discussed

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  7 Palestinians injured in Israeli army, occupier attacks in occupied West Bank

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  Seven Palestinians were injured Saturday in attacks carried out by Israeli forces and occupiers in the Hebron and Bethlehem governorates of the southern occupied West Bank, Anadolu reports. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said its crews transported a young man to hospital after he was shot with live ammunition in the abdomen and hand during an Israeli military raid on the town of Beit Ummar in Hebron governorate. It added that two Palestinians were also injured by live fire during an Israeli army raid on the town of Beit Fajjar in Bethlehem governorate. Sources said four Palestinians were injured after Israeli occupiers assaulted residents in the Wadi al-Rakhim area of Masafer Yatta in Hebron governorate, with beatings and pepper spray. READ: UN reports

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  Trump says agreement with Iran ‘has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization’

  by MI on May 24, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Saturday that an agreement with Iran to end the war between the two nations “has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization”, Anadolu reports. “An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other countries,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Trump said he discussed the prospective deal with several regional leaders in a “very good call.” He also said he had a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly. In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened,”

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  France bans Israeli Cabinet Minister Ben-Gvir over treatment of Gaza flotilla activists

  by Marwa A on May 23, 2026

  France has banned Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering French territory over what Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot described as “unacceptable actions” against activists aboard a Gaza-bound flotilla, Anadolu reports. Barrot said Saturday that the move followed incidents involving French and European citizens participating in the Global Sumud Flotilla. “France cannot tolerate French nationals being threatened, intimidated, or brutalized,” he said, particularly by a serving government minister. “I note that these actions have been condemned by a large number of Israeli government and political figures. They follow a long list of shocking statements and actions, incitements to hatred and violence against Palestinians,” Barrot wrote on the US social media platform X. He added: “Like my Italian colleague, I call

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  German court classifies Jewish Voice as “extremist”

  by Marwa A on May 23, 2026

  The German organisation Jewish Voice for a Just Peace in the Middle East (JV) may, for the time being, continue to be classified as “extremist” by Germany’s domestic intelligence service. This was decided by a court in Cologne last Wednesday. The organisation describes itself as anti-Zionist and is among the most prominent Jewish voices in Germany advocating for Palestinian rights. It characterises what has been taking place in Palestine for more than 100 years as settler colonialism, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing. Its members appear publicly at demonstrations and as speakers, and support initiatives such as the global BDS movement and the German “Kufiyas in Buchenwald” campaign. While JV has faced a mixture of systematic ignorance and defamation as “self-hating Jews”

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with CIA analyst Larry Johnson: Who is winning this war?

  by Marwa A on May 23, 2026

  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Avi Shlaim: The journey of a moral historian from Baghdad to Israel to Oxford

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  Has the Flotilla finally exposed the West’s moral double standard?

  by Marwa A on May 23, 2026

  The image that ricocheted across the world was not a missile strike, nor another skyline collapsing into Gaza’s dust. It was far quieter than that. Dozens of civilians — aid workers, doctors, parliamentarians, students and activists from 44 countries — kneeling on the deck of a seized flotilla in the eastern Mediterranean, hands bound behind their backs, surrounded by armed Israeli personnel. Then came the video posted by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir himself: taunting detainees, waving a flag, reducing human vulnerability into spectacle. For many watching from Canberra to Ottawa, something fundamental appeared to rupture. The interception of the Global Sumud flotilla in May may ultimately be remembered not simply as another Gaza confrontation, but as a geopolitical

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  Iran says 25 ships passed through Strait of Hormuz in past 24 hours

  by Marwa A on May 23, 2026

  Twenty-five ships passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours in coordination with Iranian authorities, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy said Saturday, Anadolu reports. The vessels included oil tankers, container ships, and other commercial ships that transited the strategic waterway “after obtaining permission with the coordination and security of the IRGC Navy,” the navy’s public relations department said in a statement carried by state-run broadcaster IRIB. Regional tensions have remained high since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran in late February. Tehran later retaliated with attacks targeting Israel and US allies in the Gulf, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important energy transit routes. A

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  AOHR UK to EU and UK Gov’t: Hold  Israel accountable for its maritime piracy

  by Marwa A on May 23, 2026

  Arab Organisation for Human Rights in the UK (AOHR UK) has addressed a series of letters to international institutions and officials, including the European Union, the European Parliament, and the UK Foreign Office, regarding the escalating crimes committed by the Israeli occupation in the occupied Palestinian territories, particularly the repeated acts of maritime piracy targeting humanitarian aid flotillas in international waters, as well as the documented assaults against international human rights activists. In its letters, AOHR UK highlighted that on 29th April 2026, Israeli occupation forces carried out an act of piracy in international waters off the coast of Crete, during which they detained 345 activists from 39 countries aboard the Sumoud Flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip. Only weeks

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  Israel pounds Gaza, Lebanon in daily breaches of ceasefires

  by Marwa A on May 23, 2026

  The Israeli army on Saturday continued to pound the Gaza Strip and Lebanon despite ceasefires in effect, Anadolu reports. Two Palestinians were injured when an Israeli drone dropped a bomb on a group of civilians in the town of Jabalia, northern Gaza Strip, a medical source told Anadolu. Witnesses also said that an Israeli quadcopter drone fired a bomb at the camp, which houses displaced people east of Jabalia. Separately, the Israeli army demolished Palestinian homes and structures within the areas it controls east of the Shuja’iyya neighborhood in eastern Gaza City. According to witnesses, a loud explosion was heard as a result of the demolition. Heavy artillery shelling also targeted areas north and east of Beit Lahia in the

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  Situation worsening in West Bank, warn Italy, UK, France, Germany

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  Italy, Britain, France and Germany warned Friday that the situation in the occupied West Bank has “deteriorated significantly” in recent months amid rising settler violence and Israeli policies they said are undermining stability and prospects for peace, Anadolu reports. In a joint statement, the four European countries said Israeli settlement activity — including a proposed development in the so-called E1 area — would violate international law and further fragment the territory, jeopardizing the possibility of a viable Palestinian state. E1 is a roughly 12-square-kilometer (4.6-square-mile) area in the occupied West Bank between East Jerusalem and the Israeli settlement of Maale Adumim. Israeli authorities have long promoted plans to build thousands of housing units and related infrastructure there to strengthen links between

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  70,000 Palestinians attend Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa amid Israeli restrictions

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  More than 70,000 Palestinians performed Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Jerusalem despite Israeli restrictions imposed since October 2023, according to Islamic authorities. The Islamic Waqf Department in Jerusalem said more than 70,000 Muslim worshippers were able to access the mosque compound for prayers. Dozens of Israeli police officers were deployed across the Old City, including near the compound’s external gates and surrounding alleyways, an Anadolu correspondent reported. Israeli police stopped several young Palestinians in the area, checked their identification documents, he added. Since the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza on Oct. 7, 2023, Israeli authorities have prevented tens of thousands of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank from entering Jerusalem and accessing Al-Aqsa Mosque for prayers.

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  The world cannot contain Iran forever outside the global order

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  For months the world has remained fixated on a single number: 450 kilograms. That figure — referring to Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium — has become the center of international negotiations, military threats, and diplomatic deadlock between Tehran, Washington, and Israel. American officials continue to insist that Iran must surrender or remove the material. Iran continues to refuse. The result is a dangerous equilibrium where neither side appears willing to retreat and where every ceasefire feels temporary. But the deeper crisis exposed by the recent war is not simply nuclear. It is structural. The war revealed something many governments were unwilling to publicly acknowledge for years: Iran can no longer be treated merely as a containable regional actor operating

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  Israeli army admits to killing 3 Palestinians in Gaza despite ceasefire

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  The Israeli army acknowledged on Friday that it had killed three Palestinians in the northern and southern Gaza Strip in the latest violations of a ceasefire which is supposed to have been in effect since last fall, Anadolu reports. A military statement claimed that army forces spotted two Palestinians crossing the “Yellow Line” boundary in the northern and southern parts of the strip before killing them. It added that forces from the 454th Fire Brigade, operating in the northern Gaza Strip, spotted a person last night “moving suspiciously near the Yellow Line,” claiming that he posed an “immediate threat” to troops, before carrying out an airstrike targeting him. READ: ‘Board of Peace’ plan accused of turning Gaza disarmament into Israeli land grab

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  Iran not seeking ‘any concessions’ from US, calls for sanctions relief: Foreign Ministry

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  Iran said Friday it is not seeking “any concessions” from the United States, insisting that Tehran only wants its rights restored and sanctions lifted, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency. “We do not want any concessions from the United States; we are only seeking our rights,” Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said, according to the report. The spokesman said Iran was demanding “an end to America’s criminal actions against the Iranian people.” “Sanctions must be lifted, Iran’s frozen assets must be released and made available to the country,” he said. “For the past five decades, we have been subjected to what they themselves call ‘crippling sanctions,’” he added. Baghaei said the sanctions were imposed under various pretexts, primarily over

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  Pakistan army chief heads to Tehran to discuss US-Iran talks

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  Pakistan’s army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir departed for Tehran on Friday to discuss the Iran-US talks, Anadolu reports. During the visit, Munir will meet key senior Iranian figures, the sources added. It would be the second such trip to Tehran by Munir amid Pakistani mediation efforts to end the war which began on Feb. 28 when Israel and the US launched military strikes on Tehran. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency also confirmed that the Pakistani army chief had left for Tehran. During his visit to Iran, Pakistani sources said, Munir will discuss Iran-US talks, regional peace and stability, and other “important issues.” The sources did not disclose details about the duration of the visit. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has

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  Indonesia’s foreign minister didn’t defend the flotilla detainees. He defended Israel’s language

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  For years, Indonesia has wrapped itself in the moral vocabulary of anti-colonialism and Palestinian solidarity. Its leaders lecture the world about justice, occupation and humanitarian principles. They speak as if Indonesia occupies a unique ethical position among nations — a Muslim-majority democracy supposedly unafraid to confront power on behalf of the oppressed. Then nine Indonesians were detained by Israeli forces in international waters. And Indonesia’s foreign minister chose to argue about semantics. Following a meeting with Commission I of Parliament in Jakarta on May 20, Foreign Minister Sugiono insisted that the detention of Indonesian citizens aboard the Sumud flotilla should not be described as “kidnapping” or “hostage-taking.” “This is not a case of kidnapping or hostage-taking,” Sugiono said. “This is

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  Over 18,000 firms registered in Damascus, 1.5M refugees returned since sanctions lifted: US Embassy

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  The US on Friday said more than 18,000 companies have registered in Damascus and 1.5 million refugees have returned to Syria since Washington lifted sanctions on the country a year ago, Anadolu reports. In a statement on the US social media company X, the US Embassy in Syria said the US had decided “to give Syria a chance at greatness by lifting sanctions and opening the door to investment.” “The results speak for themselves: 18,000+ companies registered in Damascus, 1.5 million refugees returned, and billions of dollars in investment pledged,” the embassy said. The embassy also announced the launch of “comprehensive Syria Investor Guides,” describing them as “the most detailed publicly available market intelligence report for Syria.” It said the guides

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Col. Wilkerson: Is Pax American in decline?

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Avi Shlaim: The journey of a moral historian from Baghdad to Israel to Oxford

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  ‘Impossible for us to leave’: Palestinian family faces escalating Israeli occupier harassment in West Bank

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  The home of a Palestinian resident in the Al-Mu’arajat Bedouin community in the occupied West Bank has turned into a “daily siege point” amid repeated Israeli occupier presence around the property aimed at forcing the family to leave their land, Anadolu reports. Eid Abu Fazzah al-Kaabneh told Anadolu that Israeli occupiers regularly gather for hours near the family’s home, bringing flocks of sheep and camels into the surrounding agricultural land and olive groves. “We wake up every day to occupiers and their livestock around our home,” he said, describing what he called ongoing pressure and intimidation against residents of the community east of Ramallah. The “Abu Fazzah” Bedouin community is located near the Al-Mu’arajat road east of the village of Al-Taybeh

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  ‘First apartheid, then transfer’: Israeli columnist warns of West Bank expulsion plan

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  Israel is clearing Palestinians from the illegally occupied West Bank village by village, using state-backed settler violence to drive communities from their land and prepare the ground for mass expulsion, a veteran Israeli columnist has warned. Writing in Israeli outlet Yedioth Ahronoth, Nahum Barnea said the violence of the so-called “hilltop youth” is not random lawlessness, but part of a state-backed project to remove Palestinians from their land. He described them as “an armed militia that is working for the government, with its authorisation and funding.” The aim, wrote Barnea, is to empty outlying Palestinian areas, force the rural population into cities, trigger economic collapse and lawlessness and then present expulsion as the final outcome. “The current plan aims to

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  ‘Slight progress’ made on Iran, Strait of Hormuz situation: US Secretary of State

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday there had been “some slight progress” regarding the situation involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, Anadolu reports. “There’s been some slight progress, I don’t want to exaggerate it, but there’s been a little bit of movement, and that’s good,” Rubio told reporters ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting alongside NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. Rubio said the “fundamentals remain the same,” adding: “Iran can never have nuclear weapons, it just cannot make them.” He said Washington was awaiting the outcome of ongoing discussions related to Iran while underlining that issues surrounding uranium enrichment and Tehran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium would have to be addressed. Rubio also accused Iran of attempting

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  Saudi Arabia deploys drones, AI to enhance security during 2026 Hajj pilgrimage

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  Saudi authorities are deploying drones, artificial intelligence, and advanced surveillance technologies during the 2026 Hajj season to monitor crowds, detect violations, and prevent unauthorized entry into the holy sites, the Saudi newspaper Okaz said on Friday. The report said the technologies form part of an integrated security and organizational system aimed at ensuring the safety of millions of pilgrims who gather annually in the holy sites. Saudi authorities are using drones to track and apprehend violators of Hajj regulations, alongside fixed-wing aircraft tasked with monitoring illegal entry attempts into the holy sites under the slogan “No Hajj without a permit,” according to the report. The newspaper said drones help security forces monitor large areas quickly and efficiently, allowing field teams

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  ‘Board of Peace’ plan accused of turning Gaza disarmament into Israeli land grab

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  A proposed roadmap for Gaza has been condemned as an attempt to give Israel through diplomacy what it failed to achieve through more than two years of genocide: the disarmament of Hamas and other Palestinian factions, without guaranteeing a full Israeli withdrawal from the besieged enclave. The plan, circulated Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace’s high representative for Gaza, comes despite Israel’s repeated violations of the ceasefire and its failure to complete even the first phase of the agreement. Critics say Washington and Tel Aviv are now trying to force Palestinians into surrendering their weapons while Israel expands its military control inside Gaza, including along the so-called Yellow Line. READ: Board of Peace envoy says there is ‘no recovery’ in

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  Israel: From neutralizing the frontline states to neutralizing the Axis of Resistance

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  Israel’s occupation of Arab states does not necessarily have to take a physical form, as happened in the past with the rest of Palestine, the Syrian Golan, Egypt’s Sinai, and Lebanon’s Shebaa Farms and Kfar Shouba Hills. It may also take other forms, as later envisioned in Israeli strategy. Following that period of occupation, Israel managed to penetrate several Arab states through normalization policies. This process did not stop at political or security dimensions. It also expanded into the economic sphere. Israel continues to pursue its expansion and formalization with other Arab states, despite maintaining its grip over Palestine and denying legitimate Palestinian rights. Israel’s strategies toward Iran, Gaza, and Lebanon intersect within an integrated framework. These strategies remain tied

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  UNRWA warns of surge in disease and skin infections across Gaza

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees warned on Thursday of a severe deterioration in public health conditions in the Gaza Strip, announcing that more than 125,000 cases of skin infections linked to rodents and parasites had been recorded during the first five months of 2026. According to UNRWA, the destruction caused by the war has led to a major increase in rodents and parasites, while the collapse of water and sanitation infrastructure has accelerated the spread of disease. The agency stated on X that “rodents and parasites are on the rise” and warned that the risk of disease outbreaks continues to increase. UNRWA said its medical teams are currently treating around 400 cases daily but stressed

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  Palestine ex-FM accuses Fatah leadership of weakening the movement’s national role

  by MI on May 22, 2026

  Former Palestinian foreign minister Nasser al-Qudwa sharply criticised the leadership of Fatah, accusing it of stripping the movement of its national content and turning its eighth conference into a controlled gathering designed to serve the current leadership. In an interview with Al Jazeera Mubasher, al-Qudwa said the conference lacked a clear legal and organisational basis, both in determining membership and shaping the political programme. He argued that Fatah has gradually lost its historic role in leading the Palestinian national project and confronting the Israeli occupation. According to al-Qudwa, the crisis within Fatah has been developing for more than 15 years and deepened as the movement became increasingly intertwined with the institutions of the Palestinian Authority. He said President Mahmoud Abbas