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

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  Netanyahu vows to revoke citizenship of those who ‘defame’ Israeli soldiers in Gaza documentary NAZA

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Wednesday to revoke the citizenship of those who “defame” Israeli soldiers in NAZA, a documentary on killings in Gaza, and impose significantly higher financial penalties on them, Anadolu reports. Netanyahu made the remarks in a video statement following the recent screening of the Israeli documentary at the Venice International Film Festival. The film documents alleged crimes committed by Israeli forces during the war on the Gaza Strip. “Regarding the film NAZA, which portrayed Israeli army officers and soldiers as war criminals, I will now introduce two bills, both government bills,” Netanyahu said. He said the first bill would revoke the citizenship of those who “defame Israeli army soldiers.” The second, according to Netanyahu,

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  Lewis Hamilton backs Macklemore after Ed Sheeran tour removal for Palestine remarks

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Seven-time Formula 1 world champion Lewis Hamilton expressed support for US rapper Macklemore after he was removed from the US leg of Ed Sheeran’s tour following pro-Palestinian remarks, Anadolu reports. Hamilton commented on Macklemore’s Instagram post addressing his removal from Sheeran’s Loop Tour, writing: “Thank you for using your voice, standing with you.” Macklemore detailed the situation in a lengthy post that emphasized he does not view himself as a victim, and reiterated that the focus should remain on the human toll of the war in the Gaza Strip. READ: Zionist billionaire pressure to silence Macklemore sparks exodus from Ed Sheeran tour The “Thrift Shop” rapper was dropped from the remaining US dates after making pro-Palestinian remarks during performances at New

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  Syrian army chief visits Khmeimim Air Base, meets Russian military commanders

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Syrian Chief of General Staff Maj. Gen. Ali al-Naasan inspected Khmeimim Air Base in western Latakia province on Wednesday and met Russian military commanders stationed there, according to the Defense Ministry, Anadolu reports. Al-Naasan was accompanied by Air Force Commander Brig. Gen. Asim Hawari and Navy Commander Brig. Gen. Mohammed al-Saud, it said in a statement. The visit included meetings with Russian military commanders at the base, it added, without providing details about the talks. The visit comes about a month after Damascus and Moscow announced a memorandum of understanding to reorganize the Russian presence on Syria’s Mediterranean coast, including the Khmeimim Air Base and the port of Tartus. READ: Syria raises fuel prices by up to 40% amid higher import costs and

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  Is Europe restraining Israel—or merely protecting the two-state illusion?

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  This time, Europe seems serious about holding Israel accountable – or at least that is what 11 European countries, together with Canada, want us to believe. On September 8, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the UK announced their intention to introduce national restrictions, support European restrictions, or actively consider measures against trade in goods with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. Undeniably, the announcement represents a significant political and legal precedent. Dismissing it outright would be impulsive, particularly considering the participation of governments such as those of Canada and the UK, which have historically provided Israel with extensive political and diplomatic support. Yet celebrating the announcement as an earth-shattering event without

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  Turkiye delivers 2,000 tons of flour to Palestinian refugees, displaced families in Lebanon

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Turkiye’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) has delivered 2,000 tons of flour to Palestinian refugees and displaced families in Lebanon. A ceremony marking the delivery was held on Wednesday at the Port of Beirut, attended by Turkiye’s Ambassador to Lebanon Murat Lutem, Lebanese Higher Relief Council chief Bassam Nabulsi, and the director of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) in Lebanon, Dorothee Klaus. The flour will be distributed to Palestinian refugees and families displaced by Israeli attacks. Turkiye is expected to continue providing assistance to people in need across Lebanon. ‘Our solidarity with Lebanon will continue’ Speaking to Anadolu, Ambassador Lutem said Turkiye’s assistance to people in need in Lebanon was ongoing. He recalled that the Health Ministry

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  No peace in Middle East without 2-state solution: UN chief

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that lasting peace in the Middle East is impossible without a two-state solution for the Palestinians, Anadolu reports. “In the context of upheaval across the Middle East, we must never forget the dramatic suffering of the Palestinian people — both in Gaza and the West Bank,” he said at a news conference ahead of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. “The peace plan for Gaza must be fully implemented with unrestricted humanitarian aid,” he said. Turning to the occupied West Bank, Guterres said: “And the creeping annexation of the West Bank must stop.” He stressed that a political resolution remains the only path forward. “There will be no peace in the Middle East

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  Israeli government ‘not gaining friends, losing allies all over’: Top UK diplomat

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  The British foreign secretary said the Israeli government is losing friends and allies because of its actions in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, which he said have mobilized people around the world, Anadolu reports. The “Israeli government is losing friends. It’s not gaining allies; it’s lost allies. It’s losing allies all over,” Ed Miliband said Tuesday in an interview with UK-based podcast The Rest is Politics. He noted that the recent sanctions announcement targeting illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank came after warnings that the two-state solution is being “destroyed by the facts on the ground.” “All measures were to make a difference to that, the sanctions regime targeting the illegal occupation, not targeting or delegitimizing in any

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  Iran rejects German chancellor’s claims on nuclear program, regional allies

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Iran on Wednesday rejected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s accusations concerning Tehran’s nuclear program and regional allies, accusing Berlin of presenting a “knowingly distorted” narrative, Anadolu reports. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on US social media company X that it was the US and Israel, not Iran, that launched the war, criticizing Germany for failing to condemn the attacks. He rejected Merz’s description of Iran’s regional allies as “proxies,” saying they are “independent actors with their own clear causes and calculations.” READ: Iran issues passive defence plan for 3 scenarios, including full-scale war Baqaei denied that Tehran has a military nuclear program and accused Germany of supporting Israel while presenting itself as a “champion of peace.” Merz urged Iran on Tuesday to end

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  117 journalists displaced from Yemen’s western coast amid escalation: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  At least 117 journalists and media workers have been displaced from Yemen’s western coastal city of Mokha and surrounding areas amid a military escalation since the beginning of September, the Yemeni Media Freedoms Observatory said Wednesday, Anadolu reports. The nongovernmental organization said in a statement that the journalists and media workers fled Mokha, in southwestern Taiz province, and nearby areas amid recent military developments and the entry of Houthi forces. It said the displacement was sudden, with several journalists leaving their homes in the hours before Houthi forces entered Mokha, amid fears of arrest or detention because of their journalistic work. Some journalists were forced to leave without taking their personal belongings or professional equipment, it added. The observatory quoted

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  European Parliament’s Left Group accuses von der Leyen of ‘double standards’ over Ukraine and Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  The Left group in the European Parliament accused European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen of applying “glaring double standards” in her foreign policy after she criticized attacks on civilians in Ukraine, but according to the group, continues to defend Israel, Anadolu reports. “The President of the European Union Ursula von der Leyen delivered a lackluster State of the Union address this year, with an incredible amount of glaring omissions despite a speech that dragged on for over an hour,” the group said in a statement after von der Leyen’s State of the Union address on Wednesday. The Left said the president “rightly” condemned the use of so-called “double tap” airstrikes against Ukrainians but accused her of failing to apply the same

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  Israeli forces arrest 16 Palestinians, demolish homes, Bedouin community structures in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Israeli forces arrested 16 Palestinians, including two women and two teenagers, and demolished Bedouin community and Palestinian structures across the occupied West Bank on Wednesday, according to Palestinian sources, Anadolu reports. The Palestinian Prisoners Media Office, a nongovernmental organization, said in a statement that Israeli forces carried out widespread raids and home searches in the provinces of Tulkarem, Hebron, Nablus, and Jenin. Tulkarem recorded the highest number of arrests, with 10 Palestinians detained in Tulkarem city, Deir al-Ghusun, and Dhanaba, including two women and members of families of prisoners, according to the statement. In Hebron, Israeli forces arrested two young Palestinians, aged 15 and 18, after detaining them for more than four hours on Al-Ikhwan Street in the southern part

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  US senator vows to block $2.8B arms transfer to Israel

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  US Sen. Chris Van Hollen vowed Wednesday to block a proposed $2.8 billion arms transfer to Israel, criticizing the provision of heavy munitions amid persistent bombardments across the Gaza Strip, Anadolu reports. “Trump is sending $2.8 billion of bombs paid for by you, the American taxpayer, to a govt led by a wanted war criminal,” the Democratic lawmaker from the state of Maryland wrote on US social media company X. Van Hollen argued that the military aid is moving forward while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “keeps bombing Gaza & blocks justice for Americans killed on his watch.” He questioned how the policy aligns with domestic interests and US President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy. “We will work to stop it,” he

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  US filmmaker Oliver Stone says America has ‘hunger for war’

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Oscar-winning US filmmaker Oliver Stone criticized what he described as America’s continuing militarism, saying the country has a “hunger for war” and warning of the risk of an even larger conflict, Anadolu reports. Speaking at Rome’s Casa del Cinema during a screening of his 1989 film Born on the Fourth of July, Stone reflected on the Vietnam War and subsequent US conflicts, according to Italian daily La Repubblica on Tuesday. “America has a hunger for war, it’s sort of a need of this country. I think it’s the saddest thing I’ve ever seen,” Stone said. “A lot of it is just absurd, and our country has been deeply hurt by it.” Stone, a Vietnam War veteran known for films including

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  Nature has its say in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  For nearly three years, Palestinians in Gaza have been taught, brutally, that almost everything necessary for ordinary human life can be destroyed or turned into an instrument of war. A home can disappear, a neighbourhood can be flattened, a road made impassable, a hospital rendered dysfunctional, a field made unreachable and a human contact can be turned into spying . Water pipes, wells, sewage networks and treatment plants can all be damaged until the very infrastructure of everyday existence collapses. Palestinians have been denied the simple possibility of an abode: four walls and a roof to protect a family from the scorching summer sun, the winter rain and the harsh winds of the Mediterranean. The rhythms that constitute everyday life

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  Saudi Arabia warns of Houthi threats to Red Sea navigation

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Saudi Arabia warned Wednesday that attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group pose a threat to maritime security in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb, calling for joint international action to protect key waterways, Anadolu reports. The warning came during a UN Security Council session, according to the Saudi Press Agency. Saudi Arabia’s Permanent Representative to the UN Abdulaziz Alwasil delivered the Kingdom’s statement at the meeting. “Protecting maritime corridors and ensuring freedom of navigation are shared international responsibilities that require adherence to international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions,” the statement said. Riyadh warned that Houthi threats to maritime security in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb could have repercussions for international trade and global supply chains. Saudi Arabia also highlighted the

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  Russian satellites likely gave Iran targeting edge against US assets: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  Russian spy satellites likely provided Iran with intelligence that helped improve the precision of its attacks against US military assets in the Middle East, according to a CNN report aired Wednesday. The report, citing US officials and other sources, said intelligence collected by Russia’s satellite network may have been shared with Tehran, giving Iranian forces information on the locations and movements of American military assets. CNN focused on the March 27 Iranian strike on Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, where 12 US personnel were reportedly injured and an airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft was destroyed. The report said Russia’s Cosmos 2573 spy satellite passed over the base two days before the attack, alongside 13 other Russian

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  Israeli army demolishes Palestinian Bedouin settlement in occupied West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  The Israeli army demolished a Palestinian Bedouin settlement in the northern occupied West Bank where more than 20 Palestinians had lived for more than 20 years, Anadolu reports. According to a statement by the Palestinian organization for the defense of Bedouin rights, BEYDER, the army demolished the settlement west of the town of Deir Ballut in Salfit. More than 20 Palestinian Bedouins had lived in the settlement for over two decades, making their living through livestock farming and raising approximately 1,000 sheep and goats. The Palestinian Red Crescent Society earlier said that a Palestinian was critically injured by Israeli fire in the abdomen and thigh. Israeli forces carry out frequent raids on cities, towns and refugee camps across the occupied

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  Belgian university rector urges government to allow entry of 13 Gazan students

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  The rector of Belgium’s KU Leuven University called on the government to allow 13 Palestinian students from Gaza to enter the country and begin their studies, public broadcaster VRT reported on Wednesday. Speaking to the broadcaster, Severine Vermeire said she was “angry and indignant” over the uncertainty surrounding the students, three of whom were scheduled to begin their studies at KU Leuven this week. “There is only one right decision: those 13 students must be able to come to Belgium,” she said. Vermeire said the university considers the students victims of what she described as “political games” and said Belgian university rectors have been raising the issue with the federal government for months. READ:  Israeli universities expel 100 Palestinian students over

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  70% of hospital generators in Gaza out of service: Health Ministry

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  About 70% of electricity generators at hospitals in the Gaza Strip have gone out of service due to shortages of fuel, oil, and spare parts amid the ongoing Israeli blockade, the Health Ministry said Wednesday, Anadolu reports. Zaher Al-Wahidi, director of the ministry’s Health Information Center, said during a press conference at Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City that shortages of fuel and oil threatened to bring critical and life-saving hospital departments to a halt at any moment. Wahidi rejected Israeli claims that it was facilitating the entry of medical aid and logistical supplies into the Gaza Strip, emphasizing that they are attempts to “improve the image” of the situation and conceal a campaign of “ethnic cleansing” in the enclave. He said

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  5 children among 20 Palestinians killed as war-damaged building collapses in Gaza City

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  At least 20 Palestinians, including five children, were killed Wednesday when a residential building housing displaced people that had been damaged during Israel’s genocidal war collapsed in western Gaza City, according to Palestinian sources. Zaher Al-Wahidi, director of the Health Information Center at Gaza’s Health Ministry, told Anadolu Agency that 20 Palestinians were killed when the Al-Saada building in the city’s Al-Sinaa area collapsed. Earlier, Gaza’s Health Ministry said in a statement that 16 people were killed and more than 25 others were injured in the collapse. The ministry said the incident brought the total number of people killed in the collapse of buildings damaged during Israeli attacks to 50. Palestinian Civil Defense spokesman Mahmoud Bassal said during a news

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  Zionist billionaire pressure to silence Macklemore sparks exodus from Ed Sheeran tour

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Ed Sheeran’s backing band and three supporting acts have withdrawn from his tour after Macklemore was dropped following pressure from billionaire Robert Kraft and other stadium owners over the rapper’s pro-Palestinian performances. Irish band Beoga, singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish band Lukas Graham and US musician Finneas announced their departures yesterday. Macklemore said Kraft, the pro-Israel billionaire whose company owns Gillette Stadium and the New England Patriots, told Sheeran he would not be allowed to perform at the stadium. The rapper also accused Kraft of rallying other stadium owners to issue an ultimatum. Kraft confirmed that he opposed Macklemore’s participation at Gillette Stadium, citing his performances and what he described as anti-Semitic rhetoric and imagery. Promoter Messina Touring Group separately confirmed

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  Global Alliance for Palestine unveils legislative advocacy initiative ahead of October day of action

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Following the announcement of its global mobilisation window from October 9–11, 2026 – culminating in a Global Day of Action on Saturday, October 10 – the Global Alliance for Palestine (GAFP) is broadening its strategy to launch a member-led legislative drive. This mobilisation initiative, GAFP said, comes against the backdrop of Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza and the escalating state-sponsored settler violence, land seizures, and forced displacement across the occupied West Bank. Its aims are to confront political complicity and demand international accountability. GAFP said it will pursue these aims “by pairing traditional grassroots tactics – such as public demonstrations, campus walkouts, and peaceful blockades – with targeted parliamentary advocacy, the Alliance is seeking to channel mounting public outrage directly

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  Pakistan’s bet: Power without becoming a pawn

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Small and middle powers rarely choose their geography. They only choose what to do with it. Pakistan sits at the seam of South Asia, the Gulf, and China. It cannot out-produce Beijing. It cannot out-spend Riyadh. It cannot match Washington’s reach. But it can make itself impossible to bypass. That is the calculation now unfolding in Islamabad, and it deserves to be read through the cold lens of realism, not the warm language of diplomacy. Start with the concept itself. Zbigniew Brzezinski gave it a name in The Grand Chessboard: the geopolitical pivot. He defined pivots as states “whose importance is derived not from their power and motivation but rather from their sensitive location and from the consequences of their

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  From Caspian gas to Turkish industry: SOCAR’s geopolitical energy strategy

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  State Oil Company of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) has become one of Türkiye’s largest foreign investors and a core pillar of the Baku–Ankara energy partnership. Since acquiring Petkim in 2008, the Azerbaijani state energy company has built an integrated portfolio spanning petrochemicals, refining, gas transit, logistics, storage, and power generation. SOCAR reports approximately $18.5 billion invested in Türkiye, while Azerbaijani officials cite around $19 billion; the additional $7 billion polyolefin expansion remains a future commitment, not current investment. This portfolio creates commercial value for Azerbaijan and strengthens its regional influence, while Türkiye gains capital, industrial capacity, refined products, petrochemical feedstock, gas connectivity, and electricity generation. The partnership is therefore a potential win-win, although exposed to market volatility, geopolitical instability,

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  Gaza healthcare system nears collapse as logistical support halts

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  IMAGES: Gaza dentists protest shortage of dental supplies caused by Israeli restrictions

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Paolo von Schirach: Toppling Maduro: Ushering Democracy or Imperial Grab??

  by Mehdi Editor on September 16, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with John Kiriakou: Why Is Hatred Toward Israel Rising?

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  Gaza: Six-storey building collapses with 60 inside

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  IMAGES: Gaza dentists protest shortage of dental supplies caused by Israeli restrictions

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  Trump plans $2.8bn sale of 40,000 heavy bombs to Israel

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  The Trump administration is preparing a $2.8 billion weapons package for Israel containing 40,000 2,000-pound bombs, despite longstanding concerns over the devastating impact of the munitions on civilians in Gaza. The proposed package includes 20,000 MK-84 bombs and 20,000 BLU-117 bombs, according to a US official familiar with the plans cited by Reuters. Relevant congressional committees have been informed informally of the planned sale, which was first reported by the Washington Post. Read: US approves $3 billion military sales to Israel amid ceasefire talks Most of the package would be paid for through US Foreign Military Financing, according to Associated Press. Under that programme, Washington provides funds that Israel uses to purchase American weapons, meaning US taxpayers would finance much

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  Riyadh phones Tel Aviv: From petro-power to palace panic

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Sometimes an entire political order confesses itself in a single telephone call. Saudi Arabia, custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, self-appointed pillar of Arab leadership and purchaser of some of the most expensive weaponry ever manufactured, has reportedly found itself seeking Israeli intelligence assistance through US Central Command against Ansar Allah in Yemen. The Jerusalem Post reports that CENTCOM-mediated discussions concerned intelligence that could help Riyadh understand Houthi deployments and future operations. There is something almost indecently perfect about the image. For decades, the Saudi state cultivated the mythology of sovereignty while constructing one of the most elaborate systems of strategic dependency in modern history. Washington supplied the security architecture. Western contractors supplied the weapons. Foreign technicians sustained the machinery.

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  Al‑Zaidi and the age of the unqualified politician

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  The age of the unqualified politician is not a rhetorical flourish; it is a reality that becomes painfully visible every time a press conference turns into a stage for intellectual shallowness. The remarks made by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al‑Zaidi during his visit to Berlin were not a slip of the tongue. They were a concentrated example of a deeper structural defect within Iraq’s governing class. Standing in one of Europe’s most important capitals, al‑Zaidi struggled to articulate a single coherent political sentence—offering instead a clumsy assertion that “the world is heading toward stability, and only a little time remains,” likening global politics to the simple transition from night to day. This is not the language of a statesman; it

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  Jewish supremacist manufacturing a civilizational threat to license bigotry

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Jewish hatred is real and must be condemned without qualification. But it cannot be fought by propagating hatred against the followers of another religion. Demonizing Muslims does not combat antisemitism; it simply transfers prejudice from one target to another. Sadly, that is precisely the objective of Jewish supremacists who readily invoke antisemitism to shut down debate and weaponize anti-Muslim hatred, redirecting public attention away from Israel’s policies of genocide and dispossession. At the recent Republican Jewish Coalition’s summit in Las Vegas, Florida congressman Randy Fine told the crowd that the problem was not radical Islamism but “mainstream” Islam. In a separate interview, Fine went further, suggesting some civilizations are simply superior to others. Texas Congressman Brandon Gill referred to a

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  Houthi official denies targeting Mecca with drone

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  The Houthi group on Wednesday denied targeting Mecca with a drone, after the Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted a drone south of the holy city before it entered restricted airspace. Mohammed Al-Farah, a member of the Houthis’ political office, said the claim that Yemen had targeted Mecca was “an outright lie with no basis in truth”, according to the Houthi-run Saba news agency. “We are more concerned about Mecca and the holy sites than those who exploit them politically,” he said, accusing Saudi Arabia of using the allegation “to divert attention from the crisis it is facing in Yemen”. Al-Farah said Saudi Arabia was facing a “real dilemma” in Yemen after becoming involved in what he described as a

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  Israeli army chief tells Netanyahu Hamas defeated, confrontation over

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Israeli army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir told Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz that Hamas had suffered a military defeat and that the confrontation with the group was effectively over, an Israeli newspaper reported. Zamir made the remarks during a closed-door security briefing earlier this month held during a visit by army commanders to the Gaza Strip, where intelligence assessments of Hamas’s current capabilities and activity were discussed. During the discussion, an intelligence official pointed to signs that Hamas was seeking to regain influence and re-establish control, warning that it still posed a security threat despite the strikes it had suffered. Zamir, however, said the assessments reflected the group’s intentions more than its actual capabilities. He

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  Israeli forces detain Palestinian-American journalist in Bethlehem

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Israeli forces detained Palestinian-American journalist Naqaa Hamed at a military checkpoint in Tuqu, southeast of Bethlehem, on Tuesday evening, local sources said. The forces stopped Hamed as she crossed the checkpoint in the town, before detaining her and taking her to an unknown location, the sources said. Later, Israeli forces set up another military checkpoint in the Al-Jurn area of Battir village, west of Bethlehem, stopping Palestinian motorists, searching their vehicles and checking their identities. Hamed is a Palestinian-American dual national and has previously faced an incitement campaign on Israeli websites and social media platforms over her coverage of events in Qusra, south of Nablus. The village has witnessed repeated attacks by Israeli settlers and attempts to seize homes there.

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  UN urges access for international investigators to Gaza as hundreds of bodies remain under rubble

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  The United Nations on Tuesday called for international investigators to be given access to all parts of Gaza to help gather evidence, as hundreds of bodies are recovered from under the rubble nearly three years into the war. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement that “the remains of what appears to be entire families are now being unearthed at locations that were pulverised by Israeli attacks”, stressing that “the discovery of extensive remains under the rubble in Gaza City resurfaces (the) concerns of war crimes and other atrocity crimes”. “I worry the remains recovered so far may only be the tip of the iceberg,” Turk added, saying that “much of Gaza has been flattened

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  Bombing Iran can destroy targets, not political memory

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Military damage can be measured quickly. Strategic success depends on whether force changes Tehran’s political calculations rather than reinforcing the meaning of resistance. New U.S. strikes on Iran in early September, among the most substantial exchanges since July, again put a familiar measure of wartime success at center stage: what was hit, destroyed, or disabled. But the harder question begins after the damage is counted. If the purpose of force is not merely to remove a target but to change Tehran’s behavior, then the real test is not “What was destroyed?” but “What changed?” That distinction matters especially in Iran. The country is not simply a collection of facilities, missiles, and command centers whose future can be judged by a

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  Houthis deny threat to Mecca from Yemen

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  A Houthi military source has “categorically denied any threat from Yemen targeting Mecca or other holy sites,” according to a statement carried by the movement’s Saba news agency. The source strongly condemned what it described as “fabrication, deception and misinformation” by the Saudi “enemy” in claiming that Yemen posed a threat to Mecca. The source said the promotion of what it called “false reports” was aimed at “smearing” the Houthis and creating sympathy across the Muslim world, describing it as an old tactic previously used by Saudi Arabia. The statement came after Saudi Civil Defence earlier on Wednesday issued alerts warning of a threat in Khamis Mushait, Abha, Taif, Mecca and Jeddah. Later, Civil Defence announced that the threat had

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  Malaysia vows action against shipments aiding Israel’s military

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Malaysia will take decisive action against shipments passing through its territory that support Israel’s military, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said on Tuesday. Ibrahim posted on X a report saying Malaysian authorities had seized shipments that were on their way to Israel. He said Malaysia’s position on the matter was “clear and unequivocal”, adding: “We will not allow our country to be used as a conduit for any shipment that supports or contributes to Israel’s military capabilities and its atrocities against Palestinians and other innocent lives.” He said any suspicious shipment would be inspected and investigated under Malaysian law, stressing: “Where a violation is established, decisive action will be taken.” Ibrahim said on 15 July that people holding Israeli citizenship alongside

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  Yemeni military source says Houthis dug trenches and laid mines near Bab al-Mandab

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Houthi forces have dug trenches in mountainous areas overlooking the Bab al-Mandab Strait and laid mines in the strategic maritime corridor, an unnamed Yemeni military source told the German Press Agency (DPA) on Tuesday. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said multiple trenches had been constructed in mountains overlooking and surrounding the strait, one of the world’s most important shipping routes. The source also alleged that Houthi forces had deployed a number of mines in the maritime corridor. The type, number and precise locations of the reported mines were not specified. According to the military source, the measures were intended to impede attempts by Yemeni government forces to retake territory captured by the Houthis during recent fighting. The

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  Israel Hayom report examines Iran’s religious and academic networks in Thailand amid anti-Israel protests

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Iran has spent years developing religious, educational and academic ties in Thailand that could provide Tehran with channels for influencing public discourse, including attitudes toward Israel, according to a report published by Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom. The report said Iran’s presence in Thailand extends beyond formal diplomatic relations and includes connections with religious centers, local clerics and educational institutions associated with the country’s Shia Muslim community. Among the institutions cited was Al-Mustafa International University, an Iran-based religious and academic institution with an international network. The newspaper stressed, however, that the existence of Iranian connections does not mean that all Shia religious or community activity in Thailand is linked to Tehran. According to the report, such networks have attracted increased attention

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  Likud and Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit clash over makeup of next Israeli government

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  A public dispute between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit intensified on Tuesday over the potential composition of Israel’s next government. The latest exchange followed claims by Ben-Gvir’s party that Netanyahu could seek to bring former military chief Gadi Eisenkot into a future coalition at the expense of Otzma Yehudit, an assertion rejected by Likud. “Enough with the deception,” Likud said in a statement directed at Ben-Gvir, adding that Netanyahu had repeatedly said he intended to form the next government “based on the existing parties within the nationalist camp.” Likud urged Ben-Gvir to focus instead on preventing the formation of an alternative government involving Eisenkot, Yair Golan, Avigdor Lieberman and Arab parties.

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  Hamas calls for international investigation into violations revealed in ‘NAZA’ documentary

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Hamas on Tuesday called for an independent international investigation into Israeli military targeting practices in Gaza presented in the documentary “NAZA.” In a statement, Hamas said the film, which was screened at the Venice International Film Festival, included testimony from 24 Israeli military intelligence personnel and officers who had been involved in surveillance and targeting operations. According to Hamas, the testimonies provide details about procedures used to select and strike targets in Gaza and include accounts concerning anticipated civilian casualties. The movement said the documentary discusses the use of the term “NAZA” in relation to civilians expected to be killed in attacks and describes remote targeting and bombardment systems used during Israeli military operations. Hamas argued that testimony from individuals

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  Qatar says Israeli settler visits to Al-Aqsa risk fuelling regional tensions

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Qatar on Tuesday condemned repeated visits by Israeli settlers to the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem, warning that the activity could contribute to heightened tensions and undermine efforts to maintain regional stability. In a statement, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned what it described as the “continued incursions by settlers” into the compound, including visits that took place on Tuesday under Israeli security protection. The ministry described the activity as an “unacceptable provocation to the sentiments of millions of Muslims around the world” and said it constituted a violation of international law and international humanitarian law. Qatar also reiterated its position that Al-Aqsa is a Muslim place of worship and rejected any unilateral measures it said were intended to alter

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  Israeli Settlers Steal Dozens of Grape Crates from Palestinian Farm Near Hebron

  by Marwa A on September 16, 2026

  Israeli settlers stole around 50 crates of grapes from a Palestinian farm east of Hebron in the occupied West Bank as Israeli soldiers and police were present at the scene, according to Palestinian media reports and video footage circulated on Tuesday. The footage, published on the digital platforms of the official Palestinian Voice of Palestine radio station, shows the Israeli settlers stealing crates of grapes from farmland and moving them onto a trailer attached to a vehicle. Voice of Palestine said the incident occurred in the Al-Buweira area, east of Hebron, and estimated that approximately 50 crates were taken. The footage also appears to show a four-wheel-drive vehicle leaving the area with the loaded trailer while Israeli security personnel are

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  US energy chief says Saudi pipeline operations to resume within days: Report

  by Marwa A on September 15, 2026

  Saudi Arabia’s key East-West crude oil pipeline is expected to resume operations “very soon,” US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told CNBC on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. “This will be a brief and temporary interruption,” said Wright. “It will be measured in days.” The pipeline was shut down late last week after it was damaged in a drone strike originating from Iraq. Wright said Iran-backed proxy groups carried out the attack. Riyadh has used the pipeline to redirect crude oil exports toward the Red Sea amid the US-Iran struggle for control of the Strait of Hormuz. While the pipeline remains offline, Saudi Arabia is rerouting some oil shipments through Hormuz with support from the US military, according to Wright. US crude oil

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  UN ‘deeply concerned’ over Yemen internal displacement amid escalating hostilities

  by Marwa A on September 15, 2026

  The UN on Tuesday expressed its deep concern over the situation in Yemen, as escalating hostilities have displaced more than 100,000 people and disrupted humanitarian operations, Anadolu reports. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a news conference that the UN’s relief chief Tom Fletcher “just released $9 million from the Central Emergency Relief Fund to provide urgent assistance to displaced families and to the communities receiving them.” Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), Dujarric said “the toll on civilians continues to grow, forcing families from their homes, killing and injuring those caught in the crossfire, and already stretched humanitarian operations are coming under growing pressure.” The UN Refugee Agency has warned that “rapidly escalating hostilities, especially on

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  Human Rights Watch, Amnesty urge EU to ban trade with Israeli settlements

  by Marwa A on September 15, 2026

  Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International called on the EU on Tuesday to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, urging European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to act on measures she proposed a year ago. In a joint statement ahead of von der Leyen’s annual State of the EU address, the groups said “almost none” of the measures she proposed last year had been adopted. They urged von der Leyen to revive her proposal to suspend the trade component of the EU-Israel Association Agreement and impose sanctions on Israeli officials and settlers, while also proposing an EU-wide ban on trade with Israeli settlements. The groups said the EU was “lagging behind” as an increasing

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  Germany’s Merz urges Iran not to carry conflict into Iraq, end Hormuz blockade

  by Marwa A on September 15, 2026

  German Chancellor Friedrich Merz urged Iran on Tuesday to stop its destabilizing activities in the region and to not extend the conflict into Iraq through its proxies, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a joint news conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi in Berlin, Merz said the two leaders discussed regional developments, including the impact of the US-Iran war and the Hormuz blockade. “Tehran’s support for proxies across the region must cease. We see the consequences each day; we also call on Iran not to carry the conflict further into Iraq,” Merz said. “Iran must finally end this blockade in the Strait of Hormuz; above all, it must halt its military nuclear program,” he stressed. Merz said Berlin backs the Iraqi

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  Longtime Palestine advocate Liam Cunningham criticises Ed Sheeran over Macklemore’s removal from tour

  by Marwa A on September 15, 2026

  Irish actor and longtime Palestine advocate Liam Cunningham criticised Ed Sheeran after rapper Macklemore was removed from the remaining US dates of the British singer’s Loop Tour, Anadolu reports. “We know who Ed Sheeran is now,” the Game of Thrones star, wrote on X. In a subsequent post that did not mention Sheeran by name, Cunningham rejected claims of neutrality over Israel’s war on Gaza. “If you find yourself saying ‘I’m not taking sides’ during a genocide, you are. You most definitely are,” he wrote. The posts were the latest expression of Cunningham’s long-standing support for Palestinians. The actor said in April 2024 that he had participated in Palestine solidarity campaigns for “30 to 40 years” and criticised public figures

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  Israeli fire kills 4 Palestinians, injures others in latest Gaza ceasefire violations

  by Marwa A on September 15, 2026

  Four Palestinians were killed and several others injured in separate Israeli attacks across the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, in the latest violations of an ongoing ceasefire agreement, medics said, Anadolu reports. A medical source told Anadolu that two Palestinians were killed in a double Israeli strike on the Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in northwestern Gaza City. Several other people, including a child, were injured in the attack. Eyewitnesses said an Israeli drone struck a gathering of civilians in Sheikh Radwan, before carrying out a second strike targeting civilians who had rushed to rescue those wounded in the first attack. Another medical source said that a 65-year-old man was killed by Israeli gunfire targeting a camp sheltering displaced people east of Jabalia