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

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  US Sen. Bernie Sanders says Israel ‘did not have the right to commit genocide’ in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  US Senator Bernie Sanders on Monday said that Israel “did not have the right to commit genocide,” in Gaza, saying that Tel Aviv “should not get one nickel more from U.S. taxpayers,” Anadolu reports. Sepaking at an event in Minnesota, Sanders criticized Israel’s brutal war on the Gaza Strip, saying that the administration of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “did not have the right to wage an all-out war against the Palestinian people.” “It did not have the right to kill more than 73,000 Palestinians, mostly women, children, and the elderly. Did not have the right to injure 173,000 people. READ: Further revelations expose $100m behind Israel’s frantic bid to win back US opinion “It did not have the right to destroy virtually

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  Israel issues military order to seize 5.2 dunams of Palestinian land in occupied East Jerusalem

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  Israeli authorities issued a military order to temporarily seize 5,283 square meters (5.28 dunams) of land in the town of Jaba, north of occupied East Jerusalem, in an attempt to impose new facts on the ground, the Jerusalem Governorate said on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the governorate said the order covers a 725-meter-long plot in the areas of Al-Muntar, Ras al-Marj and Shaab al-Ghuzoul in Jaba, and will remain in effect until Dec. 31, 2028. It said the Israeli order was part of a plan to build a settlement road extending from Route 60 near the Jaba checkpoint to the separation wall near the illegal Neve Yaakov settlement. “Israeli seizure orders are used to impose new facts on

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  Bab el-Mandeb and the coming age of chokepoint warfare

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  The waters of the Bab el-Mandeb are running red with the blood of a failing international order. For the first time in modern history, two of the world’s most vital maritime chokepoints—the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb—are under simultaneous, sustained assault. This is not merely a crisis; this is the unravelling of the post-war maritime consensus, and the world is watching with paralysis as a new form of warfare exposes the hollow core of our strategic doctrines. Consider the mathematics of catastrophe. Before the conflict, roughly 20 million barrels of oil and petroleum products passed through the Strait of Hormuz each day—equivalent to one-fifth of global consumption. The Bab el-Mandeb carried another 9.3 million barrels per day in

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  Further revelations expose $100m behind Israel’s frantic bid to win back US opinion

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  Further revelations have emerged about the millions fuelling Israel’s frantic battle to win back US public opinion. They follow reports that Israeli officials were furious after a multimillion-dollar influence campaign failed to halt the collapse in support for Israel among young American conservatives. According to an investigation by Haaretz, Israel has committed roughly $100 million to overseas campaigns aimed at improving its image and shaping perceptions of its genocide in Gaza and war on Iran since 7 October 2023. The report uncovered government procurement documents and filings submitted under the US Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) which reveal an extensive network of digital advertising campaigns, public relations firms, influencers and civil society organisations. Despite the unprecedented investment, polling shows that

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  Israeli forces open fire near Lebanese army forces deploying in southern Lebanon, military says

  by Marwa A on July 21, 2026

  Israeli forces opened fire Tuesday near Lebanese army forces as they deployed in the southern town of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, the military said, warning that the incident could undermine the implementation of a pilot deployment under a US-mediated framework agreement with Israel, Anadolu reports. A Lebanese military statement said that army units came under fire while carrying out a deployment operation in the town. No casualties were immediately reported. The army said the attack “could hinder the implementation of deployment steps in the pilot zones” being carried out through coordination with the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon (MCG4L). Established last June under the framework agreement, the group is a joint tripartite committee comprising the US, Israel, and Lebanon. Earlier Tuesday, the

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  The road to normalising colonial expansion in Gaza

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  Normalising genocide was a way to normalise colonial expansion in Gaza. Only three weeks after Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich revealed plans for three Israeli settlements, the Nachala settler group organised a march last Sunday, in which settlers and ministers, including Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, Economy Minister Nir Barakat and other Likud politicians, marched to a closed military zone, bypassing the Israeli military’s roadblocks to reach the border with Gaza. The call was for rebuilding the former settlements of Elei Sinai, Dugit and Nisanit which were evacuated in 2005 under the Disengagement Plan by then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz is pushing for the establishment of three Nahal outposts in Gaza, which historically

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  Netherlands to ban imports from illegal Israeli settlements starting in September

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  The Netherlands will begin enforcing a ban on imports from illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories on Sept. 22, Foreign Minister Tom Berendsen told parliament on Tuesday, Anadolu reports. Companies trying to bypass the restrictions will also face prosecution as of that date, according to Dutch broadcaster RTL Nieuws. The Dutch government considers the settlements in the occupied territories to be in violation of international law and says the measure is intended to prevent trade from contributing to their continued existence. Imports from the settlements consist mainly of agricultural products, including avocados, dates, oranges, grapes and fresh herbs. The measure will also cover products from the occupied Golan Heights, a region known for wine production. Annual trade involving the

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  Miliband comes under fire after poor start fails to break with Starmer’s Gaza policy

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  Britain’s new foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, has come under fire for pledging to defend international law while describing Russia’s war in Ukraine as “illegal” but referring only to “conflict in the Middle East”, without condemning Israel’s genocide in Gaza. New Prime Minister Andy Burnham appointed Miliband yesterday, replacing Yvette Cooper at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Miliband previously served as energy secretary under Keir Starmer’s government.   In a statement following his appointment, Miliband promised to defend Britain’s “values of democracy, freedom and the rule of law on the world stage”. However, critics highlighted the striking difference in the language he used to describe Russia and Israel. “From Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine to conflict in the Middle East,” Miliband

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  Beyond the Strait of Hormuz: Refining Capacity and Product-Market Vulnerability

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  The recent disruption in the Middle East, including the closure and uneven reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, has exposed a shift in the global energy system’s principal vulnerability. Initial concern focused on whether enough crude oil could reach the market. Yet crude flows have recovered faster than supplies of gasoline, diesel, jet fuel and other products. Strategic petroleum reserve releases, softer Chinese demand and alternative export routes have helped cushion the crude market, but they cannot substitute for operational refineries. The central constraint is therefore no longer simply the availability of crude; it is the capacity to process the right grades of crude into usable fuels and deliver them to consumers. That distinction defines the current global market imbalance.

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  Israeli strike wipes out entire Palestinian family of 6 in Gaza despite ceasefire

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  An entire Palestinian family of six was killed at dawn on Tuesday after Israeli forces bombed their house in Gaza City despite an ongoing ceasefire, the official news agency Wafa reported. They were killed on Al-Thalathini Street amid continued violations of the ceasefire in place since Oct. 10, 2025. The Palestinian Red Crescent said its teams initially recovered the bodies of a mother and her four children after an Israeli strike targeting an apartment in the Al-Samer area. A medical source said the children killed in the attack were aged between 6 and 13. ​​​​​​​According to the source, the bodies of the victims arrived at the Al-Shifa Hospital burned. Their father was later confirmed dead in the same attack. READ: Oscar-winning

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  The Anti-Klan Law Comes for Trump’s Israel Lobby | Palestine This Week

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  In this episode, we examine Trump’s drastically reduced Gaza recovery plan, growing criticism within Hamas over the consequences of 7 October and Israel’s covert efforts to downplay the scale of death, starvation and destruction in Gaza. We also discuss the failure of a major pro-Israel influence campaign in the US, rising congressional resistance to military aid, Mahmoud Abbas’s proposed Palestinian elections, legal challenges to US sanctions on the International Criminal Court and Mahmoud Khalil’s case against Trump administration officials and pro-Israel groups. The episode also explores Palestinian claims to ownership of land designated for a new US embassy in Jerusalem, reports that Trump urged Israel to withdraw from Syria and Lebanon and FIFA corruption.   WATCH: ‘Israel Loses Europe and America,

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  Gaza’s honey industry faces collapse under Israel’s genocide

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  Gaza’s beekeeping sector is facing the risk of collapse as Israel’s genocidal war has destroyed apiaries, wiped out vegetation and prevented beekeepers from reaching key grazing areas in the eastern Gaza Strip. According to 2025 data from the Cooperative Society of Beekeepers in Gaza, the honey production and beekeeping sector has suffered losses estimated at around $39 million since October 2023. The society said nearly 30,000 beehives were destroyed. Before the war, those hives supplied Gaza’s local market with around 380 to 400 tons of honey annually. The damage also affected livelihoods across the sector, with Israel destroying more than 85% of vegetation and forest grazing areas, leaving more than 6,000 workers without jobs and harming the income of 905

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  A History of Modern Syria

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  ‘We have much to learn from Syria, this nation that ‘belongs to All,’ writes historian Daniel Neep in his latest book A History of Modern Syria. A whirlwind adventure that takes us from the 19th century, when Syria was first conceived as a distinct national entity, to 2024 when Ahmed Al-Sharaa takes power in the Mediterranean country. The book offers intricate insight into the making, unmaking and remaking of Syria over the last two centuries. It challenges popular narratives that view Syria as merely the product of a European colonial fantasy and forces us to see the Levantine nation as a product of Syrians themselves. What makes Neep’s book distinct is that he does not look at Syrian politics solely

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  Sudan rejects US sanctions over chemical weapons allegations

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  Sudan has rejected new US sanctions imposed over allegations that its armed forces used chemical weapons, describing the measures as based on “false allegations” and politically motivated. In a statement issued on Sunday, Sudan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it “categorically rejects the unilateral and illegal sanctions imposed by the United States against Sudan, based on false allegations of the Sudanese Armed Forces’ use of chemical weapons.” The ministry called on the United States to present the evidence supporting its accusations and reaffirmed Sudan’s commitment to relevant international agreements, including continued cooperation with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). READ: Sudan’s Burhan discusses stability with African intelligence delegation According to the statement, Khartoum has denied the allegations since

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  Iran issues new warnings against US and countries supporting its military operations

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  Iran intensified its rhetoric against the United States on Monday, warning that countries providing military support to Washington could face consequences and threatening to disrupt navigation through the Strait of Hormuz if it is used to transport military equipment intended for use against Iran. In a statement, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it would continue to defend Iran by relying on its own capabilities, adding that the country’s future would not depend on what it described as “the promises of enemies” but on “resistance, vigilance, and self-reliance.” According to the statement, the IRGC also reaffirmed its determination to confront the United States, saying it would “teach the United States an unforgettable lesson” and prevent what it described as

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  Iranian official says mediators proposed 10-day ceasefire to revive US agreement

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  A senior Iranian official told Reuters on Monday that mediators had presented Tehran with a proposal for a 10-day ceasefire aimed at reducing tensions with the United States and creating an opportunity to revive the interim agreement reached between the two sides last month. The proposal comes amid an intensifying military confrontation between Washington and Tehran, marked by continued US strikes and expanding Iranian retaliatory attacks. According to CNN, the escalation has raised questions within Washington over the objectives of US President Donald Trump’s military campaign and how the conflict might be brought to an end. The broadcaster also reported that the US administration faces growing military and political challenges, including continued Iranian threats to shipping through the Strait of

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  Malaysia investigates alleged Israeli involvement in Johor technology project

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  Malaysian authorities are investigating allegations of Israeli involvement in a private technology community in the southern state of Johor, as Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim reiterated that Malaysia does not recognise Israel and would deport Israeli nationals found to be in the country in violation of its immigration rules. According to local media reports, Anwar said, “If we find any Israeli, they will be deported immediately because we do not recognise Israel.” His comments came as the Ministry of Home Affairs investigates allegations involving Network School, a community for digital professionals founded by former Coinbase Chief Technology Officer Balaji Srinivasan. The investigation follows social media claims that some participants in the project hold dual Israeli and other nationalities and entered Malaysia

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  Hamas Says Khalil al-Hayya received congratulatory call from PA vice president

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  Hamas said on Monday that Khalil al-Hayya, head of the group’s political bureau, received a phone call from Hussein al-Sheikh, Vice President of the State of Palestine, congratulating him on assuming the movement’s leadership. In a statement, Hamas said al-Sheikh wished al-Hayya success in his new role. According to the statement, al-Hayya said he remains committed to serving the Palestinian people and their cause, upholding what he described as the movement’s fundamental principles, and working to protect Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, and elsewhere. The statement added that al-Hayya expressed his commitment to cooperating with Palestinian political leaders in pursuit of Palestinian unity in the face of what he described as challenges confronting the Palestinian people and

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  Israeli activists demand release of detained Gaza hospital director

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  Israeli activists rallied outside a US diplomatic compound in Jerusalem on Monday, demanding the release of detained Palestinian doctor Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza, while urging Washington to stop arming Israel. The protest, organized by the anti-occupation Israeli group Free Jerusalem, also called for an end to Israel’s war on Gaza and the abuse of Palestinian detainees. Demonstrators held banners demanding Abu Safiya’s release and chanted in support of the Palestinian doctor while beating drums. Other signs urged the US to end military support for Israel. Louis Frankenthal, one of the protesters, told Anadolu Agency that Abu Safiya’s detention was “illegal” and that the doctor has been subjected to torture, starvation and conditions

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  Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Richard Dalton: Can the US and Iran Avoid a Major War?

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  WATCH: Podcast by Jasim Al-Azzawi with Gideon Levy: A War Council, Elections Fever, or Mending Relations?

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  Iran says Hormuz remains closed, warns of ‘major military operation’

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said two tankers caught fire after explosions while attempting to pass through what it described as an unsafe route south of the Strait of Hormuz. In a statement carried by Iranian media, the IRGC said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed “as long as US hostile actions in the region continue”. The statement also claimed that US equipment and military assets had been destroyed in the Muharraq and Riffa areas of Bahrain. It added that the attacks on US military assets in Bahrain were intended to “pave the way for the upcoming major operation”. The IRGC further claimed that drone attacks had destroyed US military equipment and facilities in Kuwait. READ: Hebrew media: Trump

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  Hebrew media: Trump considering wide-ranging military plan against Iran

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  US President Donald Trump is considering a plan for a large-scale military operation against Iran that could destabilise the government in Tehran, according to Israel’s public broadcaster. The broadcaster said the proposed military action would involve a major expansion of the current operation. It added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is among those pushing for such a scenario. Citing a source familiar with the matter, the broadcaster said Qatar, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are pressing for a 10-day ceasefire to revive the memorandum of understanding previously signed between the United States and Iran. Earlier on Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Tehran had received proposals aimed at reducing tensions and that they were under review. Trump had

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  Saudi-led coalition says it will respond firmly to Houthi threats

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  The Saudi-led coalition said on Monday it would respond “firmly and forcefully” to recent threats by the Houthi movement, in its first official reaction after the Iran-aligned group announced a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia. The statement was issued by Major General Turki Al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen. Al-Maliki said the coalition had begun measures to protect its vessels transiting the Bab al-Mandab Strait, adding that any Houthi threats against passing ships would be met “firmly and forcefully”. He said the Houthi threats violate international law and falls under act of maritime piracy. Al-Maliki added that the measures taken by the coalition were in line with international law and the

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  Hamas condemns Israeli strikes on displaced people’s tents in Gaza, calls for urgent international action

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  Hamas has condemned Israeli air strikes carried out across the Gaza Strip on Monday, saying they form part of what it described as Israel’s ongoing “genocide” against Palestinians. In a press statement received by Quds Press, the group said the strikes targeted tents sheltering displaced people and civilian homes in different parts of the enclave, killing seven Palestinians and injuring several others. It described the attacks as a “systematic assault” and a flagrant violation of international law and humanitarian norms. Hamas said the attacks would only strengthen the Palestinian people’s determination to remain on their land, defend their rights, and uphold what it called their right to life, freedom and dignity. It added that the strikes would not succeed in

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  Oscar-winning Javier Bardem says Gaza war has changed global views on Palestine

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  Oscar-winning Spanish actor Javier Bardem has said growing global support for Palestine is a direct result of what he described as Israel’s “genocide” in the Gaza Strip, adding that the situation is clear to anyone with “the minimum amount of common sense”. Speaking to journalist Mehdi Hasan on the Zeteo platform, Bardem said: “There is no justification for killing innocent civilians anywhere in the world, but what Israel has been doing for years is a documented genocide.” Asked about the shift in global public opinion, particularly in the United States where recent polls have shown rising support for Palestine even among people with little interest in politics or sport, Bardem said he had been surprised by the change but welcomed

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  El-Sisi pushes ahead with Egypt’s militarisation

  by Mehdi Editor on July 21, 2026

  The militarisation of the Egyptian state has accelerated significantly under President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who came to power through a military coup that marked its 13th anniversary earlier this month. In a systematic process, military officers continue to be appointed to ministerial positions, generals are gaining greater influence over provincial governors’ appointments, the army-affiliated Mostaqbal Misr (Future of Egypt) Agency is being granted sweeping economic powers, and the appointment of judges, imams, teachers and civil servants is increasingly tied to prior approval from the Egyptian Military Academy. El-Sisi ousted the country’s first democratically elected civilian president, the late Mohamed Morsi, on 3rd July 2013. Since then, he has steadily accelerated efforts to embed the military throughout the institutions of government

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  Mamdani says ICC warrant against Netanyahu should be ‘taken seriously’

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said Monday that the International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should be “taken seriously,” hours US President Donald Trump said Netanyahu would not face arrest in the US, Anadolu reports. Speaking at a press conference, Mamdani said Netanyahu is “the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant” over alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes. “We’re speaking about someone who’s the subject of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant. And he’s the subject of this arrest warrant for alleged crimes against humanity, for war crimes, and he’s the architect of the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza as Israel’s prime minister,” Mamdani said. He added that his remarks

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  Air France extends Beirut flight suspension, halts service to Saudi capital Riyadh, Dubai

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  Air France said on Monday it is extending the suspension of its flights to and from Beirut, Lebanon, until Aug. 2 and temporarily halting services to the Saudi capital Riyadh as well as Dubai due to the security situation in the Near and Middle East, Anadolu reports. “The resumption of operations will remain subject to an assessment of the security situation locally, which is rapidly evolving,” the airline said in a statement, referring to ongoing hostilities between the US and Iran, also affecting other countries in the region. Air France said flights to and from Riyadh will remain suspended until July 24 (July 25 for departures from Riyadh), while flights to and from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates will

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  Pilot zone operations begin in 3 southern Lebanon villages: US State Department

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  The US State Department announced on Monday the start of pilot zone operations in the Lebanese villages of Froun, Srifa, and Zawtar Al-Gharbiya under a trilateral framework with Israel and Lebanon, Anadolu reports. “This milestone is a direct outcome of last week’s discussions between Israel and Lebanon in Rome,” spokesperson Tommy Pigott said in a statement. The initiative is managed by the Military Coordination Group for Lebanon, he added. “The United States will continue working closely with both parties to implement the Framework to a successful conclusion,” said Pigott. The Lebanese army, for its part, said its military units continue to carry out their missions in southern Lebanon, including the villages of Froun and Srifa. “In parallel, coordination is underway

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  France calls for ‘end to EU imports of products from illegal settlements’

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  France is calling for the EU to stop importing products from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said on Monday, Anadolu Agency reports. “France calls for the end of imports of products from illegal settlements into the European Union,” Barrot said during a joint press conference with Icelandic Foreign Minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir in Reykjavik. “France and Europe cannot accept that Europe, through its trade, supports illegal activities that compromise the possibility of peace between Israel and Palestine,” he added. READ: West Bank killings show Israel’s encouragement of ‘ethnic cleansing’ against Palestinians, Israeli rights group says Barrot made the remarks while outlining France’s position on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during his visit to Iceland. He also

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  UN warns over ‘escalating’ Israeli occupier attacks against Palestinians in West Bank

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  The UN on Monday warned against the “escalating” Israeli occupiers’ attacks on Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank, saying the violence has continued to cause casualties, property damage and displacement, Anadolu reports. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, during a news conference, said that “we are warning against escalating Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians as they continue to cause casualties, property damage, and displacement.” He said the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) personnel on the ground have “documented an attack in which two Palestinians were killed, and others injured” in the occupied West Bank on Saturday. READ: West Bank killings show Israel’s encouragement of ‘ethnic cleansing’ against Palestinians, Israeli rights group says He stressed that “the Palestinians across the

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  Israel killed 8 Palestinian journalists, committed 467 media violations in 1st half of 2026: Press union

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  Israel killed eight Palestinian journalists and committed 467 violations against media workers in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip in the first half of 2026, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate said Monday, Anadolu reports. The findings were presented by Mohammed al-Lahham, head of the syndicate’s Freedoms Committee, during a news conference in the West Bank city of Ramallah on media freedoms in the occupied Palestinian territories. Lahham said the report documented “467 crimes and violations” committed by the Israeli army and occupiers against journalists and other media workers between January and June. More than 41% of the violations involved preventing media coverage or detaining press crews, with 192 cases recorded, he said, describing the incidents as reflecting “a systematic

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  US to boost military aircraft presence in Mideast amid tensions with Iran: Report

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  The US is planning to increase the number of military aircraft deployed in the Middle East amid escalating tensions and exchanges of fire with Iran, CNN reported Monday. Washington is considering sending additional F-16 and F-35 fighter jets from bases in Europe, as well as additional aerial refueling tankers, a US official reportedly said. The report came as the US continued to carry out airstrikes against Iran, with the attacks largely focused on southern Iran. Tehran retaliated with strikes targeting facilities and bases that it says are used by the US military in several regional countries. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The exchange of fire between the two countries comes despite a Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding signed in June to end the war and reach

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  ‘Couldn’t find a hotel to stay’: Roger Waters says pro-Israel pressure campaign seeks to silence Israel’s critics

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has accused pro-Israel lobbying groups of orchestrating an international campaign to silence him over his outspoken criticism of Israel and its actions against Palestinians in Gaza, Anadolu reports. Speaking in an interview with Tucker Carlson released Friday, Waters said he had been denied hotel accommodation in several South American countries during his 2023 tour. “I couldn’t find a hotel to stay anywhere in Buenos Aires or in Colombia or in Ecuador,” Waters said, adding that he also encountered difficulties in Montevideo, Uruguay. He said his team was eventually able to secure accommodation for one night in Quito, Ecuador, but claimed the hotel had to conceal his presence. Waters attributed the incidents to what he described

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  West Bank killings show Israel’s encouragement of ‘ethnic cleansing’ against Palestinians, Israeli rights group says

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  Israeli rights group B’Tselem said Monday that the killing of two Palestinians in the village of Deir Jarir in the occupied West Bank was “an example of how Israel encourages ethnic cleansing” against Palestinians, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the group said Israeli occupiers, soldiers, and police carried out a joint raid on the village, near Ramallah, on Sunday night, with soldiers shooting dead Ahmad Abu Mukh, 26, and Odeh Farajna, 53, and injuring three others. One of the wounded remains hospitalized in serious condition, it added. The group said Israeli forces accompanied the occupiers during the raid and helped them steal dozens of sheep. B’Tselem also published footage taken from an ambulance camera documenting the moment Abu Mukh was

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  Bulgaria to seek parliamentary approval for deployment of US refueling aircraft at air base

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  Bulgaria’s government will ask parliament to approve the deployment of up to eight US aerial refueling aircraft at Bezmer Air Base following a request from Washington to support operations in the Middle East, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said Monday, Anadolu reports. Speaking at the opening of the annual conference of Bulgarian ambassadors in Sofia, Radev said the US Embassy submitted a diplomatic note on June 17 requesting the deployment under the 2006 Defense Cooperation Agreement between Bulgaria and the United States, according to BTA news agency. The Council of Ministers is expected to approve a proposal later Monday to submit the request to the National Assembly for authorization, he said. Radev noted that although Bezmer Air Base is a joint-use

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  Iran’s IRGC says it attacked US military facilities in Bahrain, Kuwait

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Monday that it had carried out “simultaneous” missile and drone attacks against US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, Anadolu reports. In a statement carried by the semi-official Fars News Agency, the IRGC Navy said the first attack targeted “drone maintenance and repair hangars used by US units at Al-Sakhir Air Base in Bahrain, destroying the facilities.” The IRGC said it also struck “preparation hangars for Task Force 59 (TF59) vessels at Salman Port in Bahrain, destroying the structures and causing heavy damage to the vessels.” ​​​​​​​In Kuwait, the Iranian force said it “targeted and set ablaze the facilities used to station, support, and equip US special naval commando forces at Camp Arifjan,

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  Israeli minister calls for settlement building in Gaza, claims enclave ‘part of Israel’

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  Israeli Settlement Minister Orit Strock called on Monday for rebuilding settlements in the Gaza Strip, claiming the enclave is “part of the Land of Israel.” “Jews should live in the Gaza Strip. The demand to rebuild Jewish settlements is a correct demand,” Strock said in comments carried by Israel’s public broadcaster KAN. “Gaza is part of Israel not only according to the Torah and Halakha, but also according to international law,” she claimed. International law considers Gaza part of the occupied Palestinian territory and says Israeli settlements in occupied land have no legal validity and violate international law and UN resolutions. Strock’s remarks came a day after Israeli government ministers joined thousands of occupiers in a march through a closed

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  Yemen’s Houthis declare ‘maritime blockade’ on Saudi Arabia

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  Yemen’s Houthi group on Monday declared “a maritime blockade” on Saudi Arabia effective immediately, Anadolu reports. Military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a televised statement on the group’s Al-Masirah television that a ban on Saudi-linked maritime navigation “has entered into force from the moment of issuing this statement.” Saree warned that any Saudi escalation would be met with what he called a “comprehensive and severe escalation.” There was no immediate Saudi comment on the Houthi announcement. ​​​​​​​Last week, the Houthi group accused Saudi Arabia of carrying out an airstrike on the Sanaa airport and launched missiles toward Saudi territory, breaking years of calm. While Riyadh did not comment on the Houthi accusation, Yemen’s internationally recognized government claimed responsibility for the

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  Trump warns Iran it will pay ‘many times over’ for any US troops killed

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Monday that Iran will pay “many times over” for any American troops killed amid ongoing hostilities in the Middle East, Anadolu reports. “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. This directive has been passed on to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Daniel Caine, and “every Leader in the Military,” Trump added. The statement came as the US continued to carry out airstrikes against Iran, with the attacks largely focused on southern Iran. Tehran retaliated with strikes targeting facilities and bases that it says are used by the US military in several regional countries. The Pentagon

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  Hamas names Khalil al-Hayya as head of its political bureau

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  Palestinian group Hamas on Monday named senior member Khalil al-Hayya as head of its political bureau, succeeding Yahya Sinwar who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in October 2024, Anadolu reports. A brief statement by the group said Hayya had been “elected head of the movement’s political bureau,” succeeding Sinwar. Hayya is one of Hamas’ most prominent figures. He took over leadership of the movement in Gaza in October 2024 after Israel killed Sinwar, and had served as Sinwar’s deputy prior to that. His profile rose further following a series of Israeli assassinations targeting Hamas’ top leadership, including former political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh and deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri, making him widely viewed as the leading candidate to head

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  Iran’s president calls for ‘unity, collective decision-making’ amid escalation with US

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Monday that Iran needs “unity, collective decision-making and coordination among all state institutions” amid military escalation with the US. “The government would use all available capacities to reform unjust structures and continue serving the people,” Pezeshkian said in statements carried by the semi-official ISNA news agency. “The most important battlefield today is the economy and people’s livelihoods,” he said. “Iran’s enemies are trying through different means to block the country’s path to progress.” On the Pakistan-mediated memorandum of understanding signed with the US last month, Pezeshkian said Iran “had not retreated from its rights, principles, national interests, or beliefs in any of the 14 points” of the document. “Tehran had made no concessions against

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  ‘Jewish terrorism’ in West Bank ‘threatens everyone’s security,’ Israeli commander warns

  by Mehdi Editor on July 20, 2026

  A senior Israeli army commander has warned of the growing danger of occupier attacks against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, saying “Jewish terrorism threatens everyone’s security.” Speaking during a closed conference last week, Central Command chief Avi Blot strongly criticized illegal settlement outposts and violence by Jewish youth in the West Bank, warning that they represent “a dangerous phenomenon that threatens the security of all,” the public broadcaster KAN reported late Sunday. Speaking about Israeli occupiers carrying out attacks against Palestinians, Blot said some were young people “who do not respect the law,” while others take the law into their own hands or reject the authority of official state institutions. He also pointed to occupiers establishing outposts in areas

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  UK Consulate in Jerusalem X account suspended after highlighting Israel’s abuse of Palestinian detainees

  by Marwa A on July 20, 2026

  The official X account of the British Consulate General in Jerusalem has been suspended after it published a joint diplomatic statement raising alarm over Israel’s treatment of Palestinian detainees. Visitors to the @UKinJerusalem account are now met with a notice reading, “Account suspended.” X states only that it suspends accounts which violate its rules, but the platform has not publicly identified the rule allegedly breached or the content that prompted its action. Yesterday the consulate published a four-part thread carrying a joint statement from 14 diplomatic missions, including the UK, Canada, the European Union and several European countries. “Over 9,000 Palestinians are detained in Israeli prisons, including thousands held without charge or trial,” the missions warned, highlighting Israel’s extensive use

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  The UK has a new prime minister, now it must act on Palestine

  by Marwa A on July 20, 2026

  Britain has a new Prime Minister at a moment when history is demanding more than carefully worded statements. As Andy Burnham enters Downing Street, he inherits a foreign policy crisis that has exposed deep divisions over Britain’s commitment to human rights, international law and the protection of civilian life: Israel’s devastating assault on Gaza. For Palestinians, this is not an abstract diplomatic dispute. It is a humanitarian catastrophe that has claimed tens of thousands of lives, displaced entire communities and reduced much of Gaza’s civilian infrastructure to ruins. Many human rights experts, legal scholars and international organisations have warned that Israel’s actions may amount to genocide, with the International Court of Justice currently examining allegations brought by South Africa under

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  Eleven children are dead in Algeria, where is the outrage?

  by Marwa A on July 20, 2026

  In a tragic event on the night of 16 July, a fire tore through an orphanage in Algeria, burning 11 children to death and injuring 19 others, who now lie in critical care. This raises the question: where is the public rage, in Algeria or in the neighbouring countries? Where are the protests demanding to know why such a horrific accident happened at all. Did the building have sirens, a working fire alarm system, any fire protocol in place? Were children trapped behind steel bars, in scenes closer to a jail than a home meant to shelter them? Why do Arab governments remain so inefficient, even insufficient, at keeping their own citizens’ lives protected? The Childhood Relief Institution, Mouassasat al-Tufula

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  The Normandy logic behind Trump’s escalation against Iran

  by Marwa A on July 20, 2026

  The latest U.S. operations against Iran’s coastal regions, now extending through eight consecutive nights of strikes, follow a nearly forty-day conflict earlier this year and the collapse of a fragile diplomatic framework. The Trump administration initially presented that war as a swift and decisive success. Yet Washington did not convert battlefield gains into a durable political outcome. Iran retained substantial leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, and the fourteen-point Tehran-Washington memorandum of understanding failed to establish the balance Washington had expected. The gap between military claims and political results soon generated pressure at home. The agreement drew sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers and conservative commentators, pro-Israel groups, and hawkish politicians. That backlash did not alone determine the administration’s next move,

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  Indonesia’s decision to deport a Palestinian activist is a moral failure

  by Marwa A on July 20, 2026

  On July 16, Indonesian authorities arrested a Palestinian activist named Abdul Karim Raed Miqdad. By the next morning he was on a plane to Cyprus. Human rights monitors now warn he could end up in Israeli custody. Indonesia can probably point to paperwork that justifies each step along the way. None of it amounts to a moral defense. If Mr. Miqdad ends up in Israeli hands, Jakarta will have handed over a man who spent his life protesting Israeli policy to the very state that policy serves. Indonesia usually presents itself as the largest Muslim-majority democracy on earth, a longtime supporter of the Palestinian cause, a country whose constitution rejects colonialism “in any form whatsoever.” That image took a hit

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  Zero hour in Baghdad

  by Marwa A on July 20, 2026

  Something has detonated in Baghdad. Not a missile. A quieter blast, felt in bank vaults and cabinet rooms. Its radius may prove wider than any single strike this region has absorbed in twenty years. At the center sits one date: 30th September. By then, every militia must disband and surrender its weapons to the state. By then, too, American combat troops are due to leave — everywhere except Erbil, the one piece of ground Washington will not give up. Iraq’s oil, its banks, its courts, and its sectarian compact are all being rewritten at once, under a man most Iraqis had never heard of eighteen months ago. The envoy who outranks the prime minister Ali al-Zaidi is the prime minister.

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  The rise of energy finance diplomacy

  by Marwa A on July 20, 2026

  Solar panels, wind turbines, batteries and hydrogen technologies are advancing rapidly. But deploying them at scale requires enormous amounts of capital—not only for power generation, but also for electricity grids, storage facilities, ports and critical mineral supply chains. The scale of the challenge is already visible. The International Energy Agency estimated that global energy investment would reach $3.3 trillion in 2025, with about $2.2 trillion directed towards clean technologies. Yet investment remains heavily concentrated in advanced economies and China, while many emerging and developing countries face high borrowing costs and limited access to long-term finance. The IEA estimates that annual clean-energy investment in emerging and developing economies will need to more than triple by the early 2030s. This is changing