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

• 
  Smotrich rejects mixed-gender service in army as soldiers’ mothers call for his dismissal

  by MI on February 17, 2026

  Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has said he opposes men and women serving together in the army. His remarks were condemned by the group Awake Mother, which represents mothers of female soldiers, who described the remarks as “dangerous” and demanded for him to be removed from office at once. The remarks were made on Monday during a meeting of the parliamentary group of the Religious Zionism party, led by Smotrich, according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. During the meeting, Smotrich said: “I will make an effort to educate my daughter not to enlist in the army, because the Chief Rabbinate opposes it.” He added: “This is a world of values that is thousands of years old. I hope the great

• 
  Hamas rejects reported deadline to hand over weapons in Gaza

  by MI on February 17, 2026

  Hamas has announced its complete rejection of the deadline indicated by Israeli media, which gives Hamas 60 days to surrender all its weapons, including individual weapons. Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Mardawi told Al Jazeera on Monday that the group had not been formally informed of any such decision. He said the statements attributed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli media were “mere threats with no basis in the ongoing negotiations”. Mardawi added that Israeli occupation policies in the West Bank and Jerusalem amount to what he described as a religious war, not just a military occupation. He referred to control over religious sites such as Rachel’s Tomb and the Ibrahimi Mosque, as well as what he called displacement

• 
  Only 29% compliance with Rafah crossing reopening amid Israeli restrictions

  by MI on February 17, 2026

  Only 29 per cent compliance was recorded in the reopening of Rafah crossing since the start of the month due to strict Israeli restrictions, the Gaza government media office said on Monday.    In a statement, the office said that 811 people were able to travel in and out through the Rafah land crossing between 2 and 15 February, out of a total of 2,800 applicants, reflecting what it described as Israeli compliance of around 29 per cent. Israel reopened the Palestinian side of the crossing on 2nd February on a very limited basis and under strict restrictions. The crossing has been under Israeli control since May 2024. According to the statement, 455 travellers were allowed to leave Gaza, while 456 people

• 
  Freedom does not arrive on a cruise missile

  by MI on February 17, 2026

  When Reza Pahlavi spoke on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference this week, he did not simply criticise the Islamic Republic. He urged United States officials to embrace something far more consequential: “military intervention” against Iran, framed as a humanitarian shortcut. In an interview with Reuters, he argued that an American “attack could weaken [the government] or accelerate its fall”, adding that “intervention is a way to save lives.” For anyone writing about Iran, this moment matters precisely because it invites a principled refusal to slide into two familiar traps. The first trap blames Iran itself for the violence that foreign bombs always unleash. The second trap treats war as a neutral tool that “good people” can deploy for

• 
  PFB accuse British Museum of historical erasure

  by MI on February 17, 2026

  The Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB) on Monday wrote to the Board of Trustees of the British Museum expressing their profound concern of the Palestinian community in the UK and its absolute rejection of the museum’s recent measures to remove the name “Palestine” from historical materials and galleries related to the country’s heritage.  The PFB said, “We view this as a troubling act of historical erasure that contradicts the museum’s professional and ethical responsibilities.” The letter continued: “As one of the world’s leading cultural institutions, the British Museum carries a duty to present history with accuracy, integrity, and independence from political pressure. Reports indicate that these changes were made following complaints from a pro-Israel legal group, and that the museum

• 
  UN chief condemns Israel’s plan to register West Bank land as state property

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday condemned Israel’s decision to classify areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property”, Anadolu reports. “The Secretary-General condemns the Israeli government’s Feb. 15 decision to resume land registration procedures in Area C of the occupied West Bank, following a cabinet decision in May 2025,” said Guterres’ spokesperson Stephane Dujarric during a news conference, warning that the move could dispossess Palestinians of their property and expand Israeli control over land in the area. “Such measures, including Israel’s continued presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, are not only destabilizing but, as recalled by the International Court of Justice, unlawful,” Dujarric said. The statement came a day after the Israeli government approved a proposal to register

• 
  Irish republican party to boycott White House St Patrick’s Day events over Gaza

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Sinn Fein will not attend St Patrick’s Day events at the White House for a second consecutive year, with the party’s leadership citing the ongoing war in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis facing Palestinians, Anadolu reports. The party president, Mary Lou McDonald, confirmed the decision on social media on Monday, saying the situation in Gaza and the occupied West Bank had not improved since last year’s boycott. “The situation on the ground in Gaza and the West Bank remains dire. Israeli attacks on Gaza have not ended. The genocide continues,” she said. “It is important that Sinn Fein uses its voice to demand that international law is upheld and peace and justice prevail.” McDonald stressed that the party’s decision should

• 
  Lebanese parliament speaker calls for pressure on Israel to halt ceasefire violations

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri called Monday for international pressure on Israel to halt its repeated violations of the November 2024 ceasefire agreement, Anadolu reports. “Lebanon and the Lebanese people do not want war and will not accept the Israeli occupation of their land,” Berri said during a meeting in Beirut with German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. “We cannot succumb to these daily violations and attacks.” According to a statement issued by his office, Berri reiterated Lebanon’s full commitment to the ceasefire agreement with Israel. The statement said discussions between Berri and Steinmeier focused on developments in Lebanon and the region, as well as relations between Lebanon and Germany. The parliament speaker thanked the German president for his country’s support for

• 
  Israel bars Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque imam amid escalation

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Israeli authorities have barred the imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem from entering the site for one week, days before the start of the holy month of Ramadan, Anadolu reports. The Jerusalem Governorate said in a statement that Sheikh Muhammad Ali Abbasi was detained by Israeli forces and banned from entering the mosque compound for a week. It did not say why he was barred. The move comes amid Israeli escalation across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, including restrictions on the entry of worshippers and intensified incursions by illegal settlers into the flashpoint complex. Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar, is set to start this week. Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world’s third-holiest site for

• 
  28 killed, dozens injured in drone strike on Sudanese market in North Kordofan

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  At least 28 people were killed and dozens injured in a drone strike on a marketplace in the Al-Saffiya area of North Kordofan in southern Sudan, a local group said Monday, Anadolu reports. In a statement, the Emergency Lawyers group, which documents rights abuses, said drones hit a market northeast of the Sodari locality, noting that the toll is preliminary and may rise as the attack took place at a time when there were many people at the market, including women, children and elderly people. The group condemned the attack as a “serious violation of international humanitarian law” and undermine the principle of civilian protection during armed conflict. The statement warned that the repeated use of drones against populated areas

• 
  Over 1,000 sports people killed, 265 facilities destroyed in Israeli war on Gaza, official says

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  At least 1,007 Palestinians sports people were killed and 265 facilities destroyed during Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, the Palestinian Olympic Committee said Monday, Anadolu reports. Addressing a press conference, Asaad Al-Majdalawi, the committee’s vice president, said that 45 women were among the victims. He also reported damage to 265 sports facilities across the Gaza Strip, including 184 completely destroyed and 81 others partially damaged. “This destruction has deprived thousands of young people and adolescents of their right to train and practice sports,” he added. READ: Trump says Board of Peace members to pledge over $5B for Gaza reconstruction on Thursday Majdalawi said the losses extend beyond statistics to include psychological and social impacts as trauma

• 
  Israel gives 60-day ultimatum for Hamas to disarm, threatens to return to war

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Israel said Monday that it will give a 60-day ultimatum for the Palestinian group Hamas to disarm, threatening to resume war if the Palestinian group fails to comply, Anadolu reports. Hamas “will have to give up all of its weapons,” including rifles, Israeli Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs said during a conference in Jerusalem, as cited by The Times of Israel news portal. Fuchs claimed that the 60-day period was asked by the US administration. “We are respecting that,” he said. Without confirming when the ultimatum will exactly start, Fuchs said it might begin with the Feb. 19 meeting of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace. “We will evaluate it,” Fuchs said. “If it works, great. If not, then the

• 
  Germany is turning into ‘Little Israel’: Lies, smear campaigns, and Zionist propaganda

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Germany’s complicity in the boundless cruelty of the genocide in Gaza, its unconditional support for the ongoing Nakba in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, and its backing of Zionist wars of aggression against Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen and Iran have led to a dramatic collapse of political integrity among the country’s leadership — both in its international obligations and in its respect for its own citizens. Having made itself an accomplice of the Zionist regime, Germany’s highest representatives have adopted its “political” style, pursuing policies that lack decency and drift ever further from democratic ideals. Former German political leadership: Lies about a non-existing video In summer 2024 both former German foreign minister Annalena Baerbock and former German chancellor

• 
  Extremist Israeli minister ‘stepped on prisoners’ heads’ during Ofer Prison raid, rights group says

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir “stepped on prisoners’ heads” at Ofer Prison in the occupied West Bank last Friday, a Palestinian rights group said Monday, Anadolu reports. Video footage on social media showed Israeli forces raiding a section of Ofer Prison near Ramallah and suppressing inmates held there, accompanied by Ben-Gvir and Israeli media coverage. In a statement, the Palestinian Prisoner Society said the raid targeted “Section 26” and took place during the evening “count,” also known as the “security inspection.” The operation lasted about 15 minutes and involved police dogs and stun grenades, with extensive media presence. ​​​​​​​ According to the statement, Ben-Gvir remained in the section for about an hour and delivered remarks that included what

• 
  Gaza-based medical director rejects MSF claims on alleged misuse of Gaza hospitals

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Dr. Tariq Lubani, an emergency physician and medical director of Glia International, has rejected claims by Doctors Without Borders (MSF) alleging that hospitals in Gaza are being used in violation of international humanitarian law, saying the accusations do not reflect realities on the ground. Speaking from Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza, Lubani said he does not accept assessments suggesting that Palestinian groups are using medical facilities for non-civilian purposes. “I have been working in this hospital every day for the past month … I have been in Palestine many times before through war and in peace. I have not seen anything like what MSF has unsubstantiatedly accused the Palestinians of, and neither has anyone in our team. The Palestinians take

• 
  Palestinian Christians are persecuted by Israel, Marjorie Taylor Greene told in meeting

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  In another sign of growing concern over Israel’s treatment of Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land, former US congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has revealed that she held a meeting with Bethlehem’s mayor, Maher N Canawati, to discuss the persecution of Christians in the birthplace of Jesus, Gaza and the illegally occupied West Bank. “What is the Holy Land without Christians,” asked Greene on X drawing attention to Israel’s persecution of Palestinian Christians.   Today I had the honor of meeting with Maher N. Canawati, the Mayor of Bethlehem (the birthplace of Jesus), who is also a Christian. He told me about Christian persecution happening in Bethlehem and also in Gaza and the West Bank. Christians have been killed in the bombings

• 
  US’ Rubio says Iran deal ‘not easy,’ claims Tehran uses ‘pure theology’ in decision-making

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that reaching an agreement with Iran remains difficult due to the ideological leadership structure in Tehran but emphasized Washington’s willingness to pursue diplomacy, Anadolu reports. “Doing a deal with Iran is not easy,” Rubio said at a joint press conference with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban following high-level talks in Budapest that focused on strategic cooperation, energy, and geopolitical coordination. Iran is governed by “radical Shia clerics” who “make policy decisions on the basis of pure theology,” he claimed. However, he said Washington is prepared to continue diplomatic engagement, noting: “We’ve always said it’s hard, but we’re going to try. That’s what the president (Donald Trump) is trying.” “I’m certainly not

• 
  EU calls on Israel to reverse plan to register West Bank land as ‘state property’

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  The European Union on Monday called on Israel to reverse its recent decision to register large areas of the West Bank as “state property,” recalling that annexation is illegal, Anadolu reports. Spokesperson Anouar El Anouni told the European Commission’s midday press briefing that the latest Israeli decision to approve the launch of a land registration process in Area C of the West Bank “constitutes a new escalation following recent measures already aimed at expanding Israeli control in Areas A and B.” He noted that the decision undermines the viability of the two-state solution. “We recall that annexation is illegal under international law. And we call on Israel to reverse this decision,” El Anouni underscored. On Sunday, the Israeli government approved

• 
  Iran holds military drill in Strait of Hormuz on eve of indirect nuclear talks with US

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) started a military drill in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday, a day before a second round of indirect nuclear negotiations with the United States, Anadolu reports. A statement by the IRGC’s public relations division said the “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz” exercise aims to assess the operational readiness of its naval forces. It said the training also aims to evaluate security plans and scenarios for reciprocal military action in response to potential security and military threats in the Strait of Hormuz region, and demonstrate Iran’s geopolitical advantages in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. “The rapid, decisive, and comprehensive response of IRGC operational forces to anti-security plots in the

• 
  ‘Genocide is taking place in Gaza’: Director’s Gaza comments ignite political tension at Berlin Film Festival

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Director Emin Alper used the premiere of his film Kurtulus at the Berlin Film Festival to draw attention to the war in Gaza, declaring that “genocide is taking place in Gaza” despite earlier warnings from festival jury president Wim Wenders about political messaging, Anadolu reports. “Kurtulus is a film about how a community can commit terrible crimes. History is full of such stories… Unfortunately, so is the present. Today, we are witnessing Israel’s genocide in Gaza. The only thing that can stop these crimes is a strong reaction from the world, but we have abandoned Palestine,” Alper said at the gala screening during the festival’s main competition. He added: “Whether Western powers that have become complicit in this crime or

• 
  Finnish foreign minister backs 2-state solution following meeting with Israeli counterpart

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Finland’s Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen has reaffirmed Helsinki’s support for a two-state solution after meeting Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar in Jerusalem, Anadolu reports. “I reaffirmed Finland’s support for regional stability and securing a path towards the two-state solution,” Valtonen said on Sunday on the US social media company X following the talks. She said the meeting addressed bilateral relations “based on decades of exchanges at all levels, from decision-makers to citizens,” along with regional security, Gaza, and the West Bank. “I emphasized the urgent needs of the civilian population in Gaza and the importance of unhindered access of humanitarian aid,” she added. READ: Finnish students call on universities to cut ties with Israel Valtonen also met Israeli President Isaac Herzog,

• 
  One is too many: Indonesia must act now on citizen serving in Israel’s army

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  A report that an Indonesian citizen is serving in the Israeli military demands a firm response from Jakarta. If the report is correct, the government must act without delay. Israel’s campaign in Gaza has devastated civilians. Entire neighborhoods lie in ruins. Civilian deaths have reached staggering levels. Hunger and displacement are widespread. Israel now faces genocide charges before the International Court of Justice. Indonesia has repeatedly condemned these actions. If an Indonesian citizen is serving in that military, the contradiction is clear. Israeli army figures show foreign nationals in its ranks from several Muslim majority countries. Morocco, 72. Turkey, 112. Uzbekistan, 264. Indonesia, one. Some will say one person does not matter. It does. Indonesia’s Constitution commits the country to

• 
  Hamas condemns Tammun shooting, blames Palestinian Authority leadership

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Hamas says the killing in the town of Tammun, south of Tubas, is a new stain on the record of the Palestinian Authority’s security forces, and that the Authority’s leadership bears full responsibility. In a statement received on Sunday, the movement said the incident, which led to the death of the child Yazan Samara, the son of Samer Samara who is wanted by Israel, and left his sister with serious head injuries after direct gunfire was opened at the vehicle they were travelling in, shows the danger of what it described as repressive policies by the Authority’s forces. It said these forces are pursuing members of the public instead of protecting them, at a time when the Palestinian cause is

• 
  Over 100 global artists back Francesca Albanese amid criticism over Gaza remarks

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  More than 100 well-known figures from the arts and entertainment world have signed an open letter backing UN human rights expert Francesca Albanese, who is facing calls to resign over her comments on the war in Gaza. The letter, organised by the group Artists for Palestine and reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP), confirmed the support of more than 100 cultural figures. Among them are actors Mark Ruffalo and Javier Bardem, Nobel Prize-winning writer Annie Ernaux, and British musician Annie Lennox. In the letter, the signatories said: “We offer our full support to Francesca Albanese, a defender of human rights and therefore also of the Palestinian people’s right to exist.” The statement added: “There are infinitely more of us in every

• 
  From Waltz to Hormuz: Why a Gulf escalation would backfire systemically

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Most analyses of potential US escalation against Iran in the Gulf remain confined to deterrence logic and regional balances of power. The debate often focuses on credibility, retaliation, and red lines. Yet such framing misses a deeper structural reality. When viewed through the lens of classical international relations theory, a Gulf crisis is not merely a bilateral confrontation. It is a stress test for the global industrial system. Kenneth Waltz, in Man, the State, and War (1959), argued that conflict can be understood through three “images”: the individual, the state, and the international system. Applying this framework to the current US–Iran dynamic reveals that the most consequential risks lie not at the level of personalities or even state rivalry, but

• 
  Israel plans to expand East Jerusalem’s boundaries via settlement building: Report

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  The Israeli government is planning to expand the area of occupied East Jerusalem through expanding settlement building in the West Bank, a move that would mean annexing more Palestinian land, an Israeli newspaper said Monday. The government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is promoting a construction plan in the settlement of “Adam” in the central West Bank, Yedioth Ahronoth reported. “But the real intention is to expand East Jerusalem beyond the 1967 boundaries, for the first time since the Six-Day War (1967), and this means (imposing) actual sovereignty over the lands and expanding Jerusalem,” the daily added. The settlement of Adam is located north of East Jerusalem, which Palestinians seek as the capital of their hoped-for state, based on international

• 
  Israeli military official warns of possible nuclear ambitions in Egypt, Turkey

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  An Israeli military official has urged caution over what he described as possible nuclear ambitions among regional powers, including Egypt and Turkey. Yuval Steinitz, chairman of the board of Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, a state-owned Israeli defence and military technology company, said Israel is preparing for the possibility that negotiations with Iran could collapse and escalate. However, he stressed what he called the “wider regional risks”. Steinitz’s remarks come as tensions continue over Iran’s nuclear programme, ahead of the expected resumption of talks between Washington and Tehran in Geneva on Tuesday. There are still concerns that the United States could carry out military strikes. READ: Egypt issues strong statement against Israel In an interview with Yedioth Ahronoth, Steinitz said: “A country

• 
  How to negotiate from a position of strength when there is perceived weakness

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Iran once again finds itself around the negotiating table with the Unted States. Its resolve is still strong, believing righteousness and time remain on its side, but it has been weakened, that much it cannot deny.  I come from a dealmaking world, where asserting leverage is crucial for getting a favourable agreement but how can Iran do that when it is coming from a position of perceived weakness? What are the steps they could take to flip that and begin to negotiate from a position of strength? Iran’s Current Position The weakening of Iran began with the denigration of its ‘axis of resistance’. Hamas, Hezbollah, Iraqi militias and Houthis once provided a formidable joint threat but have been largely degraded

• 
  Palestine welcomes African Union summit statement backing statehood

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  The Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has welcomed the final communiqué of the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, saying it reflects Africa’s support for the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people. In a statement carried by the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA), the ministry said the summit’s conclusions reinforced international calls to end the Israeli colonial occupation, achieve the independence of the State of Palestine and grant it full membership of the United Nations. The ministry said the summit’s rejection of any attempts to forcibly displace Palestinians, along with warnings from African leaders about the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip due to the ongoing war, blockade and restrictions on aid, demonstrated a commitment to international law and

• 
  Israeli lawmaker storms girls’ school near Nablus during class hours

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  An Israeli Knesset member accompanied by a group of settlers entered a girls’ secondary school in the northern occupied West Bank during school hours on Sunday, prompting condemnation from Palestinian education officials. Local sources said that the extremist lawmaker, Tzvi Tzukot stormed the Al-Lubban Al-Sharqiya Girls’ Secondary School south of Nablus alongside armed settlers. Witnesses reported that he entered the school grounds in a provocative manner, filmed inside the premises and threatened members of the teaching staff. According to the same sources, Israeli forces entered the village shortly after the settlers left the school. READ: Israeli group warns Trump: Netanyahu is misleading you on full West Bank annexation The Palestinian Ministry of Education and Higher Education condemned the incident, describing it

• 
  Over 529,000 refugees return to Sudan in two years, UN says

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  More than 529,000 refugees have returned to Sudan from neighbouring countries over the past two years, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM). In a report released on Sunday, the agency said it had registered 529,661 people who crossed back into Sudan between January 2024 and December 2025. Sudan has been gripped by conflict since April 2023, when fighting erupted between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) over the integration of the paramilitary group into the armed forces. The war has triggered what the United Nations describes as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with tens of thousands reported killed and around 13 million people displaced. READ: Sudan urges African Union to end suspension of its

• 
  SDF chief says Kurds seek local autonomy within unified Syria

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  The commander-in-chief of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Mazloum Abdi, has said that the Kurds’ principal demand in north-eastern Syria is decentralised local governance, regardless of the terminology used. Speaking at the conclusion of his participation in the Munich Security Conference, Abdi told Rudaw Network that the core issue is enabling Kurds to manage their own regions and safeguard their distinct identity. Responding to comments by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani rejecting the notion of Kurdish “self-rule”, Abdi said the dispute lay more in labels than substance. “We are not attached to a specific name,” he said, “but to the principle that Kurds should administer their regions autonomously.” READ: Syria says talks with Israel aim to stop interference, not accept terms imposed

• 
  Missiles, carriers, and red lines: Washington, Tehran and Jerusalem face off in a historic confrontation. Who blinks first?

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to Washington last week was far from a routine diplomatic exercise. The objective was straightforward: convince President Donald Trump to intensify pressure on Iran. Netanyahu’s demands were unambiguous and uncompromising: Iran must be stripped of its nuclear program, the missile production plants must be dismantled, and the number and range of hypersonic missiles must be capped. For Israel, the Iranian missiles are an existential threat. But Trump has also been unambiguous in his response. “Either we reach a deal, or we’ll have to do something very tough,” he said in a statement to Israeli Channel 12. The attempt was to sound tough, but in the process, the President has also placed himself in a

• 
  Israeli group warns Trump: Netanyahu is misleading you on full West Bank annexation

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  The Israeli anti-settlement group Peace Now has warned that the Israeli government is taking steps that amount to the full annexation of the West Bank, despite recent comments by Donald Trump opposing such a move. In a statement issued on Sunday, Peace Now said that only days after President Trump declared his opposition to Israel annexing the West Bank, the Israeli government had taken a decision that “amounts to full annexation”.  The group added: “We warn President Trump: Netanyahu is deceiving you. You said you would not allow annexation, but he is carrying it out right under your nose.” Peace Now stressed that the government’s decision on settlement activity in the West Bank represents a large-scale seizure of Palestinian land. 

• 
  Egypt issues strong statement against Israel

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  Egypt has issued a strongly worded official statement condemning the Israeli government’s decision to resume land registration and settlement procedures in the occupied West Bank for the first time since 1967. Cairo described the move as a “dangerous escalation” aimed at entrenching Israeli control over occupied Palestinian territory and undermining the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people. The statement said the decision represents a clear breach of international law and international humanitarian law, particularly the Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 and relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions, most notably Resolution 2334 of 2016. The statement added that the Israeli measure contradicts the advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice on 19th July 2024, which affirmed the illegality of

• 
  Oslo’s legacy: De facto annexation and an international mandate for subjugation

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  The Oslo Accords were never a peace process. They were distractions, a scam to neutralise the Palestinian movement and give reactionary Arab dictators a fig leaf to normalise with Israel. They were a political deception, aimed at ending the Palestinian civil uprising (Intifada), dismantle the armed struggle and grant Israel time, space, and international cover to quietly complete its colonisation of Palestine. Israel’s recent security cabinet decisions advancing de facto annexation across the West Bank thus constitute the logical culmination of the real Israeli strategic objectives to undermine the very foundations for any future Palestinian entity.   From the outset, Oslo demanded upfront concessions from Palestinians whilst imposing no commitments on Israel. Palestinians were forced to recognise Israel, renounce armed resistance,

• 
  Palestinian security forces ‘regret’ death of 2 children in Tubas operation

  by MI on February 16, 2026

  The Palestinian Security Forces have expressed “deep regret” over the death of two children and the injury of others during a security operation in Tubas, north-east of the West Bank, in an incident that has drawn widespread condemnation. In an official statement, the security establishment said it was closely following what happened during a mission carried out by a security force in Tubas to arrest a man wanted by law. The statement said the operation resulted in the death of the wanted man’s son and the injury of his daughter. The statement expressed “deep regret for the victims who fell during the mission” and confirmed that the circumstances of the incident are still under careful and thorough review.  It added

• 
  Peace with Israel ‘not possible’ under constant violations of Palestinian rights, says foreign minister

  by MI on February 15, 2026

  Palestine’s foreign minister on Sunday said peace with Israel is “not possible” while Palestinian rights continue to be violated, stressing international law must be upheld and unilateral measures halted. Speaking to Anadolu on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference, Varsen Aghabekian Shaheen said “peace with Israel under conditions of constant violation of Palestinian rights is not possible.” She argued that unilateral Israeli actions in occupied territory, West Bank and East Jerusalem, such as illegal settlement expansions and legalizations, undermine prospects for a negotiated settlement. “Everything that Israel is undertaking unilaterally in occupied territory should be considered null and void,” she said, stressing annexation “is in violation of international law, and it is a crime that needs to be stopped.”

• 
  Gaza Civil Defense launches campaign to recover bodies from rubble

  by MI on February 15, 2026

  Palestinian civil defense crews in Gaza launched a campaign Sunday to recover the bodies of Palestinians killed during Israel’s genocidal war and still trapped under the rubble of their homes in northern Gaza, Anadolu reports. The initiative, titled “Dignifying the Martyrs,” began in the town of Beit Lahia, where rescue teams started retrieving remains from the destroyed home of the Abu Nasr family. The house was hit in an Israeli airstrike on Oct. 29, 2024, when it was sheltering about 200 family members and displaced people. According to official estimates in Gaza, around 9,500 Palestinians remain missing under the rubble, as rescue teams struggle to reach them amid widespread destruction and a lack of heavy equipment. The campaign “marks the

• 
  21 Palestinians displaced when Israeli demolishes family home in occupied West Bank

  by MI on February 15, 2026

  Twenty-one Palestinians were displaced Sunday after Israeli forces demolished their family home in the town of Jiyus, north of Qalqilya in the occupied West Bank, according to a Palestinian rights organization, Anadolu reports. Bedouin rights group Al-Baydar said the 160-square-meter (1,722-square-foot) house was demolished over the alleged lack of a building permit. The displaced family includes children and elderly members who were left without shelter following the demolition, it added. Israeli authorities prohibit construction or land reclamation in Area C of the West Bank without permits that Palestinians say are “nearly impossible” to obtain. According to the Colonization and Wall Resistance Commission, Israel carried out 59 demolition operations in January, targeting 126 Palestinian structures, including 77 inhabited homes. It also

• 
  Who fears the truth? The lawfare campaign to silence Francesca Albanese

  by MI on February 15, 2026

  Francesca Albanese has become one of the most polarising figures in contemporary diplomacy, not because she commands armies or signs treaties, but because she insists on describing what she sees. Since assuming her mandate as United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories in 2023, the Italian jurist has delivered reports that cut through diplomatic euphemism with the precision of a scalpel.  In her October 2024 report to the General Assembly, pointedly titled Genocide as Colonial Erasure, she concluded there were ‘reasonable grounds’ to believe that Israel’s conduct in Gaza met the legal threshold of genocide and formed part of a ‘century-long project of eliminatory settler-colonialism’. Few phrases in international law carry such moral

• 
  Trump says Board of Peace members to pledge over $5B for Gaza reconstruction on Thursday

  by MI on February 15, 2026

  US President Donald Trump said Sunday that member states of the new Board of Peace will announce pledges exceeding $5 billion for Gaza reconstruction and thousands of personnel for a planned international stabilization force during a Thursday gathering in Washington, Anadolu reports. “On February 19th, 2026, I will again be joined by Board of Peace members at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace in Washington, D.C., where we will announce that member states have pledged more than $5 billion dollars toward the Gaza humanitarian and reconstruction efforts,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social. Member states have also “committed thousands of personnel to the International Stabilization Force and local police to maintain security and peace for Gazans,”

• 
  Palestine warns Israeli plan to register West Bank land as ‘state property’ amounts to ‘de facto annexation’

  by MI on February 15, 2026

  The Palestinian Authority on Sunday warned that an Israeli government decision to register large areas of the West Bank as “state property” amounts to a “de facto annexation” of the occupied territory and a violation of international law, Anadolu reports. In a statement carried by the official news agency Wafa, the Authority said the Israeli move constitutes “a blatant violation of international law and international legitimacy resolutions” and poses a threat to security and stability. It described the measure as a “de facto annexation of occupied Palestinian land” and an official launch of annexation plans aimed at consolidating the occupation through illegal settlement expansion. It also constitutes “a termination of the signed agreements and clearly contradicts the resolutions of the

• 
  Iran’s top general warns new war will be ‘lesson’ for Trump ahead of next round of talks

  by MI on February 15, 2026

  Iran’s top military commander warned Sunday that any US war against Tehran would serve as “a lesson” for President Donald Trump, as tensions continue to simmer in the region, Anadolu reports. Major General Abdolrahim Mousavi, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, said that the US president should understand he would be entering “a lesson-giving battle.” Trump said on Friday that regime change in Iran “would be the best thing that could happen,” as tensions escalate amid the deployment of a second US aircraft carrier to the Middle East. He announced that the USS Gerald R. Ford, described as the world’s largest aircraft carrier, would soon head to the region in case ongoing talks between Washington and Tehran fail.

• 
  Increased US military presence in Middle East aims to defend forces: Rubio

  by MI on February 15, 2026

  The US’ increased military presence in the Middle East is intended to defend American forces from potential threats rather than signal an imminent attack on Iran, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Sunday, Anadolu reports. “We are postured in the region for one simple reason, and that is that we understand that there could be threats to our forces in the region,” Rubio told reporters alongside Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. Washington wants to ensure “sufficient capacity to defend them, if, God forbid, that were to happen,” he added. Asked whether the Trump administration would consult and inform Congress before attacking Iran or removing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Rubio said US President Donald Trump “prefers diplomacy and an outcome

• 
  Israel is trying to rewrite history – and British institutions risk helping them do it

  by MI on February 15, 2026

  Israel is trying to rewrite ancient history. In Palestine, Israel has systematically destroyed ancient heritage and made colonial land grabs of archaeological sites like the ancient Palestinian town of Sebastia, near Nablus. Beyond Palestine, global institutions – including museums and universities – are at risk of aiding and abetting them in this rewriting project. Yesterday UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) announced that they had written to the British Museum to encourage them to remove references to ‘Palestine’ in the gallery panels and labels of their collections. I recognised UKLFI’s ideological mission immediately: they were trying to recruit the British Museum to their political project of erasing Palestinian history. The reason I could identify UKLFI’s project so quickly was that a

• 
  Israeli Knesset member storms Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem

  by MI on February 15, 2026

  An Israeli Knesset member forced his way into the courtyard of the Al-Asqa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem on Sunday, a few days before the start of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, according to Israeli media. Amit Halevi, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party, performed Talmudic prayers at the flashpoint site, Channel 7 reported. “Jewish prayers on the Temple Mount (Al-Aqsa Mosque) should not be changed during the month of Ramadan,” Halevi said in a video recorded from inside the Al-Aqsa compound. The right-wing lawmaker said he plans to demand that Netanyahu and far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir maintain settler incursions during the afternoon hours in Ramadan. Since January, Israeli police, upon Ben-Gvir’s orders, have

• 
  Israeli government approves proposal to register West Bank lands as ‘state property’ for 1st time since 1967

  by MI on February 15, 2026

  The Israeli government approved a proposal on Sunday to register large areas of the occupied West Bank as “state property,” for the first time since the Israeli occupation of the territory in 1967. The public broadcaster KAN said the proposal was submitted by far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defense Minister Israel Katz. “The initial goal is the gradual settlement of 15% of Area C by 2030,” Israel Hayom newspaper commented ahead of the government decision. Under the Oslo II Accord signed in 1995, Area A is under full Palestinian control, Area B is under Palestinian civil control and Israeli security control, while Area C, accounting for about 61% of the West Bank, remains under full

• 
  Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh and the limits of Islamist electoral politics

  by MI on February 15, 2026

  The recent electoral performance of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami has revived an old debate: are Islamists structurally incapable of winning national elections, or was Jamaat’s perceived rise a misreading of political reality? In the last couple of months during the election campaign, a number of national and international media outlets have portrayed Jamaat as a significant force in the upcoming general elections, bolstered by youth support through its student wing, Islami Chattra Shibir, which has gained influence among student leaders, achieved positive results in campus elections, and taken advantage of the political vacuum left by the Awami League. However, the results at the polling station presented a different picture. Was the hype misplaced? Or was it part of a broader narrative that

• 
  Italy to join Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ as observer, Meloni confirms

  by MI on February 15, 2026

  Italy will participate as an observer in the White House initiative of “Board of Peace,” Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni confirmed on Sunday, Anadolu reports. Speaking in an interview with Italian daily Corriere della Sera, Meloni said Italy had received an invitation to attend in observer status and would respond positively. “We were invited as an observer country, and in our view, it is a good solution regarding the problem of the war in the Middle East,” she said. She noted that constitutional constraints prevent Italy from formally joining the body but stressed that Rome still supports the initiative, describing the Middle East as “a priority,” demonstrated by Italy’s ongoing diplomatic engagement in the region. Meloni added that the level of