Palestine

Trump Basks in Saudi Welcome on Business-Focused State Visit

Donald Trump enjoyed a lavish, royal welcome in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday on the first state visit of his second term, with the US president foremost focused on business deals at the start of a Gulf tour. Saudi Arabia escorted Air Force One with fighter jets before bringing out long-stretching honour guards both at the airport and a palace decked ...

US State Department: Supporting LAF Remains a Priority

US State Department spokesperson Sam Warburg emphasized on Tuesday the United States’ commitment to supporting the Lebanese Army (LAF), stressing that it must “extend its control over every inch of Lebanon.” In an interview with LBCI, Warburg noted that Washington is actively discussing with the Lebanese government the types of economic ...

No Truce in India-Pakistan Disinformation War

India and Pakistan have announced a ceasefire after coming close to all-out conflict, but on social media citizens on both sides are vying to control public perceptions by peddling disinformation. Platforms such as Facebook and X are still awash with misrepresented footage of the attacks that killed at least 60 people and sent thousands fleeing. ...

Israel Hits Gaza Hospital in Raid

The Israeli military said it struck a Gaza hospital housing Hamas militants in a raid Tuesday that, according to the Palestinian group, killed a journalist wounded in an Israeli attack last month. The strike, which Hamas said happened at dawn, ended a brief pause in fighting to allow the release of a US-Israeli hostage. The military said in a ...

Riyadh Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Trump

Donald Trump will begin his Gulf tour in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, where he is set to receive a grand welcome in Riyadh. The visit will focus on boosting investments in defense, energy and artificial intelligence. However, rising tensions with Iran and the ongoing crisis in Gaza loom large over the trip.  

Israel Intercepts Missile Launched from Yemen

Israel's military said it intercepted a missile launched from Yemen on Friday, with AFP journalists reporting explosions heard in the Jerusalem area. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the missile fire, which follows attacks by Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels, including a strike on Sunday on Israel's main airport. The Israeli ...

Israel's aid Blockade to Gaza 'Unacceptable': Red Cross

The Red Cross on Thursday denounced the human cost of the war raging in Gaza, slamming Israel's "unacceptable" full blockade on aid into the besieged and conflict-ravaged Palestinian territory. Aid agencies have repeatedly warned of a growing humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, which they say has been exacerbated by an Israeli ...

UN: Israel's Gaza Offensive Marks 'Very Dangerous Moment'

The UN's human rights chief told AFP Wednesday that Israel's plan for an expanded offensive in the Gaza Strip represented "a very dangerous moment" for civilians there. "What we see is only more destruction, more hatred, more dehumanisation," said Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, during a visit to Copenhagen for ...

As Israel Plans Gaza 'Conquest', How Strong Is its Army?

Israel's military has called up tens of thousands of reservists for its planned expanded offensive in Gaza, which an official said entails the "conquest" of the Palestinian territory. With one of the best equipped armies in the world, what forces are available to Israel? A large part of the adult population has completed military service and ...

Lebanon’s Ossified Left and Its Stance on Palestine

After the French Revolution of 1789, the king conceded some of his powers to Parliament. His supporters sat to his right and his opponents to his left. Forever after, the Right denoted supporters of the ruler and traditions, while the Left meant breaking with the old and yearning for the new. But that was only in theory. In practice, as time ...

Witkoff: 'Further Progress Expected on Abraham Accords'

US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced that several major declarations concerning the expansion of the Abraham Accords are expected “very soon,” just days before Trump embarks on a high-stakes diplomatic tour of the region. Scheduled for May 13-16, Trump’s visit will include stops in Saudi Arabia, the ...

Hamas Says no Point in Further Gaza Truce Talks

A senior Hamas official said Tuesday the group was no longer interested in truce talks with Israel and urged the international community to halt Israel's "hunger war" against Gaza. "There is no sense in engaging in talks or considering new ceasefire proposals as long as the hunger war and extermination war continue in the Gaza Strip," Basem Naim ...