Palestine

UN Condemns 'Weaponisation of Food' in Gaza

The United Nations on Tuesday condemned Israel's apparent "weaponisation of food" in Gaza, a war crime, and urged Israel's military to "stop shooting at people trying to get food". "Israel's militarised humanitarian assistance mechanism is in contradiction with international standards on aid distribution," the UN human rights office said in ...

The Mullahs’ Regime: A Legacy of Irrational Decisions

This may apply to individuals, but it is especially true when the future of a nation hangs in the balance. In moments of acute existential crisis, the need for self-examination becomes unavoidable — a time to evaluate past decisions and their consequences. In the uniquely complex case of the Islamic Republic of Iran, this means asking ...

The Twilight of the Shia Crescent

For 45 years, Khomeini and his successor Ali Khamenei have sought to forge a Shia crescent stretching from Kabul to Beirut, passing through Baghdad, Damascus and Sana'a. This sweeping “revolutionary” project – religious, military and political – was built on the margins, fueled by communal suffering, billions in diverted public funds and ...

The Resistance Axis: More Fragile Than It Seems

A few months ago, a political activist mockingly coined the term “Rice Pudding Axis” to describe the so-called obstructionist axis, after a major part of it collapsed in Lebanon following Hezbollah’s military failure and eventual capitulation. Unable to hold its ground, the group was forced to sign a humiliating agreement that effectively ...

Government Breaks 8-Year Deadlock: Major Diplomatic and Economic Reforms

In a landmark session held on Monday at Baabda Palace, the Cabinet ended an eight-year stalemate by approving a sweeping reshuffle of diplomatic appointments, signaling what officials described as a return to institutional order within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Meeting since 10:30 AM, the Council of Ministers approved the full list of new ...

France Shuts Israeli Weapons Booths at Paris Air Show

Geopolitical tensions roiled the opening of the Paris Air Show on Monday as French authorities sealed off Israeli weapons industry booths amid the conflicts in Iran and Gaza, a move that Israel condemned as "outrageous." The decision added drama to the major aerospace industry event, which was already under the shadow of last week's ...

UAE Tops List of Most Expensive Arab Countries and Lebanon Ranks 9th

According to recent figures published by the Numbeo platform, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was ranked as the most expensive Arab country in terms of cost of living, with an index score of 54.1. The index uses New York City, set at a baseline of 100, as a reference point to show how expensive it is to live in other countries compared to the ...

Gaza Rescuers Say 20 Killed by Israeli Gunfire at Aid Site

Gaza's civil defence agency said that 20 people waiting for aid in the south of the Palestinian territory were killed by Israeli troops on Monday. Civil defence spokesman Mahmud Bassal told AFP that "20 martyrs and more than 200 wounded by occupation gunfire... were transferred to the Red Cross field hospital in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Yunis, ...

Rights Group Says Israel Deporting Six Gaza Aid Boat Activists

An Israeli NGO representing activists detained aboard a boat attempting to breach Israel's blockade of Gaza said Thursday that six were being deported, including two who were already on planes. "After more than 72 hours in Israeli custody following the unlawful interception of the Madleen Freedom Flotilla in international waters... six volunteers ...

Israel Ultra-Orthodox Party Threatens Government Over Draft Law

Israel's ultra-Orthodox Shas party on Monday threatened to bring down Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government by backing a motion for early elections amid a row over military service. Netanyahu's coalition, one of the most right-wing in Israel's history, is at risk of collapsing over a bill that could reverse the long-standing exemption ...

Israel Announces Killing of Mujahideen Brigades Leader in Gaza

The Israeli army and the General Security Service announced on Saturday that they had eliminated the leader of the Mujahideen Brigades in Gaza, Assaad Abu Shariaa, who took part in the October 7, 2023 attack. According to the Arabic-language spokesperson for the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, Abu Shariaa was “one of the main perpetrators” of ...