Israel
42 stories from Middle East Affairs.
Britain maintains arms sales despite Gaza pledges
Nine weeks into his premiership, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has not halted arms exports to Israel despite apologising for the Gaza conflict and pledging greater pressure on the government.
Explosions reported near Iran's Kharg Island oil terminal
A correspondent for Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported hearing explosions of unknown origin near Kharg Island, a key oil export terminal, with unconfirmed reports of a missile strike on an Iranian tanker.
Arab party leader bets Zionist candidate will give votes more power
Mansour Abbas, who leads Raam, a conservative Islamist party representing Palestinian citizens of Israel, has placed a former Zionist police commander near the top of his electoral slate, betting the move will make his party's seats attractive to potential coalition partners.
Trump warns of Iran strike as regional tensions escalate
Tensions are mounting across the Middle East as the United States and its allies pursue military and diplomatic responses to recent Iranian actions, while the Pentagon investigates leaks about the conflict.
Iranians weigh Trump's calls to resist amid shifting US priorities
Some Iranians expressing doubt about whether to heed Trump's calls to rise up against their government, citing months of shifting US policy between supporting protesters and negotiating with Tehran.
Israel releases first Lebanese prisoner as ceasefire talks stall
Israel released a Lebanese detainee on Thursday, the first of five civilians Israel agreed to free, as negotiations over a broader ceasefire framework show little progress.
Trump threatens imminent strike on Iranian military site
President Trump said the United States may soon strike an Iranian military site, as administration officials signaled economic and military pressure on Tehran.
Likud MK to run with Ben-Gvir's party in Israeli election
Likud lawmaker Tally Gotliv will run in the next Israeli election as part of Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party under an arrangement that prevents her from being declared a defector.
Four appeal terrorism sentences for UK arms plant break-in
Four Palestine Action campaigners sentenced for damaging a UK arms factory are appealing their terrorism convictions despite not being charged with a terror offence.
Congo pledges to move Israel embassy to Jerusalem
The Democratic Republic of Congo said it would relocate its Israeli embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, following the United States and a handful of other countries.
Former Palestinian PM says Israel pursuing "silent annexation" of West Bank
Former Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh says Israel is pursuing gradual annexation of the West Bank despite international opposition, with settlers now comprising over a quarter of the territory's population.
Lebanon's prime minister pledges to secure remaining prisoners and Israeli withdrawal
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said Lebanon will continue working to free all prisoners held by Israel and secure a complete Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
Oxford historian discusses UK legal liability for Palestinian displacement
An Oxford historian has outlined arguments in a legal campaign seeking British acknowledgement of historical responsibility for Palestinian displacement.
Israeli settlers kill two Palestinians in West Bank village raid
At least 76 Palestinians have been killed in 2026 during settler attacks in the West Bank, prompting warnings from the United Nations and international organizations.
Londonderry triathlon event bars Israeli team
Organizers of a European Triathlon Cup event in Londonderry have excluded an Israeli team from competing this weekend.
Israel issues land seizure orders in West Bank Area A
Israeli authorities have issued orders to seize land in the occupied West Bank, including territory under Palestinian control, according to Amnesty International.
Israeli drone strike kills two in southern Lebanon
An Israeli drone strike killed two men on a motorcycle in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh on Friday, the second recent incident raising questions about implementation of a US-mediated ceasefire.
Opinion: Israel's identity battle prefigures American threat
A columnist who holds both American and Israeli citizenship argues that delegitimizing narratives about Israel's existence, not merely its policies, could become a template for attacking American identity.
Israel to release five Lebanese detainees, reports say
Israel is reported to be releasing five Lebanese detainees on Thursday as part of US-brokered negotiations between the two countries.
Erdogan escalates warnings over Aegean island militarization
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan escalated warnings against Greece over militarization of Aegean islands, saying Turkey monitors developments closely and will not tolerate violations of its rights.
More than 340,000 Lebanese remain displaced as new school year begins
More than 340,000 Lebanese remain displaced six months into the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, with thousands living in schools converted to shelters as the academic year begins.
Scottish pro-Palestine groups criticize government over boycott implementation
Pro-Palestine groups in Scotland say the government has not implemented measures following parliament's year-old vote to boycott Israel and companies involved in the Gaza conflict.
South Korea considers role in Strait of Hormuz security
South Korea said Friday it is considering a contribution to securing the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating U.S.-Iran clashes, as Tehran launched new strikes on American interests and vowed retaliation for a wedding airstrike.
Israeli security minister releases AI-generated video
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir distributed an artificial-intelligence-generated video drawing criticism.
British Jewish groups warn Burnham of settlement trade ban risks
Jewish communal organisations in Britain have warned Prime Minister Andy Burnham that a planned ban on trade with Israeli settlements could have unintended consequences, particularly because Israel is holding a general election.
UK plans sanctions on Israeli settlements
Britain's new government will announce economic sanctions and a ban on goods from Israeli West Bank settlements within weeks, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told Parliament.
Trump meets with rabbis opposed to Israeli military draft
President Trump met privately with six anti-Zionist rabbis who have opposed Israel's military campaigns and its conscription of yeshiva students.
Netanyahu says toppling Iran government "within reach" as U.S., Iran trade strikes
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that overthrowing Iran's government is "within reach," as the United States and Iran exchanged military strikes this week.
Brent surges 7.6% on week as US-Iran clashes deepen
Brent crude rose 7.6 per cent this week as military clashes between the US and Iran disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, lifting fuel prices globally and deepening concerns about inflation.
Oslo Accords at 33: Permanent Status Talks Never Materialized
The 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation set a May 1999 deadline for a permanent-status agreement on Jerusalem, refugees, settlements and borders that was never reached.
Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour dies at 79
Sliman Mansour, a Palestinian artist whose career spanned the history of Palestinian displacement, died in East Jerusalem at 79.
Lebanon seeks to assert independence from Iran and Israel
Lebanon's government has begun pushing back against both Iranian influence through Hezbollah and Israeli military encroachments in the south, declaring an Iranian ambassador persona non grata and insisting that regional powers treat it as a sovereign state.
Israel receives sixth submarine from German shipyard
Israel announced the departure of the Drakon, a Dolphin-class submarine built by Germany, marking the sixth submarine delivered to the Israeli Navy.
Israeli forces expand control in southern Lebanese villages
Israeli forces have crossed their self-established boundary in southern Lebanon multiple times in recent weeks, rendering areas beyond the line inaccessible to Lebanese residents.
Netanyahu vows to stay in Gaza until Hamas is disarmed
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on a visit to Gaza that Israeli forces will remain there until Hamas is fully disarmed, though a ceasefire agreement has been in effect since October.
Israel expands footprint in occupied southern Lebanon
Israel is establishing new military bases and infrastructure in occupied southern Lebanon and taking steps to maintain a long-term presence despite a ceasefire agreement.
Turkey seeks Egypt's role in regional energy alliance
Egypt's liquefaction facilities make it central to regional efforts to export Eastern Mediterranean gas to Europe, but political tensions complicate the effort.
Israeli military figure attacks rabbi's ban on voting for party with Arab candidate
A retired Israeli general defended an Arab candidate on his new political party after a prominent rabbi said Jewish law forbids voting for a party with a non-Jewish member in a senior position.
Report raises questions about activist's background ahead of deportation hearing
A 101-page report by researchers David Collier and Rachel Feldman questions the accounts given by Mohsen Mahdawi, a Columbia graduate student facing deportation, claiming his public biography contradicts years of archived social media posts.
Arab parties warned that infighting could prove costly
Arab political parties in Israel face pressure to unify for elections, as Mansour Abbas's Ra'am party brings on security veteran Yoav Segalowitz, a self-described Zionist, in an attempt to bridge Jewish-Arab political divisions.
Israeli checkpoints and barriers fragment West Bank, Palestinian officials say
Movement restrictions across the occupied West Bank have reached their highest level in two decades, with hundreds of checkpoints, gates and barriers fragmenting Palestinian territory and damaging the economy.
Iran strikes Kurdish targets in Iraq as US tensions rise
Iran carried out drone and missile attacks on targets in Iraqi Kurdistan, including positions of the KDPI Kurdish opposition group, amid escalating tensions with the United States.
