Palestinian Leader Calls First Vote in 15 Years, Amid Hopes to Heal Rift With U.S.
Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Authority President, announced plans earlier this week for parliamentary and presidential elections for the first time in roughly 15 years. The group is seeking to rebuild ties with America through President-elect Joe Biden after difficulties with the Trump administration. The Palestinians have tried to hold elections throughout
Saudis and Israelis Publicly Clash Over Palestinian Rights
On Sunday, during a regional security forum held due to Us brokered normalization deals between Israel and its Gulf Arab neighbors, tensions seemingly escalated between the Jewish state and Saudi leadership. The blunt exchanges over longstanding issues come just two weeks after the two countries’ leaders met in a secret
Key Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat dies of Covid-19
Saeb Erekat, one of the most prominent Palestinian political figures, has died from COVID-19, according to official reports. Erekat was 65 and passed away at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem after being admitted in October and diagnosed with the virus. Erekat was responsible for leading Palestinians in peace talks
UN and EU slam Israel after West Bank demolition leaves 73 Palestinians homeless
The United Nations and the European Union have heavily condemned the demolition of a large portion of a Palestinian community on behalf of the Israeli military. The community, which is located in the West Bank, has left 73 people, including 41 children, homeless during a pandemic. The UN criticized the
Israeli leader vows to push ahead with annexing West Bank
On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue with plans to annex parts of the occupied West Bank over the next several months, despite growing opposition and condemnation by key allies. Palestinians in this territory have a wide international backing and seek the West Bank as a future
Palestinians ‘ending accords with Israel and US’ over annexation plan
Mahmud Abbas, Palestinian Authority President, has announced he will end all agreements with the US and Israel in response to Israel’s plans to annex parts of the West Bank. Abbas stated that Israel will now be forced to bear all the responsibilities of an occupying power. However, similar warnings made
Despite virus, Pompeo in Israel to talk West Bank annexation
On Wednesday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo traveled to Israel despite virus concerns to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over plans to annex parts of the West Bank. The visit came amid violent clashes after Israeli troops shot and killed a rioting Palestinian teen in occupied territory. Israeli
Tourism in Israel? U.S. charity’s offer with Gaza hospital project irks Palestinians
US charity FriendShips, an evangelical Christian group, is building a tent hospital in the Gaza strip, causing controversy by offering foreign medical volunteers a weekend of tourism in Israel across the volatile border. Construction of the facility had won support from both Hamas, Gaza’s Islamist rulers, and Israel. However, civilians
Israel Intercepts Four Rockets Launched From Syria
At dawn on Tuesday, four rockets were launched from Syria towards Golan Heights, causing no critical damage but triggering air-raid sirens. The Israeli military stated that the rockets were intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system and that no rockets had reached Israeli territory. At roughly the same time,
Rockets fired at Israel after Gaza ceasefire starts
A ceasefire brokered by Egypt was broken just hours later when militants in the Gaza Strip fired rockets towards Israel. The truce initially ended two days of intense conflict after senior commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) Baha Abu al-Ata and his wife were killed by Israeli forces. On