Israel opens Chinese-run terminal at Haifa port Biden's CIA director raised concerns about Beijing's growing investment in Israel, according to a report. Israel
Turkey’s ruling alliance to ease election threshold, but opponents smell trap An agreement between the AKP and the MHP to cut the vote baseline to enter parliament from 10% is seen as a bid to undermine the opposition. Turkey
Iranian tanker carrying fuel for Lebanon to dock in Syria Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah promised Iranian vessels would bring fuel to Lebanon amid its harrowing energy crisis. News Brief
Qatar in talks with Taliban, Turkey to reopen Kabul airport Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said there is “no clear indication” of when flights will resume at Hamid Karzai International Airport. Qatar
Palestinian president in Cairo for talks with Egyptian, Jordanian leaders Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stressed the need for Palestinian political unity to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. News Brief
Abu Dhabi lifts quarantine requirement for vaccinated travelers Under the new guidelines, vaccinated travelers must still test negative for COVID-19 prior to departure and upon landing. United Arab Emirates
Iraqi government says it thwarted cyber plot to rig elections Iraqi authorities succeeded in uncovering plans by cyber hackers to rig the elections, which may end up persuading Iraqi voters to cast their ballots in October. Iraq
What Erdogan missed in skipping Baghdad conference The Turkish president’s absence from the regional summit in Baghdad underscores the urgent need for Turkey to mend fences with Iraq and rethink the cost of its confrontational policies in the region. Turkey
Will popular pressure in Gaza lead to new clashes with Israel? Palestinian youth are carrying out non-military activities, backed by military factions in Gaza, to pressure Israel to lift the siege, among other demands. Palestine
Undercover police unit to target crime in Arab-Israeli society The establishment of a special police undercover unit targeting crime in the Arab society comes on the backdrop of increasing calls to involve the Shin Bet in this yearslong battle. Israel
Democratic Senators urge government formation in Lebanon Four Democratic Senators met with Lebanese President Michel Aoun and will later head to Israel. News Brief
Pentagon defends Kabul drone strike as ‘righteous’ The rules of engagement were followed in the lead-up to a strike that killed 10 people, including children, the top general says. Qatar
Qatar calls on Taliban to respect women's rights Qatar said that the gains women made under the previous Afghan government should not be undone by the Taliban, which is notorious for its treatment of women. Qatar
The Takeaway: Iranian foreign policy under Raisi takes shape Also: Shapiro appointment welcomed in Israel; Gantz meeting doesn’t help Abbas’ popularity; "Saudization" of labor gets slow start; Turkey’s targeted killings in Syria; Sextortion in Egypt; More … in about 1,300 words. Iran
Israel expands Gaza fishing zone after demonstrations Along with several other humanitarian gestures, Israel announced it would expand the offshore fishing zone by 15 nautical miles. Israel
Turkish dissident columnist attacked by unknown assailants The assault on the vocal dissident comes at a time of tightened grip on artists, singers, and dramatists. Turkey
