20% rise in Middle East late-stage venture capital funding despite global decline Startups in the Middle East and North Africa have so far in 2023 reported a 20% year-on-year growth, new data shows, while global funding activity of this type has seen a 49% decline from 2022. Gulf
Frustration bubbles among Palestinians over Israeli-Saudi normalization In contrast to the Palestinian Authority’s position, Palestinian public opinion is mostly against the Saudi-Israeli normalization talks, as the PA seeks to obtain some political and economic gains. By Ahmad Melhem In Ramallah, reporting on politics
Analysis Benny Gantz emerges as linchpin for US in bid for Israel-Saudi normalization The White House is clearly hoping that National Unity party leader Benny Gantz will get Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s back, when a normalization deal with Saudi Arabia arrives at the Knesset for a vote. By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
US fails to deter Turkey's bombardment of Syria's Kurdish enclave Turkey continued to bomb infrastructure in Syria’s Kurdish-controlled region after a US F-16 shot down a drone that encroached within half a kilometer of a US base. Turkey
UAE’s Masdar signs sustainable aviation fuel deal with Boeing Several Gulf entities are investing in the bio-based alternative jet fuel, though its development faces several challenges and is not ready for mass use. Gulf
