George Helmy becomes first Coptic Christian sworn into US Senate Helmy fills the New Jersey seat left vacant after Sen. Bob Menendez was convicted of federal crimes and resigned. United States
In first under Biden, Egypt to receive full military aid tied to human rights For each of the last three years, the administration withheld a portion of Egypt’s military assistance over continued human rights abuses. Egypt
Trump says Kamala Harris 'hates' Israel as she calls for end to Gaza war In their first and perhaps only debate, neither Harris nor Trump offered a substantive plan to secure a cease-fire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas. United States
USS Georgia guided missile submarine arrives in Middle East The Georgia's arsenal multiplies the US Navy's precision-strike capabilities near Iranian shores as Israel awaits retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh at an IRGC guest house in Tehran last month. United States
Analysis Can US broker Israel-Hezbollah deal in Lebanon absent a Gaza cease-fire? By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Analysis Philadelphi Corridor: Hamas lifeline or Netanyahu’s cease-fire poison pill? By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Putin’s thin red lines in Syria rattle Erdogan Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan still has limited options in the wake of Syria's retaking of a key town in Idlib province. Syria
US to boost Egyptian air defenses despite congressional anger The Trump administration plans to provide Egypt with excess military equipment even as members of Congress seek sanctions against the country over the death of a US citizen. Egypt
US peace plan quashes hopes for Israel-Hamas cease-fire The announcement of the US peace plan has undermined any prospect for a long-term truce between Israel and Hamas. Palestine
Trump’s 'peace plan' rewards settler violence President Donald Trump's blessing of territorial annexation is nothing less than a reward for government-sanctioned 'Wild West' settler violence and appropriation as illustrated by the small percentage of indictments for criminal acts committed against Palestinians on the West Bank. Palestine
Israeli left paralyzed over Trump’s peace plan The Israeli left has failed to challenge President Donald Trump’s "deal of the century" or to suggest alternative ideas on peace despite the plan's troubling provisions, including revoking the citizenship of Israeli Arabs. Palestine
White House sends Congress mixed messages on Iran war votes President Donald Trump told lawmakers to “vote with their hearts” on war powers legislation, but the White House is playing hardball with Republican defectors. Iraq
Magnitsky law spawns cottage industry of sanctions lobbying The Magnitsky Act is being used in unexpected ways, with lobbyists pushing for human rights sanctions against nations on behalf of corporate clients. Gulf
Khamenei adviser calls Trump Mideast plan ‘nightmare’ Iranian officials and social media users criticized the White House plan for Israeli-Palestinian peace. Palestine
Netanyahu wants/needs annexation before elections White House advisers Jason Greenblatt and Jared Kushner object Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's intention to annex settlements before the March 2 elections, but Netanyahu has no intention of giving up. Palestine
Intel: Democrats push Trump administration to crack down on Saudi prince Emboldened by the latest United Nations report implicating Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in hacking Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ phone, Democrats are pushing the Donald Trump administration to toughen up on the Saudi heir. Saudi Arabia
Pentagon: Turkey’s deployment to Libya threatens escalation The United States' top military officer in Africa has warned that Ankara's decision to send troops to Libya "risks a significant escalation." Turkey
Rival Palestinian factions unite against US 'deal of century' Hamas and Islamic Jihad officials attended an emergency Palestinian leadership meeting in Ramallah to discuss how to respond to the US administration's peace plan, and another meeting is planned this week in the Gaza Strip. Palestine
