The Israeli war machine did not only target military installations, but extended to completely affect the human and geographical existence in the Gaza Strip. Field data indicates that entire residential neighborhoods have disappeared from the map, and vital cities have turned into areas of nothingness and featureless rubble.

Beit Hanoun, located in the far north of the Strip, is the clearest example of the scorched-earth policy adopted by the occupation. Despite its small area, the city was subjected to systematic destruction that affected all its vital facilities and infrastructure, making it uninhabitable in the foreseeable future.

The displaced Abu Raed Al-Masry, who was forcibly displaced from Beit Hanoun to Khan Yunis, recounts the bitterness of loss that extended beyond the walls of his home to include his entire neighborhood. Sources reported that the city, which was famous for its lush citrus groves, has been transformed by bulldozers and shells into a barren desert lacking the slightest elements of greenery or life.

This destruction was not random or accidental, but was characterized by organization and comprehensiveness to ensure the complete collapse of the urban system. The raids targeted main streets, mosques, and schools, in a clear attempt to erase the landmarks that constitute the visual and social identity of the Strip's residents.

For his part, cultural heritage expert Hamouda Al-Dahdar believes that what is happening goes beyond demolishing concrete walls to reach the depth of identity and collective memory. He explained in statements to media sources that the occupation seeks to sever the relationship of future Palestinian generations with their land by destroying historical landmarks and spatial belonging.

This destructive policy is consistent with forced displacement plans that target the Palestinian presence at its historical roots. The removal of buildings and landmarks is not merely a military act, but an attempt to erase an entire society from its natural space and strip it of its history associated with those places.

On the legal front, human rights activists confirm that targeting cities in this manner constitutes a major crime affecting the right to housing and human existence. Human rights activist Nasser Moussa pointed out that international reports, including the deliberations of the International Court of Justice, have agreed on the existence of genocidal dimensions in these practices.

Moussa stressed that wiping cities off the map does not achieve direct military objectives, but falls under the internationally prohibited collective punishment. This behavior aims to impose a tragic reality that prevents Palestinians from restoring their normal lives or holding on to their land, which has been bulldozed and erased.

With the cessation of military operations, Gaza revealed an unprecedented urban catastrophe in modern history, with over 90% of buildings destroyed. Cities that were bustling with life have become vast areas of rubble and debris covering enormous distances of the afflicted Strip.

International organizations estimate the volume of rubble in Gaza at over 50 million tons, a figure that reflects the enormous challenge facing reconstruction efforts. This amount of rubble is considered one of the largest environmental and urban disasters the world has witnessed in the 21st century.

Talking about the future of Gaza is no longer limited to rebuilding homes, but extends to the necessity of restoring a living entity that has been completely dismantled. The challenge facing Palestinians today requires decades of continuous work to restore infrastructure and erase the effects of the 'spatial genocide' policy they have been subjected to.

The city has been completely destroyed multiple times, and its groves have been bulldozed, turning today into a barren land resembling a desert.

Dr. Ibrahim Neirat

Outwardly, the story seems too small to warrant all this concern: settlers stealing sheep in some West Bank villages, assaulting shepherds, or preventing them from reaching pastures. News that repeats itself so often it has almost become a routine scene in news bulletins, passing quickly then disappearing amidst the din of war and politics. But the truth is, it's never about the sheep. When these incidents are read within the broader context of what is happening in the West Bank, they appear to be part of a much deeper policy, a policy based on gradually pushing Palestinians towards an explosion.

The sheep here are not the target, but the human who owns them. And the pasture is not just a grassy area, but the last remaining ability for Palestinians to stay on their land. In Palestinian villages, especially in the Jordan Valley, southern Hebron, and isolated hills, sheep are not just a source of livelihood; they represent an entire life: food, income, stability, and the feeling that this family still has a place capable of enduring. Therefore, targeting shepherds and stealing flocks is not a random or isolated criminal act, but part of a long process of attrition aimed at making Palestinian life impossible.

The process always begins in a way that seems small and uninteresting. A settlement outpost appears on a nearby hill. A dirt road is closed. A shepherd is prevented from reaching a water source. Then things escalate: assaults, threats, warning shots, livestock theft, and the constant presence of the armed settler as the de facto authority in the place. Over time, Palestinians not only lose land or money, but they lose the natural sense of security. Their entire life becomes based on tension, fear, and waiting.

But what makes the picture more dangerous is that these attacks do not seem separate from the political climate the region has been experiencing since the war on Gaza. There is a growing feeling that some forces within Israel see the current moment as a historic opportunity to completely reshape the West Bank, taking advantage of the world's preoccupation, regional chaos, and the state of collapse the international system itself is experiencing. It is as if time has become an element in the battle, a frantic race to impose new realities before circumstances change.

In this context, provocation becomes a policy in itself. Palestinians are not just pushed to exhaustion or frustration, but to the moment of extreme anger. Everything seems to be moving in the same direction: repeated incursions, settlement expansion, daily humiliation at checkpoints, economic tightening, and settler attacks that often occur without real accountability. Even Al-Aqsa Mosque is no longer outside this equation, with escalating incursions and provocations led by extremist politicians like Itamar Ben-Gvir, in a scene that seems closer to a constant test of Palestinian nerves.

And perhaps here precisely lies the most dangerous idea: not just controlling Palestinians, but pushing them towards a major explosion. Some right-wing currents within Israel seem to be betting on a comprehensive Palestinian uprising, an uprising where the entire street comes out at once, which would later allow for justifying a more violent and radical Israeli response. That is, the explosion itself could turn into the tool used to redraw the political and security reality in the West Bank.

Because any widespread uprising today will not be like those before it. The region has changed, violence has become more destructive, and what happened in Gaza revealed the extent to which modern warfare can go when political and humanitarian constraints are lifted. Therefore, an explosion in the West Bank could open the door to a very harsh phase, not only at the level of confrontation with Israel, but also at the level of the Palestinian internal situation itself.

The West Bank today lives on a fragile balance. A tired economy, overcrowded cities, a psychologically exhausted society, and a Palestinian Authority that has been facing a crisis of trust and legitimacy for years. Any comprehensive explosion could push this entire structure towards collapse. The Palestinian Authority itself could be swept away, unable to control the street or even maintain its political and administrative existence. And then Israel might find itself facing a new reality it considers more suitable for its projects: the absence of any organized Palestinian partner, and the transformation of the West Bank into an open space for direct security administration and accelerating settlement realities.

The cruel irony is that Palestinians, while trying to defend themselves, may at some point find themselves destroying what little they have left. Uprisings do not only produce images of heroism and resistance, but they open the doors to chaos, attrition, and economic and social collapse. And in an already fragile reality, the cost this time may be greater than the Palestinian society's ability to bear.

Therefore, sheep theft is not a marginal incident as it appears on the surface, but a small window into a much larger battle. A battle not only about security or borders, but about reshaping the Palestinian human being itself: pushing them towards despair, or departure, or explosion. In all cases, the result is almost the same; a Palestinian living under constant pressure, and a land whose features are slowly being changed, until the new reality becomes normal after years of getting used to the pain.

In the end, perhaps the most dangerous thing in the scene is not the violence itself, but the way this violence turns into a long-term policy, managed gradually, and implemented on people's nerves and daily lives, while the world stands by watching a story it thinks began with a sheep... but in reality, it concerns an entire homeland.

The eighth General Conference of the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah) entered its second day of sessions in Ramallah, amidst intensive organizational arrangements including simultaneous sessions via video conferencing in the Gaza Strip and the Egyptian and Lebanese capitals. Participants at this stage are focusing on reviewing administrative and financial reports submitted by various Fatah commissions, in addition to evaluating the performance of the movement's committees during the past period.

The election supervisory committee began receiving applications for membership in the Central Committee and the Revolutionary Council, which are the movement's highest leadership bodies, according to a specific timetable that started at 10:00 AM. The coming hours are expected to see the announcement of preliminary lists of candidates before the appeals period opens and the final lists that will compete in the electoral process are finalized.

Approximately 2580 members representing various regions and movement sectors are participating in this organizational event, with the largest concentration in Ramallah, accounting for about 1600 members. The remaining memberships are distributed among the Gaza Strip with 400 members, Cairo with 400 members, in addition to 200 members participating from the Lebanese capital Beirut to ensure representation from all arenas.

Through this conference, the movement aims to elect 18 new members to the Central Committee and 80 members to the Revolutionary Council, with the door remaining open for slight adjustments in numbers as required by the internal regulations. This step aims to inject new blood into the leadership structures to confront the current political and field challenges facing the Palestinian cause.

The first day of the conference witnessed a pivotal moment with the unanimous renewal of allegiance to President Mahmoud Abbas as the General Commander of the Fatah movement, a step reflecting the desire to maintain leadership stability. Official sources confirmed that this consensus came in appreciation of Abbas's role in managing complex national issues amidst the exceptional circumstances in the region.

In his opening speech, President Abbas focused on the humanitarian and political tragedy in the Gaza Strip, describing what is happening there as a war of annihilation and a catastrophe that surpasses in its cruelty what modern Palestinian history has witnessed. He stressed that Gaza has been transformed into a disaster-stricken area by the Israeli war machine, requiring urgent international action to stop the aggression and provide protection for the Palestinian people.

Abbas also reiterated the firm political stance rejecting any attempts to separate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank or to undermine the unity of Palestinian political representation under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization. He indicated that national unity remains the top priority to confront projects aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause or creating alternatives to national legitimacy.

This eighth conference is the third organizational conference held by the movement on Palestinian soil, which observers see as an affirmation of the determination to practice internal democratic work despite the restrictions of the occupation. The roots of this series of conferences within Palestine date back to 2009 when the sixth conference was held in Bethlehem, followed by the seventh conference in Ramallah in 2016.

The conference is scheduled to conclude its work with the announcement of the final election results and the issuance of the closing statement, which will include the political vision and the movement's struggle program for the next phase. Palestinian and international circles are awaiting the outcomes of this conference due to its direct impact on the future of the Palestinian Authority and the general political trajectory in the region.

What the Gaza Strip is experiencing represents an unprecedented catastrophe in contemporary Palestinian history, and the Strip will remain an integral part of the Palestinian state.

The anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) falls in mid-May each year, recalling a tragic chapter that began with the escalation of Jewish settlement and ended with the occupation of the land. These events culminated in attacks launched by armed Zionist gangs targeting Palestinian villages and cities between 1947 and 1948, leading to bloody confrontations with Arab armies.

These systematic attacks resulted in the displacement of about 957,000 Palestinians from their homes, out of a population of 1.4 million who lived in about 1,300 cities and villages. These forcibly displaced persons were distributed between the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and neighboring Arab countries, while thousands of others faced internal displacement under the authority of the occupation.

The roots of the settlement project date back to the second half of the 19th century, when Zionist ideology sought to control Palestinian lands. The Ottoman era witnessed the first beginnings of this expansion, especially after the London Conference in 1840, and the emergence of the British millionaire Lionel de Rothschild's role in financing the first settlements.

The year 1917 marked a dangerous turning point with the issuance of the "Balfour Declaration," in which Britain pledged to establish a national home for Jews in Palestine. With the start of the British Mandate, the authorities harnessed their capabilities to support Jewish expansion and facilitate control over strategic locations, paving the way for the major displacement operations that occurred later.

During that period, armed Zionist organizations such as "Haganah," "Irgun," and "Lehi" (Stern Gang) emerged, taking charge of implementing military plans. These gangs built dozens of settlements and trained their members for combat, in preparation for launching widespread raids against unarmed Palestinian civilians and British forces alike.

In 1947, Britain referred the Palestine file to the United Nations, which issued Resolution 181, the Partition Plan. Under this resolution, Jews were granted 56% of historical Palestine, while Arabs were allocated only 43%, which Palestinians and Arabs rejected outright and considered an illegitimate decision.

In response to the Partition Plan, Arabs formed the "Arab Liberation Army" with the participation of volunteers from various Arab countries to resist the Zionist project. Despite popular enthusiasm, the army suffered from a lack of training and equipment, as its armament consisted of a mixture of old rifles and limited equipment that was insufficient to confront the organized gangs.

The Zionist leadership adopted what was known as "Plan Dalet" in March 1948, a military plan aimed at controlling the largest possible area before Britain's withdrawal. The plan included launching offensive operations to destroy Palestinian villages and expel their residents, and securing the roads connecting major settlements and Jerusalem.

That period witnessed the commission of brutal massacres to instill terror in the hearts of Palestinians, most notably the Semiramis Hotel massacre and the Deir Yassin massacre. In Deir Yassin, about 254 Palestinians were martyred in a bloody attack that included mutilation of bodies and direct targeting of women and children, prompting thousands to flee in fear of a similar fate.

Palestinian resistance fighters fought heroic battles, most notably the Battle of Al-Qastal, in which Commander Abd al-Qadir al-Husayni was martyred. Al-Husayni issued a resounding cry to the Arab League before his martyrdom, warning of the loss of Palestine due to the lack of military support and necessary weapons to confront the advanced Zionist arsenal.

At midnight on May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel immediately after the end of the British Mandate. Major powers, led by the United States and the Soviet Union, rushed to recognize the new entity, providing international cover for the usurpation of Palestinian land.

Arab armies from Jordan, Iraq, Egypt, and Lebanon officially entered the war following the declaration of occupation, fighting fierce battles in Bab al-Wad, Jenin, and Faluja. The Jordanian army managed to preserve Jerusalem and the West Bank, while the Iraqi army achieved important victories in Jenin before operations ceased due to political decisions.

The Egyptian army faced organizational difficulties and a shortage of weapons, but it fought battles of steadfastness in Faluja with the participation of officers who later rose to prominence in Egyptian history. However, the imposition of an international truce and the occupation's continuous violation of it led to the retreat of Arab forces and the loss of control over vast areas of the country.

The war ended with the signing of armistice agreements in 1949, which established a new reality known as the "Green Line." Since then, the Nakba has remained a bleeding wound in Palestinian memory, as refugees continue to cling to their right of return to their homes from which they were displaced decades ago.

You are criminals, history will record that you lost Palestine. I will occupy Al-Qastal, and I and all my mujahideen brothers will die.

Accusations against the Israeli occupation government have escalated, alleging attempts to obscure facts and silence international voices revealing the extent of grave violations against Palestinians in detention centers. These moves follow an organized campaign launched by Tel Aviv against the American newspaper 'New York Times', in response to an investigative report that exposed systematic torture and sexual violence practices inside prisons.

Media sources reported that the Israeli attack primarily aims to protect the system of violations and raise the political and legal cost for any party attempting to document crimes committed behind bars. Human rights circles considered the Israeli reaction to reflect a state of continuous denial despite the accumulation of evidence and testimonies condemning the practices of the army and the prison service.

Nicholas Kristof's report in the 'New York Times' documented shocking testimonies from Palestinian men, women, and children, who spoke of being subjected to rape and deliberate humiliation. Testimonies indicated the involvement of soldiers, prison guards, and interrogators in these assaults, which human rights organizations described as having transformed the prison system into a network of 'torture camps'.

For its part, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs quickly rejected the report's contents outright, describing it as falling under 'Hamas propaganda'. The matter did not stop at denial; the ministry even threatened to sue the American newspaper, a move observers considered an attempt to intimidate the international press and prevent it from covering the issue of prisoners.

In a related context, Israeli officials and commentators resorted to using inflammatory terms such as 'blood libel' to describe human rights reports, with explicit calls to close the offices of newspapers that publish these facts. This 'collective collapse' in official Israeli discourse reflects a desire to fully control the narrative concerning Palestinian suffering in the public sphere.

The human rights organization 'B'Tselem' confirmed that it had collected testimonies from released detainees confirming the existence of an integrated system of abuse, including starvation and psychological and physical torture. Detainees spoke of brutal practices including forced nudity and severe beatings on sensitive areas, in addition to the use of police dogs to assault prisoners while they were naked.

Reports cited the testimony of detainee Ibrahim Fouda, who described horrific scenes of detainees subjected to direct sexual assaults that led to some being transferred for urgent surgical operations. These testimonies reinforce international fears about the fate of thousands of detained Palestinians who face imminent danger to their lives and physical safety.

Statistics indicate the death of more than 88 Palestinian detainees inside Israeli prisons since October 2023, an unprecedented number in the history of the prisoner movement. Human rights activists believe that these deaths are not mere accidental incidents, but rather a natural result of the dehumanization policy practiced against Palestinians in all detention centers.

Regarding mechanisms of impunity, the case of the 'Sde Teiman' detainee emerged as a stark example, where a sexual assault against a detainee was documented by surveillance cameras. Despite the clear evidence, political and popular pressures within Israel led to the release of the implicated soldiers and the dropping of charges against them permanently.

The return of these soldiers to military service last March by decision of the Chief of Staff caused widespread shock, especially after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu endorsed this step. Netanyahu considered that prosecuting soldiers accused of sexual assault harms the army, emphasizing the need to protect those he described as 'heroes'.

Analysts believe that the only punishment imposed in the 'Sde Teiman' case affected the military lawyer who leaked the video recordings, confirming that the Israeli judicial system is designed to protect perpetrators, not victims. This approach reinforces an environment of impunity and encourages the continuation of violations without fear of international accountability.

These sexual and physical assaults come as part of a 'broader war' targeting the Palestinian presence, coinciding with military operations in Gaza and the escalation of settler violence in the West Bank. This systematic violence aims to break the will of Palestinians and normalize a system that deprives them of the most basic rights to legal and moral protection.

Reports also noted that Israeli targeting is not limited to the 'New York Times', but extends to all medical, human rights, and journalistic personnel who try to convey the truth. This is evident in the targeting of journalists in the Gaza Strip and preventing foreign correspondents from entering, as well as laws that legalize the closure of media outlets.

Sources concluded that the angry Israeli reactions confirm that the issue is no longer about the availability of evidence, but about the international community's readiness to hold this system accountable. The fundamental truth that Israel is trying to obscure remains that Palestinians are human beings who deserve protection and justice, away from policies of oppression and denial.

Netanyahu celebrated the decision to acquit the soldiers involved in sexual assaults and considered the case a 'blood libel', stressing that Israel must pursue its enemies, not its fighters.

Hebrew media sources revealed a highly confidential document, which they claimed was a message sent by the military and political leadership of the Hamas movement in the Gaza Strip to the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah. The message, signed by Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Marwan Issa, was sent at exactly 6:30 AM on October 7, 2023, coinciding with the fighters crossing the separation fence.\n\nThe sources clarified that occupation forces found this document during their ground operations inside a fortified underground headquarters in the Gaza Strip several months ago. The message included precise details about the military targets that the Al-Qassam Brigades began targeting, including airports, military sites, and settlements in the Gaza envelope, with an emphasis on the intention to capture Israeli soldiers.\n\nThe Qassam leaders justified the timing of the attack in their message by the escalating violations witnessed at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially the settlers' attempts to perform Talmudic rituals and offer sacrifices. The message indicated that the occupation was seeking to empty the mosque of its defenders in preparation for imposing a new reality, which necessitated a firm military response to put an end to these Judaization schemes.\n\nThe message touched upon the element of surprise, where the three leaders affirmed that secrecy was at a very high level, to the extent that it was withheld from the movement's leadership abroad. They explained that this measure was necessary to avoid any preemptive strike by the occupation intelligence, which possesses advanced technical capabilities, apologizing to Nasrallah for not informing him of the date in advance due to compelling security necessities.\n\nThe Qassam leadership called on Hezbollah to engage immediately and directly in the confrontation by directing concentrated missile strikes targeting the vital arteries of the occupation. The message considered that intensive shelling for two or three days would be sufficient to deplete the Iron Dome systems and paralyze the movement of the Israeli air force, paving the way for the collapse of enemy defenses in the face of any widespread ground attack.\n\nThe message warned of the danger of hesitation in participating, considering that the occupation seeks to isolate each front separately to gradually weaken the axis of resistance. It indicated that the enemy plans separate battles in the West Bank, Jenin, Lebanon, and Syria, and that unifying the fronts at the moment of attack is the only way to break the Israeli deterrence equation and change the rules of conflict in the region.\n\nThe message outlined a proposed political discourse for the phase, calling for a focus on international resolutions and international law instead of slogans of removing the entity. The leaders believed that this media tactic would reduce the chances of major international powers intervening alongside Israel, and would make the attack appear as a legitimate defensive act to reclaim stolen Palestinian rights.\n\nThe document spoke about the internal Israeli situation, describing the entity as "weaker than a spider's web" and suffering from severe internal divisions that could be exploited to achieve a rapid collapse. It affirmed that the attack aims to end the effects of the Oslo Accords and stop security coordination, in addition to obstructing the regional normalization process that aimed to liquidate the Palestinian issue.\n\nThe message indicated that direct participation of Iran and Syria in the fighting is not required in the first phase, but it stressed the importance of coordinating efforts among the factions of the axis. It considered that the success of the operation would erase the phase of sectarian disputes in the region and achieve a historical transformation that restores credibility to the resistance project in the face of what it described as systems of betrayal and normalization.\n\nThe leaders reviewed in their message the crimes of the occupation in West Bank cities such as Jenin and Nablus, and considered that the blood of the martyrs there calls for general mobilization. They affirmed that the battle under the title "Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa" is the only one capable of mobilizing the Islamic nation and overcoming internal differences, making it a strategic focal point for a comprehensive confrontation.\n\nThe message included references to previous Israeli security assessments, noting that the occupation was planning to calm the Gaza front through economic facilities to isolate it from other fronts. The Qassam leadership affirmed that the option of confrontation was inevitable to break this scheme that aims to dismantle the unity of destiny among Palestinians in their various locations.\n\nThe message stressed that the expected results of the 'Al-Aqsa Flood' operation would transcend the geographical borders of the Gaza Strip to include a reshaping of the balance of power in the Middle East. The signatories expressed their confidence that Hezbollah would be a key partner in this historical transformation, given its military capabilities capable of disrupting the calculations of the Israeli leadership.\n\nThe leaders concluded their message with religious phrases emphasizing steadfastness and certainty of victory, considering that the sacrifices to be made in this battle are a necessary price for the liberation of the holy sites. They affirmed that history would record this moment as the beginning of the end of the Zionist project in the region, provided there is strong will and full coordination among the parties of the resistance axis.\n\nThese leaks come at a time when military and political circles in Tel Aviv continue to analyze the failures of October 7, as this message is considered evidence of the level of strategic planning that preceded the operation. The document reveals the extent of the gamble that Hamas leaders placed on the intervention of other fronts to ensure the success of the attack and transform it into a comprehensive regional war.\n\nThis spider's web is nothing but an illusion that will collapse if you and the rest of the resistance axis forces place your trust in God and participate with full strength and determination.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accompanied by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, announced the execution of a military operation targeting Izz al-Din al-Haddad, who holds the position of commander of the Gaza Brigade in Al-Qassam Brigades. This announcement followed a series of intense aerial bombardments carried out by occupation aircraft on various areas in Gaza City, raising anticipation about the fate of the prominent military leader.

Field sources reported that the Israeli shelling focused on the center of Gaza City, where missiles directly targeted a residential building and a civilian car. According to medical sources, these attacks resulted in a number of martyrs and injured individuals who were transported to nearby hospitals, while rescue teams are still working at the targeted sites to recover victims.

For its part, Israeli media outlets quoted security sources as saying that there are initial indications supporting the hypothesis of the success of the assassination operation targeting al-Haddad. Reports clarified that a drone participated in the operation, tracking and targeting a car that left the initial bombing site, reflecting an intelligence determination to eliminate the targeted individual.

Izz al-Din al-Haddad, known as 'Abu Suhaib,' is recognized as one of the pillars of the Al-Qassam Brigades' mini-military council and the military wing of the Hamas movement. Occupation authorities classify him as one of their most dangerous wanted individuals, giving him the title 'Ghost of Al-Qassam' due to his high ability to conceal himself and manage complex military operations away from public view.

Available data indicates that al-Haddad assumed command of the Gaza Brigade succeeding the late commander Bassem Issa, who was assassinated during previous confrontations in 2022. Since then, his name has emerged as an active and influential leader in the organizational structure of the resistance, with Israel accusing him of responsibility for planning and executing a series of qualitative operations against its forces.

Israeli reports claim that al-Haddad played a pivotal role in the military preparations that preceded the events of October 7, 2023, and had a prominent presence in managing field battles during the current war. Security agencies in Tel Aviv consider him the de facto successor in leading the military wing within the Strip after previous leaders were targeted.

In a related context, the Hamas movement described recent Israeli statements regarding the destruction of resistance capabilities and the targeting of its leaders as reflecting a state of disregard for international laws and an attempt to market illusory achievements. Field confrontations continue in the Gaza Strip amidst harsh humanitarian conditions, while political and military circles await the repercussions of these new Israeli claims.

Israeli security agencies consider Izz al-Din al-Haddad their most wanted individual in the Gaza Strip and describe him as the 'Ghost of Al-Qassam'.

The Israeli occupation's announcement of targeting Izz al-Din al-Haddad, described as the commander of Hamas's military wing, brought renewed attention to the figure Tel Aviv considers the actual driving force behind what remains of the military power in the Gaza Strip. This operation came at a sensitive time in the confrontation, as Israeli security circles are promoting their success in reaching the 'most prominent military mind' remaining after a series of assassinations that targeted the first line of the movement's leadership.

Hebrew reports stated that the Israeli army had placed a residential apartment in the western area of Gaza City under close surveillance for over ten days before deciding to execute the operation. The security establishment described this operation as a 'rare operational opportunity' that does not often repeat itself, given the security complexities and strict precautions al-Haddad took in his movements within densely populated areas.

Media sources reported that the attack was not limited to destroying the targeted apartment but also included a second raid that targeted a vehicle attempting to leave the vicinity immediately after the first explosion. According to initial published estimates, the operation resulted in the killing of four bodyguards who were accompanying al-Haddad in his hideout, in an Israeli attempt to ensure the complete elimination of his inner circle.

Military analysts in Tel Aviv focused on the pivotal role al-Haddad played in recent months, where he undertook the arduous task of rebuilding the leadership structure of the Al-Qassam Brigades. Reports indicated that al-Haddad succeeded in filling the void left by the absence of prominent leaders such as Mohammed Sinwar and Mohammed Deif, by adapting fighting methods to the changing field reality.

In additional details, Haaretz newspaper revealed that the political decision to carry out the assassination operation was made about a week and a half before its actual execution, awaiting the zero hour that would ensure the least amount of risk. The newspaper explained that Israeli intelligence had been closely monitoring al-Haddad's movements between various hideouts, claiming that he was taking complex security measures to avoid aerial detection.

For its part, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper described al-Haddad as having become 'the most wanted' in the Gaza Strip, noting his security and linguistic capabilities that enabled him to manage sensitive files. The newspaper claimed that his fluent command of Hebrew helped him deal directly with some files related to Israeli prisoners, making him a strategic target of utmost priority for the Mossad and Shin Bet.

Hebrew channels touched upon testimonies given by former Israeli female prisoners, who claimed to have met al-Haddad during their detention in the northern Strip. According to these claims, al-Haddad personally supervised the conditions of the detainees, which made the news of his targeting carry psychological dimensions for the Israeli public, described by some sources as 'closing the circle.'

On the political level, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Yoav Gallant linked this operation to al-Haddad's political stance. The officials indicated that the targeted leader represented an obstacle to the implementation of international proposals related to disarming factions in Gaza, considering his elimination part of a strategy of 'pre-empting future threats.'

Observers believe that the occupation, by exaggerating the scale of the operation, is trying to send pressure messages to the popular base and the political level of the Hamas movement, coinciding with the stalled ceasefire negotiations. The extensive media coverage aims to demonstrate the ability to reach field leaders, no matter how hidden they are, in an attempt to undermine the morale of fighters in the field.

Channel 12 Hebrew also indicated that al-Haddad was not just a military commander but was also working on developing 'guerrilla warfare' tactics that exhausted Israeli forces in northern Gaza. It added that his absence might lead to temporary confusion in coordination among the remaining combat units, which the Israeli army seeks to exploit in its current ground operations.

In a related context, Maariv newspaper stated that the double attack carried out by the air force reflects a firm desire to ensure that no one inside the targeted site survived. It explained that the use of precision missiles in the heart of residential neighborhoods expresses the extent of intelligence information available to the joint operations rooms before the planes took off.

In conclusion, anticipation remains the order of the day, awaiting official confirmations from resistance factions regarding al-Haddad's fate, amidst the policy of obfuscation usually adopted by the movement regarding its leaders. Nevertheless, the consensus of Hebrew media on the importance of the figure reflects the extent of concern this commander posed to the Israeli security establishment throughout the raging war.

Al-Haddad was directly responsible for rebuilding the military command chain and adapting field tactics to the conditions of the ongoing war.

Informed sources revealed that the American administration is studying a request to Israel to transfer a portion of the withheld Palestinian tax revenues to the 'Peace Council' established by President Donald Trump. This step aims to provide the necessary funding for the implementation of Washington's post-war plan in the Gaza Strip, which faces significant financial and political challenges.

Reports indicated that the Trump administration has not yet made a final decision regarding submitting a formal request to the Israeli side in this regard, but discussions are still ongoing behind the scenes. The proposed suggestions include dividing the funds between an American-backed transitional government in Gaza and the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah, provided that the latter implements a comprehensive package of reforms.

Palestinian Authority estimates indicate that the total funds withheld by Israel from tax revenues (clearance) have reached approximately $5 billion. The continued withholding of these funds exacerbates the financial crisis in the West Bank, threatening the Authority's ability to meet its obligations to employees and public services.

In a related context, observers warned that redirecting these funds towards Trump's reconstruction plan could lead to the complete marginalization of the Palestinian Authority's role. These developments come at a time when the cost of the reconstruction plan is estimated at about $70 billion, an amount that the Peace Council seeks to secure from various resources.

On the ground and political level, leaders of Palestinian factions revealed arrangements for holding an expanded meeting in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, next Tuesday. The meeting aims to discuss the fate of negotiations related to the transition to the second phase of the American peace plan, amidst ongoing Israeli military operations.

Leading sources confirmed that negotiations are still clashing with Israel's condition, and the representative of the Gaza Strip in the Peace Council, Nikolai Mladenov, to disarm the resistance as a fundamental condition for moving forward. The factions believe that this condition represents a major obstacle to any real progress, especially with the mediators' failure to compel Israel to fulfill the requirements of the first phase.

For its part, the Hamas negotiating delegation stressed that the issue of weapons is not negotiable or exchangeable under any circumstances. The movement informed the mediators in Cairo that surrendering weapons means ending the resistance project, which no Palestinian leader can accept or sign, no matter how great the pressures.

While the Peace Council officially declined to comment on the news of using tax funds, officials within it emphasized the need to mobilize all available resources to support the reconstruction plan. The plan relies primarily on creating a new security and political environment in the Strip that ensures no return to a comprehensive military confrontation.

It is worth noting that Israel collects taxes on goods imported for Palestinians under old economic agreements, but it uses these funds as a political pressure card. Depriving the Palestinian treasury of these cash flows is the backbone of the current economic crisis affecting all aspects of life in the occupied territories.

No leader, regardless of their name or influence, will dare to make a decision to surrender weapons and disarm the resistance, as this officially represents the downfall of the national project.

Cities in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem witnessed a dangerous field escalation coinciding with the seventy-eighth anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba, as occupation forces and settlers continued a series of systematic violations. These attacks resulted in the martyrdom of a Palestinian youth in Nablus Governorate, coinciding with attacks on places of worship and widespread provocations in the vicinity of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.

In field details, the Palestinian Ministry of Health announced the martyrdom of a 15-year-old boy, after he was shot by the Israeli occupation army in the town of Al-Lubban Al-Sharqiya, south of Nablus. This crime comes in the context of direct targeting of Palestinian civilians in various villages and towns that witness daily incursions by occupation mechanisms.

In a blatant violation of the sanctity of mosques, occupation forces stormed a mosque in Nablus city during Friday prayers, where soldiers forced worshippers to interrupt their prayers and evacuate the place. Video documentation showed a heavily armed soldier pushing the imam and worshippers inside the mosque, preventing the completion of religious rituals in a scene that reflects the extent of targeting of holy sites.

Settler attacks did not stop there; extremist groups set fire to a mosque in the village of Jibiya, northwest of Ramallah, which led to a fire in the mosque's basement and damage to a number of nearby Palestinian vehicles. These groups carry out organized attacks under the protection of the occupation army, which often ignores citizens' reports about these crimes.

In Jenin Governorate, settlers stormed agricultural lands in the village of Raba, east of the city, bringing with them herds of cattle in an attempt to impose a new settlement reality and destroy crops. This coincided with occupation bulldozers carving out settlement roads and bulldozing vast areas in Jabal Al-Masalma surrounding the village to connect settlement outposts to each other.

As for occupied Jerusalem, the occupation authorities transformed the Old City into a military barracks, deploying about 14,000 security personnel to secure what is called the 'Flags March'. The police closed the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque, specifically Bab Al-Asbat and Bab Al-Malik Faisal, and prevented hundreds of worshippers from reaching the mosque's courtyards to perform prayers.

Extremist Rabbi Israel Ariel, founder of the 'Temple Institute', led a provocative ceremony in front of Bab Al-Asbat, which included dances, musical performances, and the raising of flags of the alleged Temple. This event came on the occasion of the anniversary of the occupation of East Jerusalem according to the Hebrew calendar, amidst racist chants launched by participants against Arabs and Jerusalemites.

In an escalatory move, Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque accompanied by hundreds of settlers, and raised the Israeli flag inside its courtyards in a clear challenge to Islamic sentiments. During their march in the Bab Al-Amoud area, settlers chanted incitement slogans calling for burning Palestinian villages and killing Arabs, under tight security protection.

These moves sparked a wave of Arab and international condemnations, as diplomatic sources warned of the consequences of transforming the political conflict into an open religious confrontation. Arab countries considered these provocations a blatant violation of the historical and legal status quo in occupied Jerusalem and its holy sites.

For its part, the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Ben-Gvir's storming of Al-Aqsa, describing it as a blatant violation of international law and an attempt to impose a new fait accompli in Jerusalem. Doha affirmed in a statement that these actions represent an unacceptable provocation to the feelings of millions of Muslims around the world and increase tension in the region.

In the same context, the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced the provocative practices of settlers and the raising of Israeli flags in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa, stressing the need to respect the Hashemite custodianship. Egypt and Yemen also condemned these incursions, considering them an undermining of peace opportunities and a blatant assault on the sanctity of holy places that must remain far from political tensions.

Palestinian Authority data indicates that the number of martyrs in the West Bank since the outbreak of the war in October 2023 has exceeded 1071 martyrs, including a large number of children and women. These numbers are increasing amid the continued policy of field executions carried out by the occupation army and armed settlers in various governorates.

More than half a million settlers currently live in the West Bank, distributed in settlement outposts considered illegal under international law, exacerbating the suffering of Palestinians. The occupation seeks through these policies to Judaize the city of Jerusalem and erase its Arab identity, amidst continuous Palestinian steadfastness in the face of these plans.

The storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the raising of the Israeli flag inside it represents a dangerous attempt to impose a new fait accompli and erase the Arab and Islamic identity of the holy city.

Crowds of people gathered in global and Arab capitals and cities on Friday to commemorate the 78th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba, in a widespread popular movement that links the tragedy of the initial displacement with what the Gaza Strip is currently experiencing. Palestinian flags and banners affirming the right of return were raised in these marches, condemning the continued Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people.

In the Greek capital, Athens, demonstrators gathered in a protest vigil in front of the Israeli embassy, expressing their solidarity with the Palestinian people on the anniversary of their forced displacement in 1948. Greek riot police confronted the protesters with a heavy presence outside the embassy building, while participants insisted on delivering their message rejecting the occupation.

In Germany, the city of Hanover hosted a gathering in support of the Palestinian cause in front of the new city hall building, where hundreds participated in events commemorating Nakba Day. Participants emphasized in their speeches the necessity of holding the occupation accountable for its continuous crimes for decades, demanding an end to military and political support for Israel.

In the Austrian capital, Vienna, noisy demonstrations coincided with the Nakba anniversary, where protesters raised the slogan 'No Stage for Genocide'. Demonstrators expressed their categorical rejection of Israel's participation in the 'Eurovision' contest, considering it an attempt to whitewash the occupation's image before global public opinion in light of what is happening in Gaza.

In Finland, a massive march set off from the central train station square in Helsinki under the title 'March for Palestine'. This event was organized by the Finnish Sumud network, where speeches focused on 78 years of Palestinian steadfastness in the face of attempts at erasure and displacement.

Dutch cities were strongly present on this day, with Amsterdam witnessing a solidarity evening at the Dominicus Church, which included testimonies about the ongoing Nakba. Silent protests were also organized in the cities of Utrecht and Apeldoorn, during which participants raised banners demanding justice and freedom for Palestine.

In the Dutch city of Rotterdam, demonstrators marched in a silent procession that started from the city center, expressing sorrow and protest against the ongoing massacres. The march brought together various segments of Dutch society and residents, who affirmed their full solidarity with the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.

Moving to Australia, the city of Sydney witnessed a major event in front of the city hall as part of a comprehensive national protest on Nakba Day. Organizers in their speeches linked the 1948 Nakba with the forced displacement and destruction of homes currently taking place in the Gaza Strip, calling on the international community to intervene urgently.

On the Asian continent, the Pakistani city of Karachi witnessed a massive march during which participants commemorated the Nakba, declaring their absolute support for the Palestinian resistance. Demonstrators raised slogans against the Israeli occupation, emphasizing that the Palestinian cause is the central issue of the Islamic nation that cannot be compromised.

On the Arab level, the Kingdom of Morocco witnessed a wave of demonstrations and solidarity vigils that included dozens of cities in response to calls from civil society organizations. Thousands of Moroccans in Rabat, Casablanca, and Tangier demanded an end to all forms of normalization with Israel, affirming that the Moroccan people will remain a constant support for Gaza and Jerusalem.

In Tunisia, a massive march paraded down Habib Bourguiba Avenue in the capital, at the invitation of the Tunisian Network to Counter the Normalization System. Participants chanted powerful slogans supporting the option of resistance and affirming that 'the rifle is the only path to liberation,' expressing their pride in the steadfastness of the Palestinian people in the face of the Israeli war machine.

In Lebanon, Palestinian refugees in the camps commemorated the Nakba with national events that emphasized adherence to the sacred right of return. In the Beddawi camp in the north, speakers stressed that the passage of decades has only increased the determination of Palestinian generations to return to their villages and cities from which they were forcibly displaced.

In the Jordanian capital, Amman, a large march set off from in front of the Al-Husseini Mosque, with more than two thousand people participating under the slogan 'Resistance is the Path to Return'. Participants condemned American bias towards the occupation, demanding the cancellation of agreements signed with Israel and the opening of humanitarian corridors to aid those besieged in the Gaza Strip.

These widespread global and Arab movements confirm that this year's Nakba anniversary gains additional momentum due to the brutal aggression on Gaza. Participants across different continents agreed that the struggle of the Palestinian people is one struggle for freedom and dignity, and that the right of return will remain the primary driver of Palestinian national identity.

Commemorating the anniversary 78 years after the displacement represents a renewed message that Palestinians remain committed to their inherent right of return.

Robert Kagan, one of the most prominent theorists of American foreign policy, believes that the United States suffered a strategic and geopolitical defeat in its recent confrontation with Iran. Kagan points out that the American administration entered the conflict with flimsy expectations of a rapid collapse of the Iranian regime, similar to those that preceded the invasion of Iraq. However, the reality on the ground proved an unexpected Iranian resilience despite intensive bombing and targeting of leaders.

Iran's tight control over the Strait of Hormuz is considered the cornerstone of thwarting American plans, as the strait turned into a strategic pressure card that prevented Washington from imposing a new post-war reality. According to analyses, the inability to secure free navigation without making major concessions to Tehran put the American administration in a complex political and military predicament with its allies and adversaries alike.

Decision-makers in the White House backed away from comprehensive escalation options after military ambitions clashed with exorbitant and uncontrollable economic costs. The confrontation caused severe shocks to global oil markets and disruptions in stock exchanges, in addition to draining military resources that were allocated to counter the influence of China and Russia in other parts of the world.

One of the most prominent indicators of American failure is the confusion in defining war objectives. It began with an ambitious slogan of 'regime change' then gradually receded to merely demanding the opening of the Strait of Hormuz. This dwindling of objectives coincided with a massive increase in military deployments, as the number of aircraft carriers and naval vessels participating increased without achieving any significant strategic breakthrough.

On the ground, reports based on satellite imagery revealed widespread destruction to 15 American military bases in the Gulf region and Iraqi Kurdistan. The damage included the destruction of more than 228 military facilities, including advanced radars, air defense systems, and command centers, forcing Washington to move some of its operational centers to within American territory.

This confrontation proved the failure of what was called the 'Freedom Project,' which aimed to break the Iranian blockade of the Strait of Hormuz by military force, as American naval vessels withdrew in the face of Iranian threats. Global shipping companies fear risking their giant ships given the ability of inexpensive Iranian drones to inflict hundreds of millions of dollars in losses in the heart of waterways.

Domestically, the American administration faced increasing popular and economic pressures as a result of the insane rise in fuel prices, with the price of a gallon of gasoline jumping to record levels exceeding $6 in some states. Sources reported that the American consumer bore an additional bill of $40 billion since the start of military operations, raising serious concerns about political repercussions in the upcoming elections.

Financial data indicate that the direct military operations managed by the Pentagon cost approximately $29 billion, a figure that burdens the federal budget amidst successive economic crises. Poor American families found themselves spending a large portion of their weekly income just to cover energy price differences, which increased public discontent against 'endless wars.'

In contrast, Tehran insists on its position rejecting any negotiations under pressure, stipulating a complete cessation of the war and lifting the naval blockade before returning to the negotiating table on the nuclear file. This Iranian insistence put Washington in an awkward position, as it is now looking for a 'safe exit' that saves face without having to engage in a comprehensive ground war rejected by the American people and Congress.

This conflict has led to a noticeable erosion of the credibility of American deterrence, as Gulf and European countries began to re-evaluate their security alliances after seeing the American inability to protect its bases and facilities. At the same time, China and Russia are closely watching this American attrition, as it opens the way for them to strengthen their influence in the Middle East at the expense of American decline.

Analysts confirm that the model Trump tried to apply in Iran, inspired by previous experiences, completely failed to read the social and political reality within Iran. Instead of an internal collapse or a popular movement supporting external intervention, military strikes contributed to strengthening support for the options of resilience and confrontation adopted by the leadership in Tehran.

The only remaining option for Washington to achieve its goals is to engage in a comprehensive ground and naval war aimed at occupying Iran, an option experts describe as 'almost impossible.' Such a step would require hundreds of thousands of soldiers and trillions in budgets, which completely contradicts electoral promises to end foreign military interventions and focus on the domestic economy.

Iran emerges from this round with clear political gains, having demonstrated its ability to disrupt international navigation and challenge the world's leading military power for more than two continuous months. This resilience not only changed regional power balances but also imposed new rules of engagement that make any future American military adventure fraught with existential risks to Western interests.

In conclusion, the United States today appears to be looking for a path to withdraw from a crisis whose keys to resolution it no longer holds, while Iran continues to impose its field and political conditions. The indicators of American strategic failure in this war will cast a long shadow over international politics for many years, perhaps signaling the end of an era of sole dominance over global energy security.

Iran emerges from this war politically stronger, not because it won militarily, but because it managed to endure without retreating in the face of the American military machine.

Washington's Message

Washington – Said Arikat – 16/5/2026

News Analysis

Despite the optimistic language surrounding the American announcement of talks between Israel and Lebanon on May 14 and 15, political and field realities do not suggest that the region is truly approaching a stable settlement or lasting peace. The US State Department announced, in an official statement, that the meetings hosted by Washington were "very productive," and that the ceasefire announced on April 16 would be extended for an additional 45 days to allow for further progress, with political negotiations set to resume on June 2 and 3, in parallel with the launch of a security track at the US Department of Defense on May 29, with the participation of military delegations from both sides.

However, this official announcement does not seem much different from a long series of meetings, understandings, and mediations that the region has witnessed over the past decades, most of which ended in failure, obstruction, or complete collapse due to Israeli intransigence first, and internal Lebanese division second, in addition to the absence of any real international will to impose just and balanced solutions.

Israeli policy, as experienced by Lebanese, Palestinians, and Arabs in general, is not based on the logic of balanced compromise, but rather on managing conflict and perpetuating military and security superiority. Successive Israeli governments have treated any negotiations as a tool to gain time, contain international pressure, or reorder security priorities, rather than as an entry point to fundamentally end conflicts. Therefore, the repeated talk of "lasting peace" and "mutual recognition" often clashes with the reality of occupation, aggressions, and daily violations that make any talk of stability merely diplomatic rhetoric detached from the truth on the ground.

In contrast, Lebanon does not appear to be in a position to engage in coherent negotiations or impose a unified national vision. The Lebanese state suffers from deep political divisions, dilapidated institutions, and a suffocating economic crisis, in addition to a clear divergence in approaching the issue of relations with Israel among different political forces. This structural disintegration makes any negotiation process inherently fragile and vulnerable to collapse at the first political or security test.

Previous experiences also do not encourage optimism. From the April 1996 understanding to Resolution 1701 after the July 2006 war, and through dozens of security meetings and international mediations, none of these initiatives succeeded in producing lasting stability on the Lebanese-Palestinian border. Instead, Israel continued to violate Lebanese airspace, launch aggressions, and threaten Lebanese infrastructure, while the international community remained unable to compel it to any actual respect for international law or UN resolutions.

American insistence on sponsoring these negotiations also reflects Washington's desire to prevent the regional confrontation from escalating further, rather than a genuine commitment to resolving the roots of the conflict. The United States, which presents itself as a mediator, remains in the eyes of many completely biased towards Israel politically, militarily, and diplomatically, which preemptively undermines any confidence in its ability to play an impartial and balanced role.

The fundamental problem in any negotiation process between Israel and its neighbors lies in the absence of a real balance between the two parties. Israel enters negotiations supported politically, militarily, and economically by the United States and the West, while the Arab or Lebanese side enters burdened by crises, divisions, and internal pressures. This structural imbalance makes any negotiation closer to crisis management than to the creation of a just solution. Moreover, Israel has become accustomed to using negotiation time to establish new facts on the ground, whether through military escalation or imposing unilateral security arrangements. Therefore, betting on the success of similar paths without a radical change in the balance of international pressures seems closer to political illusion than to diplomatic realism.

What is striking about the official American statements regarding these meetings is that they repeat the same vocabulary used for decades: "lasting peace," "sovereignty," "shared security," and "border stability." However, this diplomatic language has lost much of its meaning due to the enormous gap between statements and actual practices on the ground. Israel has never shown a genuine willingness to accept balanced relations with its Arab surroundings as much as it has sought to impose equations of deterrence and permanent hegemony. Even when temporary understandings are reached, they are often violated at the first political or security change. This is why repeated negotiation rounds seem like a recycling of chronic crises rather than serious steps towards a solution.

As for Lebanon, it faces a complex dilemma that goes beyond the immediate security dimension. The crisis is not only about how to deal with Israel, but also about the nature of the Lebanese political system itself, based on sectarian division and regional tug-of-war. This reality makes national decision-making distributed among multiple centers of power, weakening the state's ability to negotiate from a unified position capable of imposing commitments. Moreover, the deep economic and social collapse has made internal priorities supersede any long-term strategic vision. Under these circumstances, any negotiations seem vulnerable to rapid failure, because the political and institutional foundation necessary to support them remains fragile and unstable.

Perhaps the greatest paradox is that the region has been witnessing endless negotiations for years, while the chances of an actual settlement diminish with each new round. Instead of addressing the roots of the conflict, there is merely an attempt to manage tension and prevent a full-scale explosion, an approach that postpones crises but does not solve them. Furthermore, the absence of any real accountability for Israel regarding its repeated violations of international law gives it wide leeway to continue its policy of force and imposing facts. In contrast, Lebanon remains mired in its internal crises, unable to transform any temporary truce into lasting political and security stability, or into a unifying national vision capable of enduring.

The recent visit of US President Donald Trump to the Chinese capital, Beijing, and the accompanying in-depth discussions on the Iranian file, have stirred the stagnant waters in the path of negotiations between Tehran and Washington. These moves come at a sensitive time when international parties are seeking to avoid military escalation in the region and prioritize diplomatic channels.

For his part, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi affirmed that his country shows tangible interest in returning to the negotiating table, but he linked this approach to the seriousness of the other party in reaching real understandings. Araqchi indicated that Tehran had received messages from Washington stating the American administration's readiness to continue the stalled nuclear talks.

In a related context, the Iranian minister explained that his country is making efforts to maintain the current ceasefire, with the aim of giving diplomacy sufficient opportunity to achieve breakthroughs in the outstanding issues. These statements reflect an Iranian desire to explore the intentions of the new Trump administration and its ability to provide acceptable guarantees.

On the American side, President Donald Trump showed unprecedented openness to a proposal for Iran to suspend its nuclear program for up to twenty years. The White House stipulates for the success of this proposal the existence of strict monitoring mechanisms that ensure full compliance by the Iranian side with all agreed-upon terms.

China strongly entered the crisis, driven by its vital economic interests, as Beijing relies heavily on oil imports passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The Chinese Foreign Ministry issued a series of positions emphasizing the necessity of adopting the language of dialogue and moving away from options of violence and war that threaten regional stability.

In this context, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for the necessity of working to reopen the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible to ensure the flow of global trade. Wang Yi added that his country encourages both the United States and Iran to resolve their disputes through diplomatic channels and direct and indirect talks.

The spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry stressed that energy security and supply chains represent a fundamental pillar in the Middle East that cannot be compromised. Beijing considered that regional stability requires a comprehensive agreement that takes into account the interests of all parties and ensures that the situation does not slide into a comprehensive confrontation.

Reports from Washington indicate that proposals related to freezing Iranian nuclear activity are not entirely new, but have been circulated in previous rounds. These visions included varying time periods for the freezing process, as Washington seeks to extract the longest possible period to ensure the crippling of Iranian nuclear capabilities.

Media sources revealed leaks indicating that US Vice President, JD Vance, during his recent visit to Islamabad, presented a detailed proposal for a 20-year freeze. It appears that the current US administration is adopting this proposal as a basic foundation for any future agreement with the regime in Tehran.

In contrast, Iran had previously adhered to a short freeze period not exceeding five years, which created a wide gap in views. With the intervention of the Pakistani mediator, the proposals began to converge, with the proposed period ranging between 10 to 12 years, before Trump returned to propose the twenty-year formula again.

The current American vision is based on a complete and comprehensive freeze of any nuclear activity within Iranian facilities, whether those declared to the International Atomic Energy Agency or undeclared. This approach aims to ensure that centrifuges cease operation permanently during the proposed agreement period.

The corresponding Iranian vision is based on accepting a specific freeze period, followed by allowing Tehran to resume uranium enrichment operations at a percentage not exceeding 3.67%. Iran considers the right to peaceful enrichment a red line that cannot be compromised in any final settlement with international powers.

The fate of highly enriched uranium stockpiles remains one of the most complex outstanding issues preventing a final agreement between the two parties. While Washington pressures for the transfer or full surrender of this stockpile, Tehran proposes depositing it with a third country as a guarantee, while retaining the right to reclaim it if Washington breaks the covenant.

President Trump seeks through these moves to formulate a new agreement that differs fundamentally from the 2015 agreement concluded by the Obama administration. Trump's team believes that the previous agreement suffered from temporal and oversight loopholes, and therefore they insist on imposing longer and stricter restrictions on Iranian nuclear ambitions.

Iran is interested in negotiating only if the other party is serious, and we have been informed by Washington of its readiness to continue talks.

Political tensions in the United States escalated after prominent leaders in the Democratic Party directed direct accusations of corruption against President Donald Trump. These moves came after the disclosure of financial documents showing the execution of huge deals in global stock markets under his personal name, raising widespread legal and ethical questions.

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren launched a sharp attack via the 'X' platform, describing the President's practices as a 'disaster for national security'. Warren focused her criticism on suspicious trading operations of shares of 'Nvidia', a leading company in the artificial intelligence chip industry, pointing to a link between political decisions and financial profits.

Warren accused the US administration of facilitating the company's sales to China, which in turn led to a temporary jump in the stock's market value. She considered that these steps reflect a blatant conflict of interest, especially with millions of dollars in investments in Trump's name in the same company that benefited from the trade facilities.

Reports revealed that Trump took Jensen Huang, CEO of 'Nvidia', with him during his last official visit to Beijing. According to the accusations, the President pressured his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping to increase his country's purchases of advanced chips, despite security warnings about the danger of this technology.

In contrast, Eric Trump, who manages part of the family's business empire, quickly denied these allegations in their entirety. He affirmed in press statements that all the family's assets are managed through an independent investment fund supervised by a major financial institution, without direct interference from family members in buying or selling decisions.

The President's son described the circulating accusations about individual stock trading as 'pure lies and slander' aimed at undermining his father's political reputation. He stressed that his presence on the China trip was in a personal capacity, and that businessmen accompanying the President on his foreign tours is a routine procedure to support the American economy.

For his part, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker entered the confrontation, describing Trump as 'the most corrupt president in US history'. These harsh statements reflect the extent of the deep political division in Washington regarding the current President's financial integrity file and how he manages his wealth.

Leaked documents showed that the volume of financial transactions recently executed in Trump's name exceeded $200 million. This investment portfolio included shares in major technology and industrial companies such as Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft, in addition to the aviation giant Boeing.

This intensive financial activity raises observers' concerns about the extent of the White House's adherence to the rules of separation between power and private business. These developments come at a time when reports indicate a relaxation of the ethical restrictions that were imposed during Trump's first presidential term, which opened the door to controversial foreign investments.

According to 'Forbes' magazine estimates issued in March 2026, Trump's personal wealth witnessed significant growth to reach $6.5 billion. This figure represents an increase of $1.4 billion in just one year, which fuels Democratic accusations of exploiting the presidential office to grow private wealth.

Political analysts believe that this issue may turn into rich material for parliamentary investigations in Congress in the coming period. Democrats seek to obtain more precise details about the timing of stock deals and the extent of their intersection with the executive decisions taken by the President regarding trade with China.

The issue of artificial intelligence chips is particularly sensitive due to its connection to the strategic competition between Washington and Beijing. While security institutions are trying to restrict China's access to these technologies, the President's recent moves show a different direction that serves the direct commercial interests of companies in which he owns shares.

Despite repeated denials from the Trump family, the lack of complete transparency about the 'blind trust' that manages their money remains a weakness exploited by opponents. Regulatory organizations demand the necessity of renewing measures to freeze foreign investments to ensure that foreign policy is not affected by personal financial interests.

The scene remains open to all possibilities with the continued leakage of financial documents that reveal the extent of the overlap between the private sector and political decision. In this charged atmosphere, the American public awaits what the coming days will bring in terms of legal confrontations that may redefine the standards of integrity in the American presidency.

Presidential corruption is a disaster for national security, and pressuring China to buy advanced chips poses a direct threat to our interests.

Eight decades have not succeeded in erasing the details of the Nakba from the memory of the residents of Al-Bass Palestinian refugee camp in the Lebanese city of Tyre. Today, refugees live a mixture of the pain of the 78th anniversary of displacement and the harsh reality of escalating Israeli threats that loom with new waves of displacement, bringing back memories of the first exodus in 1948.

The Tyre region is witnessing a state of field tension that has driven large numbers of residents to seek safe havens. Al-Bass camp has received new displaced people despite its limited resources and cramped space. This influx has put the collective resilience of the camp's residents to a difficult test, amidst a suffocating economic crisis and an almost complete lack of job opportunities and basic necessities.

Field sources reported that the camp's atmosphere is dominated by constant anxiety fueled by the sounds of Israeli drones that do not leave the region's skies around the clock. Despite these security pressures and continuous harassment, refugees cling to staying in their temporary places of refuge, drawing strength from the stories of steadfastness they inherited from their ancestors who faced Zionist gangs during the Nakba.

One of the elderly women in the camp recounts the details of her village from which she was displaced when she was thirteen years old, confirming that she still remembers its landmarks house by house. The woman bitterly recalls how she lost her brother, who was run over by a military vehicle belonging to the occupation, to complete her journey of diaspora, orphaned from Safed to Tiberias, and then to the Lebanese coast.

Palestinian memory recalls the night of forced exodus, when some assured them that the return would be in just two days, only for a journey of wandering to begin that lasted for decades. From the border town of Naqoura to the Rashidieh and then Al-Bass camps, Palestinian families moved under the weight of systematic expulsion, but the dream of return remained steadfast and unwavering despite the passage of years.

Ibtisam Al-Jamal, a second-generation refugee, confirms that the camp opens its arms to new displaced people despite the scarcity of resources, considering it a national and humanitarian duty. She adds that the pain today is doubled, as the weight of historical memory mixes with the harshness of the present, which threatens what remains of temporary stability in the lands of refuge.

For his part, Hajj Muhammad Abdul Majeed Zaidani, originally from Al-Damoun village in the Acre district, recalls his father's journey, who was arrested in Atlit prison during the Nakba years. Zaidani, who was born in Lebanon, visited his village in 1995 to find it a pile of stones, but he still remembers the elegiac poems that were recited about the 'Bride of the Coast' and the beginning of the Galilee.

Official data from the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics indicates that the Nakba caused the displacement of about 957,000 Palestinians from their cities and villages, which exceeded 1,300 population centers. These displaced people were distributed between the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and neighboring Arab countries, in addition to thousands of Palestinians who were subjected to forced internal displacement.

Historical reports document the commission of more than 70 horrific massacres by Zionist gangs during the events of 1948, resulting in the martyrdom of more than 15,000 people. This systematic policy led to the occupation's control over more than 85% of historical Palestine, in a failed attempt to obliterate the national identity of the Palestinian people.

If I die, my will is to be buried in Palestine, otherwise, I am steadfast here, carrying the key of return in my heart.

Local sources reported the martyrdom of young Tamer Iyad Al-Matouq due to a raid launched by the Israeli occupation forces on the Jabalia area, north of the Gaza Strip. This tragic incident comes amidst an escalation in the pace of aerial and artillery bombardment targeting residential areas and civilians in the northern areas of the Strip intensively.

The tragedy of the Al-Matouq family doubled with the departure of their son Tamer, as only two days had passed since the martyrdom of his father, Iyad Al-Matouq, in a previous attack. The news of his martyrdom sparked deep sorrow among citizens who mourned his body amidst calls condemning the ongoing crimes against Palestinian families.

The Jabalia area and its camp are experiencing extremely harsh humanitarian and security conditions, as warplanes continue to target residential blocks, leading to the extermination of entire families and their erasure from the civil registry. The story of the Al-Matouq family is a recurring example of the daily suffering endured by residents of northern Gaza under the tight siege and continuous bombardment.

Eyewitnesses confirm that the shelling that targeted the area was sudden and violent, resulting in injuries and casualties among unarmed civilians. These targeting operations continue at a time when the area lacks the most basic medical care and civil defense capabilities due to the systematic destruction of infrastructure and health facilities.

His tears for his father, Iyad Al-Matouq, had barely dried when he too became a victim of the violent airstrikes.

Legal sources announced that French authorities have officially begun legal procedures aimed at deporting Palestinian political activist Ramy Shaath from its territory. This move came after the Nanterre department classified Shaath as a 'serious threat to public order,' which paves the way for ending his residency in the country that hosted him years ago following his release from Egyptian prisons.

Lawyer Damia Tahraoui reported that the local administration informed the defense team of its intention to proceed with the deportation case, with a hearing scheduled before a specialized committee on May 21st. Despite this date being set, the lawyer warned that laws allow authorities to issue and execute a deportation order suddenly at any time they deem appropriate.

France's security perspective in this decision is based on an assessment that criticizes Shaath's intensive political activity since the outbreak of the war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023. Authorities accuse the Palestinian activist of strengthening his ties with entities described as extremist, including the 'Urgence Palestine' organization, which he helped found and which is active in organizing protest events against Israeli practices.

The list of accusations against Shaath included adopting political positions described as 'radical,' particularly regarding his opposition to ceasefire plans and his expression of hopes for a regional expansion of the conflict. Security reports also monitored his statements in Paris demonstrations, where he described the Israeli occupation as 'criminal' and accused Tel Aviv of committing grave violations against Palestinian civilians.

For his part, Ramy Shaath, son of former Palestinian minister and negotiator Nabil Shaath, responded to these measures by saying they are a clear attempt to silence his political voice. He affirmed in press statements that he only participated in peaceful events calling for an end to the genocide, imposing international sanctions, and banning arms exports to Israel, positions he sees as consistent with his principles.

Shaath is known for his prominent role as one of the faces of the January Revolution in Egypt, in addition to being a coordinator for the international Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement, which calls for divesting from Israel. He previously spent about 900 days in detention in Egyptian prisons on charges related to incitement, before the French presidency intervened to secure his release and transfer to Paris in 2022.

This French move raises widespread questions about the limits of freedom of expression and political activity for Palestinian rights defenders in Europe. Observers are awaiting the outcome of the upcoming hearing, amid human rights pressures demanding a halt to deportation procedures and ensuring the protection of the activist who sought political safety in France.

My positions have not changed since France worked to get me out of Egyptian prisons... but today it seems they want to silence me.

The recent Israeli military operation in the heart of Gaza City has once again highlighted Tel Aviv's systematic assassination strategy against first-tier leaders of the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades. The announcement of the targeting of leader Izz al-Din al-Haddad, known by the nickname 'Ghost of Al-Qassam,' has escalated field tensions amid questions about the accuracy of the Israeli narrative and its impact on the structure of Hamas's military wing.

In a rare joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the airstrike targeting a residential apartment in the Al-Rimal neighborhood was carried out under their direct instructions. The statement emphasized that the army and the 'Shin Bet' agency would continue to pursue those they described as responsible for the October 7 attacks, considering al-Haddad one of the masterminds behind those operations.

On the ground, medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported 7 martyrs, including three women and a child, in addition to more than 50 citizens injured with varying degrees of severity due to the intense shelling. The sources clarified that the targeting hit a densely populated residential area, leading to this large number of casualties among civilians and displaced persons present in the area.

Local sources revealed that the operation was carried out in two consecutive phases to ensure the achievement of the objective, starting with the bombing of a residential apartment at the intersection of Al-Jalaa Street with side streets in the Al-Rimal neighborhood. A few minutes later, drones re-targeted a civilian car attempting to leave the site towards Al-Shifa Hospital, indicating an attempt by the occupation to cut off any attempt to rescue the targeted individuals.

The targeted area is located in the heart of dense civilian gatherings and near the tents of displaced persons surrounding Al-Yarmouk Stadium, which has for months been transformed into a shelter center for thousands of families fleeing the shelling. This sensitive geographical location explains the extent of the destruction and panic that afflicted the residents, as well as the noticeable increase in the number of injured who were transferred to the remaining medical points.

Izz al-Din al-Haddad is known in Israeli military circles for his high ability to hide and move secretly, which earned him the nickname 'The Ghost' throughout years of pursuit. Israeli security agencies consider him one of the pivotal figures who contributed to developing the combat capabilities of the Al-Qassam Brigades and transforming them into organized military formations capable of managing long-term battles.

For his part, political analyst Iyad Al-Qarra indicated that information about al-Haddad's fate is still preliminary and unconfirmed by the resistance, recalling previous Israeli claims that proved to be false. Al-Qarra explained that al-Haddad represents a cornerstone in the military council, but his absence - if confirmed - will not lead to the collapse of the military system that relies on alternative institutional work.

Observers believe that the occupation's resort to intensifying assassination operations at this time carries political messages directed at the Israeli interior rather than decisive military achievements. Netanyahu seeks through these operations to paint a picture of 'absolute victory' that he promotes, trying to repair his eroding popularity and justify the continuation of military operations in the Strip despite international pressure.

In a related context, academic Mahmoud Yazbek considered that Israel is still unable to achieve a real field decisive victory, and therefore resorts to 'hunting valuable targets' to compensate for its failures in full control. Yazbek added that the Israeli media discourse that talks about 'Hamas rebuilding its strength' paves the way for further escalation and assassinations in the coming period.

The timing of the operation is also linked to the stalled negotiations regarding calm and prisoner exchange, as Tel Aviv tries to use the blood of leaders as leverage to improve its negotiating terms. Analysts believe that this policy may lead to counterproductive results, as it increases the resistance's insistence on its terms and pushes for more deterrent operations deep within the occupation.

Al-Haddad is one of the first generation who joined Hamas since its inception in 1987, and rose through military ranks until he became commander of the Gaza Brigade, one of the largest Al-Qassam brigades. Israel placed his name at the top of the wanted list, and offered a huge financial reward for anyone who provides information leading to his capture, especially after the assassination of leaders such as Sinwar and Deif.

The military history of the Al-Qassam Brigades indicates that they have developed flexible mechanisms for leadership transition, where tasks are distributed in a way that ensures the continuation of operations even in the event of losing first-tier leaders. This explains the continuation of rocket barrages and ambush operations despite many months of war and the assassination of a number of historical figures of the movement.

Amid the continued airstrikes, the suffering of civilians in Gaza increases, as they find themselves in the line of Israeli fire that does not differentiate between a military target and a civilian facility. Human rights reports confirm that the use of heavy bombs in residential neighborhoods such as Al-Rimal constitutes a blatant violation of international humanitarian law and amounts to war crimes.

Anticipation remains the order of the day in the Gaza Strip, awaiting an official statement from the Al-Qassam Brigades clarifying the truth of what happened in the Al-Rimal neighborhood. Between the Israeli narrative seeking to achieve a moral victory and the complex field reality, Gaza remains an arena for an open conflict whose end does not seem near given the occupation's insistence on the policy of assassinations.

The occupation attempts to politically exploit assassination operations to strengthen its internal position ahead of any potential electoral entitlements.

The US State Department announced on Friday evening that an agreement had been reached to extend the ceasefire between the Lebanese and Israeli sides for an additional 45 days. Washington clarified that this step aims to give the parties an opportunity to make tangible progress on outstanding issues, noting that a new round of political negotiations will begin on the second and third of next June.

Despite the diplomatic announcement, Lebanese fields witnessed a dangerous military escalation, as Israeli warplanes launched intense raids targeting the heart of southern towns. Field sources reported that the shelling hit an ambulance center belonging to the Islamic Health Authority in the town of Harouf, completely destroying the medical facility and injuring a number of paramedics with varying degrees of severity.

In the Bint Jbeil district, warplanes carried out an airstrike targeting the town of Beit Yahoun, coinciding with other strikes that hit the town of Arab al-Jal in the Zahrani region. These attacks come as part of a wide wave of raids that have not stopped despite talks of de-escalation, putting the announced agreements to a real test on the ground.

The city of Tyre witnessed a state of panic after the Israeli army issued urgent warnings to residents of two buildings in the city to evacuate immediately and move at least 300 meters away. These warnings were followed by widespread fears of imminent targeting of densely populated residential areas, amid the continued flight of drones over the region.

For its part, Hezbollah responded with a series of qualitative military operations targeting occupation army positions and gatherings along the border. In official statements, the party announced the execution of an aerial attack with a swarm of kamikaze drones targeting the 'Liman' barracks, confirming that the drones accurately hit their targets and caused direct casualties among the forces stationed there.

Hezbollah's operations also included targeting the headquarters of the Israeli 300th Brigade using drones, in addition to shelling an Israeli force that was present near Birkat al-Marj in the town of Houla. Military sources affiliated with the party confirmed that these operations come in response to the continuous aggressions targeting villages and civilians in southern Lebanon.

In the Bint Jbeil axis, field reports indicated the targeting of gatherings of occupation soldiers and their military vehicles with intensive rocket salvos and artillery shells. Hezbollah units also managed to destroy 'D9' military bulldozers that were carrying out construction work on the Bayada-Naqoura road and in the town of Rashaf, hindering the occupation's movements in those areas.

Medical sources in the Tyre district confirmed that the Israeli raids carried out today, Friday, resulted in at least 37 injured, including a large number of children and women. The sources indicated that hospitals in the south are suffering from severe pressure due to the increasing number of injuries resulting from indiscriminate shelling that targeted more than thirty residential points.

Media reports from Beirut stated that the pace of raids did not decrease at all despite the intensive diplomatic activity in Washington, but rather the strikes focused more violently on the Nabatieh and Tyre regions. The sources pointed out that the occupation deliberately targets ambulance and civil defense crews to hinder rescue operations for the injured and the extraction of victims from under the rubble.

According to the latest updates from the Lebanese Ministry of Health, the total toll of the Israeli aggression has risen to 2951 martyrs, while the number of injured has exceeded 8900. These shocking figures come amid the continuation of military operations and the expansion of the scope of aerial targeting carried out by Israeli fighters and drones on a daily basis.

Extending the ceasefire aims to achieve further political progress, with early June set as the date for resuming official negotiations.

The Israeli occupation authorities continue to implement a systematic demolition policy in the occupied city of Jerusalem, where they forced Jerusalemite citizen Awatef Mahmoud Al-Ghoul to demolish her home with her own hands in the Al-Suwaih neighborhood. This coercive measure was taken to avoid paying exorbitant fines and demolition costs imposed by the occupation municipality if the operation were carried out by its military machinery, leaving Jerusalemites with choices, the least bitter of which is still harsh.

In the town of Beit Hanina, north of Jerusalem, heavily armed forces stormed the Al-Marwaha area and began destroying extensive commercial and agricultural facilities. The demolition operations included containers designated for storing goods and sheep pens, causing severe material losses estimated at hundreds of thousands of shekels, amid a state of shock among the owners of these businesses who lost their livelihoods in a few minutes.

Local sources reported that military bulldozers ravaged everything they found on the ground without real prior warning, as those affected denied receiving any legal notifications allowing them to go to court. Citizen Faraj Abu Rumaila confirmed that his personal loss exceeded 300,000 shekels, indicating that the occupation seeks to impose a new reality in the area by destroying everything that exists on the ground.

Occupation authorities justify their operations with 'lack of permits,' an excuse that has become a primary means of combating the Palestinian presence in the Holy City. Human rights and international organizations confirm that obtaining building permits for Palestinians in Jerusalem is almost impossible, due to the deliberately obstructive administrative and political obstacles placed before them by the occupation municipality.

Data issued by the human rights association 'Bimkom' revealed that the gap in granting building permits reflects a blatant policy of racial discrimination, as only 600 housing units were approved for Palestinians in 2025. In contrast, the authorities gave the green light for the construction of about 9,000 housing units for Jewish settlers, which illustrates the extent of the demographic targeting of the city.

Although Palestinians constitute about 40% of the population of occupied Jerusalem, their share of approved housing units did not exceed 7% last year. These figures confirm that the occupation uses planning and building laws as a political tool to reduce the Arab presence and expand settlements at the expense of citizens' lands and private properties.

In his testimony on the destruction, Ayman Musallamani, one of those affected in Beit Hanina, explained that the demolition targeted agricultural facilities and goods containers that constituted the economic lifeline for a number of families. Musallamani considered what is happening to be an 'economic war' aimed at forcing Jerusalemites to leave their city against their will by restricting their livelihoods and preventing them from utilizing their lands.

Reports from the Jerusalem Governorate indicate a dangerous escalation in the pace of demolitions since the beginning of this year, with more than 200 homes and facilities documented as demolished so far. Demolition operations vary between those carried out by occupation machinery and 'self-demolition' which citizens are forced into under the pressure of threats of financial fines that can reach hundreds of thousands of shekels.

Occupation officers claim during incursions that the targeted lands fall within 'Area C,' which is administratively and security-controlled by them according to the Oslo Accords, in preparation for their official annexation to the Jerusalem municipality. This settlement expansion comes within a comprehensive plan to isolate Palestinian neighborhoods and turn them into isolated enclaves, which necessitates international action to stop these ongoing violations against Jerusalemites.

They do not grant us permits to build or use the land in the first place, and what is happening is a clear policy of displacement to empty Jerusalem and its suburbs.

By: Said Arikat

May 16, 2026

News analysis

In a moment when moral clarity is increasingly punished rather than rewarded, the recent ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard Leon temporarily blocking sanctions against Francesca Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, stands as more than a legal decision. It is a reaffirmation of one of the most fundamental democratic principles: that speaking uncomfortable truths must never become a punishable offense.

The Trump administration’s sanctions against Albanese — including travel restrictions and financial penalties — were not imposed because she committed a crime. They were imposed because she dared to speak openly and consistently about the devastating human toll of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza and the broader realities of occupation, dispossession, and impunity faced by Palestinians.

Judge Leon recognized precisely that. In a forceful rebuke, he concluded that Albanese had “done nothing more than speak,” underscoring the obvious but increasingly endangered truth that criticism of state policy, including that of Israel, remains protected political speech. That this reminder had to come from a federal courtroom is itself an indictment of the current political climate.

Albanese’s courage deserves recognition because she has persisted despite relentless intimidation campaigns, political pressure, and personal attacks. As United Nations Special Rapporteur, her mandate is neither ceremonial nor selective. It requires documenting violations of international law wherever they occur and regardless of who commits them. Yet in fulfilling that mandate with integrity, she became the target of one of the world’s most powerful governments.

The sanctions were especially alarming because they sought to weaponize state power against an independent UN expert for engaging with international accountability mechanisms, including discussions surrounding investigations by the International Criminal Court. Such measures carried chilling implications not only for Albanese personally, but for every human rights investigator, journalist, scholar, or advocate willing to scrutinize Israeli conduct in the occupied Palestinian territories.

What makes Albanese particularly significant is her refusal to retreat into euphemism. At a time when many public officials carefully calibrate their language to avoid political backlash, she has spoken directly about Palestinian suffering, collective punishment, forced displacement, and the destruction of civilian life. Whether one agrees with every formulation she has used is ultimately secondary to the principle at stake: human rights advocates must be free to investigate and speak without fear of political retaliation.

The court’s finding that Albanese possesses sufficient constitutional protections despite being a non-U.S. citizen living abroad is also noteworthy. It reinforces the idea that free expression cannot be selectively granted only to those whose views align with prevailing political interests. Rights lose meaning when they become contingent upon ideological approval.

Equally disturbing was the collateral damage inflicted on her family. The lawsuit revealed how the sanctions effectively “debanked” Albanese and disrupted the lives of her American husband and daughter. This was not merely symbolic punishment. It was an attempt to isolate and silence through financial coercion and personal hardship.

The broader implications of this case extend well beyond one individual. Around the world, governments increasingly seek to blur the line between criticism of state conduct and illegitimate speech. Human rights defenders who challenge powerful actors are often smeared, threatened, or criminalized. Albanese’s case demonstrates how fragile independent international oversight can become when political interests supersede legal principles.

And yet, despite these pressures, she did not retreat.

That perseverance matters profoundly for Palestinians living under bombardment, occupation, and blockade, many of whom feel abandoned by the international community’s selective outrage and inconsistent application of international law. Voices like Albanese’s offer something increasingly rare: a willingness to affirm Palestinian humanity with the same urgency and dignity routinely afforded to others.

Supporting Francesca Albanese is not about endorsing every political argument she has made. It is about defending the principle that exposing suffering and demanding accountability should never invite state repression. Democracies do not weaken because people speak critically. They weaken when governments attempt to silence those who do.

Judge Leon’s ruling is only preliminary, and the legal battle is far from over. But for now, it offers a necessary reminder that conscience still has defenders — in courtrooms, in civil society, and among those unwilling to look away from injustice.

Francesca Albanese has shown remarkable resolve under extraordinary pressure. History often vindicates those who choose principle over convenience. Whatever the outcome of this legal fight, her determination to defend Palestinian rights in the face of intimidation has already secured her place among those who refused silence when silence was easier.

Today, Friday, May 15, marks the seventy-eighth anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba, at a time when the Palestinian people are experiencing new and horrific chapters of genocide and forced displacement. This anniversary, which has been entrenched in the collective consciousness since 1948, returns today to embody a tragic scene that recalls the miseries of the first diaspora, but with more lethal tools of destruction targeting the Palestinian presence in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank alike.

On this day, Palestinian memory recalls the roots of the tragedy that began in 1948, when Zionist gangs committed more than 70 horrific massacres against unarmed civilians. These massacres at the time resulted in the martyrdom of more than 15,000 Palestinians and the displacement of about 957,000 out of 1.4 million Palestinians who lived in 1,300 Palestinian villages and cities, marking the beginning of a refugee journey whose chapters have not yet ended.

During the first Nakba, the occupation managed to control about 85% of historical Palestine's area, and deliberately destroyed 531 villages completely in a systematic attempt to erase the cultural and human impact of the Palestinian people. Today, almost eight decades later, this policy continues through the destruction of residential neighborhoods and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, with the aim of making the land uninhabitable and pushing residents towards new migration.

Statistical data issued by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics for 2026 indicates a catastrophic reality, as the ongoing war of extermination in the Gaza Strip has led to the displacement of nearly two million Palestinians. These displaced people today live in dilapidated tents that reflect the image of the first refugee in 1948, confirming that the Nakba is not just a fleeting historical event but a continuous process of oppression and displacement.

The renewed chapters of the Nakba were not limited to the Gaza Strip, but extended to include camps and cities in the northern West Bank, which witnessed the displacement of about 40,000 Palestinians as a result of ongoing military operations. This field escalation raised the number of Palestinians in the diaspora and exile to about 8.1 million people, out of a total of 15.5 million Palestinians living around the world, clinging to the dream of returning to their homes.

On the political front, President Mahmoud Abbas described the current stage as pivotal and historic in the journey of the Palestinian struggle. Abbas affirmed in his statements that the 'Oslo Accord', which was supposed to establish an independent state, was fatally undermined as a result of rampant settlement expansion and occupation practices that nullified all understandings and agreements signed between the two sides.

The Palestinian President hinted that the leadership will not remain hostage to international agreements that only the Palestinian side respects, while the occupation completely disavows them. He considered that the forced displacement efforts currently practiced in Gaza and the West Bank undermine the essence of treaties, which forces Palestinians to return to demanding urgent international protection to confront what he described as the 'Second Nakba'.

In commemoration of this anniversary, massive marches were launched in various Palestinian cities and refugee camps under the slogan 'We will not leave.. Our roots are deeper than your destruction'. Participants, especially youth and children, raised 'keys of return' and the names of their original villages from which their ancestors were displaced, in a clear message to the occupation and the world that rights do not expire with time.

Popular activities stressed that the right of return guaranteed by UN Resolution 194 is a sacred and inalienable right. Speakers in the marches affirmed that legendary steadfastness on the ground is the optimal response to all attempts aimed at liquidating the Palestinian issue, including attempts to undermine UNRWA as an international witness to the refugee issue.

In conclusion, the 78th anniversary of the Nakba remains a living testament to the Palestinian people's ability to rise from under the rubble and adhere to their national identity despite all hardships. While politicians mourn past diplomatic paths, the Palestinian people renew their covenant with the land, affirming that true peace cannot be achieved through displacement or killing, but through the restoration of historical rights that were stolen since the autumn of 1948.

The Oslo Accord was fatally undermined by the practices of the occupation, and we will not remain hostage to agreements respected by one side.

Every Hajj season, a special story unfolds for Palestinian pilgrims from the occupied interior, known as '48-Arabs,' as they cross Jordanian territories on their way to the Holy Lands. This scene transcends a routine religious journey, carrying deep human and national dimensions where feelings of longing for Mecca intertwine with aspects of belonging, identity, and authentic Arab embrace.\n\nWith the departure of the first convoys this year, Jordanian stations transformed into major spiritual transit points, as dozens of buses headed south, laden with faces overflowing with prayers and nostalgia. Jordanian cities welcome these pilgrims with great hospitality, as if they were family returning home after a long absence, strengthening the fraternal ties between the people of one nation.\n\nMinister of Awqaf, Islamic Affairs, and Holy Sites, Mohammed Al-Khalayleh, affirmed that the Kingdom annually hosts approximately 4,500 pilgrims from inside Palestine to perform rituals under the full supervision of the Ministry. He clarified that about 40 buses have already departed for the Holy Lands, while a number of pilgrims have arrived in Medina to begin their rituals.\n\nAl-Khalayleh stressed that the Ministry had completed all preparations related to housing and hotels early, in addition to securing accompanying administrative, guidance, and medical missions. He pointed out that pilgrims from the '48-Arabs' are treated exactly like Jordanian pilgrims, whether in terms of transportation, accommodation, comprehensive health care, or religious guidance.\n\nThe roots of these special arrangements date back to 1978, when an agreement was reached during the reign of King Hussein bin Talal, in coordination with Saudi Arabia, to grant '48-pilgrims' temporary Jordanian passports. This step aimed to protect their right to access the holy places and has since carried highly significant political and humanitarian dimensions.\n\nOfficial sources confirmed that the Kingdom will not abandon this historical mission of supporting the Palestinian people and facilitating their access to the holy sites. Jordanian care includes providing preaching and guidance missions, in addition to facilitating Umrah trips throughout the year under the direct supervision of the competent authorities to ensure the comfort of Umrah performers and pilgrims.\n\nIn Ma'an Governorate, southern Jordan, human warmth was embodied in its finest forms upon the reception of the first batch of pilgrims at the designated Pilgrims' Oasis. Delegations of greeters from residents and officials lined up to offer Arabic coffee and dates, amidst remarkable spiritual and popular atmospheres reflecting inherent Jordanian hospitality.\n\nMa'an Governor stated that the governorate has mobilized all its capabilities to serve the guests of the Most Gracious coming from the occupied interior, emphasizing that this reception carries great national and religious significance. He considered serving pilgrims an honor sought by the people of the governorate who are keen to establish 'Sabeel Al-Maqam' to provide food and drink for travelers.\n\nFor his part, the head of the 48-Muslims Hajj Committee, Ziad Sharbaji, explained that the procedures from departure from Palestinian territories until crossing Jordan proceeded smoothly and with high organization. He praised the spirit of cooperation shown by the Jordanian security agencies and official bodies, which positively reflected on the comfort and reassurance of the pilgrims during the journey.\n\nSharbaji pointed out the presence of internal committees and arrangements accompanying the pilgrims at all their stations, with committee officials present in Medina and Mecca to coordinate needs. He affirmed that continuous coordination with the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf contributes to overcoming any obstacles that may arise, expressing hope for the continuation of these facilities during the return journey.\n\nBetween the buses heading south, the sounds of 'Talbiyah' (pilgrim's chant) blend with similar Palestinian and Jordanian accents, dissolving political borders before the unity of the human and spiritual scene. The pilgrim coming from Nazareth or Umm al-Fahm finds in Jordan a natural extension of their journey, and a safe passage that preserves their religious right despite the complexities of geography and politics.\n\nThe head of the 48-pilgrims mission, Abdul Razzaq Abu Ras, confirmed that the journey is proceeding without significant complications since leaving Palestinian territories, praising the spiritual atmosphere experienced by the pilgrims. Abu Ras appreciated the efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in serving the guests of the Most Gracious and providing suitable conditions for performing the rituals with ease and reassurance.\n\nDespite the available facilities, official sources noted that West Bank pilgrims sometimes face complex procedures and long delays at crossings controlled by the occupation. Nevertheless, for pilgrims from inside, this journey remains greater than the hardship of the road; it is a journey of patience and faith that returns them to their Arab embrace, which opens its doors to them every year.\n\n"The Kingdom cannot abandon its mission of supporting the Palestinian people, and 48-pilgrims are treated exactly like Jordanian pilgrims.

Occupation police closed Lions' Gate this Friday morning to Palestinian worshippers heading to the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, in a move aimed at securing a noisy celebratory ritual organized by settlers in the surrounding area. Field sources reported that this closure obstructed the access of hundreds of citizens who tried to attend dawn and Friday prayers.

Sources stated that occupation forces reinforced their military presence by deploying intensive patrols and special unit elements, and imposed a strict security cordon that included all entrances and the vicinity of the Old City in occupied Jerusalem. These restrictions come in the context of what is called the Hebrew anniversary of the occupation of the city, where Israeli authorities seek to provide full protection for settlers at the expense of Palestinians' freedom of worship.

Repressive measures were not limited to Lions' Gate only, but extended to include tightening inspection and scrutiny procedures at the rest of Al-Aqsa Mosque's gates, which led to tightening the noose on Jerusalemites and visitors from within the occupied territories. These practices fall within a systematic policy to change the temporal and spatial reality in the Noble Sanctuary.

Occupation forces deployed patrols reinforced with special forces elements, and imposed a strict security cordon around the Old City.

Hebrew media sources revealed today, Friday, the content of a lengthy and highly confidential message sent by the leaders of the Al-Qassam Brigades on the morning of October 7, 2023, to the former Secretary-General of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah. The message, signed by Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, and Marwan Issa, was found, according to reports, inside one of Hamas's strategic tunnels in the Gaza Strip after thorough inspections conducted by the occupation army.

The message began by informing Hezbollah's leadership that thousands of fighters had already launched a large-scale operation targeting settlements, military sites, and airports in the Gaza envelope and the southern region. The document clarified that the purpose of this move was to deliver an unprecedented blow to the Zionist entity in response to the increasing violations in the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, which had reached the point of performing Talmudic rituals and attempts at temporal and spatial division.

Al-Qassam's leadership emphasized in its message that preparations for the operation took place amidst strict security measures, with details withheld even from prominent leaders within the movement to ensure the element of surprise. The message indicated that maintaining the secrecy of the timing was of utmost necessity to prevent the occupation from carrying out any preemptive strike that might thwart the attack before its launch, asserting that success depended on surprising the Israeli security system.

The message reviewed a series of motives that led to the escalation of the situation, foremost among them the brutal attacks, arrests, and abuses suffered by worshippers and steadfast residents in Jerusalem. The leaders who signed the message considered that the occupation was diligently seeking to demolish Al-Aqsa Mosque and build the alleged Temple, citing the bringing of "red heifers" as evidence of the seriousness of Zionist plans to Judaize the first Qibla of Muslims.

The message did not overlook the situation in the West Bank, where it noted the escalation of assassinations and home demolitions in Jenin, Nablus, and Hebron, considering that silence on these crimes was no longer possible. The resistance leadership affirmed that the battle under the title "Jerusalem" is the only one capable of uniting the nation and mobilizing popular and official energies behind the option of comprehensive confrontation with the Zionist project.

In a striking strategic analysis, the message warned against an Israeli policy aimed at "fragmenting the conflict" by isolating each arena of resistance individually to avoid regional confrontation. It clarified that the occupation seeks to create internal crises in the 1948 territories, pursue resistance in the West Bank, and bomb airports in Syria, in order to reduce the chances of coordination among axis parties and weaken the motives for collective participation.

The message directed a clear and direct call to Hezbollah and the rest of the axis forces to immediately engage in fighting, emphasizing that concentrated missile bombardment on the vital arteries of the occupation would lead to decisive results. The plan proposed carrying out intensive drone attacks in parallel with missile barrages to deplete air defense systems and paralyze the Israeli air force's ability to operate effectively.

Al-Qassam's leadership affirmed in its document that expanding the circle of engagement to include several fronts for only two or three days would be sufficient to achieve a rapid collapse of the occupation's defensive system. The message saw that this participation would put Israel in a state of existential shock, paving the way for broader ground operations aimed at controlling the land and radically and permanently changing the geopolitical reality in the region.

The message warned in a firm tone that "the price of hesitation will be high," not only for the Palestinian cause but for the entire axis project, including Iran and Syria. It considered that any delay in supporting Gaza would give the occupation an opportunity to restore deterrence and carry out widespread retaliatory strikes, emphasizing that the historical moment requires courage in making the decision for direct confrontation.

On the political front, the message suggested adopting smart media discourse focusing on obliging the occupation to international resolutions and international law instead of using slogans of total destruction. This approach, according to the document, aims to neutralize Western powers and reduce the possibilities of their direct military intervention alongside Israel, by presenting the battle as a legitimate defense of rights and holy sites.

The document also touched upon the dangers of the regional normalization path, especially the efforts that were being made to integrate Israel into the Arab region, considering it a strategic threat to the axis of resistance. Hamas's leadership believed that the success of the October 7 attack would break these paths and bring the Palestinian issue back to the forefront of the global scene, thus thwarting plans to liquidate the cause.

The message described the Zionist entity as "weaker than a spider's web," citing the state of internal division and political crises that plagued Israeli society before the war. The leaders expressed their confidence that a coordinated strike from all fronts would lead to the disintegration of this entity, which suffers from deep cracks in its military and social structure, and that this moment must be exploited.

The message concluded by emphasizing that this battle will change the equations and rules that have prevailed for decades, and will end the phase of security coordination and the Oslo Accords that shackled the Palestinian people. The signatories stressed that the ultimate goal is to achieve a historical transformation that melts sectarian differences and unites the nation under one banner to confront the common enemy and liberate the holy sites from the defilement of occupation.

These leaks come at a sensitive time, as they redraw the picture of coordination among resistance forces before the outbreak of the war, and reveal the extent of expectations Hamas had for its allies. This document, according to observers, remains evidence of the complex strategic planning that preceded the operation, and a serious attempt by Al-Qassam's leadership to impose the reality of "unity of fronts" from the very first moments of fighting.

When you read these words of ours, thousands of Mujahideen from the Al-Qassam Brigades will have launched to attack the targets of the criminal Zionist occupation.

The Palestinian Prisoner's Club confirmed in a statement issued on Friday that Israeli occupation forces have carried out over 23,000 arrests among Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. This horrifying toll coincides with the ongoing genocidal war waged by the occupation on the Gaza Strip since October 2023, which has been accompanied by widespread campaigns of abuse.

The statement clarified that these statistics do not include thousands of detainees from the Gaza Strip who face an unknown fate amid the ongoing crime of enforced disappearance. The club stressed that the detainees include diverse segments of Palestinian society, including women, children, and wounded individuals, in addition to former prisoners who were re-arrested as part of the policy of collective punishment.

The Prisoner's Club described the current reality of the prisoner movement as experiencing its most brutal and cruel phase since the 1967 occupation. It noted that Israeli prisons are no longer merely detention centers but have transformed into organized spaces for practicing all types of torture, starvation, and systematic humiliation against male and female prisoners.

The club considered the crime of arrest a fundamental pillar of the Israeli colonial project aimed at undermining Palestinian existence. It added that this policy is used as a systematic tool to break the social and national structure of the Palestinian people, and an attempt to empty the arena of active and influential cadres by disappearing them behind bars.

The human rights report revealed the martyrdom of 89 Palestinian prisoners inside occupation prisons since the start of the recent aggression, whose identities have been officially recognized and announced. Sources confirmed that these martyrs died as a result of direct torture, severe starvation policies, or deliberate medical crimes practiced by prison administrations.

With the ascension of these martyrs, the total number of martyrs of the prisoner movement since 1967 has risen to 326 martyrs who fell inside detention centers. The occupation authorities still refuse to disclose the fate of dozens of detainees from the Gaza Strip, which reinforces fears of a larger number of martyrs who have not yet been documented.

Over the past decades, the Prisoner's Club has documented the arrest of more than one million Palestinians, a clear indication of the comprehensiveness of the policy of mass arrests. The statement considered that these policies began even before the 1948 Nakba as a tool for colonial control and intimidation, and have continued and escalated with successive Israeli governments.

Despite repression, isolation, and harsh conditions, the club affirmed that the prisoner movement has succeeded in transforming prisons into arenas of resistance and national consciousness. Over many years, prisoners have been able to build an organizational and cultural system that confronted the occupation's attempts to strip them of their struggle and human content.

Current data indicate the presence of more than 9,400 Palestinian prisoners in occupation prisons, living in conditions lacking the most basic human necessities. Among these detainees are 86 female prisoners facing difficult conditions, in addition to hundreds of children who are deprived of their most basic educational and health rights.

The statement also drew attention to the sharp increase in the number of administrative detainees, which reached 3,376 detainees without charge or trial. The occupation uses this type of detention as a pretext to detain Palestinians for indefinite periods based on what are called 'secret files' that lawyers are not allowed to access.

In a related context, the occupation is holding approximately 1,283 Palestinians under the classification of 'unlawful combatants,' a law that allows Israeli authorities to detain Gaza residents for long periods without real judicial oversight. These detainees suffer from complete isolation from the outside world and deprivation of legal or family visits.

In parallel with these figures, a recent report by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics showed the scale of the comprehensive humanitarian catastrophe experienced by the Palestinian people. The total number of martyrs since October 2023 until the end of April 2026 has exceeded 73,761 martyrs in all Palestinian territories.

The toll of martyrs was distributed to include 72,601 martyrs in the Gaza Strip, which is subjected to continuous genocide, and 1,160 martyrs in the occupied West Bank. These figures reflect the extent of direct targeting of civilians and infrastructure, amid international silence and an inability to stop the Israeli war machine.

The prisoner movement today is experiencing the most brutal and cruel phase in its history since 1967, as prisons have turned into organized spaces for torture and abuse.

The Association of Writers in Galician Language in Spain announced that it has granted the Palestinian novelist and freed prisoner, Basem Khandaqji, the title of 'Galician Universal Writer of 2026'. This high honor comes in recognition of his long creative journey and his steadfast positions in supporting Palestinian national dignity, despite the years of deprivation he spent behind bars.

The association confirmed in an official letter addressed to Khandaqji that this selection reflects a state of admiration and deep respect for him personally and for the literary achievement he has presented. Sources indicated that the award aims to highlight literature that defends Palestinian identity in the face of attempts at erasure, considering Khandaqji a model of the organic intellectual.

The choice of the announcement date for the award acquired special symbolic significance, as it coincided with the anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba on May 15th. This timing aims to emphasize the continued presence of the Palestinian cause in global cultural memory, and to link literary creativity with the historical rights of the Palestinian people.

The title of 'Galician Universal Writer' is one of the highest literary honors in the region of Galicia, northwestern Spain, awarded to names that have left a clear human and literary mark. Khandaqji's award joins a distinguished record that includes major literary figures, most notably the late poet Mahmoud Darwish, and the Mexican writer Elena Poniatowska.

In his first comment on this honor, Basem Khandaqji expressed his pride in this title, emphasizing that it represents not only himself but is also an honor for the renewed Palestinian literary scene. He explained in press statements that the award is an international recognition of prisoner literature that is born from the womb of suffering inside Israeli prisons.

Khandaqji stressed that Palestinian literature is currently engaged in a sharp 'cultural clash' with the prevailing Zionist narrative. He pointed out that building a national narrative capable of addressing the global conscience in a critical and humane language is the strongest weapon to confront attempts to falsify history and contemporary Palestinian reality.

Regarding the connotations of the Nakba anniversary, the Palestinian novelist believed that the people have not left the Nakba for it to become merely a fleeting memory, but rather it is a continuous reality that Palestinians live daily. He considered that what is currently happening in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank is a direct extension of that historical tragedy that is taking new forms of oppression and displacement.

Khandaqji touched upon his writing experience, explaining that creativity within detention was characterized by high intensity due to strict censorship conditions and the risks surrounding every text. He affirmed that he is currently striving to restore the 'health of language' in the space of freedom, away from the symbols and codes he was forced to use to protect his writings from confiscation.

The freed prisoner revealed his involvement in a new literary project titled 'Text of Freedom', through which he seeks to develop his style honed by prison. He affirmed his commitment to continue challenging exile and cultural restrictions with the same spirit with which he challenged the bars of cells, so that Palestinian literature remains a free voice in international forums.

Receiving this award after the great figure Mahmoud Darwish places a grave literary and moral responsibility on my shoulders towards the Palestinian narrative.

Tensions escalated in the occupied West Bank early Friday morning, following the martyrdom of a Palestinian youth by Israeli occupation forces' bullets in Nablus Governorate. The Palestinian Ministry of Health announced the death of 15-year-old Fahd Zidan Oweis, who was shot by occupation forces in the town of Al-Lubban Al-Sharqiya, noting that Israeli authorities detained his body and prevented medical teams from receiving it.

For its part, the Israeli occupation army attempted to justify the crime with claims made by a spokesperson, who alleged that the youth was participating in throwing stones at settlers' cars on a main road. This incident comes amid an escalation in the pursuit and direct targeting of Palestinian youth and children in various cities and villages of the West Bank under flimsy security pretexts.

In another attack reflecting the escalation of settler terrorism, extremist groups set fire to a mosque and several Palestinian vehicles in the village of Jibiya, northwest of Ramallah. Local sources reported that settlers infiltrated the village under the cover of darkness, set fire to the prayer hall, and spray-painted racist slogans in Hebrew on its walls before fleeing.

The Palestinian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs condemned this attack, considering that the burning of the mosque and targeting of citizens' property is not merely a fleeting individual act. The ministry affirmed in an official statement that these attacks fall within a systematic policy that enjoys cover and incitement from the current Israeli government, with the aim of intimidating Palestinians and erasing their religious identity and presence on their land.

On the political front, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich revealed dangerous government directives aimed at changing the legal and geographical reality in the West Bank. Smotrich announced the government's approval to build approximately 60,000 new settlement units over the next three years, in a move aimed at solidifying the settlement project and blocking any future political solutions.

Smotrich, who leads the extremist 'Religious Zionism' party, called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to adopt a plan aimed at the 'final erasure' of the dividing lines between Areas (A), (B), and (C). The Israeli minister considered that the divisions approved by the Oslo Agreement are no longer relevant, demanding the imposition of full and unified Israeli control over all West Bank territories without discrimination.

These statements came during a celebration for settlers marking the anniversary of the occupation of East Jerusalem, where Smotrich boasted about his government's achievements in 'legalizing' settlement outposts. He indicated that work is underway to organize more than 100 new settlement clusters, including the revival of previously evacuated settlements such as Homesh, Sa-Nur, Ganim, and Kadim.

Smotrich's plan, presented to the Israeli cabinet, seeks to undermine the limited powers of the Palestinian Authority in Areas (A) and (B). This move aims to abolish administrative and security distinctions, paving the way for effective and widespread annexation of Palestinian lands under the guise of 'settlement regulation' and preventing Palestinian urban expansion.

It is worth noting that the Oslo Agreement divided the West Bank into three administrative areas, with Area (C) under full Israeli control and constituting the largest area at 60%. However, the current trends of the far-right seek to bypass these divisions in favor of extending absolute Israeli sovereignty, which observers see as the final bullet for what remains of the signed agreements.

These field and political developments reflect a new phase of comprehensive Israeli escalation against the Palestinian presence in the West Bank. While field killings and settler attacks on holy sites continue, the Israeli government is proceeding with legislating laws and settlement plans aimed at resolving the conflict demographically and geographically on the ground.

It is time to finally erase the borders separating Areas (A), (B), and (C). I have presented a detailed plan to the cabinet and call for its adoption.

The occupied city of Jerusalem witnessed a new escalation today, Friday, in the intensity of provocations led by settlers in the vicinity of the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. Groups of extremists organized noisy celebrations that included dancing and musical performances near the mosque's gates, specifically at the Bab Al-Asbat area, which sparked a state of intense anger among Palestinians present at the scene.

These provocative moves coincide with what the occupation authorities describe as the 'Jerusalem Unification Day' according to the Hebrew calendar, an occasion that the far-right exploits to impose new realities in the holy city. Participants in these celebrations deliberately performed their rituals at the closest possible point to the walls of Al-Aqsa Mosque under intense security protection.

In contrast, the Israeli police tightened their repressive measures against Palestinian worshippers, closing Bab Al-Asbat and Bab Al-Malik Faisal to those coming to pray. Forces imposed strict age restrictions, preventing hundreds of young men from entering the mosque courtyards, which forced many of them to pray in the streets surrounding the Old City.

These field developments come one day after the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyards by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, leading a large group of settlers exceeding 1300 people. During the storming, Ben-Gvir raised the Israeli flag inside the Haram al-Sharif, a move considered a blatant challenge to Muslim sentiments and a violation of the status quo.

From inside the mosque, the extremist minister made racist statements, claiming to have restored what he described as 'sovereignty and governance' over the site that the occupation calls 'Temple Mount'. Ben-Gvir affirmed in his speech that all of Jerusalem is under Israeli control, which was met with widespread condemnation from national and religious bodies in Jerusalem.

Violations were not limited to incursions; Israeli government ministers, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, participated in the annual 'Flag March' that paraded through the streets of the Old City. The march witnessed physical and verbal assaults on Palestinian citizens and their property, amidst racist chants calling for death to Arabs.

Field sources reported that the occupation authorities transformed the Old City into a closed military barracks, after deploying about 14,000 security personnel to secure the settlers' routes. These measures led to a complete paralysis of commercial activity in the old markets, where shop owners were forced to close their doors to avoid assaults by march participants.

On the political front, Palestinian and Arab parties warned of the danger of these continuous violations that seek to transform the conflict into a comprehensive religious confrontation. Reports confirmed that the international community's continued silence regarding these practices encourages the occupation to proceed with its plans to Judaize Jerusalem and change its Arab and Islamic identity.

We have restored sovereignty and governance to the Temple Mount, and all of Jerusalem is ours.