If neither Netanyahu’s coalition nor the opposition wins 61 seats on October 27, 2026, the keys to the prime minister’s office will not change hands. Netanyahu will then remain in office to oversee a caretaker government.

For almost three years, Israel and the United States have repeatedly claimed that the war in Gaza would end if Hamas laid down its arms. In July 2026, however, when Hamas agreed to decommission its weapons as part of the US-led Board of Peace roadmap, Israel attacked the movement’s decision. Israeli officials refused to move forward with the roadmap, which […]

The recent recommencement of the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Ansar Allah movement, commonly known as the Houthis, raises important questions about the practical implications of the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement signed on August 7, 2026, and whether Saudi Arabia’s cosignatories, Pakistan and Turkey, may be asked to help the kingdom defend itself. Islamabad and Ankara have each responded […]

President Trump rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, resume nuclear talks, and establish a seven-day ceasefire that would include Lebanon. In response, Iran called on the United States to lift its naval blockade of Iranian ports, release frozen Iranian funds, and waive sanctions on Iranian oil sales.

In 2025, Iraq experienced what its Ministry of Water Resources described as the worst drought since 1933. National water reserves fell to just eight percent of their total storage capacity, and the government banned summer and winter cropping across four million hectares as water shortages made irrigation nearly impossible. Dhi Qar, the southern governorate where communities have been historically dependent […]

Midterm elections in the United States are usually a referendum on whichever party holds the White House. Going into this year’s midterms on November 3, 2026, anxieties are high among Republicans as President Donald Trump’s approval ratings fall, giving Democrats hope that they can take back the majority in Congress. Trump’s declining popularitysagging poll numbers can be partly explained by […]

On September 24, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to meet President Donald Trump for the second time since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Although Trump has downplayed Chinese assistance to Iran, and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent refrained from sanctioning major Chinese lenders at the beginning of Operation Economic Outcast, Washington will be keen […]

I. Legislative Branch 1) Legislation House Bill Would Impose Sanctions on Houthis. On September 14, Rep. Joe Wilson (R-SC) introduced H.R.10354, which would impose targeted sanctions on the Houthis and their supporters while supporting the Yemeni government in its fight against the group. Senate Resolution Would Request Information on Israel’s Human Rights Practices. On September 14, Sen. Chris Van Hollen […]

On August 9, 2026, Israeli settlers surrounded three houses in the Ras al-Ain area of Qusra, a Palestinian village southeast of Nablus in the West Bank. The settlers pitched a tent just outside the homes, then cut their power lines and broke their water pipes. Fifteen people were living in the homes, including at least two children, at the time […]

Qatar has undergone a period of deep introspection over the past few months. On July 12, 2026, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani—the visionary former leader who helped transform modern Qatar into a regional and global powerhouse during his 18-year reign—passed away at the age of 74. Sheikh Hamad’s death came just six weeks after that of his lifelong friend […]

President Trump reportedly rejected Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s repeated requests for US strikes on the Houthis as the group seized the Red Sea port city of Mokha and advanced toward the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The 'war on terror' made Israeli repression easier to present as part of a shared struggle against a common enemy.

When Fatima, a mother of two in Yemen, went into labor with her third child in May 2025, there was initially little cause for concern.  But Yemen is a poor country—one of the poorest in the world—and many residents live in rural areas that can be up to 12 hours away from a medical facility. Other factors, including high levels […]

Ingie Gohar reports on congressional efforts to withdraw funding from colleges for engaging in the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement; further US strikes on Iranian territory and shipping; US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee’s characterization of violent settlers as “terrorists”; and approved US foreign military sales to Iraq, Oman, and Saudi Arabia, totaling around $6.9 billion.