Vance says US not talking to Iran unless they stop shooting at ships US Vice President JD Vance told reporters on Thursday that the United States does not plan to hold talks with Iran unless Tehran stops attacking commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. "They've got to stop. It's that simple," he said.
Opinion: Palestine will outlast Blair and his grotesque 'Board of Peace' Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair’s latest reported intervention in the Middle East would be astonishing coming from any supposed mediator. Coming from Blair, it feels almost grimly on brand. Jeremy Greenstock, Britain’s former ambassador to the United Nations, says he learned from a ministerial-level source that Blair asked the Palestinian Authority (PA) to remove references to “ Palestine ” from its school curriculum.
Rights groups press lawmakers to scrap provision to merge US and Israeli militaries Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 09/03/2026 - 18:07 The controversial defence bill measure would permanently integrate US and Israeli military tech advancements Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meets with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on 28 July 2026 (Israeli Government Press Office/AFP) Off On Thursday, 56 civil rights and advocacy groups urged Congress to scrap a defence bill provision that would strengthen US-Israeli military technology ties, according to a letter seen by Reuters. Section 219 of the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) intends to insitute frameworks for joint ventures, licensing agreements and US-based co-production partnerships. It passed in the House of Representatives in July and is pending Senate approval.
IRGC says it arrests seven suspected Kurdish separatists in Ilam province Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it has arrested seven people in the northwestern province of Ilam, accusing them to be affiliated with Kurdish separatist groups. The IRGC said it believed they were “seeking to carry out armed operations” and carrying ammunition.
Far-right Israeli minister sets out plan to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza Far-right Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir said it was a "realistic" plan to forcibly remove Palestinians from Gaza and send them abroad. Ben Gvir said his plan aims to displace 250,000 Palestinians from the strip in the first year, followed by roughly 2 million residents over the next six years. Speaking in the run-up to closely contested Israeli elections next month, Ben-Gvir said, there are countries “ready” to take the displaced Palestinians.
Palestine will outlast Blair and his grotesque 'Board of Peace' Submitted by Soumaya Ghannoushi on Thu, 09/03/2026 - 16:23 As Gaza reconstruction stalls, the former UK prime minister stands accused of attempting to rewrite the country's history Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, pictured in 2023, has denied a report that he sought to have the word ‘Palestine’ removed from Palestinian textbooks (Charles McQuillan/AFP) Off Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair’s latest reported intervention in the Middle East would be astonishing coming from any supposed mediator. Coming from Blair, it feels almost grimly on brand. Jeremy Greenstock, Britain’s former ambassador to the United Nations, says he learned from a ministerial-level source that Blair asked the Palestinian Authority (PA) to remove references to “ Palestine ” from its school curriculum.
Lebanon receives first prisoner of five to be freed by Israel Lebanon said it received a man freed from Israeli detention on Thursday, as Israel announced it would release five people detained from the country's south. The announcement came after Lebanon said its army received a man returned by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the first since Beirut called in August talks for the release of an initial group improsoned by Israel since the start of war in 2024.
Palestine Action activists to appeal terror sentencing Submitted by Katherine Hearst on Thu, 09/03/2026 - 15:29 The four activists, the first direct action protesters to be sentenced as terrorists, argue that their sentences are 'manifestly excessive' Sukaina Rajwani, defendant Fatema Rajwani's mother, stands with Emma Kamio, Leona 'Ellie' Kamio's mother, 3 September 2026 (Katherine Hearst/MEE) Off Four Palestine Action activists will appeal their sentencing by a UK court as terrorists for their role in a raid on an Israeli -owned arms factory. In May, Charlotte ‘Lottie’ Head, Fatema Rajwani, Leona ‘Ellie’ Kamio and Samuel Corner were convicted by jurors of criminal damage charges for smashing up Israeli weapons - including quadcopter drones - in an Elbit Systems factory near Bristol in August 2024. In an unprecedented ruling in June, the presiding judge, Justice Johnson, determined that their offences carried a "terrorist connection", handing them sentences ranging from four to eight years.
Rights groups urge US lawmakers to drop provision to deepen defense ties with Israel Dozens of civil rights and advocacy groups are urging Congress to scrap a defense bill provision that would deepen US-Israeli military technology ties, according to a letter seen by Reuters, at a time of growing US skepticism toward the longtime ally. The provision would deepen cooperation between the US and Israeli defense sectors by accelerating joint military technology development and other partnerships. The bill passed the House of Representatives in July and awaits Senate action.
US diplomat Boulos won't name 'at least 12 countries' involved in Sudan war Submitted by Oscar Rickett on Thu, 09/03/2026 - 15:51 Trump adviser does not name UAE, Egypt or Turkey, saying 'we are not here to go into these details' Massad Boulos, senior advisor to the US president on Arab and Middle Eastern Affairs, speaks with the media outside the White House in Washington, DC, 21 July 2026 (AFP) Off US President Donald Trump’s senior adviser on African and Arab affairs has said “at least 12 countries” are involved in the Sudan war but has declined to name them. Massad Boulos, whose son Michael is married to Trump’s daughter Tiffany, told the BBC’s Focus on Africa that “all of the neighbouring countries in the region are participating in one way or another, or facilitating certain acts” in the war. “As for the military support, this is done currently by all the neighbouring countries in addition to some other regional actors.
Death toll from Israeli settler attacks spirals in 'most violent' year for West Bank Submitted by Fayha Shalash on Thu, 09/03/2026 - 13:59 Thousands of attacks by Israeli settlers and soldiers have left at least 76 Palestinian dead in 2026 An Israeli settler attacks a left-wing activist at an Israeli outpost in the Israeli-occupied Palestinian village of Jannatah, just south of the city of Bethlehem on 25 August 2026 (Ilia Yefimovich / AFP) Off During a settler attack aimed at stealing sheep, the Israeli army killed a Palestinian boy and a young man on Wednesday evening in the village of Al-Mughayyir, east of Ramallah. According to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Omar Muhammad Na’san, 19, and Khalil Rasem Shahada, 16, were shot dead by Israeli soldiers. Marzouq Abu Na’im, a member of the village council and an activist documenting settler attacks there, told Middle East Eye that armed settlers attacked a house to steal livestock.
Israel returns body of Palestinian teenager it killed in 2025 Israel has returned the body of 15-year-old Palestinian Jadallah Jihad Jumaa Jadallah, whom its forces shot dead in November 2025. Palestinian authorities received his remains in the occupied West Bank months after his killing, according to the Wafa news agency. Jadallah’s family will now make arrangements for his burial.
How Israel armed Argentina to kill British soldiers during Falklands War Submitted by Imran Mulla on Thu, 09/03/2026 - 12:13 As the Falklands issue raises its head again, MEE looks back at how Israel caused the deaths of dozens of British soldiers by arming the Argentinian dictatorship in the 1980s Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin (R) with his military chief Rafael Eitan in the Golan Heights in the 1980s (Wikimedia Commons) Off Tensions between Britain and Israel are rapidly escalating with Andy Burnham's government gearing up to announce a raft of strong measures on the occupied West Bank, including a ban on goods from illegal Israeli settlements. In response, Israel has threatened Britain. "If Britain acts against Israel, Israel will act against Britain," Foreign Minister Gideon Saar warned this week.
Israel releases five Lebanese men detained in southern Lebanon Israel has released five Lebanese men its forces detained in areas under military control in southern Lebanon, according to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. The office said Israeli interrogators found that the men had no affiliation with any armed organisation and that authorities had no grounds to continue holding them.
Ben Gvir set to unveil $20bn plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza within seven years Submitted by Elis Gjevori on Thu, 09/03/2026 - 12:35 The far-right leader will make the plan a condition for joining any future Israeli coalition Israel's National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir (C) storms Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem on 23 July 2026 (Ilia Yefimovich/AFP) Off Israel’s National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir will unveil a plan on Thursday to "encourage voluntary emigration from Gaza ", making it a central plank of his election campaign and a key demand for joining any future coalition. Ben Gvir, who leads the Jewish supremacist Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power) party, has called the ethnic cleansing plan “Disengagement 710”. Israeli media reports that the far-right minister has spent months developing the proposal, which aims to force 250,000 Palestinians from Gaza during its first year.
US attack kills six Iranian navy personnel, Tasnim reports Six members of Iran’s navy were killed in a US attack this week, according to the semi-official Tasnim news agency.
Iran warns ‘dark months’ await US economy after renewed attacks Iranian First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref says Washington has transformed Tehran’s security and defence calculations, warning that Iran will deliver an “asymmetrical” and “multi-layered” response. “The Americans should start thinking about stockpiling gasoline and fuel. Dark months await the American economy,” Aref wrote on X.
Israeli settlers 'hike' through my West Bank village. Next is the violent land grab For decades, my hometown of Qira was a sanctuary of quiet endurance. One of the smallest villages in the occupied West Bank, nestled in the Salfit governorate and tucked away from covetous eyes, it remained relatively shielded from major land confiscations and aggressive incursions throughout the long years of occupation .
Palestinian Islamic Jihad co-founder threatened with 'unlawful' deportation from Syria Submitted by Natacha Danon on Thu, 09/03/2026 - 09:27 Adel al-Natour, former member of PIJ, has been held without trial since his detention in late 2025 An old family photo of Adel al-Natour, co-founder and former member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (Anagha Subhash Nair/MEE) Off More than eight months after Syrian authorities detained Adel al-Natour, a 71-year-old co-founder and former member of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), he remains held without trial or access to legal counsel, his family told Middle East Eye. Natour was taken from his home outside Damascus on 18 December. His family said Natour left PIJ, an armed Palestinian faction, in 1995.
Blair Institute denies former UK PM asked PA to remove 'Palestine' from school textbooks Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 09/03/2026 - 11:03 Former UK prime minister's institute denies MEE report that Trump's Board of Peace sent Blair to make request US President Donald Trump (R) and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair pose during a summit on Gaza in Sharm el-Sheikh on 13 October 2025 (Yoan Valat/AFP) Off The Tony Blair Institute for Global Change (TBI) has denied an exclusive Middle East Eye report that the former UK prime minister asked the Palestinian Authority (PA) to remove any mention of " Palestine " from school textbooks. In an interview with MEE, Jeremy Greenstock, who was the UK 's ambassador to the UN between 1998 and 2003, said that US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace had sent Blair to ask the PA to replace "Palestine" with the Jewish designation of "Samaria". Blair was appointed to the founding executive board of the Board of Peace for Gaza by the Trump administration in January.
