Israel’s Newest Army Recruits: the Ultra-Orthodox

(JTA) — NEW YORK — Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's national security minister, proposed encouraging Palestinians to leave Gaza while dismissing fears of arrest abroad for international law violations, quipping about his limited travel. His visit to the U.S. sparked protests, including demonstrations at Yale University and in Manhattan, where critics labeled him a racist and compared him to a Nazi. Despite the backlash, Ben-Gvir defended his hardline policies and expressed a more nuanced view of his...

A recent blast near a UNESCO world heritage site in Yemen's capital, Sana, was attributed to a Houthi missile rather than a U.S. airstrike, according to a U.S. Central Command spokesman. The Houthi-led government previously claimed the explosion resulted from an American attack that killed 12 and injured 30, but the U.S. asserted its operations were over three miles away. The Houthis have been launching attacks amid a broader conflict, targeting ships and asserting their...

The Mycetoma Research Centre (MRC) in Sudan, the only research facility dedicated to mycetoma, has been destroyed amid the ongoing conflict between the army and paramilitary forces, according to its director, Ahmed Fahal. Mycetoma, a neglected tropical disease that severely affects manual laborers, was the focus of this center, which had treated thousands of patients and stored over 40 years of vital research data. The destruction of the MRC marks a significant setback for Sudan's...

Israel's military acknowledged that its forces mistakenly attacked a U.N. guesthouse in Gaza on March 19, killing Bulgarian staff member Marin Valev Marinov and wounding six others, leading to the withdrawal of a third of the U.N.’s international staff from Gaza. This incident marks the second admission of wrongful fire on aid workers by Israel in a week, with the U.N. calling for greater accountability for attacks on its personnel, as at least 285 U.N....

Tunisian authorities recently set fire to tents housing sub-Saharan African migrants as part of a campaign to dismantle informal camps near Sfax, where thousands have been stranded after failing to reach Italy. Approximately 3,300 migrants were ordered to leave the olive grove camps, with Tunisia's National Guard emphasizing the state’s strategy to prevent the country from becoming a settlement for illegal migrants. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has facilitated the voluntary return of over...

In a recent update from Al-Monitor Washington, it has been reported that Syria’s new leader, who has past ties to al-Qaeda, is open to the possibility of normalizing relations with Israel. This development signifies a potential shift in diplomatic relations within the region. For more insights into US-Middle East diplomacy, readers are encouraged to sign up for the full newsletter. Full Article