Trump Pushes Jordan and Egypt to Take in Palestinians to ‘Clean Out’ Gaza

The National Endowment for Democracy, a bipartisan nonprofit, is suing the U.S. government for withholding $239 million in congressional appropriations, leading to staff layoffs and project funding freezes. The group argues that the funding is not foreign aid and should not be controlled by the State Department. The Trump administration's shift towards a more transactional foreign policy approach has been criticized, with accusations of corruption and calls for the organization to be dissolved, highlighting the...

The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) near the Giza pyramids is set to open fully on July 3, showcasing over 100,000 artefacts, including Tutankhamun's treasures and a towering Ramses II statue. President al-Sisi has invited world leaders to attend the ceremony, with plans for a multi-day celebration. With state-of-the-art technology, the museum aims to attract five million visitors annually, boosting Egypt's tourism industry and economy. Full Article

U.S. and Hamas officials have engaged in talks in Qatar regarding hostages in the Gaza Strip, breaking the U.S. policy of not directly negotiating with designated terrorist groups. President Trump's nominee for special envoy for hostage affairs, Adam Boehler, participated in the discussions, aiming to extend the truce between Israel and Hamas and secure the release of captives, including American citizen Edan Alexander. The direct talks between the U.S. and Hamas mark a significant shift...

Dozens of mourners gathered in Nir Oz to bid farewell to Ohad Yahalomi, a nature guide abducted by Hamas during an attack in October 2023. His body was returned in a prisoner exchange in February 2024. Yahalomi's widow tearfully remembered him as a protector, while friends and family mourned the loss of a beloved and caring individual. Full Article

At an emergency Arab summit in Cairo, Arab leaders rejected President Trump's idea to relocate Gaza's residents to Egypt and Jordan, presenting their own plan to rebuild Gaza, sideline Hamas, and reunite the territory with the West Bank. However, central questions remain unanswered, such as disarming Hamas and achieving Palestinian statehood, with Israel opposing the latter. The Arab blueprint for Gaza's reconstruction, costing $53 billion and lasting until 2030, lacks clear funding sources, with Gulf...

Over 200 pro-Palestinian protesters gathered at Columbia University to demonstrate against former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, leading to expected pushback due to his controversial background. The Columbia Palestine Solidarity Coalition criticized the university for hosting a figure with a "violent and openly discriminatory record," while police maintained order between the protesters and a small group of pro-Israel counter-demonstrators. The protest coincided with US President Donald Trump's threat to cut federal funding for the university...