APTOPIX Israel Palestinians
Israeli settlers put up an Israeli flag on a hilltop after it was taken down by Israeli and foreign peace activists during a protest in support of local landowners whose property is threatened with seizure by settlers, on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Beit Sahour, Friday, Aug. 14, 2026.
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The United Arab Emirates has blamed Iran for firing drones at two tankers operated by a state-owned oil company in the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks, described as acts of piracy, caused no casualties but highlighted the dangers in this critical waterway. The UAE's Foreign Ministry called on Friday the attacks a violation of the United Nations' principles of freedom of navigation. Meanwhile, activists marched through the occupied West Bank to bring food and water to Palestinians under siege by Israeli settlers. In Yemen, the military claimed to have thwarted Houthi attacks amid ongoing fighting.
There’s a reason why Israel has done little to rein in settler violence. It’s not just Netanyahu
A dayslong standoff in the occupied West Bank points to Israel's reluctance to rein in settler violence against Palestinians. Many of Israel's political leaders have criticized the violence. But most support the larger settlement enterprise aimed at cementing control over the West Bank and preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads the most settler-friendly government in Israel's history and it has eased military restrictions on them. But the settlements, considered illegal by much of the international community, have grown under all of his predecessors.
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