Iran executes two men over killing of police officers Iran has executed two men convicted of killing four police officers during anti-government unrest in the central city of Isfahan in January, according to the judiciary-affiliated Mizan news agency. Mizan identified the men as Erfan Esfandiyari and Golmohammad Mohammadi, saying their death sentences were carried out after court proceedings. They were convicted of attacking the officers, tying them to a road sign, assaulting them with stones, dousing them with petrol and setting them on fire.
ICC’s Khan probe ‘reduced to political referendum’, Palestinian rights groups warn Submitted by Sondos Asem on Sun, 07/19/2026 - 11:10 Largest coalition of Palestinian human rights organisations say Karim Khan disciplinary process has 'failed all parties' and is 'corroding' court's independence ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan visits the Okhmatdyt children's hospital in Kyiv, which was hit by Russian shelling, on 8 July 2024 (ICC/AFP) Off Nine leading Palestinian human rights organisations have warned that the disciplinary process against suspended International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Karim Khan has been marked by a denial of due process and "politicisation" that is "corroding" the court's independence, days before member states vote on his removal. In a joint statement published on Friday, the Palestinian Human Rights Organizations Council (PHROC), whose members include Al-Haq, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights and Addameer, said it took "no position on either the validity of the claims or the defence" against Khan, but warned that flaws in the process "breaches basic human rights guarantees" and represented "a grave departure from the rule of law". "This dangerously opens the Court to political overreach," the statement said.
Palestinians bid farewell to teenage footballer shot during settler raid Palestinians have bid farewell to a 17-year-old footballer, Fadi Al-Naasan, who died on Saturday of bullet wounds sustained during an Israeli settler attack on the village of Al-Mughayyir in the occupied West Bank a week ago. Al-Naasan was shot in the thigh with live ammunition on 11 July when Israeli forces and settlers attacked the home of Mohammed Hamed Abu Aliya in Al-Mughayyir, according to media reports. The farewell of the 17-year-old youth, Fadi Hamdallah Al-Naasan, from the village of Al-Mughayyir, who succumbed to wounds sustained from occupation forces’ gunfire while confronting a settler attack several days ago.
West Bank attacks: Settlers set mosque on fire, Israeli forces olive trees Israeli settlers attacked the Palestinian village of Tuwani in the West Bank, setting a mosque and a vehicle on fire and spray-painting a Star of David on the mosque's wall, according to Palestinian Christian human rights advocate Ihab Hassan. BREAKING: Israeli settler terrorists attacked the Palestinian village of Tuwani in the West Bank, setting a mosque and a vehicle on fire and spray-painting a Star of David on the mosque's wall. pic.
Israeli settlers storm Palestinian homes in Hebron, steal sheep Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian homes in the Wadi al-Rakhim area south of Yatta, near Hebron, on Saturday evening, stealing three sheep, according to the Palestinian news agency Wafa. Local anti-settlement activist Osama Makhamreh said the armed settlers were accompanied by Israeli forces, who fired live ammunition during the raid. No injuries were reported, but a child, Yaseen Mohammad Shnaran, was hospitalised after suffering severe shock and convulsions.
World Cup 2026: Palestinian flags become a target at US-based games The Palestinian flag has become one of the most visible, and most targeted, symbols at World Cup games held in the United States . Several supporters carrying them at matches have told Middle East Eye that they have been stopped by security as they entered venues and instructed to either remove them or risk having them confiscated, despite Fifa regulations allowing national flags inside stadiums. The incidents have unfolded alongside widespread displays of solidarity from supporters of Arab teams, with Palestinian flags appearing throughout the stands even though Palestine is not competing in the tournament.
World Cup 2026: Palestinian flags become a target at US-based games Submitted by Mohammed Ahmad on Sat, 07/18/2026 - 18:10 Palestinian flags have become one of the tournament's most visible symbols of solidarity, but supporters have been told to remove them, and in some cases had them confiscated An Iranian fan waves a Palestinian flag ahead of Iran's Group G match against New Zealand at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on 15 June 2026 (Frederic J. Brown/AFP) Off The Palestinian flag has become one of the most visible, and most targeted, symbols at World Cup games held in the United States . Several supporters carrying them at matches have told Middle East Eye that they have been stopped by security as they entered venues and instructed to either remove them or risk having them confiscated, despite Fifa regulations allowing national flags inside stadiums.
The world must stop Israel's unprecedented assault on Palestinian children Submitted by Noam Peleg on Thu, 07/16/2026 - 21:07 After nearly three years of genocide, the international community is failing in its duty to protect the most vulnerable An injured child is treated in Khan Younis following Israeli strikes, Gaza, on 24 June 2026 (Bashar Taleb/AFP) Off The UN commission report released last month found that Israel is deliberately targeting Palestinian children in its ongoing campaign of genocide . It details and demonstrates Israel’s genocidal intent to destroy Palestinians, in whole or in part. The report makes for sobering reading.
Report: Israel orders seizure of four acres of Palestinian land Israeli authorities have ordered the confiscation of 16. 577 dunums (4. 09 acres) of land in the village of Dura al-Qar', northeast of Ramallah and al-Bireh, for what they described as military purposes, Wafa reported.
Hind Rajab Foundation files complaint in Portugal against Israeli soldier The Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) said it has filed a criminal complaint in Portugal against an Israeli soldier, Etamar Ivry, alleging war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. In a statement, the foundation said Ivry is currently in Lisbon on holiday. HRF said its investigation found that, as a member of the 890th Paratroopers Battalion in the 35th Paratroopers Brigade, Ivry participated in the systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure in Gaza.
Elders warn of potential disappearance of Palestinian territories Four members of the Elders group of international figures founded by Nelson Mandela have warned of the potential disappearance of the Palestinian territories and called for an end to Israeli "impunity". They said in a statement that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government was seeking "to make Palestine disappear physically, economically, culturally and politically. " Former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, former First Lady of South Africa Graca Machel, former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark and Pakistani lawyer Hina Jilani made the statement after a visit, from July 11-16, to the occupied West Bank, Israel, Jordan and Lebanon.
US judge rules in favour of Palestinian-American activist after phone seizure A US federal judge this week ruled in favour of a prominent Palestinian-American academic and activist in a decision that deemed the search and seizure of his phones by customs officers to be illegal. Osama Abu Irshaid, the executive director of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), had his phones taken from him and searched at Washington Dulles International Airport on two occasions in 2024, upon his return from trips to the Middle East. On Wednesday, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia determined that Abu Irshaid was indeed entitled to his Fourth Amendment claim, because "the evidence marshaled by Defendants...
US judge rules in favour of Palestinian-American activist after phone seizure Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 07/17/2026 - 19:02 Osama Abu Irshaid has long been subjected to interrogations when returning to the US Executive director of American Muslims for Palestine, Osama Abu Irshaid, speaks at a rally for Palestinian rights in an undated photo (Facebook/Osama Abu Irshaid) Off A US federal judge this week ruled in favour of a prominent Palestinian-American academic and activist in a decision that deemed the search and seizure of his phones by customs officers to be illegal. Osama Abu Irshaid, the executive director of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), had his phones taken from him and searched at Washington Dulles International Airport on two occasions in 2024, upon his return from trips to the Middle East. On Wednesday, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia determined that Abu Irshaid was indeed entitled to his Fourth Amendment claim, because "the evidence marshaled by Defendants...
Israeli general praises illegal outposts driving Palestinian ethnic cleansing The Israeli military commander responsible for the occupied West Bank has praised illegal settler outposts as security assets, laying bare the state support behind a network instrumental in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their land. Major-General Avi Bluth, head of Israel’s Central Command, told a conference organised by the Farm Union on Wednesday that the agricultural outposts “align well with the security concept. It does not contradict it”.
Why the World Cup final has morphed into a debate on Palestine and Israel Submitted by Dalia Anis on Fri, 07/17/2026 - 11:00 For many fans, the upcoming Spain-Argentina match symbolises a lot more than football A Spain supporter and an Argentina supporter at World Cup 2026 (Franck Fife/Odd Andersen/AFP) Off As predictions for the 2026 World Cup final are heavily debated across global sports networks, one thing is for certain: for many fans, the upcoming face-off between Spain and Argentina represents something beyond the beautiful game and national pride. Through debates on social media, videos and memes, thousands of spectators around the world have expressed that for them, Sunday's final represents a referendum on political solidarity for Palestine amid Israel' s ongoing genocide in Gaza . “Pro-Palestine vs Pro-Israel,” said one X user about the match.
Israeli general praises illegal outposts driving Palestinian ethnic cleansing Submitted by Elis Gjevori on Fri, 07/17/2026 - 15:44 Israel portrays violent settlers as a fringe group abroad while treating its illegal outposts as security assets at home Palestinians attempt to extinguish a fire set by Israeli settlers on wheat fields in the village of Salem, east of Nablus, in the occupied West Bank, on 3 July 2026 (Jaafar Ashtiyeh/AFP) Off The Israeli military commander responsible for the occupied West Bank has praised illegal settler outposts as security assets, laying bare the state support behind a network instrumental in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their land. Major-General Avi Bluth, head of Israel’s Central Command, told a conference organised by the Farm Union on Wednesday that the agricultural outposts “align well with the security concept. It does not contradict it”.
Moroccan whistleblower reveals how Rabat used Israel's Pegasus spyware for surveillance Submitted by MEE staff on Fri, 07/17/2026 - 13:58 Testimony from intelligence insider and leaked records show extensive use of spyware against dissidents and foreign officials Morocco's then interior minister, Abdelouafi Laftit (left), receives his Spanish counterpart, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, during his official visit to Rabat on 20 November 2020 (Fadel Senna/AFP) Off A Moroccan intelligence insider has revealed details about his government’s use of hacking software, including Israeli-manufactured Pegasus spyware , to track journalists, human right defenders and foreign officials. The whistleblower's revelations were reported in an investigation published on Thursday by Forbidden Stories, Amnesty and 13 media organisations. Investigative reporting in 2021 accused Morocco of having used the Israeli-manufactured hacking tool for spying on its critics as well as allies - claims that Rabat denied at the time.
Following the Portuguese Parliament’s approval of a law banning face coverings in public spaces, the Executive Director of Amnesty International – Portugal, João Godinho Martins, said: “This new law is discriminatory and is a threat to human rights. Despite having removed direct references to Islam, which were a part of previous versions of the text, this […] The post Portugal: Blanket ban on face coverings threatens several human rights appeared first on Amnesty International .
Palestine Action defendant ‘missed the last year’ of his mother’s life while behind bars Submitted by Katherine Hearst on Fri, 07/17/2026 - 14:21 William Plastow was held on remand for 18 months but was granted bail on compassionate grounds to spend the final days of his mother’s life at her bedside William Plastow is facing charges of criminal damage in connection with a Palestine Action raid on an Israeli-owned arms factory in August 2024 (Screengrab/X) Off A defendant accused of involvement in a Palestine Action raid on an Israeli -owned arms factory said his mother died of terminal cancer while he was held on remand. William Plastow, 35, is among eight defendants facing charges in connection with a raid on an Elbit Systems factory in Filton, near Bristol, in August 2024. He told the court that he had been held on remand for 18 months following his arrest on 9 August 2024, but was granted bail on compassionate grounds to spend the last four days of his mother’s life at her bedside.
Israel advances crocodile plan to stop Palestinian prisoners escaping Submitted by Nadav Rapaport on Fri, 07/17/2026 - 14:43 Government removes legal protections for Nile crocodiles as Ben Gvir pushes for detention compound ringed by reptiles A crocodile inside an enclosure at Nama Zoo in Gaza City on 1 June 2023 (Mohammed Salem/Reuters) Off The Israeli government has stripped Nile crocodiles of their protected status, paving the way for a proposal to build a detention facility for Palestinians surrounded by the reptiles, Israeli media reported on Thursday. Environment Minister Idit Silman signed a decree on Wednesday reclassifying Nile crocodiles as a "specially managed wild animal" - a new legal category that allows the state to keep the animals for security purposes, according to Israeli news site Ynet . In the decree, Silman said Israel's security forces could now keep crocodiles under specific conditions.
