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China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi said the Palestinian political rivals Fatah and Hamas had agreed to establish a provisional reconciliation government and a plan for post-war governance in Gaza, CNN reported on July 23.

Palestinian Territories: Hamas and Fatah Sign Unity Agreement

Economics

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The International Court of Justice, or ICJ, published a non-binding advisory opinion that Israel's policies and practices in the West Bank and east Jerusalem constitute illegal annexations of parts of the Palestinian Territories, Axios reported on July 19.

Israel: International Court of Justice Rules Israel Illegally Annexed Palestinian Territory

United States

Egypt

In a speech to troops in Gaza's southern city of Rafah, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Israeli control of the Philadelphi Corridor along the Egyptian border "critical," The Times of Israel reported on July 19.

Israel, Gaza: Netanyahu Demands Control of Philadelphi Corridor as Part of Hostage Deal

Israel's Knesset passed a resolution 68-9 rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian state, Al Jazeera reported on July 18.

Israel: Knesset Passes Resolution Against Palestinian Statehood

Lebanon

An Israeli airstrike on a reported gathering of Hamas commanders and fighters killed scores of people in Gaza's southern city of Khan Younis on July 13, The Times of Israel reported on July 15.

Israel, Gaza: Airstrike Targets Hamas Leaders in Khan Younis

The United States will permanently dismantle its temporary aid pier in Gaza after moving accumulated humanitarian aid from Cyprus to the embattled region over several days following the pier's expected reattachment on July 10, AP reported on July 9. 

U.S., Israel: U.S. To Permanently Dismantle Temporary Aid Pier in Gaza

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office released a list of four demands as prerequisites for further hostage negotiations with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, The Times of Israel reported on July 7.

Israel, Gaza: Netanyahu Adds 'Impossible' Demands for Cease-Fire Talks

Israel's security Cabinet sent a new delegation to Doha, Qatar, to resume cease-fire negotiations with Hamas after the Palestinian militant group reportedly weakened its demand for an immediate and lasting path to ending the war in Gaza, The Times of Israel reported on July 4. 

Israel, Gaza: Hostage Negotiations Resume After Hamas Weakens Key Demand

Assessments

Kenya

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Venezuela

Iran

Saudi Arabia

Europe

Ukraine

Russia

U.S. President Joe Biden speaks during a press conference at the 75th NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., on July 11, 2024. 

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

U.S.-China Relations

U.S.-Iran Relations

Biden's exit from the U.S. presidential race will free him to pursue more aggressive action against Russia over Ukraine and increase pressure on Israel to end its war with Hamas. 

What To Expect from Biden's Foreign Policy Farewell Tour

Bahrain

Jordan

Morocco

Qatar

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Israeli soldiers guard a barrier, silhouetted against afternoon sun.

As Gaza moves closer to a post-war reality, political limitations in Israel and competing interests abroad muddy the waters of the region's future governance.

For Israel, the Challenge of Gaza's Future Governance Deepens

Italy

Voters on June 6 in The Hague, the first day of the election for the European Parliament. In a vote that will shape the political direction and strategic priorities of the bloc for the next five years, elections for the European Parliament run from June 6-9.

Global Elections

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: BRICS Foreign Ministers Meet, European Parliamentary Elections

Japan

South Korea

United Kingdom

Supporters of the African National Congress (ANC) party dance, sing and chant slogans during a campaign march on May 24, 2024, in Johannesburg, South Africa. 

The Weekly Rundown: South Africa's General Election, Israel Resumes Hostage Talks With Hamas

Displaced Palestinians walk around a puddle in front of destroyed buildings and tents in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip on May 16, 2024.

All of the options for the enclave's post-war governance would risk destabilizing the Israeli government and are unlikely to prevent the resurgence of Hamas and other militant groups.

The Dilemma of Gaza's Post-War Future Puts Israel in a Tight Spot

Taiwan

Spain

Ireland

Taiwanese President-elect William Lai (C) on Jan. 13 in Taipei, Taiwan. Lai will officially begin his four-year presidency May 20.

The Weekly Rundown: Kenya's President Visits Washington, Lai Inaugurated in Taiwan

A picture taken on May 6, 2024, shows smoke billowing following a bombardment east of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. 

If Hamas doesn't agree to a more favorable cease-fire deal, Israel will likely expand its push into Gaza's southernmost city at the risk of exacerbating domestic and international blowback.

With the Capture of a Border Crossing, Israel's Rafah Operation Has Begun

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Argentina

Bolivia

Peru

France

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and his wife, Begona Gomez, arrive Oct. 5, 2023, at the Carlos V Palace at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. Sanchez is expected to make an announcement about his political future on April 29 following his surprise decision April 25 to suspend public appearances after a court in Madrid announced an investigation into his wife for alleged influence-peddling and corruption.

The Weekly Rundown: South American Foreign Ministers Visit China, the Spanish Premier Announces His Political Future

Iraq

Syria

The Jordanian flag. Jordan will remain aligned with the United States and Israel, which will result in a heightened risk of attacks by Iranian proxies and growing risks of radicalization.

Jordan will remain aligned with the United States and Israel, which will result in a heightened risk of attacks by Iranian proxies and growing risks of radicalization.

Jordan's Alignment With Israel Will Put It in Iran's Crosshairs

Yemen

Iran's large missile and drone attack will prompt an Israeli retaliation that will focus on reestablishing deterrence and preventing future similar attacks on Israel, but in doing so, Israel risks expanding the conflict, further sinking the region into turmoil and possibly dragging in the United States.

How Israel Might Respond to the Iranian Attack

Brazil

Colombia

Germany

India

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (C) April 12 in Dausa, India.

The Weekly Rundown: Indian Elections, Scholz Goes to China

Snapshots

Palestinians walk past damaged buildings in Khan Yunis on April 8, 2024, after Israel pulled its ground forces out of the southern Gaza Strip. 

Israel is shifting to smaller, more targeted operations, but its apparent lack of a long-term governance plan for Gaza will enable Hamas to maintain influence there without fully appeasing Israel's international allies.

The Implications of Israel's Updated Gaza Strategy

The Palestinian Territories comprise two sections of the former mandate of Palestine: the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The two small areas are separated from one another by Israel, which controls most of their frontiers. Jordan borders the West Bank on the east, while Egypt lies to the west of the Gaza Strip. The West Bank is a hilly, warm country that enjoys sufficient rainfall to support agriculture, but because the Gaza Strip receives little precipitation due to its location next to the dry Sinai Desert, its economy has traditionally relied on fishing and trade. The territories' only natural border is the Jordan River on the eastern edge of the West Bank.    The Palestinian Territories lack a clear demographic core, although the lands have a symbolic heart: the city of Jerusalem, which Palestinians view as their capital.    The Palestinian Territories evolved over time. After Israel gained its independence in 1948, Jordan annexed the West Bank while Egypt took control of Gaza. After the Six Day War in 1967, however, Israel occupied both territories. The occupation strengthened Palestinian identity, and members of the community eventually came to regard Gaza and the West Bank as components of a united proto-state.      But due to their size and domination by Israel, the Palestinian Territories have not succeeded in achieving state status. The territories, meanwhile, are not only divided geographically but also politically, as the Islamist party Hamas rules Gaza, while the more nationalist and secularist Fatah controls the West Bank. In addition to overcoming the lack of unity, the Palestinian Territories must convince Israel's allies to allow the entity to gain autonomy and eventually achieve independence. Ultimately, internal political divisions and the need to pursue diplomacy to become a sovereign state represent the core geographic challenges for the Palestinian Territories.  

Israel's Survival Strategy

The Pulse of Political Islam

SITUATION REPORTS

Palestinian Territories: Hamas and Fatah Sign Unity Agreement

Israel: International Court of Justice Rules Israel Illegally Annexed Palestinian Territory

Israel, Gaza: Netanyahu Demands Control of Philadelphi Corridor as Part of Hostage Deal

Israel: Knesset Passes Resolution Against Palestinian Statehood

Israel, Gaza: Airstrike Targets Hamas Leaders in Khan Younis

U.S., Israel: U.S. To Permanently Dismantle Temporary Aid Pier in Gaza

Israel, Gaza: Netanyahu Adds 'Impossible' Demands for Cease-Fire Talks

Israel, Gaza: Hostage Negotiations Resume After Hamas Weakens Key Demand

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