1. Home

The Palestinian Authority (PA)

Reactions to the Wave of Recognition of a Palestinian State

About ten countries, including France, Britain, Canada and Australia, announced their recognition of a Palestinian state, bringing the number of countries recognizing "Palestine" to 159 of the 193 UN member states. The announcements came after the UN General Assembly adopted the "New York Declaration," which supports advancing the two-state solution as the basis for ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; The Palestinian Authority welcomed the recognition and called for practical steps which would enable the establishment of the state of "Palestine." Hamas said that the recognition was the result of the October 7, 2023 attack and the organization would continue with armed "resistance." However, Palestinian Internet users doubted that the wave of diplomatic recognition would end the war in the Gaza Strip or improve the humanitarian situation; In the United States, the countries that recognized a Palestinian state were condemned, while in Italy and Germany it was called a premature step which would not advance negotiations to end the war and resolve the conflict. According to the Arab world, recognition gave Palestinians hope for realizing their rights; In ITIC assessment, adopting the New York Declaration and the additional recognition of a Palestinian state are a cognitive achievement for the Palestinians after the Palestinian issue had been pushed to the sidelines in recent years, and strengthen Hamas' arguments about the "historical importance" of the October 7, 2023 terrorist attack and massacre. However, the actual establishment of a Palestinian state is still in the distant future because of Israel's control of territory and resources, the weakness of the Palestinian Authority and its support for terrorism, in addition to the security situation in the Gaza Strip and Hamas' continued terrorist activity. American opposition to the recognition of a Palestinian state and its ability to veto a Security Council resolution to establish a Palestinian state leave the current move at the declarative level.
Read more...

Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah and Lebanon (september 15 – 28, 2025)

IDF forces attacked Hezbollah infrastructure and eliminated operatives of the organization as part of ongoing operations against Hezbollah's presence in south Lebanon, which violates the ceasefire agreement understandings, and against Hezbollah's efforts to increase its military capabilities and restore its arsenal. A precision missile production site and Radwan Force camps were, attacked and seven Hezbollah operatives were eliminated; The continued Israeli attacks, and especially the deaths of four uninvolved family members in Bint Jbeil, aroused anger in Lebanon: Hezbollah accused the Lebanese government of weakness, while leaders criticized the performance of the committee supervising the implementation of the ceasefire and that it was biased in Israel's favor; Hezbollah marked the anniversary of the pager attack and the killing of secretary general Hassan Nasrallah and his designated successor Hashem Safi al-Din, as well as other senior figures. Na'im Qassem, the current secretary general, reiterated the organization's refusal to disarm and claimed Hezbollah was prepared for "martyrdom."; Lebanese President Aoun used his visit to the UN General Assembly to call for pressure to be exerted on Israel to stop its attacks and withdraw from Lebanese territory while reiterating the commitment of the Lebanese authorities to Hezbollah's disarmament. Aoun reportedly instructed the army commander to ensure weapons were cleared from all the territory south of the Litani River; Senior Lebanese government officials met with senior Iranian officials who reiterated their promises not to interfere in Lebanon's internal affairs. The secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council denied that his country was sending weapons to Hezbollah.
Read more...

spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (September 9-16, 2025)

On September 16, 2025, IDF forces launched a ground maneuver in Gaza City as part of Operation Gideon’s Chariots II, following airstrikes on hundreds of terrorist targets across the city. Despite threats and obstruction attempts by Hamas, at least 350,000 residents responded to the IDF’s calls and relocated to humanitarian areas in the southern Gaza Strip; Negotiations for the release of the hostages and a ceasefire have been frozen following an Israeli attempt to eliminate the Hamas leadership in Doha, Qatar. Hamas has made it clear that it will not give up its demands for an end to the war and a complete withdrawal of IDF forces from the Gaza Strip; Pro-Palestinian activists continued their flotilla in the Mediterranean Sea in an attempt to “break the siege” on the Gaza Strip; The PA’s security forces reportedly detained businessman Samir Halile, who claimed he is a candidate for the position of interim governor of the Gaza Strip; A Palestinian terrorist holding a blue ID card wounded two Israelis in a stabbing attack at a hotel in kibbutz Tzuba. Israeli security forces sealed the homes of the two perpetrators of the recent shooting attack in Jerusalem’s Ramot neighborhood, even before obtaining a demolition permit; The Palestinian Authority welcomed the UN General Assembly’s decision to adopt the New York Declaration, which calls for the implementation of the two-state solution.
Read more...

Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (September 2 – 9, 2025)

IDF forces continued extensive aerial and ground attacks in the Gaza Strip, focusing on high-rise buildings in Gaza City used by Hamas for military-terrorist purposes, and on eliminating terrorist operatives, including those who participated in the October 7, 2023 attack and massacre. The United States presented a proposal for an agreement between Israel and Hamas, according to which all the Israeli hostages would be released on the first day of the agreement. Israel is willing to accept the agreement while Hamas is prepared to discuss it. Senior Hamas figures abroad fear an Israeli attack. According to an initial report, a meeting of senior Hamas figures was attacked in Doha, Qatar.  International activity against Israel continues. The Global Sumud Flotilla organized to sail from Tunisia, and Spain announced an arms embargo on Israel.
Read more...

Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (August 25– September 1, 2025)

IDF forces continued extensive aerial and ground attacks in the Gaza Strip, focusing on the eastern neighborhoods of Gaza City in preparation for the expected takeover of the city, and eliminated the spokesperson of the Hamas military wing and the head of ISIS's "Palestine" district. The bodies of two Israeli civilians kidnapped in the October 7, 2023 attack and massacre were recovered. An IDF soldier was killed in Khan Yunis; Hamas rejected the statement of American mediator Steve Witkoff that the movement was responsible for placing obstacles in the path of the negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, and claimed that Israel was ignoring the proposal and carrying out a "massacre" [sic] in Gaza; The IDF announced the creation of two new centers to facilitate the distribution of food to Gazans in the southern part of the Strip; Dozens of vessels with hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists set sail from Barcelona as part of an international flotilla intended to "lift the blockade" on the Gaza Strip; A senior Hamas figure rejected the American plan to evacuate Gazans and turn the Strip into an economic and tourist zone under American administration for ten years. Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas said he would agree to an Arab or international partnership for administering the Strip alongside the PA; The American administration announced that it would not issue entry visas to Mahmoud Abbas and senior PA and PLO figures ahead of the UN General Assembly session in September 2025.
Read more...

Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah and Lebanon (August 25 – September 1, 2025)

IDF forces attacked Hezbollah infrastructure and eliminated operatives of the organization as part of ongoing operations against Hezbollah's presence in south Lebanon, which violates the ceasefire agreement understanding, and against Hezbollah's efforts to increase its military capabilities and restore its arsenal. The forces attacked underground infrastructures in the Beaufort ridge and eliminated two Hezbollah terrorist operatives; Hezbollah supporters prevented the American special envoy, Thomas Barrack, from visiting two locations in south Lebanon; The UN Security Council approved extending UNIFIL's mandate until the end of 2026, after which the UN force will begin to withdraw and transfer full responsibility to the Lebanese army; The Lebanese government meeting to present the army's plan for Hezbollah's disarmament was postponed to September 5, 2025. A Hezbollah-affiliated newspaper claimed the army said it could not implement the plan because of lack of resources, and the army commander threatened to resign if he were required to spill Lebanese blood. The Lebanese army stated it was acting according to directives to preserve the state's security. Hezbollah secretary general, Na'im Qassem, and other Hezbollah officials reiterated that they had no intention of surrendering the weapons of the "resistance," but Lebanese Parliament speaker Berri said they were prepared to hold a dialogue on the issue. Lebanese government officials expressed frustration over Israel's refusal to present practical steps for the withdrawal of IDF forces from south Lebanon and for stopping its attacks; The PLO and Fatah continued handing over weapons and military equipment from the Lebanese refugee camps, focusing on the three camps in the Tyre area. According to reports, Qatar was trying to mediate between the Lebanese government and Hamas, which still refused to hand over its weapons.
Read more...

Previous years bulletins

202520242023202220212020201920182017201620152014201320112010200920082007200620052004