I recently returned from a week in Israel and the West Bank leading a J Street delegation of former national security officials. We toured the Gaza envelope, the West Bank, and Jerusalem and met with Israeli and Palestinian politicians, security officials, civil society organizations, and many others who continue to shape policy on both sides….
The European Union could introduce a “partial or total” ban on trade coming from illegal Israeli settlements, or levy prohibitively high tariffs on imports, according to a confidential paper circulated to national governments. The European Commission, the union’s powerful executive arm, has presented options to governments detailing how the EU could penalise Israel for the…
3 US-Israel-Iran War Latest News: Commercial shipping patterns through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz have shifted significantly after Iran was blamed for a series of attacks on vessels following the ceasefire with the United States. New maritime data show more ships are now sailing closer to Iran’s coastline rather than using the American military’s…
A potential trade ban on Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories is shaping up as the next test of EU unity on Israel. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT On Wednesday, the European Commission circulated an options paper setting out a full or partial trade ban on Israeli settlements, to be discussed at Monday’s meeting of foreign affairs…
The Gulf countries might soon see a significant shift in their oil export strategies with a potential pipeline that could connect them to Europe via Israel. This proposal, put forth by Israel’s energy minister, aims to bypass the geopolitically volatile Strait of Hormuz, which has been subject to frequent disruptions. According to Eli Cohen, Israel’s…
Brussels has proposed fully or partially banning imports of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements, alongside additional options to further restrict EU trade with settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, according to diplomatic sources. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT The proposals come after a majority of member states urged the EU executive to propose tighter trading restrictions in…
Mohammad Sio 07 July 2026•Update: 07 July 2026 Syria and France signed a broad package of agreements and memorandums of understanding Tuesday covering transport, aviation, health, trade, banking and infrastructure during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Damascus. The agreements were signed at the Presidential Palace in the presence of Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and…
The Irish parliament approved a bill on Tuesday banning the import of goods from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, as Dublin moves towards adopting one of the toughest trade measures in Europe on the issue. The legislation bans the import of goods from “certain Israeli settlements” located outside Israel’s internationally recognised borders, covering…
Why Energy Security Must be NATO’s Next Priority Although the recent oil crises brought the concept of energy security onto the international agenda, in the past, they did not directly shape NATO’s energy policies. For a long while, NATO continued to view energy security not as a pillar of collective defense but as part of…
Hapag-Lloyd’s US$4.2 billion ZIM acquisition faces Israel opposition, raising uncertainty for container shipping, logistics, and global supply chains. Israel’s government has raised new obstacles to Hapag-Lloyd’s proposed acquisition of ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, introducing political and national security concerns that could complicate one of the largest container shipping transactions announced this year. On Feb. 16,…
