Administrative capital of Palestine and central West Bank city
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has used his UN General Assembly address to accuse New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani of antisemitism, of supporting Hamas and of making Jewish New Yorkers feel unsafe. Mamdani has replied that Netanyahu is repeating "baseless lies" and remains subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant; protests and walkouts have followed the speech.
Israel has demolished more than 2km of Hezbollah tunnel infrastructure beneath the Ali al‑Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, using over 1,000 tonnes of explosives and creating a blast that registered as a 4.1‑magnitude tremor. The Israeli military says it has established operational control above and below ground and will hold a security zone while continuing strikes when necessary.
Israeli police have maintained security around Jerusalem’s Temple Mount while Jewish visitors, accompanied by police protection, have reportedly performed prayers and raised flags. The Al-Aqsa compound remains a flashpoint amid ongoing clashes and international concern.
Israel has ordered the closure of the UK consulate in East Jerusalem after Britain announced sanctions on settlement goods and firms. London has said the building will remain a UK Mission and has warned it may expel Israeli diplomats if Israel forces the consulate to close. Talks and a quiet UK security adviser visit have not resolved the dispute ahead of Thursday's deadline.
Israeli and Palestinian sources have reported two deadly incidents in the occupied West Bank on 20 September 2026: a shooter opened fire at people at a spring near the Neve Tzuf settlement, killing an Israeli settler who later died in hospital; and Israeli forces have shot dead a driver who allegedly attempted a ramming attack near the Ganim settlement. Security forces have arrested a suspected shooter at a Ramallah hospital and have imposed closures and raids across multiple West Bank villages.
Israel's Netanyahu is seeking reelection as world leaders gather at the UN. Mamdani continues to clash with Israeli policy, calling for accountability and criticizing genocide accusations, while Trump remains a key ally on some fronts. Protests and counter-demonstrations surround Netanyahu's UN appearance.
Israeli settler attacks and Israeli military raids have intensified across the occupied West Bank since August 2026, leaving Palestinians injured, homes seized and families besieged in villages such as Qusra, Silwad and Biddu. Authorities have detained suspects, imposed checkpoints and carried out arrests while humanitarian agencies report unprecedented levels of settler violence this year.
Palestinian communities in the West Bank report intensified clashes with Israeli settlers backed by occupation forces. Across multiple towns, settlers have attacked homes, seized property, and sparked confrontations amid a surge in violence since 2022.
A US-backed Board of Peace has presented a six-month, $2.45bn, 66-project recovery plan for Gaza but implementation has not started. Israel has expanded control over much of the Strip, Hamas has not fully disarmed, donor pledges remain largely unpaid and international forces and Palestinian technocrats have not entered to begin reconstruction.
Palestinian olive farmers have faced widespread uprooting of trees by the Israeli army in Deir Nidham, Deir Nizam, and surrounding areas. Harvest season, which typically starts in October, is now overshadowed by fear and access barriers as settler attacks and military operations intensify. Officials estimate a harvest of about 21,000 tonnes, but access to land remains a critical obstacle.
Palestinian President Abbas has addressed the UN via a pre-recorded video, while Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is delivering a live address. Abbas has called for ending the war in Gaza, a withdrawal from Gaza, and a political process toward an independent Palestinian state. Netanyahu is focusing on Israel's security concerns and Iran, with some world leaders planning protests in New York.
UNCTAD says Gaza’s economy has collapsed under war and blockade, with 92% of economic establishments damaged, daily per capita GDP at $0.58, prices up 274% since 2022, and unemployment above 90% of working-age people; West Bank also faces severe constraints from settlement expansion and withheld revenues.
Palestinian officials condemn expanding Israeli settlements and related displacement in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza. They call for urgent UN action as Gaza endures a humanitarian catastrophe while a fragile ceasefire persists.
Netanyahu has addressed the UN General Assembly amid international walkouts and domestic political tension. He frames Gaza actions as defending Israel, while critics accuse him of genocide and war crimes. Protests and heavy international scrutiny accompany the speech.
Palestinian communities face encroachment as Israeli settlers, backed by a hard‑line government, move to seize springs and designate heritage sites. Water diversions near Fasayil contribute to a new “Herod’s Pool,” while funding for archaeology signals a broader push to consolidate control over land and memory in the West Bank.
Gaza’s reconstruction is proceeding with a BoP blueprint, proposing $2.4 billion in initial projects, while UNRWA’s role is being questioned by the Board of Peace. Officials differ on UNRWA’s future, as Gaza faces a severe humanitarian crisis and ongoing conflict.
Israel’s attorney general has ordered a one-month postponement of bids for housing in the E1 corridor between Jerusalem and Ma’ale Adumim to avoid the tender being used in the election. Rights groups warn the move would fracture West Bank contiguity and threaten the two-state solution; critics say the timing seeks to shape the vote.
Israel has imposed countermeasures after the Netherlands banned settlement goods, ordering seven-day deadlines for Dutch diplomats to deliver Israeli papers and expiring immunity. France, Britain and Canada have taken similar steps. The moves reflect growing Western pressure over settlements in the West Bank and Golan Heights.
The Gaza conflict has intensified since Oct. 2023, with widespread destruction across Gaza and the displacement of more than 2.1 million people. Recent satellite imagery and UN assessments show 82% of structures damaged and about two-thirds destroyed, including major landmarks and the port. International bodies have raised alarms over humanitarian crisis while ceasefire conditions remain fragile.
Palestinians in the West Bank report increased violence by settlers amid Israel's settlement expansion. Two killings are cited in Ramallah-area Kobar and Yasuf, with Israeli forces allegedly blocking medical teams. Netanyahu's government defends settlement activity as international scrutiny grows ahead of Israel’s elections.
Birzeit University in the West Bank has been raided by Israeli forces, who demolished a memorial bearing the names of students killed in Israeli attacks. The raid followed earlier measurements of the monument and comes amid ongoing Israeli incursions into campuses in the occupied territories. The university notes this is part of a broader pattern and may escalate tensions around higher education.
Palestinian factions have reached understandings to postpone parliamentary elections in Gaza and the West Bank due to logistical hurdles in East Jerusalem and Gaza, with discussions centering on national dialogue and consensus. Abbas has set November 28 as the election date, but timing remains unsettled as factions weigh the path forward.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has awarded the 2026 Peace Prize to South African jurist Navi Pillay for her decades-long work enforcing international law, including leadership at the Rwanda tribunal, service on multiple international courts and chairing a UN inquiry that concluded Israel committed genocide in Gaza. Pillay received the news while attending a legal forum in Nuremberg.
The UAE has disclosed that the Dubai–Tel Aviv flight was the scene of a cockpit attack, with the co-pilot stabbing the captain and passengers helping to subdue him. Prosecutors say the suspect acted alone, prepared with terrorism material after drifting toward extremism in 2017, and had prior flight experience with several airlines before joining Flydubai in January 2026.
A school trip near the Lebanon border has resulted in a deadly blast and multiple injuries. Initial reports point to unexploded ordnance, with investigations focusing on route approvals, safety measures, and the handling of munitions by students. Authorities are reviewing authorities and safety protocols as the area remains volatile.
Palestinian health officials report injuries from Israeli raids in Ramallah, where Addameer and other NGOs have been targeted. Israeli forces raided Ramallah offices, detained equipment, and clashed with journalists amid ongoing West Bank violence connected to the Gaza war. Several NGOs previously designated as terrorist organizations are involved in the raid context.
Colombia has opened its embassy in Jerusalem, restoring diplomatic ties with Israel after severing them in 2024 over Gaza. The move is welcomed by Colombian and Israeli officials as a step to rebuild dialogue and security and trade cooperation. Protests in Bogota contest the decision amid ongoing Gaza war coverage.
Colombia has restored diplomatic relations with Israel and opened an embassy in Jerusalem, marking a shift from the Petro era. The move is celebrated by officials in both countries and signals a strengthened security and trade partnership, with priority given to dialogue and mutual benefits for citizens.
Since the Board of Peace has coordinated training and deployment plans for an International Stabilisation Force in Gaza, progress remains blocked as Israel has yet to authorize key elements, including an ISF base near the Yellow Line and the entry of a multinational troop contingent. Multiple countries are training and preparing, but Israeli approval continues to constrain the mission amid ongoing political pressures ahead of the election.
Merchants have resumed coordination to allow goods into Gaza after private-sector disruptions, with COGAT saying the resumption follows Hamas dropping cash-payment demands. The arrangement prioritizes essentials ahead of winter and tightens transfer rules to bank payments, while the ceasefire framework remains in place and aid fears persist.
Masked Israeli settlers have attacked Palestinian olive pickers and foreign visitors during this month’s harvest, seriously injuring Washington Post photojournalist Heidi Levine and wounding dozens of Palestinians. Israeli police have detained 10 people and seized vehicles, while rights groups say prosecutions for settler violence are rare and incidents have surged across the West Bank.
Palestinian olive harvests in the West Bank have been marred by escalating settler violence. Across multiple villages, harvesters are attacked, olives and property are damaged, and journalists and diplomats have been assaulted. Israeli authorities have faced calls for accountability as clashes intensify ahead of local elections.
A wave of attacks by Israeli settlers in the West Bank targets olive groves during the harvest, with dozens of incidents reported. Rabbis and officials are responding to a controversial ruling by Dov Lior that Palestinians’ olives may be harvested by Jews to demonstrate land ownership. The olive harvest season has intensified violence, with thousands of trees damaged and significant financial losses for farmers.
Diaspora Jewish communities report intensified pressures amid ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict coverage and looming elections in Israel. Leaders warn of rising antisemitism and polarization in the United States as voices from the diaspora clash over Netanyahu's policies and Israel's international standing.
Masked Israeli settlers have attacked a diplomatic delegation visiting olive harvesters near Taybeh, pelting consular vehicles with stones, smashing a Belgian car window and assaulting a French mayor. The EU and several foreign ministries have called for accountability; Israeli authorities have opened investigations while the prime minister has questioned elements of the footage.
European diplomats and a veteran American journalist have been assaulted by settlers in the occupied West Bank during olive harvest protests. The EU has condemned the violence and called for accountability, while Israel says the incidents require compelling evidence. The attacks come ahead of parliamentary elections in Israel.
Iran has approved a new defence minister with decades in the defence industry, aiming to accelerate war-era weapons development and protect strategic facilities as tensions rise in the Middle East. Meanwhile, Iran vows to respond to threats with extensive retaliation, as US-Israeli actions and regional responses escalate the conflict.
Palestinian olive farmers face escalating violence as Israeli settlers and restrictions threaten harvests across the West Bank. The UN warns livelihoods are at risk, with thousands of trees damaged this year and hundreds of attacks reported in October alone. International actors are calling for protection and accountability as the olive harvest tradition faces ongoing disruption.
Israel has held tightly contested elections that have produced a record Arab-led Knesset presence: Ra’am has increased to eight seats and the Joint List to 11, giving Arab parties a combined 19 of 120 seats. Neither Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition has reached 61 seats, leaving Arab lists with potential leverage over coalition formation.
The World Food Programme has cut monthly food assistance in Gaza from 1.6 million to 1.1 million people and halved some rations after a sharp funding shortfall; hot meals and cash support have been reduced while border closures and stalled commercial shipments are driving prices up and deepening hunger ahead of winter (28 Oct 2026).
Vice President J.D. Vance has declined to endorse Benjamin Netanyahu after President Donald Trump publicly backed the Israeli prime minister ahead of Israels 27 October election. Vance has said he will focus on endorsing American candidates in the U.S. midterms and will not get involved in Israeli elections, while previously backing foreign leaders such as Hungarys Viktor Orbn.
Journalist Heidi Levine has sustained serious injuries after masked settlers attacked during an olive harvest near Abu Falah, north of Ramallah. Palestinian youths shielded reporters; Israeli army is investigating the incident amid broader tensions as more than 20 Palestinians have been killed by settlers this year.
Israeli forces have carried out sweeping operations across the West Bank after gunmen fired near Hebron, killing the attackers and wounding several. Troops have sealed Hebron, closed gates, and restricted Palestinian movement, displacing hundreds of families and blocking most permit-holding workers from entering Israeli communities until after Israel’s Oct. 27 election.
The Israeli military has launched a large-scale operation in Hebron following a deadly attack at a West Bank checkpoint. Netanyahu has ordered house-to-house searches and the demolition of suspected militant infrastructure, in a move framed as a security response ahead of elections. Palestinian residents face displacement and movement restrictions as tensions rise.
Israeli forces have launched a large operation in Hebron after two soldiers were killed at a checkpoint, displacing roughly 3,000 people, demolishing homes and infrastructure, and imposing a citywide lockdown. Israeli leaders have defended the raids as counterterror measures; UN officials and rights groups have warned the steps amount to collective punishment and risk ethnic cleansing.
Since Friday, Israeli forces have escalated a major operation in Hebron and across the West Bank, displacing thousands, sealing districts and barring Palestinian workers from most areas on Election Day. The raids have disrupted education, damaged livelihoods and drawn international concern over collective punishment and rights abuses.
Muslim residents in Hebron are displaced as Israeli forces continue a focused operation following a deadly October attack. Troops have demolished homes and searched multiple sites, while thousands remain displaced and security measures extend across the city amid election-season tensions.
An Israeli strike has hit the surgery building at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis, killing at least six people and wounding around 20–30. Israeli forces have said they targeted a senior Hamas commander they accused of operating inside the complex; hospital staff and Hamas deny militants were present. The attack has knocked out the hospital's surgical department.
Gadi Eisenkot has formally received the mandate to form Israel’s next government after polls indicated a fragmented Knesset. He is pursuing a national emergency government, seeking backing from Likud, Arab parties, and ultra-Orthodox groups, while avoiding another election and aiming to address Israel’s security and domestic challenges.
Foreign activists and Palestinians are involved in an incident near Ramallah during the olive harvest. Police have detained several foreigners and three Palestinians on suspicion of disturbing public order; some detainees are reported to have supported anti-Israel media campaigns and BDS, while deportations are under way.