Mar 27, 2014 · AL-Monitor hosted the ambassador of Turkey to the United States, Sedat Önal, for an off-the-record discussion on a wide range of topics such as Turkey-US relations, the Gaza war and Turkey's military intervention in Syria.

Jan 26, 2025 · Lebanon said Monday it would extend a ceasefire deal with Israel until mid-February, even though the Israeli military failed to meet a deadline to withdraw its troops and killed 22 people in the south of the country. The deadly violence recorded by health officials Sunday came as residents tried to return home as Israel was scheduled to pull its troops from southern Lebanon.The withdrawal ...

5 days ago · Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left Sunday for the United States where he will become the first foreign leader to meet Donald Trump since the US president returned to office.His visit comes as a fragile truce holds between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, and between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Both militant groups are backed by Iran.Before boarding his flight, Netanyahu said the ...

Ezgi Akin is Al-Monitor’s correspondent in Anakara and associate editor of the Turkey Pulse. Prior to joining Al-Monitor, she covered the foreign policy beat in the country for over a decade, working for various Turkish media outlets as well as international media. Akin is a Fulbright alumna.

WASHINGTON — A month after the rebel offensive that toppled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the United States announced a 6-month waiver to ease the delivery of humanitarian aid to the heavily sanctioned country.. The Biden administration stopped short of lifting the sweeping sanctions imposed during the civil war to punish the Assad regime, a decision that is expected to fall to President ...

Jan 30, 2025 · Israel will cut ties with the UN agency for Palestinian refugees on Thursday following accusations it provided cover for Hamas militants, a move likely to hamper delivery of its vital services after 15 months of war in Gaza.The agency, UNRWA, will be banned from operating on Israeli soil, and contact between it and Israeli officials will also be forbidden.UNRWA has provided support for ...

Amberin Zaman is Al-Monitor’s chief correspondent based in Paris and covers major stories on the Middle East and North Africa from across the region and beyond. Zaman’s reporting focuses on geopolitical trends, diplomacy and human rights. She has covered conflicts in Iraq, Syria and the South Caucasus. Zaman is widely acknowledged for her courageous work on Turkey and the Kurds for which ...

4 days ago · Hurras al-Din, which split from Hayat Tahrir al-Sham after the latter distanced itself from al-Qaeda, had led attacks against Syrian government forces and Russian interests in Syria.

4 days ago · While Istanbul shines with new blockbuster exhibitions like Ahmet Gunestekin’s “Lost Words,” at Feshane, or “The Story Unfolds in Istanbul,” at Mesher, we explore a hidden gem this week: the house exhibition by Lale Belkis, the iconic femme fatale of Turkey’s silver screen half a …

May 21, 2024 · Syrian First Lady Asma al-Assad is being treated for a form of leukemia, Syria’s presidency announced on Tuesday. Her recovery will depend on a variety of factors, including whether she receives treatment in Syria or abroad, according to one medical expert.