Israel-Palestine Violence

On Tuesday, November 29, Israeli forces killed five Palestinians. In Hebron and Ramallah, conflict emerged as protestors threw rocks and, allegedly, petrol bombs at Israeli military vehicles. In response, the military opened fired, killing two Palestinians in each location. In the third incident, also near Ramallah, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian in response to a vehicular “ramming attack.”

On Monday, December 5, Israeli forces killed another Palestinian and injured six during a raid on the Dheisheh refugee camp. The Israel Defense Forces cited the raid’s mission of arresting “three suspected members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine terror group in the camp.”

Death of ISIS Leader

On Wednesday, November 30, an ISIS spokesperson confirmed via audio message that the terrorist group’s leader, Abu Hasan al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, was killed “in combat.” Abu al-Hussein al-Husseini al-Qurashi was identified as the new leader. 

U.S. Central Command issued a statement “confirming Abu al-Hassan was killed in mid-October in Syria’s southern Daraa province by the Free Syrian Army (FSA), a rebel group that does not partner with the U.S.”

Iran’s Morality Police

On Saturday, December 3, Iranian Prosecutor General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri made vague remarks, possibly referencing the abolition of the country’s morality police. He relayed to local reporters that the morality police “has no connection with the judiciary and was shut down by the same place that it had been launched from in the past.” This development, however, has not been confirmed by the Iranian government, causing uncertainty among the international community. 

Former MEPC panelist and Middle East Institute Iran Program Director Alex Vatanka analyzed: “It’s not 100% sure that this is a done deal…It could be that they’re just testing the waters to see how it will be received by the protesters.” Alternatively, MEPC 40 Under 40 Awardee and journalist Negar Mortazavi tweeted that the “morality police had been rebranded as ‘public safety police’ for a while.”

Framework Deal Signed in Sudan

On Monday, December 5, Sudan’s opposing “political parties signed a framework deal… that provides for a two-year civilian-led transition towards elections and would end a standoff triggered by a coup in October 2021.” The two-year transitional period will begin upon the appointment of a prime minister. 

The final agreement will specifically consider “four main issues: transitional justice, security sector reform, revision of the Juba peace agreement, and the dismantling of the Bashir regime.”

Also Check Out

Far-right leader Bezalel Smotrich granted authority to name Israel’s Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories.

Demonstrators protesting the Assad regime swarm Syrian governor’s office.

Nakba film “Farha” streams on Netflix despite dissent from Israeli politicians.

For additional news resources, visit MEPC's Straight from the Source series.