Hello from The National in Abu Dhabi. Here is your morning newsletter with all the top stories from the Mena region.
GAZA-ISRAEL
Jerusalem is bracing itself for a deeply controversial far-right parade, in which tens of thousands of ultranationalist Israelis are expected to march through the city’s most sensitive area. Follow the latest developments here.
Palestinian and Israeli delegations are expected to return to Egypt this week to discuss details of a deal outlined by US President Joe Biden to end the war in Gaza, sources told The National.
As fires caused by Hezbollah rockets raged across northern Israel, Israel's top military official said his forces were ready for a military offensive and a decision would be taken soon.
The US House of Representatives passed a bill that would hit the International Criminal Court with sanctions. ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan said last month he was seeking arrest warrants for Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, as well as three Hamas leaders.
Palestinian children are the biggest victims of the eight-month war in Gaza, with more than 15,000 killed since October, the enclave's Education Ministry has said.
UN aid chief Martin Griffiths, who is leaving his post at the end of June, said that the governance and security of post-war Gaza must be under Palestinian control.
An activist group in Morocco has called on the government to prevent the passage of a Japanese-owned cargo ship, Vertom Odette, through its territorial waters over suspicions it is carrying weapons bound for Israel.
SUDAN
A resumption of Sudan peace talks is needed urgently to ensure at least localised ceasefires and humanitarian access as concern grows that supplies of weapons from other countries could extend the conflict, the EU's envoy to the Horn of Africa told The National.
IRAN
Iran's acting Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani met Syrian President Bashar Al Assad in Damascus and discussed Israel's war on Gaza with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad.
Britain, France and Germany have submitted a draft resolution in time for this week’s UN nuclear watchdog board meeting which presses Iran again to explain uranium traces found at undeclared sites.
YEMEN
The National looks into how the US-led coalition's ongoing campaign against the Houthi rebels in Yemen shows the limits of air power.
EGYPT
Egypt's Parliament has approved the government's economic and social development plan for the fiscal year 2024/2025, which features a significant increase in private sector participation in health and education.
SAUDI ARABIA
Muslim pilgrims have begun arriving in Makkah two weeks before the annual Hajj as Saudi authorities put their preparations into high gear. The holy city on Saudi Arabia’s west coast has opened its doors to 935,966 pilgrims from abroad who travelled by air, land and sea as of Monday, according to the General Directorate of Passports.
UAE
President Sheikh Mohamed met a delegation from Afghanistan headed by Sirajuddin Haqqani, the nation’s interior minister. During the meeting at Abu Dhabi’s Al Shati Palace, the two sides discussed bilateral ties and ways to contribute to stability in the region.
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PLUS …
Our editorial team writes that political pressure on Hamas and Israel to embrace a possible Gaza truce deal to end the violence must be unrelenting.
Michael Young argues that the behaviour of some senior Lebanese leaders is destroying what remains of the Taif Accord.
AND …
It’s the end of an era as the UAE's footballing golden boy Ismail Matar retires after his final game for Al Wahda.
Ismaeel Naar
Arab Affairs Editor
All this and more in The National – subscribe to the print edition, visit TheNationalNews.com, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for round-the-clock updates.
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