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Grundberg in Muscat to Discuss Peace in Yemen as Govt Concerned with Houthi Escalation 

The Houthis claim their attacks in the Red Sea are in support of the Palestinian people amid Israel's war on Gaza. (AFP)
The Houthis claim their attacks in the Red Sea are in support of the Palestinian people amid Israel's war on Gaza. (AFP)
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Grundberg in Muscat to Discuss Peace in Yemen as Govt Concerned with Houthi Escalation 

The Houthis claim their attacks in the Red Sea are in support of the Palestinian people amid Israel's war on Gaza. (AFP)
The Houthis claim their attacks in the Red Sea are in support of the Palestinian people amid Israel's war on Gaza. (AFP)

United Nations Special Envoy to Yemen Hans Grundberg concluded on Monday a visit to Muscat where he met Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi and several senior officials from the sultanate.

The officials discussed the latest developments, efforts to support regional stability and the UN-sponsored Yemeni peace process.

Albusaidi underscored Oman's keenness on achieving Yemen’s stability, security and national unity. It supports all efforts that meet the interests and aspirations of the Yemeni people and bolster security and peace in the region, he was quoted as saying by the Saudi Press Agency.

Grundberg had kicked off his latest tour of the region from Riyadh. Ahead of returning to the region, he had declared before the UN Security Council that he feared Yemen would plunge in a “new cycle of war” amid the ongoing attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi militias against vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

The Houthis have since November 19 been launching attacks against ships sailing through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, alleging that they are supporting the Palestinian people in Israel’s war against Gaza.

The legitimate Yemeni government has dismissed the claim, saying the Houthis were carrying out an Iranian agenda.

The Houthi attacks have obstructed Grundberg’s latest peace efforts as he was on the verge of a breakthrough on a roadmap that covers humanitarian measures and the launch of a comprehensive political process.

Ending the coup

Yemeni Prime Minister Ahmed Awad bin Mubarak warned that the Houthis were seeking to topple the legitimate authorities by waging an economic and military war.

They will not stop their hostile behavior against the Yemeni people, he added during a Ramadan event.

The state, government and all political powers have a historic extraordinary responsibility to work together to confront the current challenges, starting with the threat posed by the Iran-backed Houthi project, he went on to say.

Official sources said the PM underlined to the gatherers that the government is prioritizing combating corruption and carrying out real reforms.

This should not distract officials from the main cause: reclaiming the state, ending the coup and defeating the terrorist Houthi Iranian agenda in Yemen, he stressed.

On the ground, the Houthis have escalated their attacks in the Marib and Taiz provinces, raising fears that they were seeking to end the fragile truce and resume battles. The Houthis have exploited the war in Gaza to recruit thousands of new fighters.

Media Minister Moammar al-Eryani said the Houthis used heavy and medium weapons in an attack on al-Balaq al-Sharqi in Marib, underscoring that the militias will continue to “invest their charade in the Red Sea and public sympathy towards the Palestinian people to recruit more fighters and collect more funds that will be used in their escalation against cities and villages and in killing Yemenis.”

He said the army repelled the “cowardly” attack, incurring massive losses among the Houthis.

Hours earlier, the Houthis launched an Iranian ballistic missile at Marib city when people were breaking their Ramadan fast.

He called on the international community and UN to assume their responsibilities in confronting the Houthis and to designate them as a terrorist organization.

He urged them for more support to the Presidential Leadership Council and government in their effort to reclaim the state and impose their control throughout Yemeni territories.

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Arab World

How Will Hamas Handle the Requirements of the Legislative Elections?

A member of the Fatah movement attends the 8th General Conference of Fatah, at Al-Azhar University in Gaza City, May 14, 2026. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
A member of the Fatah movement attends the 8th General Conference of Fatah, at Al-Azhar University in Gaza City, May 14, 2026. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
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How Will Hamas Handle the Requirements of the Legislative Elections?

A member of the Fatah movement attends the 8th General Conference of Fatah, at Al-Azhar University in Gaza City, May 14, 2026. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas
A member of the Fatah movement attends the 8th General Conference of Fatah, at Al-Azhar University in Gaza City, May 14, 2026. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas

With Hamas announcing its intention to contest the legislative elections, scheduled for November 28, as stipulated in a Palestinian presidential decree, the movement faces a host of questions over its ability to navigate the political requirements of the post-war phase in the Gaza Strip.

This will be Hamas's second participation in legislative elections following the last vote in 2006. The war has fundamentally altered the reality of Palestinians and triggered further conflicts in several countries across the region.

Perhaps the most pressing question in recent days is how Hamas will deal with the amendments introduced by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the election law, particularly the requirement that electoral lists commit to the political program of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which is recognized as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

That program includes recognition of relevant international legitimacy resolutions, including recognition of Israel and the renunciation of violence, along with other conditions the movement had previously rejected.

A Hamas political source told Asharq Al-Awsat that the movement is in contact with all factions to reach a comprehensive consensus on the elections and ensure the participation of all parties without imposing unilateral policies in determining the political objectives of the national framework.

Asked about Hamas's plans for overcoming the dispute over the PLO's political program, the source said there are legal and political options, alongside national dialogue, for reaching agreement on a course of action that could circumvent such a requirement. The source added that Hamas is committed to reforming the PLO and the Palestinian National Council before joining them, so that their programs are brought into line with national requirements under the current circumstances.

He noted that messages are being exchanged with Fatah, both directly and indirectly, on a range of national issues, expressing hope that an understanding can be reached that brings Palestinians closer together and steers them toward safety.

The source stressed that the developments in Gaza had increased the popularity of Hamas and the armed factions that share its approach of "resisting the occupation." As a result, the movement is not afraid of electoral competition, even if it loses or remains in opposition. He stressed that Hamas has no intention of returning to power, but wants to be part of the Palestinian political system and put an end to unilateral decision-making on issues of national consequence.

Hossam Badran, a member of Hamas's political bureau, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the principle of imposing political conditions on electoral participation is unacceptable regardless of the wording or substance, because it contradicts the very essence of elections, which is competition among different political programs.

Badran said Hamas is holding consultations and dialogue with various factions as well as emerging electoral lists to agree on a collective mechanism for addressing the issue. He said some parties had already begun, in coordination with Hamas, sending messages to the Palestinian Central Elections Commission, while others are considering turning to the Palestinian judiciary.

"We will follow the matter and reach what is appropriate, but on the basis of participating in the elections," he said.

Fatah in Gaza

A senior Fatah source in the Gaza Strip told Asharq Al-Awsat that President Abbas's decisions regarding the latest amendments would not be reversed, and that they enjoy full support as part of the reform plan adopted by the Palestinian Authority with full Arab and international backing.

According to the source, who requested anonymity, Hamas and any Palestinian faction or entity participating in the forthcoming elections, in which the Gaza Strip will take part under arrangements established by the Central Elections Commission, must comply with the amended laws. He said the decisions were not intended to restrict the participation of any faction, whether affiliated with the PLO or outside it. Rather, their primary objective was to ensure that every future parliamentary force has a clear political program.

Abdel Fattah Doleh, the Fatah spokesman in Ramallah, said any party has the right to participate in the forthcoming elections, a right guaranteed by Palestinian law, which must be observed by every party taking part in the electoral process.

In remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat, Doleh said there have been no genuine direct contacts with Hamas regarding the elections. He noted that Hamas had previously participated in elections and became part of the political system before turning against it and monopolizing power.

He added that Fatah had repeatedly sought, during previous rounds of dialogue, to integrate Hamas into the PLO, but that the movement had raised objections each time.

Doleh stressed that the political system has room for everyone, but said it is essential that anyone participating in it adhere to the PLO's political program, given its status as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinians. He emphasized that Hamas must align itself with that framework.

Arab World

US Wants Netanyahu to Condemn Settler Siege in Palestinian Village

Soldiers evacuate Israeli settlers before dismantling their tent in front of one of the three homes belonging to Palestinian families besieged by settlers for six days in Qusra (AP)
Soldiers evacuate Israeli settlers before dismantling their tent in front of one of the three homes belonging to Palestinian families besieged by settlers for six days in Qusra (AP)
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US Wants Netanyahu to Condemn Settler Siege in Palestinian Village

Soldiers evacuate Israeli settlers before dismantling their tent in front of one of the three homes belonging to Palestinian families besieged by settlers for six days in Qusra (AP)
Soldiers evacuate Israeli settlers before dismantling their tent in front of one of the three homes belonging to Palestinian families besieged by settlers for six days in Qusra (AP)

The United States wants Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to publicly condemn a siege imposed by Jewish settlers in a Palestinian village, US and Israeli officials said on Friday, as settlers pressured residents by pitching a new tent before Israeli soldiers arrived and it was taken down.

Settlers have been besieging homes in Qusra in the occupied West Bank for almost a week, trapping Palestinians in an area where rights groups say settlers are mounting a concerted effort to seize more land, further eating into territory where Palestinians aim to establish a state.

The siege has drawn public US criticism: the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee — a strong supporter of Jewish settlement in the West Bank — on Thursday condemned settlers besieging a Palestinian home as "Israeli terrorists".

A US official and an Israeli official said on Friday White House officials are pressing Netanyahu to publicly condemn the siege.

Washington began to protest after learning that the home of a Palestinian-American was among those under siege, said the two officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe sensitive discussions, of which they had knowledge.

Netanyahu has not commented on the siege in Qusra. Neither his office nor the White House immediately responded to requests for comment.

Settler violence in the West Bank has risen during the three years since the Hamas-led October 7 attacks on Israel.

Condemning settlers could be politically risky for Netanyahu some two months before an election, potentially upsetting settler voters upon whom parts of his right-wing coalition rely. Opinion polls show Netanyahu could lose power, his security credentials still shaken by the 2023 Hamas attacks.

"We are very afraid," said Aysha Hassan, a Palestinian woman who lives in one of three besieged homes in the village, speaking to Reuters by phone.

"There is nothing new. It's been like this for six days...the settlers are still here."

Hassan said she had seen settlers below the house in the early hours of the morning and shared videos with Reuters showing groups of settlers wandering underneath her home that she said she had taken from her window.

The United Nations has said some 15 Palestinians, including two children, were trapped inside their homes with no water or electricity.

Footage shot by a Palestinian resident trapped in another of the besieged homes and obtained by Reuters showed seven settlers outside, standing near a blue tent. One is seen throwing stones toward the nearby village, as another arrives with chairs.

Israeli army vehicles and soldiers later arrive and the tent is seen collapsed on the ground.

"Israeli civilians erected a tent in the Qusra area, and army soldiers operated to remove it while protecting the local residents," the Israeli military said in a statement, a day after dozens of troops were sent into Qusra and occupied several village homes.

Netanyahu's government, the most right-wing in Israeli history, has spearheaded a rapid expansion of settlements in the West Bank, territory captured by Israel in a 1967 war. Israel has established dozens of new settlements and settler outposts in the area.

Rights groups say that settlers have been trying to seize properties on the outskirts of Qusra and neighbouring Jalud as part of a strategy to seize the land between them and join it up with settler outposts to the south and larger settlements to the west.

Arab World

Jared Kushner to Visit Israel and Egypt Next Week with Board of Peace Officials to Talk Gaza

Trump envoy Jared Kushner at the Lake Lucerne Summit at the Buergenstock resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne, Switzerland, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (Urs Flueeler, Pool Photo via AP)
Trump envoy Jared Kushner at the Lake Lucerne Summit at the Buergenstock resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne, Switzerland, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (Urs Flueeler, Pool Photo via AP)
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Jared Kushner to Visit Israel and Egypt Next Week with Board of Peace Officials to Talk Gaza

Trump envoy Jared Kushner at the Lake Lucerne Summit at the Buergenstock resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne, Switzerland, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (Urs Flueeler, Pool Photo via AP)
Trump envoy Jared Kushner at the Lake Lucerne Summit at the Buergenstock resort in Obbuergen, near Lucerne, Switzerland, Sunday, June 21, 2026. (Urs Flueeler, Pool Photo via AP)

President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and negotiator Jared Kushner will travel to the Middle East next week to try to advance plans for an end to the conflict in Gaza after a deal recently announced by the Trump administration ran into Israeli opposition.

An official with the Board of Peace, the body Trump established to oversee the fragile ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war, said Kushner, board high representative Nickolay Mladenov, and executive board member and former British Prime Minister Tony Blair would arrive in Israel on Sunday.

The group will then travel to Cairo, where meetings of a Palestinian technocratic group set to assume control of Gaza under a US-brokered ceasefire deal have been taking place for the past several months, the official said. The trip was reported earlier by Axios.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because planning for details of the trip has not yet been finalized, said the meetings would demonstrate the determination of Trump and the Board of Peace to “see peace, prosperity and sustainable security emerge” in a demilitarized Gaza where Hamas has ceded control to allow reconstruction of the devastated territory.

But Israel has dismissed a recent deal announced by Trump for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its forces from the Palestinian territory, marking a rare public display of friction with the Trump administration. Though Hamas accepted the plan to decommission its weapons, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in recent days that Israel would not withdraw until Hamas has completely disarmed.

The deal had been seen as a potential breakthrough for ending the war in Gaza. The agreement was based on an October ceasefire that ended major military operations and brought about the release of the remaining hostages held in Gaza, but it has stalled on other fronts.