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The Gaza War That Ignited the Long-Deferred Palestinian State Struggle

A demonstrator wearing a hat reading “Free Palestine” takes part in a rally in support of the Palestinian people in the Canary Islands, southwestern Spain (EPA). 
A demonstrator wearing a hat reading “Free Palestine” takes part in a rally in support of the Palestinian people in the Canary Islands, southwestern Spain (EPA). 
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The Gaza War That Ignited the Long-Deferred Palestinian State Struggle

A demonstrator wearing a hat reading “Free Palestine” takes part in a rally in support of the Palestinian people in the Canary Islands, southwestern Spain (EPA). 
A demonstrator wearing a hat reading “Free Palestine” takes part in a rally in support of the Palestinian people in the Canary Islands, southwestern Spain (EPA). 

Two years after October 7, 2023 - a date that altered the trajectory of the Israeli–Palestinian and Arab–Israeli conflicts - the pivotal question still looms: Did Hamas’ “Al-Aqsa Flood” operation bring the Palestinian state closer, or did it destroy the possibility entirely?

There is no definitive answer yet, and it will take time for the fate of the desired state to be revealed. Supporters of the attack argue that it secured landmark international recognitions of Palestinian statehood and opened the door to a future state. Detractors counter that the unprecedented suffering, mass casualties, and large-scale devastation wrought by Israel’s retaliation are what compelled international recognition.

“Just a Few Years”

Even now, as Gaza’s fighting gradually subsides and the territory lies in ruins, another war is underway: the diplomatic battle over founding the Palestinian state. This new front began with sweeping Arab and global recognitions, followed by US President Donald Trump’s plan to end the war, an initiative that unexpectedly revived the question of Palestinian sovereignty.

A Palestinian official told Asharq Al-Awsat: “Confidence in establishing the Palestinian state strengthens every day. As President Mahmoud Abbas has said, we believe it is a matter of time... just a few years.” He added: “The world has grown tired of occupation and its practices; the recent recognitions were the locomotive’s initial motion.”

Last month, 158 of the UN’s 193 member states officially recognized the State of Palestine. Recognitions from the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Luxembourg, Belgium, France, and others were a direct message to Israel that the time for a Palestinian state has arrived. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded bluntly: “There will be no Palestinian state, and we will respond to the latest attempt to impose a terrorist state on us within our own land.”

Israeli Anxiety Behind the Defiance

Netanyahu’s defiance may mask deeper anxieties. In Maariv, analyst Anna Barsky observed that the recent recognitions differ from earlier ones, because they come from capitals not on the fringe of global politics, but from states allied with Washington and long connected to Israel. She described the wave of recognition as a “political earthquake” and a “soft erosion” of Israel’s diplomatic immunity.

Barsky added: “No Palestinian state exists today - there are no new flags, no new borders, no governing structures. And a state will not materialize next week - even after a high-profile recognition event at the UN under joint French–Saudi leadership. Yet the recognitions themselves mark a shift in the rules and signal to Tel Aviv that the clock has begun ticking.”

The Road to a State

Paradoxically, Trump’s plan itself opened a path, however treacherous and uncertain, toward statehood. The document seemed more concerned with governance of Gaza than outright state creation, but the identity of whoever governs Gaza postwar may determine whether statehood is viable.

The plan’s provisions, still being parsed in Ramallah and Tel Aviv, are filled with ambiguity and could be interpreted either as opportunity or trap. PA sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that while recognition is essential, Trump’s plan “sidesteps the question of Gaza’s inclusion within the Palestinian state.” They added that ongoing consultations with Arab states aim to coordinate a transition in Gaza once hostilities cease.

“In the Name of the State of Palestine”

In welcoming Trump’s outline, the Palestinian Authority deliberately issued a statement “in the name of the State of Palestine”, rather than the presidency or government, as is customary. The statement carried dual messages: first, that the PA’s goals surpass the plan itself, aiming toward a just peace based on the two-state framework; and second, that the PA is committed to reforms, pledging to hold presidential and legislative elections within a year after the war, unify security across Gaza and the West Bank, fight corruption, overhaul education, eliminate laws benefiting prisoners’ families, and establish a unified social welfare system.

A Palestinian insider told Asharq Al-Awsat: “The leadership bets on Arab momentum to launch a genuine political track, irrespective of vague plan wording or Netanyahu’s objections.”

Israel Rejects All Things Palestinian

Netanyahu has repeatedly denied agreeing to a Palestinian state, asserting that no representatives of Hamas or the PA would govern Gaza afterward. However, foreign ministers of Arab and Muslim states - including Türkiye and Indonesia - responded by jointly pledging to work toward ending the war, restoring PA control in Gaza, unifying the West Bank and Gaza, setting security frameworks acceptable to all parties, securing full Israeli withdrawal, rebuilding Gaza, and laying groundwork for a fair two-state peace.

 

 

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Arab World

Wife of Iraqi Official Accused of Corruption Allegedly Burns Millions of Dollars in Clay Oven

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. (AP) 
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. (AP) 
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Wife of Iraqi Official Accused of Corruption Allegedly Burns Millions of Dollars in Clay Oven

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. (AP) 
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi. (AP) 

As the Iraqi government intensifies its anti-corruption campaign, the arrests of senior officials across several ministries have been accompanied by allegations that read almost like fiction.

Two senior officials from the Oil and Electricity Ministries have reportedly confessed to embezzling millions of US dollars and billions of Iraqi dinars, as well as participating in what authorities describe as one of the country’s largest money-laundering operations.

The officials and their alleged backers—widely known in Iraq as the “whales of corruption”—are now at the center of a widening investigation.

At the same time, social media platforms and local news outlets have been awash with stories about how illicit wealth was concealed, whether in fortified homes or on private estates.

One of the most widely circulated claims alleges that the wife and sister of former Oil Ministry official Adnan al-Jumaili burned more than $5 million and billions of Iraqi dinars in a traditional clay oven at a family farm in Salahuddin province before security forces arrived to conduct a search.

An Iraqi source told Asharq Al-Awsat that teams from the Integrity Commission, headed by Mohammed Ali al-Lami and operating under directives from Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, have not officially confirmed whether large sums of money were actually destroyed or whether additional cash was found at specific homes and orchards.

According to the source, recovered funds have been deposited in the state treasury pending further investigations into whether the confessed crimes were carried out independently or on behalf of a broader network.

“The scale of these funds and the manner in which they were obtained leave no doubt that those responsible, enjoyed protection from powerful figures,” the source said. “They may have been little more than front men.”

Iraq’s judiciary has issued arrest warrants for the wife and sister of detained former Oil Ministry undersecretary Adnan Mohammed Mahmoud al-Jumaili, accusing them of burning billions of dinars and more than $5 million before security forces reached the property.

According to a statement from the Supreme Judicial Council, headed by Faiq Zaidan, investigators seized assets linked to al-Jumaili valued at roughly $10 million, in addition to real estate, gold and weapons. Al-Jumaili served as undersecretary for refining affairs at the Oil Ministry.

The statement said preliminary investigations uncovered nearly 40 properties in Baghdad, Salahuddin and Erbil, along with approximately $10 million in cash and 3 billion Iraqi dinars.

Authorities also confiscated about 1.5 kilograms of gold jewelry and large quantities of light and medium weapons. Investigations remain ongoing to identify all individuals and entities connected to the case.

From “Most Honest Employee” to Corruption Suspect

Days after al-Jumaili’s arrest, authorities detained Alaa Samir al-Jubouri, director general of the Middle Electricity Distribution Company and the recipient of Iraq’s 2023 “Most Honest Employee” award. Interior Ministry reports said he was caught in possession of tens of billions of Iraqi dinars.

Following al-Jumaili’s arrest, Communications Minister Mustafa Sanad accused him on Facebook of acting as a conduit for political-party corruption and the sale of government posts within the Oil Ministry.

Commenting on the broader anti-corruption drive, Ghaleb al-Daami, a media professor at Mustansiriyah University, said the campaign reflects an unprecedented level of coordination among the government, judiciary and Integrity Commission.

“This is the first time since 2003 that state institutions have worked together in this way,” al-Daami told Asharq Al-Awsat. “In the past, conflicts between executive and judicial authorities often undermined accountability. Today, the process appears markedly different.”

 

 

Arab World

Lebanese President Discusses Israel Truce with Senior US, Qatari Officials

Israeli military vehicles maneuver on the Lebanese side of the Israel-Lebanon border, as seen from the Upper Galilee, in northern Israel, 21 June 2026. (EPA)
Israeli military vehicles maneuver on the Lebanese side of the Israel-Lebanon border, as seen from the Upper Galilee, in northern Israel, 21 June 2026. (EPA)
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Lebanese President Discusses Israel Truce with Senior US, Qatari Officials

Israeli military vehicles maneuver on the Lebanese side of the Israel-Lebanon border, as seen from the Upper Galilee, in northern Israel, 21 June 2026. (EPA)
Israeli military vehicles maneuver on the Lebanese side of the Israel-Lebanon border, as seen from the Upper Galilee, in northern Israel, 21 June 2026. (EPA)

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun spoke with senior US and Qatari officials on Monday about consolidating a ceasefire in Lebanon and forming a "de-confliction cell", his office said, after US-Iran negotiations in Switzerland. 

Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah, which drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 with rocket fire at Israel in support of its backer Iran, has repeatedly threatened to derail regional peace efforts. 

After a first round of talks in Switzerland on ending the regional conflict, mediators Pakistan and Qatar said on Monday that Tehran and Washington had agreed to set up a "de-confliction cell" with Lebanon "to ensure the adherence of the termination of military operations" there. 

Aoun received "a telephone call from US Vice President JD Vance, senior adviser to the US president Jared Kushner, and the Qatari Prime Minister" Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, a statement from the Lebanese presidency said. 

They discussed "the issue of consolidating the ceasefire in Lebanon, stopping the Israeli military escalation, and steps that should be taken in this regard, including the possibility of forming a cell for this purpose", the statement added. 

After the talks in Switzerland, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X: "1st real test: Lebanon de-confliction cell." 

The talks came after Washington and Tehran last week signed a memorandum of understanding to end the broader Middle East war that includes "an immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon". 

Israeli strikes and clashes with Hezbollah late last week threatened to derail the deal, but fighting in Lebanon has been paused since Saturday evening, after Iran said it had closed the strategic Strait of Hormuz again in response to Israel's attacks. 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israeli forces would remain in southern Lebanon "as long as necessary", while Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem rejected any Israeli "security zone" inside Lebanon. 

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces had standing orders to act against any threat they encountered inside Lebanon. 

Israel also said all war-related restrictions in its northern border areas were lifted from Monday morning. 

The developments come ahead of a fifth round of direct talks between Lebanese and Israeli officials in Washington set to begin on Tuesday. 

Lebanese authorities are seeking the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the country and have sought to separate the negotiations from the US-Iran deal, to determine the future of ties between the two nations after decades of hostilities. 

Arab World

Palestinian Media Says Israel Holding Bodies of Two Teens Killed in West Bank

A Palestinian woman walks at a market near the Ibrahimi Mosque in the old city of Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, June 17, 2026. (Reuters)
A Palestinian woman walks at a market near the Ibrahimi Mosque in the old city of Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, June 17, 2026. (Reuters)
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Palestinian Media Says Israel Holding Bodies of Two Teens Killed in West Bank

A Palestinian woman walks at a market near the Ibrahimi Mosque in the old city of Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, June 17, 2026. (Reuters)
A Palestinian woman walks at a market near the Ibrahimi Mosque in the old city of Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, June 17, 2026. (Reuters)

Israeli authorities are holding the bodies of two Palestinian teenagers shot dead near a West Bank settlement, Palestinian media reported Monday, while the military said the pair were killed after throwing Molotov cocktails.

Official Palestinian news agency Wafa identified the two as Reda Sami Awad, 15, and Arafat Ismail Awad, 19.

"Israeli forces are holding their bodies," Wafa said.

According to Israel's military, soldiers opened fire late Sunday on a group of people burning tires and hurling petrol bombs towards the settlement.

Two were killed and a third was "neutralized", the military said.

It said the incident occurred during a "counter-terrorism operation" in the area.

Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967. More than 500,000 Israeli settlers live in the territory, excluding east Jerusalem, among some three million Palestinians.

The United Nations recently warned that settler violence against Palestinians has reached record levels, with an average of six attacks daily causing casualties or damage.

Violence has escalated in the West Bank since the start of the Gaza war, which was triggered by an unprecedented attack on Israel by the Palestinian movement Hamas on October 7, 2023.

Israeli soldiers or settlers have killed at least 1,082 Palestinians since then, including both gunmen and civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Palestinian health ministry data.

Official Israeli figures show at least 46 Israelis, both civilians and soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks or during Israeli military operations in the same period.