The Media Line

Voices from the Arab press: Iranian calamities, Netanyahu's rule, and state legitimacy

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.

Military equipment targeted at an unknown location, during what US CENTCOM says are strikes on Iran, in this video screengrab released July 20.
Antizionist and pro-Palestinian posters on the streets of Italy, July 26, 2026.

‘Zionist’ lists, tourist maps: Italy's Jews warn of widening threat of antisemitism

Members of Houthi security force stand guard as Houthi supporters rally against the Saudi-led coalition's restrictions on Houthi-controlled areas, which the group describes as a blockade, in Sanaa, Yemen, July 17, 2026.

'A glass house fearing stones': Do Yemen's Houthis have the capacity to wage a multi-front war?

CCTV footage shows fire and smoke rising following a strike on Kuwait International Airport, in Kuwait City, Kuwait June 3, 2026, in this screengrab from a video.

Could Iran invade Kuwait? New threats raise fears of wider Middle East war


Voices from the Arab press: China’s role, medicine’s lessons, and the future of Iran talks

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping pose at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, May 20.

‘Thank God you’re all here’: Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast draws foreign delegations despite war

Foreign delegations reached Jerusalem despite limited flights, giving this year’s prayer gathering a sharper message of faith, politics and support for Israel.

 Participants pray during the Jerusalem Prayer Breakfast at the Knesset, May 27, 2026.

From Tehran to Tel Aviv: How press in Middle East is framing Iran war, ceasefire negotiations?

Coverage across the Middle East reveals sharp divides over Iran’s nuclear program, the Hormuz crisis, President Trump’s diplomacy, and who bears responsibility for the widening confrontation.

Smoke rises following an explosion, after Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel had launched a pre-emptive attack against Iran, in Tehran, Iran February 28, 2026 in this screen grab taken from video.

New York Jews wake up at the Israel Day Parade - opinion

Mayor Mamdani’s absence from a long-standing civic celebration left many Diaspora Jews feeling newly exposed in the city with the world’s largest Jewish population.

Thousands of Jewish and Israeli Americans participate in the annual Israeli Day Parade, the world's largest pro-Israel parade, on May 31, 2026, in New York City.

Gulf states and Netanyahu: Shifting dynamics in Washington’s corridors - opinion

Gulf leaders are using their growing influence in Washington to press President Trump away from Netanyahu’s war footing and toward a regional settlement tied to the Palestinian issue.

SAUDI CROWN PRINCE Mohammed bin Salman (R) receives Bahrain’s King Sheikh Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa ahead of an exceptional meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council – the first in-person meeting of Gulf leaders since their states became a front in the Iran war two months ago – in Jeddah, April 28.

Bennett pitches educational reform ahead of election, standardized curriculum

Under the “From Tribes to People” proposal, all students would study a common curriculum that includes Hebrew, English, mathematics, civics, Torah, and Jewish and Zionist traditions.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett speaks during an election event for the joint list “Together” ahead of the upcoming elections, in Haifa, June 2, 2026.

AI won't replace magicians, but it may reshape live entertainment - opinion

AI may not master sleight of hand anytime soon, but it could weaken the human desire to gather, watch, and wonder together

Creative director/magician Douglas "Lefty" Leferovich fans out a deck of cards before teaching magic tricks on Facebook Live with magician/comedian Murray SawChuck from SawChuck's home to entertain people under stay-at-home orders to fight the spread of the coronavirus on April 25, 2020 in Las Vegas

Israeli MK Akram Hasson launches caucus to build post-war normalization lane with Lebanon

He argues that Israel should begin speaking directly to Lebanese communities that may want stability, economic recovery, and freedom from Hezbollah’s control.

MK Akram Hasson attends a replacing ceremony at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem on November 10, 2024.

Paraguay marks independence day at its embassy in Jerusalem, deepening ties with Israel

Paraguay marked 215 years of independence at its embassy in Jerusalem, with Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, lawmakers, diplomats, and community representatives in attendance.

MK Evgeny Sova and Ambassador Alejandro Rubin.

Israeli ministries move to block $4.2 billion sale of ZIM over security concerns

The opposition centers on a deal approved by ZIM shareholders at the end of April under which the company would be acquired for $4.2 billion, roughly $1 billion above its current market valuation.

Zim containers are stacked just outside Israel's port of Ashdod February 23, 2012