actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion

Trump’s Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ in collapse as fund receives ‘zero dollars’ from donors

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

US President Donald Trump attends the Board of Peace session held as part of the 56th World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland on January 22, 2026. [Harun Özalp – Anadolu Agency]

Donald Trump’s self-styled Board of Peace for Gaza is facing a deepening crisis after its official reconstruction fund failed to receive any donor money, despite $17 billion in pledged support, raising fresh questions over whether the US-backed body is little more than a hollow political project.

According to the Financial Times, the World Bank-administered fund established for the board has received no donor contributions four months after its creation. One person familiar with the matter said: “Zero dollars have been deposited.” The failure comes despite member states pledging $7 billion for a Gaza “relief package”, while Trump promised a further $10 billion in US funding.

Gaza vanishing: Trump’s Board of Peace

Instead of using the World Bank mechanism, which is endorsed by the UN and subject to reporting requirements, donations have reportedly been directed through a JPMorgan account. The arrangement has raised serious concerns, as no independent disclosure rules appear to apply to the private account.

A Board of Peace official told the Financial Times that “a number of options were established to receive funding” and that contributors had chosen “other options”. The official added that the board would report its finances to its own executive board, made up of Trump administration officials and advisers, “at a time deemed appropriate”.

The limited funds that have been provided appear to have done little to address Gaza’s devastation. Morocco’s $20 million contribution has reportedly helped fund the office of Nickolay Mladenov, the board’s “high representative” for post-war Gaza, and salaries for the Palestinian technocratic committee formed to govern the Strip. A separate $100 million UAE contribution intended to train a new Gaza police force has not been used, with the programme yet to begin and the funds frozen.

Nor has promised US funding materialised on the ground. The US State Department intends to redirect around $1.2 billion in aid spending towards projects linked to the board’s agenda, but the money has not yet been spent and would not be managed directly by the board.

Read: Trump’s Gaza ‘peace’ board in turmoil as funding pledges fail to materialise

A senior congressional aide said none of the money had gone to the board and that “there’s no intent” for it to be managed by the body. A further $50 million intended to fund board operations has also not been distributed, pending financial controls and systems required to receive US funds.

Revelations in the FT is likely to be seen as further evidence of a bankrupt Trump policy. The president had presented the board as one of the “most consequential” international organisations ever created, while his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, promoted glossy visions of a futuristic, AI-powered Gaza with luxury developments. Yet an EU, UN and World Bank survey estimated that Gaza’s reconstruction will require more than $70 billion over the next decade.

The board has also failed to move beyond planning. Although it has begun tendering for security and reconstruction work, no contracts have been awarded.

The legal basis of the board remains equally unclear. US lawmakers have pressed the Trump administration for answers about its status and operations, including whether it qualifies as an international organisation eligible to receive US funds.

The uncertainty has also alarmed would-be contractors. One would be contractor reported in the FT asked: “Who is responsible for Gaza? What law is applicable in Gaza?” Others involved in planning questioned what happens when the board’s supposed role as a “transitional administration” expires.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump explains why he established his Bored of Peace
Donald Trump explains why he established his Bored of Peace
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.

Continue ReadingTrump’s Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ in collapse as fund receives ‘zero dollars’ from donors

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it targeted US airbase in Kuwait

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Smoke rises after an Iranian drone attack struck fuel tanks at Kuwait International Airport in Kuwait City, Kuwait on April 01, 2026. [Stringer – Anadolu Agency]

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Thursday that it targeted a US airbase in Kuwait in response to an American aerial strike near Bandar Abbas Airport in southern Iran, Anadolu reports.

According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the IRGC said the retaliatory strike came at 4.50 am (0120GMT), hours after what it described as a US assault on a point near the port city’s airport using aerial projectiles.

“This response is a serious warning so that the enemy knows that aggression will not go unanswered, and if repeated, our response will be more decisive,” it said.

Later, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Thursday through US social media company X that Iran launched “a ballistic missile toward Kuwait” at 10.17 pm ET (0217GMT) on Wednesday, and that the missile was “successfully intercepted by Kuwaiti forces.”

CENTCOM described the launch as an “egregious ceasefire violation by the Iranian regime.”

It also said Iranian forces earlier launched “five one-way attack drones that posed a clear threat in and near the Strait of Hormuz,” adding that all were intercepted by US forces.

The command further said US forces “prevented a sixth drone launch from an Iranian ground control site in Bandar Abbas.”

Earlier in the day, a US official told Anadolu that US forces shot down four Iranian drones that posed a threat near the Strait of Hormuz and struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was preparing to launch a fifth drone.

“These actions were measured, purely defensive, and intended to maintain the ceasefire,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

CENTCOM said US forces and regional partners “remain vigilant and measured” as they continue defending “forces and interests from unjustified Iranian aggression.”

READ: Kuwait sends IRGC-linked suspects to court over ‘illegal entry’

The latest strikes came after CENTCOM earlier this week confirmed a previous round of strikes on southern Iran targeting missile launch sites and Iranian boats allegedly attempting to lay mines. Iran condemned those strikes as a “grave violation of the ceasefire.”

Earlier, commenting on the state of the negotiations to end the war on Iran, US President Donald Trump said he is “not satisfied with it, but we will be. Either that, or we’ll have to just finish the job.”

Regional tensions escalated on Feb. 28, when the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, prompting Tehran to retaliate with barrages of drones and missiles that hit targets across the region and to close the Strait of Hormuz.

A ceasefire took effect on April 8 through Pakistani mediation, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement.

Trump later extended the truce indefinitely while maintaining a blockade on vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports through the strategic waterway and periodically saying a peace deal was close.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ...
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone …
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.

Continue ReadingIran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it targeted US airbase in Kuwait

Pro-Israel cash goes undercover as US voters turn against Israel

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Pro-Palestinian Jewish American demonstrators rally outside the Manhattan headquarters of Pro-Israel lobbying group American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and the offices of Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, who accept donations from the group on February 22, 2024 in New York City, United States. [Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images]

Pro-Israel donors linked to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) are reportedly using new, innocuous-sounding fundraising vehicles to direct money to favoured candidates in high-stakes Democratic primaries, as support for Israel becomes increasingly toxic in US politics.

According to details reviewed by The Lever, a newly formed joint fundraising committee, Better Blue Fund is one of the groups using weakened campaign finance rules to act as a “one-stop shop” for contributions from some of the pro-Israel lobby’s largest longtime donors. More than $250,000 has been raised by the fund in under two months for Democratic candidates who have faced scrutiny over their support for military aid to Israel or past links to pro-Israel groups.

The committee is currently supporting former Utah congressman Ben McAdams, New York representatives Adriano Espaillat and Dan Goldman and Missouri representative Wesley Bell, all of whom face contested primaries. It is also fundraising for representatives Bob Menendez of New Jersey, Grace Meng of New York, Steve Cohen of Tennessee and Jeremy Moss, a Democratic challenger in Michigan’s 11th District. All eight candidates are currently endorsed by pro-Israel groups or have been in the past.

The Better Blue Fund was formed in March as a joint fundraising committee, a structure which allows multiple candidates to raise funds collectively and attract larger contributions from wealthy donors. Critics say such vehicles can obscure the political interests behind the money, particularly when the committee’s name gives no indication of a pro-Israel agenda.

In one example cited in the report, pro-Israel contributions appear to have been routed through a more discreet channel. McAdams was publicly endorsed by Democratic Majority for Israel in 2020 and received $5,000 from its PAC, but this year the group has offered no public endorsement or direct financial support.

Instead, the Better Blue Fund is backing his campaign, as he faces criticism from progressive rival Nate Blouin over his past support for unrestricted US military aid to Israel. As a congressman, McAdams voted with pro-Israel groups on military funding, opposed boycotts of Israel and joined congressional delegations to the occupation state.

The fund’s donor list also highlights the depth of its links to the pro-Israel donor network. It has reportedly raised nearly $300,000 from pro-Israel donors, including $28,000 from financier Jonathan Jacobson, who gave $2.5 million in 2024 to AIPAC’s super PAC, United Democracy Project. Rob Stavis, a partner at Bessemer Venture Partners, contributed $24,500 to the Better Blue Fund after giving $50,000 to Democratic Majority for Israel in 2024. Its largest reported contribution so far is $31,500 from investor Erich Mindich, who gave $250,000 to Democratic Majority for Israel in the last cycle.

The beginning of the end of unshakeable support: Why US public opinion is turning away from Israel

The report notes that once the Better Blue Fund distributes money to participating candidates, the donations will appear in campaign filings under the fund’s name, rather than clearly identifying the donors’ wider pro-Israel affiliations. This has raised concerns that the new model gives AIPAC-aligned donors a way to support pro-Israel candidates while shielding them from the backlash increasingly attached to the lobby’s brand.

A similar strategy is said to have appeared in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, where a new PAC called the Center for Democratic Priorities, with no prior campaign history, reportedly spent $5.3 million on ads supporting congresswoman Haley Stevens shortly after AIPAC promoted her to donors in a fundraising email. Registration documents reportedly showed that the PAC shared a treasurer with other pro-Israel groups and used the same strategy firm employed by such groups to place the ad buy.

The apparent shift comes as opinion polls show Israel losing support among the American public. A Pew Research Center survey in April found that 53 per cent of US adults held an unfavourable view of Israel, up from 42 per cent in 2022. Gallup reported in July that only 32 per cent of Americans approved of Israel’s military action in Gaza, while 60 per cent disapproved, the lowest level of support Gallup had recorded since it began asking the question in November 2023.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ...
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone …
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.

Continue ReadingPro-Israel cash goes undercover as US voters turn against Israel

Israel plans to expand control over Gaza in coming months

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

An Israeli army soldier walks near a main battle tank deployed at a position along the border with the Gaza Strip and southern Israel on July 29, 2025. [Jack GUEZ / AFP/Getty Images]

Israel is planning, in coordination with the United States, to expand its occupation of the Gaza Strip.

According to Israel’s Channel 14, the plan includes a major expansion of the so-called Yellow Line in Gaza, alongside continued bombardment and targeted killings outside the area controlled by the Israeli army, which currently occupies more than 60 per cent of the territory.

As part of the new strategy, the Hebrew-language channel said Israel, in coordination with the United States, will work to significantly expand the Yellow Line area across the Gaza Strip over the coming months.

READ: Ireland to ban imports from Israeli settlements by mid-July

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it's fun to kill everyone ...
Donald Trump sings and dances, says that it’s fun to kill everyone …
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Orcas discuss how Trump was re-elected and him being an obviously insane, xenophobic Fascist.
Continue ReadingIsrael plans to expand control over Gaza in coming months

Iran restores global internet access after months of restrictions

Spread the love

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

A view of streets as daily life continues amid fragile ceasefire in Tehran, Iran on May 12, 2026, as geopolitical tensions rise following recent statements from the United States. [Fatemeh Bahrami – Anadolu Agency]

Iran has restored international internet access following months of restrictions imposed after nationwide protests in January and later intensified during the war with the US and Israel, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency on Tuesday, Anadolu reports.

Tasnim reported that the process of lifting restrictions had begun following an order by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to return internet access to conditions that existed before January 2026.

According to the report, users once again have access to international websites, while fixed broadband services, including FTTH, VDSL and ADSL, as well as mobile internet services, are now available without restrictions.

Iran had imposed a near-total internet shutdown during protests on Jan. 8 and 9, severely disrupting both domestic and international connectivity across the country.

Nationwide protests erupted in late December and escalated in January following a sharp depreciation of the Iranian rial against US dollar amid mounting economic pressure.

Authorities imposed broad internet restrictions and temporary nationwide shutdowns during the unrest in an effort to curb communications and the spread of protest-related content.

READ: Iran demands release of $12 billion in frozen assets in potential deal with US

In the weeks that followed, internet services gradually began returning before restrictions intensified again after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.

During the conflict, domestic internet services and local platforms were later restored, but access to the global internet largely remained dependent on Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).

Major global platforms including YouTube and X remain blocked in Iran, with many users continuing to rely on VPN services to access them.

Iranian officials said 3,117 people were killed in the protests, while some human rights organizations estimated the death toll at up to 7,000.

Iranian authorities have acknowledged public discontent but accused the US and Israel of attempting to exploit the unrest through sanctions and pressure aimed at inciting instability and justifying foreign interference and regime change.

Experts had previously described the measures not as a complete shutdown of all internet infrastructure, but as restrictions specifically targeting access to the global internet, while domestic services, including banking systems and local platforms, remained operational.

The restrictions significantly affected businesses, online commerce and communication with the outside world, while access to international platforms became increasingly limited and unstable for ordinary users.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. 

Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/

Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes' concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country's economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.
Orcas discuss Donald Trump and the killer apes’ concept of democracy. Front Orca warns that Trump is crashing his country’s economy and that everything he does he does for the fantastically wealthy.

Continue ReadingIran restores global internet access after months of restrictions