The train to Damascus at Samakh station, at the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee, early 1920s. Photo: LoC Matson Collection
Can the age of Middle East train travel return?

It was once possible to take trains from the Mediterranean to modern-day Saudi Arabia

June 17, 2022, 6:00 PM
Palestinians demonstrate outside Ofer prison, beside the military court, in the occupied West Bank in July 2021. AFP
Palestinians and Israeli settlers face different justice systems

Almost all those tried by army are convicted, while Israelis are given access to civilian courts

June 14, 2022, 2:30 AM
The Palestinian residential area of Kufr Aqab, between Jerusalem and Ramallah, which lies on the other side of Israel's separation barrier dividing the occupied West Bank from Jerusalem. AFP
Are Israel and Palestine prepared for the next catastrophic earthquake?

A major earthquake could leave 'hundreds of thousands' of casualties, one estimate says

June 13, 2022, 3:32 AM
Tariq Al Shawa, manager of the Holst Park and Cultural Centre in Gaza City since 1998, inspects its projector as the venue undergoes renovation. Majd Mohamad for The National
Gaza's cinema experience returns after the longest intermission

Film lovers have been able to watch only outdoor screenings since the early 2000s

June 03, 2022, 6:01 PM
Az-Oolay the clown in front of Israeli police officers during a demonstration in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of occupied East Jerusalem, in February. AFP
Postcard from Jerusalem: the courageous clown with a serious message

Az-Oolay has been attending demonstrations and rallies across the city since 2020

June 03, 2022, 6:00 PM
The Negev desert in Israel, where residents have experienced surges in air pollution. Reuters
Israel's Negev desert is a hotspot for dust storms

Global dust emissions have risen by as much as 50 per cent over the past century, the World Bank says

June 03, 2022, 9:54 AM
Waseem Razzouk tattoos a client in the Old City of Jerusalem. Rosie Scammell / The National
The family tattooing pilgrims for centuries in Old Jerusalem

The Razzouk family uses olive wood stamps to ink visitors to the Old City

June 01, 2022, 11:10 AM
Israeli police detain a Palestinian man during clashes near Damascus Gate to Jerusalem's Old City. Reuters
Scores injured at 'flag rally' in Jerusalem's Old City

Palestinian medics treated around 80 people, while six Israelis were hurt

May 29, 2022, 4:49 AM
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu visits Al Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem. Last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan repeatedly criticised Israel for its forces' 'interventions' against Muslim worshippers at Al Aqsa. Photo: AP
Turkey and Israel to boost ties after ‘frank’ Jerusalem talks

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu's visit to the city is the first by such a high-level Turkish official in 15 years

May 25, 2022, 12:14 PM
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu shakes hands with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad Al Maliki in the West Bank city of Ramallah. EPA
Turkey's Cavusoglu to meet Israeli foreign minister after years of tension

Mevlut Cavusoglu will meet Israel's Yair Lapid on Wednesday

May 24, 2022, 5:42 AM
Ultra-Ortodox Jewish children scuffle with the police as they try to enter the grave site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai in the northern Israeli village of Meron during the  holiday of Lag BaOmer that commemorates the Jewish scholar's death.  AFP
Thousands of Jewish pilgrims mark Lag BaOmer in Israel a year after deadly crush

Worshippers have flocked to Mount Meron for centuries

May 19, 2022, 5:15 PM
Israelis light candles in memory of the 45 Jews crushed to death on Mount Meron, during a vigil in Tel Aviv on May 2, 2021. AP
Lag BaOmer celebration reformed in Israel a year after tragedy

The Mount Meron accident last year was Israel's worst civilian disaster

May 18, 2022, 1:34 PM
Actions of the Israeli security forces at the funeral of Shireen Abu Akleh were described as “shocking” by Michelle Bachelet, the UN’s human rights chief.  Reuters
Church leaders condemn Israeli forces over attacks at Abu Akleh's funeral

The late Palestinian journalist’s coffin fell close to the ground as pallbearers were struck by police batons in Jerusalem

May 16, 2022, 11:33 AM
Palestinian medics help an injured protester in Beita, a village in the West Bank blighted by violent clashes in the past year. EPA
Villagers scarred by year of deadly protests against West Bank settlements

Medics have dealt with thousands of injuries during the demonstrations

May 06, 2022, 6:00 PM
Israeli police restrain Palestinians following a visit by a group of Jews at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound. AFP
Israeli police confront Palestinian protesters at Al Aqsa Mosque

Hamas accuses Israeli authorities of 'playing with fire' by allowing Jews to enter the site

May 05, 2022, 8:30 AM