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Thousands of fans gathered in Vienna as the 70th Eurovision Song Contest opened amid renewed boycott calls over Israel's participation. Five countries have withdrawn, and over 1,000 artists have joined the protest, while Finland enters as the heavy favourite.
A Palestinian family in the occupied West Bank says Israeli settlers forced them to exhume and rebury their father’s body hours after his funeral, claiming the cemetery land belonged to a nearby Israeli settlement. The UN Human Rights Office condemned the incident as 'appalling and emblematic of the dehumanisation of Palestinians.' The Israeli military denied giving reburial instructions.
The 61st Venice Biennale opened with protests and political tensions over Russia's return and Israel's presence. The international jury resigned, the EU threatened to cut funding, and the Russian pavilion remains closed to the public until May 9. Artists and activists condemned the participation, while Russian officials defended it as cultural dialogue.
Recent polls show that a merger of Naftali Bennett's Together, Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar!, and Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beytenu could give the opposition 61 seats, enough to form a government without Arab parties. Prime Minister Netanyahu's Likud continues to slide, while the Religious Zionist Party crosses the electoral threshold for the first time in six months, strengthening the coalition bloc to 51 seats.
Former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot calls for a coordination meeting among opposition parties to secure a 61-seat majority, while Yair Golan urges him to join the Democrats or the new Bennett-Lapid alliance. The moves highlight fragmentation concerns within the bloc seeking to replace Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Israeli prosecutors have indicted a 36-year-old man for attacking a French Catholic nun in Jerusalem's Old City, an incident that drew widespread condemnation and highlighted rising tensions toward the Christian community in Israel. The suspect faces charges of assault motivated by hostility toward a religious group, with authorities and academic institutions denouncing the attack.
US forces struck an Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman amid ongoing ceasefire tensions, while President Trump pushed for a deal to end the two-month war. Iran denies attacking a South Korean ship and accuses Washington of violating the truce, as diplomatic efforts continue through Pakistani mediation.
Russia's participation in the Venice Biennale for the first time since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine has sparked protests by Pussy Riot and FEMEN, a jury resignation, and a European Commission threat to suspend a €2 million grant. The controversy highlights the collision between art and international conflict.
President Donald Trump said he has had 'very good talks' with Iran and that a deal is possible before his trip to China, while Tehran reviews a U.S. proposal. The U.S. paused a naval operation in the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran's leaders have expressed skepticism about the reported progress.
Israel has violated the Lebanon ceasefire with a targeted strike on Beirut, while US-Iran tensions escalate with an attack on an Iranian oil tanker and ongoing diplomacy over a potential peace deal.
Satirical Lego-style animations mocking US President Donald Trump have become a global hit, marking a propaganda coup for Iran. The creators, a group of young Iranians calling themselves Explosive Media, deny taking orders from the regime, but analysts see the videos as a savvy blend of pop culture and political messaging.
A Maariv readers' poll published May 6, 2026 indicates 70% of respondents believe Likud would win fewer than 20 Knesset seats without Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, amid conflicting reports regarding internal party debates over reserved electoral slots. While Channel 14 reported on May 5, 2026 that Netanyahu demands ten reserved positions threatening a "political massacre," a Likud spokesperson has denied these claims as "complete fake news," emphasizing the Prime Minister's commitment to the party.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun may meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington amid US mediation, a move that could exacerbate internal Lebanese divisions, particularly with Hezbollah. Israel continues military operations in southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire, with analysts questioning the likelihood and impact of such a summit.
Negotiations between Hamas and the Board of Peace over Gaza's disarmament have stalled, with sources describing the gaps as 'almost impossible to bridge.' Israel's security cabinet is set to discuss reviving fighting, while Hamas demands Israeli withdrawal and international guarantees before disarming.
Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said forming a government with an Arab party would be 'worse' than the October 7 massacre, prompting backlash from political rivals and coalition allies. Smotrich later clarified he was referring to political acts, not comparing tragedies, but critics accused him of dismissing the lives lost.
Nearly 30 Democratic lawmakers, led by Rep. Joaquin Castro, have sent a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging the Trump administration to end its longstanding policy of ambiguity and publicly acknowledge Israel’s nuclear weapons program. The request comes amid the ongoing US-Israel military campaign against Iran, with lawmakers arguing that secrecy undermines nonproliferation efforts and increases the risk of nuclear escalation.
Yashar! leader Gadi Eisenkot announced the addition of former Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen and former Welfare Ministry official Inbar Yehezkeli to the party's list ahead of the upcoming elections. Cohen brings extensive security experience and has been a sharp critic of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while Yehezkeli will lead the party's national rehabilitation plan.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's criminal trial continues with cross-examination in Case 4000, after several last-minute scheduling clashes between his defense and the court. Testimony has resumed following a two-month pause due to the Iran war, with the defense citing security constraints while the court insists on proceeding as scheduled.
Thiago Ávila, a Brazilian activist detained after joining a Gaza-bound flotilla, wrote a letter to his daughter from prison, explaining his motivations and expressing love. After 10 days in custody, he was deported to São Paulo, where he alleged torture and abuse of Palestinian prisoners.
The US and Iran exchanged attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz, with Washington launching 'Project Freedom' to reopen the waterway and Tehran accusing the US of reckless military action. The UAE reported intercepting Iranian missiles and drones, while the US said it sank six Iranian boats. Both sides deny each other's accounts of the clashes.