Middle East

The war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza directly impacts many Minnesotans. And while MPR News does not have journalists stationed in the region, we do have a responsibility to our audiences to report on how this ongoing conflict affects people here. Our goal is to provide MPR News audiences with a variety of perspectives, context and factual information. We are committed to using language that is as precise as possible.

As you will see here, the majority of the coverage on our air and our website is provided by our national and international news partners, NPR and the BBC. The language and terminology used to describe the conflict are changing. If you have questions or concerns about our coverage please reach out to us.

Bethlehem is set to mark a second subdued Christmas during the war in Gaza
Bethlehem is preparing for another somber Christmas under the shadow of war in Gaza. Manger Square lacked its usual festive lights and crowds of tourists on Tuesday. Instead, the area outside the Nativity Church was quiet. 
Two U.S. Navy pilots shot down over Red Sea in apparent ’friendly fire’ incident
Two U.S. Navy pilots were shot down Sunday over the Red Sea in an apparent “friendly fire” incident, the U.S military said, marking the most serious incident to threaten troops in over a year of America targeting Yemen’s Houthi rebels.
U of M students interrupt Board of Regents meeting in protest for divestment
A day after the Minneapolis City Council failed to pass a resolution supporting campus activists, a group of students interrupted a University of Minnesota Board of Regents meeting Friday. They’re continuing to demand that the school divest from Israel and weapons manufacturers. 
Missing American Travis Timmerman found wandering barefoot outside Damascus
The 29-year-old said he was detained earlier this year after crossing into Syria on foot from Lebanon and held in prison until the fall of Assad. Timmerman’s family called it a “Christmas miracle.”
Frey vetoes measure supporting pro-Palestinian protesters who occupied U of M building
Minneapolis City Council passed a resolution last week seeking to protect the 11 people arrested at a divestment occupation on Oct. 21. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vetoed it “without hesitation.”
How Syria's revolution could reshape the Middle East
The swift downfall of Bashar al-Assad is reverberating throughout the Middle East. Countries are urgently reassessing how to deal with a nation seeking to rebuild itself after years of civil war.
In Syria, the Assads leave a bitter legacy after a half-century of repressive rule
President Bashar Assad and his father, Hafez Assad, combined to rule Syria for more than 50 years, always with an iron fist that crushed dissent and relied on the country's feared security forces.
Israel and Hezbollah have a cease-fire agreement. Here's what it says
The cease-fire agreement between Hezbollah and Israel brokered by the United States and France was characterized by President Biden as an attempt to deliver a "permanent cessation of hostilities."