Famously, the slogan “All the News That’s Fit to Print” graces the front page of every New York Times edition. The slogan was coined at the end of the 19th century by the paper’s publisher, Adolph Ochs. Of course, in today’s hyper-globalized world, the slogan is wishful thinking. No paper could realistically cover all the important news stories of the day.
Still, it would be hard to argue that outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, and others adequately cover even those stories they do print. They often devote precious space to emotive or opinionated claims, while omitting highly material and relevant information that sheds important new light.
Provided below are three important, but underreported, stories bearing on Israel and the Middle East that media consumers should know this week.
Israel’s Economy Continues to Grow at a High Rate
War, diplomatic renunciations, and attempts to boycott Israel have not slowed down Israel’s growth. According to the Bank of Israel, the country’s central bank, the Israeli economy will grow at the whopping rate of 5.6 percent this year.
Foreign capital continues to flow into Israel. In the first quarter of 2026, Israel received $14.1 billion in foreign direct investments, “the strongest quarterly figure ever recorded” in Israel. Despite this growth, the Bank of Israel expects inflation to be stable at 2.0 percent. The bank argues:
In our assessment, demand in the economy will expand, supported by the decline in the interest rate environment and in the risk premium following the end of intensive war. This process is supported by the recovery in the construction industry following the entry of foreign workers and the return of the number of workers to its prewar level, as well as through increased investment in machinery and equipment. The increase in public consumption is expected to moderate after two years of high war expenses, with a change in the mix toward civilian expenditures and moderation in the prices of public consumption due to the decline in the volume of wage payments to reservists.
During the Cold War, former president and supreme allied commander, Dwight D. Eisenhower, became a mentor to future president Ronald Reagan. He advised Reagan that the foundation of a country’s power is its economy. As Israel faces down increasing threats and domestic political divisions, the good news is that its foundations remain solid. Its debt-to-GDP ratio is lower than many democracies, while its growth rate is beyond the dreams of other countries with advanced economies.
Mojtaba Khamenei Asserts Control
Mojtaba Khamenei succeeded his father after U.S. and Israeli strikes killed the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in February. Reportedly, the strikes injured Mojtaba too. Despite the formal coronation, the new supreme leader has not appeared in public, raising questions about his health and suspicions that he might even be deceased himself. According to official reports, however, Mojtaba Khamenei is alive and taking on more governmental responsibilities.
In August, Iran reported that Mojtaba Khamenei had met with Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian. Over the past week, the new supreme leader also reportedly met with the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council Masoud Rezaee, as well as Speaker of the Parliament Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf and Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i.
Observers believe that Mojtaba Khamenei prefers a more confrontational approach to foreign policy than his late father. During the meeting with Rezaee, Khamenei emphasized that the country should move beyond “neither war, nor peace” condition vis a vis the United States, the phrase Iran uses to refer to the shadow of war looming over Iran sans active conflict.
This does not indicate a negotiated compromise. Khamenei reiterated that Iran should assert control over the Strait of Hormuz. Also, on Oct. 25, 2026, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that Iran will not change its policy positions, which have always included forcing the United States out of the Middle East and the dissolution of Israel.
Berlin Mayoral Candidate Is Afraid of Her Hamas-Supporting Backer
On Sept. 20, 2026, The Left Party (Die Linke) won the plurality of the seats in the Berlin legislature. Elif Eralp, whose parents immigrated from Turkey, leads the party, making her the frontrunner for the Berlin mayoral race as the Berlin legislature elects the mayor. An accidental revelation shows that she fears the pro-Palestinian extremists in her party.
During the election night party, Palestinian Hamas supporter Ibrahim Ibrahim attended the event, causing controversy for Eralp. As she is gearing up to become the mayor of Germany’s capital, Eralp has told Der Spiegel that Ibrahim and other Palestinian activists make her fear for her family’s safety.
The German newspaper asked Eralp about anti-Jewish sentiments and pro-Palestinian extremism within her party. According to i24, “Eralp said she was not aware of the extent of the problem, but she does know that some party members are acting on behalf of Palestinians.” Asked whether she was referring to Ibrahim, she responded affirmatively.
It is common practice in Germany that journalists send the transcript for approval before publication. Der Speigel accidentally published the document including Eralp’s revealing revisions and comments, rather than the polished version. Eralp wrote back:
Both my husband and I do not want to mention specific names. He is afraid of these people, and so am I. … I cannot risk myself and my family for Der Spiegel. What do we do now? Cancel the entire interview? … The recommendation then was to never mention specific names. Back then it was about organized crime, now it concerns people with connections to Hamas.
Germany has been a stalwart supporter of Israel during its war against Hamas, inviting criticisms for its arms shipments to Israel. During the Twelve-Day War, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said that Israel was doing “dirty work for us” against Iran.
But the reemergence of the far-right in former East Germany and the far-left with the backing of Muslim voters raise worries about the future of the relationship, as well as the safety of German Jews, amidst an increase in attacks on Jews in the country. A report found, “In 2025, there were nearly 70 incidents per 1,000 Jewish residents, with a total number of 8,725 cases up from 8,713 in 2024 and 2,610 in 2022.”