West Bank Flashpoint: Qatar condemned escalating Israeli settler attacks, saying civilians are being targeted under army protection and urging accountability, as Israel weighs shifting West Bank “order” powers from the IDF to police. EU Data & Policing: A report says the European Commission is negotiating a secret deal to share sensitive biometric and location data with Israel’s police, raising alarms about misuse against Palestinians. Hormuz & Oil Markets: Iran rejected Trump’s claim it will declare the Strait of Hormuz “U.S. territory,” insisting the strait remains Iranian and warning shipping will resume only on Tehran’s terms, while fuel-price pressure continues. UAE-Iran Funds Claim: Reuters-sourced reporting said the UAE agreed to transfer $10–20bn to Tehran for de-escalation, but Abu Dhabi denied it. Iraq Trade Tech: Iraq’s customs collected 2.5tn IQD in seven months, driven by automation and anti-corruption upgrades. Kuwait Investment Deal: Kuwait Petroleum signed a $16bn sale-and-leaseback for crude oil pipelines to monetize assets and attract global investors. Egypt Silver Spike: Egypt’s silver imports surged 5,306% in H1 2026 to about $446m, with most of the jump in Q1. Syria-Turkey Trade: Syria’s ports and customs met Turkey on free-zone development and port operations to boost investment and bilateral trade. Philippines Consumer Caution: Filipino households are cutting back spending as financial pressure rises amid the Middle East conflict. Fintech/Finance Signals: Israel’s Bank Leumi is set to expand digital-asset trading via Galaxy, while market coverage also highlights rising gold interest tied to Fed-rate uncertainty and Hormuz risk.