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.
Passengers from Israel are Searched in Amsterdam
On Sep. 27, 2026, YnetNews reported that passengers traveling from Tel Aviv to Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport had their luggage searched upon arrival. The searches, undertaken by the Dutch authorities, aimed to detect products originating in the West Bank and Golan Heights. Some travelers, including a Dutch passenger, described the searches as “intimidating” and provided accounts of abusive behavior by the authorities.
Most recently, the Dutch authorities introduced a new law prohibiting the importation, sale, and purchase of products from Israeli West Bank settlements, East Jerusalem, and the Golan Heights. The law applies to businesses as well as individuals and extends to personal luggage – which means items such as gifts and souvenirs can be confiscated by the authorities. The law does not apply to goods produced within Israel’s pre-1967 internationally recognized borders (i.e., within the “Green Line”). An intentional violation of the law can lead to up to six years in prison. The Netherlands has no similar law regarding products from other contested territories such as Turkish-occupied Cyprus.
Dutch customs said the searches will be partially focused on agricultural products such as oranges and dates.
The local press reported that when one passenger told a customs officer that the passengers were from Israel and do not speak Dutch, the officer responded “angrily” and said: “’Shut the f***ing hell up, shut the f***ing hell up and wait.’” A passenger named Max Worms, who lives in the Netherlands, was among those whose luggage was checked using X-ray machines. Worms “described the check as unusual, but not obviously related to the ban, though he said it was conducted in an ‘intimidating’ manner.” An 82-year-old Israeli passenger said his blood was “boiling,” and harkened back to European antisemitism:
Because it means the burden of proof is on the passenger. No receipt, no entry into the Netherlands. I was born during the war and had to hide. Jews were marked and discriminated against then too. Now it is happening again. They are marking us.
U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee denounced Dutch conduct as “insane.” Israel retaliated against the Netherlands by revoking the privileges it grants Dutch diplomats operating from the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Attempted Flydubai Hijacking Creates New Logistical Challenges
The dramatic details of the September 30 attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv have been widely reported in the media. The details of the events: the bravery of the passengers, crew, and the resourceful Indian Captain Smit Machchhar received ample attention. So did questions related to the still-nascent investigation of the incident.
But the in-flight attack created other challenges that received less media attention: Israelis were stuck abroad in the UAE and other countries, while the question of who was behind the attack – and, therefore, the nature and severity of the security threat these passengers might be facing – was still unanswered. The alternative for Israelis abroad is often very costly rerouting.
Following the dramatic events, the nation had to deal with the consequences of the attempted hijacking. One of the swift precautionary steps was the suspension of Flydubai flights to Israel. The airline itself announced that: “in coordination with the relevant authorities, flydubai flights to and from Israel will be suspended while the investigation continues.” The suspension is temporary, and “will allow the relevant authorities to continue their work and establish all the facts surrounding the incident.” The Israeli Minister of Transportation Miri Regev also asked the government to halt the carrier’s flights to Israel.
This necessary measure left many Israelis stranded: some were unable to return from the UAE itself while other Israeli travelers depended on the airline for a connecting flight to Tel Aviv. Flydubai is one of the largest carriers in the Middle East, operating eight daily flights from Ben Gurion Airport. Dubai itself has become a popular destination among Israelis. In addition, the UAE has become a popular gateway for Israelis on their way to Asia, the Far East, and even to the U.S.
Responding to the unusual circumstances, Israeli airlines El Al, Arkia, and Israir will operate repatriation rescue flights for the stranded, pending approval from Shin Bet and the Emiraties. The airlift is expected to take place under heavy security. The flights will leave Israel empty and head to the UAE. El Al will also operate a special flight from Thailand.
Israir is also preparing to resume regular service to the UAE after six months during which they were not allowed to land in the area. Israir expects to operate 8-10 weekly flights. Aside from Israeli airlines, the Israeli Ministry of Transportation made an urgent request to increase the number of Etihad Airways flights to help Israelis return from Dubai.
Former Employees Detail New York Magazine Bias, Problematic Atmosphere
On Sep. 29, 2026, Jewish Insider (JI) reported on an internal rift in New York magazine, over the outlet’s approach to Israel-related news and antisemitism.
JI’s Matthew Kassel wrote that since the Israel-Hamas war began, New York magazine “has emerged as a key platform for anti-Israel content.” The change marks “a uniquely hostile ideological shift that is exposing raw feelings on a topic editorial leaders have struggled to meaningfully address publicly and behind the scenes.”
Kassel’s report framed the shift as part of a broader change in attitude toward Israel among the magazine’s readers, which it described as “the urban center left” and “New York’s socially liberal cognoscenti.”
Concretely, the report details editorial choices regarding terminology surrounding the war in Gaza as well as a special issue dedicated to New York’s Middle Eastern cultural scene. The magazine came under fire after the special issue erased Jewish communities from its narrative. The special issue prompted 14 Jewish organizations to pen an open letter, urging New York to acknowledge the presence of Middle Eastern and North African Jews in the region.
The magazine’s shift took a toll on Jewish employees. Some of the Jewish writers of the magazine “were very upset” and complained internally. A former New York magazine employee who left after October 7 told JI that “it was not a healthy work environment.” JI added that “former Jewish staffers say they faced an inhospitable work culture after the Oct. 7 attacks and struggled to find support from company leadership.”
Members of the Jewish employee resource group did voice their concerns. Following Hamas’ October 7 attack, they sent a memo to their colleagues. The memo urged New York staff to “acknowledge terrorism” and avoid “both sides” framing as well as “‘buzzwords,’” such as “apartheid and genocide” that, the authors claimed, “are often used to evoke a visceral emotional reaction in favor of one group.”
The memo led to two meetings with leadership. However:
Jewish staffers’ concerns were met with “a lot of silence and blank stares,” according to a former Jewish employee who had participated in the discussions. “Leadership did not look or feel engaged,” another former Jewish staffer who was present for the conversations told JI.
JI also noted that tensions within New York regarding Israel and Middle East coverage have been simmering for a while. With these revelations, the magazine joins outlets such as NPR and New York Times that faced internal turmoil over Middle East coverage in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war.