Palestine Marathon returns to Bethlehem after Gaza war suspension

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Palestine Marathon returns to Bethlehem after Gaza war suspension

2026-05-09 20:45 Last Updated At：21:47

The 10th Palestine International Marathon began on Friday in the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem, with a parallel race held in the Gaza Strip, after being suspended by Israel's war on the Strip.

Thousands of Palestinian and international runners took part in the event which was held to send a message of unity, strength, and determination in face of the current situation.

"I am a volleyball player, and I took part in this marathon. No athlete should miss this event because it delivers a message of determination and resilience from the people, that despite all the circumstances, they continue practicing sports and expressing their freedom steadfastly," said Abdullah al-Arqan, a runner.

"The Palestine Sports Marathon is an annual event, but because of the war on Gaza, we have been separated from it for three years. The launch from Gaza simultaneously with the launch from Bethlehem unites the two parts of the homeland and sends a message to the world that Palestinians have the right to live in freedom and dignity," said Donia Ismail from the Palestinian Ministry of Women's Affairs.

Runner Khalil al-Tarabin said that despite the misfortune he has suffered, he competed with full determination.

"Today, winning means everything to me. Despite the blockade, the famine, and losing my father and four brothers in the war, I participated with all my strength," he said.

The marathon was organized by the Palestinian Olympic Committee in partnership with the Egyptian Committee for Gaza Relief and other local partners.

Organizers said more than 13,000 runners took part across all events, including 2,523 participants in Gaza and around 1,000 international runners from 75 countries and regions.

Geopolitical tensions, oil supply shocks pose primary risks to US financial system: Fed report

Geopolitical tensions and energy supply disruptions have risen to become the top concerns for U.S. financial stability, a Federal Reserve report said on Friday.

The Fed's latest semi-annual Financial Stability Report revealed a dramatic shift in how professionals view risks to the U.S. financial system, as the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has sent shock waves through the global economy.

According to a survey conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York between March and April, 75 percent of respondents cited geopolitical tensions as a major risk, a sharp jump from 48 percent just six months earlier. Even more striking, 70 percent now see oil supply shocks as a threat, a concern that was not mentioned at all in the survey from last fall. Respondents widely pointed to the war with Iran as a potential trigger for prolonged energy market disruptions, which could also keep inflation higher for longer.

Half of those surveyed raised concerns about artificial intelligence. They pointed to equity valuations, rising leverage in the financial system as capital spending becomes increasingly reliant on debt, and potential job losses from widespread AI adoption.

Private credit was also flagged as a threat by 50 percent of respondents. The market faces mounting pressure from investor redemptions and worsening market sentiment, they warned. In addition, fast-evolving AI could weaken the credit quality of some borrowers, which, in turn, might tighten credit conditions and spill over into broader markets.

Meanwhile, 45 percent of respondents identified persistently high inflation as a salient risk, with many worrying that prolonged energy supply shocks from the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran could force the Fed to adopt tighter monetary policy.