Zelensky drone scare, Hale denial, and shifting Palestinian opinion

A near-miss over Moldova, a denial from a former ambassador, and a poll showing Palestinians shifting toward negotiations.

Zelensky drone scare, Hale denial, and shifting Palestinian opinion — Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre revealed in an interview with NRK that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky's plane was nearly struck by a drone as it took off from Moldova en route to Norway. "His plane was nearly hit by a drone as it was about to take off from Moldova. That is the reality he lives in," Støre said. [^1] Zelensky arrived in Oslo on Tuesday evening and attended the funeral of King Harald V alongside heads of state and royal families from across Europe. [^1] Meanwhile, former U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale met last week with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun. When asked about a report that he rejected a Hamas offer to return hostages after October 7, Hale responded simply: "For the record, this is false. Complete fiction." [^2] Separately, a new poll by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research, conducted among 1,200 Palestinians between August 20 and 25, found that 55.8% now favor peaceful negotiations over armed resistance. Support for a two-state solution rose to 47.9%, up from 27.3% in September 2023. Trust in Hamas fell to 6.7% from 12% in July 2022, and only 15.7% believe the October 7 attack served Palestinian national interests, down from 30.9% in September 2025. [^3] The Houthis attacked the cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan, and Najran in southern Saudi Arabia, wounding 73 civilians according to the Saudi Defense Ministry. [^4] Israeli diplomat Yoel Leon arrived today at the Turkish Foreign Ministry in Ankara and presented his accreditation to serve as charge d'affaires of Israel's relations in Turkey. [^5] The shift in Palestinian public opinion, if durable, could reshape diplomatic calculations—but whether it translates into political change remains an open question. Israeli society at a crossroads: bullying, bereavement, and desertion — Rachel Goldberg-Polin stood before a conference marking 30 years of Israel's National Health Insurance Law in Jerusalem today and said: "I have a broken heart and a broken soul. I have a dagger stuck in my chest, why don't you see it?"[^1] Her son, Hersh, was abducted to Gaza on October 7, 2023, and