Israel - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Israel cover image

Israel

July 8, 2026

Tel Aviv 6:08 am

23°C

Froun

Explainer

Lebanon's latest damage estimate outlines reconstruction challenge

More than 1 million Lebanese residents fled their homes after Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon intensified in March, when Hezbollah entered the conflict.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) welcomes US President Donald Trump (R) upon his arrival on Air Force One at Etimesgut Air Base near Ankara, on July 7, 2026, before attending the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Trump's F-35 push for Turkey runs into CAATSA — and Israel

Israel fears that Washington may be shifting its strategic options toward Turkey as the two rivals push for regional hegemony.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

ABIR SULTAN / AFP via Getty Images

Israel, Greece conduct military drills ahead of NATO summit in Turkey

Photos published by the Greek military showed fighter jets from both countries flying side by side over the Aegean Sea.

Latest News

Interview

Ayman Odeh says Arab parties could back Bennett or Eisenkot to block Netanyahu

Joint List Party leader Ayman Odeh attends a meeting on April 5, 2021 in Jerusalem, Israel.

Ayman Odeh

Head of the Knesset's Hadash-Ta'al faction

Analysis

As US-Iran talks falter, Israel views war outcome as 'total strategic failure’

Motorists drive past a billboard bearing a picture of Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei, ahead of his funeral in Tehran on July 3, 2026. Iranian leaders began paying their respects on July 3 before the coffin of the country's late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, killed in the US-Israeli strikes that triggered the Middle East war, as Tehran prepared for a vast funeral. Khamenei's body arrived at Tehran's Grand Mosalla on July 3 ahead of ceremonies which are expected to draw millions. (Photo by AFP via Ge

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Ben Caspit

Israel Columnist

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Rina Bassist

Associate Editor (Israel)

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Israeli Economy Minister Orna Barbivai (R) and Jordanian Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yousef Alshamali meet in Amman, Jordan, Nov. 3, 2021.

Israeli, Jordanian economy ministers sign West Bank export deal

In their meeting Nov. 3, Economy Minister Orna Barbivai and Jordanian Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yousef Alshamali agreed to expand the list of materials and products Jordan could export to the West Bank.

JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images

US blacklists Israel's NSO Group for 'malicious' cyberactivities

The Biden administration placed to two Israeli cyberfirms, NSO Group and Candiru, on the US Commerce Department’s blacklist.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett arrives for the COP26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow on Nov. 1, 2021.

Israel’s Bennett meets Bahraini premier at climate summit

For the first time, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met in Glasgow with Bahraini Prime Minister Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli coalition's fragile unity holds ahead of budget vote

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is going all out to undermine this week’s decisive vote on the 2021-2022 state budget.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks before parliament votes to approve the new government, Jerusalem, June 13, 2021.

Netanyahu goes all out in battle against state budget

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will do whatever it takes politically to prevent the state budget from passing, thereby toppling the Bennett government.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett meets with French President Emmanuel Macron at the COP 26 Climate Summit in Glasgow, Nov. 1 2021.

Bennett meets France’s Macron in Glasgow, discusses spyware flap

Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is eager to end the NSO affair and restart bilateral relations with France on a better foot.

ALASTAIR GRANT/AFP via Getty Images

In Glasgow, Israel’s Bennett pledges net zero emissions by 2050

Addressing the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett vowed that Israel would reduce greenhouse emissions to net zero by 2050.

A Druze woman casts her ballot in the northern village of Maghar, Israel, Jan. 22, 2013.

Mixed feelings in Israel over first Druze city

Residents of Maghar would have preferred Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked to announce it as a new Arab city, and not as the first Druze city in Israel.

Biden Bennett

Familiar problems for Biden in Israel

The US is concerned about Israeli settlement policies, recent actions toward the Palestinians, and trade with China, but these issues are more likely to blow over than blow up.

GALI TIBBON/AFP via Getty Images

US pressures Israel on trade with China

Washington is calling on Israel to change the way it monitors foreign investments in Israel, and Israel is likely to take appeasing measures.

US President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in the Oval Office at the White House, Washington, Aug. 27, 2021.

Disagreement between Bennett, Biden escalates

With Israel advancing the construction of 3,200 housing units in West Bank settlements, it seems that the honeymoon between Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and US President Joe Biden is over.

Settlement

European countries call on Israel to reverse settlement plans

A joint statement from the foreign ministries of 12 European countries said the planned settlement expansion undermines prospects for peace.