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

Israel cover image

Israel

July 10, 2026

Tel Aviv 3:00 am

23°C

Former Israeli army chief of staff Gadi Eizenkot speaks during the launch of the Yashar party's election campaign in Hod Aharon, in central Israel, on June 30, 2026.

New Israeli election poll puts Eisenkot ahead of Netanyahu: What to know

Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party has now bypassed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud in the polls, cementing his status as Netanyahu’s main opponent.

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (not shown) for bilateral talks at Beştepe Presidential Compound during the NATO Summit on July 08, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Trump declares MoU with Iran 'over' as Hegseth cancels trip to Israel

Trump said diplomacy with Tehran was “a waste of time” after renewed attacks around Hormuz, as US defense chief reportedly cancels Israel visit.

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.

Latest News

Analysis

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

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)

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

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

ABIR SULTAN / AFP via Getty Images

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

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

EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images

New loan fund could save small Arab-Israeli businesses

Already fragile small Arab-Israeli businesses were hit especially hard by the pandemic and the ensuing economic crisis.

MOHAMMED ABED/AFP via Getty Images

Israel closes Gaza Strip crossing over continuing rocket fire

The Israeli authorities have closed a border crossing with Gaza as rockets rain down and dozens of incendiary balloons float from the Strip toward Israel's southern communities.

Palestinians run for cover from tear gas fired by Israeli security forces in the Old City, ahead of a planned march to commemorate Israel's takeover of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War, Jerusalem, May 10, 2021.

After violent weekend in Jerusalem, clashes erupt on Temple Mount

Violent clashes between Israeli police and Palestinian protesters at Temple Mount, or Haram-esh-Sherif, as clashes spread.

Leader of the Israeli right-wing Yamina party Naftali Bennett addresses supporters at his party's campaign headquarters, after the end of voting in the fourth national election in two years, Tel Aviv, Israel, March 24, 2021.

Naftali Bennett could be Israel’s next prime minister

Pro-settler Yamina leader Naftali Bennett could soon become Israel’s first religious prime minister.

Sheikh Jarrah protest

Israeli court to reconvene next week on eviction of Palestinian families

The High Court decides to again discuss the petition by Palestinian residents of the Jerusalem Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood against eviction orders issued at the request of Jewish settlers.

Sheikh Jarrah

European countries urge Israel to halt planned settlement expansion

Five foreign ministries call on Israel to scuttle plans to build more West Bank settlements.

GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP via Getty Images

Wide coalition ramps up negotiations on Israel's next government

As Yair Lapid takes the wheel, the coalition negotiations to create a broad-based government have been underway for weeks.

A general view shows a power plant in Haifa, Israel, April 20, 2015.

Israel advances shutdown of polluting petrochemical plants

A paper published end of April by an interministerial committee recommends shutting down the petrochemical industries in Haifa Bay.

Senior adviser to Donald Trump Jared Kushner listens as national security adviser Robert O'Brien (not seen) speaks during a press briefing at the White House on August 13, 2020, in Washington, DC. Kushner appeared with Trump earlier today as Trump announced a new peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

Jared Kushner founds organization to further Israeli normalization deals

The Abraham Accords Institute for Peace will focus on boosting ties between Israel and the Arab countries that signed the Abraham Accords.

This combination of pictures taken on May 5, 2021, shows (L to R) leader of Israel's Yesh Atid (There Is a Future) party Yair Lapid, and leader of the Yamina (Right) party Naftali Bennett, arriving at the Israeli president's residence in Jerusalem.

The Takeaway: Could a Bennett-Lapid coalition last in Israel?

Fractious politics makes for unstable governance; the scoop on Biden’s meeting with Israel’s Mossad chief; Gulf rethinks Chinese vaccine policies; more Egyptian mummies; Saudi Arabia; Turkey; and more!

OREN BEN HAKOON/AFP via Getty Images

Israel’s Lapid gets 28 days to compose new government

Now that President Reuven Rivlin tasked Yair Lapid with forming the next government, the head of Yesh Atid party has 28 days for the complicated mission.

GIL COHEN-MAGEN,MENAHEM KAHANA,DEBBIE HILL/AFP via Getty Images

After Netanyahu's failure, Lapid tapped to form Israeli government

After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's failure, President Reuven Rivlin has handed the mandate for composing the government to Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid.