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

Israel cover image

Israel

July 12, 2026

Tel Aviv 7:35 am

24°C

Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

As US-Iran fighting resumes, Israel weighs 3 options with restraint winning, for now

Despite Israel's military readiness to resume strikes on Iran, officials say looming elections make Netanyahu more likely to stay out unless Tehran forces his hand.

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

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.

Latest News

Explainer

Lebanon's latest damage estimate outlines reconstruction challenge

Froun

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

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

Palestinian workers wearing masks against Covid-19 lineup for a security check at the entrance to Israel's Mishor Adumim industrial zone nearby the Maale Adumim settlement in the West Bank east of Jerusalem, on July 1, 2020. - The government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said it could begin the process to annex Jewish settlements in the West Bank as well as the strategic Jordan Valley from today. The plan -- endorsed by Washington -- would see the creation of a Palestinian state, but on r

Palestinian factory workers strike in West Bank industrial zone

Palestinian workers at the Yamit factory in a West Bank industrial zone are striking for their first substantial raise in decades.

Pompeo, Israel send message to Iran with bold airstrikes in Syria

In a rare acknowledgement, a US official said Washington provided intelligence support for the strikes.

Death of 16-year-old provokes settlers' ire against police, Palestinians

Settlers angry after the death of 16-year-old Ahuvia Sandak are protesting violently across the country and also attacking Palestinian property in the West Bank.

Israel debates Sheldon Adelson’s media, political heritage

Following the death of Jewish American Sheldon Adelson, the Israeli right and left disagree about how he influenced Israel’s media, society.

Rights group B’Tselem says Israel is an apartheid state

A new report by one of Israel's leading human rights groups argues in favor of the analogy to segregated South Africa.

Israel’s Gantz advances Palestinian construction plans in West Bank

After advancing the construction of some 800 housing units in West Bank settlements, Defense Minister Benny Gantz takes an opposite, rare move, of advancing construction plans in Palestinian West Bank villages.

WASHINGTON, DC - JANUARY 28: U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu participate in an East Room event at the White House as Founder, Chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam Ochsorn look on January 28, 2020 in Washington, DC. President Trump released details of his administration's long-awaited Middle East peace plan to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Sheldon Adelson, major donor in US and Israeli politics, dies at 87

Adelson was a strong supporter of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as pro-Israel Republicans in the United States.

Women missing from top roles as Israeli election takes shape

The Knesset race is painting a sad picture of gender equality in Israel, with no party led by a woman.

Israel advances plans for 800 new settlement homes in West Bank

The news comes ahead of Israel's March 23 election as well as the inauguration of US President-elect Joe Biden on Jan. 20.

ROSH HA'AYIN, ISRAEL - NOVEMBER 21: A passing ultra-Orthodox Jew watches as Aviv Recycling workers use a strong vacuum to move plastic bottles from a collection cage into their truck November 21, 2006 in Rosh Ha'Ayin in central Israel. Aviv managers say they recycle about 15 percent of the country's PET plastic waste annually, some 4,000 metric tons or 80 million bottles, but have the capacity to sort, clean, crush and sell more than double that if recycling programs in Israel were more efficient. (Photo b

The battle against the bottles: Israel extends law on plastic containers

The Knesset Economics Committee has now approved extending the Bottle Deposit Law, so it will also include family-size plastic bottles.

Israeli children take part in activities at a kindergarten in the central city of Shoham, on October 18, 2020. - Israel started cautiously emerging from a second coronavirus lockdown after a month of tight restrictions, with the re-opening of preschools, kindergartens, beaches and national parks, as numbers of new infections recede. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Coronavirus crisis propels Israeli mayors to front stage

With the government in a perpetual state of crisis, the coronavirus pandemic propelled Israeli mayors to a position of unprecedented prominence.

Israel tightens lockdown measures

Israel added more restrictions on top of its lockdown as coronavirus cases continue to spread rapidly. On the other hand, Israel is successfully rolling out the vaccine.