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

Israel cover image

Israel

September 18, 2026

Tel Aviv 12:57 am

27°C

OLIVER BUNIC/AFP via Getty Images

Serbia opens factory to assemble Israeli-made drones: What to know

Serbian President Vucic said the factory will put together “state-of-the-art” Israeli-designed drones and employ around 100 workers.

Royal Air Maroc Boeing 787-9 'Dreamliner' aircraft

Israel, Morocco agree to exchange ambassadors, open embassies

The move will mark the first time Morocco and Israel have exchanged ambassadors.

ISRAEL-ENTERTAINMENT-TELEVISION-POLITICS-GOVERNMENT-MASS-MEDIA-D (L to R) Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff, co-creators of the hit Israeli TV show "Fauda", attend a demonstration against the Israeli government's plans to shut-down public broadcaster KAN, in Israel's Mediterranean coastal city of Tel Aviv on January 25, 2023. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Culture

Israeli show ‘Fauda’ tops Netflix in Lebanon, hits top 10 across Arab states

The show was created by Israeli journalist Avi Issacharoff and actor Lior Raz, drawing on their experiences serving in the Israeli military’s elite Duvdevan unit.

UN peacekeepers stand next to an armored vehicle during a patrol in southern Lebanon, Feb. 22, 2026.

Explainer

Why France is pushing to keep UNIFIL in Lebanon beyond 2026

Showing its support for Lebanon, Paris is backing Beirut’s request at the UN for a short-term extension of UNIFIL’s mandate, although French sources acknowledge that the chances of the request being approved are slim.

Latest News

Exclusive

Lacking deterrence, Israel’s security establishment opposes attacks on Houthis

Fighters loyal to the Houthi authorities, brandish their weapons during a rally to recruit more fighters, in Sanaa on September 10, 2026. The country relapsed into war in July after years of calm, drawn into the regional conflict triggered by the US-Israeli offensive against Iran that began at the end of February. (Photo by Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP via Getty Images)

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

Analysis

Europe’s West Bank trade ban fires warning shot at Israel’s economy

Jewish settlement of Kedumim, in the West Bank

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Analysis

Once Netanyahu’s top challenger, Bennett loses ground to Eisenkot: What to know

Erik Marmor

Mazal Mualem

By Mazal Mualem

In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics

Israel says it destroyed Hezbollah tunnels in Ali al-Taher ridge: What to know

A photograph taken from the southern Lebanese area of Nabatieh shows smoke as it rises from the site of Israeli strikes that targeted the hilltops of the mountainous area of the strategic Ali al-Taher Ridge on Aug. 14, 2026.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

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

Knesset blocks bill to deem Israel 'state for all its citizens'

Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein rejected this week a law proposal presented by the Arab Joint List redefining Israel as the state of all its citizens.

Why US recognition of Golan Heights annexation would hurt Israel

The US-backed campaign for recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights could become a real obstacle on the way to peace with Syria.

Palestinian Hamas militants attend a military drill in preparation to any upcoming confrontation with Israel, in the southern Gaza Strip March 25, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa - RC1B884125E0

PA worried by potential Hamas-Israel truce

The Palestinian Authority fears the proposed long-term truce between Hamas and Israel under the pretext of the humanitarian crisis would lead to separating the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, and then to passing "the deal of the century."

Israeli association aims to teach children tolerance through dolls

Armed with dolls, a small Israeli organization aims to make Israel’s increasingly diverse society more tolerant by educating children.

Israel’s High Court prepares for battle

In order to confront the government’s assault over its authority and powers, the High Court hired an external communications adviser.

Despite advancing technology, IDF faces dilemma on Gaza border

Israel successfully intercepts rockets fired from the Gaza Strip, but fails in addressing the threat of incendiary kites launched by Hamas activists.

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas (C) chairs a Palestinian National Council meeting in Ramallah on April 30, 2018. - Abbas called today for Palestinians to keep their children from protests along the border between Israel and Gaza, warning of a "handicapped" generation. "Keep the young men from the border, move the children away, we do not want to become handicapped people," he said in a speech in the West Bank city of Ramallah, while supporting what he called "peaceful" protests. (Photo by ABBAS MOMANI /

Can Palestine be transformed into investment hub?

Foreign investments in Palestine accounted in 2017 for $1.5 billion, mostly in the tourism and banking sectors, with Palestine offering a range of encouraging incentives.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hands U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman a letter of appreciation, during a reception held at the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem, ahead of the moving of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem, May 13, 2018. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RC12C6659B00

Jilted Democrats fume over Trump-Netanyahu lovefest

Democrats in Congress are taking aim at US Ambassador David Friedman as the deepening alliance between the US government and the Israeli right leaves them in the cold.

Netanyahu wants Abbas to pay for Gaza kite arson

Instead of punishing Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to punish Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for Gaza fire kites.

Likud minister takes gamble in bid for Jerusalem mayor

Minister Ze’ev Elkin showed political courage when he decided to run for mayor of Jerusalem, even though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ignored him.

Will Israel annex the Jordan Valley?

Instead of entertaining his fantasies about settlement blocs in the West Bank and the Jordan Valley, President Donald Trump should try to bring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu down to earth to an agreement on two states for two people.

Flaming kites, aid flotillas fill lull at Gaza border

As calm prevails for now on the Gaza border, Palestinian activists have turned to both peaceful and violent modes of resistance.