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July 30, 2026

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Analysis

Katz riles Iran, US as Netanyahu-Trump meeting raises questions

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had to settle for a brief meeting with President Donald Trump, while his defense minister, Israel Katz, appeared intent on provoking Iran by publicly disclosing sensitive intelligence.

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

Israel PM office

Netanyahu lauds 'excellent' Trump meeting as Israel pushes harder Iran line

Hours before the meeting, President Donald Trump signaled impatience with the Israeli leader.

Latest News

On eighth visit, Israel’s Netanyahu seeks to repair ties with Trump

Trump Netanyahu

Analysis

Why US carriers unlikely to rush back to Beirut as Trump lifts Lebanon flight ban

JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Analysis

Ahead of Trump meeting, Netanyahu lays groundwork for Israel to rejoin Iran war

GIL COHEN-MAGEN / AFP via Getty Images

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 Arabs see through Netanyahu's apology

Israeli Arabs are unimpressed by the apology of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his words during last year's election, sure that his apology video was directed at European ears.

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry speaks during a joint press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem July 10, 2016 REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RTSH5NN

Will Hamas accept new Egypt-brokered deal with Israel?

Egypt is making efforts in sealing an exchange deal between Israel and Hamas, yet observers question whether Hamas will accept it given the strained ties between the movement and Cairo.

What Saudi Arabia can offer Israel

The unofficial visit by a retired Saudi general to Israel was a quiet overture that indicated Riyadh is willing to explore normalization with Israel in return for advancing the 2002 Arab Peace Initiative.

The father (C, back) of Israeli soldier Elor Azaria (C, seated), who is charged with manslaughter by the Israeli military after he shot a wounded Palestinian assailant as he lay on the ground in Hebron on March 24, prays behind him in a military court during a remand hearing for his case, near the southern Israeli city of Kiryat Malachi, March 31, 2016. Picture taken March 31, 2016. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RTX2AHZ0

Are IDF soldiers shooting Palestinians against orders?

The trial of IDF soldier Elor Azaria, who is suspected of shooting a Palestinian assailant on the ground, must bring back to the spotlight other cases where IDF soldiers shot Palestinians who didn't threaten their lives.

U.S. President Barack Obama meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval office of the White House in Washington November 9, 2015. The two leaders meet here today for the first time since the Israeli leader lost his battle against the Iran nuclear deal, with Washington seeking his re-commitment to a two-state solution with the Palestinians. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RTS66FE

Can Israel close US aid deal before US elections?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is being pressured by his associates and the security system to conclude the US security aid deal with the current administration.

A man distributes the daily newspaper Israel Hayom at a train station in the southern city of Ashkelon, Israel November 19, 2015. Critics say Netanyahu, known as "Bibi," is hitting the wrong note when it comes to the media, weakening press freedom and holding sway over TV broadcasters in a country that bills itself as the Middle East's only true democracy. Since 2007, U.S. casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson, a major Netanyahu supporter, has published a free handout called Israel Hayom, Israel Today. It now

How Bibi turned media wrath from a curse into an asset

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is always complaining about the press, allegedly against him, while promoting his own freebie newspaper.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) sits next to Israeli Public security Minister Gilad Erdan during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem April 10, 2016. REUTERS/Gali Tibbon/Pool - RTX29ADY

Do Israeli police take a soft stance on far-right incitement?

Israeli web surfers post comments that incite hatred against Arabs, and the police are doing little to stop them.

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men walk behind Israeli soldiers at the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem's Old City February 22, 2012. The Israeli Defence Force (IDF) has always been a 'Jewish' army. Its rations are kosher, its chaplains are rabbis, and it operates - with the exception of wartime - around the festival calendar. It has never drafted soldiers from Israel's 20-percent Arab minority. But its Jewish identity has always been more cultural than religious. IDF personnel data suggests

Series of scandals rocks Israeli Orthodox Zionism

The gay-hate speech of Rabbi Yigal Levenstein, past statements by IDF Chief Rabbi Eyal Karim and the indictment of Gen. Ofek Buchris on alleged rape must drive Orthodox Zionism to do some serious soul-searching.

An Israeli air force drone is seen flying over Gaza as seen from the northern Gaza strip border April 9, 2011. Israel killed four Palestinian militants and wounded half a dozen others as it pursued air raids in Gaza for a third day on Saturday, responding to increased rocket fire out of the territory, local medics said.

REUTERS/Darren Whiteside (ISRAEL - Tags: MILITARY SOCIETY IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTR2L11O

Who sent mystery drone into Israeli airspace?

Israel's air force is investigating a triple failure to bring down a drone that flew over the Golan Heights and is still unidentified.

B'Tselem field researcher Iyad Hadad (2nd R) listens to a testimony from a Palestinian farmer, who said his land was damaged in an attack by Israeli settlers, in the West Bank village of Turmus Aya near Ramallah June 8, 2015. B'Tselem is an Israeli NGO that has long been a bane of the government, tirelessly flagging human rights abuses by Israel's military in the Palestinian territories. Set up by a group of academics, lawyers, journalists and politicians more than 25 years ago, the organisation - whose nam

Palestinians concerned about new Israeli NGO law

Palestinians working with B’Tselem and other human rights organizations are worried that the new Knesset law will restrict their work.

Israeli soldiers from the 605 Combat Engineering Corps battalion take part in a training session on the Israeli side of the border between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights June 1, 2016.REUTERS/Baz Ratner - RTX2F6VN

Will Israel create safe zone in southern Syria?

According to Syrian opposition figures, Israel is increasingly interested in creating a safe zone in southern Syria, and actions on the ground suggest that such a project may be underway.

Participants take part in the annual Gay Pride parade in Jerusalem July 21, 2016. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RTSJ32P

The triumph of Jerusalem's Gay Pride Parade

The large participation of politicians and of figures from the Orthodox-Zionist stream at the Jerusalem Gay Pride Parade was a victory for liberalism over incitement against the LGBTQ community.