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

Israel cover image

Israel

May 31, 2026

Tel Aviv 12:58 am

21°C

Smoke rises following an Israeli airstrike in Jarjoua, southern Lebanon, on May 13, 2026.

Lebanon and Israel hold military talks at Pentagon despite Israeli offensive: What to know

A renewed Israeli offensive in southern Lebanon aims to extract concessions from Beirut in US-brokered diplomatic talks, but Lebanese military officials say there is no path forward until Israel halts its attacks and returns to the April ceasefire.

PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 29: (EDITOR'S NOTE: Alternate crop) U.S. President Donald Trump welcomes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to his Mar-a-Lago club on December 29, 2025 in Palm Beach, Florida. The two leaders are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting to discuss regional security in the Middle East as well as the U.S.-Israel partnership. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Exclusive

Trump 'hit the brakes': Netanyahu's circle faults US president for failed Iran regime change, looming deal

With regime in Iran still standing and a possible US-Iran agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stands to pay the ultimate political price as elections near in Israel.

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

Ibrahim AMRO / AFP via Getty Images

Israel strikes Lebanon's capital Beirut for first time in 3 weeks: What to know

According to Israeli media, Ali al-Husseini, the commander of the missile unit in the Imam Hussein Division, a brigade affiliated with Iran’s Quds Force that operates alongside Hezbollah, was the target of the attack.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, (R) shakes hands with Viktor Orban, Hungary's prime minister, during a news conference on April 3, 2025 in Budapest, Hungary.

With Hungary’s ICC U-turn, Israel loses a key European ally

Hungary’s parliament voted to remain in the International Criminal Court, reversing a planned withdrawal and marking a shift in Budapest’s approach to Israel and the EU.

Latest News

Who was Mohammed Odeh, Hamas military commander killed by Israel in Gaza?

Omar AL-QATTAA / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

'Very bad news’: Israel alarmed as Trump pushes ahead toward Iran deal

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

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

Israel strikes near Lebanon’s Qaraoun dam as war intensifies: What to know

A partial view shows a drainage vacuum hole on the lake of Qaraoun in Lebanon's southern Beqaa Valley on April 5, 2019.

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

A man walks near a "for rent" sign posted on a newly-built residential building in Jaffa, just south of central Tel Aviv, January 4, 2010. Almost 500 Arab families are struggling to keep a toehold in Ajami, the Arab section of Jaffa that is rapidly becoming an artsy alternative to the brash modernity of Israel's metropolis Tel Aviv next door. Picture taken January 4, 2010. To match feature ISRAEL-ARABS/PROPERTY REUTERS/Gil Cohen Magen (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS BUSINESS SOCIETY) - RTR28TF5

Will Israel's finance minister be able to lower housing prices?

During his election campaign, Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon promised to lower housing prices, but is now finding it hard to fulfill his promise and working to lower the expectations of his disappointed public.

Are Israel's Arabs losing hope for peace?

The Pew Research Center found in a survey conducted at the end of 2014 and in early 2015 that Israeli Arabs are much more religious than Jews, while most of those polled share the view that a two-state solution is slipping away.

Why is Middle Eastern culture missing from Israeli schoolbooks?

Many doubt that a renewed effort to include more about Middle Eastern culture in the Israeli educational curriculum will meet with success given the poor results of earlier efforts.

An Israeli man holds up a flag atop a hill overlooking the Gaza Strip in the southern town of Sderot July 20, 2014. More than 60 Palestinians and 13 Israeli soldiers were killed as Israel shelled a Gaza neighbourhood and battled militants on Sunday in the bloodiest fighting in a near two-week-old offensive. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (ISRAEL - Tags: CONFLICT CIVIL UNREST POLITICS) - RTR3ZFUS

Are Israeli Jews racist?

Two surveys published recently find a link between Jewish-Orthodox identity and discriminatory opinions against Israeli-Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) speaks with Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, Russia, September 21, 2015. Netanyahu said his visit to Moscow on Monday was aimed at preventing clashes between Russian and Israeli military forces in the Middle East. REUTERS/Ivan Sekretarev/Pool - RTS25BW

Why Israel needs Putin more than it needs Erdogan

Reconciliation with Turkey is stalled, possibly due to Israeli-Russian security interests regarding Syria, Lebanon and Hezbollah, as well as Russian hostility to Israeli-Turkish rapprochement.

Israeli ties with Egypt may be thawing, but no 'love and warmth' just yet

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Zionist Camp Knesset member Ksenia Svetlova claims that while progress is being made, Egyptian society is still influenced by anti-Israeli discourse and not yet ready for normalization.

A Palestinian woman looks out her apartment in a residential buildings, that witnesses said was heavily damaged by Israeli shelling during a 50-day war last summer, in Beit Lahiya town in the northern Gaza Strip May 25, 2015. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem

TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTX1EI6U

Will expelling families of Palestinian attackers to Gaza stop terror?

A proposal to expel the families of Palestinians who attack Israelis to Gaza could motivate relatives remaining in the West Bank to commit revenge attacks.

Is Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution almost dead?

Iran poised to exploit the declining fortunes of the Palestinian Authority as Israel expands West Bank settlements; Syrian government forces prepare for a showdown in Raqqa; The Washington Post refers to Jaish al-Islam as a "rebel" group; Al-Monitor Syria Timeline includes commentary from Ambassador Ryan Crocker and others.

How a crude sex joke revived a partisan fight in Israel

By accusing right-wing TV host Erel Segal of sexual harassment over a crude TV skit about her, Zionist Camp Knesset member Stav Shaffir let him turn an essential debate on women's rights into a feud between the right and the left camps.

What's behind Israel's call for 'economic peace'?

The "economic peace" proposed by Israel to the Palestinians resembles more economic colonialism than economic ties between equal partners.

Why is Israel detaining a clown?

Circus artists around the world are protesting the arrest and detention of Palestinian performer Mohammad Abu Sakha.

After terrorist label, what is GCC's next move against Hezbollah?

Iranian officials and media have condemned the decision by the Gulf Cooperation Council to label the Lebanese group Hezbollah a terrorist organization and believe more anti-Hezbollah actions are on the way.