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

Israel cover image

Israel

August 2, 2026

Tel Aviv 10:31 am

31°C

US President Donald Trump walks to board Marine One on the Ellipse near the White House in Washington, DC, on July 31, 2026. President Trump is traveling to Camp David in Maryland to hold a cabinet meeting and later to Bedminster, New Jersey to spend the weekend at his golf club. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

No Iran commitment, no Trump endorsement: Netanyahu leaves US empty-handed

The Israeli prime minister described Tuesday's meeting with US President Donald Trump was the "best ever," but diplomatic sources say he left the Washington with little tangibles.

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

Win McNamee/Getty Images

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

Latest News

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

Israel PM office

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

Trump Netanyahu

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

Will Palestinians declare independence in June 2017?

After 50 years of occupation, Palestinians intend to declare the establishment of an independent state in June 2017.

Ayman Odeh (C), leader of the Joint Arab list, and Dov Khenin (L), a fellow party member and member of parliament, take part in a left-wing protest in light of recent Palestinian-Israeli violence in Tel Aviv, Israel October 9, 2015. In the past 10 days, four Israelis have been shot or stabbed to death in Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank, and at least a dozen have been wounded by Palestinians wielding knives or screwdrivers in stabbings in Tel Aviv and other Israeli cities. Three Palestinians have also b

Have Israeli-Arab parties sided with Hezbollah?

Israeli Arab parties Balad and Hadash condemned the decision by the GCC to label Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, which leaves many Israelis puzzled by this decision.

An Israeli soldier prays at a military staging area just outside the northern Gaza Strip December 29, 2008. Israeli aircraft attacked Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip for a third day on Monday and militants launched a fatal rocket attack on Israel in defiance of an offensive that has killed more than 300 Palestinians. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (ISRAEL) - RTR22WIM

Why some IDF soldiers refuse to surrender their beards

Ultra-Orthodox Jews and secular hipsters are unlikely allies in battling a new IDF regulation that requires them to shave their beards.

ATTENTION EDITORS - VISUALS COVERAGE OF SCENES OF DEATH OR INJURY Mourners carry the body of Palestinian Ahmad Aamer, 16, who the Israeli military said was shot dead by Israeli soldiers after he tried to stab them, during his funeral in the West Bank village of Mas'ha near Salfit March 9, 2016. REUTERS/Abed Omar Qusini - RTSA1XR

Why some Palestinians believe that 'death is the solution, not the problem'

Seeing no political will to improve their circumstances, some young Palestinians appear to see killing Israelis as the only way to end the occupation and their misery.

Why Facebook, WhatsApp and Snapchat should cooperate with Israel

The individual intifada is being fed by online social networks, which is why it is almost impossible to stop, unless the social network giants decide to help.

IRGC commander: We are not pulling troops from Syria

Following the firing of two ballistic missiles, an Iranian commander said that US pressure would only bring about more tests and said Iran would continue sending troops to Syria.

Hit film's kiss gets Arab-Israeli teacher fired

Arab-Israeli teacher Ali Muasi was dismissed by the mayor of his city for screening the Oscar-nominated film "Omar" after Salafist groups denounced the film's "inappropriate" content.

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.