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

Israel cover image

Israel

August 2, 2026

Tel Aviv 7:52 pm

32°C

An Egyptian man looks at the Qatari Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carrier "Duhail" as its passes through the Suez Canal near the Egyptian port city of Ismailia on April 1, 2008. The vessel has a capacity of 210,100 cu.m making it one of the largest LNG carriers constructed to date. AFP PHOTO/STR (Photo credit should read -/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

How strike on Damietta port exposes Egypt's energy infrastructure risks

The unclaimed attack on the port of Damietta could draw Egypt further into the US-Iran conflict as experts point to growing threats to critical infrastructure in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

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

Latest News

Analysis

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

Win McNamee/Getty Images

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

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

Israel PM office

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

TO GO WITH AFP STORY BY GAVIN RABINOWITZ
An Israeli man tastes honey at a store in the town of Kfar Ruth near Tel Aviv on September 10, 2009. In recent years the Israeli taste for honey has been gradually changing -- it is no longer viewed just as a sweetener or a ceremonial condiment, but as a fine food to be explored and savoured, much like a good wine. AFP PHOTO/JONATHAN NACKSTRAND (Photo credit should read JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP/Getty Images)

The growing Israeli corruption problem

Israelis view corruption as the price for getting things done, but it’s in all layers of the governance, despite the economic, social and moral consequences.

EU leadership divided over settlements

According to Israeli Knesset Speaker Yuli Edelstein, the president of the European Parliament opposes labeling settlement products, despite the official EU position.

Is Abbas spinning his wheels by meeting with Israelis?

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has had numerous meetings with various Israeli delegations in hopes of resuming the peace talks stalled since 2014.

Israeli-Arab candidate who is member of a Joint List of Arab parties Ahmad Tibi (L) delivers a speech next to Israeli Arab political leader and leader of the joint list of Arab parties, Ayman Odeh, at the party's headquarters in the city of Nazareth on March 17, 2015 as they react to exit poll figures. The Joint List grouping Israel's main Arab parties took third place in Tuesday's general election, winning 13 seats, exit polls showed. AFP PHOTO / AHMAD GHARABLI (Photo credit should read AHMAD GHARAB

Israeli Arabs take their message to the White House

Arab Knesset member Ahmad Tibi (Joint List) tells Al-Monitor that Obama administration officials he met with in Washington are concerned about discrimination against Israeli Arabs.

Israeli policemen stand guard at the scene of a stabbing attack in Jerusalem October 30, 2015. Knife-wielding Palestinians attacked Israelis in Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Bank and one of assailants was shot dead, police said. Five people, including two suspected Palestinian assailants, were wounded in the incidents at an Israeli paramilitary police checkpoint outside the West Bank city of Nablus and a light rail station in East Jerusalem, ambulance officials said. REUTERS/Ammar Awad - RTX1TYCM

Were these Knesset members wrong to meet with the families of attackers?

Joint List Knesset members are shouting over the din to explain that their controversial visit to families of attackers was to discuss releasing the bodies of their sons and not a demonstration of solidarity.

Undeterred by closures, Hamas still boasts of tunnel advantage

Despite setbacks, Hamas has been digging more tunnels and continues to flaunt them as a strategic weapon against Israel in propaganda videos.

The death of the Arab Israeli dream

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Knesset member Issawi Frej of Meretz accused the government of creating an atmosphere permitting the targeting and persecution of Arabs and for ignoring the problem of violence in Arab Israeli communities.

Why some Israelis are taking to social media to expose sexual harassment

Israeli society is undergoing a transformation as women talk about sexual harassment on social media, which is becoming the public arena for exposing misconduct instead of filing a complaint with the police.

Netanyahu’s threats recall Gaza's last war

Military preparations by Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip are raising speculation that a new war is on the way.

Palestinians, Israelis face off on Facebook

As the armed attacks against Israelis decrease, another kind of intifada has emerged on social networking sites as Palestinians and Israelis confront each other using Twitter and Facebook.

France, Egypt push two-state solution conference

Egypt is contemplating its own initiative in order to restart Israeli-Palestinian negotiations on a two-state solution in coordination with the French Foreign Ministry’s initiative.

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish boys hold flags during a rally organised to welcome Rabbi Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, in Jerusalem's Mea Shearim neighbourhood January 20, 2013. Local media said that Rabbi Zalman Leib Teitelbaum, son of the late Rabbi Moses Teitelbaum, leader of the Satmar Hasidim landed in Israel on Sunday for the wedding of his granddaughter which will take place later in the week. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM - Tags: RELIGION) - RTR3CPHG

What happens when an anti-Zionist rabbi visits Israel

On a rare visit to Israel, the anti-Zionist Satmar Rabbi distributed money to ultra-Orthodox institutions that refuse to receive state funding.