Analysis What’s at stake for Turkey as Israel heads to the polls? Israel’s Oct. 27 election could offer a chance to ease tensions with Ankara, but competing ambitions in Syria and beyond threaten to push the two US allies toward a dangerous confrontation. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Feature 50,000 Israeli expats fly home to vote in potential boon to Netanyahu rivals Israel prohibits voting from abroad with limited exceptions, and Israelis who spoke to Al-Monitor said they are especially motivated to fly home this year. By Adam Lucente In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change
Analysis How Israel opposition infighting is boosting Netanyahu days before election Discord within the opposition, including its reluctance to name a single candidate for prime minister ahead of the Oct. 27 election, is working in Netanyahu’s favor. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
In first, Israel’s Netanyahu says he held call with Syria’s Ahmed al-Sharaa It is the first publicly disclosed contact between the leaders of Israel and Syria, which lack formal relations and have fought several wars. Sharaa’s government began US-mediated talks with Israel in 2025. Syria
Palestinians ready to talk peace after US presidential election, says top Abbas adviser Majdi Khaldi, senior diplomatic adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, says the Palestinians are ready for an international peace conference in early 2021, noting that a Biden administration would be "more committed to international law." Palestine
Palestinian Authority targets Dahlan’s supporters in West Bank Supporters of the exiled Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan appear to be taking the brunt of the Fatah leadership's anger, with rounds of political arrests. Palestine
An open letter to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Yossi Beilin, who participated in the back-channel negotiations leading the 1993 Oslo Accord, pens an open letter to the Palestinian president calling on him to stay focused on making peace. Palestine
Honduras to move Israel embassy to Jerusalem by year's end The announcement follows a phone call between Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel
Israel’s Gulf diplomacy and its discontents As Israel and its new regional partners begin trade talks, Palestinians, Israeli Arabs and the Israeli left are on the sidelines. United Arab Emirates
Family of Palestinian boy disfigured in 2015 firebomb attack still seeking justice An Israeli court sentenced to life imprisonment the Jewish settler behind the 2015 arson attack in the village of Duma in the northern West Bank, which killed three members of the Dawabsha family, but the family says the court’s decision is not enough. Palestine
Will Netanyahu now make peace with Israel's Arab citizens? Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is eager to expand normalization beyond Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, but many Israeli Arabs would prefer that normalization begin at home. Originals
UAE, Bahrain sign Israel deals at White House ceremony Trump said “there’s more to follow” as Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain sign the US-mediated normalization deals. United Arab Emirates
Israel expands campaign to seize West Bank archaeological sites Israel gave notice of seizure of two new archaeological sites in the West Bank, in an endless series of targeting such sites in Palestinian areas. Palestine
Israeli sentenced to life in prison for 2015 murder of Palestinian toddler, parents Amiram Ben-Uliel was handed three life sentences for firebombing a Palestinian home in 2015, killing three of the family members inside. Israel
Israel's home demolitions in West Bank spiked during pandemic: UN From March to August, 389 Palestinian-owned structures were razed in the West Bank, the United Nations said. Israel
How a second Trump term could shift Russia’s stance on Syria Bahrain, UAE peace deals compel Palestinian rethink on strategy. United Arab Emirates