Israeli-Palestinian conflict

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan receives Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Turkish House in New York, on Sept. 19, 2023.

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.

Amberin Zaman

By Amberin Zaman

Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture

JACK GUEZ / AFP via Getty Images

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.

Adam Lucente

By Adam Lucente

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Pedestrians cross a street in front of a banner featuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

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.

Mazal Mualem

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.

Latest News

Sisi says Egypt has no ‘territorial ambitions’ after Israel’s Smotrich threatens Sinai

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi attends a joint statements and agreements during the EU and Egypt summit in Brussels, on Oct. 22, 2025.

Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar sues Netanyahu for nearly $1M over Oct. 7 claims

Israel's Chief of the Mossad David Barnea (R) and Security Agency director Ronen Bar, attend a ceremony marking the Hebrew calendar anniversary of the Hamas attack on October 7 last year that sparked the ongoing war in Gaza, at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem on October 27, 2024. (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by GIL COHEN-MAGEN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Explainer

Israel-UK relations hit new low over settlements, Gaza: What to know

The British Consulate General in east Jerusalem represents the British government in Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza during a protest against the recently announced British sanctions, aimed at economic activity in Israeli settlements in the West Bank, on Sept. 14, 2026, in Jerusalem.

West Bank olive harvest begins amid settler attacks on Palestinians, groves

Palestinian men sitting in and by a tractor look on after another man was injured by gunfire whilst being chased away by Israeli forces, in Aqraba in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on Oct. 6, 2026.

Will EU sanction Israel over annexation plans?

European Union foreign ministers might consider threatening Israel with sanctions, in an effort to thwart Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan to annex parts of the West Bank.

A Jewish shepherd wears a prayer shawl as he stands near houses in the Israeli settlement of Mitzpe Yericho in the Jordan Valley in the Israeli-occupied West Bank January 27, 2020. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RC2COE9DADQT

Poll: Most Israeli Jews support annexing parts of West Bank

The poll for April from the Israel Democracy Institute found differing opinions between the left and right and Jewish and Arab Israelis.

Netanyahu’s future coalition, without the settlers?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu got the recommendation of 72 Knesset members for him to form and lead Israel’s next government, but the list does not include the signatures of his allies from the Yamina party.

A festive Ramadan float drives through a street in East Jerusalem to bring celebrations to people under the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) movement restrictions, May 3, 2020. Picture taken on May 3, 2020 REUTERS/ Ammar Awad - RC2NHG90NRE2

In Israel, coronavirus crisis improves Jewish-Arab relations

Contrary to past emergency situations, the COVID-19 crisis seems to have helped improve the relationship between the Jewish and Arab communities.

A view shows the Jewish settlement of Modiin Illit in the background and the Israeli barrier in the foreground in the village of Bilin, where a Friday anti-Israel weekly protest is held, as the area is seen empty of Palestinian demonstrators amid concerns of the spread of the coronavirus disease, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank March 20, 2020. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman - RC2PNF9HQOZQ

Israel announces major settlement construction project

Israel officially plans to build new settlement housing units in the West Bank as the country builds momentum for annexation with some US support.

Democratic U.S. presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign stop at Tougaloo College in Tougaloo, Mississippi, U.S., March 8, 2020. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid - RC2YFF9OJ3JY

Intel: Biden vows to reopen Palestinian delegation in Washington

Presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency on Tuesday that he would move to reopen the Palestinian delegation in Washington, which President Donald Trump closed in 2018.

GAZA, Feb. 24, 2020 -- Militants in the Gaza Strip fire rockets to Israeli cities on Feb. 24, 2020. Israeli war jets on Monday struck posts that belong to Palestinian militant group in Gaza Strip for the second day in a row, according to Palestinian security sources. Israeli army said in a press statement that it has began targeting Islamic Jihad posts in Gaza. (Photo by Yasser Qudih/Xinhua via Getty)

Gaza rocket shakes calm on border with Israel

After 40 days of calm and with ongoing contacts to arrange a prisoner-swap deal a rocket was fired from Gaza at Israel’s southern communities.

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 30: U.S. Vice President Joe Biden addresses the 4th National J Street Conference at the Washington Convention Center September 30, 2013 in Washington, D.C. J Street is a nonprofit advocacy group made up primarily of Jews based in the U.S. which says it aims to promote American leadership in ending the Arab-Israeli and Israel-Palestinian conflicts through diplomacy. (Photo by Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images)

Intel: J Street launches push to include Palestinian rights in Democratic Party platform

The left-leaning lobby group J street endorsed a letter today featuring 32 foreign policy professionals urging the Democratic National Committee to make Palestinian rights part of its 2020 platform.

A demonstrator holding a Palestinian flag stands amongst Israeli border police members during a protest against Israeli settlements and the U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan, in Jordan Valley in the Israeli-occupied West Bank February 25, 2020. REUTERS/Raneen Sawafta - RC2O7F96E3FQ

Can Jordan stop Israeli annexation?

The next two months will be politically fraught if the Israeli coalition agreement allows a vote on annexation, but how much can Jordan do?

Israel, PA agree on return of construction workers

Israel and the Palestinian Authority have agreed on the conditions for the return of some 50,000 workers, mostly in the construction sector.

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., March 14, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque - RC1BEFE58C00

Was Trump’s call about oil with Saudi leader the start of a reset in relations?

US-Saudi partnership faces both old and new challenges in post-COVID-19 Middle East.

The International Criminal Court building is seen in The Hague, Netherlands, January 16, 2019. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw - RC14D4234680

Instead of attacking, Israel now ignores ICC

With the coronavirus spreading, Israel’s political echelon paid no attention to the announcement by ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda about charging Israel for war crimes.