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

Israel cover image

Israel

May 16, 2026

Tel Aviv 11:14 am

23°C

talks

Breaking | Last Updated: May 15, 2026, 2:49 pm

Lebanon-Israel ceasefire extended 45 days as US opens security talks

The Pentagon will host Israeli and Lebanese military delegations for a round of separate security talks later this month.

US President Donald Trump talks to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as he departs the Al Bateen Executive Airport on May 15, 2025, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Analysis

‘A reckless act’: Netanyahu sparks UAE fury by claiming secret visit

Just as UAE-Israeli relations were deepening through cooperation against Iran, the Israeli prime minister publicly embarrassed Abu Dhabi by revealing his March visit.

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

Israel's Netanyahu suing New York Times over column on Palestinian rape

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rejected New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof's accusations of systematic sexual abuse and rape of Palestinian prisoners, calling the claims a "blood libel."

Latest News

Analysis

Israel’s drone dilemma: Hezbollah’s low-cost threat reshapes Lebanon front

Artillery units are positioned near the Lebanese border in northern Israel, May 4, 2026.

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

EU ministers agree to sanction violent West Bank settlers: What to know

Two men stand next to the burned remains of a Palestinian vehicle in the Wadi al-Rakhim area of Susya village in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on May 1, 2026.

Netanyahu fears being left out as Trump pursues Iran diplomacy

Ronen Zvulun / AFP via Getty Images

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

Palestinian PM turns to Jordan first

The Palestinian prime minister’s visit to Amman has given a boost to the potential that Jordan can provide a serious alternative to economic dependency on Israel.

Why Likud members follow Netanyahu

The charisma of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his discourse about persecution by the country's elites encourage Likud supporters to identify with him.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a joint statment, at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, July 19, 2018. Debbie Hill/Pool via Reuters - RC15A2D3CB00

Is Netanyahu concerned about anti-Semitic rulers?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu befriends far-right leaders, such as Hungary’s Victor Orban, and keeps silent when his close ally, President Donald Trump, invites to the White House an anti-Semitic cartoonist.

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they pose on the West Wing colonnade in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 25, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis - RC1AE2447D80

Will Trump follow suit if Israel attacks Iran?

Ahead of the 2020 US presidential elections, President Donald Trump might decide to back Israel militarily, if it decides to attack Iran.

Members of Palestinian security forces loyal to Hamas stand while searching for missing or dead militants after Israel blew up a cross-border tunnel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip November 3, 2017. Picture taken November 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa - RC13FEDDA970

Why Hamas changes strategy, privileges arrangement with Israel

Hamas is not interested in a war with Israel, despite the attack tunnel recently discovered by the Israel Defense Forces.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chats with Ayman Odeh, head of the Joint Arab List, in the plenum at the knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem December 26, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RC1BD157DCB0

Unification of Arab parties bad news for Netanyahu

The Israeli-Arab public is tired of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign against them, tired of Israeli politics and tired of unfulfilled promises.

Palestinians rally in response to Kuwaiti support

Kuwait adopted an unparalleled pro-Palestinian stance by boycotting the US economic workshop in Manama and rejecting the economic plan preceding the introductions of the "deal of the century"; Kuwait's actions were hailed by Palestinians at both the official and popular levels.

Will Palestinian private sector rescue national economy?

Business owners are trying to launch an initiative to lend the financially struggling Palestinian Authority as much as $200 million, but this effort has yet to take shape.

Why is Hamas test-firing missiles?

Hamas has recently intensified its test-firing of missiles in what experts say conveys a message to Israel whereby the movement is ready for war.

Israel’s Likud campaigns to attract Russian-speaking voters

The Likud party launched a campaign designed to attract Israeli-Russian voters and "steal" them from the Israeli-Russian party, Yisrael Beitenu.

New Israeli pipeline makes its way to Gaza

An Israeli water company has started working on extending a water pipeline from Israel to Gaza with Qatari funding.

Why is the Jordan Valley so important to Israel?

Palestinians in the Jordan Valley face daily incursions and land grabs by the Israeli army and settlers, actions that aim to reinforce Israel's policy of maintaining control over the valley at any cost.