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

Israel cover image

Israel

September 20, 2026

Tel Aviv 6:20 am

23°C

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron arrive to hold a joint press conference in Jerusalem, Oct. 24, 2023.

Analysis

After France's settlement ban, Israel sees no warming of ties with Macron government

Israeli diplomats say France’s decision to ban imports from West Bank settlements has brought bilateral relations to an unprecedented low point.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman looks on as he attends a trade agreement signature ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris on August 24, 2026. (Photo by LOU BENOIST / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

How Netanyahu is leveraging Houthi threat in secret Saudi normalization push

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to capitalize on Riyadh's need for intelligence assistance to make normalization headway ahead of the October elections.

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

OLIVER BUNIC/AFP via Getty Images

Serbia opens factory to assemble Israeli-made drones: What to know

Serbian President Vucic said the factory will put together “state-of-the-art” Israeli-designed drones and employ around 100 workers.

Royal Air Maroc Boeing 787-9 'Dreamliner' aircraft

Israel, Morocco agree to exchange ambassadors, open embassies

The move will mark the first time Morocco and Israel have exchanged ambassadors.

Latest News

Culture

Israeli show ‘Fauda’ tops Netflix in Lebanon, hits top 10 across Arab states

ISRAEL-ENTERTAINMENT-TELEVISION-POLITICS-GOVERNMENT-MASS-MEDIA-D (L to R) Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff, co-creators of the hit Israeli TV show "Fauda", attend a demonstration against the Israeli government's plans to shut-down public broadcaster KAN, in Israel's Mediterranean coastal city of Tel Aviv on January 25, 2023. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Explainer

Why France is pushing to keep UNIFIL in Lebanon beyond 2026

UN peacekeepers stand next to an armored vehicle during a patrol in southern Lebanon, Feb. 22, 2026.

Exclusive

Lacking deterrence, Israel’s security establishment opposes attacks on Houthis

Fighters loyal to the Houthi authorities, brandish their weapons during a rally to recruit more fighters, in Sanaa on September 10, 2026. The country relapsed into war in July after years of calm, drawn into the regional conflict triggered by the US-Israeli offensive against Iran that began at the end of February. (Photo by Mohammed HUWAIS / AFP via Getty Images)

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

Analysis

Europe’s West Bank trade ban fires warning shot at Israel’s economy

Jewish settlement of Kedumim, in the West Bank

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

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

Israel's center-left fears opposing Netanyahu on Iran

The center-left's flaccid leadership on security and diplomatic issues is once again on display, with pronouncements in line with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's agenda.

Netanyahu’s strategy of chaos

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mistakenly thought that by appointing his associates to key positions in the police and the judicial system, he could protect himself from investigations.

Palestinian members of al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement, take part in a military parade marking the 27th anniversary of Hamas' founding, in Gaza City December 14, 2014. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY ANNIVERSARY) - GM1EACE1NB801

Hamas, Fatah ignore elephant in the room, for now

Egypt believes that building trust between Hamas and Fatah should precede clarifying the remaining difficult issues between them, such as what to do about Hamas’ military wing.

Palestinian farmers go global to claim their rights

Palestine will witness the birth of the first movement of farmers in the Arab world, which will advocate the rights of Palestinian farmers before Arab, regional and international institutions.

A holy shrine of the Baha'i faith is seen in the northern Israeli city of Haifa in this November 16, 2006 picture. Founded in the 19th century by a Persian nobleman, Baha'i is considered by some scholars to be an offshoot of Islam. The faith sees itself as an independent religion and its 5 million followers are spread across more than 190 countries. Picture taken November 16, 2006. To match feature ISRAEL BAHAI/ REUTERS/Ammar Awad (ISRAEL) - GM1DUAMZIIAB

Israel’s first international film festival hits 33

The Haifa Film Festival, known for its fine selection of documentaries, launched new categories this year, such as foodie and environmental cinema.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem October 1, 2017. REUTERS/Sebastian Scheiner/Pool - RC1D7A832710

Netanyahu’s engineered image

For Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his family history and memories are turned into tools to promote his image in Israel and around the world.

Israeli tech companies start contracting in Gaza

Israeli IT companies have started contracting Gazan engineers to work on projects in a move that will not please Hamas but could improve Gaza's economy.

Trump’s policies radicalize Israeli, Palestinian stances

President Donald Trump’s shift toward more radical policy positions on the Middle East is generating a radicalization in the tactical positions of both Israelis and Palestinians.

Exploiting Palestinian workers is not ‘economic peace’

Palestinians increasingly depend on Israel’s goodwill to open its gates for poor West Bank workers.

Israel, Hezbollah exchange threats of imminent war

As Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Israeli government continue to warn each other of a coming cataclysm, both sides predict it would take place in Syria as well as Lebanon this time.

Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Metropolitan Theophilos (2nd R) takes part in the Easter Sunday mass procession inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem's Old City, May 1, 2016. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - S1BETBNQAEAA

Are days numbered for Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox patriarch?

The Greek Orthodox community in Palestine and Jordan is in open revolt against Patriarch Theophilos III over the sale of church lands to Israel and Israelis.

FILE PHOTO 1OCT49 - Jewish immigrants from Yemen in a tent encampment in 1949 as they are visited by Israeli nurses. Many Jewish immigrants of Sephardic origin from North Africa and the Middle East were shipped to Israeli development town when they arrived, while many of the European, or Ashkenazi, immigrants were able to start their new lives in Israel's cities with promising jobs. Most of the Yemenites arrived in Israel during "Operation Magic Carpet" in the late 1940's. In the 1950's and 60's some 300,00

Will Israel finally take responsibility for kidnapped Yemeni babies?

Over the last year, the long-running affair of Israeli-Yemenite babies kidnapped and put up for adoption has risen on the public and political agendas.