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Israel

September 27, 2026

Tel Aviv 9:59 pm

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Analysis

Can Netanyahu turn Israel's UN isolation into strength at home?

The absence of a Trump meeting would have been awkward for Netanyahu, who has long portrayed himself to Israeli voters as uniquely close to the US president.

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

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu waves to delegates leaving before his UN speech

Delegates walk out as Netanyahu touts Iran war, slams Qatar and Turkey at UN

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's statement that the Golan Heights will "remain Syrian territory," while praising US President Donald Trump, whom he did not meet on the trip.

Leader of the Arab Israeli party Ra'am (United Arab List) Mansour Abbas (R) and Israeli politician Yoav Segalovitz (L) attend a news conference in Nazareth on August 31, 2026. Abbas announced that Segalovitz, an Israeli Jew, will join his party for the upcoming Israeli elections. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP via Getty Images)

Israel election committee bars two Arab lists from upcoming vote: What to know

Israel's Central Elections Committee barred the Arab-majority Raam party, the Arab joint list party and two Arab politicians from participating in the Oct. 27 elections.

ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Why Netanyahu is distancing himself from Trump ahead of Israeli election

No meeting has been announced between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit in New York.

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

Latest News

UAE's Gargash expects 'prolonged' war, calls for Iran-Gulf security talks

Gargash

United Arab Emirates

Analysis

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

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

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Analysis

How Netanyahu is leveraging Houthi threat in secret Saudi normalization push

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)

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

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

OLIVER BUNIC/AFP via Getty Images

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

Palestinian policemen loyal to Hamas keep guard as a fuel tanker arrives to Gaza's power plant in the central Gaza Strip December 15, 2013. Israel allowed the entry of 450,000 litres (119,000 U.S. gallons) of fuel, paid for by Qatar, into the Gaza Strip on Sunday to enable the Palestinian territory's sole power plant to resume operations. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (GAZA - Tags: ENERGY SOCIETY) - RTX16JDL

Taxes on fuel paralyze Gaza’s only power plant

By imposing the so-called blue tax on industrial diesel before it is sold in Gaza, the national consensus government in Ramallah is effectively paralyzing the only electrical power plant in the Gaza Strip.

Israelis take 'Bridge to Arabic'

The Arabic studies project of the Israeli Arab Jisr az-Zarqa village encourages its Jewish students to substitute part of their tuition with service to the village, to strengthen their ties with local Arab residents.

RAMALLAH, WEST BANK - DECEMBER 18: (ISRAEL OUT) Palestinians celebrate as they wait for the release of Palestinian prisoners on December 18, 2011 in Ramallah, West Bank. Israel released 550 Palestinian prisoners to complete a swap deal which brought about the release of captive soldier Gilad Shalit. (Photo by Uriel Sinai/Getty images)

Hamas makes release of detainees condition for negotiations

Hamas is making the release of the detainees of the 2011 prisoner exchange deal a condition for any future negotiations, saying that Israel did not abide by the agreements.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a conference, launching the Likud party's campaign in Russian, at Bar Ilan University near Tel Aviv February 9, 2014. Israeli officials are considering amending the format of Netanyahu's planned address to the U.S. Congress next month to try to calm some of the partisan furore the Iran-focused speech has provoked. Netanyahu is due to address a joint session of Congress about Iran's nuclear programme on March 3, just two weeks before Israeli elections, fol

Bibi-Obama duel continues

US and Israeli experts say that an agreement with Iran is not imminent, yet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insists on going ahead with his planned Congress speech, while damaging Israel's strategic relations with the United States.

Israel's Economy Minister Naftali Bennett (R), head of the far-right Jewish Home party, shakes hands with a Russian-speaking immigrant as he campaigns in the southern city of Ashkelon February 3, 2015. In this seaside city once ruled by the Greeks and Phoenicians but now largely populated by Russians, the talk in the caviar-stocked delis and jewellery stores is of upcoming elections and Israel's powerful Russian vote. Given that Soviet migrants make up 20 percent of Israel's Jewish population, their conserv

Anti-Arab racism becomes tool in Israeli elections

With elections around the corner, conservative Israeli politicians are feeding racism against Israeli Arabs, hoping to increase support at the ballot box.

An Israeli soldier speaks on his mobile phone at a military outpost on Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights over looking the Israel-Syria border February 4, 2015. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST CONFLICT) - RTR4O8R8

Hezbollah fears being squeezed from Syrian-Israeli borders

With Jabhat al-Nusra controlling the southern border area of Syria and reports on cooperation between the group and Israel, the Syrian-Israeli border has become an area of concern for Hezbollah and Iran.

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM: Israeli deputy and former speaker of the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, Avraham Burg, gives a speech on "Europe, against anti-semitism for a Union of diversity" 19 February 2004 at EU headquarters in Brussels. The aim of the seminar is to present proposals on how to address anti-semitism to the incoming EU executive which will replace the current one 01 November 2004. AFP PHOTO / THIERRY MONASSE (Photo credit should read THIERRY MONASSE/AFP/Getty Images)

Former Knesset speaker declares Zionism over

Former Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg has said that Zionism "expired" with the establishment of the Israeli state in 1948, and that society should move toward citizenship rather than nationalism.

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - JANUARY 23: (ISRAEL OUT) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waves to supporters with Former Israel Minister for Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman at his election campaign headquarters on Janurary 23, 2013 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Netanyahu was re-elected for a third term and will return to office, according to exit polls. Israel had the highest turnout of voters since 1999. (Photo by Lior Mizrahi /Getty Images)

Israeli right ditches effort to topple Netanyahu

Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, former Minister Moshe Kahlon and others are positioning themselves to join a possible right-wing coalition government after accepting the impossibility of toppling Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with votes from the center.

Israeli Labour Party leader Isaac Herzog (C-R) and former justice minister and Hatnuah party leader Tzipi Livni (L) wave during an election campaign meeting in Tel Aviv, on January 25, 2015 ahead of the March 17 general elections. Opposition Labour party head Isaac Herzog and Livni have made an alliance to contest Israel's snap general election. Most Israelis would like to see Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu replaced after March elections but, paradoxically, he is seen as most suitable for the job, an opi

Labor candidate calls for coalition with Arab parties

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Labor Party candidate Zuhair Bahloul calls upon the Arab parties to adopt a different strategy and demonstrate willingness to join a Labor-led coalition after the elections.

A pedestrian walks under a Labour party campaign billboard depicting party leader and Defence Minister Ehud Barak (C), Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv February 8, 2009. Surveys predict a narrow win in Tuesday's vote for hawkish ex-premier Netanyahu, his comeback fuelled by the inconclusive wars in southern Lebanon and Gaza, formerly areas under Israel's control and now bastions of hostile Islamists. REUTERS/Gil Cohen Magen (ISRAEL) - RTXB

Unity government a recipe for diplomatic disaster

Zionist Camp co-chair Isaac Herzog has refused to reject joining a unity government with the Likud, although the leftist parties in such governments typically end up serving as "defense attorney" for right-wing policies.

Obama: 'Iran’s program has not advanced'

US allies puzzled by March deadline for consideration of Senate sanctions bill; Iran’s gesture to Saudi Arabia; Iran’s man in Beirut; Erdogan’s anti-Western pivot; Aleppo’s fuel shortage; Israel reconciling to Hamas?

A man is reflected in a window at the entrance to the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jerusalem January 5, 2011. Russia's President Dmitry Medvedev has had to cancel a rare visit to Israel due to a strike at the Israeli foreign ministry, but the strike over pay and working conditions at the ministry, which has foiled three official visits by foreign leaders so far, seems to be having no direct impact on diplomacy aimed at resuscitating Israeli-Palestinian peace. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM - Tags

Liberman suspends Israeli diplomats for Twitter criticism

Three Israeli diplomats have been suspended after criticizing the government on their personal Twitter accounts, revealing the despair felt by many of their colleagues vis-à-vis Israel's current foreign policy.