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

Israel cover image

Israel

August 23, 2026

Tel Aviv 11:54 am

32°C

Turkey/Syria border

Analysis

Turkey bets on US deconfliction as Israel widens Syria red lines

As Washington pushes a new deconfliction mechanism between Turkey and Israel, the Jewish state shows little incentive to accept tighter constraints on its freedom of action in Syria, experts say.

Ezgi Akin

Rina Bassist

By Ezgi Akin , Rina Bassist

ANKARA, TURKEY - JULY 7: U.S. President Donald Trump (L)shakes hands with with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) during a formal arrival at the Bestepe Presidential Palace during the NATO summit on July 7, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Emrah Gurel - Pool/Getty Images)

Analysis

Israel fears Turkey’s Syria ambitions and doubts Trump will stop them

Israeli officials remain skeptical of Turkish and Syrian denials over Ankara’s military ambitions in Syria, warning that a deeper Turkish foothold could threaten Israel’s security and strain its ties with Washington.

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

Murat Kocabas / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images

Turkey seeks Interpol Red Notices for Netanyahu over Gaza flotilla

The Turkish government’s Interpol move comes amid heightened tensions between Turkey and Israel over Syria.

Burhaanettin Duran

Turkey signals restraint as war of words with Israel escalates over Syria

The Turkish president’s top communications aide says Ankara will not be drawn into the Israeli government's “games” as Washington pushes a Turkey-Israel-Syria deconfliction mechanism.

Latest News

Australia summons Israeli ambassador over World Central Kitchen strike: What to know

Zomi Frankcom

US sanctions International Criminal Court president, top lawyer

Analysis

Netanyahu yields to Trump on Gaza, betting Hamas won’t disarm

Ohad Zwigenberg / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

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

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

Israeli soldiers scuffle with Jewish settlers from the nearby Einav settlement, trying to storm the town of Deir Sharaf in the Nablus governorate of the occupied West Bank on Nov. 2, 2023, after an Israeli was killed when his car came under fire.

Blinken presses Israeli leaders on West Bank settler attacks

The top US diplomat said he received a "clear commitment" from Israel's leaders that they would condemn the extremist violence in the West Bank.

People gather in the Imam Hussein square in Tehran, during the televised speech of Lebanese Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah November 3, 2023. Nasrallah told the United States on November 3, that his Iran-backed group was ready to face its warships and the way to prevent a regional war was to halt the attacks in Gaza. (Photo by AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Hezbollah's Nasrallah refrains from entering Israel-Hamas war, praises Iraq, Yemen proxies

In his first public speech since Hamas’ attack on Israel, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said the operation was purely Palestinian, that his movement had no hand in it, and accused the US of direct involvement in the Gaza war.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a war cabinet meetting attended by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 2nd from left, in Tel Aviv, Nov. 3, 2023.

Blinken returns to Israel in bid to secure 'humanitarian pause' in Gaza

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv on Friday in an effort to secure a "humanitarian pause" in the Gaza Strip.

Nasrallah

Day 28 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Friday, Nov. 3

Israeli soldiers are seen in the Palestinian village of Dayr Sharaf, in the West Bank located about seven kilometres (four miles) from the Jewish Einav settlement after an Israeli man was killed leading to dozens of Jewish settlers storming the village on November 2, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Three Palestinians were killed on November 2, 2023, by Israeli fire in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian health ministry said, and an Israeli

Israel approves transfer of tax revenues to Palestinian Authority

The Israeli cabinet approved the transfer to pay the Palestinian security apparatus, despite objection by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

An elderly woman stands with an Israeli flag next to another holding a sign showing the faces of young Israeli hostages held by Palestinian militants since the October 7 attack near Azrieli Mall in Tel Aviv on October 18, 2023. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP) (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel's economic rebound hinges on a limited conflict

A long war with Hamas followed by a re-occupation of Gaza would send Israel into recession and have long-term effects on foreign investment, the government’s fiscal position, and consumer and business confidence.

David Rosenberg

David Rosenberg

In Tel Aviv, reporting on business and tech

People check the rubble of buildings destroyed in an Israeli strike on the Bureij refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip on Nov. 2, 2023.

Day 27 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Thursday, Nov. 2

Rafah crossing

First group of US citizens evacuates to Egypt from Gaza

The United States is working to get some 400 of its citizens and their family members out of the Gaza Strip via the Rafah gate on Egypt's border.

People demonstrate in support of Palestinians in Cali, Colombia, on Oct. 19, 2023.

Chile, Colombia, Jordan recall Israel ambassadors after Bolivia cuts ties

Bolivia became the first country to end its diplomatic ties with Israel over the war in Gaza.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (R) meets with exiled leader of the Palestinian Islamist Hamas movement Khaled Meshaal.

Iran urges sanctions on Israel, says Hamas ready for more 'surprise' attacks

Iran's leader censured the West for supporting Israel, while the country's foreign minister warned that more militant "surprise" attacks were in the offing should Israel refuse to halt Gaza bombardments.

Iran Turkey FMs

Turkey, Iran FMs warn over Israel's expansion of Gaza war, disagree on oil boycott

As Turkey and Iran are signaling unity on joint warnings over expansion of the Israel-Hamas war, Tehran’s call for a boycott against Israel has not been echoed in Ankara.

The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza says the unrelenting retaliatory Israeli bombardment has killed more than 8,000 people

Day 24 of Hamas-Israel war blog: Monday, Oct. 30