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

Israel cover image

Israel

August 25, 2026

Tel Aviv 6:25 pm

31°C

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani (C) watches as US special envoy for Syria Tom Barrack prepares to sign an agreement in Damascus on September 16, 2025. Shaibani announced on September 16 a plan backed by Jordan and the United States to restore calm to Druze-majority Sweida province, which witnessed deadly violence in July. (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA / AFP) (Photo by LOUAI BESHARA/AFP via Getty Images)

Exclusive

Israel recalibrates Syria policy, explores path to security deal

Israel is rethinking its hard-line Syria policy and seeking to repair ties with US envoy and Donald Trump's confidant Tom Barrack amid a push for a security agreement with Damascus.

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

Palestinian militant group Hamas police officers stand guard as people attend the opening of the Fatah party's eighth general conference at Al-Azhar University in Gaza City on May 14, 2026.

Ex-defense minister: Israel in ‘worst possible’ Gaza situation as Hamas gains strength

Former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant criticized the Israeli government for allowing Hamas to retain control over half of the Gaza Strip.

A merchant ship "Jabotinsky" (former "Altalena"), chartered by Jewish military group Irgun Zvaei Leumi to carry weapons for Israeli fighters, burns near Tel Aviv beach, after being shelled by the Haganah, Israel, June 27, 1948.

Wreck of ship sunk by Israeli military in Irgun clash found after 78 years

The wreck of the Irgun underground's Altalena ship, bombed by the Israeli military in 1948 and deliberately sunk in 1949, was located off Israel's coast at a depth of 1,650 feet.

Latest News

Israel tightens election safeguards as public distrust surges: What to know

ilia YEFIMOVICH / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Why Turkey sees Israeli strikes in Syria as warning over its military role, Mecca Pact

A Turkish soldier from the 1st Border Regiment Command looks out over the border wall to Syria during alert drills at a military outpost on the Turkey/Syria border on March 2, 2017 in Kilis, Turkey.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Analysis

Turkey bets on US deconfliction as Israel widens Syria red lines

Turkey/Syria border

Ezgi Akin

Rina Bassist

By Ezgi Akin , Rina Bassist

Analysis

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

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)

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

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

Israeli Economy Minister Orna Barbivai (R) and Jordanian Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yousef Alshamali meet in Amman, Jordan, Nov. 3, 2021.

Israeli, Jordanian economy ministers sign West Bank export deal

In their meeting Nov. 3, Economy Minister Orna Barbivai and Jordanian Minister of Industry, Trade and Supply Yousef Alshamali agreed to expand the list of materials and products Jordan could export to the West Bank.

JOEL SAGET/AFP via Getty Images

US blacklists Israel's NSO Group for 'malicious' cyberactivities

The Biden administration placed to two Israeli cyberfirms, NSO Group and Candiru, on the US Commerce Department’s blacklist.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett arrives for the COP26 UN Climate Summit in Glasgow on Nov. 1, 2021.

Israel’s Bennett meets Bahraini premier at climate summit

For the first time, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett met in Glasgow with Bahraini Prime Minister Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa.

AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli coalition's fragile unity holds ahead of budget vote

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is going all out to undermine this week’s decisive vote on the 2021-2022 state budget.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks before parliament votes to approve the new government, Jerusalem, June 13, 2021.

Netanyahu goes all out in battle against state budget

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will do whatever it takes politically to prevent the state budget from passing, thereby toppling the Bennett government.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett meets with French President Emmanuel Macron at the COP 26 Climate Summit in Glasgow, Nov. 1 2021.

Bennett meets France’s Macron in Glasgow, discusses spyware flap

Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is eager to end the NSO affair and restart bilateral relations with France on a better foot.

ALASTAIR GRANT/AFP via Getty Images

In Glasgow, Israel’s Bennett pledges net zero emissions by 2050

Addressing the COP26 summit in Glasgow, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett vowed that Israel would reduce greenhouse emissions to net zero by 2050.

A Druze woman casts her ballot in the northern village of Maghar, Israel, Jan. 22, 2013.

Mixed feelings in Israel over first Druze city

Residents of Maghar would have preferred Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked to announce it as a new Arab city, and not as the first Druze city in Israel.

Biden Bennett

Familiar problems for Biden in Israel

The US is concerned about Israeli settlement policies, recent actions toward the Palestinians, and trade with China, but these issues are more likely to blow over than blow up.

GALI TIBBON/AFP via Getty Images

US pressures Israel on trade with China

Washington is calling on Israel to change the way it monitors foreign investments in Israel, and Israel is likely to take appeasing measures.

US President Joe Biden meets with Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett in the Oval Office at the White House, Washington, Aug. 27, 2021.

Disagreement between Bennett, Biden escalates

With Israel advancing the construction of 3,200 housing units in West Bank settlements, it seems that the honeymoon between Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and US President Joe Biden is over.

Settlement

European countries call on Israel to reverse settlement plans

A joint statement from the foreign ministries of 12 European countries said the planned settlement expansion undermines prospects for peace.