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August 25, 2026

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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

JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Bennett puts Israeli parents in charge of virus testing

The parents of Israeli students will now need to test their children for the coronavirus before can return to school after the Sukkot holiday.

KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images

Three Israeli ministers visit Emirates on sidelines of Dubai expo

Three Israeli ministers are using the opportunity of the 2020 Dubai Expo to visit the country and meet with their Emirati counterparts.

ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images

Cyprus assassination attempt paints picture of emboldened Iran

Israel suspects that a plot to kill Israeli businesspeople in Cyrus reflects an alarming change in Iranian strategy.

Israeli Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, Regional Cooperation Minister Issawi Freij and Meretz Knesset member Michal Rozin meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Oct. 3.

Israeli ministers meet with Abbas in Ramallah

Health Minister Nitzan Horowitz, Regional Cooperation Minister Issawi Freij and Meretz Knesset member Michal Rozin met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Sunday, in an effort to establish cooperation between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and campaigning to keep the concept of the two-state solution alive.

Israel Dubai expo

Israel’s participation in Dubai expo signals huge trade potential

Israel and the Emirates both believe that the potential for bilateral trade, commercial cooperation and investments is huge.

Mahmoud Abbas addresses UNGA

Bennett keeps quiet on ministers' planned meeting with Abbas

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is keeping mum on two Meretz members from his cabinet planning to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid, second from left, visits the USS Pearl Harbor in Bahrain, Sept. 30, 2021.

Israel's Lapid visits Bahrain-based US warship in warning to Iran

The Iranian threat and the campaign against a new nuke deal came up all along the historic visit of Foreign Minister Yair Lapid in Bahrain.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett addresses the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, United Nations headquarters, New York, Sept. 27, 2021.

Bennett’s government at work to expand Abraham Accords

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and his Cabinet are hard at work to upgrade the Abraham Accords for normalization, and extend them to more countries in the region.

Israel's Foreign Minister Yair Lapid meets with Bahraini King Hamid bin Issa al Khalifa

Israel’s Lapid meets with Bahraini king, inaugurates embassy in Manama

On a first historic visit to Manama, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid met today with Bahraini King Hamid bin Issa al Khalifa before inaugurating Israel’s embassy to the country.

Bedouin village

Report finds Negev Bedouins remain poorest population in Israel

The latest report by State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman highlights the plight of the Bedouin communities living in the Negev region, with little progress seen despite their new representation in the governing coalition.

WEst Bank

Tensions rise in West Bank after settler violence

Reports say that dozens of masked settlers came to the cave-hamlet Khirbat al-Mufaqara, throwing stones at residents and breaking windows and cars.

Prime Minister of Israel Naftali Bennett addresses the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 27, 2021, at UN headquarters in New York City.

Bennett’s UN speech stirs controversy in Israel over pandemic efforts

In his speech at the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett made it clear that he, not the health authorities, have the final say on the national campaign against the coronavirus.