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August 26, 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)

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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

Israel begins vaccination drive for Palestinian workers

More than 122,000 Palestinians working in Israel or its settlements are eligible to receive the coronavirus vaccine.

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For Israelis, ICC decision hypocritical, politicized

Families of the three Israeli youths kidnapped and killed in 2014 wonder why the ICC would not start with an investigation into these murders.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a state memorial ceremony for his late predecessor Golda Meir at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem on November 18, 2018. (Photo by Menahem KAHANA / AFP) (Photo credit should read MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)

Few women on party lists for upcoming elections in Israel

Ahead of the March 23 elections, only one party has a woman to lead it and it is only that same party that offer a gender-equal list for the next Knesset.

Ultra-orthodox Jewish men, some wearing the traditional Jewish prayer shawls known as Tallit, pray in divided sections at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's old city on February 23, 2021. (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP) (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)

Ultra-Orthodox furious over Israeli top court’s ruling on conversions

Ultra-Orthodox parties announced that they will not join any coalition unless it cancels recognition of progressive Judaism conversions.

Israeli Defence Minister and alternate Prime Minister Benny Gantz arrives at the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) in Jerusalem on December 2, 2020. - Gantz said his party will vote for an opposition bill to dissolve parliament, a move that could force a fourth election in under two years. (Photo by Alex KOLOMIENSKY / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ALEX KOLOMIENSKY/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Gantz informs Biden administration of updated Israeli plans to strike Iran

Israel's defense minster joins other officials in subtle warning to Washington over Iran nuclear talks.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) meets Israeli actress Carmit Mesilati Kaplan (R) during a visit to the Khan theatre ahead of the re-opening of the culture sector following Covid-19 imposed closures, on February 23, 2021 in Jerusalem. - Israel took a step towards normalcy on February 21, re-opening a raft of businesses and services from pandemic lockdowns, but with some only available to fully vaccinated "green pass" holders. (Photo by Ohad ZWIGENBERG / POOL / AFP) (Photo by OHAD ZWIGENBERG/POO

Netanyahu gambles political fate on reopening Israel

Fighting for his political life after three inconclusive elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu knows that the pandemic will determine his fate on March 23.

Republicans challenge Biden's Pentagon policy nominee on Iran

Colin Kahl said he supports the Abraham Accords and continued pressure on Tehran.

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Netanyahu says Israel, Denmark, Austria will cooperate against virus

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced that Israel, Denmark and Austria will establish a joint research and development fund to battle the coronavirus.

International Criminal Court (ICC) chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda (C) and deputy prosecutor James Stewart (R) attend the initial appearance before judges of member of the board of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice-Edouard Ngaissona of the Central African Republic, at the ICC in The Hague on January 25, 2019, following his extradition from France on charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity. - Ngaissona is charged with coordinating so-called anti-Balaka militia which emerged after

Biden faces calls to lift Trump's controversial ICC sanctions

The International Criminal Court’s investigation into potential war crimes committed by Israel and Hamas is looming over the Biden administration’s review of sanctions on the Hague-based tribunal.

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - MARCH 03: Sara Netanyahu and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thank supporters at the Likud Party after vote celebration on March 03, 2020 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Early results show that Netanyahu has claimed victory in Israel's general election, putting him ahead of rival Benny Gantz, but still short of a majority. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)

Inconclusive polls: No clear-cut Netanyahu challenger

In the March 23 elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is the clear favorite — but against whom?

A health worker arranges vials of the Pfizer-BioNtech COVID-19 vaccine at the Clalit Health Services in the Palestinian neighbourhood of Beit Hanina, in the Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem on March 2, 2021. (Photo by AHMAD GHARABLI / AFP) / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by AHMAD GHARABLI has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [March 2] instead of [March 3]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention from all your online services and delete it from yo

Israel set to vaccinate 120,000 Palestinian workers

After much controversy and debate, the Cabinet approved for the Health Ministry to start vaccinating 120,000 Palestinian workers on Sunday.

HADERA, ISRAEL - FEBRUARY 22: An aerial view over Israel's coast line after an oil spill on February 22, 2021 in Hadera, Israel. Tar started washing up on the country's beaches last week, leading its interior minister to advise people to stay away from beaches. Authorities suspect the spill was caused by a leak from an offshore ship. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)

Israel blames Iran for Mediterranean oil spill

The Israeli government has not explained some key details surrounding the incident and Iran has yet to comment. The spill blackened the shoreline in Israel and Lebanon last month.