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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

A member of the Israeli Druze community leaves after casting her vote during Israel's parliamentary elections on September 17, 2019, in Daliyat al-karmel in northern Israel. (Photo by JALAA MAREY / AFP) (Photo credit should read JALAA MAREY/AFP via Getty Images)

Druze, Circassians not seduced by Netanyahu’s budget

A ridiculously small budget of 50 million shekels won’t help Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu win over the Druze and the Circassian communities ahead of possible new elections.

Palestinians demonstrate near the Israeli settlement of Psagot, built on the lands of the city of al-Bireh, against the visit by US Secretary of State's to the settlement, on November 18, 2020 in the occupied West Bank. - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was due to arrive in Jerusalem today for a farewell visit as the chief diplomat of the strongly pro-Israeli Trump administration. (Photo by ABBAS MOMANI / AFP) (Photo by ABBAS MOMANI/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden victory breathes life back into Israeli-Palestinian cooperation

The Palestinian Authority is resuming cooperation with Israel, meaning the Oslo process may finally be back on track.

Palestinian Authority to resume cooperation with Israel

A senior Palestinian official said Tuesday that the Israeli-Palestinian relationship will "return to how it was."

Israelis try resettling West Bank settlement evacuated in 2005

Families evacuated from the West Bank Sa-Nur settlement in 2005 sneaked back during the night and vowed to resettle the site.

President Donald Trump meets with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the Abraham Accords Signing Ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020. (Photo by Doug Mills/The New York Times)

With Trump on way out, Netanyahu nails together settlement legacy

With US President-elect Joe Biden preparing to take office, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is rushing to set his settlement achievements in stone.

An eagle statue is seen placed on a Menorah sculpture donated by the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation (JASHP) dedicated to US President Donald Trump by the entrance to Trump Heights, an Israeli settlement in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on September 21, 2020. - Twenty Jewish families are due to move to the remote spot by the end of November, with the aim of 20 families arriving each year for the next decade. Trump Heights, or "Ramat Trump" in Hebrew, was inaugurated in June 2019 by Pr

Netanyahu goes for broke in Trump's last two months

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is still hoping to squeeze last-minute favors from outgoing US President Donald Trump at the expense of his relationship with the incoming administration.

Israeli protesters swarm EU diplomats in East Jerusalem

The European delegation came to speak out against a new Israeli housing project in the disputed area.

Bahrain FM to visit Israel on Wednesday, meet with Netanyahu, Pompeo

Bahrain Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani will visit Israel on Wednesday for a trilateral meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Benny Gantz (C), A former IDF Chief and the head of Israeli Resilience party speaks to supporters during an election campaign event in Tel Aviv. Israelis will vote in a parliamentary election on April 9, choosing among party lists of candidates to serve in the 121-seat Knesset

Israel opens bidding for project in east Jerusalem

Days after the election of US President-elect Joe Biden, Israel is taking bids for the construction of 1,257 housing units in the Jewish Givat Hamatos neighborhood in east Jerusalem.

Israeli-Arab Knesset member sparks controversy with outreach to Netanyahu

Tired of being sidelined and excluded, an Israeli-Arab Knesset member flashes willingness to deal with Netanyahu and rethink role of Israeli-Arabs in parliament.

Intel: US to activate air defense batteries to test Israel's Iron Dome

Both Iron Domes are expected to arrive at Fort Bliss by January

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan addresses the legislative assembly in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistan-controlled Kashmir on August 5, 2020, to mark the one-year anniversary after New Delhi imposed direct rule on Indian-administered Kashmir. - Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on August 5 branded India an "oppressor and aggressor" a year after New Delhi imposed direct rule on Indian-administered Kashmir. (Photo by - / AFP) (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

Pakistan PM says no recognition of Israel until agreement with Palestinians

Prime Minister Imran Khan said Pakistan will not recognize Israel until there is a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.