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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

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

Governor of Jerusalem for the Palestinian Authority Adnan Ghaith poses for a photograph in his office at the Palestinian Ministry of Jerusalem affairs' headquarters in the occupied West Bank town of al-Ram, near Jerusalem, on November 4, 2018. - Israeli forces raided the offices of the Palestinian governor of Jerusalem on November 4, authorities said, after reports of an investigation related to a land sale. Israeli authorities confirmed the raid in Al-Ram, just on the other side of Israel's separation wall

Palestinian governor of Jerusalem boxed in by Israeli authorities

Since assuming his post, Palestinian Governor of Jerusalem Adnan Ghaith has been subjected to a harassment campaign by the Israeli authorities who have restricted his movement within the city.

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Iraqi Jews want to regain their citizenship

As the region witnesses a wave of normalization with Israel, Iraqi Jews demand restoration of their citizenship.

An Israeli farmer uses a tractor in an attempt to extinguish a fire in a wheat field near the Kibbutz Nahal Oz, along the border with the Gaza Strip, on May 15, 2019 after it was caused by inflammable material attached to helium balloon flown by Palestinian protesters from across the border. - Palestinians are marking the 1948 Nakba, or "catastrophe", which left hundreds of thousands of Palestinians displaced by the war accompanying the birth of the Jewish state. (Photo by Menahem KAHANA / AFP) (Phot

After understandings with Hamas, Israel pushes for comprehensive cease-fire

Israel warns Hamas that in order for the temporary cease-fire to be implemented, balloon terror from the Gaza Strip must stop.

This picture taken on September 1, 2020 in Jerusalem shows the front pages of Israeli and Palestinian newspapers with images of the US-Israeli delegation arriving to Abu Dhabi on the first commercial flight from Tel Aviv to mark the normalisation of ties between the Jewish state and the UAE. (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP) (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel, UAE sign first agreement on investment, financial services

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said announcements in aviation, tourism, trade and other areas of mutual interest will follow.

United Arab Emirates

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) and Alternate Prime Minister and Defence Minister Benny Gantz (2nd-L) attend a cabinet meeting of the new government at Chagall State Hall in the Knesset (Israeli parliament) in Jerusalem on May 24, 2020. (Photo by ABIR SULTAN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ABIR SULTAN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

UAE agreement stabilizes Israel's unity government

For the Blue and White Party, the normalization agreement with the UAE is yet another justification for continuing its complicated partnership with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israeli co-leader of the Zionist Union party and Labour Party's leader Isaac Herzog (L) meets with Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah on August 18, 2015. AFP PHOTO/ABBAS MOMANI (Photo credit should read ABBAS MOMANI/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel-UAE deal could have happened four years ago

A regional peace conference that would have included the United Arab Emirates nearly came about four years ago, when former opposition head Isaac Herzog was negotiating to join Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

Israel, UAE discuss establishment of embassies

Director General of Israel’s Foreign Ministry Alon Ushpiz said that in talks with UAE officials the two countries are discussing the establishment of embassies.

United Arab Emirates

Hamas announces deal to end Gaza flare-up with Israel

Under the Qatari-brokered agreement, the militants will cease their attacks in return for Israel lifting restrictions at the border.

Druze education success story threatened by Israel’s political crisis

Israeli Druze high-schoolers have excelled in matriculation exams since 2013. What’s their secret?

US Presidential Adviser Jared Kushner (C-R) and US National Security Adviser Robert OBrien (C-L) pose with members of the Israeli-American delegation in front of the El Al's flight LY971, which will carry the delegation from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi, at the Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv on August 31, 2020. - The El Al flight, scheduled to leave at 0730 GMT from Ben Gurion Airport near Tel Aviv, will carry a delegation led on the American side by President Donald Trump's son-in-law and White House advisor Ja

First commercial flight from Tel Aviv lands in Abu Dhabi

El Al Flight 971 makes history, as first commercial flight from Tel Aviv to Abu Dhabi.

United Arab Emirates

First commercial flight from Israel to UAE follows historic deal

The flight is a first step in a normalization process between the countries as an official signing of the agreement is expected next month.

United Arab Emirates

Palestinian Chief Negotiator Saeb Erakat speaks during the 2019 J Street National Conference at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC on October 28, 2019. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN / AFP) / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by MANDEL NGAN has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [Saeb Erakat] instead of [Saab]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have

Palestinian public diplomacy blitz to block other Arab countries following UAE lead

The Palestinian leadership seeks to counter US and lsrael diplomacy with Sudan, Bahrain and Oman to secure another normalization deal.

United Arab Emirates