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

Israel cover image

Israel

August 28, 2026

Tel Aviv 8:42 am

28°C

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a press conference with US President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club on Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida. — Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Netanyahu trails Eisenkot in new poll as Israel's right-wing bloc weakens

Israelis prefer former defense minister over the current prime minister to lead country, while the religious-nationalist People of Israel party is projected to win six Knesset seats.

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.

Latest News

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

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.

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

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 man in a protective suit walks outside Angel Hotel where, according to a Palestinian government official, a group of American visitors have been quarantined as part of precautions against the coronavirus, in Beit Jala town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank March 7, 2020. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma - RC2YEF9MKRM8

Coronavirus oblivious to Israeli, Palestinian borders

The necessity of cooperating against the novel coronavirus should encourage Israeli and Palestinian authorities to also work together on day-to-day issues, such as water and air pollution.

Will Israeli Arabs facilitate the ‘Netanyahu-removal government’?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to believe that it is not a problem for Arab citizens to vote as long as they cast their ballots for the Likud, otherwise they should not have a voice in their governance.

Memebers of the Joint List party arrive to the Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to begin talks with political parties over who should form a new government, at his residence in Jerusalem, September 22, 2019. Menachen Kahana/Pool via REUTERS - RC1BF3A36D90

Israel’s Arab party facing a dilemma

The Balad party is not interested in supporting a Gantz-led government, but it knows that voters of the Arab Joint List do not want another Netanyahu-led government, either.

What was Hamas leader doing in Moscow?

Ismail Haniyeh eyes Russia as a “brotherly nation” and expects Moscow to help reconcile the Palestinians.

In Moscow, Hamas offers 4 plans for Palestinian unity

Russia once again is working with Palestinian factions to unite them and help them defy Washington's plan for peace with Israel.

Traffic moves past a Blue and White party election campaign poster, depicting party leader Benny Gantz, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Tel Aviv, Israel February 18, 2020. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RC243F9KEJJJ

Israel’s third election only intensified political chaos

Four days after the elections in Israel, all the different sides are still squabbling among themselves as if the election isn’t over yet.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a Security Council meeting at the United Nations in New York, U.S., February 11, 2020. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton - RC2FYE9T70OQ

Palestinians insist that there is no back channel with Washington

Is there or isn’t there a back channel of talks between the Palestinians and the US administration?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacts upon his arrival to address his supporters following the announcement of exit polls in Israel's election at his Likud party headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel March 3, 2020. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RC20CF9CV5B1

Did Netanyahu celebrate his victory too early?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thought that he had won the elections, but now finds out that the road toward a majority government is long, if not impossible.

Ahmed Tibi, leader of the Arab Movement for Change (Ta'al) party that is part of the Joint List alliance, speaks to reporters at their electoral headquarters in Israel's northern city of Shefa-Amr on March 2, 2020, after polls officially closed. - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appeared to lead his main challenger following elections with multiple exit polls putting his right-wing Likud several seats ahead of the centrist Blue and White party. Exit polls by three Israeli television networks, rele

Can Israeli Arabs settle political score with Netanyahu?

The Arab Joint List is ready to cooperate, even with Yisrael Beitenu’s Avigdor Liberman, to pass a law preventing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from forming a new government.

Leader of the far right 'Otzma Yehudit' (Jewish power) party Itamar Ben-Gvir waves as he marches with supporters at the Mahane Yehuda Market in Jerusalem on September 13, 2019. (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP) (Photo credit should read MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)

Why Otzmah Yehudit flamed out in Israeli elections

The decline in support for Otzmah Yehudit, which once again failed to pass the vote threshold to enter the Knesset, was especially notable in the settlements.

Israel’s Zionist left down but not out

Many supporters of the Zionist left voted this time for the Blue and White Party, but the constituency is likely to return to its political home as soon as it has a new leadership and focus.

For young Israeli Arabs, strong party means strong integration

The young Israeli Arab generation seeks greater integration into Israeli society, including a strong Joint List party that will fight for their interests.