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August 30, 2026

Tel Aviv 11:22 am

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Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrive for a joint press conference following their meeting at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Feb. 4, 2025.

Analysis

Why Turkey welcomes Israel-Syria talks despite mounting red lines

Turkey supports US-backed Israel-Syria talks but sees little prospect of a lasting accommodation until the Israeli elections.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Ammar Ammar / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Israel’s Lebanon dilemma: Confront Hezbollah without angering Trump, triggering Iran

Israeli sources point out that the pilot project for Israel's withdrawal and the Lebanese military taking control over the area is not working because of the government's reluctance to search for Hezbollah's weapons in private homes.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

A boy walks carrying a table on his back past salvage workers scrapping the rubble of a building that was destroyed during Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza City on Aug. 16, 2026. — Photo by Omar Al-Qattaa / AFP via Getty Images

Israel, Hamas bide their time as Gaza peace plan stalls

As the Israel-Hamas ceasefire approaches the one-year mark in October, the Board of Peace is under pressure to deliver results in the Gaza Strip.

Latest News

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

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

Exclusive

Israel recalibrates Syria policy, explores path to security deal

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)

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Ex-defense minister: Israel in ‘worst possible’ Gaza situation as Hamas gains strength

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.

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

Abbas strategically times his call for Palestinian elections

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' announcement before the UN that he will call for elections in Palestinian territories seemed to be an attempt to prevent Hamas and Israel from objecting to the long-awaited voting.

Are Arabs ready to invest in Palestine?

The current political and economic landscape in the Palestinian territories may not favor a conference for Arab investments, which the Palestinian Authority is banking on to boost its economy.

Labourers work in front of electoral campaign posters bearing the portraits of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L), leader of the Likud party, and retired Israeli general Benny Gantz (R), one of the leaders of the Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) political alliance, in the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, on April 3, 2019, ahead of the general election scheduled for April 9. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo credit should read JACK GUEZ/AFP/Getty Images)

Likud blames rival over Netanyahu-instigated political crisis

The insistence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to step down while being investigated by police is at the source of the current crisis; yet he prefers to blame his rival for the political deadlock.

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President Rivlin protects Israel against its own prime minister

The Blue and White party's leadership fails to understand why President Reuven Rivlin is offering a solution for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stay partially in power.

Israel combats Palestinians' West Bank rocket-making

Israel is growing concerned about Palestinian factions’ attempts to manufacture rockets inside the West Bank.

Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon addresses the U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including Palestine, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, U.S., December 8, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid - RC1AE23439C0

Interview

Israel’s UN ambassador says crisis with Iran 'brings us closer' to Arab states

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Israel’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Danny Danon says Iran is "lying all the way" about its nuclear program — "We proved it to the world.”

Incitement and the poet: Dareen Tatour's legal victory

The Israeli Supreme Court recently declined to review a district court ruling that a poem by Dareen Tatour did not constitute incitement.

Palestinians hope to import Iraqi oil, become more energy independent

Palestinians are inching closer to the possibility of being able to import Iraqi oil to Jordan and have the Jordan refinery convert it to local products that can pass Israeli inspection.

A Palestinian demonstrator holds a United Nations' flag during a rally against a U.S. decision to cut funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and in support of president Mahmoud Abbas, in Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank September 26, 2018. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma - RC19AEA408D0

Donor countries stand by UN Palestinian refugee agency despite corruption probe

The Trump administration skipped today's pledging conference co-hosted by Jordan and Sweden.

Why Netanyahu’s hearing should be streamed live

Maximum transparency, even such exceptional measures as filming the pre-indictment hearing of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, could help restore trust in the legal system.

Netanyahu holds Israel hostage

Blue and White party leaders rejected the proposal made by President Reuven Rivlin for power-sharing, as they do not trust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to keep his part of the deal.

Kahlon leak closes path around Deduction Law

Efforts by Israel and the Palestinians to find solutions for alleviating the economic crisis facing the Palestinian Authority had met with some success, but a recent leak meant the end of the road for much-needed additional measures.