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August 30, 2026

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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

Palestinian Hamas security forces stand guard at the hospital following an explosion in Gaza City August 27, 2019. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC13666F2270

Israel helps Hamas regain control over Gaza, rogue groups

The Israel Defense Forces try to retaliate against rocket fire at Israel while preserving the Hamas rule that is now defied by rogue groups.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan greets his supporters during a ceremony in Istanbul, Turkey, June 19, 2019. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1905AECB00

Why does Erdogan want nuclear weapons?

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has for the first time made his nuclear ambitions public, arguing that it is unacceptable for Turkey to not have nuclear weapons while other countries do.

Struggle for water continues in Palestine’s Jordan Valley

Israel seems to be trying to drive Palestinians out of the Jordan Valley by denying them access to water.

Filipino children and their mothers carry a banner which reads in Hebrew "release Filipina mother and her son" during a protest against deportation in Tel Aviv on August 6, 2019. - Hundreds of people demonstrated in Israel against the deportation of Filipino children born in Israel from migrant workers but without any legal status. (Photo by Gil COHEN-MAGEN / AFP) (Photo credit should read GIL COHEN-MAGEN/AFP/Getty Images)

Children even fair game in Israel’s election campaign

Right-wing politicians are either silent or support the expulsion of Filipino mothers and their Israel-born children.

Palestinians see Greenblatt resignation as sign of failure for US Mideast vision

While most Palestinians believe the resignation of Jason Greenblatt is a sign of failure, some argue the Trump policy will not change.

Hezbollah, Israel opt for de-escalation

Both the Lebanese Hezbollah movement and Israel seemed to be avoiding confrontation despite the latest round of violence.

A Jewish worshipper policeman prays in Joseph's Tomb in the West Bank city of Nablus early July 4, 2011. Israeli troops escorted buses with Jewish worshippers to the tomb in coordination with the Palestinian forces that control Nablus to let Jews pray on the day when it is believed Joseph died, at the site believed to be the burial place of the biblical patriarch Joseph. REUTERS/Nir Elias (WEST BANK - Tags: POLITICS RELIGION CIVIL UNREST) - GM1E7740WG601

Jewish heritage in the West Bank, a tool of Israel’s right

Education Minister Rafi Peretz announced that he plans to expand school trips to Jewish heritage sites in the West Bank, generating angry reactions from politicians from the center-left.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman and White House Mideast envoy Jason Greenblatt attend the opening of an ancient road at the City of David, a popular archaeological and tourist site in the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan in East Jerusalem June 30, 2019. Tsafrir Abayov/Pool via REUTERS - RC167D6216D0

Will Greenblatt’s resignation hurt Netanyahu?

Seniors in the Netanyahu government regret the resignation of US special envoy Jason Greenblatt, whom Jerusalem considers an ally within the Trump administration.

An Israeli-Arab woman prepares to casts her ballot as Israelis vote in a parliamentary election, at a polling station in Umm al-Fahm, Israel April 9, 2019. REUTERS/Ammar Awad - RC1E94535020

Netanyahu: The art of Arab vote suppression

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing legislation to allow cameras in polling stations in Arab communities in an attempt to suppress the vote there and improve Likud's chances of emerging with at least one more Knesset seat than the Blue and White in Sept. 17 elections.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures as he speaks during a state memorial ceremony at the Tomb of the Patriarchs, a shrine holy to Jews and Muslims, in Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank September 4, 2019. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RC12D72FA830

Netanyahu’s chaos strategy

If Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fails to pass a law for installing cameras in Israeli-Arab polling stations, and if he loses the elections, he plans to cry out the election results were falsified.

Palestinians in Jordan Valley want more to remain in their land

The Palestinian government announced its intention to offer grants for graduates seeking a job in the Jordan Valley with the aim to encourage Palestinian presence in the area, which is highly coveted by Israel.

Benny Gantz, head of Blue and White party speaks at an election campaign event in Ramat Gan, Israel on July24, 2019. (Photo by Gili Yaari/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Blue and White dumps ultra-Orthodox; tries to make up with secularists

Two weeks ahead of elections on Sept. 17, Blue and White has changed its strategy to regain and broaden support among secularists after realizing it has been 'hemorrhaging votes,' mainly to Avigdor Liberman.