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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 PM turns to Jordan first

The Palestinian prime minister’s visit to Amman has given a boost to the potential that Jordan can provide a serious alternative to economic dependency on Israel.

Why Likud members follow Netanyahu

The charisma of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his discourse about persecution by the country's elites encourage Likud supporters to identify with him.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a joint statment, at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, July 19, 2018. Debbie Hill/Pool via Reuters - RC15A2D3CB00

Is Netanyahu concerned about anti-Semitic rulers?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu befriends far-right leaders, such as Hungary’s Victor Orban, and keeps silent when his close ally, President Donald Trump, invites to the White House an anti-Semitic cartoonist.

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they pose on the West Wing colonnade in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, U.S., March 25, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis - RC1AE2447D80

Will Trump follow suit if Israel attacks Iran?

Ahead of the 2020 US presidential elections, President Donald Trump might decide to back Israel militarily, if it decides to attack Iran.

Members of Palestinian security forces loyal to Hamas stand while searching for missing or dead militants after Israel blew up a cross-border tunnel, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip November 3, 2017. Picture taken November 3, 2017. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa - RC13FEDDA970

Why Hamas changes strategy, privileges arrangement with Israel

Hamas is not interested in a war with Israel, despite the attack tunnel recently discovered by the Israel Defense Forces.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chats with Ayman Odeh, head of the Joint Arab List, in the plenum at the knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem December 26, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RC1BD157DCB0

Unification of Arab parties bad news for Netanyahu

The Israeli-Arab public is tired of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s campaign against them, tired of Israeli politics and tired of unfulfilled promises.

Palestinians rally in response to Kuwaiti support

Kuwait adopted an unparalleled pro-Palestinian stance by boycotting the US economic workshop in Manama and rejecting the economic plan preceding the introductions of the "deal of the century"; Kuwait's actions were hailed by Palestinians at both the official and popular levels.

Will Palestinian private sector rescue national economy?

Business owners are trying to launch an initiative to lend the financially struggling Palestinian Authority as much as $200 million, but this effort has yet to take shape.

Why is Hamas test-firing missiles?

Hamas has recently intensified its test-firing of missiles in what experts say conveys a message to Israel whereby the movement is ready for war.

Israel’s Likud campaigns to attract Russian-speaking voters

The Likud party launched a campaign designed to attract Israeli-Russian voters and "steal" them from the Israeli-Russian party, Yisrael Beitenu.

New Israeli pipeline makes its way to Gaza

An Israeli water company has started working on extending a water pipeline from Israel to Gaza with Qatari funding.

Why is the Jordan Valley so important to Israel?

Palestinians in the Jordan Valley face daily incursions and land grabs by the Israeli army and settlers, actions that aim to reinforce Israel's policy of maintaining control over the valley at any cost.