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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

Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman (R) sits opposite of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Cabinet Secretary Tzachi Braverman during the weekly cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, June 10, 2018. Jim Hollander/Pool via Reuters - RC13DBD58690

Netanyahu, Liberman in fierce battle over right-wing votes

The Blue and White party, which posed a real threat to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the last election, is now the least of his headaches.

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and head of delegation Sergey Ryabkov attend a Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) conference in Beijing of the UN Security Council's five permanent members (P5) China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, China, January 30, 2019. REUTERS/Thomas Peter/Pool - RC15C6930520

As Jerusalem meeting nears, Russia seeks ways to ease US-Iran tensions

Russia is urging the United States to cease provocations of Iran and also is seeking to persuade Tehran to stay in the nuclear deal.

Israelis who immigrated from Russia wait in line at a polling station in the coastal city of Ashkelon December 2, 2007. Tens of thousands of Russian nationals living in Israel are expected to cast their ballots on Sunday for Russia's parliamentary election. REUTERS/Amir Cohen (ISRAEL) - GM1DWSMXBJAA

Israeli-Russian vote decisive for next elections

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu needs at least one Knesset seat from the Israeli-Russian population to assemble a majority coalition after the September elections.

EU court advised to require labeling of settler products

A European advocate general cited the example of apartheid South Africa in explaining why consumers have a right to know that a product was produced in an Israeli settlement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a ceremony to unveil a sign for a new community named after U.S. President Donald Trump, in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights June 16, 2019. REUTERS/Ammar Awad - RC1E603F4D30

Trumps eats up Netanyahu's cynical 'Trump Heights' ploy

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hopes that naming a Golan Heights settlement after President Donald Trump will flatter the American leader into recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over parts of the West Bank as well.

Loss, fragmentation on display at the Palestinian Museum

"Intimate Terrains," the current exhibition at the Palestinian Museum, displays works by artists from different generations united in their sense of longing, loss and nostalgia.

Will Israel’s Meretz officially become a Jewish-Arab party?

Following its poor results in the April elections, left-wing Meretz considers establishing Jewish-Arab co-leadership for the party.

Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman al-Safadi attends the Arab Foreign Minister's meeting in Cairo to discuss the simmering unrest surrounding the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on July 27, 2017. / AFP PHOTO / KHALED DESOUKI (Photo credit should read KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Jordan likely to attend Bahrain summit despite reservations

A US official recently said that Jordan, along with Egypt and Morocco, will attend the Bahrain economic workshop aimed at attracting investments to the Palestinian territories, but Jordanian officials have yet to confirm the reports.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to the media at the Knesset, Israel's parliament, in Jerusalem May 30, 2019. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RC12202A0700

Annexing East Jerusalem, first step before annexing the West Bank?

According to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plan, Israel will exclude some Palestinian neighborhoods from the Greater Jerusalem municipality, while annexing other East Jerusalem neighborhoods.

Elections expose the Pandora’s box of Israel’s religious right

The ideological differences and open hostility among the national religious and ultra-Orthodox parties exposed by the April elections could backfire on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to call for new elections, in September.

An Israeli soldier takes a position as forces search for a Palestinian gunman near Nablus, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank March 17, 2019. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman - RC17DA0326D0

Does shootout threaten Israeli-Palestinian security ties?

A recent run-in between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian security forces in the West Bank raises questions about the future of their security coordination.

U.S. National Security Adviser John Bolton meets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem January 6, 2019. Oded Balilty/Pool via REUTERS *** Local Caption *** - RC1DF8CE4950

US, Israeli, Russian security chiefs to meet in Jerusalem

The upcoming meeting of Israeli, American and Russian national security leaders in Jerusalem is a major diplomatic achievement for the Israelis, particularly their prime minister.