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August 31, 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-Arabs key to returning the center-left to power

Comparing Israel’s demographic profile with the results of the recent election show that large numbers of Israeli Arabs not voting, some due to intimidation, had a dramatic impact on the political map.

Israeli-Russians celebrate WWII Victory Day

Israelis are not really aware of the heroism demonstrated by thousands of World War II veterans who immigrated to the country from Russia in the 1990s.

Streaks of light are pictured as rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip towards Israel, as seen from the Israeli side of the border March 25, 2019 REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RC1BAFEB0A50

Can Israel stop Hamas, Islamic Jihad arms race?

The latest round of violence showed Israel that Hamas and the Islamic Jihad have each an impressive arsenal of rockets and improved abilities to use them.

Netanyahu’s separation policy feeds Hamas violence

Israel's longtime policy of separation between the West Bank and Gaza Strip as well as punishment measures against the Palestinian Authority could help actually Hamas take over the West Bank.

Rockets are fired from Gaza towards Israel, in Gaza May 5, 2019. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem - RC1917143790

What’s behind recent escalation between Gaza, Israel?

Egypt and Qatar broker a cease-fire following the deaths of 27 Palestinians and four Israelis, but will the blockade on Gaza ease as a result?

Israel wants to strengthen, annex West Bank settlements

Israel will offer investors grants to build hotels in West Bank settlements, which reflects Israel’s intention to annex more parts of the West Bank.

Natural history, conservation and politics meet in West Bank museum

The Palestine Museum of Natural History and the Palestine Institute for Biodiversity and Sustainability bring Israeli and Palestinians together to preserve knowledge about the ecology, environment and cultivation of Palestine.

Different faiths, shared sites explored in Istanbul

An exhibition in Istanbul sheds light on religious sites and pilgrimages sacred to Christians, Muslims and Jews alike, a phenomenon that is not widely known but is quite common in the Mediterranean region.

White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law, speaks during a discussion on "Inside the Trump Administration's Middle East Peace Effort" at a dinner symposium of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP) in Washington, U.S., May 2, 2019. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas - RC1B17280EE0

Kushner rejects calls to delay release of Mideast peace plan

Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser, said Thursday the Trump administration would issue its Middle East peace plan, though several regional experts have argued that the plan's release would cause more harm.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas chairs a session of the weekly cabinet meeting, in Ramallah in the Israeli-occupied West Bank April 29, 2019. Majdi Mohammed/Pool via REUTERS - RC1F5F1B5D10

Abbas needs to dismantle the PA

Instead of playing into Benjamin Netanyahu's policy of treating the Oslo Accords like a final agreement, the Palestinian leadership should dismantle the Palestinian Authority and hand the keys back to Israel.

Palestinian rift endangers opposition to US peace plan

Backers of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas say the ongoing Palestinian division will only weaken efforts to defy the US peace plan, which is expected to be announced soon.

How long can PA keep borrowing money from Palestinian banks?

The Palestinian government announced its decision to pay 60% of the salaries of public employees, which could be achieved under a plan to borrow money from local banks to confront the financial crisis caused by Israel's deduction from clearing funds for the PA.