Israel - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Israel cover image

Israel

September 2, 2026

Tel Aviv 2:17 am

27°C

missile

Analysis

Israel favors status quo as tensions in Iran's leadership fuel escalation risk

Israel would prefer to preserve the current balance of pressure — with US naval blockades and economic measures continuing without a return to active fighting — per a senior Israeli security source.

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

Mecca Alliance

Israel, Greece sign $3.5 billion air-defense deal: What to know

Against the backdrop of growing tensions with Turkey, Israel signed one of its largest-ever defense industry deals to supply Greece with advanced air defense systems.

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

Latest News

Israel, Hamas bide their time as Gaza peace plan stalls

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

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

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

Israel erects underground, underwater barriers to thwart Hamas attacks

Israel’s sea and land barriers were built to stave off Hamas attacks and prevent tunnels from being dug.

Veteran Likud member must raise integrity banner against Netanyahu’s rule

Knesset member Benny Begin has long been the emblem of political honesty and integrity; now he must raise his voice against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's continued rule while suspected of corruption.

Israeli right likely to maintain support for Netanyahu if indicted

The Likud and the right-wing bloc is positioned to win the Israeli elections, and most of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition partners will agree to join him again even if he is indicted.

New Right more reality show than party

After splitting from HaBayit HaYehudi for personal political reasons, Ministers Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked are struggling to define a distinct agenda for their new political platform.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan speak during a meeting in Jerusalem October 24, 2018. Ariel Schalit/Pool via REUTERS *** Local Caption *** - RC12DD91F3B0

Does China endanger Israel’s security?

Israeli security experts warn that growing Chinese involvement in infrastructure projects could endanger the country’s security.

Ayman Odeh (3rd R), head of the Joint Arab List, reacts with members of the party after exit poll results in Nazareth March 17, 2015. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu closed a gap with center-left rival Isaac Herzog in a hard-fought Israeli election on Tuesday, exit polls showed, leaving both men with a chance to rule but Netanyahu with the clearer path to forming a coalition. But Herzog also could prevail, should Kulanu and a bloc of Arab Israelis - which the polls predicted would be Israel's third larges

Can Israel's Arab parties survive Joint List split?

The decision by Knesset member Ahmad Tibi to leave the Joint List has shaken up an alliance already ruptured by ideology and personal interests.

Pro-settler rabbis ignore Jewish values, democracy

A group of rabbis supports settler youths suspected in causing the death of a Palestinian woman, instead of condemning their act and defending human rights and democracy.

Hamas, PA suspicious of Israel's new webcast

Israel wants to win the hearts and minds of Palestinians through internet radio, something that isn't being well received by West Bank and Gaza Strip leaders.

Visibly shaken Netanyahu blows live TV address

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's overhyped TV address failed to impress a million viewers and betrayed his fear of being indicted before the April elections.

Can Qatar help Hamas without embarrassing Netanyahu?

The Qatari emissary asked the Hamas leadership to give him and Israel time to come up with creative ways to transfer the Gaza aid money without causing public opinion in Israel to explode.

A sign declares the National Archive is closed due to a partial federal government shutdown in Washington, U.S., December 22, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts - RC1AE6EAC290

Israel anti-boycott bill becomes partisan casualty in first vote of new Senate

Senate Republicans’ first bill in the new Congress draws AIPAC into a partisan political squabble while forcing a Democratic reckoning over the Israel boycott movement.

Brigadier-General Hossein Ashtari, the chief commander of the Islamic Republic's police force, addresses ambassadors and representatives of international organisations based in Tehran on October 10, 2018. - Ashtari called for further international cooperation for fighting terrorism, drug trafficking and cyber crimes. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo credit should read ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images)

Iran ups rhetoric with talk of training Palestinian fighters

Iran has been supporting and instructing Palestinian resistance factions for years on the down low, but now it's bragging about it.