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

Israel cover image

Israel

September 3, 2026

Tel Aviv 8:47 pm

28°C

Anwar AMRO / AFP via Getty Images

Israel to release 5 Lebanese prisoners ahead of next talks: What to know

Israel said the detainees are "civilians who are not members of a terrorist organization" and "were not involved in terrorism," concluding, "There is no reason to continue holding them in Israel."

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

Latest News

Analysis

Israel’s Lebanon dilemma: Confront Hezbollah without angering Trump, triggering Iran

Ammar Ammar / AFP via Getty Images

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

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

Former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni (L) and Chief Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erekat participate in the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa at the King Hussein Convention Centre at the Dead Sea May 20, 2017. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed - RC1E86B4ECD0

Is the two-state option headed back to center stage?

The Likud and other right-wing parties are worried that recent meetings by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and with the opposition's Tzipi Livni could rekindle support for the two-state solution.

U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 25, 2018. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri - HP1EE9P152YZW

Why Trump’s UN speech should worry Netanyahu

For Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, US President Donald Trump is the be-all and end-all of Israel’s security.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 26, 2018. REUTERS/Carlos Barria - RC185DAD66E0

Is the Israeli-Russian honeymoon over?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turns to his close ally President Donald Trump, hoping that the US president can help Israel fix the crisis with Russia.

Thirty years on, Hamas ponders past performance, future

Hamas recently asked for, and received, critical analyses of its course over the past three decades, as well as suggestions on how to proceed from here.

Netanyahu alarmed over Abbas-Olmert meeting

The meeting of former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas discredits the longstanding claim by Israel’s political right that Abbas is not a partner for peace negotiations.

Russian police guard in front of the Israeli embassy in Moscow on September 18, 2018. - Russia blamed Israel on September 18, 2018 for the loss of a military IL-20M jet to Syrian fire, which killed all 15 servicemen on board, and threatened a response. Israeli pilots carrying out attacks on Syrian targets "used the Russian plane as a cover, exposing it to fire from Syrian air defences," a statement by the Russian military said. (Photo by Vasily MAXIMOV / AFP) (Photo credit should read VASILY MAXIMOV/

Russia raises stakes with Israel over downed plane

Moscow doubled down on its harsh rhetoric vis-a-vis Israel over the downed plane by promising to deploy the S-300 and other advanced weapons in Syria.

Palestinians expand Gaza protests

The commission of the Great March of Return announced a sixth gathering point for daily protests at the border with Israel after talks between Israel and Hamas failed.

Netanyahu's one-man show leaves no room for foreign minister

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who does not trust anyone to market his government’s policies, will address the UN General Assembly this week himself as Israel's top diplomat.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (2nd R) attends the weekly cabinet meeting with Israeli Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan (L), Israeli Minister of National Infrastructure Yuval Steinitz (2nd L), Israeli Minister of Transportation Yisrael Katz (3rd L) and Cabinet Secretary Tzachi Braverman (R) at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem September 16, 2018. Sebastian Scheiner/Pool via Reuters *** Local Caption *** - RC17A51E1F20

Israeli Cabinet cheers Trump, ignores IDF warnings

While IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot warns of a new wave of terrorism in the West Bank, the Security Cabinet prefers to cheer President Donald Trump on his decisions against the Palestinians.

Russian servicemen watch the launch of the S-300 air defence system missile during the International Army Games 2016 at the Ashuluk military polygon outside Astrakhan, Russia, August 7, 2016. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov - S1AETUBLCHAA

Intel: US warns Russia over S-300s for Syria

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon attend a ceremony for the signing of a housing agreement in Sderot, Israel April 9, 2018. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RC1C2300B0A0

Kahlon aligns with Regev with eye toward early Israeli elections

Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon has signed on to Culture Minister Miri Regev’s racist agenda against Israel’s Arab citizens not because of his ideology but in cynical preparation for early elections.

Israeli Arabs and their supporters take part in a rally to protest against Jewish nation-state law in Rabin square in Tel Aviv, Israel August 11, 2018. REUTERS/Ammar Awad - RC1DEE0EF780

Under nationality law, Israeli court favors Jews

The resolution handed down recently by the Jerusalem District Court demonstrates the true ramifications of the nationality law and how Jews would be favored in courts.