Hamas leaders opt for gradual cease-fire

Hamas leaders refuse to stop the campaign against Israel of incendiary kites and balloons all at once, lest it be perceived as admitting to failure.

Palestine

Palestinians pin hopes on Irish efforts against Israeli imports

Palestinians are hoping an Irish bill that would ban imports of products from occupied territories will help launch a unified European stance against Israeli settlements.

Palestine

Why Irish sanctions on settlement products don't scare Israel

An Irish parliament decision to advance sanctions legislation against imported settlement products has minimal economic consequences, but one would not know that based on the response of the Israeli government.

Palestine

What’s next for Syria after Helsinki summit?

The meeting between the Russian and US presidents did as little for the Middle East as it possibly could, though the two leaders seemed to identify Syria as a good place to rebuild US-Russian cooperation.

Israel

Israel frees Turkish woman accused of terror-related smuggling

The release of a Turkish woman charged with smuggling in Israel marks an upturn in Turkey’s volatile relations with Israel, but analysts warn that the two countries' motivations for friendship — cynical business interests — can only do so much to keep the tension at bay.

Israel

Netanyahu feeling the heat from Gaza

Israelis on the right are fed up with incendiary balloons and kites launched from Gaza, forcing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hand to unleash the IDF against Gaza for fear of paying an electoral price.

Palestine

Knesset hears data on Israel’s Arab-Jewish health gap

A first-of-its-kind debate in the Knesset finally addressed long years of neglect of the Arab population's health by the Israeli authorities, but there's no reason to believe much will change.

Israel

The art of the deal in Helsinki

A win-win on Syria is there for the taking by leveraging Putin’s relationship with Iran.

Israel

Is Israel's popular justice minister a threat to Netanyahu?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surely took note of the latest polls indicating Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked of HaBayit HaYehudi has become extremely popular within his own Likud Party.

Israel

Islamic Jihad says Israel’s tightened siege ‘a declaration of war’

Palestinian factions are condemning the recent Israeli decision to impose more sanctions on Gaza in retaliation against the launch of fire kites into southern Israel.

Palestine

Price tag for Trump’s $250,000 Jerusalem embassy is in – at $21.5 million

Federal documents reviewed by Al-Monitor show upgrades to the temporary facility in Arnona will cost far more than the president said.

Israel

Netanyahu, Putin talk Iran before Helsinki summit

In his last meeting with Putin before the Helsinki summit with Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to enlist Russia's support for Israel's Syria proposal for the United States.

Israel