Analysis Europe’s West Bank trade ban fires warning shot at Israel’s economy Weeks before key Israeli elections, a dozen nations announced new trade restrictions targeting settlements in the West Bank, delivering a sharp rebuke to Israel's government that could presage additional international pressure. By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Analysis Once Netanyahu’s top challenger, Bennett loses ground to Eisenkot: What to know Facing the popular Gadi Eisenkot, the Together party of former premiers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid is sinking in Israeli opinion polls. By Mazal Mualem In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics
Israel says it destroyed Hezbollah tunnels in Ali al-Taher ridge: What to know The ridge has become a flashpoint in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon due to its extensive tunnel network Israel says is utilized by the Iran-backed group. Israel
Netanyahu threatens to sue Haaretz for reporting UAE warned Israel of Oct. 7 attack The Emirati president reportedly warned that a planned attack could cause bloodshed, destabilize the region and threaten the Abraham Accords. Israel
Analysis Israel braces for Iran attack as Trump’s economic squeeze on Tehran intensifies By Ben Caspit In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense
Who won Gaza's Shajaiya battle? Depends on whom you ask Hamas activists keep proclaiming victory by presenting the Shajaiya battle as a deterrent against a future Israeli ground invasion, ignoring the Israeli decision not to take over Gaza and the tremendous destruction suffered by Gaza residents following that battle. Palestine
New IDF strategy dismisses Iran nuclear threat The IDF's new strategy document declares Iran's nuclear program non-threatening and instead prepares to deal with attacks by Iranian proxies and other armed organizations in the region. Palestine
Getting to know Israel's next ambassador to the UN Instead of rewarding one of his associates, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu named Minister Danny Danon as Israel's next UN ambassador, hoping that a happy Danon in New York is preferable to a strong Danon in Likud's headquarters. Israel
'Night guards' aim to deter settler attacks in West Bank With attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian villages in the West Bank reaching 11,000 since 2004, the residents decided to form night guard committees to defend themselves. Palestine
Palestinian official denies Abbas resignation rumors In an interview with Al-Monitor, senior Palestinian official Mohammad Shtayyeh said the Palestinian leadership is focused on establishing a "healthy relationship" with Iran and denied the rumors surrounding the resignation of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Palestine
Zarif presses diplomacy on Syria Iran brokers humanitarian cease-fires in Syria; Yair Lapid discusses “dreadful gamble” in US-Israel relations; Turkey’s Stone Age temple may predate Stonehenge and Egyptian pyramids by thousands of years. Oman
Rethinking the Middle East's nuclear balance Following the Iran nuke deal, the US and the regional powers must strive for a regional security agreement, either based on a mutual deterrence verification system or a nuclear-free Middle East. Israel
Lapid: Israel has the right to criticize Iran deal In an interview with Al-Monitor, Yesh Atid head Yair Lapid argues that as the prime target for an Iranian bomb, Israel has more justification to speak up against the nuclear agreement than other countries. Israel
New conversion initiative splits Israel Orthodox rabbis Modern Orthodox rabbis remain dedicated to implementing the conversion law adopted in 2014 — repealed by the current government — which aims to facilitate the process of converting minors. Israel
Egypt and Israel: A lover and his mistress Like a lover and his mistress, Egypt and Israel intimately collaborate on the security front, but their relations do not extend much beyond this. Egypt
Israel's prison service denies jails on verge of 'explosion' The Israel Prison Service claims that escalating tensions in prisons are not related to changes in the incarceration conditions of the Palestinian prisoners, but the impending shakeup of a new Prison Service chief and the lack of a diplomatic horizon. Palestine
Congressional Democrats visiting Israel get earful about 'bad' Iran deal Instead of adopting the assessment of several top security chiefs that the Iran deal is better than none, Zionist Camp leaders Tzipi Livni and Isaac Herzog have chosen to imitate the prime minister and deride the agreement in talks with Congressional Democrats visiting Israel. Palestine