Controversy over plan to reform Israeli public broadcasting

Minister Ofir Akunis, who is responsible for reforming public broadcasting, tells Al-Monitor that contrary to accusations by the left, his reform plan is designed to rebuild an independent entity, reflecting more "balanced" views.

Israel

Is Palestinian soccer head playing a political game?

Palestinian Football Association Head Jibril Rajoub claimed that Israel prevented West Bank entry of Palestinian soccer players, but Israel argues that it was Rajoub who created an incident so he could score political points.

Palestine

Possible EU sanctions alarm Israeli banks

Following the recommendation of a prominent think tank, Israeli investors fear that the European Union will decide to "mark" Israeli banks that operate in the West Bank, devastating the entire Israeli banking system.

Palestine

Declining Israeli prison conditions may escalate tension with Palestine

Sanctions imposed on Palestinian prisoners inside Israeli jails have pushed prisoners to go on a hunger strike until their demands are met.

Palestine

Netanyahu's coalition stable ... for now

Despite predictions that the coalition will break up in the coming months, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu feels confident that he can get the budget approved at the Knesset, at which time perhaps opposition parties might join the coalition.

Israel

Former Shin Bet head: Jewish terror slow-growing 'cancer' in Israel

Former Shin Bet head Yuval Diskin has posted a scathing criticism of Jewish terrorism, blaming weak Israeli leadership for failing to counter "anarchist ideologies."

Palestine

Brutalism in Beersheeba

Israeli architects formed a nonprofit association to promote Brutalist architecture in Israel and have submitted a request to UNESCO to recognize Beersheba as a World Heritage Site, representing this particular movement in architecture.

Israel

Israelis lean right toward one-state solution

Palestinians are calling for one secular state where citizens have equal rights, but more and more right-wing Israelis are adopting their own version of the one Jewish state.

Palestine

Bibi, king of the Jews

In opposing the Iranian nuclear deal, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sees himself as the savior of the Jews, a perception that leads him to view the American Jewish community as within his jurisdiction, rather than as US citizens with an understandable loyalty to their country and president.

Israel

Will Israel's force-feeding law turn doctors into political tools?

The controversial force-feeding law passed in July will soon be tested by the case of hunger-striking Palestinian prisoner Mohammed Allan as the Israel Medical Association stands firm against a practice it considers unethical.

Palestine

Liberman slams Netanyahu over Foreign Ministry failings

Deputy Foreign Minister Tzipi Hotovely is practically ignored by the international community as Israel's Foreign Ministry keeps losing responsibilities to other ministries and its budget is slashed.

Israel

US wins support from GCC, Asian allies for Iran nuclear deal

Israel is outlier on nuclear deal; Rafsanjani tells Al-Monitor that Iran “does not inherently have any issues with Saudi Arabia”; Zarif proposes civil nuclear cooperation with Arab states; Syrian, Iranian and Russian officials meet in Tehran; Al-Monitor’s second annual Middle East lobbying investigation and cultural heritage series.

Israel