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Modern Orthodox rabbis remain dedicated to implementing the conversion law adopted in 2014 — repealed by the current government — which aims to facilitate the process of converting minors.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

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