Ben Caspit

Ben Caspit is a columnist for Al-Monitor's Israel Pulse. He is also a senior columnist and political analyst for Israeli newspapers and has a daily radio show and regular TV shows on politics and Israel. On Twitter: @BenCaspit

Israel adopts 'controlled escalation' policy for Iran

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu desperately sees how the tough stance of the Trump administration against the nuclear deal with Iran has now morphed and changed into the Americans feeling their way back to the deal.

Ben Caspit | Israel | Apr 9, 2021

Israeli sailors stand on board the first of four new German-built Saar 6 naval vessels purchased by the navy, in the northern Haifa city naval base, Israel, Dec. 2, 2020.

Drama in Israel: Netanyahu tasked with composing next government

New Hope leader Gideon Saar decided not to recommend a candidate for composing the next government, thus opening the way for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to take the first crack at the mission.

Ben Caspit | Israel | Apr 6, 2021

Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu greets supporters as he speaks at a Likud party gathering after a vote event, Jerusalem, March 24, 2021.

Netanyahu’s fans hail historic speech by Israeli Arab legislator

Likud’s enthusiasm over the speech of Arab legislator Mansour Abbas might be opportunist and not candid, but it is changing Israeli politics and society irreversibly.

Ben Caspit | Israel | Apr 2, 2021

Mansour Abbas, head of the United Arab Party (Ra'am), delivers a speech in Nazareth, Israel, April 1, 2021.

With Netanyahu vulnerable, Israel again ignored by Washington on Iran

Knowing he is politically vulnerable, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is silent on Washington’s intention to return to the nuclear deal with Tehran.

Ben Caspit | Israel | Mar 30, 2021

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the Likud party, addresses supporters at the party campaign headquarters in Jerusalem early on March 24, 2021, after the end of voting in the fourth national election in two years.

Bittersweet victory for Israel’s Gideon Saar

Gideon Saar’s New Hope party garnered only six Knesset seats, but has managed to seriously destabilize the coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Ben Caspit | Israel | Mar 26, 2021

Gideon Saar, head of Israel's New Hope party, works at the party's headquarters, a day ahead of the election, Tel Aviv, Israel, March 22, 2021.

Netanyahu beaten, not (yet) defeated

With most of the votes counted, it seems that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no Knesset majority and almost no options for composing the next government.

Ben Caspit | Israel | Mar 24, 2021

Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu greets supporters as he speaks at the Likud party vote event, Jerusalem, March 24, 2021.

After Jordan, Emirates also furious with Netanyahu

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not only managed to get into a diplomatic row with Jordan, he also succeeded in angering the Emiratis.

Ben Caspit | Israel | Mar 19, 2021

Unconstrained Netanyahu jeopardizes relations with Jordan

Desperate to achieve a photo-op in Abu Dhabi before the March 23 elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blows off against Jordan when delaying his Emirati trip.

Ben Caspit | Israel | Mar 16, 2021

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a weekly cabinet meeting in the Jordan Valley, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on September 15, 2019. - Netanyahu's cabinet agreed to turn the wildcat settlement of Mevoot Yericho in the Jordan Valley into an official settlement, the premier's office said. (Photo by AMIR COHEN / POOL / AFP) (Photo by AMIR COHEN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Did Jordan generate a crisis, or was it Israel's fault?

It is unclear whether the diplomatic crisis is only the result of poor Israeli judgment, or Jordan actually generating it.

Ben Caspit | United Arab Emirates | Mar 12, 2021

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz (not pictured), give a joint press conference at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, on 4 March 2021. (Photo by Olivier Fitoussi / POOL / AFP) (Photo by OLIVIER FITOUSSI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Avigdor Liberman's life mission: to topple Netanyahu

Yisrael Beitenu leader Avigdor Liberman’s paramount mission is to unseat Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, even if it means setting aside his prime ministerial ambitions.

Ben Caspit | Israel | Mar 9, 2021

Ben Caspit

Israel adopts 'controlled escalation' policy for Iran

Drama in Israel: Netanyahu tasked with composing next government

Netanyahu’s fans hail historic speech by Israeli Arab legislator

With Netanyahu vulnerable, Israel again ignored by Washington on Iran

Bittersweet victory for Israel’s Gideon Saar

Netanyahu beaten, not (yet) defeated

After Jordan, Emirates also furious with Netanyahu

Unconstrained Netanyahu jeopardizes relations with Jordan

Did Jordan generate a crisis, or was it Israel's fault?

Avigdor Liberman's life mission: to topple Netanyahu

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