Israel - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Israel cover image

Israel

July 3, 2026

Tel Aviv 5:38 am

23°C

Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images

Who is Melat Kiros, the pro-Palestinian who unseated a longtime Democrat?

Kiros has taken a hard stance against Israel and opposes all aid to the country as pro-Palestinian candidates make further inroads in the party.

Shia Muslim devotees gather for a mourning ritual near the shrine of Hassan Nasrallah, the slain leader of the Lebanese Shia movement Hezbollah who was killed in a 2024 Israeli-airstrike, in Beirut's southern suburbs on June 26, 2026 at the peak of Ashura, a 10-day period commemorating the seventh century killing of Prophet Mohammed's grandson Imam Hussein. (Photo by JOSEPH EID / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

For Israel, Lebanon deal 'historic' despite fears Hezbollah will rebuild

While the deal with Lebanon allows the Israeli military to maintain a presence there, security experts warn that it also gives a weakened Hezbollah the time it needs to recover.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Latest News

Turkey, Azerbaijan slam Israel’s Armenian genocide recognition as Yerevan mum

KAREN MINASYAN / AFP via Getty Images

Traffic plummets through Strait of Hormuz after Iran, US trade fire

AFP via Getty Images

Syria slams Israeli 'violations' in south as ground clashes intensify: What to know

A car drives past an United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) outpost in the village of Khan Arnabah, Quneitra, southern Syria, April 29, 2026.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Ben Caspit

Israel Columnist

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Rina Bassist

Associate Editor (Israel)

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

How education became an Israeli political tool

Education Minister Naftali Bennett and his colleagues from other Orthodox parties know that teaching their ideology to school children will benefit themselves politically in the long run.

Why some Palestinians aren't optimistic about Israel's decision to ease residency restrictions

Israel issued a decision allowing some Palestinians living in Jerusalem and the West Bank to reunite with their families in Israeli cities, but security concerns may undermine it.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (L) and French President Francois Hollande (R) make a joint statement after a meeting to discuss France's initiative for peace in the Middle East at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, April 15, 2016. REUTERS/Charles Platiau - RTX2A5J6

Why France isn’t inviting Israel, Palestine to peace process conference

As a first step to relaunch a two-state solution process, France will convene at the end of May a conference of stakeholders, without the Israelis or the Palestinians.

Refugees in Israel dream of freedom this Passover

Israelis and refugees celebrated Passover at the Holot detention center to bring attention to the refugees' lack of freedom and the conditions at the facility.

Isaac Herzog, co-leader of Zionist Union with Tzipi Livni, delivers a statement at the party headquarters in Tel Aviv March 18, 2015. Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu pledged on Wednesday to form a new governing coalition quickly after an upset election victory that was built on a shift to the right and is likely to worsen a troubled relationship with the White House. With nearly all votes counted on Wednesday, Netanyahu's Likud had won 30 seats in the 120-member Knesset, comfortably defeating the c

Israel's opposition leader challenged from all sides

Labor Party head and opposition chair Isaac Herzog is finding himself on shaky ground, coping with a corruption investigation that rivals believe is damaging to the party.

An ultra-Orthodox Jew holds a box near a fire burning leaven in the Mea Shearim neighbourhood of Jerusalem, ahead of the Jewish holiday of Passover, April 6, 2012. Passover commemorates the flight of Jews from ancient Egypt, as described in the Exodus chapter of the Bible. According to the account, the Jews did not have time to prepare leavened bread before fleeing to the promised land. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM - Tags: RELIGION) - RTR30EPA

Israel's ultra-Orthodox skip Passover cleaning, go on vacation

The exhausting pre-Passover cleaning needed to rid observant houses of leavened bread has inspired many ultra-Orthodox families to celebrate Passover in hotels instead of at home and even led to specialized overseas vacation packages.

A Palestinian from Gaza shakes hands with an Israeli soldier (L) after receiving a greeting card for Eid al-Adha at Israel's Erez Crossing October 5, 2014. In a rare step Israel said on October 2, 2014 it would let 500 Palestinians living in Gaza pray at a Jerusalem holy site during the Eid al-Adha feast at the weekend, and allow Palestinians from the West Bank to enter Israel more freely for the holiday.The Israeli military said that from Oct. 5 through 7 the days of the Muslim feast, 500 Palestinians from

How one Gaza crossing went from death trap to gate of hope

A decade ago, crossing from Gaza at the Erez checkpoint was a nightmare, but now under Defense Ministry management the once-dangerous crossing offers a model of order and security for West Bank facilities.

A recently located Iron Dome battary can be seen near the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon outside the Gaza Strip June 7, 2015. Israeli aircraft struck the Northern Gaza Strip on Sunday and Israel closed the border crossing with the Hamas-controlled territory after a rocket attack on Saturday claimed by the Omar Brigades, a Palestinian group that supports Islamic State. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RTX1FHS4

Obama, Congress hurtle toward showdown over Israel missile defense

Lawmakers are feeling a lot more generous than the Obama administration when it comes to Israel's safety.

Israel's fix for dangerous Gaza route will only worsen matters

Instead of widening the dangerous old road leading to the vital Kerem Shalom Crossing, Israeli Transportation Minister Yisrael Katz has decided to limit the operating hours of trucks bringing provisions into Gaza.

Israeli girls play near a sign at Mount Bental, an observation post in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that overlooks the Syrian side of the Qunietra crossing August 21, 2015. Israel said it killed four Palestinian militants in an air strike on the Syrian Golan Heights on Friday, after cross-border rocket fire from Syria prompted the heaviest Israeli bombardment since the start of Syria's four-year-old civil war. REUTERS/Baz Ratner - RTX1P1OA

Why Golan settlers paid no mind to Bibi’s latest comments

With the war in Syria ongoing, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent statements about Israel keeping the Golan Heights forever attracted little interest.

Did Israel’s reaction to BDS drive movement's growth?

Former Ambassador Gideon Meir argues that Israel has engaged itself in a high-profile battle against the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, turning it from an insignificant organization into a powerful force.

Yemen’s Jews and the road to Israel

Yemeni Jews who immigrate to Israel are taking with them a large part of what was left of Yemen's religious diversity.