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

Israel cover image

Israel

July 7, 2026

Tel Aviv 11:44 pm

25°C

Froun

Explainer

Lebanon's latest damage estimate outlines reconstruction challenge

More than 1 million Lebanese residents fled their homes after Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon intensified in March, when Hezbollah entered the conflict.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (L) welcomes US President Donald Trump (R) upon his arrival on Air Force One at Etimesgut Air Base near Ankara, on July 7, 2026, before attending the 36th NATO Heads of State and Government Summit. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Trump's F-35 push for Turkey runs into CAATSA — and Israel

Israel fears that Washington may be shifting its strategic options toward Turkey as the two rivals push for regional hegemony.

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

ABIR SULTAN / AFP via Getty Images

Israel, Greece conduct military drills ahead of NATO summit in Turkey

Photos published by the Greek military showed fighter jets from both countries flying side by side over the Aegean Sea.

Latest News

Interview

Ayman Odeh says Arab parties could back Bennett or Eisenkot to block Netanyahu

Joint List Party leader Ayman Odeh attends a meeting on April 5, 2021 in Jerusalem, Israel.

Ayman Odeh

Head of the Knesset's Hadash-Ta'al faction

Analysis

As US-Iran talks falter, Israel views war outcome as 'total strategic failure’

Motorists drive past a billboard bearing a picture of Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei, ahead of his funeral in Tehran on July 3, 2026. Iranian leaders began paying their respects on July 3 before the coffin of the country's late supreme leader Ali Khamenei, killed in the US-Israeli strikes that triggered the Middle East war, as Tehran prepared for a vast funeral. Khamenei's body arrived at Tehran's Grand Mosalla on July 3 ahead of ceremonies which are expected to draw millions. (Photo by AFP via Ge

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

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

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabinet meeting at his office in Jerusalem January 18, 2015. Israel is lobbying member-states of the International Criminal Court to cut funding for the tribunal in response to its launch of an inquiry into possible war crimes in the Palestinian territories, officials said on Sunday. REUTERS/Abir Sultan/Pool (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS CRIME LAW) - RTR4LUYJ

Netanyahu makes ICC decision campaign issue

While Europeans are suspending their criticisms until after the Israeli elections in fear of providing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with political ammunition, the ICC decision to open an investigation is being used by the Israeli right to present the Europeans as enemies.

(From L) Danish Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Swiss President Simonetta Sommaruga and Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu take part in a Unity rally Marc

Turkish-Israeli ties worse than ever

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s irritation over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's presence at the Paris rally has contributed to rekindled tensions between Turkey and Israel.

PA official: talks with Israel lead nowhere

Palestinians have given up on negotiating directly with Israel, so they are developing other options like a UN resolution and multilateral talks.

An Israeli-Arab voter drops a ballot into a ballot box during voting in East Jerusalem, February 6, 2001. Most Israeli-Arabs are expected to abstain from voting in a protest against the 13 Israeli-Arabs who were killed during the recent 'Intifada' or uprising against Israel. Ariel Sharon appeared poised for a stunning political victory over Prime Minister Ehud Barak as voters began casting ballots Tuesday in an election seen as a referendum on Israel's relationship with the Palestinians.

EH/WS - RTR15LTJ

Israeli-Arabs open to dialogue with Labor Party

Israeli Arabs are disappointed by the Arab parties and feel that only a large party would be able to bring about a change in their socio-economic situation, hence the Labor Party must take up this challenge and renew a dialogue with them.

Israeli students skip class to end teacher dispute

Israeli students' nationwide strike over the cancelation of extramural activities quickly resolved a dispute between teachers and education administrators and earned them a great deal of praise.

Head of the Bayit Yehudi party Naftali Bennett (C) celebrates at his party's headquarters in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv January 22, 2013. Hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emerged the bruised winner of Israel's election on Tuesday, claiming victory despite unexpected losses to resurgent centre-left challengers. Netanyahu has traditionally looked to religious, conservative parties for backing and is widely expected to seek out self-made millionaire Bennett, who heads the Jewish Home party and stole muc

Bennett's list too conservative to land premier seat

HaBayit HaYehudi head Naftali Bennett had hoped for a center-right list that could pave his way to the prime minister's office, but is now working with a distinctly right-wing party.

Israel's national flag flutters in the settlement of Ramat Shlomo November 4, 2014. An Israeli government committee on Monday advanced plans for 500 settler homes in East Jerusalem, an official said, in the face of disapproval from the United States at construction on occupied Palestinian land. The Interior Ministry panel's preliminary approval of the new homes for Ramat Shlomo, a neighbourhood built on West Bank territory captured in the 1967 war and annexed to Jerusalem in a move not recognised abroad, wa

Bennett, Herzog battle over dueling visions of Zionism

The party primaries at the center-left Labor and the right-wing HaBayit HaYehudi reflect a battle between two visions of Zionism — the traditional, secular, open to the world Labor Zionism against a religious, messianic, settlement vision.

Labour party candidates Itzik Shmuli (R) and Stav Shaffir attend a mock election at a high school in Ramat Gan near Tel Aviv December 6, 2012. The leaders of a grassroots social protest movement that swept Israel in 2011, Shaffir and Shmuli, have shot to the top of a rejuvenated Labour party that polls say will at least double its power in a Jan. 22 general election that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud is forecast to win. Picture taken December 6, 2012. REUTERS/Amir Cohen (ISRAEL - Tags

Labor's new list: young, leftist, social-oriented

The primary elections held by the Labor Party produced a list dominated by young left-wing candidates who are identified with the social protests, and excluding Labor's veteran politicians.

A supporter of the left wing Meretz party campaigning for municipal elections hangs balloons next to campaign posters of Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat in Jerusalem October 22, 2013. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTX14JPY

Meretz Party: victim of its own convictions

The left-wing Meretz Party suffers from a negative image among Jewish voters, but its greatest problem is speaking the truth and daring to criticize the government even at times of military conflict.

Israeli soldiers observe the Syrian side of the Quneitra border crossing between the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights and Syria, August 29, 2014. U.N. officials shuttled along the rocky frontier between Syria and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights on Friday, trying to establish the whereabouts of 44 United Nations peacekeepers seized by al-Qaeda-linked militants inside Syria. Israeli forces took up positions at Quneitra, a fortified crossing between Syria and the Golan, barely 400 meters (437 yards) from Nu

Are Israel, Jabhat al-Nusra coordinating on attacks in Syria?

Syrian opposition activists in southern Syria say Israel has played a vital role in Jabhat al-Nusra’s recent gains in Quneitra and Daraa.

Youths look at a Likud-Yisrael Beitenu campaign poster depicting Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem January 17, 2013. Netanyahu looks set to form a new governing coalition after next week's election, polls show, with the only question being whether he wants to soften its hardline contours. REUTERS/Ammar Awad (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTR3CKHF

Israeli political youth movements hope for revival

In contrast with veteran Israeli political parties, HaBayit HaYehudi and Yesh Atid devote considerable efforts to building their youth movements, thus cementing a strong electoral base for the future.

Israel's Defence Minister Moshe Yaalon (L) speaks with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a session of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem December 1, 2014. Netanyahu, enmeshed in a cabinet crisis, said on Monday he would call an early national election unless rebellious ministers stopped attacking government policies. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY) - RTR4GAPY

Ya'alon: Abbas barely controls Jenin

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon argued that the Gaza war last summer prevented a Hamas takeover of the West Bank: "Mahmoud Abbas does not control Gaza, he barely controls Jenin."