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Israel

July 14, 2026

Tel Aviv 2:50 pm

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Israelis turn out to cast their ballots on election day for the 20th Knesset on March 17, 2015 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Explainer

Israel's next election: Who's leading in polls and what's at stake?

After months of negotiations and speculations, the coalition announced that general elections will take place on Oct. 27.

Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

As US-Iran fighting resumes, Israel weighs 3 options with restraint winning, for now

Despite Israel's military readiness to resume strikes on Iran, officials say looming elections make Netanyahu more likely to stay out unless Tehran forces his hand.

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

Former Israeli army chief of staff Gadi Eizenkot speaks during the launch of the Yashar party's election campaign in Hod Aharon, in central Israel, on June 30, 2026.

New Israeli election poll puts Eisenkot ahead of Netanyahu: What to know

Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party has now bypassed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud in the polls, cementing his status as Netanyahu’s main opponent.

Latest News

Trump declares MoU with Iran 'over' as Hegseth cancels trip to Israel

U.S. President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte (not shown) for bilateral talks at Beştepe Presidential Compound during the NATO Summit on July 08, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. Leaders from NATO's 32 countries, plus NATO allies like Ukraine, gathered in the Turkish capital to discuss a range of issues involving spending targets, defense industrial production, and support for Ukraine, among other topics. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Explainer

Lebanon's latest damage estimate outlines reconstruction challenge

Froun

Analysis

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

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)

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

A general view shows the Israeli-Arab city of Umm al-Fahm December 26, 2012. Disillusioned, disappointed and divided, Israeli Arab voters will traipse to the polls next week in ever dwindling numbers, aware that none of their community will have any say in how the country is run. Picture taken December 26, 2012. REUTERS/Ammar Awad (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - RTR3CHRA

Residents of Umm al-Fahm affirm Arab-Israeli identity

Residents of Umm al-Fahm say that, regardless of their affiliation with the Palestinian cause, they identify themselves as Israeli citizens and object to a land-swap plan that will annex them to a future Palestine, as Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman suggests.

An Israeli Arab woman sits holding a Palestinian flag during a protest to mark the right of return for refugees who fled their homes during the 1948 war that followed the creation of Israel, which celebrated its 62nd anniversary near the Israeli Arab village of Tira April 20, 2010. REUTERS/Ammar Awad (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST) - RTR2D20I

Liberman’s land swap proposal shakes up peace talks

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman pulled out this week in perfect timing his 10-year-old plan for a land swap, which is both innovative and original and should give a boost to the stalemated peace talks.

An Arab-Israeli protester on a horse holds a Palestinian flag during a march in support of the right of return for Palestinian refugees who fled their homes or were expelled during the 1948 war that followed the creation of the state of Israel, near the Arab-Israeli town of Umm al-Fahm April 16, 2013. REUTERS/Ammar Awad (ISRAEL - Tags: CIVIL UNREST ANIMALS POLITICS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTXYO2G

Arab-Israeli city Umm al-Fahm figures in Liberman's land-swap plan

Israel's foreign minister is pushing for attaching the town of Umm al-Fahm, synonymous in Israel with loyalty to the Palestinian cause, to the future Palestinian state.

Jordan's King Abdullah II (R) greets Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as leaders gathered to deliver a joint statement on Middle East Peace talks in the East Room of the White House in Washington September 1, 2010. REUTERS/Jason Reed (UNITED STATES - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR2HTER

Israel's new eastern front

The value of Israel's alliance with Jordan is far greater than that of a battalion of Israeli soldiers in the Jordan Valley, the demand for which is threatening to derail Kerry’s initiative.

Longtime Sharon associate calls on parties to close peace deal

Former Knesset member Majallie Whbee, a close associate of former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, deplores Israeli leaders for not seizing the moment: “We have a window of opportunity of just a few years to complete an agreement.”

Israeli Prime Minister Menahem Begin (3rd R) listens to Israeli Agriculture Minister Ariel Sharon (C) during a visit to the West Bank settlement of Alon Moreh February 27, 1981 in this handout photo released by the Government Press Office. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, a dominant figure for decades in shaping the Middle East, suffered a massive brain haemorrhage on January 4, 2006, and doctors battled to save his life. ISRAEL OUT REUTERS/ Herman Chanania/Government Press Office/Handout - RTR17SBE

Ariel Sharon's decisions shaped today's Israel

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, the founding father of the settlements, realized one day that the burden of the occupations was far too big and initiated the historic disengagement from the Gaza Strip.

Israeli parliament member Hilik Bar (L) gestures as he sits next to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during a meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah October 7, 2013. Abbas held a rare meeting with the group of Israeli parliamentarians on Monday, warning that this could be the last chance to reach a deal to end decades of Israeli-Palestinian conflict and create two independent states living side-by-side. REUTERS/Abbas Momani/Pool (WEST BANK - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX142QN

Israeli legislature battles over Jordan Valley

Labor Knesset member Hilik Bar has presented a bill against annexing any territories within Judea, Samaria and Gaza, heading off a proposed annexation of the Jordan Valley.

Palestinian children inspect a house which witnesses said was damaged in an Israeli strike, in the central Gaza Strip December 25, 2013. A Gaza sniper shot dead an Israeli civilian over the border on Tuesday and Israel hit back with air strikes on two Hamas training camps which hospital officials said killed a Palestinian girl near one of the targets. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem (GAZA - Tags: POLITICS CIVIL UNREST TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTX16TQH

Despite rockets, Israel-Hamas confrontation unlikely

Despite the potential for renewed violence between Israel and Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, Hamas claims it is waiting to be better prepared for a larger future conflict.

An Israeli soldier rests after completing a 45 km march near the Jewish settlement of Tomer in the Jordan Valley January 2, 2014. Control of the Jordan Valley is one of a number of contentious issues on which Israelis and Palestinians are in dispute in current peace talks. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Israel on Thursday to help re-energise peace negotiations. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (WEST BANK - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - RTX16ZUQ

Israel's march of folly to the Jordan Valley

The Jordan Valley is the key to solving the refugee issue and to building a future Palestinian airport, thus the Israeli bill proposing to annex this region is the de facto end to a peace agreement.

Knesset (parliament) member Israeli Arab Ahmad Tibi campaigns seeking reelection ahead of Israel's general elections in the Israeli Arab town of Umm al-Fahm on January 14, 2013. Arab-Israelis, descendants of the 160,000 Palestinians who stayed on after the creation of Israel in 1948, make up 20 percent of the population. AFP PHOTO/AHMAD GHARABLI (Photo credit should read AHMAD GHARABLI/AFP/Getty Images)

Ahmad Tibi: Netanyahu does everything to prevent an agreement

Knesset member Ahmad Tibi warns Israel that PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas will not concede on East Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine nor on the refugees issue.

A MEMBERS OF THE ACTORS COMPANY 'IMBAL PINTO DANCE' FROM ISRAEL PERFORM DURING THE INTERNATIONAL THEATER FESTIVAL (FIT). A members of the actors company 'Imbal Pinto Dance' from Israel perform during the International Theater Festival (FIT) in Caracas, April 8, 2004. The troupe is one of 16 companies taking part in the festival. REUTERS/Howard Yanes - RTRH3EA

Israeli actors refuse to perform across Green Line

This week’s refusal by three Israeli theater stars to perform across the Green Line raises the dilemma of commitment to one’s art or one’s conscience.

Ahmad Khalaf (4th R) looks on as a religious leader together with others release a dove outside the al-Aqsa mosque the day after he was released from an Israeli prison, in Jerusalem's old city December 31, 2013. Israel freed 26 Palestinian prisoners, on Tuesday, days before U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was due back in the Middle East to press the two sides to agree a framework peace deal.REUTERS/Ammar Awad (JERUSALEM - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX16Y77

Despite prisoner release, any Israeli settlement construction may end talks

Palestinian Authority Minister for Prisoner Affairs Issa Karake has declared that if Israel insists on more settlement construction following the latest prisoner release, the negotiations will be over.