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

Israel cover image

Israel

June 28, 2026

Tel Aviv 3:57 am

23°C

Members of the Jerusalem Armenian community hold placards as they march during commemorations for the 94th anniversary of mass killings of their kin under the Ottoman Empire, Jerusalem's Old City, April 24, 2009.

Explainer

Israel's Armenian genocide recognition marks new front against Turkey

Analysts say the expected vote for recognition is not morally motivated, but intended to spite the Turkish leader.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (C, back) looks on as (L/R, front row) Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter, State Department Chief of Staff Daniel Holler, and Lebanese Ambassador to the US Nada Hamadeh sign a framework agreement at the US Department of State in Washington, DC, on June 26, 2026. Lebanon, Israel and the United States on Friday signed a trilateral framework agreement aimed at paving the way for a peace deal between the two long-time Middle East adversaries. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP

US brokers deal for limited Israeli withdrawal in south Lebanon

The deal establishes a US-facilitated military coordination group to oversee the creation of two initial pilot zones in southern Lebanon.

Jalaa MAREY / AFP via Getty Images

Iran vows to respond to Israeli military using neighboring airspace: What to know

Iran’s military headquarters said it “considers responding to these dangerous actions as its right” after alleging that Israeli jets have been operating in the airspace of neighboring countries near Iran.

Vance

Analysis

Vance turning us into 'punching bag': Israel fumes over alleged IRGC-CENTCOM channel in Doha

The US-Iran decision to launch direct talks between the IRGC and CENTCOM in Qatar deepens the rift between President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while heightening Israeli fears that Washington is shifting toward Doha and Tehran.

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

Latest News

Israel, Turkey, Iran offer aid as Venezuela’s 2 quakes kill at least 188

Responders arrive to a demolished building at San Bernardino after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Venezuela and other regions in the Caribbean on June 24, 2026 in Caracas, Venezuela.

Explainer

Pro-Palestine Democrats win in NYC elections: What it means

Congressional candidate Claire Valdez, Congressional candidate Brad Lander, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, and Congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier raise their hands during a Get Out the Vote (GOTV) rally at King's Theater on June 18, 2026 in New York City.

Analysis

Pilot zones at center of Israel-Lebanon talks as Trump pressures Netanyahu

Lebanese army forces deploy in the village of Bir al-Salasel in southern Lebanon on June 15, 2026. Iran's foreign ministry on June 15 said the US must ensure that Israel commits to stopping the war in Lebanon under a deal agreed upon with the US to end the Middle East war. Lebanon was pulled into the conflict in early March when Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah launched rocket attacks on Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader, prompting Israeli strikes and a ground invasion. (Pho

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

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres delivers remarks during the Security Council meeting at the United Nations in New York City, U.S. January 10, 2017. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith - RTX2YCKQ

How new UN secretary-general plans to advance two-state process

The new UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres greatly believes in collective diplomacy, and intends to imply this concept to advancing a two-state process.

Head of the Palestinian Football Association Jibril Rajoub (2nd R) walks with anti-apartheid activist Tokyo Sexwale (R) past Israel's controversial barrier as they arrive for a news conference in the West Bank town of Al-Ram, near Jerusalem, May 7, 2015. Rajoub reinforced his call for Israel to be suspended from FIFA on Thursday, saying the Israeli Football Association was part of an "apartheid, racist government" that was damaging Palestinian soccer. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman - RTX1BZBF

Why FIFA paid close attention to UN anti-settlement resolution

The dispute within FIFA over the status of the West Bank received a major breakthrough with UN Security Council Resolution 2334. But will Israel heed the decision?

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett, speaks during a briefing to members of the foreign press association, in Jerusalem November 14, 2016. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RTX2TLQB

Israel's education minister takes on role of political censor

Israeli Education Minister Naftali Bennett is promoting a law barring representatives of any anti-occupation organizations from entering high schools, effectively censoring students from information that contradicts the state's narrative.

Palestinian journalists take part in a protest in front of the Reuters office in Gaza April 22, 208, against the killing of Reuters cameraman Fadel Shana. Shana, a 23-year-old Palestinian, was killed in the Gaza Strip on April 16, 2008 while covering events in the enclave for the international news agency. He had been filming an Israeli tank dug in about 1,000 yards (1 km) away. Gaza doctors said darts sprayed from a controversial missile used by Israel killed Shana. Israeli forces have not said whether one

Palestinian journalists frustrated with inability to cover PA corruption

As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's investigation unfolds next door, Palestinian journalists envy the press freedom to investigate alleged wrong doing in their own country.

Zionist Camp MK's message to the Israeli left

Knesset member Ksenia Svetlova of the Zionist Camp told Al-Monitor in an interview that she still believes a diplomatic agreement with the Palestinians is the only solution and that Israelis must realize that there is no way to totally end terror acts.

Israeli soldier Elor Azaria, who is charged with manslaughter by the Israeli military, sits to hear his verdict in a military court in Tel Aviv, Israel, January 4, 2017. REUTERS/Heidi Levine/Pool - RTX2XHOA

Israeli court’s conviction temporarily fends off ICC

The manslaughter conviction of an Israeli soldier for killing a wounded Palestinian youth has fended off an investigation of that particular crime by the International Criminal Court, but it does not mean Israel is in the clear on allegations of war crimes for other deaths.

Pedestrians walk past the U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv August 2, 2013. U.S. embassies that would normally be open this Sunday - including those in Abu Dhabi, Baghdad and Cairo - will be closed that day because of unspecified security concerns, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday. CBS News said U.S. embassies would also be closed in Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Libya, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Afghanistan and Bangladesh. REUTERS/Nir Elias (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX12876

Palestinians ponder possible US Embassy move to Jerusalem

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has written a letter to US President-elect Donald Trump in an attempt to convince him not to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Why Netanyahu rushed to link Jerusalem attack to IS

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was quick to blame the Islamic State for the terror attack in Jerusalem, ignoring that Palestinian assailants are motivated first and foremost by the Israeli occupation.

Israel's Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Gadi Eizenkot speaks at the annual Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) conference in Tel Aviv January 18, 2016. REUTERS/Baz Ratner - RTX22X9B

How Netanyahu failed IDF battle of ethics

While IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot defended the verdict against the soldier who shot a wounded Palestinian assailant, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered only feeble support of the army’s leader.

Israeli soldiers work at the scene where police said a Palestinian rammed his truck into a group of Israeli soldiers on a popular promenade in Jerusalem January 8, 2017. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTX2XYKA

Jerusalem terror: Palestinian intifada or Islamic State attack?

The truck attack in Jerusalem indicates that the Palestinian intifada has no rules, framework or commanding hierarchy.

EU wants P4+1 model on Israeli settlements

The European Union is considering establishing a P4+1 group, without the United States, dealing separately with the Israeli-Palestinian issue and the Iran file.

How did Gaza’s economic elite become day laborers in Israel?

Once-prosperous Gaza merchants, having depleted their savings and barely surviving, are using their entry permits into Israel to search for odd jobs.