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

Israel cover image

Israel

July 4, 2026

Tel Aviv 10:50 pm

26°C

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

Interview

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

In an interview with Al-Monitor, head of the Arab-Israeli Hadash-Ta'al Knesset faction, Ayman Odeh, said his party is prepared to make difficult decisions to topple Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.

Ayman Odeh

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

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

Analysis

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

Israeli officials believe the US failure to attain the kind of agreement with Iran that it originally sought stems from the strategic mistakes made during and after the recent war.

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

Latest News

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

Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images

Analysis

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

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)

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

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

KAREN MINASYAN / AFP via Getty Images

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

Palestinian women up in arms against Israeli soldiers

Palestinian women are trying everything in their power to protest land confiscations and other Israeli measures, and it seems they have no problem resorting to fistfights when children are at risk.

Israelis forgo homemade wedding foods in favor of gourmet hummus, Galilean artisanal cheese

Young Israeli newlyweds have moved on from the homemade wedding food of the '60s, the pastries of the '70s, and the glittery presentation of the '80s in favor of a fusion of world and local cuisines.

Netanyahu is all talk and no action when it comes to helping refugees, asylum seekers

In reaction to the flow of Syrian refugees, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talks about “empathy for a human tragedy,” but when it comes to actions, as in the case of the Gaza Strip or the asylum seekers from Africa, he turns his back.

This pictures shows the charred and desolated landscape after a raging fire ravaged the Carmel forest close to Kibbutz Beit Oren, near the northern Israeli city of Haifa, on December 3, 2010 as thousands of Israeli firemen and rescuers fight to control a massive forest fire that has already killed 41, as global help poured in to battle the biggest inferno in the country's history. AFP PHOTO/MARCO LONGARI (Photo credit should read MARCO LONGARI/AFP/Getty Images)

Israel's opposition politicians head to 'political wilderness'

The decline of the big political parties and the rise of personality driven parties are harming Israeli politics by devaluing being in the opposition, where accomplishing change for the public good requires determination.

Was Bibi's battle against Iran really a fight for his own survival?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu probably understood a while ago that objecting to the Iran deal would lead nowhere, but insisted on waging the battle against it for domestic political considerations.

Israel's new Economy Minister and leader of the Ultra-Orthodox Shas party, Aryeh Deri (L), speaks to Yuval Steinitz, the new energy minister, during a swearing-in ceremony at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, in Jerusalem May 14, 2015. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's new rightist coalition government, hobbled from the outset by its razor-thin parliamentary majority, was sworn in late on Thursday amid wrangling within his Likud party over cabinet posts. Picture taken May 14, 2015. REUETRS/Jim

Does Israel's economy minister know the election is over?

Israeli Economy Minister Aryeh Deri seems more busy creating provocations and headlines than making ministerial decisions on crucial issues such as the 2016 state budget or the natural gas outline.

Why it's time for Saudi Arabia to take the lead on Israeli-Palestinian peace process

While Israel and Saudi Arabia share common interests, these can only be expressed if the Saudis take a leading role in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process toward a statehood based on their 2002 initiative, with the United States, Egypt and the Arab League engaging as well.

Hunger-striking women's group hopes to bring peace to Israel

Members of the Women Wage Peace movement — a group of women from all sectors, ages and communities — hope that their recent meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will add another layer to the public movement they are building for peace with the Palestinians.

Bibi's two-state solution: State of Israel and State of the Jews

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told peace activists that he is willing to go to Ramallah, knowing that his preconditions for such contacts will immediately dissuade Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas from extending him an invitation.

MK Svetlova: Abbas not ideal partner, but best we have now

In an Al-Monitor interview, Zionist Camp Knesset member Ksenia Svetlova described Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as a "missed opportunity'' and laid most of the blame for the current diplomatic impasse on Israel.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gestures as he speaks during the opening ceremony of a park in the West Bank city of Ramallah April 5, 2015. REUTERS/Mohamad Torokman - RTR4W5UM

Is Abbas leaving legacy of failure?

For the moment, President Mahmoud Abbas' legacy is commendable for rejecting terrorism in the Palestinian movement, but condemnable for not accepting peace proposals with the caveat of continuing to negotiate the details.

You won't believe what's happening to these Israeli teachers

Motivated by populism and the political climate, the mayors of Ashkelon and Ramat Gan have been attacking left-wing educators for legal activities pursued in their free time.