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Israel

September 22, 2026

Tel Aviv 9:16 pm

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ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Why Netanyahu is distancing himself from Trump ahead of Israeli election

No meeting has been announced between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly summit in New York.

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

Gargash

UAE's Gargash expects 'prolonged' war, calls for Iran-Gulf security talks

"We need a new mindset that these sort of discussions ... can happen at an Iranian-American level, it should also take place at an Iranian-Arab level," Gargash told Al-Monitor.

United Arab Emirates

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and French President Emmanuel Macron arrive to hold a joint press conference in Jerusalem, Oct. 24, 2023.

Analysis

After France's settlement ban, Israel sees no warming of ties with Macron government

Israeli diplomats say France’s decision to ban imports from West Bank settlements has brought bilateral relations to an unprecedented low point.

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman looks on as he attends a trade agreement signature ceremony at the Elysee Palace in Paris on August 24, 2026. (Photo by LOU BENOIST / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

How Netanyahu is leveraging Houthi threat in secret Saudi normalization push

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to capitalize on Riyadh's need for intelligence assistance to make normalization headway ahead of the October elections.

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

Latest News

Serbia opens factory to assemble Israeli-made drones: What to know

OLIVER BUNIC/AFP via Getty Images

Israel, Morocco agree to exchange ambassadors, open embassies

Royal Air Maroc Boeing 787-9 'Dreamliner' aircraft

Culture

Israeli show ‘Fauda’ tops Netflix in Lebanon, hits top 10 across Arab states

ISRAEL-ENTERTAINMENT-TELEVISION-POLITICS-GOVERNMENT-MASS-MEDIA-D (L to R) Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff, co-creators of the hit Israeli TV show "Fauda", attend a demonstration against the Israeli government's plans to shut-down public broadcaster KAN, in Israel's Mediterranean coastal city of Tel Aviv on January 25, 2023. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Explainer

Why France is pushing to keep UNIFIL in Lebanon beyond 2026

UN peacekeepers stand next to an armored vehicle during a patrol in southern Lebanon, Feb. 22, 2026.

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

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

Is Israel's 'Sovereignty Road' project step toward annexation?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s interim government is busily advancing various annexation moves with the excuse of addressing the settlers’ living conditions.

Jordanian artist taps absurd for 'Camel in the Room'

With iconic imagery such as camels and locks, artist Raed Ibrahim explores the complexities of Middle Eastern identity, memory and the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party election campaign banner depicting his main rival Benny Gantz, head of Blue and White party sitting with Arab politician Ahmad Tibi, of the Joint List party, and Hebrew writing reading: "Without Ahmad Tibi, Gantz doesn't have a government", is seen in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, Israel, February 25, 2020. Picture taken February 25, 2020. REUTERS/Corinna Kern - RC2F8F9OG6H9

Does Jewish-Arab partnership to form government stand a chance in Israel?

The Likud is continuing its campaign of incitement against Arab party representatives to head off their helping form a minority government led by Blue and White.

Why wasn't Hamas part of the recent confrontation round?

While Hamas stayed away from the confrontation rounds against Israel, some observers believe that Hamas is not preventing the factions from getting involved in these confrontations out of fear of losing Iranian funding and because it refuses to engage in a conflict against the factions.

A man in a protective suit walks outside Angel Hotel where, according to a Palestinian government official, a group of American visitors have been quarantined as part of precautions against the coronavirus, in Beit Jala town in the Israeli-occupied West Bank March 7, 2020. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma - RC2YEF9MKRM8

Coronavirus oblivious to Israeli, Palestinian borders

The necessity of cooperating against the novel coronavirus should encourage Israeli and Palestinian authorities to also work together on day-to-day issues, such as water and air pollution.

Will Israeli Arabs facilitate the ‘Netanyahu-removal government’?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to believe that it is not a problem for Arab citizens to vote as long as they cast their ballots for the Likud, otherwise they should not have a voice in their governance.

Memebers of the Joint List party arrive to the Israeli President Reuven Rivlin to begin talks with political parties over who should form a new government, at his residence in Jerusalem, September 22, 2019. Menachen Kahana/Pool via REUTERS - RC1BF3A36D90

Israel’s Arab party facing a dilemma

The Balad party is not interested in supporting a Gantz-led government, but it knows that voters of the Arab Joint List do not want another Netanyahu-led government, either.

What was Hamas leader doing in Moscow?

Ismail Haniyeh eyes Russia as a “brotherly nation” and expects Moscow to help reconcile the Palestinians.

In Moscow, Hamas offers 4 plans for Palestinian unity

Russia once again is working with Palestinian factions to unite them and help them defy Washington's plan for peace with Israel.

Traffic moves past a Blue and White party election campaign poster, depicting party leader Benny Gantz, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in Tel Aviv, Israel February 18, 2020. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RC243F9KEJJJ

Israel’s third election only intensified political chaos

Four days after the elections in Israel, all the different sides are still squabbling among themselves as if the election isn’t over yet.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during a Security Council meeting at the United Nations in New York, U.S., February 11, 2020. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton - RC2FYE9T70OQ

Palestinians insist that there is no back channel with Washington

Is there or isn’t there a back channel of talks between the Palestinians and the US administration?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacts upon his arrival to address his supporters following the announcement of exit polls in Israel's election at his Likud party headquarters in Tel Aviv, Israel March 3, 2020. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RC20CF9CV5B1

Did Netanyahu celebrate his victory too early?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu thought that he had won the elections, but now finds out that the road toward a majority government is long, if not impossible.