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Israel

September 23, 2026

Tel Aviv 3:53 am

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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

Leader of Israeli Blue and White party Benny Gantz speaks at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) conference in Tel Aviv, Israel January 29, 2020. REUTERS/Corinna Kern - RC2UPE9HAC8E

Will Gantz defend the rule of law against the Israeli right?

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz may be forced to choose between defending democracy and rule of law in Israel and improving his chances of forming a right-wing government after the March 2 elections.

Gaza-Israel feud escalates, but cautiously

Palestinians in Gaza have been trying to sleep through the roar of Israeli jets and bombs, as Israeli settlers wake up to the explosions of grenades in a pseudo-war that might change the rules of engagement.

What's in store for Palestinian-Jordanian ties as US rolls out peace plan?

While Jordan and Palestine are supporting each other in their rejection of US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, it remains to be seen what the future holds if Washington ups the pressure on Amman.

Palestinian demonstrators burn a representation of an Israeli flag during a protest against the U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan, in the southern Gaza Strip January 31, 2020. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa - RC2ZQE9RWL7X

Is West Bank, Gaza unrest a prelude of things to come?

Attacks on Israeli security forces in the West Bank and Jerusalem after the release of President Donald Trump's peace plan have led security officials to view a recent escalation on the Gaza border in a new light.

A Palestinian reacts next to a fire during a protest against the U.S. President Donald Trumpís Middle East peace plan, in Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank February 6, 2020. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC21VE98476D

Tough talk plays well, but Netanyahu can't afford actual fighting

Diplomacy and security are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's strongest suits, but escalation right before the election could hurt him.

Egypt stays out of renewed Israel-Gaza escalations

In an unusual move, Egypt has failed to intervene in Israel's latest military escalation on the Gaza Strip.

Dawn of protest: Palestinians stand against 'deal of century' at prayers

Palestinians flock to holy sites in the Great Fajr Campaign, to protest the "deal of the century" and its implications for Haram al-Sharif.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gestures during a weekly cabinet meeting in the Jordan Valley, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank September 15, 2019. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RC18033BD0C0

Has Netanyahu given up on annexation before the election?

Right-wing parties and settlers are pressuring Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to defy the Trump administration and annex Israeli settlements on the West Bank now rather than after the March 2 elections.

When will Europe propose genuine peace plan for Israel, Palestinians?

If the European Union wants to stay relevant in the Middle East, it must make up its mind over the Trump administration's peace plan and advance with an alternative, viable proposal.

FILE PHOTO: Avigdor Lieberman, leader of Yisrael Beitenu leaves his party headquarters following the announcement of exit polls in Israel's parliamentary election, in Jerusalem September 18, 2019. REUTERS/Oren Ben Hakoon/File Photo. ISRAEL OUT. NO COMMERCIAL OR EDITORIAL SALES IN ISRAEL - RC12937027A0

Did Israel’s Liberman close deal with Netanyahu’s rival?

After the March 2 elections, Blue and White leader Benny Gantz will have to make a choice between Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beitenu party and the Arab Joint List.

The Polisario Front soldiers drive a pick-up truck mounted with an anti-aircraft weapon during sunset in Bir Lahlou, Western Sahara, September 9, 2016. REUTERS/Zohra Bensemra SEARCH ìPOLISARIOî FOR THIS STORY. SEARCH "WIDER IMAGE" FOR ALL STORIES. - S1BEUKRIISAA

Intel: Morocco played up Iran rhetoric as it eyed US-Israel deal on Western Sahara

Israel, Morocco and the United States have been pursuing back channel negotiations on the disputed Western Sahara for more than a year.

Leader of Israeli Blue and White party Benny Gantz is seen during the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) conference in Tel Aviv, Israel January 29, 2020. REUTERS/Corinna Kern - RC2UPE96ATUR

Israel's Gantz choosing wrong battles against Netanyahu

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz should continue focusing his campaign on the charges against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, instead of falling into the trap of a diplomatic battle.