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Israel

May 12, 2026

Tel Aviv 6:24 pm

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Two men stand next to the burned remains of a Palestinian vehicle in the Wadi al-Rakhim area of Susya village in Masafer Yatta, south of Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on May 1, 2026.

EU ministers agree to sanction violent West Bank settlers: What to know

European foreign ministers have agreed to sanction extremist West Bank settlers, but are still discussing the list of names.

Ronen Zvulun / AFP via Getty Images

Netanyahu fears being left out as Trump pursues Iran diplomacy

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he was not surprised by President Donald Trump’s suspension of Project Freedom and move toward talks with Iran, but analysts say Washington may not be fully weighing Israel's concerns in negotiations with Tehran.

Traffic passes a billboard depicting Iranian ballistic missiles in service, with text in Arabic reading "the honest [person's] promise" and in Persian "Israel is weaker than a spider's web," Valiasr Square, Tehran, April 15, 2024. ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images.

Analysis

CIA report on Iran missiles undercuts Netanyahu as war euphoria dissipates

The findings cast doubt on Israel’s wartime gains and put pressure on Netanyahu’s campaign strategy ahead of elections.

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

Latest News

Israel strikes Beirut in breach of Lebanon ceasefire

People gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted Beirut's southern suburbs neighborhood of Haret Hreik on May 6, 2026.

Analysis

Israel fears Trump seeking Hormuz win while sidestepping Iran nuclear issue

Amirhossein KHORGOOEI / ISNA / AFP via Getty Images

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

Culture

Lebanon's churches, mosques and archaeological sites damaged in Israeli strikes

A man sits watching as Lebanese first responders search for human remains among the rubble the day after a house was targeted in an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese city of Nabatieh, on May 1, 2026.

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

What’s next for Syria after Helsinki summit?

The meeting between the Russian and US presidents did as little for the Middle East as it possibly could, though the two leaders seemed to identify Syria as a good place to rebuild US-Russian cooperation.

Turkish citizen, Ebru Ozkan, who was arrested at an Israeli airport last month, is being brought to an Israeli military court, near Migdal, Israel July 8, 2018 REUTERS/Nir Elias - RC12410D5420

Israel frees Turkish woman accused of terror-related smuggling

The release of a Turkish woman charged with smuggling in Israel marks an upturn in Turkey’s volatile relations with Israel, but analysts warn that the two countries' motivations for friendship — cynical business interests — can only do so much to keep the tension at bay.

Palestinian Hamas militants attend the funeral of their comrade Mahmoud al-Qeshawi who was killed in an explosion, in Gaza city May 6, 2018. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem - RC1C01650C70

Netanyahu feeling the heat from Gaza

Israelis on the right are fed up with incendiary balloons and kites launched from Gaza, forcing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hand to unleash the IDF against Gaza for fear of paying an electoral price.

Israeli Arabs take part in a rally calling for the right of return for refugees who fled their homes during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, near Atlit, Israel April 19, 2018. REUTERS/Ammar Awad - RC1850C38370

Knesset hears data on Israel’s Arab-Jewish health gap

A first-of-its-kind debate in the Knesset finally addressed long years of neglect of the Arab population's health by the Israeli authorities, but there's no reason to believe much will change.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Russia's President Vladimir Putin talk during the family photo session at the APEC Summit in Danang, Vietnam November 11, 2017. REUTERS/Jorge Silva TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RC1E7D8D2110

The art of the deal in Helsinki

A win-win on Syria is there for the taking by leveraging Putin’s relationship with Iran.

Is Israel's popular justice minister a threat to Netanyahu?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu surely took note of the latest polls indicating Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked of HaBayit HaYehudi has become extremely popular within his own Likud Party.

Islamic Jihad says Israel’s tightened siege ‘a declaration of war’

Palestinian factions are condemning the recent Israeli decision to impose more sanctions on Gaza in retaliation against the launch of fire kites into southern Israel.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks as U.S. Ambassador to Israel David Friedman sits next to him during the dedication ceremony of the new U.S. embassy in Jerusalem, May 14, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RC1371421C00

Price tag for Trump’s $250,000 Jerusalem embassy is in – at $21.5 million

Federal documents reviewed by Al-Monitor show upgrades to the temporary facility in Arnona will cost far more than the president said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia July 11, 2018. Yuri Kadobnov/Pool via REUTERS - UP1EE7B1DI9W0

Netanyahu, Putin talk Iran before Helsinki summit

In his last meeting with Putin before the Helsinki summit with Trump, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to enlist Russia's support for Israel's Syria proposal for the United States.

A Palestinian waits for his relatives to return into Gaza after the Egyptian Authority opened the Rafah Border Crossing for one day, in the southern Gaza Strip February 19, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa - RC179BE19FB0

How Israel and Egypt are coordinating on Gaza

By threatening to close the Gaza Rafah crossing point, Egypt signals to Hamas that it must reconcile with Fatah.

Turkey and Israel spar over Jerusalem

Turkey's increased support and involvement in Jerusalem to support Palestinians have created a backlash in Israeli media.

Netanyahu uses 'divide and conquer' strategy to preserve his rule

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's closeness with foreign far-right leaders who undervalue democracy and human compassion falls right in line with his decision to promote the contentious nationality bill.