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

Israel cover image

Israel

September 27, 2026

Tel Aviv 1:40 am

24°C

ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Can Netanyahu turn Israel's UN isolation into strength at home?

The absence of a Trump meeting would have been awkward for Netanyahu, who has long portrayed himself to Israeli voters as uniquely close to the US president.

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

Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu waves to delegates leaving before his UN speech

Delegates walk out as Netanyahu touts Iran war, slams Qatar and Turkey at UN

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dismissed Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's statement that the Golan Heights will "remain Syrian territory," while praising US President Donald Trump, whom he did not meet on the trip.

Leader of the Arab Israeli party Ra'am (United Arab List) Mansour Abbas (R) and Israeli politician Yoav Segalovitz (L) attend a news conference in Nazareth on August 31, 2026. Abbas announced that Segalovitz, an Israeli Jew, will join his party for the upcoming Israeli elections. (Photo by Jalaa MAREY / AFP via Getty Images)

Israel election committee bars two Arab lists from upcoming vote: What to know

Israel's Central Elections Committee barred the Arab-majority Raam party, the Arab joint list party and two Arab politicians from participating in the Oct. 27 elections.

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

Latest News

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

Gargash

United Arab Emirates

Analysis

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

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

Rina Bassist

By Rina Bassist

In Paris, reporting on Israeli politics and European affairs

Analysis

How Netanyahu is leveraging Houthi threat in secret Saudi normalization push

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)

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

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

OLIVER BUNIC/AFP via Getty Images

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

A general view picture shows the Bedouin city of Rahat, southern Israel July 17, 2017. Picture taken July 17, 2017. REUTERS/Amir Cohen - RC14F67CC470

Israel's largest Bedouin community fights to keep swimming pool segregated

The first and only swimming pool in the Bedouin town of Rahat is struggling to balance Israeli equality laws with the community's preference for gender-separated swimming.

Russian servicemen watch the launch of the S-300 air defence system missile during the International Army Games 2016 at the Ashuluk military polygon outside Astrakhan, Russia, August 7, 2016. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov - S1AETUBLCHAA

Is Russia’s S-300 delivery to Syria a game-changer?

Russia's deployment of S-300 missile defense systems to Syria has both political and military significance, but might not necessarily change the overall balance of forces with regard to Israel.

Outgoing U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in the Oval Office of the White House after the president accepted Haley's resignation in Washington, U.S., October 9, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC1DE84AD970

What Nikki Haley’s exit may mean for the Middle East

Whoever succeeds Nikki Haley as Donald Trump’s envoy to the UN is unlikely to have the long leash and big platform that she held, especially in the first year, before John Bolton and Mike Pompeo came in.

Will the PA be able to invest in Area C?

Palestinian Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah demanded that the Palestinian Authority be allowed to invest in Area C, considering it a way to achieve development, create jobs and increase the Palestinians' GDP.

Shelly Yachimovich, head of the left-leaning Labour party, leaves after a news conference at her party's headquarters in Tel Aviv January 21, 2013. Israel holds a parliamentary election on Tuesday that opinion polls forecast will see Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu win a third term in office at the head of a rightist, national-religious coalition. REUTERS/Nir Elias (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS ELECTIONS) - GM1E91L1E7V01

Netanyahu’s government engaged in political tracking

The Netanyahu government is not only campaigning against left-wing politicians and activists, it is actively engaged in political tracking of the left by means of monitoring online activities and by refusing entry to the country.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks during a joint statment with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at the prime minister's office in Jerusalem, July 19, 2018. Debbie Hill/Pool via Reuters - RC13AF3278D0

Why Israel’s democracy is weakening

Israel gets to keep its rating in democracy indices only because countries like the United States, Hungary and Turkey are losing index points.

Is historic Palestinian strike a milestone for the one-state solution?

Palestinians living in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip held a joint strike to protest the Israeli Nationality Law

A Palestinian woman sits in a motorised vehicle loaded with aid, outside a distribution center run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip September 4, 2018. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa - RC1A87FA4580

Donors consider new mechanism for assisting Gaza

Donor countries to Gaza are looking for ways to transfer aid to Gaza Strip residents without the money falling into the pockets of Hamas.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a session of the plenum of the Knesset, the Israeli Parliament, in Jerusalem, March 12, 2018. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun - RC1C0029F120

Why Netanyahu wants to lower Knesset entry threshold

After increasing the Knesset entry threshold before the 2015 election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu now wants to help potential coalition partners by lowering it.

Fierce battle amid leaders of the Israeli right

Education Minister Naftali Bennett and Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman are battling each other, as neither of them dares to confront the unbeatable Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Why do Palestinians opt for Israeli SIM cards?

Due to the poor quality of Palestinian cellular companies that are crippled by Israeli restrictions, Palestinians in the West Bank are opting for Israeli SIM cards provided by illegal Israeli mobile network operators.

A Palestinian flag is seen as Hamas supporters take part in a rally marking the 30th anniversary of Hamas' founding, in Gaza City December 14, 2017. REUTERS/Suhaib Salem - RC126F8FA600

Congressional fight against human shields stops at UN

Despite bipartisan agreement on sanctioning Hamas and Hezbollah for their use of human shields, not all lawmakers are willing to take the battle to the UN.