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

Israel cover image

Israel

June 11, 2026

Tel Aviv 5:34 pm

27°C

US President Donald Trump (R) and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands as they arrive to speak to journalists during a joint press conference at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on Dec. 29, 2025.

As Trump casts doubt on Netanyahu's future, Likud rushes to reaffirm support

By questioning whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will run in the next Knesset elections, President Donald Trump may have dented one of the Israeli leader's key political assets ahead of the vote.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan buttons up his jacket during a press conference after the conclusion of the G20 Leaders' Summit at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg on November 23, 2025.

Explainer

Turkey-Israel tensions flare over Syria, Lebanon, East Med: What to know

The Turkish president has accused Israel of threatening Turkey through its military actions in Syria, Lebanon and the Eastern Mediterranean, triggering a sharp exchange with the Israeli prime minister.

Latest News

Analysis

'We are already hearing the bus': Israeli insiders fear Netanyahu is losing Trump’s backing on Iran

US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to speak to journalists during a joint press conference at Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, on December 29, 2025. US President Donald Trump hosted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Florida on December 29 for crucial talks on moving to the next stage of the fragile Gaza truce plan.The two leaders also discussed Iran, with Trump saying that if Tehran rebuilt its nuclear facilities the United States wo

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

Vance says US and Israel's 'interests diverge' on Iran nuclear issue: What to know

Andrew Harnik/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

Have Passover food drives gotten out of control?

Some claim the tradition of donating food to the poor so they can enjoy a generous Passover dinner has turned into a giant, wasteful charity enterprise.

Why President Rivlin supports Israeli-Palestinian confederation

President Reuven Rivlin has not abandoned his right-wing worldview in expressing a pragmatic and moral position in favor of an Israeli-Palestinian confederation.

How one Israeli Arab woman seeks to wipe out hatred

Arab-Israeli activist Ghada Zoabi is trying to restore calm among the Arab population of Israel with a media campaign featuring conciliatory messages from community leaders.

The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos III (C) attends a Christmas service according to the Eastern Orthodox calendar, in the church of Nativity in the West Bank city of Bethlehem January 6, 2016. REUTERS/Ammar Awad - RTX219EO

Jerusalem churches: Don't veto Palestine resolution

Middle East and US religious leaders chart path forward for two-state solution.

Jerusalem at the center of Palestine-Israel naming dispute

Within the scope of its Judaization policy, Israel has changed the names of several cities and places, including the Arabic name it uses to refer to Jerusalem.

The 'out-of-the-box' proposal on the Golan Heights

France is advancing an idea that in exchange for Israeli readiness to take security risks in the framework of a two-state solution, the Golan Heights issue will be taken off the regional negotiation table.

Jewish immigrants from Ethiopia attend a demonstration of a ceremonial Passover holiday dinner known as a "seder" at an immigrant's centre in Mevasseret Zion, near Jerusalem April 14, 2011. This year will be the first "seder" the immigrants will be celebrating in Israel, which begins this Monday evening. Passover commemorates the flight of Jews from ancient Egypt as described in Exodus. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun (ISRAEL - Tags: RELIGION SOCIETY) - RTR2L7MH

How Israelis keep Passover traditions alive

Israelis keep their forefathers' Passover dinner traditions, with Persian Jews hitting their dinner neighbors with green onions and Djerba Jews reading the Haggadah in Arabic.

How Orthodox Israelis are battling sexual harassment

For more than a decade, a unique Israeli forum composed of religious leaders, legal experts and mental health workers has quietly dealt with allegations of sexual misconduct.

Why Egyptians' anger at island handover is misplaced

Angry Egyptians decried the return of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia while ignoring possible economic benefits and returns for Egypt as part of the agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (C front) poses with ministers prior to the weekly cabinet meeting in the Israeli occupied Golan Heights near the ceasefire line between Israel and Syria, April 17, 2016. REUTERS/Sebastian Scheiner/Pool - RTX2AB66

Were Bibi's Golan comments a 'death blow' to peace?

The declaration by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel will hold on to the Golan Heights forever threatens any possibility of an agreement with the Palestinians and Arab states.

Supporters of Elor Azaria, an Israeli soldier charged with manslaughter by the Israeli military after he shot a wounded Palestinian assailant as he lay on the ground in Hebron on March 24, hold balloons before a protest calling for his release in Tel Aviv, Israel April 19, 2016. REUTERS/Baz Ratner - RTX2APM6

How much support does IDF soldier charged in Hebron shooting really have?

The rally supporting the IDF Hebron shooter attracted only a small crowd, while the majority of Israelis side with Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon and IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gadi Eizenkot.

A Palestinian worker holds gold bracelets at a jewellery workshop in Gaza City March 3, 2015. REUTERS/Mohammed Salem (GAZA - Tags: BUSINESS EMPLOYMENT SOCIETY) - RTR4RUQM

Gleam of hope in gold trade fades in Gaza

Israel banned the export and import of gold in the Gaza Strip after allowing its resumption in February.