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

Israel cover image

Israel

June 15, 2026

Tel Aviv 1:30 pm

30°C

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Turkish House in New York on Sept. 19, 2023.

Analysis

Erdogan-Netanyahu war of words signals deeper rivalry for regional influence

The latest Erdogan-Netanyahu clash underscored how Turkey-Israel tensions have grown beyond the Palestinian issue and into a wider regional rivalry spanning Syria, Lebanon, Iran and the eastern Mediterranean.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosted by President Donald Trump at the White House, Washington, DC, July 7, 2025.

Analysis

Squeezed by Trump and Iran war, how vulnerable is Netanyahu in polls?

The Israeli prime minister faces growing problems over Oct. 7, his alliance with the ultra-Orthodox parties, and Donald Trump questioning his political future.

Mazal Mualem

By Mazal Mualem

In Tel Aviv, reporting on politics

Smoke rises following Israeli bombardment in southern Lebanon close to the Beaufort Castle as seen from a position across the border in the Upper Galilee, in northern Israel on June 4, 2026.

'Pilot zones' offer litmus test for Lebanon to clear Israel border of Hezbollah

As the Trump administration focuses reaching a peace deal with Iran, US officials have been hosting backroom talks between Israeli and Lebanese diplomats aimed at finally resolving the question of Hezbollah’s entrenchment along Israel’s northern border.

US President Donald Trump talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Knesset, Jerusalem, Oct. 13, 2025.

Analysis

'A complete disaster': Israel scrambles for clarity as Trump touts emerging Iran deal

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu relayed Israel’s red lines to Trump, but given the current rift between the two leaders, the demands may be little more than a wish list.

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

Latest News

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

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.

Explainer

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

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.

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

Israel's vice PM, Interior Minister, and chief negotiator Silvan Shalom gestures during the Rome 2015 MED - Mediterranean Dialogues forum in Rome, Italy, December 11, 2015. REUTERS/Remo Casilli - RTX1Y8SY

Social media fans flames of sexual harassment claims against Israeli minister

Minister of the Interior Silvan Shalom believes that without any official complaint to the police, accusations of sexual harassment will just fade away, even in the era of social media backing the harassed women.

What suspending security coordination with Israel would mean for the PLO

PLO Executive Committee member Hanna Amireh predicts that the Palestinian National Council will not be able to convene in the future if the Palestinian leadership decides to suspend security cooperation with Israel.

Israeli, Palestinian officials score a goal on FIFA agreement

While Israel has been allowing increased movement of Palestinian soccer players and teams and their opponents, Palestinian officials say more improvements need to be made.

Has Bibi given up his battle against Iran nuke deal?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who dedicated years to claiming that Iran was working toward a nuclear bomb, has been silent on the IAEA's decision to close its investigation into the matter due to a lack of evidence.

What's next for Middle East peace?

The Obama administration is deliberating three options and measures to take in order to stabilize the volatile situation on the ground and set a policy platform for a future two-state solution.

Barghouti: We will continue to boycott Israel

Mustafa Barghouti, the secretary-general of the Palestinian National Initiative, talked to Al-Monitor about the initiative’s local and international efforts to end the occupation and settlement activities through a boycott of Israel.

A person uses a sensor for biometric identification on a smartphone in Berlin, Germany October 16, 2015. On the verge of collapse a decade ago, Sweden's Fingerprint Cards (FPC) has emerged market leader in a booming industry set to supply billions of touch fingerprint sensors for smartphones, tablets and credit cards in the years ahead. After years in the wildnerness, plowing cash into product development, the main rival of U.S. Synaptics has seen demand soar in 2015, bagging deals from some of China's bigg

Should Israelis fear biometric database?

The Israeli government is likely to soon decide whether to establish a biometric database of all citizens, a move strongly opposed by cybersecurity experts and civil rights groups.

Has Israel's civil war already started?

The incitement campaign against Israel's right-wing President Reuven Rivlin, who dared expressing sympathy to Gazans' suffering, has broken all records of hatred and verbal violence.

Why it's time to wake up to the occupation

The murder of the Dawabsha family was not the actual trigger of the current wave of violence, but another link in the long chain of incitement and hatred generated by the Israeli occupation.

Iran's military bulks up with new Russian tanks

Tehran plans to purchase T-90 tanks from Russia, but is it enough to strengthen the Iranian military?

Labourers disembark a Palestinians-only bus before crossing through Israel's Eyal checkpoint as they returns to the West Bank, near Qalqilya March 4, 2013. Israel launched two Palestinians-only bus lines in the occupied West Bank on Monday, a step an Israeli rights group described as racist and which the Transport Ministry called an improvement in service. REUTERS/Baz Ratner (ISRAEL - Tags: POLITICS TRANSPORT) - RTR3EKIH

Why is Israel recruiting so many Jordanian workers?

Israel is recruiting hundreds of Jordanian workers and dismissing some Palestinians from their jobs, raising questions about Israel's motivation.

Israel welcomes home suspected spy from Egypt

Released prisoner Ouda Tarabin recounts to Al-Monitor his 15 years in an Egyptian prison over accusations of spying for Israel.