Politics

No, Urich - English is not the definition of leadership in Israel - opinion

Eisenkot and Netanyahu. Two Israelis. Two very different life stories. Both accomplished and both deserving of respect. But out of the two of them, it is obvious who speaks English fluently.

|ByYAAKOV KATZ
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a 40 signatures debate, at the plenum hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, on January 19, 2026.
A LIKUD supporter waves the party’s flag at a gathering, a show of grassroots loyalty which has long defined the movement, even as critics say its primaries have reshaped, and at times distorted, who rises within its ranks.

Likud, Netanyahu dropping in public eyes amid Iran war, contentious legislation - poll

This is Likud’s lowest figure since August 2025, when it received 21 seats in a Maariv poll. However, the coalition bloc maintained its strength from last week at 50 seats.

|ByMOSHE COHEN
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan attends a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at the Presidential Palace in Ankara, Turkey, February 11, 2026.

The end of the Turkish republic - opinion

Former PM Naftali Bennett: Turkey is the new Iran and poses a growing threat to both Israel and the region’s stability.

|ByANTHONY AVICE DU BUISSON
U.S. senatorial candidate from Maine Graham Platner speaks at a town hall at the Leavitt Theater on Oct. 22, 2025 in Ogunquit, Maine. Platner, a veteran of the U.S. Marines and an oyster farmer, is running for the seat held by Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME).

Israel looms large as Maine heads to the polls in Graham Platner’s Senate primary

In a viral video from a rally over the weekend, a Platner supporter dismissed concerns about his tattoo of the Totenkopf symbol, a skull-and-crossbones image worn by Nazi concentration camp guards.

|ByANDREW LAPIN/JTA

Israel’s justice minister is undermining judicial independence and the rule of law - opinion

Israel faces an unprecedented constitutional crisis as Justice Minister Yariv Levin undermines the courts, threatening judicial independence and democracy.

FEBRUARY 25, 2026ByRAPHAEL COHEN-ALMAGOR
JUSTICE MINISTER Yariv Levin attends a swearing-in ceremony for newly appointed judges, at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem, in June.

Trump warns Iraq of the dangers Nouri al-Maliki returning, but will he be outmaneuvered? - opinion

Trump tells Iraq’s parliament that reinstating Maliki would risk chaos, poverty, and undermine US support.

FEBRUARY 25, 2026ByNEVILLE TELLER
US President Donald Trump makes a fist at the end of an event during a visit to Coosa Steel Corporation, in Rome, Georgia, US, February 19, 2026.

New right-wing parties keep failing to unseat Likud - opinion

Many have tried unsuccessfully to challenge Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud from the Right, but a more realistic goal would be to take votes away from Naftali Bennett.

FEBRUARY 23, 2026ByORI WERTMAN
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the opening of the government meeting on January 4, 2026.

Israel's opposition shapes a narrative of authoritarianism - opinion

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's opposition portrays him as a threat to democracy, stoking public anxiety over Israel’s future.

FEBRUARY 23, 2026ByYISRAEL MEDAD
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a Christian Conference in Jerusalem, on April 27, 2025

Israel is sliding into tribal politics, and we’re letting it happen - opinion

In an election year defined by contempt, I saw in a Gesher retreat in Paphos how dialogue can still hold Israeli society together.

FEBRUARY 23, 2026ByMOSHIK AVIV
Participants at the Gesher Syms Leadership Institute retreat in Paphos, Cyprus.

Ayelet Shaked calls for right-wing alliance amid shifting dynamics in anti-Netanyahu bloc

Among the party leaders in the opposition bloc aiming to replace Netanyahu are opposition leader Yair Lapid, former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, Benny Gantz, and Yair Golan.

FEBRUARY 22, 2026ByKESHET NEEV
Ayelet Shaked attends the Tel Aviv conference, at Tel Aviv University on May 7, 2025.

Semi-open ballot: The path to fixing Israel’s electoral system - opinion

Rare bipartisan push in the Knesset could finally give Israeli voters real influence over who represents them and not just which party does.

FEBRUARY 22, 2026ByASSAF SHAPIRA
The Knesset building, home of Israel's legislature, in Jerusalem, on November 14, 2022 (Illustrative).

Europe struggles to matter in a chaotic Middle East today - opinion

Once a key player, Europe now risks being viewed as a marginal player in the Middle East.

FEBRUARY 22, 2026BySHARON PARDO
European Union, Israeli and German flags flutter near the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, September 5, 2022

How Israel can use soft power without compromising security - opinion

Israel can strengthen its standing in the world without sacrificing its national security.

FEBRUARY 21, 2026ByYONI MICHANIE
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convenes a weekly cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister's office in Jerusalem, January 8, 2023

Israel creeps toward West Bank annexation as election season approaches - opinion

The de facto annexation of the West Bank is the natural byproduct of a political system where words are cheap and real power operates without transparency.

FEBRUARY 20, 2026ByYAAKOV KATZ
A Palestinian man walks past a fence decorated with Israeli flags installed by Jewish settlers in the northern West Bank. The de facto annexation of the West Bank is the natural byproduct of a political system where words are cheap and real power operates without transparency, the writer says.