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Jun 6, 2026, 12:12 AM

Gadi Eisenkot and the Politics of Consequence

Illustrative: Gadi Eisenkot, the quiet contender. AI image created by the author.

I was at a wedding in Israel several months ago, sitting beside someone who has served the country for decades. Between the music, the blessings, the dancing, and the small miracle of a wedding meal arriving while still warm,...

Jun 3, 2026, 9:23 PM

Out-Hawking the Hawk: Why the Israeli Opposition Has No Iran Strategy

The Familiar Political Temptation Israel's opposition is pursuing a familiar political strategy. Faced with an electorate shaped by the failures of October 7, the Gaza war, and the 2026 Iran War, it is attempting to position itself as tougher, more...

Sheldon Kirshner

May 14, 2026, 9:55 PM

A New Party Threatens Netanyahu’s Hold on Power

Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of the Likud Party, is Israel's longest-serving prime minister, having held his post, on and off, for 18 years now. First elected in 1996, he went down to defeat in 1999, only to regain his...

Yaakov Chaliotis

Apr 29, 2026, 11:03 PM

Bennett and Lapid Want Netanyahu Out. But Can They Govern Israel?

The Bennett–Lapid partnership announced last week in Herzliya answers one question with admirable clarity: who wants Netanyahu out. It answers a far harder question much less clearly — what, precisely, would replace him, and whether that replacement is adequate...

Apr 27, 2026, 6:21 PM

Why Counting Netanyahu Out Is Still a Mistake

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (AI Image generated by the author).

The Bennett-Lapid reunion has unquestionably jolted Israel’s electoral race. But even the article announcing that alliance makes the larger point impossible to miss: the path to unseating Benjamin Netanyahu remains “elusive as ever,” with the opposition still dependent on...

Apr 27, 2026, 2:39 PM

The promise of ‘Together,’ the pattern of before

Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid formally announce the formation of their new political union titled Together, April 26, 2026 (Sam Sokol/Times of Israel)

The announcement of a reunion between Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid under the banner of “Together” brings a not-so-distant memories jolt in Israeli politics, one that recalls the churn and instability of recent election cycles. On the surface, it looks like a classic...

Apr 27, 2026, 7:36 AM

Bennett-Lapid could bring us our Magyar moment

Three years ago I interviewed a Hungarian constitutional law professor, Gabor Halmai. He had been in Israel to observe and to admire our pro-democracy protests against the judicial "reform". He told me then: Israel is a model for Hungary. What...

Mar 8, 2026, 11:36 PM

Treasure Trove: ‘The Promise’ Medal and the Second Verse of Ezekiel’s Prophecy

Postcard with fascimile of the Second Congress Medal printed around the time of the Congress (1898). From the Herzl and Zionism Collection of David Matlow, Toronto (www.herzlcollection.com). Photograph by Kevin Viner, Elevator Digital, Toronto used with permission.

This medal is considered to be one of the most important Jewish medals ever struck. “The Promise” is a commemorative bronze medal designed by Samuel Friedrich Beer and minted in Paris for the Second Zionist Congress held in Basel in...

Jonathan Shavit

Feb 16, 2026, 6:14 AM

Election year and the importance of the Arab Israeli vote

The opportunity for Israelis to exercise their democratic right is once again upon them. While Israeli society has shown in the past two years that it succeeds in coming together in the most wonderful ways, at the ballot box...

Dec 23, 2025, 12:33 AM

Recognizing a Palestinian state at this time is the coward’s way out

First, let me state very clearly that I support the concept of two states, one Jewish and one Palestinian. I support it not because I am very excited about the prospect of one more Arab state that would most...

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