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Haaretz Explains

A view of the settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim.

Haaretz ExplainsHaaretz Explains

What Is E1? The West Bank Area Behind Israel's Most Explosive Settlement Plan

Building plans in the West Bank area east of Jerusalem have been delayed by successive Israeli governments since the 1990s. Now, Israel is moving ahead with construction, which could divide Palestinian territory and threaten a future Palestinian state

A sign warning against entry into Area A in the Jordan Valley in the West Bank.

Explaining the West Bank Map: What Are Areas A, B and C?

Ultra-Orthodox men protest against military recruitment and call for the release of detained draft resisters outside a military prison in central Israel, last month.

Haaretz ExplainsHaaretz Explains

Can Israel's New One-Line Law Shield Haredim From IDF Service?

Gadi Eizenkot speaks at the launch of his party's election campaign in June.

Netanyahu's Biggest Challenger: Who Is Gadi Eisenkot and What Does He Stand For?

Netanyahu's Last Stand? What to Know About Israel's 2026 Election

Israeli Security & Defense

more in Israeli Security & Defense

Israel-Gaza War

Damage caused by an Iranian missile in the Tel Aviv suburb or Ramat Gan this week. Reporters in Israel have been subject to a military censor since the British Mandate.

Is Israel Censoring What You See About the Iran War?

The Iron Beam laser interception system, known in Hebrew as "Or Eitan."

Is Israel's Laser Defense System the Game-Changing Weapon Many Expected?

Explosions from projectile interceptions by Israel's Iron Dome over Tel Aviv, last month.

Explained: How Does Israel Defend Against Iranian Missiles?

Slain Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasarallah.

How Much Did It Really Cost Israel to Kill Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah?

A man holds a flag of Somaliland in front of the Hargeisa War Memorial monument in Hargeisa last year.

Why Is Israel, of All UN Member States, the First Nation to Recognize Somaliland?

West Bank, Gaza & E. Jerusalem

more in West Bank, Gaza & E. Jerusalem

Displaced Palestinian children wave the Palestinian flag in the central Gaza Strip, earlier this month.

Recognizing Palestine: Who's Doing It and What It Actually Means

A Palestinian man carries an aid box distributed by UNRWA in Deir Al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, in November.

Israel's UNRWA Ban Is Set to Take Effect. What Will Happen in Gaza, E. J'lem and W. Bank?

The Dome of the Rock shrine at the Al Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem, earlier this month.

What's the 'Status Quo' at Temple Mount/Al Aqsa, and Why Is It So Precarious?What Is the 'Status Quo' at Jerusalem's Temple Mount/Al Aqsa, and Why Is It So Precarious?

More and more countries are recognizing the Palestinian State.

Explained: What Does Recognizing Palestine as a State Mean?

Temple Mount Movement activists.

The Israeli Extremists Who Want to Rebuild the Temple, and the Ministers Who Back Them

Qatargate & BibiLeaks Affairs

Protesters presenting as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his associates, in May.

Two Leaks, Two Tales: Why the Prisoner Abuse Video Leak and the Bild Affair Are Different

פרשת קטאר

Where Does Qatargate Scandal Involving Netanyahu's Closest Aides and Gulf State Stand?

Qatar's Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

'Qatargate': Explaining the Scandal That Has Netanyahu Panicked

The suspects in the Qatargate affair, Yonatan Urich, left, and Eli Feldstein.

Qatargate Explained: Why Netanyahu's Aides Are Suspects, Possible Charges, Qatar Ties

People protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government outside the Knesset, Israel's parliament in Jerusalem, Monday, March 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)

Explained: Does the Qatargate Investigation Put Israeli Freedom of the Press in Danger?

Middle East

more in Middle East

U.S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One on Monday to attend the G7 summit in the French town of Evian-les-Bains.

What You Need to Know About the U.S.-Iran Deal – and What It Means for Israel

Israeli military vehicles in Syria this month.

Peace? Security Deal? Where Will Israel's Talks With Syria Lead?

Palestinians walk along a street surrounded by buildings destroyed in Gaza City, May 15

Can Trump's Board of Peace for Gaza Force Its Plan on Hamas and Israel?

The burnt Hatzola ambulances in London on Monday.

The Mysterious Iran-Linked Terror Group Attacking Jewish Targets in Europe

Iran's Cluster Missiles: What to Know About the Weapon Targeting Israel

Israeli Society & Politics

more in Israeli Society & Politics

Benjamin Netanyahu in the Knesset last year, with Justice Minister Yariv Levin, the architect of the government's attempt to weaken the judiciary, to his right.

Constitutional Crisis? Why Israel's Government Just Openly Defied the High Court

The election committee's logistics center in the industrial area of Shoham, in 2022. More than 1,000 additional workers will be recruited to headquarters ahead of the elections.

Israel's Election Watchdog Under Pressure Ahead of Its Biggest Challenge Yet

Rabbi Zevadia Cohen after his election as the city's chief rabbi on Sunday.

Tel Aviv Finally Has a Chief Rabbi. Why Will He Be So Influential?

Itamar Ben-Gvir and Benjamin Netanyahu in the Knesset, earlier this year.

Why Netanyahu's Gov't Wants to Overhaul the Unit That Probes Police Misconduct

Haredi riots in Jerusalem on Monday.

Explained: The Military Conscription Bill Driving Riots in Haredi Cities

Antisemitism

Bondi Pavilion, adjacent to where the Hanukkah massacre was carried out, is seen covered in floral tributes in December 2025.

The Politics and Promise of Australia's Historic Inquiry Into Antisemitism

People attend a vigil at Chabad of Bondi synagogue on Monday.

From Bondi to Mumbai: How Chabad Has Been Targeted in Antisemitic Attacks Around the World

Protesters waving Israeli flags and holding placards in front of the Houses of Parliament in London last November, during a demonstration against antisemitism.

'Antisemitism on Steroids': How Anti-Jewish Hatred Rose Across Europe in Wake of October 7

A woman walking past a menorah outside a synagogue ahead of the start of Hanukkah, in Miami Beach, Florida, earlier this month.

Being Jewish, or Israeli, in America After October 7: Haaretz Must Reads

הימין האירופאי

'Using Jewish Pain': How Europe's Far Right Is Exploiting Jews, Muslims and the Gaza War

Security & Cyber

more in Security & Cyber

Iranian Chief of Staff Mohammad Bagheri and IRGC Air Force Commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh at an underground missile base in March. Both were killed in an Israeli strike at the start of the war.

What the Next Israel-Iran Missile War Will Look Like

The World Wants to Buy This Israeli Cyber Weapon. There's Just One Problem

As Netanyahu Seeks Another Term, Israel Is Relying on 1959 Law to Defend Against Deepfakes

Clockwise from top: a targeted strike in Gaza; an F-15I; artillery shells; and an F-35I.

What U.S. Aid Funds: Israel's Shopping List of American-Made War Machines

Israel's Space Program Is Falling Behind – Just as the Global Space Race Accelerates

Media & Journalism

Sde Teiman Detention Center, near Be'er Sheva

How a Leaked Video and an IDF Scandal Could Help Netanyahu Take Down Israel's Democracy

Former Army Radio host Yaacov Bardugo, MK Ariel Kallner and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi figure prominently in legislative and political efforts to change Israel's media landscape.

The Netanyahu Government's Multifront War on Press Freedom

FRANCE-NEWS-DISINFORMATION

How Media Outlets Like Haaretz Are Weaponized in the Fake News Wars Over Israel and Hamas

Israeli Army Conducted Online Psy-Op Against Israeli Public During Gaza War

Examples of news posted online since the war began that has been found to be fake.

Musk’s X and Hamas’ Digital Offensive: Gaza Is a Perfect Storm of Disinformation

Israel's Judicial Coup

more in Israel's Judicial Coup

Netanyahu's 11 Moves Taking Israel From Democracy Toward Authoritarian Rule

Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi and Itamar Ben-Gvir's far-right Otzma Yehudit party play a major role in the proposed legislation affecting Israel's media and judiciary.

Four Bills and One New Law Undermining Press Freedom and Israel's Judiciary

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Tel Aviv District Court, last year.

What You Need to Know About Netanyahu's Bid for a Pardon in His Corruption Trial

Tracking the Legislative Blitz: Where Does Netanyahu's Judicial Overhaul Stand?

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, right, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Shin Bet Head Ronen Bar.

Netanyahu Wants to Fire Israeli Democracy's Gatekeepers. Here's What Stands in His Way

Diaspora Jews

People gather at an event marking five years since the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol.

AIPAC, the Genocide Test and U.S.-Israel: 2026 Midterm Primary Races to Watch

Then-U.S. Vice President Mike Pence speaking at the 2019 AIPAC policy conference in Washington.

AIPAC, Explained: The Inside Story of America's Powerful and Divisive Pro-Israel Lobby

A Lev Tahor member outside a school in Guatemala City, Saturday. The district attorney in Guatemala announced that indictments would probably be filed against cult members.

What Is Lev Tahor, and Why Is It Classified as a Jewish Cult?

Members of Neturei Karta protest against Israel.

Who Are Neturei Karta, the Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Pro-Palestinian Activists?Explained: Who Are Neturei Karta, the Jewish Ultra-Orthodox Pro-Palestinian Activists

Jewish students rally at Columbia University in New York City against antisemitism following the Israel-Hamas War.

'Some Students Think All Israelis Are Colonizers, So It's Okay to Slaughter Them'

October 7

APTOPIX Israel Palestinians

How Haaretz Is Counting Israel's Dead From the October 7 Hamas Attack

Feldstein pictured walking behind Netanyahu, wearing a black t-shirt, on the way to a situation assessment discussion at one of the IDF's bases, in June.

BibiLeaks: Everything You Need to Know About Netanyahu's Latest Scandal

Israel's Dead: The Names of Those Killed in Hamas Massacres and the Israel-Hamas War

Documents left behind by Hamas in Kibbuz Nir Oz

What Hamas' Meticulous Massacre Plan for Kibbutz Nir Oz Looked Like

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Confirming the Worst Hamas Atrocities: Where Israel Identifies the Dead

Hamas

Palestinians hold the Palestinian national flag and the flag of the Hamas militant group during a protest by the Dome of Rock at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in the Old City of Jerusalem this year

What Is Hamas, the Militant Group That Attacked Israel and Controls Gaza?

עזה עצרת חמאס 2006

Is Hamas Really Like ISIS? Experts Explain

Captagon pills, headed for Saudi Arabia, seized by Syrian authorities in rural Damascus, in November.

High on Captagon and Antisemitism: Everything About ‘The ISIS Drug’ Used by Hamas

Gaza militant groups explainer

Explained: What Is Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and How Is It Different From Hamas

A Hamas terrorist inside a tunnel in Gaza, in 2014.

Tunnels of Cash and Cryptocurrency: Hamas' Finances Explained

Israeli Hostages

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looks at the plenum bleachers, where families of hostages were sitting, on Monday.

Where Do the Hostage Deal Negotiations Stand, and Do the Sides Really Want an Agreement?

Photos of Israelis missing and held captive in Gaza, displayed on a wall in Tel Aviv, Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023.

The Names of Those Abducted From Israel by Hamas on October 7

The Israeli military court at Ofer Security Prison.

Who Are the Palestinian Prisoners to Be Released in the Israel-Hamas Hostage Deal?

A man walks past portraits of Israeli hostages posted on a wall in Tel Aviv

Hamas-Israel Hostage, Cease-Fire Deal: Everything We Know

A poster of the hostages From Kibbutz Be'eri, the images of the hostages that were returned are marked "returned".

The Hostages Released From Hamas Captivity

Jewish Customs

Elon Gilad

מזלג - ברנהיימר

The Physics of the Forbidden: Why Every Jewish Fork Has a History

leg shaving woman

Do Jews Really Have to Bury an Amputated Leg?

ביצה ביצים

The Talmud and the Case of the Unexpected Egg

שפן מול המלך חזקיה

Was Judaism Really Invented by an Obscure Scribe Named Shaphan?

Praying at the Western Wall, Yom Kippur eve, 2014.

From Fratricide to Forgiveness: The Unlikely Origins of Yom Kippur

Netanyahu Trial

Netanyahu attends a court hearing in which Arnon Milchan testified in a Jeruslaem District Court house, June 2023.

Netanyahu Testifies in His Corruption Trial: What You Need to Know

Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at a rally in Tel Aviv, November 17, 2019.

All the Netanyahu Corruption Cases Explained

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arriving for a meeting with officials on the coronavirus crisis, February 25, 2020.

Netanyahu on Trial: Everything You Need to Know

המפיק ארנון מילצ'ן

At Netanyahu's Corruption Trial, Movie Mogul Milchan Shamelessly Kowtows to the Defense

$Nir Hefetz in the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court, February 18, 2018. Credit: \ Moti Milrod$

Who Is Nir Hefetz, Netanyahu's Aide Suspected of Trying to Bribe Judge

Yemen's Houthis

more in Yemen's Houthis

All Eyes on Somaliland: The Tiny African State That's Key to Israel's War on Houthi Terror

חות'ים קולאז'

Explained: Who Are Yemen's Houthis, and Why Are They Attacking Israel?

ISRAEL-PALESTINIANS/HOUTHIS

Houthis Open New and Dangerous Front in Israel's Economic War

mapa english

30 Attacks in 3 Months: All Red Sea Ships Targeted by the Houthis

Newly recruited fighters who joined a Houthi military force march during a parade in Sanaa, Yemen, December 2, 2023.

'The Houthis Don't Care About the Palestinians. They Are Attacking Israel to Gain Support'

More Haaretz Explains

Milk, Markets and Power: Inside Israel's Dairy Reform

What Part Israel's Arab Parties Can Play in Toppling Netanyahu in the 2026 Vote

Why Unlicensed Nurseries Are So Common in Israel's Ultra-Orthodox Community

Explained: The History and (Fragile) Future of U.S. Military Aid to Israel

How a Canaanite Storm God and His Palace May Have Shaped the Jewish Festival of Sukkot

Who Died? Did Trump Know? What About the Hostages? Five Questions on Israel's Qatar Strike

'Mishap' or Policy: Inside the IDF's 'Double Tap' Strike on Gaza's Nasser Hospital

The Druze, Damascus and the IDF: What's Happening in Syria, and Why Did Israel Intervene?

ICYMI

A passenger is seen covered in blood in this image shared on social media.

'3 or 4 People Saved 180': Passengers Recount Horror on Dubai-Tel Aviv Flight

Adam Brody walks the red carpet at the 78th Emmy Awards in Los Angeles, earlier this month.

Adam Brody's 'Genocide' Declaration Shows Gaza Is Harder to Avoid Beyond Netflix

Passengers arriving at Ben Gurion Airport following the suspected hijacking of a flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel, Wednesday.

Flydubai Passengers Land in Israel After Suspected Midair Hijacking Attempt

Jordan's King Abdullah II addresses the 81st United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City, US, September 22, 2026.

Jordan Has Had Enough: King Abdullah's Scathing Warning to Israel

Yaniv Hayoun, one of the passangers who subdued the attacker.

'It's Life or Death': Passengers Describe Fateful Moments Aboard Flydubai Flight

Passengers arriving at Ben Gurion Airport following the suspected hijacking of a flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel, Wednesday.

Did Netanyahu Implicate Himself in Flydubai Security Failure?