Politics

Comptroller withholds NIS 150,000 from Likud over party membership oversight failures

Comptroller Englman raised concerns that membership fees may have been paid by someone other than the party member, a practice that is illegal under Israeli law.

Israeli State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman at the annual Jerusalem Conference of the 'Besheva' group in Jerusalem, February 16, 2026.
EINAT WILF, leader of the new Oz party.

'Peace, Not Now:' Inside the shaping of Israeli policy - review

(L-R) Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir

Substance vs spectacle: Why Israel can keep Smotrich, but Ben-Gvir must go - opinion

Ultra-Orthodox Jews carry a banner in Hebrew that reads, “to prison and not the army,” during a “million man” protest against military conscription, in Jerusalem October 30, 2025.

Haredi draft debate: Equality of burden, or selective obligation? - opinion


Iran arrests at least four reform front politicians

Iran’s Islamic Iran Nation’s Union Party called for the release of Azar Mansouri after her arrest amid a widening crackdown on reformist figures.

An illustration of a handcuffed individual in a suit, and a backdrop of the Iranian flag.

Lapid says Netanyahu falsified security protocols to deflect Oct. 7 blame, urges investigation

“The recommendations of Ronen Bar and Herzi Halevi came following particularly urgent and serious intelligence warnings about Hamas preparing for combat in Gaza,” Lapid said.

Opposition leader MK Yair Lapid leads a faction meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, February 9, 2026

'Netanyahu is a liar': Yoav Gallant challenges PM's pre-October 7 intelligence documents

Gallant accused the prime minister of attempting to “engineer the perception” of Israeli society: "They take snippets of discussions and sentences from long periods of time, piece them together."

 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant attend an event for outstanding soldiers as part of Israel's 75th Independence Day celebrations, at the President's residence in Jerusalem on April 26, 2023

Israel’s milk crisis is man-made, quotas are to blame - opinion

Dairy farmers and consumers will be the ones who win from Smotrich's reforms; it is the small interest groups that wish to keep the status quo.

FARMERS AND their supporters protest outside the Knesset in Jerusalem against a milk reform promoted by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, in Jerusalem on February 4, 2026.

Will Israel’s Arabs reach the political Promised Land? - opinion

Israeli Arabs are simply no longer a monolith - a growing sub-sector has emerged, especially in mixed cities, that is culturally quite “Israeli.”

Thousands attend a protest against the violence in the Arab community, in Tel Aviv. January 31, 2026.

Ex-Mossad chiefs revealed too much about Israel's spy agency, lawmaker says

“You don’t need to reveal everything, methods and training,” he said. “What does it give us besides Israeli pride? It doesn’t add anything. In 20 years, we can talk about it.”

MK Ram Ben Barak attends a Defense and Foreign Affairs Committee meeting at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, August 12, 2025.

Bismuth claims opposition MKs forced their way into his office

“A red line was crossed," Bismuth said, accusing the MKs of “bullying and vulgar behavior” and improperly attempting to photograph committee documents.

 Likud MK Boaz Bismuth leads a Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, January 27, 2026

Israel's budget deadline: What happens if Knesset cannot agree in time? - explainer

By law, failure to pass the budget by March 31 leads to an automatic collapse of the government and snap elections within about 90 days.

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

Knesset advances 2026 state budget in first reading amid coalition crisis over haredi draft

The Degel Hatorah faction within United Torah Judaism received a green light from spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lando to vote in favor of the state budget, Lando's office said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seen after the vote on the state budget at the assembly hall of the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, January 28, 2026.

Purges, investigations in China’s PLA: Is Xi preparing for war or weakening the army? - opinion

Since 2012, Xi has been raising the banner of the war on corruption and leading a campaign to purge the ranks of the party and the military of corrupt people.

Central Military Commission Vice Chairman Zhang Youxia attends the second plenary session of the National People's Congress (NPC), at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China March 8, 2025.