Ben Caspit

Ben Caspit is a columnist for Al-Monitor's Israel Pulse. He is also a senior columnist and political analyst for the Israeli newspapers Maariv and Walla!, and presents daily morning and evening programs on radio station 103fm as well as the "Meet the Press" TV show on Channel 12. He formerly presented political TV shows on Israel's Channel 1, Channel 2 and Channel 10 and served as Maariv’s correspondent in New York. Caspit is the author of several best-sellers, including revealing biographies of former Prime Minister Ehud Barak ("Stealth Bomber: Ehud Barak") and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ("The Netanyahu Years"). On Twitter: @BenCaspit

Israel | Jul 15, 2024

Analysis

Hamas military chief’s fate unknown as Israel, US, UAE forge Gaza control plan

Israeli security agencies have not obtained proof Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif was killed in a July 13 airstrike, but he is unlikely to have escaped the attack.

A Palestinian crouches as he surveys the debris of destroyed tents and make shift housing structures near a crater, following an Israeli military strike on the al-Mawasi camp for internally displaced people (IDP), near the city of Khan Yunis, southern Gaza Strip on July 13, 2024.

Israel | Jul 12, 2024

Israeli Oct. 7 probe of Kibbutz Be'eri shows massive operational failures

Israel is only now discovering the magnitude of the military, operational and intelligence failures that enabled the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Kibbutz Be’eri and 20 other villages and cities in the south of Israel.

Israel | Jul 9, 2024

Analysis

Egypt enraged by Netanyahu's demands as talks stall, Israel-Cairo ties tumble

The list of non-negotiable demands Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued ahead of talks for a hostage release deal are likely to not only sabotage negotiations, but also harm Israel’s relations with Egypt.

Israel | Jul 5, 2024

Analysis

Hamas' response 'the best' Israel received, will Netanyahu scuttle deal?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu approved Mossad chief David Barnea's trip to Qatar for further talks, but amid his far-right partners' objections, the move does not signal commitment to sealing a deal.

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL - JUNE 29: Families of hostages and supporters set a fire during a demonstration calling for an hostages deal and against the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on June 29, 2024 in Tel Aviv, Israel. Saturday night anti-government protest have occurred weekly for months, amid calls by many Israelis for Prime Minister Netanyahu to prioritize the return of hostages held in Gaza over the defeat of Hamas. Netanyahu has recently distanced himself further from a US-backed ceasefire proposal

Israel | Jul 2, 2024

Analysis

What Israel's winding down of battles in Gaza means for Netanyahu, Lebanon

Israeli leaders are now discussing shifting from high-intensity fighting in Rafah and across the Gaza Strip to low-intensity battle, with targeted operations and much fewer troops on the ground.

An Israeli army main battle tank moves along an area near the border with the Gaza Strip and southern Israel, July 2, 2024.

Israel | Jun 28, 2024

Analysis

US rejects limited Israeli war in Lebanon, continues 2000-lb bomb freeze

After the statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accusing the Biden administration of halting arms shipments to Israel, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant went to Washington for damage control.

ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA - JUNE 25: U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant walk into the Pentagon on June 25, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia. Their meeting comes a day after Gallant and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sat down together to discuss Gaza and Lebanon. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

Israel | Jun 25, 2024

Analysis

Hezbollah, Israel not seeking full-blown war but risk of miscalculation at peak

While neither Israel nor Hezbollah is interested in war, its prospects seem higher than ever before.

CORRECTION / Smoke billows during Israeli bombardment on the village of Khiam in south Lebanon near the border with Israel on June 19, 2024 amid ongoing cross-border tensions as fighting continues between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. (Photo by RABIH DAHER / AFP) / "The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by RABIH DAHER has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [June 19] instead of [June 8]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your onlin

Israel | Jun 21, 2024

Analysis

Netanyahu’s arms complaints strain US ties, leave Israel exposed to Hezbollah

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attack against the Biden administration for allegedly withholding arms deliveries exposes Israel’s vulnerability right now when tensions with Hezbollah run high.

A picture taken on February 12, 2019, shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) discussing with soldiers as he stands near a naval Iron Dome defence system, designed to intercept and destroy incoming short-range rockets and artillery shells, installed on a Sa'ar 5 Lahav Class corvette of the Israeli Navy fleet, in the northern port of Haifa. (Photo by JACK GUEZ / POOL / AFP) (Photo credit should read JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

Israel | Jun 18, 2024

Analysis

Netanyahu on collision course with Israeli military over next steps in Gaza

Over the past weekend, 11 Israeli soldiers died in Hamas booby traps, despite the sense among the country's top brass that the job in the Gaza Strip is done.

SOUTHERN ISRAEL, ISRAEL - JUNE 17: An Israeli tank moves along the border with the Gaza Strip as seen from a position on the Israeli side of the border on June 17, 2024 in Southern Israel, Israel. Israeli Army have agreed to a daily tactical pause in South Gaza to allow the passage of Humanitarian aid across the border. (Photo by Amir Levy/Getty Images)

Israel | Jun 14, 2024

Analysis

As Hamas wavers on deal, Israel's main front moves to Lebanon's Hezbollah

As Netanyahu plays for time, the Israeli military has recommended to the government that troops wrap up their activities against Hamas in the southern Gaza city within a month and move on to deal with Hezbollah in the north.