Amos Harel

Recent progress is only theoretical - many obstacles remain Yair Lapid's way, as he tries to conscript the ultra-Orthodox into the IDF.

The army didn't disclose that Itamar Alon, who killed four at Be'er Sheva bank, was dismissed for aggressive behavior. Then he got a gun.

Within the space of 48 hours, much of Israel's military and political leadership spoke about the Syrian civil war - but there's still no coherent government policy.

Friends, neighbors describe Itamar Alon as strange, surprised such a person had been an IDF officer.

IDF: We're not aiding the opposition, the aging Sufa may have been left in Lebanon after the 2000 withdrawal.

Israel will have to tread very carefully if it wants to avoid confrontation with Syria and Hezbollah, particularly as as global forces begin to intervene, and as Iran elections approach.

The conflict of interests between the U.S. and Russia over Syria is closely linked to an issue that has recently slipped down the priority ranks but is expected to take center stage again soon - the Iranian nuclear program.

The budget cuts will be offset by a significant rise in future funding – a rise necessitated by the shifting strategic framework, the need for new technology and growing problems with filling the reserve officer posts.

John Brennan met with Defense Minister Ya'alon; the Defense Ministry did not provide details of the meeting; Russian FM Lavrov says Russia plans to go ahead with sale of missile defense systems to Syria.

Israeli intelligence doesn't point to Syrian retaliation for air strikes it has attributed to Israel, and a massive Israeli attack would only be a last resort.

The nongovernmental organization, Elad, which works to increase the Jewish presence in Jerusalem’s Arab neighborhoods, is accused of pushing a political message onto the two-day course.

Israeli budget allocations to defense are set to reach a record-high NIS 59 billion in 2018, which helps explain why Defense Ministry officials are not up in arms over the immediate budget cuts.

Army rabbis seek to recruit Haredim as kashrut supervisors, ritual scribes and burial experts, but critics within the defense establishment say high cost is unjustified, for these jobs won't provide recruits with skills needed for civilian profession.

For first time in years, public opinion supports the treasury's efforts to cut the defense budget. One of the main reasons the IDF is so afraid of cuts is that it is facing too many security scenarios at once.

The alleged Israeli bombardments in Syria came at the height of a stormy debate in Washington.

The Knesset panel that's preparing a plan for drafting Haredim has another two weeks to formulate its recommendations, but because its participants include no ultra-Orthodox, it's hard to see its emerging plan being enforced.

Units of the Lebanese militia and Iran's Revolutionary Guard are also guarding strategic sites used to store WMD and missiles.

The IDF will have first pick of the people it wants to draft, before they choose various branches of national civilian service.

If the quiet holds, it will largely be testimony to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s limited room to maneuver.

According to foreign media reports, Israel's recent attacks went well. But what will happen next time there's intelligence information about attempted weapons transfers to Lebanon? One must assume there will be a next time, because neither Iran nor Hezbollah wants to see those advanced weapons in rebel hands.

For more than two years, Israel has avoided the troubled waters of the changing Arab world. The recent attacks in Syria may herald the end of that period.

Only a few days after an alleged Israeli strike, Syrian media reports Israeli rocket fire targeted a military research center; Western intel sources confirm Syrian reports, say targets were Iranian Fateh-110 surface-to-surface missiles.

Israel is standing by its red line declarations that no chemical or advanced weapons fall into Hezbollah’s hands, and ensuring that the internal Syrian strife does not become a conflict between it and Assad.

If Israel did indeed strike a weapons convoy headed for Hezbollah, it may have done so from Lebanese airspace, so as to avoid both physical and diplomatic dangers.

While former Premier Ehud Olmert and other politicians have been prattling about various issues, including Assad's arsenal, Ya'alon dealt quite deftly with the media uproar over the surprise IDF exercise in the north.

Israelis love stories of individual bravery, but in the long run, Chief of Staff Benny Gantz and his army will have to step out of their comfort zone, walk away from the embraces and contend with challenges.

The events of the last 24 hours reflect the nature of the security challenge Israel must now confront; the Netanyahu government aims to remind the other parties that they would do well not to force it into a wider conflict.

While a third intifada doesn't seem to be on the horizon, it is impossible to ignore the continuous increase in the number of 'populist' incidents over the last six months.

The cabinet and smaller Septet (or Octet or Nonet, depending, of course, on the number of members) will determine the next government's most important decisions in key areas of diplomacy and national security, including policy on Iranian nuclear threat.

In any case, it is surprising to find that two years after the publication of the Harpaz document, Galant is the only one who has paid the price, even though all claims made against him at the beginning proved baseless.

Although the vast majority of settlers are law abiding, the machinations and provocations of Itamar Ben Gvir and his followers make them silent accomplices.

Some security officials, who possess intimate knowledge of the greater picture, fear that former Mossad chief Meir Dagan's comments may undermine the Israeli effort to bring about effective international action against Iran.

Considering the constant turmoil reining in Netanyahu's office and the inability to get even one security agency appointment through without complaints and accusations, it looks like a clear lesson can be derived from the events of the past six months. This involves the need to impose order and oversight in appointment procedures involving candidates for sensitive high-level positions.

Those exposed to outgoing Mossad chief's Meir Dagan's arguments will find it difficult to ignore their logic, and the assertive tone in which they were made.

The thought that Israel will take any action against Iran and the Americans will be content with a salute and support is completely unrealistic.

Were it not for the Mavi Marmara affair, it is doubtful whether Israel would have reversed its closure on the Gaza Strip.

In any attack plan of any country there is a risk that the pilots, and particularly the leaders above them, will become enthralled by the plan, without considering all the implications.

Israel must not choose to grant automatic and sweeping support to every soldier.

Was the forging of the document and the leaks to Channel 2 the result of private initiatives, or was it inspired by the commander's spirit?

The ministers scheduled this morning to discuss the request to approve GOC Southern Command Yoav Galant as the Israel Defense Forces' 20th chief of staff have a historic opportunity

Enforcement of the siege has all but ended - part of the price Israel is paying to restore its international reputation after its disastrous flotilla raid.

When the time comes for disengagement, perhaps the state may decide to temporarily redeploy regular troops to the Border Police. It is doubtful whether it will be possible once again to rely on the IDF for that job.

The lack of a diplomatic horizon with the Palestinians and the Syrians does not bode well for Israel.

It's doubtful whether Israel can allow itself to ignore U.S. wishes and stand alone against Iran's response.

When Lindenstrauss began his probe on Israel's attempts to release convicted spy Jonathan Pollard, he was predictably ridiculed: What could he possibly say that was new? It turns out that an external probe can lead to new and surprising avenues to explore.

Benny Gantz's recent appointment showed what is typical of the current selection process in the security and intelligence establishments - prolonged negotiations between defense minister and chief of staff, a last-minute compromise and not an iota of external supervision.

Israeli-U.S. ties are entering their most serious tailspin in a decade - since Netanyahu's last term.

Washington, under Barack Obama's administration, is liable to be more attentive to the idea of an Israel-Syrian agreement, and a unity government in Israel may be the only realistic course by which to strive for political progress in the coming years.