menu_open Columnists
Gil Samsonov

Gil Samsonov

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Israeli World Cup Loyalties Are Moving from Europe to South America

Israeli World Cup Loyalties Are Moving from Europe to South America

How Have Spain’s and France’s Policies Toward Israel Affected Israeli Support for Their National Teams? And Which Country Will Capture Israeli...

06.06.2026 50

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

An Agreement with Iran — But Not Munich 1938

Recent reports about a possible agreement with Iran should be read with both relief and concern. The relief is that President Donald Trump appears to...

31.05.2026 50

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

This is Israel’s second War of Independence — A war of renewal

Some wars announce themselves at once. Others reveal their true meaning only after the smoke has spread from one front to another, after the funerals...

29.04.2026 40

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

The Great European Slumber: From Hitler to Khomeinism

We are all watching—with a mix of astonishment and grief—what appears to be Europe’s slow-motion surrender to radical Islam. Like many of us,...

17.03.2026 70

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

The Myth of the Persian Chess Master: Why Tehran Was Actually Playing Backgammon

For years, we were fed the myth of the brilliant Iranian “chess master.” Commentators and analysts praised Tehran’s leaders as grandmasters of...

15.03.2026 90

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

Today’s Villain, Tomorrow’s Statesman: The Changing Faces of Israel’s Leaders

Political reputations are rarely permanent. In Israel especially, they tend to move in cycles — from admiration to rejection, from rejection to...

12.03.2026 70

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

From Restraint to Resolve: A U.S.-Israel Alliance Forged in the Fire of War

A week ago Saturday, the world entered a new era. With the elimination of the Iranian leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, the long-simmering “shadow war”...

07.03.2026 100

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

From Left to Right, Israel Is United for War

For the first time in decades, Israel is united not around a leader, not around a party, not around a reform — but around war. Not war as spectacle....

19.02.2026 90

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov

Ben-Gurion to Netanyahu: Israel’s Enduring Strategy of Peace Through Strength

12.07.2025 90

The Times of Israel (Blogs)

Gil Samsonov