menu_open Columnists
Lazar Berman

Lazar Berman

The Times of Israel

We use cookies to provide some features and experiences in QOSHE

More information  .  Close

Netanyahu heads to Washington to meet Trump, hoping to ‘redraw’ Middle East

At stake is future of hostage-release ceasefire deal in Gaza war; PM says working closely with US president could further alter the region, which has...

yesterday 10

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Fate of ceasefire-hostage deal’s second phase in balance as Netanyahu heads to DC

PM reportedly holding off on sending negotiating team to Qatar until he returns from US, could appoint Ron Dermer to head delegation instead of Mossad...

yesterday 30

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Netanyahu dispatches top negotiators to Qatar talks amid push to seal hostage deal

Netanyahu dispatches top negotiators to Qatar talks amid push to seal hostage deal

Delegation to Doha will include heads of Mossad and Shin Bet and hostage point man; Hamas sources claim ceasefire accord is ‘completed’ and...

12.01.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Parents of troops, slain hostages demand Gaza deal as official says talks still stuck

Netanyahu accused of endangering soldiers to stay in office, as official insists no progress in Doha while feting arrival of Trump aide Witkoff; Hamas...

09.01.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Netanyahu unlikely to attend Trump inauguration, aide says

Premier previously said to be planning on attending, but no formal invitation has been received by his office, according to an aide, even as other...

09.01.2025 30

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Ireland files motion to intervene in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel

Ireland has officially filed a declaration of intervention in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel, the International Court of Justice said....

08.01.2025 40

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Officials acknowledge slow progress in hostage talks, but warn obstacles remain

Israeli, Saudi reports quote sources saying agreement could be clinched on key issues before Trump takes office, but Israel sees low chance for...

05.01.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

As European and Arab leaders rush to meet Syria’s new leader, Israel calls for caution

Ahmed al-Sharaa is hoping to convince the world that he’s left his jihadist past behind, but FM Gideon Sa’ar and other senior officials are not...

05.01.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Netanyahu released from hospital four days after prostate removal surgery

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was discharged from the hospital in Jerusalem on Thursday after undergoing a successful prostate removal surgery...

03.01.2025 10

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Israeli negotiators to head to Qatar amid some reported progress in hostage talks

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that he had okayed sending an Israeli delegation for talks in Qatar on a hostage-ceasefire deal in...

03.01.2025 7

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

As Iran’s network of proxies withers, Israel has an opening to revive its own

Israeli leaders have been boasting effusively about the country’s success in degrading Iran’s proxies in recent months. “We knocked down Hezbollah,...

01.01.2025 20

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Netanyahu to undergo prostate removal surgery on Sunday

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will have his prostate removed in a surgery on Sunday, his office said in a statement. Last Wednesday, Netanyahu,...

29.12.2024 10

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Netanyahu rails against ‘brainwashing’ media for reports on wife’s alleged misdeeds

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday accused the “left and the media” of pushing a “blood libel” against his wife Sara following TV...

27.12.2024 10

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Israel still hasn’t received list of living hostages from Hamas, official says

Gaps between Israel and the Hamas terror group over a possible Gaza hostage release and ceasefire deal have narrowed, according to Israeli and...

23.12.2024 8

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

PM vows escalated fight against Houthis; officials said urging direct attack on Iran

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Sunday that Israel would act against the Houthi rebels in Yemen with the same force it used against...

23.12.2024 30

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Hamas has given signs of life for a few hostages, Israeli official says, as talks go on

As working groups continued their efforts in Qatar to hammer out a hostage and ceasefire deal in the Gaza Strip, an Israeli official told The Times...

23.12.2024 9

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Its proxies pummeled, Iran is suddenly more vulnerable than ever. Will it go nuclear?

Iran’s position has slipped dramatically in recent weeks. Israel hammered its most powerful proxy, Hezbollah, into stopping its rocket attacks in...

22.12.2024 4

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Netanyahu denies jetting to Cairo as reports of Gaza deal progress boost hopes

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied a report that the Israeli leader was flying to Cairo on Tuesday for talks on a Gaza...

18.12.2024 7

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

FM Sa’ar defends Dublin embassy closure, brands Irish premier an antisemite

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar on Monday defended his decision to close Israel’s embassy in Ireland, saying that Dublin “encouraged”...

17.12.2024 20

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

PM discusses hostages with Trump as Israeli officials say deal could be clinched in days

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he discussed with US President-elect Donald Trump ongoing efforts to bring back the hostages...

15.12.2024 6

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Israel to close its embassy in Dublin due to Ireland’s ‘extreme anti-Israel policy’

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar announced on Sunday that Israel will be shutting its embassy in Ireland, citing the “extreme anti-Israel policy of...

15.12.2024 4

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Israel rejects French call to withdraw from Syria buffer: ‘Necessary for defense’

The Foreign Ministry on Thursday rejected France’s demand that the Israel Defense Forces leave the buffer zone between Israel and Syria, saying the...

13.12.2024 10

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Netanyahu is ‘ready’ to reach a hostage deal and the sides are ‘close,’ says US official

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “is ready to do a deal,” said US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan on Thursday during his seventh trip to...

13.12.2024 30

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

PM: Israel wants ‘correct’ ties with new Syrian regime, but will attack if necessary

Netanyahu says IDF will respond forcefully if new government allows Iran to reestablish itself in Syria, permits arms transfers to Hezbollah or...

11.12.2024 5

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Security chiefs discuss hostage deal in Cairo as Israel sees growing chances

Senior Israeli official believes Hamas has changed mind on truce, which may be possible before Trump inauguration; White House says terror group’s...

10.12.2024 4

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

On eve of court testimony, Netanyahu pans legal system, media in heated press conference

‘I’ve waited 8 years to present the truth,’ says PM, denying effort to evade justice; says ‘everything goes in the effort to bring down...

10.12.2024 10

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

With genocide comments, nativity visit, Pope sows doubts about commitment to Jews

Francis, who sees himself as a friend of the community, has had an increasingly patchy record on statements relating to Jews and Israel, and may be...

10.12.2024 40

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

After fall of Assad, PM says Israel is ‘transforming the face of the Middle East’

In first press conference in 99 days, Netanyahu says ousted leader was key to Iranian axis, which Israel is ‘taking it apart step by step,’ touts...

10.12.2024 20

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

A chronology of two seismic weeks that toppled the Assad regime in Syria

The rebels’ lightning offensive did in days what 13 years of civil war could not: take down the government of Bashar al-Assad

09.12.2024 4

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Netanyahu tells hostage families fall of Assad regime could advance negotiations

Trump says he believes there are ‘far fewer hostages’ alive than thought; senior Biden official says Syria situation has ‘dramatically changed...

09.12.2024 5

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Sinwar’s Al-Aqsa Flood washed Iran’s axis away, but new groups could reach Israel

In 2017, Iran saw an opportunity. Relations with Hamas had been strained for years, after the Gaza-based terror group backed the Sunni opposition...

09.12.2024 20

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Israeli official: Egypt proposed hostage deal with extended truce, not end to war

Official says Israel open to discussing outline that has been handed to Hamas, in which ‘humanitarian’ category of hostages would be released,...

06.12.2024 20

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

PM vows to respond to all truce breaches, but Hezbollah intends to make him think twice

Israel will face new dilemmas in tackling overt and less clear ceasefire violations, with every rocket from Lebanon a potential political headache

28.11.2024 10

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

United Arab Emirates arrests three suspects in murder of Chabad rabbi Zvi Kogan

Iran rejects allegations it was involved in the killing; US condemns ‘horrific crime against those who stand for peace’; body of Israeli-Moldovan...

25.11.2024 20

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

PM claims suspects in leaks case treated as terrorists; says vital intel is kept from him

Decrying ‘witch hunt’ in lengthy video, Netanyahu lambastes Shin Bet detention of ‘Israeli patriot’ Feldstein; former agency chief rejects...

24.11.2024 7

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Foreign minister nixes visit by Dutch counterpart after he endorses ICC warrants

Opposition’s Lapid blasts decision as ‘impulsive,’ says government must build coalition to prevent further warrants; Geert Wilders still mum on ICC...

22.11.2024 10

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

New Zealand designates Houthis and entirety of Hezbollah as terror organizations

Country previously blacklisted only military wing of Lebanese group; decision comes after police advised government that both groups’ actions...

21.11.2024 6

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Netanyahu says Biden’s counsel throughout the war was repeatedly off-mark

PM confirms that a ‘specific component’ in Iran’s nuclear program was hit in last month’s strikes, in Knesset speech repeatedly interrupted by...

19.11.2024 30

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Netanyahu to Iranians: Another attack on Israel would ‘cripple’ Iran’s economy

In second message within months, PM says regime fears its own citizens more than Israel; looks to future of blossoming ties, freedom and prosperity...

13.11.2024 30

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

In first, Netanyahu said to acknowledge Israel carried out pager attacks on Hezbollah

PM quoted telling cabinet operation took place despite ‘opposition’ from senior defense officials, in dig at recently sacked defense minister...

11.11.2024 20

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

‘History is repeating itself’: Amsterdam in shock after wave of antisemitic violence

Two days after mass organized attacks following soccer match in Dutch capital, residents and Jewish groups voice dismay at events that mayor says...

11.11.2024 10

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Netanyahu says he and Trump see ‘eye to eye’ on Iran after holding 3 calls within days

Conversations ‘designed to further tighten strong alliance between Israel and the US,’ PM says in statement; Dermer, Herzog in Washington as...

11.11.2024 30

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Netanyahu claims scandals plaguing his staff are being manufactured to harm war effort

In video statement, PM accuses media of opening ‘front’ against him after report names his chief of staff as official suspected of blackmailing IDF...

11.11.2024 20

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Netanyahu taps former official, settlement activist Yechiel Leiter as next US ambassador

American-born academic served as chief of staff to now-PM when he was finance minister; West Bank settlement leader lauds appointment; son was...

09.11.2024 5

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Could Trump’s victory spur ICC to quickly issue arrest warrant against Netanyahu?

Returning US president took harsh measures against Hague court in 2020, which Biden reversed while also refusing to sanction prosecutor over plans...

08.11.2024 10

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Trump and Netanyahu, newly empowered, to reunite; Israel risks overplaying its hand

Prime minister got the outcome he wanted in the US elections. Now Biden has two months to leave a legacy, and Trump must decide which camp will...

07.11.2024 20

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Paris court rules Israel must be allowed to exhibit at Euronaval arms expo

Paris Commercial Court blocks Macron’s second attempt this year to bar Israeli defense firms from a trade show, following petition by Israeli...

31.10.2024 10

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

PM ‘not certain’ negotiations can progress as Mossad chief returns from Qatar talks

Netanyahu tells Likud meeting Israel is also pursuing ‘partial solutions,’ but Sinwar’s killing may not prove catalyst; Israeli source says...

29.10.2024 20

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Though limited, Israel’s highly successful attack leaves Iran more vulnerable than ever

With key air defenses disabled and Hezbollah weakened, Tehran knows the IAF could come back for more. That might prompt it to push for the bomb,...

27.10.2024 30

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman

Blinken meets PM, pushes Israel to publicly say it’s not aiming to besiege north Gaza

Netanyahu and US Secretary of State discuss hostage deal possibilities in wake of Sinwar’s death; Gallant: IDF will keep operating against...

23.10.2024 20

The Times of Israel

Lazar Berman