Israel is heading into a year that could redefine its security posture, regional alliances, and international standing, according to senior analysts debating the road ahead in 2026.
Former Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom Mark Regev argued that internal unrest inside Iran could reshape the regional threat landscape. He pointed to protests and regime weakness following last year’s fighting, saying, “authoritarian regimes rely on their ability to oppress and their ability that the population fears them,” adding that regime change would be “a real game changer across the region for the better.”
Still, he warned that Israel cannot assume stability and must remain prepared to act.
From a security perspective, Olga Deutsch, vice president of NGO Monitor, stressed that Iran presents simultaneous dangers.
“Ballistic missiles are an immediate threat,” she said, while nuclear advances remain a longer-term red line.
Deutsch predicted deeper regional cooperation against Iran, arguing that shared threats could accelerate new alliances similar to the Abraham Accords.
The debate shifted sharply when discussing Gaza and Lebanon. Regev said Hamas has no incentive to disarm voluntarily, warning that without sustained pressure, it would seek to replicate Hezbollah’s armed dominance.
“What terrorist group voluntarily gives up its weapons?” he asked, adding that Israeli military pressure, combined with U.S. backing and Sunni Arab influence, remains the most realistic path forward.
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Offering a dissenting view, Anton Goodman of Rabbis for Human Rights argued that reliance on force alone has failed.
“The important issue for the Palestinian people is having a basic level of human rights and having a hope for their future,” he said, warning that continued militarization risks deepening radicalization on all sides.
The panel also warned that antisemitism abroad is likely to intensify.
Deutsch cautioned that global hostility toward Jews will continue even if fighting subsides, calling it a broader campaign of “normalization of calls for violence” against Jewish communities worldwide.
Will Israel be forced to navigate simultaneous military pressure, diplomatic opportunity, and growing global hostility? Watch the full program: