The Times of Israel is an Israeli multi-language online newspaper that was launched in 2012. It was co-founded by Israeli journalist David Horovitz, who is also the founding editor, and American billionaire investor Seth Klarman.[8] Based in Jerusalem, it "documents developments in Israel, the Middle East and around the Jewish world."[9] Along with its original English site, The Times of Israel publishes in Hebrew (via its own edition, Zman Yisrael), Arabic, French, and Persian. In addition to publishing news reports and analysis, the website hosts a multi-author blog platform.[10]
In February 2014, two years after its launch, The Times of Israel claimed a readership of two million.[11] In 2017, readership increased to 3.5 million unique monthly users.[12] By 2021, the paper had on average over nine million unique users each month and over 35 million monthly page views, while the paper's blog platform had 9,000 active bloggers.[13][14]
Several Times of Israel editors had previously worked for the Haaretz English edition, including Joshua Davidovich and Raphael Ahren, and former Haaretz Arab affairs correspondent Avi Issacharoff–co-creator of the popular Israeli television series Fauda–joined as its Middle East analyst.[18] Amanda Borschel-Dan, who was the Magazine Editor of The Jerusalem Post, is currently The Times of Israel's Deputy Editor, responsible for the Jewish world and archaeology. She also hosts the paper's weekly podcast.
The Times of Israel launched its Arabic edition, edited by Suha Halifa, on 4 February 2014;[19][20] its French edition, edited by Stephanie Bitan, on 25 February 2014;[21] and its Persian edition, edited by Avi Davidi, on 7 October 2015.[22] It launched its Hebrew site, Zman Yisael, on 1 May 2019, edited by Biranit Goren.[23]
Both the Arabic and French editions combine translations of English content with original material in their respective languages, and also host a blog platform.[11] In announcing the Arabic edition, Horovitz suggested, The Times of Israel may have created the first Arabic blog platform that "draw[s] articles from across the spectrum of opinion. We're inviting those of our Arabic readers with something of value that they want to say to blog on our pages, respecting the parameters of legitimate debate, joining our marketplace of ideas."[20] "[T]o avoid the kind of anonymous comments that can reduce discussion to toxic lows", comments on news articles and features in all of the site's editions can only be posted by readers identified through their Facebook profiles or equivalent.[20]
In February 2014, two years after its launch, The Times of Israel claimed a readership of 2 million.[11] In 2017, readership increased to 3.5 million.[12] By 2021, the paper had on average over 9 million unique users each month and over 35 million monthly page views. It also maintains a blog platform, on which some 9,000 bloggers post.[13]
In November 2023, the site saw web visits increase 604% year-on-year to 64.2 million and entered the Press Gazette's top-50 ranking for the first time in 42nd place, according to digital intelligence platform, Similarweb.[24] The increase is likely linked to the increase in demand for news about the Middle East following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on 7 October 2023.
On 1 August 2014, an article entitled "When Genocide is Permissible" and recommending the obliteration of the entire population of Gaza Strip was published on the blogs by a regular contributor. The article was later deleted. Opinion editor Miriam Herschlag said that the article did not conform to their editorial guidelines and the contributor had been discontinued.[25]
On 2 November 2017, hackers in Turkey took down the website of The Times of Israel for three hours, replacing the homepage with anti-Israel propaganda.[28] Responding to the attack, Horovitz said: "We constantly work to improve security on the site, which is subjected to relentless attacks by hackers. How unfortunate, and how badly it reflects on them that the hackers seek to prevent people from reading responsible, independent journalism on Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world."[31]
In 2020, Reuters reported that The Times of Israel, along with The Jerusalem Post, Algemeiner, and Arutz Sheva, published op-eds sent to them by someone using a falsified identity.[32][33] The op-eds were removed as soon as the problem was discovered. Opinion editor Miriam Herschlag said that she regretted the scam because it distorted the public discourse and might lead to "barriers that prevent new voices from being heard".[32]
According to editor David Horovitz, The Times of Israel is intended to be independent, without any political leanings.[34][35] The paper's editorial board is composed of former Jerusalem Report editor Sharon Ashley, Irwin Cotler, Efraim Halevy, Saul Singer, and Ehud Yaari. Yehuda Avner was a member of the editorial board until his death in March 2015.[9] Horovitz said in 2012: "We are independent; we're not attached or affiliated with any political party."[36]
However, Haaretz reported that a Times of Israel co-founder gave $1.5 million in 2012 to CAMERA, a right-wing group that criticises news outlets over their coverage of Israel.[37]Haaretz stated that Times of Israel owner Seth Klarman "supports other conservative, media-related organizations and groups that seek to counter anti-Israel bias or have a right-wing agenda".[37]
Controversies
Times of Israel Blogging Platform
Times of Israel has offered a third-party blogging platform since 2012 which allows writers who are not affiliated with the news site to publish online. The articles on this platform are clearly marked as such, and Times of Israel staff does not oversee or edit the content from outside users published on the blogging platform. Times of Israel at times has removed content that has violated the site's policies. This platform has occasionally brought about controversy for the newspaper with inflammatory and controversial blog pieces that were later removed.[38] These pieces written by 3rd party users have often been misrepresented as or confused for the endorsed original work of Times of Israel, leading to accusations about the newspapers' bias[39][40] For example, on May 18, 2023, a third party user of the site's blog platform named Jeffrey Camras published an op-ed titled "Moving Forward on Palestine". Camras proposed that "in order to right a wrong, in order to make peace and move forward, Palestine must be obliterated." Although Camras was not affiliated with Times of Israel, sites like Palestine Chronicle and others presented his article as if it were a Times of Israel staff written editorial.[41][42][43] Times of Israel apparently removed the article. Times of Israel amends the following to every blog post by 3rd party users: "Please note that the posts on The Blogs are contributed by third parties. The opinions, facts and any media content in them are presented solely by the authors, and neither The Times of Israel nor its partners assume any responsibility for them. Please contact us in case of abuse."[44][45]
Additional media
In addition to written journalism, The Times of Israel produces and publishes three podcasts; it also produces video content:[46]
Israeli settlements, also called Israeli colonies, are the civilian communities built by Israel throughout the Israeli-occupied territories. They are populated by Israeli citizens, almost exclusively of Jewish identity or ethnicity, and have been constructed on lands that Israel has militarily occupied since the Six-Day War in 1967. The international community considers Israeli settlements to be illegal under international law, but Israel disputes this. In 2024, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) found that Israel's occupation was illegal and ruled that Israel had "an obligation to cease immediately all new settlement activities and to evacuate all settlers" from the occupied territories. The expansion of settlements often involves the confiscation of Palestinian land and resources, leading to displacement of Palestinian communities and creating a source of tension and conflict. Settlements are often protected by the Israeli military and are frequently flashpoints for violence against Palestinians. Furthermore, the presence of settlements and Jewish-only bypass roads creates a fragmented Palestinian territory, seriously hindering economic development and freedom of movement for Palestinians.
Benjamin "Bibi" Netanyahu is an Israeli politician, serving as the prime minister of Israel since 2022, having previously held the office in 1996–1999 and 2009–2021. He is chair of the Likud party. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in Israel's history, having served a total of over 16 years.
Haaretz is an Israeli newspaper. It was founded in 1918, making it the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel. It is published in both Hebrew and English in the Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with The New York Times International Edition. Its Hebrew and English editions are available on the internet. In North America, it is published as a weekly newspaper, combining articles from the Friday edition with a roundup from the rest of the week. Haaretz is Israel's newspaper of record. It is known for its left-wing and liberal stances on domestic and foreign issues.
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The Jerusalem Post is an Israeli broadsheet newspaper based in Jerusalem, founded in 1932 during the British Mandate of Palestine by Gershon Agron as The Palestine Post. In 1950, it changed its name to The Jerusalem Post. In 2004, the paper was bought by Mirkaei Tikshoret, a diversified Israeli media firm controlled by investor Eli Azur. The Jerusalem Post is published in English. Previously, it also had a French edition.
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews from the diaspora to, historically, the geographical Land of Israel or the Palestine region, which is today chiefly represented by the State of Israel. Traditionally described as "the act of going up", moving to the Land of Israel or "making aliyah" is one of the most basic tenets of Zionism. The opposite action – emigration by Jews from the Land of Israel – is referred to in the Hebrew language as yerida. The Law of Return that was passed by the Israeli parliament in 1950 gives all diaspora Jews, as well as their children and grandchildren, the right to relocate to Israel and acquire Israeli citizenship on the basis of connecting to their Jewish identity.
Yediot Achronot is an Israeli daily newspaper published in Tel Aviv. Founded in 1939, when Tel Aviv was part of Mandatory Palestine, Yedioth Ahronoth is Israel's largest paid newspaper by sales and circulation and has been described as "undoubtedly the country's number-one paper." It is published in the tabloid format.
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David Horovitz is a British-born Israeli journalist, author and speaker. He is the founding editor of The Times of Israel, a current affairs website based in Jerusalem that launched in February 2012. Previously, he had been the editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post and The Jerusalem Report.
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Kulanu was a centrist political party in Israel founded by Moshe Kahlon that focused on economic and cost-of-living issues.
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↑ Klarman, Seth (12 February 2012). "A note from the chairman". The Times of Israel. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 22 March 2018.
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