Unveiling the contours and contrasts of an ever-changing Middle East landscape Reliable reportage and insightful commentary on the Middle East by seasoned journalists from the region and beyond.
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THE ISRAEL BRIEF –11-14 May 2026
(Click on the blue title)

Lay of the Land’s Photo Pick of the Week
As much as they try pull Israel down, it Rises, Survives and Thrives – 2nd place at 2026 Eurovision in Vienna


ARTICLES
Please note there is a facility to comment beneath each article should you wish to express an opinion on the subject addressed.
(1)
JEWS IN EVERDAY LIFE – WHEN VISIBILITY IS A RISK
How do you raise a child to feel proud, rooted, and secure in their Jewish identity while knowing that visibility can sometimes bring risk – an empathetic look at today’s mental health toll caused by antisemitism.
By Bev Moss-Reilly

JEWS IN EVERDAY LIFE – WHEN VISIBILITY IS A RISK
(Click on the blue title)
(2)
MIDTERM ELECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Historically the midterm elections result in a loss of seats by the ruling party in the House of Representatives and a small change in the makeup of the Senate.
By Neville Berman

MIDTERM ELECTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
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(3)
DOWNTURN IN DUBAI
As regional tensions escalated into direct confrontation with Iran, the impact on Dubai’s tourism sector, so beloved by Israeli travelers, was almost immediate.
By Motti Verses

DOWNTURN IN DUBAI
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LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche
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While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).