This is what all writing, investigation and academic research must be about

This year tested almost everything we take for granted – public trust, democratic norms, and the idea that facts still matter.

From the war in Gaza and its devastating human toll, to political upheaval in Israel, to rising tensions on campuses and attacks on Jewish communities worldwide, the story of this region has been relentlessly complex. And too often, it has been flattened into slogans, stripped of context, or distorted beyond recognition.

At Haaretz, we don't accept that.

Our journalists begin with verified facts, but they don't stop there. They explain how today's headlines connect to decades of policy and history. They show how decisions made in Jerusalem reverberate through Gaza, the West Bank, Washington and the Jewish world. And they insist on covering realities that make people uncomfortable – because the truth doesn't defend itself.

This year, our reporting came from the ground up: reporters witnessing events firsthand, editors rigorously testing every claim, analysts placing breaking news within a wider framework of law, power and consequence. They challenged official narratives, traced long-term consequences and insisted on asking questions that many would rather avoid.

Our journalism resists spin, challenges false narratives and refuses to look away.

That work is more necessary now than ever.

Thank you for reading.

Esther Solomon
Haaretz English Editor-in-chief