[1] Before becoming the military analyst for Haaretz, he spent four years as the night editor of the printed Hebrew edition.

[1] In the year leading up to the war in Gaza, Harel's work was very critical of Itamar Ben Gvir and other far right members of the Knesset.

Harel repeatedly expressed concern that Ben Gvir’s far right policies, provocative actions, and "Chutzpah"[3] would lead to a "third intifada".

This was a common concern in Israel in the year before October 2023, but went largely unnoticed except in media focused on the Middle East.

[5][6] However, Harel did not foresee the escalation coming from Gaza, instead he predicted increased violence in the West Bank and Jerusalem.