Retired Israeli general and political figure; served as Chief of General Staff (2011–2015) guiding security and defense, later involved in national discourse.
The prime minister has indicated that cryptocurrency and blockchain could be used to bypass sanctions, prompting a bank rebuke and cross-party criticism as Western sanctions target West Bank settlements. Officials warn of economic risks, while Netanyahu asserts plans are being explored to preserve ties and explore alternatives.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has used his UN General Assembly address to accuse New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani of antisemitism, of supporting Hamas and of making Jewish New Yorkers feel unsafe. Mamdani has replied that Netanyahu is repeating "baseless lies" and remains subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant; protests and walkouts have followed the speech.
Israel has demolished more than 2km of Hezbollah tunnel infrastructure beneath the Ali al‑Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, using over 1,000 tonnes of explosives and creating a blast that registered as a 4.1‑magnitude tremor. The Israeli military says it has established operational control above and below ground and will hold a security zone while continuing strikes when necessary.
Israeli police have maintained security around Jerusalem’s Temple Mount while Jewish visitors, accompanied by police protection, have reportedly performed prayers and raised flags. The Al-Aqsa compound remains a flashpoint amid ongoing clashes and international concern.
The Venice Special Jury Prize for NAZA has triggered a political firestorm in Israel. Culture Minister Miki Zohar calls to strip the filmmakers’ citizenship, while Prime Minister Netanyahu and other officials condemn the film as treasonous. The documentary cites 24 anonymous Israeli insiders and alleges AI-assisted targeting and anticipated civilian casualties in Gaza; the filmmakers say the film seeks accountability.
B'Tselem reports describe a five-front strategy — violence, movement restrictions, economic strangulation, social destruction, and ethnic cleansing — aimed at dismantling Palestinian life in the West Bank, with a rise in checkpoints, land seizures, and unemployment since 2022 and the Gaza war of 2023.
Israel has ordered the closure of the UK consulate in East Jerusalem after Britain announced sanctions on settlement goods and firms. London has said the building will remain a UK Mission and has warned it may expel Israeli diplomats if Israel forces the consulate to close. Talks and a quiet UK security adviser visit have not resolved the dispute ahead of Thursday's deadline.
Israeli and Palestinian sources have reported two deadly incidents in the occupied West Bank on 20 September 2026: a shooter opened fire at people at a spring near the Neve Tzuf settlement, killing an Israeli settler who later died in hospital; and Israeli forces have shot dead a driver who allegedly attempted a ramming attack near the Ganim settlement. Security forces have arrested a suspected shooter at a Ramallah hospital and have imposed closures and raids across multiple West Bank villages.
Israel's Netanyahu is seeking reelection as world leaders gather at the UN. Mamdani continues to clash with Israeli policy, calling for accountability and criticizing genocide accusations, while Trump remains a key ally on some fronts. Protests and counter-demonstrations surround Netanyahu's UN appearance.
Israeli settler attacks and Israeli military raids have intensified across the occupied West Bank since August 2026, leaving Palestinians injured, homes seized and families besieged in villages such as Qusra, Silwad and Biddu. Authorities have detained suspects, imposed checkpoints and carried out arrests while humanitarian agencies report unprecedented levels of settler violence this year.
Macron’s UN speech has drawn sharp criticism from Israel’s government after he said Hamas has “never struck in the West Bank.” Netanyahu’s office calls the remark a “grotesque absurdity,” as violence in Gaza and the West Bank continues and international pressure mounts.
A US-backed Board of Peace has presented a six-month, $2.45bn, 66-project recovery plan for Gaza but implementation has not started. Israel has expanded control over much of the Strip, Hamas has not fully disarmed, donor pledges remain largely unpaid and international forces and Palestinian technocrats have not entered to begin reconstruction.
Palestinian President Abbas has addressed the UN via a pre-recorded video, while Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is delivering a live address. Abbas has called for ending the war in Gaza, a withdrawal from Gaza, and a political process toward an independent Palestinian state. Netanyahu is focusing on Israel's security concerns and Iran, with some world leaders planning protests in New York.
Arab warnings from Egypt and the UAE are now corroborated by multiple outlets, including The Atlantic and The Wall Street Journal. The reports describe Israeli leaders receiving cautions about Gaza's volatility in the weeks before the October 7, 2023 assault, with Egypt’s Abbas Kamel and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed reportedly warning of imminent danger.
Israel’s prime minister has warned of potential attacks ahead of the elections, while opposition leaders say the warnings are political. Netanyahu’s office says a security briefing has been provided to opposition leader Lapid as polls show a tight race.
Israel’s prime minister faces defamation lawsuits as Haaretz and other outlets are accused of publishing false reports about warnings to Netanyahu before the October 7, 2023 attacks. The stories persist as other outlets report related warnings from Egypt and the UAE, while Netanyahu denies having been warned.
A flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 has made an emergency landing in Tabuk after a co-pilot attacked the captain and the aircraft plunged thousands of feet. Passengers and crew overpowered the attacker; the captain is hospitalised and investigations are underway. About 150 Israeli passengers were aboard.
Israel has ordered a comprehensive security review of international flights following an incident in which an Omani co-pilot attacked the flight captain aboard a FlyDubai jet bound for Tel Aviv. Investigations focus on pilot vetting, cross-border checks, and possible security gaps as politicians react ahead of elections.
Three years after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, Israel faces a pivotal election that could determine the future of Benjamin Netanyahu’s premiership. Voters weigh accountability for security failures against a demand for stability as regional dynamics remain volatile and Gaza’s humanitarian toll persists.
Israel marks three years since the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, 2023, with memorials, vigils and protests across the country. Activists demand a state commission of inquiry into security failures. The day features national ceremonies, regional gatherings, and a moment of silence at 6:29 a.m. as communities reflect on the war’s toll.
Three years after Hamas’s October 7 assault, Israelis mark memorials at Nova festival and other sites. Bereaved families and survivors recall loss as elections loom, while calls for accountability and investigations into security failures persist amid ongoing Gaza fighting and international reactions.
Three years after Hamas’s October 7 onslaught, Nir Oz memorials reopen with exhibits showing personal items of victims, survivors recount the siege, and residents reflect on rebuilding as elections loom.
A video shows Rabbi Dov Lando, 96, the spiritual leader of Degel HaTorah, condemning Zionism and questioning Israel’s state, while also saying ultra-Orthodox service exemptions are tied to politics. The remarks come three weeks before the October 27 election and add fuel to debates over Haredi military exemptions and the government’s stability.
A group of ORT Ma’alot students and teachers on a hiking trip near the Lebanese border has been struck by an unexploded ordnance believed to be a Hezbollah cluster submunition. One 14-year-old student has died and about two dozen more are injured. Investigations focus on the route approval, UNACCESSIBLE warning signs, and the handling of ordnance near a military frontier.
Since Monday, Israeli authorities have demolished homes in Umm Numaila and Abu Quraynat, reflecting a wider pattern of home demolitions in unrecognized Bedouin villages across the Negev as authorities press for building permits. The moves are part of a broader legal and political struggle over land and recognition in Israel’s southern desert.
Israel has warned it will seize further southern Lebanon territory and evacuate Beirut’s Dahieh district if Hezbollah aligns with Iran in an attack on Israel. The remarks come amid rising tensions as Hezbollah eyes a broader confrontation, with Israel preparing a potential ground offensive in the south.
The IDF has issued a high alert and ordered a leave freeze across units as it prepares for Israel’s elections on October 27. The military is reinforcing West Bank deployment, and Prime Minister Netanyahu warns enemies not to test Israel’s resolve amid heightened regional tensions.
The Board of Peace has awarded a contract to Arkel International to build a fortified outpost for 150 international troops as the vanguard of a broader stabilisation force for Gaza. Israel has not authorised construction, delaying the ISF deployment and threatening Gaza's reconstruction. The Guardian reported continued border closure; comments from officials confirm ongoing blockage and political sensitivities ahead of Israel’s election.
Arab citizens of Israel may hold the pivotal balance in post-election governance as polls show neither bloc reaching a majority. Arab lists seek influence while Gaza and settlements shape the campaign, with turnout seen as the key to forming a government.
A Washington Post photographer, Heidi Levine, has been severely injured after masked Israeli settlers attacked Palestinians and foreign journalists during olive harvesting near Abu Falah on 16 October. Israeli authorities have detained multiple suspects and opened investigations after footage and eyewitness accounts prompted international condemnation and calls for accountability.
Palestinian olive farmers face escalating violence as Israeli settlers attack villages across the northern West Bank during the harvest. Dozens are injured, properties damaged, and crops looted amid heightened tensions ahead of elections. Journalists have been assaulted while covering the clashes, prompting condemnations and calls for accountability.
Trump has publicly endorsed Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Israel’s elections, calling him a “Great Warrior Prime Minister” and a “Partner for Peace” in confronting Iran. The endorsement follows months of strain over the Iran war, with Netanyahu seeking to maintain a right-wing coalition as polls suggest a tight race.
Arab Israeli lists Ra’am and the Joint List are positioned to influence a post-election coalition, potentially backing opposition leader Eisenkot’s bid to form a government. Polls suggest they could win seats that may tilt the balance, while their leaders emphasize policy pledges and Arab-Jewish partnership.
Vance says he is not endorsing Israeli elections, focusing on U.S. midterms; Trump endorses Netanyahu as Israel heads to the October 27 vote. The remarks come amid broader GOP debates over Israel policy and U.S. support in the region.
The balance of power in the Middle East remains centered on Iran and regional deterrence. Analysts say Israel’s security doctrine rests on breaking Iran, holding buffer zones, and using force to deter enemies, with no prospect of a broad shift toward Palestinian diplomacy after the election.
Israel may see a new government emerge as polls show both Netanyahu’s bloc and Eisenkot’s opposition falling short of a majority. Arab-led parties hold the balance of power, with potential deals shaping whether a Netanyahu return or a Eisenkot-led administration governs. The vote is set for late October 2026, with coalition negotiations likely to define policy directions in the near term.
Israeli forces have killed two gunmen after a shooting near Hebron that wounded several people and have sealed off the city and surrounding West Bank areas ahead of Israel’s Oct. 27 election. Troops have closed gates and ordered evacuations, displacing residents and prompting right-wing ministers to promise demolitions and tougher security measures.
Israel has launched a large-scale operation in Hebron after a deadly attack at a military checkpoint, with security forces vowing to displace residents and search for militants. The development follows an escalation ahead of national elections, as authorities report multiple casualties among soldiers and militants and warn of further measures.
Israeli campaigns are intensifying online, using AI-generated videos and bots to sway voters ahead of a tightly contested election. Both sides deploy deepfake content and targeted apps to mobilise supporters and frame opponents, raising fears over privacy, misinformation and the role of Arab parties as potential backers.
Israeli forces have entered Hebron, displacing around 1,300 residents in what officials describe as a planned counterterrorism operation. Netanyahu has pledged a large-scale response, while Palestinians warn of collective punishment. The crackdown follows a deadly attack at a West Bank checkpoint that killed two Israeli soldiers, with further demolition of structures and ongoing searches across the city.
Protesters in Tel Aviv rally three days before Israel’s general election, organized by the October Council to demand accountability for the October 7 Hamas attack. Opponents and supporters convene, with polls showing a tight race between Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc and a rival coalition. The event seeks a state commission of inquiry into security failures while authorities warn of potential provocations.