Israel’s unicameral parliament, passes laws and elects the president.
El Niño is strengthening, triggering floods, heat, and rising seas. Authorities warn of a potentially historic winter as infrastructure is strained and communities prep for extreme weather and food impacts.
A video shows a 96-year-old rabbi questioning Zionism and suggesting a non‑Zionist state could be preferable. The remarks, raised ahead of elections, intensify debates over ultra‑Orthodox service exemptions and the nation’s political divide. Other coverage reports on memorial ceremonies and security critiques surrounding the October 7 attacks.
Hezbollah deputy leader Naim Qassem has criticised Lebanon’s participation in US-mediated talks with Israel in Rome and has rejected a June framework that ties Israeli withdrawals to verified disarmament and Lebanese army deployments in pilot zones. Technical teams have met in Rome while Israeli strikes, demolitions and clashes in southern Lebanon are continuing and Beirut is pressing Washington for verification guarantees.
The Times of Israel reports detainees from a Gaza blockade flotilla allege beatings and other abuses by guards, while Israel denies the allegations and says it would investigate if official complaints are filed. The New York Times corroborates some accounts, including hospitalizations and injuries. Singapore detains concert-goers for displaying Palestinian flag, citing laws on foreign symbols.
Palestinian detainees and Gaza health officials report severe health deterioration among detainees held by Israel, while rights groups call for independent medical examinations and accountability. New details highlight alleged torture and medical neglect in prolonged detention amid ongoing conflict dynamics.
The articles report on Israeli plans to create a 'Samaria' national park on land in the Sebastia area, amid land expropriation and UNESCO involvement. Landowners face expropriation without payment, while restoration and excavations proceed. UNESCO has added Sebastia to its Danger List, highlighting cultural and political stakes.
Residents in Masafer Yatta and West Bank villages have reported repeated settler attacks, property damage and soldiers escorting or standing by during incidents. Witnesses have described settlers grazing livestock in homes' gardens, arson, and assaults near mosques. Humanitarian groups have recorded high demolition and displacement rates since October 2023.
Israeli and French campaigns are leveraging summer travel and international outreach to mobilize voters, with overseas billboards and cruise-ship stops drawing attention. Analysts note heightened focus on election procedures, voter access, and integrity as key campaigns push to capture center-left and right-leaning blocks ahead of looming ballots.
Israeli justice and security officials have announced the death-penalty framework is advancing. Ben-Gvir has publicly shown a site with foundations for a hang facility and viewing booths for victims’ families, as protests and international condemnation mount. The plan applies to Palestinians tried in military courts and has sparked debate over discriminatory application and safeguards.
Settlers have returned to Kadim, north of Jenin, with around 30 pioneer families arriving under military escort. The reopening follows the 2005 disengagement and signals a broader push to revive four northern West Bank settlements, amid a wider surge in settlement activity under Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government. Palestinian residents fear displacement as tensions rise alongside new outposts and tenders in nearby areas.
The Democratic Front for Peace and Equality (Hadash), Balad and Ta'al announce a three-party Joint List to confront Israeli political challenges. They say unity is essential to defend Palestinian rights, rebuild trust, and push for ten seats in the Knesset, aimed at countering a fascist right-wing government.
The controversy surrounding Hasan Piker’s remarks has prompted strong responses from Democratic leaders and candidates, underscoring the challenge of unifying diverse voter blocs ahead of midterm-style contests. Piker has faced mounting scrutiny over antisemitism accusations, while candidates emphasize policy concerns like gas, groceries, and healthcare.
A far-right Israeli lawmaker and aides have destroyed a Palestinian monument in Madama under Israeli escort. The move draws widespread condemnation from international observers, Palestinian leaders, and Israeli officials, who say it undermines security and current attempts to defuse tensions.
UNRWA’s Qalandiya Training Centre, which trains about 340 Palestinian refugees each year, has been raided and closed by Israeli forces. Staff have been expelled, and materials are being removed as the site is eyed for a new educational complex by Jerusalem authorities. UNRWA says the move deprives students of vital vocational training and worsens a broader funding and legal fight surrounding the agency.
Israel faces a potential reduction in the excise tax on gasoline as prices surge amid global tensions with Iran and a volatile oil market. Government officials weigh legality and fiscal feasibility ahead of the October 27 election; experts warn of budget strains even as prices at the pump were raised recently.
Arab party Raam will run on an anti-crime platform with Yoav Segalovitz, a Jewish former police official, joining the list. Abbas says cooperation is possible; poll projections place Raam at five or six seats in the Knesset. The move signals a shift toward coalition politics but is met with criticism from Likud.
A Gaza-related photograph at the Deauville Sports Images Festival has been replaced, prompting court intervention. The festival argues the removal was for public order; rights groups vow further action as debates over press freedom and depiction of war intensify. Elsewhere, Israeli political discourse and polling hint at a continuing election stalemate.
A gunman has opened fire outside the Sons of Jacob synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, wounding a police officer; the suspect has died after hospitalisation. Ontarios SIU and Belleville police have opened investigations and police have increased patrols near places of worship. Separately, Reform synagogues in Jerusalem and other countries have reported repeated vandalism and harassment targeting LGBTQ-friendly and non-Orthodox communities.
Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon have killed civilians and damaged infrastructure amid ongoing clashes with Hezbollah. The target areas include Kfar Rumman, Nabatieh, and surrounding towns as diplomatic efforts to disarm Hezbollah and withdraw Israeli forces continue under a US-brokered framework. The toll includes women, children, and rescuers, with casualties and displacement prompting international concern.
Defence Minister Katz has stated that there is no real solution for Gaza without migration, saying Israel is prepared to relocate Gazans by sea, air, and other means. The idea is being discussed as part of a broader debate over displacement, with international concern growing over humanitarian conditions in Gaza and the West Bank.
Palestinian students in Israeli universities face disciplinary actions and investigations after social media posts and expressions of Palestinian identity. A Adalah report documents a two-track system that constrains Palestinian students while Jewish-Israeli peers retain stronger protections. The crackdown escalates amid ongoing Gaza war, with institutions relying on automated tools and vague grounds like “public sensibilities.”
Israel’s parties have submitted candidate lists ahead of the 2026 elections. Likud and Religious Zionist Party are among the last to file, while the Joint List also appears on the slate. Polls suggest no single party will secure a majority, and democracy concerns are rising among Israelis amid a shifting political landscape.
The Trump administration has been developing a postwar Middle East strategy. Officials have described a regional alignment with the United States as guarantor, a Gaza disarmament path, security ties with Israel and Syria, and expanded Abraham Accords, including Saudi normalization. Drafts remain unsettled and hinge on the Iran war’s trajectory and regional responses.
The Times of Israel reports meetings between Trump, JD Vance, and Hasidic grand rabbis, including Satmar leaders, addressing Israel’s conscription in Israel, federal prisoner kosher policies and funding for yeshivas. The gathering marks the first of its kind since 1979, underscoring the US Jewish community’s political entanglements ahead of elections.
The West Bank is facing a surge in settler violence as international attention mounts. US Ambassador Huckabee has met Palestinian Americans in Turmus Ayya, calling for accountability and stating there is no plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza. Britain, France and Canada announce sanctions on settlement-linked activity, signaling growing international pressure on Israel. The political landscape in Israel remains unsettled as elections approach.
The Israeli ministers have floated plans to remove Palestinians from Gaza, while seeking U.S. approval on departures. Saudi, Egyptian, Jordanian and other foreign ministers condemn the move as a risk to peace. The proposals follow earlier statements by Israeli officials and come amid a wider war in Gaza.
Palestinian rights groups report increased casualties and displacement as Israeli ministers push for hardline measures; Western states expand arms exports while debates over sanctions deepen. The pieces highlight the diverging international responses to the Gaza crisis.
The US-backed Plan for Gaza’s post-war governance has progressed in principle, with a 6-month recovery program outlining 71 projects. But Israeli opposition and political dynamics ahead of October elections are delaying disarmament and broader reforms; smaller projects to repair critical infrastructure are moving forward.
Haaretz has published book excerpts saying UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed warned Benjamin Netanyahu in late September 2023 that Hamas was planning a major operation. Haaretz says Netanyahu reacted calmly and did not inform Israel's security chiefs; Netanyahu has denied the call, instructed lawyers to sue Haaretz, and rivals have seized the story ahead of the Oct. 27 election.
Israel has demolished a vast Hezbollah tunnel complex beneath the Ali al‑Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, using more than 1,000 tonnes of explosives to collapse tunnels that extended over 2km. The blast has registered as a 4.1‑magnitude tremor, Israeli forces say they have established operational control and will hold a security zone while continuing strikes when needed.
A new wave of polls shows no bloc winning a clear 61-seat majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Surveys indicate tightening odds for coalitions and room for potential cross-bloc deals, depending on small party performances ahead of the October vote.
Leaders and senior officials gather in Paris for US-mediated talks on disarming Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and replacing UNIFIL with a multinational force. The discussions come as Israel maintains a military footprint in Lebanon and faces ongoing strikes by Hezbollah, while Lebanon seeks to strengthen its army’s authority and sovereignty. A donor conference for Lebanese forces is expected later this year or early 2027.
Palestinian worshippers face access restrictions as Israeli security forces tighten control around Al-Aqsa during Sukkot and Yom Kippur, with settlers and high-level Israeli officials conducting rites at the site. Across East Jerusalem and the West Bank, clashes, closures, and arrests continue as international actors call for restraint.
Britain has announced sanctions in response to West Bank settlement activity, with measures targeting imports from settlements and discretionary sanctions on entities supporting settlement expansion. The move comes ahead of Israel's looming election and amid international coordination with France and Canada.
The article reports on renewed Gaza ceasefire talks and Palestinian political tensions. Abbas meets in Cairo; Israel considers displacement debates; election timelines for Palestinian legislative and presidential races face new uncertainty amid regional diplomacy and ceasefire enforcement.
Netanyahu has addressed the UN General Assembly amid international walkouts and domestic political tension. He frames Gaza actions as defending Israel, while critics accuse him of genocide and war crimes. Protests and heavy international scrutiny accompany the speech.
Palestinian communities face encroachment as Israeli settlers, backed by a hard‑line government, move to seize springs and designate heritage sites. Water diversions near Fasayil contribute to a new “Herod’s Pool,” while funding for archaeology signals a broader push to consolidate control over land and memory in the West Bank.
Israeli voters confront a tightly balanced race three years after the Hamas attack. Polls show blocs short of a majority, with Arab parties potentially pivotal. Opposition leaders are coordinating but face internal tensions about coalition partners and prime ministerial leadership as the October 27 vote nears.
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.
Arab parties face disqualification challenges as Israel's election rules are tested. The Supreme Court and Central Elections Committee are at the center of rulings that could shape representation for Palestinian citizens ahead of the October 27 vote.
A flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 has made an emergency landing in Tabuk after a co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain and the aircraft plunged thousands of feet. Passengers and two off-duty crew members have overpowered the attacker; the captain is hospitalised and multiple countries are investigating the incident.
A Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv has diverted to Tabuk after a co-pilot attacked Captain Smit Machchhar. The captain opened the cockpit door as the aircraft dropped about 17,000 feet; passengers and crew overpowered the attacker, enabling an emergency landing. Machchhar is recovering in Abu Dhabi, praised by Modi and Netanyahu for bravery.
Ukrainian intelligence has obtained documents showing Putin has issued a new doctrine for extensive strikes on civilian targets ahead of winter. Zelenskiy says the tactic aims to pressure people to evacuate Kyiv and other cities, while Kyiv vows to respond with targeted energy-strike countermeasures. The shift comes as both sides report ongoing fighting and a renewed push toward peace talks.
Egypt, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan are coordinating on regional issues in New Alamein as tensions around the GERD and cross-border conflicts in the Horn of Africa intensify. The four leaders reaffirm international law, reject unilateral moves, and seek to align water, security and Red Sea governance with stability.
The Rial has weakened further against the dollar, trading around 2.688 million per USD, with inflation above 70%. State banks are moving to shore up the currency by selling up to $2 billion, as concerns grow about the economy amid sanctions and a blockade on oil exports.
Starbucks has opened two stores in Urumqi, Xinjiang, after selling a controlling stake in its China business to Boyu Capital. The move signals a strategic shift toward domestic growth, even as Western critics label Xinjiang-linked operations controversial. Boyu aims to scale to up to 20,000 stores in China, with Xinjiang as a first stop.