Israel’s English-language online newspaper hub for Jewish and Israeli news
President Donald Trump has posted that Benjamin Netanyahu "will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States," after New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani said his administration is consulting the city Law Department about whether existing law allows detaining Netanyahu if he visits for the UN General Assembly. The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November 2024; Israel and the US reject the court's jurisdiction.
President Trump has begun flying a $400m Boeing 747-8 donated by Qatar but used an older Air Force One during a July NATO trip after officials raised security concerns. The White House has defended the new jet as "state-of-the-art," while the FBI and a White House-led probe have sought to identify leaks about the plane's defensive capabilities; The New York Times reporters have been subpoenaed.
Yemen's Houthi movement has declared an immediate maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, saying it will close the Bab al‑Mandab to Saudi vessels in retaliation for a reported Saudi blockade of Houthi ports and last week's strikes on Sanaa airport. The announcement has raised fears of renewed attacks on Red Sea shipping and wider disruption to oil routes that already bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
The US-backed Board of Peace has reduced its Gaza reconstruction plan from a full-scale rebuild to a small pilot camp near Rafah. Hamas has not agreed to disarm, Israel has not approved key legal and security steps, and limited international stabilization forces have only deployed small officer detachments. Major reconstruction work is not expected before Israel's October election.
Lindsay Foreman and Craig Foreman have been on hunger strike in Tehran’s Evin prison since May, protesting their alleged espionage confinement. Reports show they are extremely weak after months of refusal to eat, with Britain urging Iran to ensure due process and humane treatment amid new details of extended sentences for speaking to the media.
Israel and its allies are under renewed pressure as mediation efforts on southern Lebanon and southern Syria are tested by ongoing clashes, shifting security zones, and new calls for withdrawal. The broader Middle East crisis is escalating with US-led diplomacy pushing for a staged redeployment while maintaining security arrangements.
At least nine Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza on Saturday, including three children. An airstrike on a Gaza City apartment building killed five people from the same family, with several others wounded. The toll across Gaza has climbed over 73,000 since October 2023, as civilians continue to flee and ceasefire talks remain at an impasse.
Parliament has convened for the first time under a five-year transitional framework after Bashar al-Assad’s ouster. The assembly includes appointees by President al-Sharaa and elected members, with debates over representation, a new constitution, and transitional justice shaping the agenda.
A São Paulo court has convicted Audato and Ieda Denardi of intellectual neglect for homeschooling their daughters, 15 and 11, without a state-approved curriculum. They face 50 days in prison on a 2024 ruling. The case highlights Brazil’s unsettled homeschooling regulations as the couple appeals.
Rescue teams have pulled 43-year-old Hernán Alberto Gil Flores alive from the collapsed Galerías Playa Grande shopping centre in La Guaira after he had been trapped since 24 June. International and Venezuelan teams have worked about 100 hours to tunnel to him, keeping him alive with water and liquid nutrients passed through a narrow shaft during the operation.
The Israeli economy is navigating the strongest shekel in 33 years, weighing on exports and forcing startups to reassess operations. Banks and the government are rolling out measures to support cash flow, while foreign exchange dynamics are reshaping real estate and hiring decisions. The Times of Israel reports multiple developments, including rate cuts, export pain, and a policy response.
Two separate cases show antisemitic abuse linked to online content. In London, two men were convicted for religiously aggravated harassment after filming antisemitic abuse of a Jewish man in Clapton Common and posting it on social media. In Manchester, a man was killed in a stabbing and car-ramming attack with antisemitic context in 2025. The court sentenced the suspects to prison terms and rehabilitation. Authorities stress zero tolerance for antisemitic hate and pledge robust prosecution.
Syria's new authorities have begun prosecuting suspects tied to the Assad regime’s abuses as part of a broader push to address past crimes. Arrests include former security and militia figures, with families and rights groups watching closely for transparency and accountability.
French President Emmanuel Macron has visited Damascus to discuss strengthening bilateral relations as Syria seeks reconstruction after years of civil war. He has met Syrian officials and plans to attend a NATO summit in Ankara, highlighting Europe’s interest in re-engaging with Damascus amid regional stability efforts.
El Niño has strengthened and is forecast to reach the strongest category by fall, bringing droughts, heavy rains, heat waves, and shifts in hurricane activity. Forecasts indicate the event will influence global weather patterns this fall and winter, with warnings of significant regional impacts.
Lebanese Christian village leaders have rejected Benjamin Netanyahu’s assertion that some southern Lebanon villages asked to be annexed by Israel. They say the claim is false and aimed at inflaming sectarian tensions. Officials emphasise safety, dignity and loyalty to Lebanon amid ongoing Israel-Hezbollah hostilities.
President Donald Trump has overridden the NATO agenda at a summit in Ankara by pressing allies to boost defence spending, threatening trade with Spain, and floating withdrawal of US troops from Europe. He has also signalled he will lift sanctions on Turkey and is considering selling F‑35 jets and engines to Ankara, prompting Israeli and European alarm.
Hamas has dissolved its emergency committee and says it will hand Gaza’s administration to a US-backed technocratic National Committee, aiming to demonstrate readiness to implement the ceasefire and advance reconstruction, while disarmament remains unresolved. Negotiations with mediators continue as the board assesses all actions.
Israel's Knesset has passed the first reading of a bill to establish a six-member investigative commission. The vote is part of a broader push amid ongoing protests marking 1,000 days since the October 7 attacks. Opposition lawmakers have boycotted the measure, calling for an independent state commission of inquiry.
Across US politics, support for Israel is waning amid calls to reassess military aid; Democrats and Republicans are rethinking the framework, with prominent voices urging a recalibration of aid and diplomacy.
Democrat Graham Platner has withdrawn amid sexual-assault allegations, triggering a rapid search for a replacement nominee ahead of a July 27 deadline. The Maine Democratic Party plans a nominating convention to select the nominee, while candidates race to present themselves to roughly 600 delegates.
The Gaza ceasefire remains in effect as the Board of Peace confirms plans for an international stabilization force. Morocco has signaled its participation, and authorities report ongoing strikes and casualties in Gaza, with Israeli forces targeting police stations and militant sites amid shifting security arrangements.
Khamenei’s burial in Mashhad closes a week of state-led mourning and public displays amid renewed clashes between the US and Iran. Mojtaba Khamenei remains out of public view after his father’s death, and security measures center on limiting exposure as regional tensions intensify.
A licensing change at Reading Festival could allow main-stage music on Thursdays and extend alcohol hours from 2027, amid ongoing festival format tweaks and high-profile headliners for Reading and Leeds.
EU discussions on curbing trade with Israeli settlements face deep division over ban, tariffs, or licensing. Several member states have already imposed or considered unilateral measures amid rising settlement activity and calls for accountability under international law. The debate follows new data on settlement expansion and international rulings.
A new AP-NORC survey shows Jewish Americans feel more vulnerable amid rising antisemitism and debates over Israel. The findings reveal how safety worries, protests about Israel, and partisan divisions shape Jewish identity and public life.
Ann Widdecombe has been found dead at her Haytor, Devon, home after sustaining serious injuries. Police have arrested a 28-year-old man in Rotherham and counter-terrorism officers have taken over parts of the inquiry. Authorities say there is currently no information to indicate a political motive or that the attack is terrorism-related.
Iran and the United States have issued conflicting narratives over merchant shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, with both sides threatening retaliation while diplomacy persists through mediators. The new Iranian supreme leader’s son has issued vows of vengeance, while Western leaders weigh potential military and diplomatic paths amid ongoing talks.
Federal subpoenas have compelled several New York Times journalists to appear before a Manhattan grand jury over reporting on security weaknesses in the Qatari-donated Air Force One. The subpoenas were signed by U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton and follow an FBI review; the Times says the move threatens press freedom and vows to fight the orders in court.
Senator Lindsey Graham has died at 71 after a "brief and sudden illness," his office has said. Graham had just returned from a visit to Kyiv and had met President Volodymyr Zelensky. Officials say a preliminary medical examiner found an aortic dissection; South Carolina's governor will appoint a temporary replacement ahead of November's elections.
France is witnessing renewed antisemitism amid ceremonies marking Alfred Dreyfus’s exoneration. Authorities have heightened security after a suspicious vehicle near a Paris synagogue prompted a terrorism investigation. Police evacuations in Sarcelles and national commemoration events accompany debates over antisemitism and France’s Jewish history.
The United States has intensified strikes against Iran to degrade its ability to threaten civilian shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has responded with missiles and drones against Gulf states and threats to close the strait. The interim US-Iran truce appears increasingly fragile as both sides escalate.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar has removed President Tamás Sulyok by pushing a constitutional amendment through parliament that ended Sulyok’s term immediately, set 12-year limits for MPs and forced retirements for senior judges. Magyar has moved to replace Orbán-era officials, suspended public broadcasters' newsrooms and created an office to probe alleged abuses under Viktor Orbán.
AP-NORC survey shows a generational divide among Jewish Americans: older, religiously affiliated Jews emphasize Israel in identity and security while younger Jews prioritize cultural links; views on Gaza and genocide claims vary, with concerns about safety rising in the US.
The government has designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right (IMCR) and Russia’s GRU Volunteer Corps as national security threats. Ministers have said the measures will criminalise support, extend policing powers and allow prosecutors to pursue those who carry out or direct sabotage in the UK. Police have arrested a suspect, Vahid Aberi, and carried out searches in Liverpool and Birmingham; he will appear in court in London.
Palestinian Christian voices have prompted the Church of England’s General Synod to hear Kairos Palestine II, a document describing Israel as a colonial power amid Gaza’s ongoing war. The motion passes to listen, drawing criticism from Jewish groups who warn it could strain Christian-Jewish relations. The debate follows a 2025 report calling for international action and solidarity with Palestinian Christians.
The collaboration between the Middle East Forum and the Israeli INSS has leaked plans to weaken Iran’s regime through intelligence research and pressure points, amid Operation Epic Fury and ongoing regional tensions. Ahmadinejad’s fate remains unclear as reports describe his capture by IRGC and shifting positions within Iran’s power structure.
The government has announced a new plan diverting hundreds of millions of shekels from Arab community development to fund enforcement, expanding Shin Bet’s role in combating organized crime alongside police. Protests and legal objections arise from rights groups amid criticism of deepened inequality.
The Strait of Hormuz remains a flashpoint as the United States reinstates a de facto blockade and Iran asserts control measures. Trump has declared the U.S. will guard safe passage, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard says Tehran controls the strait amid ongoing strikes and maritime disruptions affecting global oil flows.
Democrats are confronting internal divisions over US military aid to Israel as a Massie-sponsored amendment fails in a 314-104 vote, revealing a party fault line between left-wing critics and pro-Israel centrists. The outcome has sparked warnings from leaders that policy may shift under public pressure and shifting views among constituents.
As US strikes deepen and Houthi attacks escalate, Tehran is widening pressure by threatening to close Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb. Iran has signaled it could disrupt two major sea lanes, threatening global energy supplies. Analysts warn of rising oil prices and broader regional risk.
The conflict between the United States and Iran has intensified, with U.S. airstrikes targeting Iranian infrastructure and Iran responding with strikes and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices rise as shipping through Hormuz tightens, while regional actors report ongoing fighting and injuries.
The Times of Israel reports that Netanyahu’s AI-generated campaign ads have triggered controversy, accusing rivals of unity with Arab parties. The coverage connects the ads to ongoing political divides, Haredi exemptions from military service, and the broader election dynamics set for October 27, 2026.
Netanyahu has postponed his US trip to end of the month after US senator Lindsey Graham’s funeral is moved to a later date. Netanyahu had hoped to meet President Trump, but no schedule has been set. Graham’s death has prompted discussions amid US-Israel security concerns and Lebanon talks.
The White House has placed Gabriel Perez, a teleprompter operator who has worked for the president since 2016, on unpaid administrative leave after Kalshi flagged suspicious bets tied to words in presidential speeches. Kalshi has referred trades to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and has frozen more than $90,000 in accounts while regulators investigate.
A strike on a Nasr apartment kills at least five people, including children, with several others wounded. In Zeitoun, another strike kills four; Israeli forces say they targeted Hamas infrastructure and operatives. Gaza's health ministry reports rising casualties amid ongoing exchanges in the wake of a ceasefire.
Multiple fires have torn through the Havat Gilad settlement and nearby areas in the West Bank, destroying homes and forcing evacuations. Police say an initial probe points to a lit cigarette butt discarded from a vehicle as the likely cause, with arson not ruled out but not yet established. Dozens of structures have been damaged and residents face a humanitarian crisis as firefighting efforts continue.
Protesters affiliated with Nachala, including high-ranking ministers and lawmakers, have pressed to reestablish settlements in Gaza. The march, dubbed the “March of Thousands,” defies security restrictions as participants approach the Gaza border amid a heavy security presence. The event aims to pressure the government to revive Elei Sinai, Dugit and Nisanit evacuated at Gaza’s 2005 pullout.
The Strait of Hormuz remains an epicenter of tension as US and Iranian actions intensify. Reports indicate moving ships, strikes in Iran and the Gulf, and warnings of broader conflict. Analysts say shipping routes are volatile and energy markets respond.
The Hungarian prime minister’s party has nominated Judit Polgar for president as part of a plan for regime change. Polgar has declined, saying she lacks the strength to unify a divided nation, while Magyar vows to press on and seeks a consensus candidate in parliament.