Yariv Levin is in the news over Israel’s legal reforms and West Bank moves. He’s Israel’s Deputy PM, Justice, Interior, and Religious Services Minister.
On February 16, 2026, Israel approved restarting land registration in Area C of the West Bank for the first time since 1967, enabling state registration of land and easing Jewish land purchases. The move, led by far-right ministers, is widely condemned by Palestinians, Arab states, and international bodies as de facto annexation and a violation of international law, intensifying tensions and threatening the two-state solution.
Israeli lawmakers voted to give the Chief Rabbinate full authority over prayer at the Western Wall, threatening the egalitarian section and sparking international criticism. The bill aims to override a recent court ruling supporting non-Orthodox prayer spaces, raising concerns over religious freedom and unity among Jews worldwide. The vote occurred today, February 26, 2026.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's ongoing corruption trial has prompted a public push from former US President Trump for Herzog to grant a pardon. Herzog's office maintains the decision is sovereign and law-based, while Trump criticizes the delay amid Israel's war efforts. The legal process continues without a decision yet.