New US policy could require many Israelis seeking green cards to leave America and complete the process at the embassy in Israel, creating legal risks for those who overstayed visas and possible long separations for families and workers Nina Fox https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/22/Syr8XS0kzg/Syr8XS0kzg_1_105_1000_563_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hkjpjvyxgl Sat, 23 May 2026 20:12:06 +03:00 A major change in U.S. green card policy could force many Israelis seeking permanent residency to leave the United States and complete the process at the U.S. Embassy in Israel, raising the risk that some may be unable to return for months, or at all. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced Friday that consular processing abroad will become the default route for many green card applicants. Until now, Israelis already living legally in the U.S. could often complete the final stage of the process from within the country through a procedure known as adjustment of status. The change is especially significant for Israelis who moved to the U.S. for work, studies or family reasons and later began a green card process through an employer, a spouse or another eligible family member. Under the new policy, many of them may be told to return to Israel, attend an immigrant visa process at the U.S. Embassy and wait outside the United States while their case is reviewed. Attorney Liam Schwartz, head of the relocation practice at Goldfarb Gross Seligman, said the official explanation from the Trump administration is that green card applicants were always meant to complete the process through a U.S. embassy in their home country. “Unofficially, this is a tightening of immigration policy,” he said. “The Trump administration has been working since January 2025 to reduce immigration and deport as many people as possible who are in the United States unlawfully, based on the view that the Biden administration made it easier for migrants to enter, mainly through the border with Mexico.” For Israelis, the biggest danger is not merely having to fly back to Israel. It is the possibility that leaving the U.S. could trigger legal barriers to returning, particularly for those who overstayed a visa, worked without authorization or have any criminal or immigration violation in their record. Schwartz said Israelis who have been in the U.S. unlawfully for a long period and apply for a green card may now have to leave for Israel, submit the request through the embassy and ask for a waiver for having remained in the United States beyond the permitted period. “The shorter the period of unlawful stay, the better the chances that the request will be approved,” he said. The policy could also affect Israeli families in which one spouse is a U.S. citizen and the other is Israeli. In cases where the Israeli spouse previously expected to remain in the U.S. during the process, the couple may now face months of separation if the applicant is required to travel to Israel and wait for approval there. The same concern applies to Israelis sponsored by American employers. A company that invested in bringing an Israeli worker to the U.S. could find that the employee must leave the country for an extended period while the green card process is completed abroad. Green card processing can take about a year, meaning applicants required to leave could spend a long time away from their spouse, children, job and daily life in the United States. The practical details remain unclear. It is not yet certain whether USCIS will broadly block adjustment-of-status applications or whether some applicants will still be able to complete the process from within the U.S. if they can show special circumstances. According to Schwartz, Israelis seeking to remain in the United States while their case is pending will likely need to present strong reasons for an exception. Those could include having no criminal record, maintaining lawful status, or showing that their work benefits the U.S. economy, such as contributing to local technology development, creating training opportunities or employing American workers. The timing of the announcement, just before the long Memorial Day weekend, added to uncertainty over when the change will take effect. Schwartz said the administration is presenting the move not as a new policy but as a stricter interpretation of existing rules, which could mean it is applied quickly. For Israelis already in the green card process, the immediate message is caution. A decision to leave the United States could carry consequences that are difficult to reverse, while staying may require a stronger legal argument than before. message rjtrjujlzl Drones hit Rosh Hanikra and the Adamit area as residents across the north were repeatedly sent to shelters; IDF says some alerts stemmed from false identifications, while strikes continued in southern Lebanon Ilana Curiel, Lior Ben Ari https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/23/Hk4mwe1lMx/Hk4mwe1lMx_0_97_590_333_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rjtrjujlzl Sat, 23 May 2026 19:06:41 +03:00 Sirens sounded again and again across northern Israel on Saturday, from Metula in the Galilee Panhandle to Rosh Hanikra near the coast, as the ceasefire with Hezbollah in Lebanon remained in force only formally. In the Western Galilee, alerts continued repeatedly over the past hour, sending residents back into protected spaces several times. The IDF later said that after alerts were activated over a suspected hostile aircraft infiltration in several areas of northern Israel, two suspicious aerial targets had been identified. The military did not say whether the targets were intercepted. In practice, it appeared contact with them had been lost. Earlier, the IDF said that a suspicious aerial target had fallen near Kibbutz Adamit in the Western Galilee. No injuries were reported. An explosive drone also detonated at the Rosh Hanikra tourist site without triggering a siren, the second such incident there in 10 days. Despite that, the IDF said some of Saturday’s alerts were caused by false identification of suspicious aerial targets. The daily reality for northern residents continued through the holiday. On Friday night, a siren warning of a possible drone infiltration sounded in Misgav Am. Three minutes later, another sounded in Margaliot, and 10 minutes after that, Misgav Am was alerted again. After those alerts, explosive drones were found to have detonated near the border, inside Israeli territory. In its official statement, the IDF referred to them as “suspicious aerial targets,” saying: “The Air Force intercepted two suspicious aerial targets that were launched from Lebanese territory toward Israeli territory. In addition, several impacts of suspicious aerial targets were identified in the area of the border with Lebanon. The details are under review.” Despite the declared ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, and against the backdrop of U.S.-Iran negotiations and direct talks with the Lebanese government, fighting between the IDF and terrorist organizations in southern Lebanon has continued. IDF Arabic-language spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee issued evacuation warnings earlier Saturday for the villages of al-Mahmoudiya, Mlekh, Sabil, al-Qatrani and Houmine al-Fawqa in southern Lebanon. Several evacuation warnings were also issued Friday, followed by Israeli strikes on Hezbollah buildings. Early Friday morning, IDF observation forces identified two armed terrorists several hundred meters from the Israeli border in southern Lebanon. The military said that immediately after they were identified, and while forces maintained continuous surveillance, the gunmen were attacked and killed in an airstrike. The IDF said subsequent searches found no evidence of any additional suspicious presence in the area. “The IDF maintains continuous contact with the communities and will update on any development,” the military said. Separately, the IDF operated Saturday to return five Israelis who had crossed the border into Lebanese territory. “The force operating at the point returned all the civilians to Israeli territory and detained them,” the IDF said. “The IDF strongly condemns their crossing and emphasizes that this is a serious incident, a criminal offense that endangers IDF forces.” The civilians were transferred to police for further handling. message bjlkbe1efe The move comes after Ben-Gvir posted a video of himself confronting activists; in the footage, the activists were seen lying on the ground after their vessels were intercepted Reuters https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/21/HJ0sO72yzg/HJ0sO72yzg_0_0_850_479_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjlkbe1efe Sat, 23 May 2026 17:13:36 +03:00 France has decided to ban National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from entering its territory, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Saturday, amid growing international criticism over Israel’s handling of activists from a Gaza-bound flotilla intercepted by the navy. “As of today, Itamar Ben-Gvir is banned from entering French territory,” Barrot wrote on X. “Together with my Italian counterpart, I am asking the European Union to also impose sanctions on Itamar Ben-Gvir,” he added. The move comes after Ben-Gvir posted a video of himself confronting activists. In the footage, the activists were seen lying on the ground after their vessels were intercepted. Some of them later alleged they had been physically assaulted while in Israeli custody, allegations denied by the Israel Prison Service. Ben-Gvir’s conduct drew criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and from the United States, Israel’s closest ally. Netanyahu said the minister’s behavior was “not in line with Israel’s values and norms.” A spokesperson for Ben-Gvir did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the French decision. The activists, whose vessels were intercepted this week by the Israeli navy in international waters, have since been deported from Israel. message ry8zjbkxgl Israel watches a new global order emerging, driven by rapid learning in war, tech and politics; The next government must act radically to keep pace and help shape it or risk falling behind in a reshaped world Jonathan Adiri https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/20/yk14776603/yk14776603_0_0_1219_845_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ry8zjbkxgl Sat, 23 May 2026 13:55:37 +03:00 Accumulating evidence suggests the world order as we knew it no longer exists. From scientific breakthroughs, through fundamental shifts in the nature of warfare, to the failure of the political system, all point to the emergence of a new era. Humanity has experienced such turning points before, at the end of World War II and in the late 1980s. In both previous transitions Israel was weak, whereas now it has the resources to rise to the occasion. But doing so will require radical decisions from the next government. “If we fight, we will be fighting the future and not returning to the past. The enemies who stood against us in the past have no guarantee they will behave in the future as they did before. On the contrary. We must assume they have learned from their failures and will try to correct them.” I returned this week to this speech by David Ben-Gurion from October 18, 1952, against the backdrop of Israeli debate over a possible return to fighting in Gaza, U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a delay in military action against Iran and the deadly drone strikes in the north. Israel’s first prime minister understood a basic element of human existence: people are engaged in a constant learning competition. War is its most extreme, painful and unbearable expression, but it exists in every layer of human activity: science, politics, technology and personal life. We are living in a period of formation. Everything we know about how war looks, how economies function, what holds democracies together, what the next dominant energy source will be and how actors dissatisfied with progress behave is being updated daily. The global system is at the end of a “super-cycle” that occurs roughly every 30 years. The rules of the next system are being shaped now, and it is extremely difficult to define them. War is not a pause in history. It is its harshest research and development phase. Everyone is learning simultaneously, everywhere, and at high speed. The only relevant Israeli question this week is whether we are learning fast enough, and if not, how deep a transformation Israel must undergo in order to rise to the moment and, for the first time since its founding, not only shape its own future but also take part in shaping the global system itself. The discovery of penicillin by Alexander Fleming in the summer of 1928 became a turning point only during World War II, when the urgent need to treat battlefield trauma led to mass production that changed history. It was only with the outbreak of war, when field doctors saw young soldiers dying from simple infections, that the British government sent Howard Florey and Norman Heatley from Oxford to the United States to develop industrial production lines. They arrived in Peoria, Illinois, during the London Blitz in 1941. In a civilian agricultural lab, based on a rotting melon purchased in a local market, a mold strain was found that increased output tenfold compared to the Oxford model. By the Normandy landings in June 1944, the Allies had enough penicillin for every wounded soldier in the field thanks to the industrial production methods that still underpin modern medicine. The V-2 rocket of Wernher von Braun, which spread terror across England and killed thousands, became the foundation of the US space program. Under Operation Paperclip, von Braun and 1,600 German scientists, many of them linked to the Nazi regime, were brought to Alabama. There, based on Nazi-era knowledge, the Saturn V program was born and eventually landed a man on the Moon in 1969. Two decades later, Elon Musk applied the same propulsion theory to create SpaceX’s Falcon launcher, the first reusable rocket in history. On its back, the company deploys Starlink satellites that, at least in theory, can provide internet to towns in eastern Ukraine and to protesters in Iran whose regimes try to silence them. A rocket designed to kill has become the basic civilian infrastructure of the democratic era. To put it in perspective, German missiles could carry about one ton of explosives, while SpaceX’s Starship, expected to launch dozens of satellites at once, is designed to carry about 150 tons in reusable use. We Israelis are deeply embedded in this learning competition imposed on us by adversaries who refuse to live peacefully alongside Jewish sovereignty in the land. In the Yom Kippur War, the IDF was severely affected by Soviet “Sagger” anti-tank missiles and air-defense systems. About a decade later, Israel carried out the world’s first systemic use of unmanned aerial vehicles (IAI Scout) as part of the operation to neutralize and destroy advanced Soviet air defenses deployed in Syria (Operation Mole Cricket 19 in the First Lebanon War). Saddam Hussein’s missiles drove the development of the Arrow system, which in recent years has intercepted hundreds of Iranian missiles outside the atmosphere. Hamas tunnels met the “Hourglass Fence” barrier, pushing the organization toward the realization that it must strike above ground instead, culminating in a barbaric massacre while invading Israel and holding sovereign territory inside it for hours. This is how the learning competition works on the battlefield, and fiber-optic guided FPV drones striking IDF forces in Lebanon these days are its latest and expected manifestation. The political learning competition is also at its peak. About 35 years ago, American political scientist Francis Fukuyama wrote his influential essay “The End of History,” in which he argued that what we are witnessing is not only the end of the Cold War but the end of history as such, meaning the endpoint of humanity’s ideological evolution and the universalization of Western liberal democracy as the final form of government. Generations of politicians were influenced by his work. The late Shimon Peres frequently referenced the idea of “the end of history” in Israeli foreign policy in the 1990s. Under its influence, many argued that liberal democracy, which defeated fascism, Nazism and communism, is a kind of natural law like gravity. Echoes of this thinking appeared in the dominant hypothesis in political science, the “democratic peace theory,” which held that democracies do not go to war with one another and that history is gradually approaching the end of war. This worldview was also reflected in the work of Israeli scholar Yuval Noah Harari until Russia’s violent invasion of Ukraine. Yet human history, to paraphrase Karl Marx, is the history of struggles between ideas. Every idea has an expiration date. It is ideas that end, not history itself. In recent years it appears that all systems have reached their limits. The global order designed in 1945, the United Nations, the Security Council, humanitarian conventions, free trade and globalization, have all been eroded in this learning competition. Meanwhile, the middle class and personal freedoms, once strengthened by these institutions, are now strained by stagnation and exploitation of the system by actors benefiting from it. In London, Prime Minister Keir Starmer is fighting for his political survival after failing to implement any meaningful reform in 18 months despite a parliamentary majority. Local election results wiped out the Labour Party, and his refusal to make bold moves and pay the political costs of the learning competition may push Britain further into the murky waters of populism. There is a limit to how much the public can endure welfare policies whose costs exceed tax revenues. In Germany, Chancellor Friedrich Merz is struggling to push through the necessary shift in the country he was elected to lead. The collapse of the German economic miracle and the failure of the political system to support the middle class are driving major changes in Germany’s geopolitical posture (“we will build Europe’s largest army,” “we must admit the failure of EU regulation”), in the welfare state (“the model is dead”) and in the national ethos. Merz is using the rise of the far-right AfD, now the largest party in polls, to signal to voters that if the center does not initiate change, it will be forced by extremists. In France, where the average pension is already higher than the average salary, and after five prime ministers in three years and an ongoing political crisis that blocks economic reform, it appears that President Emmanuel Macron will hand over power in about a year to the right-wing candidate Jordan Bardella. During the past week, a meeting took place between Trump and Xi Jinping. The Chinese president broke the two-term limit rule, learned from the first round of the trade war, identified rare earth minerals and magnets as his strongest leverage, and used them as strategic pressure that forced the US president to back down. The summit itself was light on formal agreements and heavy on messaging. Xi received a framework of “strategic stability for three years” and an official invitation to the White House on September 24. Trump received a pause in the minerals crisis, a gradual return of major US tech companies to the Chinese market (top US economic figures joined the delegation), and backing for continuing his national security strategy focused on the Western Hemisphere and American interests in the Middle East, including the war with Iran. The deeper message was heard not in the official statements but in Trump’s interview after the summit. When asked about a $14 billion arms package for Taiwan, he replied: “A very good bargaining chip for us, actually. A lot of weapons. I have not approved it yet.” When asked whether Taiwan should feel less safe after the summit, he said: “I'm not looking to have somebody go independent. And, you know, we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I'm not looking for that. I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down.” Trump is leading what Henry Kissinger used to call “constructive ambiguity.” He is not setting clear red lines, thereby allowing China to continue pressuring Taiwan toward reunification and abandoning independence. Xi has already defined 2027, the 100th anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army, as the year of reunification with Taiwan. He has also recently hosted the Taiwanese opposition leader in Beijing with great ceremony. At the same time, reports have increased about the success of the Taiwanese semiconductor giant TSMC in Arizona and milestones in large-scale production of four-nanometer chips. Are we witnessing the collapse of Taiwan’s “silicon shield”? Is its monopoly in semiconductors ending, along with the protection it provides? For Israel, this carries a double meaning: first, a small state needs a unique strategic asset that even its closest allies cannot give up. Second, as discussions on the renewed defense aid framework approach, it is a reminder that the alliance with the United States, however strong, can still experience shocks of existential significance. Back home. We must not assume that if we return to fighting we will face the same enemy. The long weeks of ceasefire allowed it to learn and adapt. The next round will not resemble the previous one. This week’s Iranian strike on the civilian nuclear facility in Abu Dhabi is a signal of that. And in the drone arena, the threat is not limited to Lebanon. An FPV drone guided by fiber optics, costing $400 and launched from the West Bank or Gaza, could enter through the window of an apartment in Petah Tikva or Beersheba and instantly dismantle the home front defense systems that have worked effectively until now. The system that repelled 20,000 rockets will not function the same way against 20,000 drones that bypass the entire logic of air defense. The learning competition will not end with an agreement with Hamas, will not end with the new arrangement with Hezbollah, and will not be postponed until after Iran. It will define the modern economy, food security, freedom of navigation and scientific progress for decades. Historian John Lewis Gaddis defined strategy as “tthe alignment of potentially infinite aspirations with necessarily limited capabilities.” The Israeli equation of 2026 is the reverse of most of its history since 1948: for the first time, Israel is facing a changing world order from a position of strength rather than weakness. It has military capabilities, technological and cyber superiority, a strong economy, an American alliance, a India–UAE–Azerbaijan axis, growing demographics and a public awakening unmatched since the state’s founding. For the first time, the weak side of the equation is not resources, but aspirations. Israeli public discourse is still framed in terms of repair, while the resources available toward 2048 allow for bold ambition and radical action to dismantle the institutional decay that has spread throughout the country. This is the gap the Israeli government of January 2027 must resolve: replicating geopolitical and technological success in order to fix internal institutional failure is a complex task that will bring short-term pain. But if Israel wants to win the ongoing learning competition and thrive in the centennial of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel, there is no alternative. Either it takes radical steps and thrives, or it drifts into a lost decade that ends in collapse similar to the one experienced between 1974 and 1984. message hk4on0c1ml Israeli officials say US has sidelined Israel from Iran talks, withholding updates as Trump administration negotiates directly with Tehran; Israel relies on foreign diplomats and surveillance News Agencies https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2025/12/29/BklcplLe4bl/BklcplLe4bl_0_68_3000_1689_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hk4on0c1ml Sat, 23 May 2026 11:10:32 +03:00 A partner in war but not in peace talks Israeli security officials said Israel has been “completely sidelined” by the Trump administration, to the extent that its leaders are barely involved in the ceasefire negotiations between the United States and Iran. “In the absence of information from their closest allies, the Israelis have had to learn what they can about the contacts between Washington and Tehran through ties with regional leaders and diplomats,” the paper reported Saturday morning, in a story also co-authored by Israeli journalist Ronen Bergman of ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth. According to the report, Israel is also using its surveillance capabilities inside Iran to stay informed. The background, the report said, is the assessment Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave U.S. President Donald Trump before the start of Operation “Roaring Lion,” according to which the Iranian regime could collapse with high probability as a result of a joint US-Israeli strike. According to The New York Times, “many in Trump’s inner circle always viewed the idea of regime change as absurd,” and it did not take long for U.S. and Israeli priorities to diverge, especially after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, driving oil prices higher and increasing pressure on Trump to agree to a ceasefire. Authorising strikes, then publicly distancing Netanyahu set three goals at the start of the war: destroying Iran’s nuclear programme, eliminating its missile programme and toppling the regime. So far, none of these objectives have been achieved. Iran, meanwhile, is acting as though it has emerged victorious, despite being militarily defeated, simply by surviving. In negotiations, the United States has reportedly proposed suspending Iran’s nuclear activity for 20 years, a timeframe that could be shortened in later proposals. The New York Times noted that with Israel excluded from the talks, Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal may have been left off the table, according to Israeli officials. The concern in Israel is that a deal could ultimately resemble the 2015 Obama-era nuclear agreement, without restrictions on missiles, without sanctions and without a permanent halt to the nuclear programme. In such a scenario, billions of dollars would flow into Iran, providing an economic lifeline and enabling it to support its proxies, including Hezbollah, and help rearm them. The report described how the Israel-U.S. relationship shifted during the war: from a situation in which American officers sat in the IDF command bunker in Tel Aviv and decisions were made jointly in real time, including responses to Iranian missiles, to a state in which Israel functions as a kind of “subcontractor” to the United States, waiting for approval for every action. Among other examples, when the Americans approved Israeli strikes on oil facilities in Tehran and Karaj, they expected a small, symbolic attack intended to signal to Iran that its energy sector was at risk. Instead, Israel produced massive black smoke plumes carrying hazardous chemicals that hovered over Tehran for days. The Trump administration responded by saying it had not approved the strike and demanded that Israel stop. This was not the only case in which Israel approved plans with the United States, only for the Trump administration to cancel them after they had already been carried out. In another case, when Israel struck the South Pars gas field and oil facilities along the Persian Gulf in southern Iran, it did so as part of a coordinated effort with the United States to pressure Iran into agreeing to a more favourable ceasefire. Instead, Trump ordered the bombing campaign halted. He initially denied prior knowledge of the strike in South Pars, then criticised Israel for a “violent attack,” and later suggested he had in fact spoken with Netanyahu in advance and urged him not to carry it out. That night, Netanyahu said Israel had acted alone and that Trump had asked it to delay future strikes. Days after the ceasefire with Iran was signed, Israel also agreed to halt its ongoing campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon early and accept unusual restrictions. The New York Times noted that Israeli officials protested their marginalisation in the negotiations, especially after Israel had voluntarily taken on some of the most internationally controversial missions, including an alleged attempt to target Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in an airstrike. message bkfw9prkzg Despite a Lebanon ceasefire framework, Israel’s Galilee saw at least 11 alerts since Thursday during Shavuot weekend, including drone infiltrations and explosions near the border, as residents report ongoing helicopter activity and unrest Shimon Elbaz, Ron Crissy https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/01/SJeC00BM0We/SJeC00BM0We_0_163_799_450_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkfw9prkzg Sat, 23 May 2026 09:54:35 +03:00 The situation referred to as a “ceasefire” with Lebanon is periodically extended and allows daily life in most parts of the country, but in the Galilee alarms over rocket fire and aerial infiltrations continue to sound, while IDF troops are still dealing with Hezbollah’s drone threat. As a result, even the long Shavuot holiday weekend, which under normal circumstances would bring tens of thousands of hikers to the Galilee, was marked by a wartime atmosphere, with sirens in communities near the border, explosions from IDF activity in Lebanon and the constant noise of aircraft overhead. On Thursday, around 10 explosive drones were launched toward Israeli territory, and another one was launched on Saturday morning that triggered an alert in Kiryat Shmona. So far, contact was lost with two of the drones before they crossed into Israel, two were intercepted and the rest fell in the border area inside Israeli territory. “Is this a ceasefire? It’s nonstop fire,” said Gal Levansa, a resident of Kfar Blum. “It’s insane what we’re going through. Helicopters overhead all the time, alarms in the area, it’s an ongoing nightmare.” Israel and Lebanon are holding talks mediated by the United States, which for now prevent the IDF from expanding operations in Lebanon, currently focused on destroying terrorist infrastructure in the south of the country. However, the IDF says that if an operational opportunity arises, the air force will also act in Beirut. Hezbollah, for its part, is also refraining from launching rockets and UAVs beyond the border communities, and the result is that many residents in the area once again feel their security has been abandoned. Levansa said she understands the need to act against the Lebanese terror organization but doubts the current approach will bring the required results of calm in the north. “Go into war properly, or don’t have a war at all,” she said. Nira Biton, who came to stay at a guesthouse in Safed, said: “We came on vacation and now we understand how bad and different the situation in the north is from what is being presented. There are alarms, helicopters in the air and a feeling of pressure that something could happen at any moment.” Biton added that she was surprised by how strongly the sounds of war are still heard in the area. “The north is burning,” she concluded. “And they keep saying we are in a ceasefire. It’s just insane.” There were 11 alerts since Thursday: on Thursday at 13:18, an alert was activated for an aerial infiltration in Misgav Am in the Upper Galilee. Later, at 19:44, another alert was activated in Manara and Kiryat Shmona. On Friday, Shavuot, at 07:51 an alert was activated for an aerial infiltration in Rosh Hanikra in the Mateh Asher Regional Council. At 08:53 another alert was activated in Rosh Hanikra. At 14:44 an alert sounded in Netu’a and Zar’it in the Ma’ale Yosef Regional Council. At 15:07 an alert was activated in Shtula in the Ma’ale Yosef Regional Council. At 16:51 an alert was activated in Misgav Am in the Upper Galilee. At 17:07 an alert was activated in Margaliot and Misgav Am, continuing intermittently until 17:21. At the same time, at 17:08 an alert was activated for rocket and missile fire (Red Alert) in Margaliot in the Mevo’ot HaHermon Regional Council. At 17:46 an alert was activated for an aerial infiltration in Zari’it in the Ma’ale Yosef Regional Council. On Saturday morning at 08:34, an alert was activated for an aerial infiltration in Kiryat Shmona. message h15bre0yme He imprisoned women and children in storage rooms and starved them; under his control they were raped, beaten with stun guns and sexually humiliated, and sometimes turned into abusers themselves; years after cult leader Daniel Ambash’s death, prosecutors and survivors say the horrors still haunt them Maya Cohen https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2013/09/10/4852552/4852552_361_94_580_327_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h15bre0yme Fri, 22 May 2026 23:50:43 +03:00 About four years ago, behind the closed doors of the Israel Prison Service medical center, prison guards found Jerusalem cult leader Daniel Ambash unconscious. The man who for years terrorized women and children, dubbed by the media the “sadistic cult leader” and described by Israel’s Supreme Court as running a “regime of fear and terror,” died without great drama, without a final speech and without explanations. An intensive care unit team was called to the scene, doctors attempted resuscitation, but shortly afterward he was pronounced dead. Ambash was 67 at the time. According to his sentence, he was not supposed to be released until 2037. He died in prison 15 years before his scheduled release date. He left behind six women, dozens of children, countless psychological scars and one criminal case that even veteran prosecutors admitted they had never encountered before. For attorneys Sagai Ofir and Lizu Wolfus of the Jerusalem District Attorney’s Office, the Ambash case was not just another criminal file. It was something else entirely. “We encountered concentrated evil,” Ofir told ynet in an interview. “I’ve seen murderers, I’ve seen despicable terrorists, I’ve met them — and it doesn’t compare to the feeling of what this man did to his children and to the people who trusted him.” Starved, imprisoned and sexually humiliated It all began almost by chance, around 2009-2010. Ofir, then a veteran prosecutor who had already handled countless violent crime cases, received what initially sounded like a routine referral. “They told me, ‘There’s some incident, a story about a man with several women, look into it,’” he recalled. “It sounded almost banal, almost everyday. But then the investigators sat down with me and started telling me the story. Even before I saw a single piece of paper, before I saw a single video, I understood this was a very, very unusual case.” Although Ofir immediately realized this was no ordinary case, even he did not initially grasp the full extent of it. Only after testimonies piled up, the children spoke and the women broke down did the scale of the horrors emerge, and prosecutors understood they were facing a case with no precedent in Israel. Wolfus joined later, after the indictment had already been filed. “It was clear this was an extraordinary indictment in terms of its scale, severity, the volume of investigative material and the number of victims,” she said. “But throughout the management of the case we kept being exposed to more and more things that intensified what we already knew. Each time it only became worse.” When they recall the case, they do not sound like lawyers but more like people returning from a disaster scene. Wolfus describes the case as a “mandala,” a picture that changes each time it is viewed from a different angle. “It’s not something linear and clear,” she said. “It’s so confusing. When you look closely it appears to be one thing, and when you look from afar it appears to be something else. It’s rare for a legal proceeding to change while it’s being conducted, but here it truly changed. And not for the better.” The Supreme Court ruling, which unusually opened with the poem “Wanted” by poet Admiel Kosman, described what took place in the Ambash household over more than a decade. The justices wrote that Ambash created for himself “the image of a successor to the grandfather,” a spiritual leader with special powers. Through charisma, fear and threats, the ruling said, he managed to force the women and children to submit completely to his will. Behind the spiritual image stood a brutal mechanism of abuse: women and children were starved, imprisoned in storage rooms, beaten with electric stun devices, sexually humiliated and forced to carry out degrading “punishments” in front of other family members. But for Wolfus and Ofir, the greatest shock was not only the acts themselves, but the method behind them. “One of the moments that broke me,” Ofir said, “was when one of the women described an incident in northern Israel. They took her, stripped her naked, sprayed her with water from a hose when it was close to freezing outside and left her all night in something that looked like a grave. It was a description that reminded me of the Holocaust.” Then came an even deeper realization. “I understood that part of his method was turning victims into perpetrators,” Ofir said. “He caused them to commit crimes themselves so they would become implicated, so they would be afraid to leave. He wanted that one day, if someone had to answer for this, it wouldn’t be only him.” Wolfus described how the boundaries in this case became completely blurred. “The victims became perpetrators against their will,” she said. “They were involved in incidents that could have sent them to prison for many years. The more we got to know them, the more the boundaries between victim and suspect kept blurring.” ‘Where exactly were they supposed to go?’ The prosecutors were required not only to manage a criminal case, but also to understand an almost incomprehensible psychological dynamic. Educated, articulate women, some of them highly charismatic, remained by Ambash’s side even after his arrest. Some continued defending him in court. Others cursed the prosecutors in the hallways. Some followed them through the streets. “People think these are helpless women with no capabilities,” Ofir said. “But these were articulate, elegant, complex women. You look at them and can’t understand how this thing took control of them.” One of Wolfus’ breaking points came while listening to phone recordings. The women went out to beg in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, while Ambash controlled them remotely. “We heard the yelling and screaming,” she said. “They had to ask permission to go to the bathroom. If someone didn’t bring back enough money, he punished her over the phone. He would tell her: Take off your head covering right now. Don’t eat. Don’t go to the bathroom.” “And that was only the preview of what would happen when they got home,” Ofir added. Even from prison, Ambash continued exerting control. “He instructed them to hide witnesses,” Wolfus said. “He sent one of the mothers to get another woman engaged. Everything from prison.” One of the most jarring moments of the trial came when the defense argued that the door had been open and the women could simply have gotten up and left. Ofir still remembers the anger the argument stirred in him. “How were they supposed to leave?” he said. “He cut them off from their families, registered one woman’s children under another woman’s name, caused them to commit crimes themselves. Where exactly were they supposed to go?” As the trial unfolded, the family itself disintegrated before their eyes. Children were sent to boarding schools. Siblings were separated from their mothers. Women gradually began to understand what had happened to them. “The processes we experienced as prosecutors were only a reflection of what they themselves were going through,” Wolfus said. “For them, the criminal proceeding was only a small point within the complete collapse of their lives.” Just one more meeting Aviad Ambash, Daniel’s son, was a child when police raided the home. Today, at 25, he has completed time in a boarding school in southern Israel, a pre-military academy, military service at Havat Hashomer and later in the Golani Brigade. The path he has taken seems almost impossible considering where he came from. “My first memory of my father is that he kept asking me whether I was Barto or Ambash,” he said, explaining that his father used to “play” with his identity. “He registered me in my ID card as Barto, but Ambash is my real family. He said that if I wasn’t Ambash, then I didn’t really belong to the family.” The confusion accompanied him throughout his childhood. “It hurt me a lot,” he recalled. “I would bang my head against the wall and ask myself whether I really didn’t belong to this family.” Only years after the affair exploded did he begin to understand that life at home had not been normal. “I was in boarding school, and suddenly you compare stories with other kids,” he said, “and you realize you actually grew up in a crazy place. I left home with a punishment of bread and water, and suddenly everyone’s eating cereal for breakfast. I had to explain to myself why this reality was even considered normal.” The moment that finally shattered his denial was a phone call from his sister. “She told me about a rape, and that’s when I understood this was no longer part of my life anymore,” he said. “That this story was over.” But even after the conviction, he remained for years inside what he calls a “mental prison.” “It took me three and a half years to get out of it,” he said. “My father sent letters and messages from prison, and my mother passed them on to me. Physically you can take a person out of prison — the question is whether he leaves the internal prison he’s in.” Even the news of his father’s death in prison did not bring one clear emotion. “I felt many emotions at once,” he recalled. “On one hand anger and relief, on the other sadness and confusion.” Aviad admitted he would have wanted one more conversation with his father, “to sit across from him at least one more time with strength, and not as the miserable child he beat up my entire life.” Today he lectures across Israel about life inside a cult and about children growing up under violence and control. “This is my life’s mission,” he said. “The most important message is social awareness. If just one neighbor had heard the screams and called the police in time, everything could have ended much earlier.” A trial without rules That complexity also accompanied the prosecutors themselves. “You don’t talk about these things at home,” Ofir said. “Not with friends, not even with people at the office. You realize you’re alone facing distilled evil.” At a certain point he realized he could not manage the case alone. “My good fortune was that I had Lizu,” he said. “I needed someone beside me who could look at me and say, ‘Yes, I saw that too.’” Wolfus laughed when she heard him say that. “And I had him,” she replied. They said they were not dealing only with Ambash in court. According to them, they also faced an entire network of supporters, five separate proceedings conducted simultaneously, personal attacks online and women following them through the streets of Jerusalem. “In the regular criminal world there are codes,” Ofir said. “Here there were no boundaries.” Ultimately, Ambash was sentenced to 26 years in prison. The court wrote that “the family’s final years became a continuing nightmare of imprisonment, beatings, punishments and bizarre penalties.” Even in the sentencing, the judges acknowledged that it was difficult to quantify the scale of the horrors. “The offenses are so numerous that they could amount to hundreds of years in prison,” they wrote. When Ambash died in prison in 2022, some of the women still insisted on his innocence. Over the years they continued fighting for visitation and conjugal rights. After his death, Adret Ambash accused the Israel Prison Service and said: “They killed our husband. They destroyed our family.” For the victims themselves, the story is far from over. Even today, years after the case was exposed, many are still trying to understand what their lives actually looked like — how one house in Jerusalem managed to become a private kingdom of fear, silence and total control. For attorneys Wolfus and Ofir, this is a case they will remember forever. “Each time it shocked us all over again,” Ofir said. “There was never a moment when you told yourself, ‘OK, I’m used to it.’ You don’t get used to something like this.” message byn1wlrjfe As many Israelis spend the holiday across the country, residents of the north faced nonstop drone alerts and explosions near the Lebanon border, with the military confirming two aerial targets were intercepted and impacts identified inside Israel Ron Crissy https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/22/rk2lbkRJGx/rk2lbkRJGx_0_218_2929_1648_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/byn1wlrjfe Fri, 22 May 2026 18:34:59 +03:00 The holiday celebrations continue, with thousands of Israelis spending time outdoors and with their families, but in the Galilee, residents are once again coping with repeated Hezbollah fire, particularly FPV drone and explosive UAV launches. An alarm sounded in Kiryat Shmona last night, and after several alerts this morning and afternoon in communities across the western Galilee, another siren was activated at 5:07 p.m. in Margaliot, in the Galilee Panhandle near Kiryat Shmona, over fears of a hostile drone infiltration. A minute later, an additional alert warning of rocket and missile fire was activated in Margaliot, possibly due to interceptor launches targeting the drone. At the same time, a drone infiltration alert also sounded in Misgav Am. Three minutes later, another siren was heard in Margaliot, and 10 minutes after that, another alert was activated in Misgav Am. It was later determined that FPV drones had detonated near the border, inside Israeli territory. In its official statement, the Israeli military referred to them as “suspicious aerial targets” and said: “Following the alerts activated over the past hour in several areas in northern Israel, the Air Force intercepted two suspicious aerial targets launched from Lebanon toward Israeli territory. In addition, several impacts involving suspicious aerial targets were identified in the area along the border with Lebanon. The details are under review. Alerts were activated in accordance with policy.” Terrorists approached border, eliminated in airstrike Two armed terrorists were identified before dawn by IDF surveillance soldiers several hundred meters from the Israeli border in southern Lebanon. The military said the suspects were tracked continuously before being targeted and killed in an airstrike. The military added that searches in the area “did not uncover additional suspicious findings,” and said it remains in close contact with nearby communities and “will update on any developments.” Despite the ceasefire declared between Israel and Hezbollah, amid U.S.-Iran nuclear talks and direct discussions with the Lebanese government, fighting between the Israeli military and terror groups in southern Lebanon has continued. Sirens again sounded along the northern border throughout the day. At 7:51 a.m., an alert warning of a possible drone infiltration sounded in Rosh Hanikra, followed by another at 8:53 a.m. The military later said contact had been lost with an aerial target before it crossed into Israeli territory in both incidents, and no injuries were reported. At 2:50 p.m., drone infiltration alerts sounded in Netu’a and Zar’it, followed by another alert at 3:07 p.m. in Shtula. The military later said “several impacts involving suspicious aerial targets were identified in the area along the border with Lebanon. The details are under review.” Another drone infiltration alert sounded at 4:51 p.m. in Misgav Am. The military also said troops from the 551st Brigade combat team identified five Hezbollah operatives yesterday entering a Hezbollah command center north of the forward defense line in southern Lebanon. Israeli forces directed an Air Force strike on the building, killing the operatives. Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s explosive drone attacks along the border have continued, using tactics that caught the Israeli military off guard despite their widespread use for years in the war in Ukraine. Just two days ago, Col. Meir Biderman, commander of the 401st Armored Brigade, was seriously wounded by an explosive drone in the western sector of southern Lebanon. A reserve lieutenant colonel was moderately wounded in the same incident, while another reservist sustained light injuries. The military later reported seven additional soldiers wounded in another explosive drone blast, including a combat documentation soldier from the military spokesperson’s unit who was seriously wounded. An officer and two soldiers sustained moderate injuries, while another officer and two additional soldiers were lightly wounded. message ryvppt61ze New immigrants in the Jezreel Valley celebrate their first Shavuot in Israel as century-old agricultural traditions highlight land, community and renewal Israel Moshkovitz https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/22/HyB7BdpJMe/HyB7BdpJMe_0_128_956_538_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ryvppt61ze Fri, 22 May 2026 10:41:25 +03:00 Hundreds of thousands of Israelis took part Thursday in traditional Shavuot first-fruits ceremonies held for more than a century in Israel’s agricultural communities, with events culminating in the presentation of babies born over the past year. Shavuot, a Jewish holiday marking the giving of the Torah and the biblical wheat harvest, is also associated in Israel with agricultural celebrations and the tradition of bringing first fruits, known in Hebrew as bikkurim. Dozens of new immigrants who arrived in Israel over the past year and are being housed at an integration center in Kibbutz Merhavia in the Jezreel Valley are set to celebrate their first Shavuot in Israel on Friday. In recent days, the immigrants learned about the agricultural traditions of the Jezreel Valley’s early Zionist pioneers, customs that have been practiced in the region for more than 100 years. “Shavuot is the valley’s holiday, a holiday of land, fields and a living, growing community,” said Shlomit Shichor Reichman, head of the Jezreel Valley Regional Council. “Seeing new immigrant families choosing to build their homes in the Jezreel Valley is a moving reminder of the strength of a welcoming community and of the hope that continues to grow here every day.” message ryufrtakfe Authorities say Israeli man caught at Ercan Airport with four embryos in transport container; clinic director and doctor also detained Itamar Eichner https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/04/06/rJX11C9gW311x/rJX11C9gW311x_0_0_1000_563_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ryufrtakfe Fri, 22 May 2026 10:33:01 +03:00 An Israeli national was arrested Tuesday in the Turkish-controlled part of northern Cyprus on suspicion of involvement in illegal embryo trafficking, authorities said. Officials also raided a local clinic and arrested two Turkish citizens, the clinic’s director and a local doctor. The three suspects are accused of attempting to remove embryos from Turkish Cyprus without the required permits. They were brought before a court, which extended their detention by one day to allow investigators to continue the probe, collect testimony and review security camera footage. The Israeli was arrested at Ercan Airport in the Turkish-controlled part of the island while attempting to leave for Mexico via Istanbul. Authorities said he was carrying a specialized embryo transport container labeled “Life Parcel.” Four embryos were found inside, stored in four separate test tubes. A police representative told the court that the Israeli was arrested May 19 at 9:30 a.m. at a checkpoint known as “Gate 8,” shortly before boarding his flight. Investigators say the embryos were taken from a fertility center in Lefkoşa, the de facto capital of Turkish Cyprus, known internationally as northern Nicosia, and that no official approval had been received from the local Health Ministry to remove them from the country. People familiar with the case said the main suspicion involves violations of laws governing the transplantation of human cells, tissues and organs. Authorities are also investigating suspected illegal embryo trafficking and their transfer through different countries. According to one account, the shipment’s destination was Mexico. The investigation is also focusing on the suspected smuggling route. Ercan Airport in northern Cyprus is not officially recognized by many countries, and most flights from it travel to Turkey, mainly Istanbul. Turkish Cyprus is recognized as an independent state only by Turkey. Nir Yaslovitzh, an attorney specializing in international criminal law, said cases involving medical regulation, IVF, transfer of genetic material and cross-border issues have increased significantly in recent years. “This is a complex legal field that unfolds simultaneously before law enforcement authorities, health officials and various international mechanisms,” Yaslovitzh said. “In many cases, the central legal question is not only what was done, but how the procedure was arranged with the authorities and what regulatory framework applied.” message hk1p3d6jfe After backlash over claims of systematic sexual violence against Palestinians in Israeli custody, the paper’s opinion editor says the column met its standards; critics cite anonymous testimony, disputed sources and a disputed quote from ex-PM Olmert Sapir Benjamin, Daniel Edelson, New York https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/15/Hy11DHVV1Ml/Hy11DHVV1Ml_0_0_3000_1996_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hk1p3d6jfe Fri, 22 May 2026 08:56:40 +03:00 The New York Times defended overnight Friday opinion columnist Nicholas Kristof’s column accusing Israel of systematic sexual abuse of Palestinian detainees, including claims that dogs were trained to rape Palestinians. Kristof and Opinion Editor Kathleen Kingsbury rejected criticism of the column, saying it underwent rigorous review before publication and that a review of the critiques has found no errors in the reporting. They acknowledged some subscriptions were canceled over the column but said some Jewish readers expressed gratitude that it was published. The column, published last week, accused Israeli authorities and security forces, including the government, the military, the Shin Bet security agency and the prison service, of carrying out a systematic policy of rape against Palestinian detainees. Critics said the claims were based largely on anonymous testimonies and disputed sources that could not independently verify the allegations. Kristof wrote that he relied on accounts from 14 men and women who said they were sexually assaulted, as well as on human rights groups. Critics said some of those groups are engaged primarily in anti-Israel advocacy, and that one is linked to Hamas, according to Israel. The decision to publish the piece in the Times’ opinion section, rather than as a news article, was also cited by critics as evidence that the claims would not have met the fact-checking standards of the newspaper’s newsroom. The column also quoted former prime minister Ehud Olmert immediately after descriptions of the alleged abuse. Kristof wrote that Olmert told him he did not know much about sexual violence against Palestinians but was not surprised by the accounts, adding: “Do I believe it happens? Definitely. There are war crimes committed every day in the territories.” Olmert’s inclusion drew criticism because of his criminal record and because he has become a fierce critic of the government and the IDF since the Oct. 7 war began. Two days after the column was published, Olmert said Kristof had misrepresented their conversation. In a statement to The Free Press, Olmert wrote that Kristof’s column included “claims of extraordinary gravity,” including that Israeli authorities directed the rape of children, that dogs were used as tools of sexual assault and that sexual torture is a systemic state policy. “I did not validate these claims,” Olmert said. “I have no knowledge supporting these claims as I said to Mr. Kristof.” Kristof said online that opinion columns are held to a different standard because they contain opinions, and that the column appeared in the opinion section because that is where he regularly writes. Responding to criticism of the claims involving dogs, he cited medical articles that he said supported the possibility, though critics said those articles described cases of humans sexually abusing dogs. The criticism reportedly extended into the Times newsroom. Despite the newspaper’s public backing of Kristof, Puck reported that some newsroom journalists believed the column would not have met their professional standards. A Times staff member told ynet: “We feel the opinion section is hurting the credibility of the entire brand and repeatedly lowering the professional standard for all of us.” The response column and the opinion editor’s claims Beyond Kristof’s posts online and brief statements from New York Times spokespeople expressing confidence in the column, the newspaper’s formal response came in another opinion piece, written as a joint question-and-answer article by Kristof and Kingsbury. At the start, they said they stood fully behind Kristof’s column despite the backlash. Kingsbury said Kristof had “built upon a growing body of evidence regarding the mistreatment of detainees in Israel,” linking to two reports she said supported the claims in respected news outlets: the BBC and Israel’s Haaretz. She also linked the allegations to what she called documented abuse by Israeli security forces and settlers. Kingsbury said Kristof’s reporting underwent a rigorous review by the Opinion section’s fact-checking department before publication “to ensure that every testimony and anecdote he personally reported was supported by independent sources.” After publication, she said, editors reviewed criticism from readers and others and “found no errors.” Kristof said that in addition to each person he quoted, he spoke with another witness to the alleged abuse, a family member, a lawyer or a social worker with whom the person had shared details. He also said he had written clearly that “There is no evidence that Israeli leaders order rapes.” On the decision to publish the article in the Times’ Opinion section, Kingsbury repeated Kristof’s argument that he is a Times opinion columnist. She said many opinion columns, editorials, interviews and guest essays include reporting to support an argument, and that all opinion pieces must meet high standards of accuracy and fairness. Kristof’s column met those standards, she said. Kingsbury said the difference between news articles and opinion columns lies in form and purpose: An opinion column asks readers to consider an argument, while news articles and investigations uncover and verify new facts to share with readers, not to make an argument. They also addressed criticism of several witnesses cited in the column, including Sami al-Sai, who praised Hamas and the Oct. 7 massacre and was jailed for incitement, but was described in the column as an Palestinian journalist who recounted how “he was held down, stripped, blindfolded and handcuffed while a dog was brought in and, with encouragement from a handler, mounted and penetrated him.” Kingsbury said the Times Opinion section does not determine whether a person’s account of sexual assault is credible based on that person’s social media posts. Kristof said that the paper's Opinion fact-checkers corroborated the claims made by al-Sai and another witness, Issa Amro, “with other sources before determining their accounts to be credible.” “It serves no one to automatically discount people’s accounts because of their identity or beliefs,” he said. On links between Hamas and Euro-Med, one of the human rights groups mentioned in the column, Kristof said the organization chairman’s support for the Oct. 7 Hamas attack “can’t be taken lightly,” but that citing a source does not amount to endorsing the political views of its leader. He said Euro-Med was not involved in locating the victims whose testimonies he used. Addressing the column’s most prominent claim, rape by dogs, Kristof said he had carefully considered whether to include it, but ultimately did so because the witness told him he had shared the account with the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, an Israeli human rights group. Kristof referred to a BBC report from December 2025 in which a Palestinian detainee said he was sexually assaulted by a dog with encouragement from guards in an Israeli prison. He also said dogs were used to rape political prisoners under Augusto Pinochet’s regime in Chile and again said peer-reviewed medical literature had documented rectal injuries caused by penetration by dogs. Finally, Kristof and Kingsbury responded to criticism they attributed to readers who said he had mentioned allegations of Hamas rapes on Oct. 7 despite, as they put it, a lack of concrete proof that they occurred. Kingsbury rejected that claim, saying the Times newsroom, along with independent human rights groups and other newspapers, had documented brutal sexual assaults carried out by Hamas-led attackers. She said the Times’ reporting was based on verified testimony and extensive field investigations. message s1qm00vnkzl High school girls in Ofakim train on simulators and build aircraft in an IAF-Ramon Foundation program aimed at boosting skills and confidence before pilot selection Gal Ganot https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/19/yk14776235/yk14776235_0_3_749_422_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s1qm00vnkzl Fri, 22 May 2026 07:50:52 +03:00 “I read an article about the female pilots who took part in Operation Roaring Lion. It moved and interested me. I always like hearing about strong women in the military,” said Talia Nachshon, 14, a ninth-grade student from Ofakim who is participating in the AIR program. “I never aimed for flight school, but the program opened my mind. Suddenly I think I can. I imagine myself as a pilot. Aiming as high as possible.” Talia remembers the aircrew women who came to speak with the girls in Ofakim during the first meetings. “It’s nice to see it’s really possible and not just a dream. Women did it before, are doing it today and will do it in the future,” she said. “We learned that anyone who wants to do something can achieve it; you just need to know how to work hard. Nothing is impossible.” Another participant in the program is Tair Cohen, 15, from Ofakim. “From a young age, I’ve been interested in the Israel Air Force (IAF) and aviation, and I knew where I was heading. When they introduced the program to us, I thought it would open doors for me in the future. Meeting the aircrew women was empowering, understanding that girls are capable of everything, no less than boys.” Building a sense of capability Talia and Tair are part of the AIR team, a joint initiative of the Ramon Foundation and the IAF designed to expose girls to the world of aviation, develop relevant skills and strengthen their sense of capability ahead of potential pilot selection. So far, within the program named after the Ramon family, two groups have been opened, with 19 participants in Ofakim and 28 in Be'er Sheva. Each group takes part in weekly meetings from ninth through 12th grade, during which they receive training on flight simulators from initial practice to advanced technique. They complete a model aircraft project from construction to flight and take part in community volunteering activities. In the final two years of high school, alongside pre-military screening processes, the girls are mentored by female aircrew officers. Simulator training, set up specifically for the program, is led by Lt. (res.) Y., 24, a former instructor at the "Lavi" simulator in Hatzerim and a simulator officer for airborne munitions training in Hatzor. “As someone who served as a simulator instructor and also met many aircrews, the people I served with was quite similar. Most were from central Israel, sharing socioeconomic background,” she said. That is why, as a student in Be'er Sheva, she saw an opportunity to join an educational project that advances youth from the periphery. She meets the girls in a classroom with five stations, each equipped with a computer, keyboard, mouse, joystick and throttle. “At first we focused on flying. I taught them how to turn, see the horizon line, read data. Now there are also simulator missions — low-altitude flight, which is more complex, challenges like passing through gates, which adds competition.” “They are attentive, cooperative, really engaged. At the end we do a debriefing — what happened, why it happened and how to improve. Now they have a stronger sense of capability and success, they feel they can do it.” “The program connects to the Ramon family’s messages of resilience and growth from crisis” “The goal is to increase and strengthen the girls’ sense of capability by using tools from the world of aviation and methodologies of the IAF,” said Bar Karlinsky, director of the AIR program on behalf of the Ramon Foundation. A particularly memorable moment for her came during the model aircraft assembly stage. “The girls dealt with frustration because there were many steps and they lacked precise professional guidance. We connected them with the IAF UAV school, and after they received guidance on how to solve problems themselves, they got out of the crisis, completed the model aircraft and proved to themselves that they can do it. It connects to the Ramon family’s messages of resilience and growth from crisis.” Not compromising on the integrity of selection In a conversation with the head of the IAF Human Resources Department, Col. A., who leads the project on behalf of the Air Force, it was revealed that the rate of women completing the pilot course today stands at only 6%. “Our work on integrating women is significant,” she said, noting that in recent cycles the figure has risen to 7%.” “In the past, a woman would only be sent to pilot selection if she specifically requested it. Today that does not exist. A woman is like a man. If she has the right qualities, the option opens up,” she said, describing a change implemented about three and a half years ago. “We will create the foundation and provide the tools, but they must go through the selection process and exams like everyone else.” The AIR program is one of several initiatives the Air Force is promoting to change the trend. The latest seminar, held recently, is expected to take place again this coming September. “We identified over the years that even when women pass the selection process, they are hesitant to move forward. Like someone who already passed the screening but the night before the selection course decided not to show up. When we contact her to understand why she didn’t come, she wonders how she would even pass it.” “We want to strengthen their sense of capability,” Col. A. explained. According to her, “We found that the dropout rate during the selection course is the highest, and realized that creating a women’s seminar close to it reduces dropout rates and increases the likelihood of success.” Alongside the emotional and mental aspect, the programs are also designed to develop professional skills. “We look at the timeline from middle school to the end of training and see what needs to be done to have more women on the parade ground,” she concluded, adding: “The integrity of the selection process remains. Everyone who completes the course and passes all the exams does so like everyone else. We will create the foundation and provide the tools, but they must go through the selection process and exams like everyone else.” message hjnk0hajgx Analysis of Sentinel-2 images published by Soar points to damage at Ramat David, Nevatim, a Unit 8200 base and Camp Shimshon, while Israeli officials warn missile threat remains outside US-Iran talks Ron Crissy https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/21/ByCPQi3kGg/ByCPQi3kGg_1_0_290_163_0_small.gif https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjnk0hajgx Fri, 22 May 2026 06:40:57 +03:00 The timing of a possible return to war with Iran remains unclear after U.S. President Donald Trump postponed an attack at the last minute but left in place the threat of an immediate strike if talks fail, while Tehran insists on keeping highly enriched uranium. Meanwhile, analysis of satellite images published by Soar shows damage to several IDF bases across Israel from the latest round of fighting, before the ceasefire began last month. This report is being published with the approval of the military censor. Images from the Sentinel-2 satellite show that the Ramat David Air Base was hit in two areas during the war with Iran. According to the analysis, one of the damaged areas was apparently used for support vehicles and equipment, while the second served as a refueling and service point for fighter jets. The images also point to a sudden change on the ground in March, near a structure inside the IDF’s Mishar base, a Unit 8200 facility near Safed. According to Soar’s analysis, the change indicates a possible strike on the base between March 5 and March 10. Additional satellite images show damage to a defensive position at the Nevatim Air Base. According to the image analysis, the damage was clearly visible on March 25 at a small defensive position inside the base. Other images published by Soar point to a major fire that broke out at Camp Shimshon beginning on March 10, the same day Hezbollah said it attacked the site with a swarm of drones. According to the analysis, the fire burned for several days and spread across an area of about 200 meters inside the base. The latest image analysis also examined older high-resolution images published by Google Earth Pro and World Imagery Wayback from 2016, 2024 and 2025. Those images showed that the large area damaged at the base had consistently been used for various operational purposes, including the placement of military vehicles and logistical preparations. The analysis said comparisons with past images did not show significant vegetation in the area, indicating that the fire was caused by a strike on a significant area inside the base rather than by burning vegetation. Against the backdrop of these and other strikes, Israel’s defense establishment is especially concerned that ballistic missiles are not at the center of negotiations with Iran. Israeli assessments before the war held that Iran possessed more than 2,000 ballistic missiles. Today, after the launches it carried out and the strikes it sustained, Israel estimates that roughly half that number remains. Israeli officials say that contrary to various reports, including one published by CNN on Friday, Iran cannot quickly rebuild its missile stockpile on a large scale, especially after heavy launch trucks and production systems were also damaged. In any case, since the end of the latest campaign, Iran has been working to reopen missile tunnels that the IDF struck and sealed in aerial attacks. On Thursday night, the Iranian Tasnim news agency, which is close to the regime, reported that the United States had delivered a new proposal to Tehran. “They delivered a new text to Iran through Pakistan,” a source close to the negotiations said. “Iran is now studying the text and has not yet responded. Pakistan is working to bridge the gaps, but these efforts have not yet produced final results.” Trump later said he may wait “a few days” for Iran’s answer. “We need to get the right answers,” he said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that there were “good signs” that an agreement could be reached. Both Trump and Rubio stressed that the enriched uranium must be removed from Iran and that Tehran would not be allowed to collect fees for passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Israel prepares: ‘This will not be the last round’ Israel is preparing for the possibility of renewed war with Iran. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has held a series of discussions and briefings in recent weeks with the defense establishment, Military Intelligence, the Operations Directorate and the Air Force ahead of a possible additional round, this time in full cooperation with the Americans. But the defense establishment also wants to prepare the Israeli public for a new reality: the campaign against Iran is not expected to end with a single blow. “We need to coordinate expectations with the public,” a very senior defense official told ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth. “The war against Iran is a long one. As long as this regime does not fall, we are expected to enter repeated rounds of fighting, perhaps every year and possibly even more frequently, to ensure that the nuclear and ballistic missile threats do not endanger the existence of the State of Israel.” According to the official, the gaps between Washington and Tehran remain very deep. “The people making the decisions in Iran are the Revolutionary Guards, and their interests do not meet the American demands,” the official said. “The American minimum does not meet the Iranian maximum. Therefore, in our assessment, Trump will ultimately have no choice but to launch another round against Iran.” Even if another strike eventually takes place, Israel does not view it as a move that would end the threat. “From Israel’s perspective, this will not be the last round as long as this regime remains standing,” the official said. “It will be possible to hit the Iranians very hard, strike economic and military targets and symbols of government, and it will look like a clear victory through Western eyes. But from the Iranian perspective, as long as the regime survives, they will rebuild their military capabilities. That is why Israel will have to maintain intelligence and operational readiness for another return to combat.” “Even if we assume, in the most optimistic scenario, that the nuclear issue is resolved, and the chances of that are low, Iran will accelerate its arms race mainly in the missile field,” the official said. “There is a certain threshold for which no full air defense can be provided. That is why we will have no choice but to strike again.” At the same time, the defense establishment says Operation Roaring Lion has already inflicted deep damage on the Iranian regime. Military industries were severely hit, senior figures who formed pillars of the regime were eliminated, ballistic missile production capabilities were significantly damaged and the sense of immunity among Tehran’s leadership was shaken. message s1xfsb61fe Military says suspects were struck from the air after being spotted in southern Lebanon; northern officials say continued fighting shows there is no real ceasefire on the ground Ron Crissy https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/04/30/S1jysdeAZg/S1jysdeAZg_0_184_3000_1689_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s1xfsb61fe Fri, 22 May 2026 06:22:44 +03:00 Two armed terrorists were identified early Friday morning by IDF lookouts several hundred meters from the Israeli border in southern Lebanon, the military said. According to the IDF, “immediately after the identification and under continuous monitoring by the forces, the armed suspects were struck and eliminated in an aerial strike.” The military said troops operating in the area launched searches after the incident, but found no evidence of any additional suspicious presence nearby. “The IDF maintains continuous contact with the communities and will update on any development,” the military said, stressing that “the incident is over.” Although a ceasefire has been declared between Israel and Hezbollah, against the backdrop of U.S.-Iran negotiations and direct talks with the Lebanese government, fighting between the IDF and terrorist organizations in southern Lebanon has continued. On Wednesday, Col. Meir Biderman, commander of the 401st Armored Brigade, was seriously wounded when an explosive drone struck in the western sector of southern Lebanon. A reserve lieutenant colonel was moderately wounded in the same incident, and a reserve soldier was lightly wounded. The IDF later reported seven additional troops wounded in an explosive drone blast, including a combat documentation soldier from the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit who was seriously wounded. An officer and two soldiers were moderately wounded, while another officer and two other soldiers were lightly wounded. Amid the continued fighting on the ground and daily launches toward northern border communities, officials in the north have expressed anger over the continued use of the term ceasefire. Upper Galilee Regional Council head Assaf Langleben said after the latest incidents that the gap between government declarations and the reality on the ground requires a military response. “We live this reality every day, every night,” he said. “There is no ceasefire in the north. Unfortunately, the threat from Lebanon still hovers over the heads of northern residents. The sirens are an alarm bell for the government that declared a ceasefire. The government must do everything so this war ends with one clear victory: eliminating the threat and restoring security to northern communities.” message hjor8vakme Balad, Ra’am and Hadash-Ta’al are weighing a technical alliance to boost Arab turnout and avoid wasted votes, reviving a formula that brought the Joint List to 15 seats in 2020 Einav Halabi https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/21/HkD3Uyp1Gg/HkD3Uyp1Gg_0_0_850_479_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjor8vakme Fri, 22 May 2026 04:56:58 +03:00 Is Israel’s Arab political camp moving toward renewed unity? After months of disputes, disagreements and uncertainty over the future of Arab representation in the Knesset, recent days have seen significant progress in talks to form a new joint slate between Ra’am, Hadash-Ta’al and Balad. At the center of the political drama is Balad’s announcement, the first of its kind officially, that it is prepared to form a joint list as a “technical bloc” together with Ra’am, Hadash and Ta’al. Until recently, such a move was considered almost impossible because of the ideological gaps and lingering tensions between the parties. Ra’am welcomed the announcement Thursday evening, saying it viewed it as “a serious and responsible step” that could advance the interests of Arab citizens. In a statement, the party said it “positively views Balad’s response to the proposal we presented regarding the establishment of a pluralistic, technical Joint List,” adding that it also expects an official position from Hadash on the proposal. Ra’am said attention is now focused on a joint meeting set to take place between all the parties, aimed at continuing the discussion on forming the slate “in a spirit of responsibility and cooperation.” Ta’al officials also sounded optimistic. Party chairman MK Ahmad Tibi said that “for two weeks it has been clear that we are moving in this direction,” adding: “It will be decided soon. There has been progress in the talks. We all understand that this is a technical Joint List with agreement on a minimum platform.” Tibi said public pressure has played a significant role in advancing the move. “Some 90% of our public demands and pushes for a Joint List,” Tibi told ynet. “Voter turnout will be high with a Joint List. It is the best tool for changing the political reality here.” Hadash, too, has signaled progress. In a statement issued after a meeting with the “agreement committee,” following the election of its new chairman, the party said there had been “serious progress” in contacts to establish a Joint List. The meeting included Hadash’s new chairman, Dr. Yousef Jabareen, and candidate Dr. Nahaya Washahi. According to Hadash, the agreement committee presented a written initiative that includes practical mechanisms for establishing the Joint List and determining how it would operate, an initiative that received the blessing of Hadash representatives. Despite the ideological disagreements between the parties, all sides are currently emphasizing that the proposed model is only a “technical partnership,” meaning a joint run meant to maximize political power and increase voter turnout, while preserving each party’s ideological and political independence. The move comes amid concern among Arab parties over the continued decline in voter turnout in Arab society and the possibility that some parties may fail to cross the electoral threshold if they run separately. In the Arab political system, officials believe renewed unity could bring voters back to the polls and significantly strengthen Arab representation in the next Knesset. Balad said in a statement that it “continues its efforts to establish the Joint List, as it committed to the public and as it signed in Sakhnin.” “From the first moment, Balad acted to establish a shared political platform for the four parties that would make up the list, despite differences in worldview,” the party said. “At this time, we have not succeeded in forming an agreed political platform, but Balad, which committed to doing everything out of deep responsibility toward Arab-Palestinian society and an understanding of the significance of this moment, declares that it is prepared to move toward establishing the Joint List as a technical bloc,” the statement continued. “Balad has done and will continue to do everything to preserve unity in Arab-Palestinian society and faithfully serve its voters. The Joint List is the strongest formula for preventing the extremist fascist coalition from returning to power.” message skqgvihyfl An Israeli court ordered a lawyer to pay about 510,000 shekels after ruling he negligently failed to identify red flags in a fraudulent deal involving a woman his client had never met PsakDin https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2021/01/23/SJEqCvY1d/SJEqCvY1d_1_0_640_360_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/skqgvihyfl Fri, 22 May 2026 00:13:34 +03:00 A lawyer who failed to identify warning signs in a loan deal that turned out to be a fraud scheme will compensate his client about 510,000 ($138,000) shekels plus expenses. Judges at the Lod District Court — Yaakov Shpaser, Guy Shani and Meirav Kfir — recently upheld a ruling by the Rishon LeZion Magistrate’s Court, which found the attorney had acted negligently. The November 2024 ruling detailed an unusual chain of events. The client agreed to lend 1.2 million shekels ($324,000) to a woman he had never met, intended to cover debts incurred by her nephew in the informal credit market. In return, a mortgage was registered on her apartment. It later emerged that the woman had never requested the loan and had not agreed to mortgage her rights in favor of the lender. The woman later went to court and succeeded in canceling the mortgage, leaving the lender empty-handed, without his money and without any security to recover it. He subsequently filed a lawsuit against several parties involved in the transaction, including the attorney who represented him in the deal. The Magistrate’s Court found the attorney negligent for failing to take reasonable precautions and for ignoring clear red flags. For example, when asked why the borrower was absent from the critical signing meeting, he was told she was out at sea and unreachable, an explanation he accepted. In addition, no copy of her ID was presented at the meeting, an unusual omission. The attorney’s liability was limited to 900,000 shekels (≈$243,000) out of the total amount the client had lent. After one-third contributory negligence was also assigned, the court ordered him to pay 510,000 shekels in compensation for professional negligence, plus legal costs and attorney’s fees. The attorney appealed to the District Court through attorneys Hillel Ish Shalom and Hadar Rosenberg. The lender was represented in the appeal by attorney Itamar Katz. The judges unanimously upheld the lower court’s conclusion that the attorney had been negligent and must pay the compensation, without intervening in the amount or the contributory negligence rate, although they noted it could have been increased. “We are satisfied that in this case there were warning signs that should have raised the appellant’s suspicion and we find no defect justifying intervention in the lower court’s conclusion regarding negligence,” the judges wrote. They emphasized that part of a lawyer’s duty is to protect a client from wrongdoing by others, but in this case he failed to do so, amounting to professional negligence. The appellate judges also accepted the finding on causation between the negligence and the damage suffered. They noted that had the attorney acted as a reasonable lawyer would, it is highly likely that “the veil would have been lifted from the scam and the damage would have been prevented.” The ruling noted that this was an unusual case involving a woman requesting a large loan to help her nephew escape debts in the informal credit market, without the parties ever meeting her in person, circumstances that should have raised suspicion. The appeal was therefore rejected and the attorney was ordered to pay 20,000 shekels (≈$5,400) in legal fees. message syoy6p21fx A victory of life: Shlomit community near Gaza border marked Shavuot with 20 babies born in a year; Other communities saw dozens of births and 93% of residents returned Roni Green Shaulov, Israel Moshkovitz https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/21/SyaQ97hkMx/SyaQ97hkMx_0_0_1280_853_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/syoy6p21fx Fri, 22 May 2026 00:04:42 +03:00 The community of Shlomit is located in the southern Gaza border region, a short distance from the Strip and about a kilometer from the Egyptian border. According to the Tkuma Directorate, 20 babies were born in the community of around 600 residents during 2025. One of the families that joined the community is the Amar family. Oshrit and Nissim Amar, parents of baby Ari, moved to Shlomit over the past year. “When we passed through the entrance gate to the community, I told Nissim, ‘This is where I want to live,’” Oshrit said. “There was something special about the atmosphere and the place, even before we met the residents. “We completed the acceptance process, bought a plot of land in 2023 and were supposed to begin construction right after Simchat Torah, but then October 7 happened.” The attack did not deter you? “After October 7, family and friends tried to talk us out of it. They said we were crazy. I won’t lie and say there wasn’t fear, but then suddenly we felt even more committed to this place and to our country. Nissim always says that if everyone says they are afraid, in the end there will be no army and no state here.” Their fifth son was born on March 25, 2026. “Who would have believed we’d return to the Gaza border region and bring children into the world in a time like this? We are strong. We will build homes here, bring children into the world and make the bleeding land flourish. The people of Israel live on.” Other Gaza border communities also recorded significant birth rates in 2025, a total of 107 babies were born in small communities nearby Gaza. The Be’eri community, which has still not returned home, welcomed 18 babies during 2025, while the Kfar Aza community welcomed 11 newborns. As of Thursday, the Tkuma Directorate reported that about 93% of residents had returned to live in the Gaza border region. Meanwhile, dozens of new immigrants who arrived in Israel over the past year and were absorbed at the absorption center in Kibbutz Merhavia in the Jezreel Valley were set to celebrate their first Shavuot in the country on Thursday. In recent days, the immigrants learned about the agricultural traditions of the pioneers, practiced in the valley for more than 100 years. “Shavuot is the holiday of the valley. A holiday of land, fields and a living, growing community,” said Shlomit Shihor-Reichman, head of the Jezreel Valley Regional Council. “To see new immigrant families choosing to build their homes in the valley is a moving reminder of the power of an embracing community and the hope that continues to grow here every day.” message sj3ygltjme Washington fired more than 200 THAAD interceptors and over 100 ship-based missiles during the war with Iran, far more high-end munitions than Israel used, raising concerns over US readiness in other regions News Agencies https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/04/08/rkxrfemh11e/rkxrfemh11e_0_237_1846_1040_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sj3ygltjme Fri, 22 May 2026 00:02:17 +03:00 The U.S. military has significantly depleted its stockpile of advanced missile-defense interceptors while defending Israel during the war with Iran, firing far more high-end munitions than Israeli forces used themselves, according to Defense Department assessments described to The Washington Post. The report said the imbalance highlights the extent to which Washington carried the burden of countering Iranian ballistic missile attacks during Operation Roaring Lion, while also raising questions about US military readiness and its security commitments elsewhere in the world. According to three U.S. officials who spoke to The Washington Post on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive security matters, the United States launched more than 200 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, interceptors in defense of Israel, roughly half of the Pentagon’s total inventory. U.S. naval vessels in the eastern Mediterranean also fired more than 100 Standard Missile-3 and Standard Missile-6 interceptors, the officials said. Israel, by comparison, fired fewer than 100 Arrow interceptors and about 90 David’s Sling interceptors, some of which were used against less sophisticated projectiles launched by Iran-backed groups in Yemen and Lebanon. Military analysts said the figures offer an unusual glimpse into the operational balance between the United States and Israel during the conflict. “The numbers are striking,” said Kelly Grieco, a senior fellow at the Stimson Center. “The United States absorbed most of the missile defense mission while Israel conserved its own magazines. Even if the operational logic was sound, the United States is left with roughly 200 THAAD interceptors and a production line that can’t keep pace with demand.” The shortage of U.S. interceptors has alarmed allies in Asia, particularly Japan and South Korea, which rely on Washington as a deterrent against threats from North Korea and China. “That bill risks coming due in theaters that have nothing to do with Iran,” Grieco said. U.S. and Israeli officials regularly emphasize the countries’ close military cooperation and Israel’s multilayered air-defense system. But the Pentagon assessments cited in the report point to a more uneven dynamic. “In total, the U.S. shot around 120 more interceptors and engaged twice as many Iranian missiles,” a U.S. administration official said. If the United States and Israel resume hostilities with Iran in the coming days, as President Donald Trump has threatened, the U.S. military is expected to shoulder an even larger share of the interceptor burden. One administration official said Israel recently decided to take some of its missile-defense batteries offline for maintenance. “The imbalance will likely be exacerbated if fighting restarts,” the official said. The Pentagon defended the allocation of resources between the two countries. “Ballistic missile interceptors are just one tool in a vast network of systems and capabilities that comprise a layered and integrated air defense network,” said Sean Parnell, the Pentagon’s chief spokesman. “Both Israel and the United States carried the defensive burden equitably during Operation Epic Fury, which saw both countries employ fighter aircraft, counter-UAS systems, and various other advanced air and missile defense capabilities with maximal effectiveness.” Israel also rejected the notion that the burden had been unfairly distributed. “Operations Roaring Lion and Epic Fury were coordinated at the highest and closest levels, to the benefit of both countries and their allies,” the Israeli Embassy in Washington said in a statement. “The U.S. has no other partner with the military willingness, readiness, shared interests, and capabilities of Israel.” Since the war began on February 28, the United States and Israel have worked closely together, killing Iran’s supreme leader and dozens of senior Iranian military and political figures, while devastating Iran’s navy and air force, according to the report. U.S. officials said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu played a central role in persuading Trump to go to war, arguing that an offensive would inspire regime change and eliminate Iran’s ability to develop a nuclear weapon. But tensions between the allies have increased as the war has proved more difficult than either leader expected. Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted global energy supplies and fueled inflation. Despite Trump’s claim that Iran’s missile arsenal has been “mostly decimated,” U.S. intelligence assesses that Tehran still has about 70% of its prewar missile stockpile. Much of Iran’s highly enriched uranium is also believed to remain inside nuclear facilities bombed by the United States and Israel last year. On Tuesday, Netanyahu and Trump held what U.S. and Middle Eastern officials described as a tense phone call about the path forward. Netanyahu’s continued pressure to restart the war has frustrated some U.S. officials, particularly because renewed fighting would place additional strain on the Pentagon’s munitions supply. “Israel is not capable of fighting and winning wars on its own, but nobody actually knows this, because they never see the back end,” a second administration official said. It remains unclear whether the U.S. munitions shortage is influencing Trump’s decision-making on whether to resume the war. Earlier this week, Trump said he had called off an imminent military strike on Iran after Arab allies urged him to consider a peace deal that would restrict Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the conflict. “We’re in the final stages of Iran. We’ll see what happens,” Trump told reporters Wednesday. “We’ll either have a deal, or we’re going to do some things that are a little bit nasty.” The United States has moved additional naval assets closer to Israel in preparation for a possible resumption of hostilities and to provide added protection against Iranian threats. U.S. officials said the possible role of Iran’s regional allies would be a key factor if fighting resumes. During the previous round of fighting, Israel’s ability to generate airstrikes had fallen by the end of March to about half its level at the start of the war, because aircraft and pilots had been worn down by operations against Houthi militants in Yemen and strikes targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon, one U.S. official said. “The sortie degradation is important,” Grieco said. “The IDF was worn down by Gaza, Lebanon, and the question I have is whether Israeli commanders underestimated their ability to sustain operational tempo.” Officials said the United States and Israel had agreed in advance to a ballistic missile-defense framework that effectively placed much of the burden for high-end interceptions on THAAD and ship-based U.S. systems. Israel, meanwhile, relied more heavily on lower-tier systems such as Iron Dome and David’s Sling to counter projectiles from Hezbollah and the Houthis, while preserving its more advanced interceptor stockpiles. The result, officials said, was a significant drawdown of U.S. supplies while Israel maintained more of its high-end air-defense inventory. Justin Logan, director of defense and foreign policy studies at the libertarian Cato Institute, said the dynamic appeared to conflict with Trump’s “America First” approach. “Since Trump took office again, Israel’s position makes sense: our priorities first, our resources last,” he said. “Why Trump has tried to make this America First is less clear.” Logan said earlier reports that the Pentagon had only about 25% of the Patriot air-defense inventory needed to meet existing U.S. defense plans should have served as a warning. “Why this wasn’t a screeching siren to Trump officials is a mystery,” he said. message rjm3m6h1fl The girl, a foreign national, was taken to Tel Aviv’s Ichilov Hospital in critical condition, where doctors later pronounced her dead; police said there was no suspicion of foul play Maya Cohen https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/21/r1v5i921fl/r1v5i921fl_0_0_1280_720_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rjm3m6h1fl Thu, 21 May 2026 20:42:30 +03:00 A 4-year-old girl fell to her death Thursday afternoon from the fourth floor of a building on David Tidhar Street in Tel Aviv-Jaffa. The girl, a foreign national, was taken to Ichilov Hospital in critical condition, where doctors later pronounced her dead. Police said the investigation has so far found no suspicion of foul play. The report of the girl’s fall from a window in her home was received by Magen David Adom’s 101 emergency dispatch center in the Dan region at 5:32 p.m. Paramedic Yehuda Edri and EMT Avi Raymond said: “The girl was lying on the ground unconscious, with severe injuries to her body, after falling from the fourth floor. We provided lifesaving medical treatment and evacuated her to the hospital in serious condition.” About two hours later, Ichilov said the girl had been rushed to Dana-Dwek Children’s Hospital, and that despite doctors’ efforts, they were forced to pronounce her dead. “We share in the family’s deep sorrow,” the hospital said. message hkfzo0031ml IDF combat documentation soldier Staff Sgt. S. was seriously wounded Wednesday in a drone explosion in southern Lebanon and underwent successful first surgery at Rambam Medical Center; she is awake, speaking and recovering, with femur and jaw fractures Gal Ganot https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/21/By00NrL2JGg/By00NrL2JGg_0_283_760_428_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hkfzo0031ml Thu, 21 May 2026 16:26:03 +03:00 Staff Sergeant. S., a combat documentation soldier who was seriously wounded on Wednesday in an explosion caused by a booby-trapped drone in southern Lebanon, woke up on Thursday morning after her first surgery, which was completed successfully at Rambam Medical Center. “She walked on foot to the Namer (Israeli armoured personnel carrier), from there she was transferred to a Hummer and from there to a helicopter that took her to the hospital. It was a complicated rescue, it took a long time to get there. They were deep in the field,” her brother Yarden told ynet. “She called our parents from the hospital and first of all said she was okay. Only afterward did we learn she was hit by an FPV drone in Lebanon. She couldn’t walk at first and they didn’t have a stretcher, so she was assisted by the people evacuating her all the way to the helicopter.” The surgery she underwent on Wednesday night was due to a fracture in her femur, and the next planned surgery is in her jaw, which was also broken. “She is not on a ventilator or sedated. She woke up, spoke and smiled,” Yarden said. “As soon as she opened her eyes she talked about the materials she had documented. The first thing she did when the explosion was heard was turn on her camera, the GoPro on her uniform. After we spoke with her and the people who were with her, we understood they saw and heard the drone approaching, opened fire at it and it fell and exploded next to them.” “Drones are a very serious threat. What is most worrying is that there is no solution and the activity continues at the same level. S. did not share with us how she is coping with it. She is deeply focused on her work, mission-driven.” Sela, the soldier’s other brother, said: “She documents every moment, even when she is seriously wounded. Her first instinct in general is to turn on the camera. Even when she woke up, she immediately asked ‘Where is my camera?’ She said she has a lot of photos to publish, important for public awareness and messaging. She documents everything, even here in her hospital bed.” For the brothers accompanying S. during her recovery, there is an important message: “Combat documentation soldiers do not receive the recognition of frontline combat soldiers. This is something the entire unit is fighting for, especially recently. It is very important to advance this. S. has moved between Gaza, Syria and Lebanon since the start of the war. She operates alongside all the soldiers, trained as a combat soldier with a rifle qualification of 07. She is first and foremost part of the unit, joins them and operates with them, does everything with them along with the camera. Combat is the foundation, the camera is the addition. First she is a soldier, and alongside that she documents.” “This recognition as frontline soldiers is important. Combat documentation soldiers perform frontline combat roles, always on the front line. But because they are assigned to the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit, they do not receive the recognition they deserve. My sister S.’s injury proves what we already know - she is in constant danger, like any other soldier in the unit she joins. This applies to all combat documentation soldiers, men and women. They all fight, return fire, eliminate terrorists and take an inseparable part in intense combat.” S. is expected to be discharged from the army in about two months and already has plans. “She bought tickets to Italy. It is still unclear how long recovery will take, but if it is up to our sister - she will be back on her feet in two days. She is in good spirits, which is very important.” message b1glh003yfe German Chancellor Friedrich Merz proposed EU “associate membership” for Ukraine, allowing non-voting participation in EU institutions and meetings, to support stalled peace talks with Russia and accelerate accession talks amid delays  Associated Press https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2025/06/24/SJt2Jb004xe/SJt2Jb004xe_0_0_3000_1689_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b1glh003yfe Thu, 21 May 2026 15:53:35 +03:00 German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wants the European Union to consider offering “associate membership” to Ukraine and breathe new life into talks aimed at ending more than four years of war with Russia, according to a letter seen Thursday by The Associated Press. His letter, to the EU’s top officials, comes as the 27-nation bloc weighs whether to try to launch its own negotiations with Russian President Vladimir Putin, with U.S. mediated talks bogged down while America’s attention focuses on the Iran war. Under Merz’s proposals, Ukraine would take part in EU meetings, but without voting rights, and would also have non-voting “associate members” of the bloc’s powerful executive branch, the European Commission, and the European Parliament. He insisted that this “would not be a membership light,” and “go far beyond” the Association Agreement that currently governs EU-Ukraine relations. Merz suggested a “snap-back mechanism” in case Ukraine backslides on democratic standards. European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reaffirmed last month that official membership talks with Ukraine should be opened “without delay,” and Merz too called for that process to start. Delays and road blocks On Wednesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed signs of possible progress in the accession negotiations, saying in an address that it is “very important for us. Ukraine has fulfilled everything necessary for this progress.” Candidate countries must bring their laws into line in 35 policy areas, or “chapters,” ranging from justice standards to farm and fishing rules. All 27 EU members must agree before each chapter can be opened, and then again for it to be closed. Hungary, notably, has blocked the opening of negotiations, but with a new government now in place in Budapest this month that stance could change. Still, Merz’s plan is unlikely to please those European officials who argue that EU membership must be a merits-based process that concludes only once all the benchmarks have been met. But the German leader did say that his approach should be extended to other countries waiting in line to join, notably those in the Western Balkans, where EU leaders are due to gather for a summit next month. A European negotiating track On the war, Merz wrote that his proposal “will help facilitate the ongoing peace talks as part of a negotiated peace solution. This is essential not only for Ukraine’s but for the entire continent’s security.” Ukraine sees EU membership as one “security guarantee” for a stable future once the war ends. Its best guarantee would be NATO membership, but the Trump administration insists that cannot happen, and others are wary of it joining while fighting continues. As U.S-led mediation efforts have foundered, EU countries have begun to debate whether to launch a parallel negotiating track and who might mediate on their behalf in the unlikely event that Putin might agree to talk to them. Since then, speculation has swirled in European media about possible EU negotiators, including former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a Russian speaker who knows Putin well, and former European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi. Putin has suggested that he might talk to Gerhard Schröder, another past German chancellor. But officials have poured cold water on that idea even in Germany, where Schröder’s ties to the Russian energy sector and friendly relationship with Putin damaged his political standing after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said it would “not be very wise” to allow Putin to appoint a negotiator, and particularly a “high-level lobbyist for Russian state-owned companies.” Zelenskyy has welcomed a European role, saying on Sunday that “Europe must be involved in the negotiations. It is important for Europe to have a strong voice and presence in this process, and it is worth determining who will represent Europe specifically.” message bkffsb3ygg Man impersonating Bank Hapoalim representative defrauded an autistic Sharon-area resident of a 250,000-shekel loan, siphoning about 130,000 before account freeze; Police opened investigation, bank says it is assisting the victim Guy Vaknin, Shavvim https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2020/11/23/r1gkBnKKcv/r1gkBnKKcv_0_0_1000_563_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkffsb3ygg Thu, 21 May 2026 15:21:59 +03:00 “He took out a loan of 250,000 (≈$69,400) shekels in my name and managed to steal 130,000 (≈$36,100) from it,” Ariel (a pseudonym), a man on the autism spectrum from the Sharon area, told Shavvim after a loan was taken out in his name at the end of April without his knowledge and money began disappearing from his account. “A man called me and said he was a Bank Hapoalim representative. He claimed my account had been hacked and he needed my username and password to fix it,” he recalled. “Suddenly I discovered I had a lot of money in my account and I did not understand where it came from. Then it turned out he had taken out a loan in my name for a quarter of a million.” In a recording obtained by Shavvim, the impersonator instructs Ariel on how to “recover” the money. “You call them and then they call you back, you press 1 and it disconnects. It transfers the money automatically and solves the second problem,” the fake representative says. Documents obtained by Shavim and held in its system show how the fraudster began making transfers ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of shekels to various individuals. At a certain point, the Bank Hapoalim branch handling Ariel’s account noticed suspicious activity and froze the account. By the time the account was blocked, about 130,000 shekels had been taken and transferred to different accounts. Among the transfers was 14,000 (≈$3,900) shekels labeled in the recipient’s name with the stated purpose “birthday for a friend who helped me.” In another transfer, 20,000 shekels were used to buy a car, and another 20,000 (≈$5,600) shekels were sent in three separate transactions also labeled for car purchase. As if that were not enough, the impersonator continued calling Ariel and requesting his password, even after he changed it following the breach. “By the second time he asked, I already knew it was him, so I did not give it,” he said. In one instance, the fraudster told Ariel to download a car app and photograph his driver’s license, promising to return the money afterward. “He said the money was with him and that he only needed me to photograph my license from both sides. I did it because I thought he would return my money, but the license I uploaded was expired so he could not use it,” he explained. Following the suspicious activity, Bank Hapoalim froze the account, and Ariel has since been unable to use it at all, with all payments bouncing back. “I am in trouble with everyone,” he said sadly. “Electricity, Cellcom, Netflix, every bill I had simply was not paid.” In recent weeks, the impersonator continued calling Ariel to extract more money, but after what happened, Ariel became more cautious and did not provide further details. “My phone already identifies him as a scam, so I do not answer, but he keeps calling nonstop,” he said. “When I did answer, he always tried to impersonate someone else. Sometimes a bank representative, sometimes security, sometimes a bank manager.” After filing an online complaint with police a few weeks ago, he arrived at a police station the following day and submitted all documents. Ariel now hopes the perpetrators will be caught, the money returned and the offender brought to justice. “I am really desperate. All day I deal with returned payments because my card was blocked,” he concluded. Police said in response: “Upon receiving the complaint, an investigation was opened and all necessary actions are being taken in order to reach the truth.” Bank Hapoalim responded: “The bank regrets the incident the customer was caught in and is handling it thoroughly and with dedication in order to provide an optimal support package and assist accordingly. Unfortunately, criminal actors attempt to fraudulently extract money from citizens by impersonating various entities. In some cases, customers provide personal details to impersonators, click links or download software at their request, enabling remote takeover of their devices and personal information. The bank works extensively to reduce and eradicate the phenomenon and to compensate customers where appropriate and in accordance with the law. Do not provide verification codes or login details, do not click links and do not download software even if the caller claims to be a bank representative. In any suspected fraud case, report immediately to the bank and file a police complaint.” message hyuprp2jgg Most detained activists being transferred to Ramon Airport for deportation, as Turkey, Spain and Jordan work to repatriate citizens; one Israeli detainee faces a court hearing Thursday Roni Green Shaulov, Lior Ben Ari https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/18/SkWRrB00kzg/SkWRrB00kzg_4_0_549_310_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hyuprp2jgg Thu, 21 May 2026 15:02:26 +03:00 Israel released all detained activists from an anti-Israel Gaza-bound flotilla from Ketziot Prison ahead of their deportation, except for Israeli activist Zohar Regev, whose detention hearing was scheduled for later in the day, human rights group Adalah said Thursday. The legal organization, which represents the detainees, said it had received official confirmation from the Israel Prison Service and other Israeli authorities. Adalah said Israel had “illegally intercepted” the flotilla in international waters and accused authorities of “abuse and humiliation” of activists who sought to challenge Israel’s actions against Palestinians. Most of the activists were being transferred to Ramon Airport for flights out of Israel, while four had already departed through Ben Gurion Airport, the group said. Adalah said its legal team was monitoring the process to ensure all activists leave without further delay. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey was organizing special flights Thursday to evacuate Turkish nationals and activists from other countries who had joined the Global Sumud Flotilla. The planes were sent to Ramon Airport in southern Israel. “We plan to bring our citizens and participants from third countries to Türkiye today,” Fidan said. “We will continue to protect our citizens’ rights and fulfil our humanitarian responsibility towards civilians in Gaza; we will continue our support for Palestinian people.” Spain’s foreign minister said Spanish diplomats in Israel were informed that about 44 Spanish flotilla members would leave Israel at 3 p.m. Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said two Jordanian citizens who had taken part in the flotilla had returned home. The IDF completed its takeover of the flotilla Tuesday after the vessels headed toward the Gaza Strip, ostensibly to deliver humanitarian aid. The Foreign Ministry said the flotilla carried 430 activists. “This flotilla has once again proved to be nothing more than a PR stunt at the service of Hamas,” the ministry said. “Israel will continue to act in full accordance with international law and will not permit any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza.” Israeli naval forces from Shayetet 13 and Shayetet 3 seized the vessels near Cyprus, far from Israel’s territorial waters. Commandos first boarded the flotilla’s largest and leading vessels in an effort to force the others to turn back, then completed the takeover. After the boats were seized, troops transferred activists to what was described as a “floating prison,” then brought them to Ashdod Port for detention and questioning. Israeli authorities later decided who would remain in custody and who would be deported. While the activists were held at Ashdod Port, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the site and distributed footage appearing to show him taunting detainees. The footage sparked international backlash and criticism inside Israel’s government after several European countries summoned Israeli ambassadors for talks. message rknc5vhjzl Proposal to give Netanyahu 10 picks and expand Likud’s national list sparks anger among lawmakers, who warn dozens of sitting ministers and parliament members could be pushed out Moran Azulay https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/03/19/r1giy4Rt9Zl/r1giy4Rt9Zl_0_0_3000_2000_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rknc5vhjzl Thu, 21 May 2026 14:27:24 +03:00 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s support for a proposal that would give him 10 reserved slots on Likud’s Knesset slate has triggered unrest inside the ruling party, after reports that local authority heads raised competing plans for how Likud should choose its candidates in the next election. The Likud, Netanyahu’s right-wing party, traditionally holds primaries in which party members vote for the list of candidates who will run for Knesset. The order of that list can determine who enters parliament, depending on how many seats the party wins. At a meeting with Likud mayors, one proposal called for canceling the party’s primaries on a one-time basis and replacing them with an appointments committee. Netanyahu, however, backed a different proposal by Modiin Mayor Haim Bibas that would keep primaries but grant the prime minister 10 reserved slots and expand the national list to the 35th spot. The proposal also includes a pledge to use the so-called Norwegian Law, under which ministers may resign from the Knesset while remaining in the Cabinet, allowing the next candidates on the party list to enter parliament. The plan has angered Likud activists and lawmakers who fear it could push sitting ministers and Knesset members out of realistic places on the slate. “With all due respect to the local authority heads who attended the meeting, Likud is a democratic party, not an appointments committee of Mapai or Yesh Atid,” said Nili Aharon, head of the Yeruham local council, referring to former and current rival parties. “Only Likud members will decide who their list for the next Knesset will be.” A senior Likud figure was even harsher, saying: “With these proposals, Netanyahu wants to throw all of us out, all the Knesset members who fought for him for an entire term.” Likud officials said that if Netanyahu receives six reserved slots in the top 20 alone, only 16 realistic spots would remain open for competition, with many likely taken by senior ministers and only a few left for other lawmakers. In the previous primaries, regional slots began at No. 19. The new proposal would significantly reduce the chances of sitting lawmakers returning to the Knesset. According to Likud estimates, about 27 current ministers and lawmakers could be pushed out after the election. Expanding the national list could soften that blow while still allowing Netanyahu a relatively large number of reserved spots. The meeting was attended by Bibas and several other Likud mayors, including Dimona Mayor Benny Biton, Or Yehuda Mayor Liat Shohat, Nof HaGalil Mayor Ronen Plot, Ashkelon Mayor Tomer Glam, Ashdod Mayor Yehiel Lasri and Kiryat Yam Mayor David Even Zur. Discussions on the proposal are expected to continue in the coming days. message s18gkeh1fx US intelligence assessments suggest Tehran is restoring strike drone and defense industry capabilities within months, despite American and Israeli claims that strikes set Tehran back for years ynet https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/04/29/rk3300RJRZe/rk3300RJRZe_0_0_1000_563_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/s18gkeh1fx Thu, 21 May 2026 11:28:44 +03:00 Iran is rapidly rebuilding parts of its military capabilities that were damaged in strikes by the United States and Israel, including renewed production of unmanned aerial vehicles, CNN reported Thursday, citing two sources familiar with U.S. intelligence assessments. Four sources told CNN that U.S. intelligence indicates Iran’s military is recovering much faster than initially estimated. As part of celebrations marking the anniversary of the birth of Imam Reza, Iranians took to the streets to show support for the regime and Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. A display of an Iranian UAV was shown in a parade of regime supporters. According to the report, the intelligence assessments cast doubt on claims regarding the extent of damage caused by Israeli and U.S. strikes to Tehran’s long-term military capabilities. U.S. intelligence assessments reportedly suggest Iran could restore its attack drone capabilities within six months. “The Iranians have exceeded all timelines the IC had for reconstitution,” one official said. CNN reported that Iran has managed to rebuild its capabilities thanks to a range of factors, including assistance from Russia and China. Beijing, it was reported, has continued supplying Iran with components for missile production, although this has been reduced since U.S. sanctions began. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed in an interview last week that China is supplying Iran with missile production components. China has denied the claim. It was also reported that Iran has managed to rebuild its defense industry, which according to Israeli and U.S. statements, had been destroyed. Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of United States Central Command, said this week that “Operation Epic Fury significantly degraded Iran’s ballistic missiles and drones while destroying 90% of their defense industrial base, ensuring Iran cannot reconstitute for years.” He made the remarks during a hearing before the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. CNN wrote that Cooper’s testimony stands in stark contrast to intelligence assessments. One source familiar with the assessments told CNN that the damage may have set Iran’s defense industry back by only a few months rather than years. According to the source, parts of Iran’s defense industry remain intact, which could further accelerate the timeline for restoring certain capabilities. message hkxp542kml National security minister's video draws condemnations from 24 countries, envoy summons and major headlines in France and Italy accusing him of abusing flotilla activists; 'Sheds light on his policy of mistreating Palestinian detainees' Yoni Hochberger https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/21/H1yv2mhyze/H1yv2mhyze_0_0_850_479_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hkxp542kml Thu, 21 May 2026 11:19:59 +03:00 National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s video showing him taunting Gaza flotilla detainees drew condemnations from at least 24 countries and prominent coverage in major international media outlets. The French newspaper Le Monde placed a story on Ben-Gvir’s conduct at the top of its homepage under the headline: “By spreading a humiliating video of European activists from the Gaza flotilla, Itamar Ben-Gvir sheds light on his policy of mistreating Palestinian detainees.” Italy’s Corriere della Sera also gave the story prominent placement, running it second on its site under the headline: “Blindfolded and with hands tied behind their backs: How Ben-Gvir humiliated flotilla activists: ‘Don’t worry about the shouting. Excellent work.’” The newspaper also published a profile of the national security minister headlined: “Racism, guns and humiliation: Who is Ben-Gvir, the most extreme minister (whom Bibi will forgive again).” Britain’s Guardian also reported on Ben-Gvir, placing the story second on its site, just below its lead item on a planned call between U.S. President Donald Trump and his Taiwanese counterpart. The BBC also gave the report high placement on its site. “Far-right Israeli minister condemned for taunting handcuffed Gaza flotilla activists,” its headline said. The subheadline noted that France and Italy were among the countries criticizing Ben-Gvir. In Greece, the popular newspaper Kathimerini published a prominently placed story under the headline: “Strong protest abroad, crisis within,” with a subheadline reading: “Israel: Anger and official European protests over Ben-Gvir’s video.” Cyprus Mail, the oldest and largest daily newspaper in Cyprus, placed a story on Ben-Gvir at the top of its homepage alongside three other articles. The headline read: “Cyprus condemns Ben Gvir conduct toward Gaza flotilla activists.” In the United States, where Ambassador Mike Huckabee issued a sharp condemnation, the footage also drew attention. CNN published a story headlined: “Video showing far-right Israeli minister taunting Gaza flotilla activists sparks global outcry.” NBC also covered the video, reporting that a global uproar had erupted over footage of Israel’s national security minister mocking bound flotilla activists. Condemnations continued internationally. New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters wrote on X that his country “condemns the behaviour of Israeli Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.” “Last year, New Zealand placed a travel ban on Minister Ben-Gvir for severely and deliberately undermining peace and security and removing prospects for a two state solution,” Peters wrote. “His latest conduct with respect to the Gaza flotilla, which has been seriously criticised by his own Prime Minister, is further vindication of that position. We have instructed MFAT to call in the Israeli Ambassador today to directly pass on our grave concerns.” Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong later wrote: “The images we have seen posted by Israeli Minister Ben-Gvir - who Australia has sanctioned - are shocking and unacceptable... I have also directed DFAT to call in Israel’s Ambassador to Australia to reinforce this message.” In Spain, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares said 44 flotilla activists were expected to be deported from Israel to Madrid via Turkey on a flight departing at 3 p.m. Israel time. At least 24 countries, 19 of them in Europe, condemned Israel over Ben-Gvir’s actions: the United States, Britain, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Canada, Romania, Slovenia, Latvia, Austria, Slovakia, Cyprus, Switzerland, Sweden, Poland, Finland, Turkey, Germany, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand and Greece. In the footage Ben-Gvir published, he is seen proudly waving an Israeli flag in front of handcuffed activists whose faces are turned toward the floor. “Summer camp is over,” he said. “Anyone who acts against the State of Israel will find a determined state. Am Yisrael Chai.” One activist shouted, “Free Palestine,” and was pinned to the floor by Israel Prison Service officers. Transportation Minister Miri Regev also visited Ashdod Port on Thursday, posting a video on X and writing: “This is what should be done to supporters of terrorism who came to break the blockade on Gaza.” The footage prompted rare criticism of Ben-Gvir from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “Israel has every right to prevent provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters from entering our territorial waters and reaching Gaza,” Netanyahu wrote. “However, the way that Minister Ben Gvir dealt with the flotilla activists is not in line with Israel’s values and norms. I have instructed the relevant authorities to deport the provocateurs as soon as possible.” The IDF completed on Tuesday its takeover of the anti-Israel flotilla that left the Turkish port of Marmaris, purportedly seeking to reach the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid. The Foreign Ministry said Wednesday that 430 activists were aboard and were transferred to Israel. “This flotilla has once again proved to be nothing more than a PR stunt at the service of Hamas,” the Foreign Ministry said after the takeover was completed. “Israel will continue to act in full accordance with international law and will not permit any breach of the lawful naval blockade on Gaza.” message bkvw3b2yfx US media report PM pressed Trump to resume attacks on Iran, but president chose to give talks more time as Tehran reviews US terms and Saudi Arabia urges de-escalation ynet https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/03/23/H1xGRQki11e/H1xGRQki11e_0_0_850_479_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkvw3b2yfx Thu, 21 May 2026 07:52:25 +03:00 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump held a tense phone call this week over whether to resume strikes on Iran, with Netanyahu arguing that waiting would be a mistake and Trump saying he wanted to give diplomacy more time, U.S. media reported. According to reports by CNN, Axios and The Wall Street Journal, Netanyahu pressed Trump to continue with planned military action against Iran, warning that further delays would only benefit Tehran. Israeli officials were said to be frustrated that Trump was again allowing Iran to drag out negotiations. CNN reported that Netanyahu told Trump that delaying renewed fighting would be a mistake and urged him to move ahead as planned. The Wall Street Journal reported that Netanyahu made similar arguments in two recent calls, stressing Israel’s skepticism that Iran would comply with any agreement to dismantle its nuclear program or stop attacks on its neighbors in the region. The reports said Israeli officials are concerned that any rapid agreement Trump signs to end the war would not sufficiently remove the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear and missile programs. U.S. intelligence has assessed that Iran has managed to reopen many missile depots that were blocked during the war, while enriched uranium reportedly remains at the Isfahan nuclear site. Trump was not persuaded by Netanyahu’s arguments, according to The Wall Street Journal, and made clear he still backed diplomacy. He said he was seeking an agreement that would prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, while not ruling out renewed military action later. CNN reported that Trump told Netanyahu he wanted to allow several more days for a deal to emerge in order to save lives. In an earlier call Sunday, Trump reportedly said he had been leaning toward approving strikes before canceling them at the last minute. The planned operation was expected to be dubbed “Heavy Hammer.” The Wall Street Journal reported that in a Monday meeting on Iran, Trump and his advisers concluded that economic pressure on Tehran was having an effect. If Trump ultimately decides to resume fighting, the newspaper said, he is expected to order strikes on energy and other critical infrastructure targets. In Tehran, Iranian officials said they had received U.S. “positions” and were reviewing them. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Pakistan continued to mediate and pass messages between Tehran and Washington, and that several rounds of communication had taken place based on Iran’s 14-point plan. Fada-Hossein Maleki, a member of the Iranian parliament’s national security committee, said Pakistani army chief Asim Munir was expected to arrive in Tehran with a message. Despite signs of diplomacy, the sides remain far apart, with Iran showing no flexibility on its nuclear program or the Strait of Hormuz, while the United States has so far refused to make major concessions on sanctions relief. Saudi Arabia welcomed Trump’s last-minute decision to hold off on strikes. Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan said the kingdom “highly appreciates” Trump’s decision to give negotiations another chance to reach an agreement that would end the war and restore security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. He also praised Pakistan’s mediation efforts and urged Iran to seize the opportunity to avoid the serious consequences of escalation. message hj46dtsyfg US reports new Iran proposal as Trump delays strike but keeps forces ready; Two carrier groups, destroyers and thousands of troops remain near Hormuz; Iran still holds missiles, drones, enriched uranium and threat to disrupt global shipping  Tal Amoday https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/13/rkl6LjWkfg/rkl6LjWkfg_178_68_2581_1453_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hj46dtsyfg Thu, 21 May 2026 05:47:31 +03:00 Trump’s declaration that he had decided at the last moment to delay, “for a short time,” a U.S. strike on Iran once again raised tensions across the Middle East. He said he had responded to requests from Gulf leaders who asked for more time for negotiations with Tehran, but also made clear he had ordered the U.S. military to remain ready to launch a “large-scale attack” immediately if talks fail. On Wednesday evening, the Iranian news agency Tasnim, which is close to the regime, reported that the United States had delivered a new proposal to Tehran. “They transmitted a new text to Iran via Pakistan,” a source close to the negotiations told Tasnim. “Iran is currently reviewing the text and has not yet responded. Pakistan is trying to bridge the gaps, but these efforts have not yet produced final results.” Before that proposal, the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. and Israel were preparing new strikes against Iran, possibly as early as next week. Behind this pause lies an unusual balance of power. On one side, a major U.S. concentration of naval, aerial and defensive assets around Iran, giving Washington the ability to quickly resume strikes, defend its bases and allies, and apply maritime pressure on Tehran. On the other side, Iran, which has been significantly weakened in recent months, still retains capabilities sufficient to impose heavy costs: a substantial missile arsenal, drones, regional proxy forces, an enriched uranium stockpile approaching weapons-grade levels, and one critical strategic lever that worries the entire world: the Strait of Hormuz. Two aircraft carriers, destroyers and thousands of troops around Hormuz At present, according to USNI News, which tracks the U.S. Navy, two American aircraft carrier strike groups are operating in the Arabian Sea: the USS Abraham Lincoln and the United States Ship (USS) George H.W. Bush. The USS Gerald R. Ford, which had been part of the unusually large regional deployment, has already returned to its home port in Norfolk, Virginia after an 11-month deployment. But the presence of two strike groups still preserves significant firepower against Iran. Around the carriers operate air wings including F/A-18 fighter jets, F-35C stealth aircraft, EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets, E-2D command and control aircraft and helicopters. In addition, guided-missile destroyers and other vessels are deployed across the Arabian Sea, the Red Sea and the eastern Mediterranean. USNI also reported that an amphibious force from the USS Tripoli is operating within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, alongside Marine vessels and mine warfare ships sent to the region. This presence enables the United States to rapidly resume strikes on Iran from sea and air, using aircraft, cruise missiles, intelligence capabilities and electronic warfare, while also providing a broader defensive umbrella for U.S. bases, regional partners, Israel and maritime routes in the Gulf. In addition to naval forces, the U.S. has already deployed F-35, F-15E and F-16 aircraft, B-2 and B-52 bombers, KC-135 refueling tankers and extensive intelligence, surveillance and electronic warfare systems in its operations against Iran. The arena that has become the central bargaining chip and the possibility of NATO involvement If at the beginning of the current war the focus was on nuclear facilities and the missile program, the Strait of Hormuz has now become an equally central strategic hub. The U.S. has already announced restrictions on maritime traffic to and from Iranian ports but stressed it does not intend to block free passage of vessels heading to non-Iranian ports. At the same time, United States Central Command has launched a mine-clearing operation in the strait after, according to U.S. statements, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps laid naval mines in the area. Earlier this month, Trump launched “Operation Project Freedom,” aimed at restoring commercial shipping through Hormuz under a U.S. protective umbrella. The move was suspended two days later, but the U.S. continues to maintain a large naval and air presence designed to protect its forces, enforce maritime pressure on Iran and deter attacks on commercial shipping. According to CENTCOM, the force in the Strait of Hormuz includes guided-missile destroyers, more than 100 aircraft from land and sea bases, unmanned systems and about 15,000 military personnel. Bloomberg reported that NATO is also considering intervention if the strategic shipping lane is not reopened by early July. According to the report, alliance discussions are underway on assisting safe passage for ships through the blocked strait. A diplomat from a NATO member state said the idea has support from several members but still lacks the unanimous approval required. If approved, such a move would mark a significant shift in NATO policy regarding the U.S.-Israel war with Iran and bring the alliance more directly into efforts to secure freedom of navigation in the Gulf. For Iran, this is not just a shipping lane but a survival lever. Before the war, the strait carried about a quarter of global seaborne oil trade and about a fifth of liquefied natural gas trade. Any disruption quickly affects energy prices, the global economy and political pressure on Trump at home. Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates do not want to see Iran strengthened, but also understand that another escalation could trigger direct retaliation against energy facilities, ports, U.S. bases and civilian infrastructure in the Gulf. This is why Hormuz has become the most sensitive focal point. The U.S. can deploy overwhelming naval power there, but Iran does not need to destroy the U.S. fleet to create a crisis. Naval mines, drones, anti-ship missiles, explosive boats or localized incidents are enough to raise insurance premiums, push shipping companies away and trigger panic in energy markets. Iran’s capabilities have been damaged but not dismantled After weeks of U.S. and Israeli strikes, there is no doubt Iran has paid a heavy price. Command structures, air defenses, bases, missile sites and military infrastructure have been repeatedly targeted. However, recent assessments are far from a picture of “decisive defeat.” According to reports in the New York Times and Washington Post in recent weeks, based on U.S. intelligence assessments, Iran still retains about 70% of its pre-war ballistic missile stockpile and about 75% of its launchers. In drones, estimates suggest it retains around 40% of its arsenal. In the nuclear domain, the problem remains unresolved. Iran still holds an estimated 440 kilograms of uranium enriched to 60%, close to the 90% level required for weapons-grade material. Even if some nuclear facilities were damaged, questions about the location of the stockpile, the ability to monitor it and how to remove it from the Islamic Republic remain among the most difficult issues in negotiations between Washington and Tehran. For Iran, the missile program has become perhaps the central lesson of recent months. Its air force is relatively outdated and inferior to those of Israel and the United States, but its missile and drone capabilities allow it to threaten Israeli rear areas, U.S. bases, airports, ports and energy infrastructure in the Gulf. Even when interception rates are high, the need to intercept hundreds of threats strains interceptor stocks, burdens defense systems and disrupts daily life. To this is added Iran’s network of regional proxies. Hezbollah in Lebanon, militias in Iraq and the Houthis in Yemen are not in the same position they were before October 7, but they can still open secondary fronts. Iran’s threat is therefore not only direct missile fire from Tehran toward Israel, but an attempt to widen the conflict across the region: U.S. bases in Iraq and the Gulf, shipping in the Red Sea, fire from Lebanon, strikes on energy infrastructure and disruption of trade routes. Israel’s response: Arrow, David’s Sling, Iron Dome and laser systems Israel is preparing for a scenario in which renewed U.S. strikes on Iran would trigger a direct response against its home front. That response could be limited as a signal or significantly broader if the regime in Tehran again feels its survival is at risk. Israel’s air defense architecture is built in layers. The upper layer is the Arrow 3 system, designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles outside the atmosphere. Beneath it operates Arrow 2, intended to intercept missiles that penetrate the first layer. The third layer is David’s Sling, designed to counter medium-range missiles, heavy rockets, cruise missiles and drones. Below that is Iron Dome for short-range threats, alongside the naval “C-Dome” system deployed on Israeli Navy vessels to protect maritime assets, gas platforms and strategic infrastructure. A laser system, “Iron Beam,” has also been added, intended to shift the cost equation against relatively cheap threats such as rockets, mortars and drones. Instead of intercepting a low-cost threat with an expensive interceptor, the laser aims to provide much cheaper per-engagement interception. However, laser systems depend on weather conditions, range, line of sight and target rate, making them an important layer but not a replacement for the full system. Although Israel is among the world’s most advanced countries in air defense, it is not operating alone against Iran, and the U.S. presence in the region increases opportunities for cooperation. The earlier a threat is detected, the greater the chance of intercepting it further away. The closer U.S. forces operate to Iran, the more they can strike launchers before launch or intercept threats at an earlier stage. But this is also why Iran may attempt to target U.S. bases and naval vessels. US military superiority cannot strike everything On paper, the balance is clear: the United States has overwhelming air, naval, intelligence and technological superiority over Iran. It can deploy aircraft carriers, bombers, stealth jets, cruise missiles, electronic warfare and advanced defense systems. Iran relies on a different strategy: dispersion, concealment, missiles, drones, proxies and the ability to turn any escalation into a regional and economic crisis. This is precisely Trump’s dilemma. Another strike could hit additional launchers, missile sites and Revolutionary Guard infrastructure. But even after significant operational gains in the last round, the campaign has not achieved a strategic knockout: the regime remains in place, missile capability has not been eliminated and the uranium remains. The U.S. also faces constraints. According to an analysis by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the U.S. stockpile is not expected to run out in a plausible escalation scenario, but heavy use of Tomahawk missiles, Patriot interceptors and other systems is already creating a long-term issue: replenishment could take years and shortages could affect readiness for other theaters, especially China. So the current balance of power is misleading if viewed only through “who is stronger.” The U.S. and Israel are stronger than Iran in almost every military metric, but Iran can still impose costs in Israel’s rear, in the Gulf, in the Red Sea, in global energy markets and in U.S. domestic politics. That is its core strategy: not to defeat the U.S., but to make any attempt to subdue it expensive, prolonged and dangerous. message rkwphqokml Ten Israeli officers and soldiers were wounded in FPV drone attacks in southern Lebanon, including 401st Brigade commander Col. Meir Biderman, seriously injured IDF struggles to counter Hezbollah UAVs as northern alerts sounded in Kiryat Shmona Gal Ganot https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/04/23/SJJkmuv611g/SJJkmuv611g_0_0_1280_852_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rkwphqokml Thu, 21 May 2026 04:20:58 +03:00 The most seriously wounded in Wednesday evening’s drone strike was Sgt. S., who was hit by shrapnel. In the same incident, an officer and two soldiers were moderately wounded, while another officer and two additional soldiers were lightly injured. In the morning incident, in which the 401st Brigade commander was seriously wounded, a reserve lieutenant colonel was moderately injured and another reserve soldier was lightly wounded. In recent months, Hezbollah has significantly upgraded its use of FPV drones, while the Israel Defense Forces is still searching for an effective way to counter the threat. The IDF reported seven wounded in a drone strike in southern Lebanon on Wednesday evening, hours after announcing that Col. Meir Biderman, commander of the 401st Armored Brigade, had been seriously wounded in a drone attack and was in serious condition. The most severely wounded in Wednesday evening’s strike was Sgt. S., an operational documentation combat soldier, who was hit by shrapnel. An officer and two soldiers were moderately wounded, and another officer and two soldiers were lightly wounded. S. enlisted in November 2023 and began basic training just a month after the outbreak of the October 7 war. Her training included infantry border combat training, advanced courses in counterterrorism and jungle warfare, alongside training in photography, communications and public affairs. In an interview, she spoke openly about her service. “In Givati, Kfir, Golani, Nahal, Commando units, I knew from the start of training that this is what would happen. It doesn’t intimidate me,” she said. She also added critically, “There is disrespect from commanders, both because I am a woman among men in an operational environment and toward the role itself. I don’t care. I know the importance of what I do.” Addressing those who dismissed her role, she said, “I explain I went through the same training as them. They are surprised I am also a Rifleman Level 07. They need to understand I am one of them. I know how to handle incidents and if that means being more with a weapon and less with a camera, I will do that too. To prove it. That’s the main thing.” On Wednesday morning, Col. Biderman was seriously wounded in the head by an FPV drone in the western sector of southern Lebanon. Following his injury, a reserve colonel currently serving as the brigade chief of staff will temporarily assume command of the 401st Brigade. A friend of Biderman, speaking near his hospital room at Rambam Health Care Campus, said he had always emphasized concern for his soldiers and fighters. He described him as deeply engaged in the evolving combat on the Lebanon border, including raids in villages, elimination of militants and confronting a changing Hezbollah. He said Biderman had been preparing his forces for complex operations and was wounded while operating with his troops in the field, calling him a strong and brilliant officer. In northern Israel, frustration is growing over the lack of a clear solution to drone threats. On Wednesday morning, two alerts warning of UAV infiltration near Kiryat Shmona sent thousands of students into shelters. Many others were forced to lie under desks due to the short warning time that did not allow them to reach protected spaces. message rygz1aoyge Trump said he would wait 'a few days' for Iran’s response to a new proposal, but Israeli officials believe another strike may ultimately be unavoidable, warning that as long as Tehran’s regime survives, repeated conflict is likely Yossi Yehoshua https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/05/BkcpgaD0bx/BkcpgaD0bx_0_0_850_479_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rygz1aoyge Thu, 21 May 2026 02:19:48 +03:00 Israel is preparing for the possibility of renewed war with Iran. In recent weeks, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has held a series of discussions and briefings with the defense establishment, Military Intelligence Directorate, Operations Directorate and Air Force ahead of a possible new round of fighting, this time in full coordination with the United States. At the same time, defense officials are seeking to prepare the public for what they describe as a new reality: the campaign against Iran is not expected to end with a single strike. “There needs to be a resetting of public expectations,” a senior defense official told ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth. “The war against Iran will be prolonged. As long as this regime does not fall, we are likely to face recurring rounds of fighting, perhaps every year and possibly even more frequently, in order to ensure that the nuclear and ballistic missile threat does not endanger the existence of the State of Israel.” According to the official, the gaps between Washington and Tehran remain very wide. “The people making the decisions in Iran are members of the Revolutionary Guards, and their interests do not align with American demands,” he said. “The American minimum does not meet the Iranian maximum. Therefore, in our assessment, Trump will ultimately have no choice but to launch another round against Iran.” U.S. President Donald Trump said yesterday that negotiations with Iran were “in the final stages,” but added: “We cannot allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon. They are begging for a deal, we’ll see what happens. Maybe we’ll have to hit them much harder, and maybe not.” Earlier, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya reported that “work is underway to finalize the last details of a draft agreement between Washington and Tehran.” Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency, which is affiliated with the Iranian regime, later reported that the United States had submitted a new proposal to Tehran. “Iran is currently reviewing the text and has not yet responded,” a source close to the negotiations told Tasnim. “Pakistan is working to bridge the gaps, but those efforts have not yet produced final results.” Trump later said: “We will wait a few days for Iran’s response. We need to get the right answer.” Still, even if another strike ultimately takes place, Israeli officials do not see it as a move that would end the threat. “From Israel’s perspective, this will not be the last round as long as this regime remains standing,” the senior official said. “It will be possible to hit Iran very hard, damage economic and military targets and symbols of government, and it will look like a clear victory in Western eyes. But from the Iranian perspective, as long as the regime survives, they will rebuild their military capabilities. Therefore Israel will have to maintain intelligence and operational readiness for another return to fighting.” Israeli defense officials are particularly concerned that the issue of ballistic missiles is not at the center of the negotiations with Iran. According to Israeli assessments, Iran possessed more than 2,000 ballistic missiles before the war. Following the launches it carried out and the strikes it sustained, Israel now estimates that roughly half remain. Israeli officials stress that, contrary to various reports, Iran cannot quickly restore its missile stockpiles on a large scale, especially after heavy launch trucks and production infrastructure were also damaged. At the same time, since the end of the last campaign, Iran has reportedly been working to reopen missile tunnels that the Israeli military struck and sealed through airstrikes. “Even if we assume the most optimistic scenario, in which the nuclear issue is resolved — and the chances of that are low — Iran will accelerate its arms race primarily in the missile field,” the senior official said. “There is a certain threshold against which full air defense cannot be provided. Therefore we will have no choice but to strike again.” At the same time, Israeli defense officials say Operation Rising Lion has already inflicted deep damage on the Iranian regime. Military industries were severely damaged, senior figures considered pillars of the regime were killed, ballistic missile production capabilities suffered significant setbacks and the sense of immunity among Tehran’s leadership was undermined. Now, 45 days after the ceasefire took effect, Israeli officials believe the operation’s effects are still unfolding. According to Israeli assessments, Iran’s new leadership is struggling to stabilize itself, hampering both reconstruction efforts and the formulation of new policy. Israeli officials also point to what they describe as unusual measures indicating growing concern within the regime over potential domestic unrest. Continued internet restrictions in Iran are viewed as an attempt to prevent protest organizing and anti-government demonstrations. At the same time, Iran is grappling with a worsening water crisis that Israeli defense officials believe is gradually evolving from an infrastructure problem into a broader economic and social crisis. The economic crisis is also deepening. Iran’s currency continues to weaken, while the country is experiencing unusually high inflation in basic food products. Israeli officials assess that damage to access to oil reserves and pressure surrounding the Strait of Hormuz are further worsening the regime’s economic distress. Despite the severe damage, Israeli officials stress that Iran has not abandoned reconstruction efforts. Throughout the ceasefire, senior regime officials have reportedly worked to rebuild damaged infrastructure and replenish weapons stockpiles, even at the cost of worsening civilian hardship. The Israeli military assesses that if fighting resumes, the focus will be on deepening the economic damage to the regime and increasing pressure on it. Among the main targets identified are continued strikes on terrorist infrastructure, increased pressure on the Iranian navy and attacks on particularly sensitive centers of economic power. Defense officials say the ceasefire period was used to prepare a more extensive and higher-quality “target bank.” “The moment approval is given,” a defense source said, “the IDF is prepared to strike the Iranian regime at its most sensitive points, from economic damage to the targeted killing of senior officials.” The conclusion in Israel, officials say, is clear: even if additional achievements are made against Iran, the next strike will not end the campaign. From the perspective of the defense establishment, as long as the regime in Tehran remains in power, Israel will have to prepare for additional rounds of fighting, further strikes and a prolonged confrontation that could continue for years. message bydds9jyzg Erdogan told Trump he welcomed extension of US-Iran ceasefire and said disputes could be resolved, Turkish presidency said; Trump said talks are in final stages and warned of strikes without deal Reuters https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2025/10/21/ByKtOWSClg/ByKtOWSClg_0_36_3000_1689_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bydds9jyzg Thu, 21 May 2026 01:01:05 +03:00 Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan told U.S. President Donald Trump in a call on Wednesday he welcomed the extension ​of a ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran, adding he believed ‌contested issues between the sides could be resolved, according to the Turkish presidency. NATO member Turkey, which neighbours Iran, has been in close contact with Washington, Tehran, and mediators Pakistan ​to seek an end to the war. It has called for ​an end to the conflict and passed messages between the ⁠sides. Trump said earlier that negotiations with Iran were "in the final stages," while ​warning of further attacks unless Tehran agrees to a peace deal. "During the meeting, ​our President stated that he viewed the decision to extend the ceasefire in the conflict zone in our region as a positive development (and) that he believed a reasonable solution to ​the disputed issues was possible," the presidency said in a statement. It added ​that Erdogan called renewed stability in Syria an "important gain" for the region, adding that he ‌urged ⁠steps to prevent the situation in Lebanon from worsening amid the continued fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Erdogan also told Trump preparations for the NATO Summit, to be held in Ankara in July, were continuing and that Turkey was working ​for the meeting ​to be "a success ⁠in every aspect," the presidency said. The two also discussed bilateral ties, it added. Trump later said he had a "very good" ​call with Erdogan, adding that the pair have a very ​good ⁠relationship. "Isn't it nice to have relationships with some very tough people? He's a tough guy, and I have a relationship with him that nobody else has," Trump ⁠said. "He's ​been, I think, very much of an ally. ​Some people doubt that, but I think he's been a great ally." message bysfums1mx Police say the woman took an M-16 left at her restaurant to help cover debts, then hid it in an employee’s car; her lawyer says she acted under threats on her life Israel Moshkovitz https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/20/ByblI9Zi1zx/ByblI9Zi1zx_0_0_1080_608_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bysfums1mx Wed, 20 May 2026 21:58:29 +03:00 A restaurant owner from the Golan Heights is expected to be indicted in the coming days on suspicion of stealing an IDF officer’s rifle in an attempt to cover debts, police said. The indictment is expected to be filed at the Nazareth District Court against the restaurant owner and an employee. They are accused of theft, carrying and transporting a weapon, and illegal possession of a weapon. Chief Superintendent Hisham Falah, investigations and intelligence officer for the Golan police, told ynet that Military Police reported earlier this month that an IDF officer had eaten at a restaurant in the central Golan Heights and that his personal weapon had been stolen. Investigators went to the restaurant to search for the weapon, but it was closed. They then went to the restaurant owner’s home, where they found ammunition held illegally but did not locate the M-16 rifle, Falah said. Police detained the owner, her business partner, a friend of the partner and a restaurant employee. All initially denied involvement and said they had seen nothing unusual. Investigators later found that the restaurant’s security camera system had no digital video recorder, raising suspicion that evidence had been hidden. Two days after the arrests, Falah said, the investigation produced a breakthrough when the restaurant owner implicated herself and led police to the stolen rifle, which had been hidden in the trunk of her employee’s car. Military Police also questioned the officer, who said he had gone with a group of soldiers serving in the Golan Heights to eat at the restaurant. At the end of the meal, he discovered that the rifle, which he had placed on the floor, was missing. He contacted the restaurant, and he and staff members searched for it but did not find it. “The officer felt uneasy about the situation and could not believe that a restaurant owner in the Golan Heights would steal his weapon,” Falah said. “From our perspective, this is a serious case involving the theft of a military weapon from an army officer for the purpose of arms trafficking, and we will seek severe punishment.” Attorney Yaron Shomron, who represents the restaurant owner, said his client had fallen into severe debt and faced escalating threats on her life. “In flawed and mistaken judgment, uncharacteristic of her worldview, she took the weapon,” he said. “Immediately afterward, she took full responsibility for her actions and assisted in returning the weapon to IDF authorities.” Prosecutors are expected to ask that the suspects remain in custody until the end of legal proceedings. message r115hujjgx A Zar’it mother says FPV drones have left her children traumatized and afraid to go outside, as fiber-optic cables turn up near homes and bus stops in the northern farming community Yair Kraus https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/18/yk14775278/yk14775278_0_10_326_184_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r115hujjgx Wed, 20 May 2026 21:31:42 +03:00 “The children here are living in trauma. My son doesn’t want to be outside alone because he’s afraid there will be a siren,” said Yekarat Elboim, a mother of two living with her family in the northern moshav of Zar’it, describing with pain and frustration the constant threat posed by FPV drones. One such drone seriously wounded Col. Meir Biderman, commander of the 401st Armored Brigade, on Wednesday. The Elboim family moved to the Upper Galilee only last summer. Since then, daily life has become a constant balancing act between routine family matters and fear of Hezbollah drones. On Wednesday morning, ahead of the holiday, Elboim said she was forced to leave home to shop despite her fears. “I was very afraid, but there was no choice,” she said. Since the launch of Operation Roaring Lion, FPV drones have become a tangible threat to northern residents, who now drive with their eyes fixed on the sky, fearing the moment they could be struck by a Hezbollah attack without any warning. In Zar’it, residents walk the paths of the veteran farming community while strands of fiber-optic cable — remnants of downed drones — hang from utility poles, lie across rooftops and scatter near school bus stops where children are meant to live normal lives. But residents say life here is anything but normal. “We saw the fiber-optic cable at the entrance to the house, but I don’t really know the details of the incident or when the drone passed over us,” Elboim told ynet after a neighbor explained what the wires outside her home were. She said the thought of one-way attack (OWA) drones, against which there is no warning system, is unbearable. “It’s really infuriating that people are just accepting this, as if it’s okay,” she added. Elboim also described the severe impact on the education system and on parents’ sense of security about sending their children to school in the confrontation zone. “Fiber-optic cables were found near the children’s school bus stop and in other places too. What an amazing routine. Maybe there are hardly any sirens here, but there are FPV drones and nonstop sounds of explosions from IDF strikes across the border all the time,” she said. On Wednesday morning, two drone infiltration alerts in the Kiryat Shmona area sent thousands of students running in panic to shelters. Many others were forced to lie under desks because the warning time was too short to reach protected spaces. “There are children who haven’t returned to school since Purim,” Elboim said. “Children are sitting at home because their parents refuse to send them back due to the security incidents and their fears.” When the Elboim family decided to move from central Israel to the north, security concerns were part of the discussion, but official assurances calmed them. “People laughed at me and said I was just paranoid, because Hezbollah had been pushed back and there was no more danger, and we were coming to help rebuild and grow the area. But who could have imagined we would end up in the reality of a long and uncertain war,” she said. Even now, half of Zar’it residents live in homes without standard protected rooms, and the Defense Ministry has so far failed to complete the fortification measures promised to residents. “Most of the new families who came here after Operation Northern Arrows don’t have safe rooms in their homes because nobody imagined we would need them so quickly and that the state would delay construction for so long,” Elboim said, referring to Israel's 2024 ground incursion into Lebanon. “By a miracle, we have a safe room, but my sister-in-law and her family were out of their home for two months because they live in an old house without one. It’s a failure in itself that residents here still don’t have protected rooms.” Despite the situation, Elboim stressed that her family has no intention of leaving and does not regret moving to the Upper Galilee. “It’s clear to us that we are staying. Leaving isn’t even a thought,” she said. “But the fact that we came here to live and be part of the community doesn’t mean we are willing to accept this life and this routine of distress that all of us here are living through. I feel like we are living in a reality disconnected from the rest of the country, and it’s absurd. Then they extend the ceasefire by another 45 days. What are they talking about? Is there a ceasefire here?” Itzik Ben Moha, chairman of the local community committee, also said he refuses to accept a reality in which residents’ lives — and their children’s lives — are a constant gamble. “In recent days, Zar’it residents wake up every morning to these fiber-optic cables, and this is a dangerous reality,” Ben Moha warned. On Wednesday morning, he appealed to Settlement Affairs Minister Orit Stroock, who oversees government investment in rehabilitating the region. “Make our voices heard in the right places. This is not normal, and we are not willing to get used to this reality,” he wrote. Ben Moha said Stroock is attentive to the situation, but he expects to see significant and rapid change “before there is a disaster here while the moshav is full of residents and the kindergarten and daycare are full of children.” “We are not willing to wake up in the morning and see the fiber-optic cables of Hezbollah FPV drones that passed over our homes,” he added. Anger over the term “ceasefire,” commonly heard in central Israel, is also being voiced by northern regional leaders. Asaf Langelben, head of the Upper Galilee Regional Council, said the gap between government declarations and the reality on the ground requires a military solution at its root. “We live this reality every day, every night,” he said. “There is no ceasefire in the north. Unfortunately, the threat from Lebanon is still hanging over the heads of northern residents. The sirens on Wednesday morning were a warning siren to the government that said there is a ‘ceasefire’ — there is no ceasefire here. The government must do everything so this war ends with one clear victory: eliminating the threat and restoring security to the northern communities.” message h14xfpsjfl Israeli airstrike kills Hamas Gaza commander Izz al-Din al-Haddad after returning to known safehouse, enabling Israeli intelligence to track and strike him despite ceasefire constraints, in a move that could shape future negotiations and escalation dynamics Elisha Ben Kimon https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/15/SJZ05AE1zx/SJZ05AE1zx_0_0_850_479_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h14xfpsjfl Wed, 20 May 2026 21:05:23 +03:00 For months during the war, Izz al-Din al-Haddad was a ghost. One of Hamas’ veteran commanders in the Gaza Strip and personally involved in planning and executing the October 7 massacre, he knew how to stay alive. But last Friday, he made the critical mistake and Israeli Air Force (IAF) jets took him out. The dramatic details behind the assassination are now being revealed, along with testimonies from officers and soldiers who managed the operation out of the spotlight in IDF command rooms. Throughout the war, Haddad not only managed the operation holding Israeli hostages but also turned them into his insurance policy. He surrounded himself with them deliberately, knowing they were the only barrier between him and an IAF strike. “We came very close to eliminating him during the war but he surrounded himself with hostages,” said Major A., an officer in the Operations Division. “He was proud that they were his human shield. That’s why we did not take him out earlier. Since the hostages are no longer in Gaza, we intensified efforts to track down the heavyweights. Haddad was one of the last remaining at the top and we had been tracking him even before October 7.” The intelligence breakthrough came that Friday. Under a strong sense of being hunted, Haddad made his first and final critical mistake: he returned to a family safehouse. Military Intelligence and the Shin Bet monitoring him closely immediately identified the movement. At that stage, covert and sophisticated actions were carried out to ensure Haddad would not leave until the strike. “We realized he had been there for a few days and we carried out preliminary steps to verify it was him and not someone else without burning the operation,” Major A. recalled. “Once we confirmed it, we took it up for political approval. We wanted to wait until he was exactly where we wanted him. From the moment approval was given, it was a matter of minutes until the aircraft dropped munitions. To ensure no escape, we struck from the air. Even a vehicle leaving the house, which turned out to belong to his associates, was targeted.” Elimination under a ceasefire framework Haddad's assassination took place under complex political and operational conditions. Gaza is no longer the IDF’s main theater of combat and military resources are divided according to priorities in Lebanon and Iran. Meanwhile, Israel is operating in Gaza under a ceasefire agreement that significantly limits freedom of action and allows strikes only to remove immediate threats. “Each target involves dozens of hands assembling the puzzle: IDF intelligence, Shin Bet and oversight bodies,” said Captain L., deputy head of the operational intelligence section in the Southern Command fire center. “The challenge was identifying in real time that he was there and planning a strike that would eliminate him while minimizing collateral damage.” Captain L. described minutes of extreme tension in the command center during the operation: “We received confirmation from Shin Bet that the target had arrived. I’ve had this happen dozens of times before, you enter a situational assessment ahead of a strike and something always goes wrong and it goes back to routine. This time, once we received confirmed intelligence that he was in the apartment, we immediately activated the system. The aircraft were already in the air and it became a matter of seconds.” At Military Intelligence, Haddad is described as a unique figure within Hamas. Despite his relatively short time as head of the military wing, just one year and two days, he was seen as an ideologue and a central decision-maker both inside Gaza and with the organization’s external leadership. “He had a significant advantage. He understood, or at least thought he understood, Israel in depth,” said Lt. Y., an intelligence researcher specializing in Hamas leadership. “He had been in an Israeli prison, spoke Hebrew well and part of his actions stemmed from the feeling he could read Israeli society and the military. The fact that he survived two and a half years in Gaza and led the war increased his standing in the organization. He was one of those who insisted on the movement’s principles in negotiations.” According to her, his elimination is a severe blow to Hamas’ ability to manage negotiations. “To run negotiations, you need a structured decision-making forum. His removal is another card falling that complicates the process. Successors are less experienced and carry less weight in decision-making.” The strike comes at a critical moment when the implementation of U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza is stalled and it is unclear whether Israel will be forced back into intensive fighting. Hamas, for its part, continues to refuse to begin disarmament, an issue Haddad was considered the main obstacle to resolving. 'He was a major ideologue' “The military wing is extremely significant in negotiations,” said Major R., head of the military desk in the Palestinian arena in Military Intelligence. “When you talk about disarmament, the armed wing itself must agree. Those sitting in Qatar cannot impose disarmament if the head of the Gaza wing opposes it.” He added that Haddad had been involved in micro-tactical force-building efforts and continued rebuilding capabilities even after the ceasefire. Senior Hamas figure Mohammed Odeh has already been appointed as his replacement. However, intelligence assessments suggest the vacuum left by Haddad will be difficult to fill. “Haddad was essentially the last of the veteran command echelon before October 7,” intelligence officials summarized. “His replacement Odeh is seen as a weaker figure. The stature of Mohammed Deif and Yahya Sinwar and Haddad is not shared by him.” Whether the dramatic elimination will lead to a breakthrough in negotiations or another round of fighting remains unclear. One thing, however, is certain: last Friday, another major piece in Hamas’ leadership structure collapsed into the ruins in Gaza. message rklll8skme Israel’s envoys summoned in Europe and Canada after footage shows national security minister taunting handcuffed Gaza flotilla activists, drawing rare rebukes from Netanyahu, FM Sa’ar and Israel’s ambassador to Washington Moran Azulay https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/20/SkkTWMs1fg/SkkTWMs1fg_0_0_850_479_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rklll8skme Wed, 20 May 2026 19:26:17 +03:00 A global backlash erupted after National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir published footage showing him humiliating handcuffed activists from the Gaza flotilla, drawing rare criticism from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials. Israel’s ambassadors to France, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, the Netherlands and Canada were summoned for talks, as was the chargé d’affaires at the Israeli Embassy in Spain. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the incident a “disgraceful display,” while Netanyahu issued a restrained condemnation in English. In the footage, Ben-Gvir is seen waving an Israeli flag in front of handcuffed activists whose faces were turned toward the floor. “Summer camp is over,” Ben-Gvir said. “Anyone who acts against the State of Israel will find a determined state. Am Yisrael Chai.” One activist shouted, “Free Palestine,” before being pinned to the floor by Israel Prison Service officers. Ben-Gvir distributed the footage himself, prompting swift criticism. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani called Israel’s treatment of the flotilla activists “unacceptable” and described Ben-Gvir’s conduct as “inadmissible.” They said Italy expected Israel to apologize and announced that Israel’s ambassador would be summoned to provide official explanations. France soon announced it would also summon Israel’s ambassador. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Ben-Gvir’s actions toward the passengers of the Global Sumud flotilla, “denounced even by his own colleagues in the Israeli government,” were unacceptable. Barrot also called for the release of French citizens who took part in the flotilla as soon as possible. Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares condemned what he called “monstrous, disgraceful and inhumane treatment” and summoned Israel’s chargé d’affaires, since Israel currently has no ambassador in Madrid. Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand later said Israel’s ambassador would be summoned, calling Ben-Gvir’s actions “deeply troubling and completely unacceptable.” Belgium also summoned Israel’s ambassador. The criticism extended into the Israeli government. “Israel has every right to prevent provocative flotillas of Hamas terrorist supporters from entering our territorial waters and reaching Gaza,” Netanyahu wrote. “However, the way that Minister Ben Gvir dealt with the flotilla activists is not in line with Israel’s values and norms. I have instructed the relevant authorities to deport the provocateurs as soon as possible.” Sa’ar issued an unusually sharp rebuke on X, writing: “You knowingly caused harm to our State in this disgraceful display - and not for the first time. You have undone tremendous, professional, and successful efforts made by so many people - from IDF soldiers to Foreign Ministry staff and many others. No, you are not the face of Israel.” Ben-Gvir fired back, saying some in the government “still do not understand how supporters of terrorism should be treated.” “Israel’s foreign minister is expected to understand that Israel is no longer a punching bag,” Ben-Gvir said. “Anyone who comes into our territory to support terrorism and identify with Hamas will be hit, and we will not turn the other cheek.” Speaking later in the Knesset plenum, Ben-Gvir accused Sa’ar of panicking and said the foreign minister was the one harming Israel. “His bowing before terrorists is a disgrace and a shame,” Ben-Gvir said. Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter also issued an unusual public rebuke of Ben-Gvir. “As @IsraeliPM Netanyahu and FM @gidonsaar have made clear, Itamar Ben Gvir’s reckless grandstanding is not representative of government policy,” Leiter wrote on X. “I am Israel’s top diplomat in the U.S., at the heart of our most important alliance. Ben Gvir’s antics take a sledgehammer to our diplomatic efforts while Israel’s enemies gleefully jump on every unfortunate nonsense to discredit and demonize.” Leiter added that the flotilla activists were properly detained under international law and would be deported to their home countries. message bjd2fhjjgl After call with Israeli leader, US president says he halted an Iran strike after regional appeals, praises Netanyahu, attacks Herzog and jokes he could run for prime minister in Israel ynet https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/03/01/H1RxZZGKbx/H1RxZZGKbx_0_1_850_479_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bjd2fhjjgl Wed, 20 May 2026 18:31:16 +03:00 U.S. President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu does “whatever I want him to do,” as Israel remained on alert for a possible resumption of war following a phone call between the two leaders. “He’s a great guy. Don’t forget he’s a wartime prime minister,” Trump said, while again criticizing President Isaac Herzog over failing to grant Netanyahu a pardon in his ongoing corruption trial. “He’s not treated right in Israel, in my opinion,” Trump said of Netanyahu. “I’m at 99% in Israel. I can run for prime minister. So maybe after I do this, I’ll go to Israel and run for prime minister.” Trump also attacked Herzog, saying the Israeli president treats Netanyahu “very poorly.” The remarks came as Trump claimed he had canceled a planned strike on Iran after a direct request from Middle Eastern leaders. Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Ministry later issued a statement praising the decision, saying the kingdom “highly appreciates U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to give diplomacy a chance to reach an acceptable agreement to end the war on Iran.” Riyadh said it welcomed U.S. efforts to restore calm in the Strait of Hormuz and hoped Iran would respond urgently to mediation efforts aimed at preventing further escalation. Extending talks between Washington and Tehran could help restore security for ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz, the Saudi statement said. message ry6zbzjyfx Col. Meir Biderman, who took over the 401st Armored Brigade after his predecessor was killed in Gaza, hit as troops reduce daytime movement due to worsening Hezbollah drone attacks and shortages in protective nets Elisha Ben Kimon, Eitan Glikman https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/20/H111j1111SiJzg/H111j1111SiJzg_1_114_1601_901_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/ry6zbzjyfx Wed, 20 May 2026 17:10:00 +03:00 The commander of the IDF’s 401st Armored Brigade was seriously wounded Wednesday morning when an explosive-laden Hezbollah drone struck forces in southern Lebanon, the military said. Col. Meir Biderman suffered a serious head injury in the attack. Another officer, a lieutenant colonel, was lightly to moderately wounded. Their families have been notified. Biderman took command of the brigade in October 2024 after his predecessor, Col. Ehsan Daxa, 41, of Daliyat al-Karmel, was killed by an explosive device in Jabaliya in northern Gaza. Daxa had received a citation after the Second Lebanon War for aiding paratroopers who had called for assistance in southern Lebanon. In an interview with ynet last July, Biderman recalled the moment he learned of Daxa’s death. He said he was at a work meeting when he was told of the incident in Jabaliya. “I stood up and went to the division commander, Itzik Cohen, now head of the Operations Directorate,” he said. “He told me, ‘This looks serious, let’s head to the field.’ We each left in our own jeep. During the drive, the bitter news came: the brigade commander, Col. Ehsan Daxa, had been killed. We got out of the vehicles, the division commander patted me on the shoulder and said, ‘You’re now the 401st Brigade commander. Good luck.’” Biderman described Daxa as a revered commander, a fearless fighter and an exceptional person. “We are the brigade that has spent the most cumulative time inside Gaza,” he said at the time, standing near his tank inside the Strip. Biderman, a resident of Modiin, is married to Michal and is the father of three. He enlisted in 2002 and rose through the 53rd Battalion of the 188th Armored Brigade, serving as a tank crewman, deputy company commander in the Second Lebanon War and later battalion commander. In southern Lebanon, IDF troops maneuvering near the so-called "yellow line" ceasefire demarcation use homes left standing between raids, ynet has learned. Because of the threat from first-person-view (FPV) drones, troop and heavy vehicle activity during daylight hours has been reduced, with most operations now carried out at night. Troops move from house to house as they clear the area. To counter drones at various positions, soldiers camouflage the sites and install nets designed to trap aircraft. Forces also carry out deception operations to mislead Hezbollah terrorists. But anti-drone nets are still missing in some places, forcing troops to rely on whatever they can obtain themselves. One of the main fears is that an FPV drone could enter a house where troops are staying. As a result, one soldier keeps his weapon pointed toward the sky to watch for and neutralize drones. Inside the houses, camouflage nets and drone-trapping nets are deployed. Hezbollah has improved its use of FPV drones in recent days. At times, it launches swarms simultaneously and now appears to be trying to fly them into positions where soldiers are located. While Israel’s political leadership presents the public with a picture of ceasefire and calm, soldiers in outposts, bases and along movement routes in southern Lebanon face what is effectively a daily war centered on Hezbollah’s FPV drones and UAVs. On Tuesday, an FPV drone launched at IDF forces detonated inside Israeli territory near the Lebanon border. Rather than broad defensive measures being funded and managed as a national priority, the reality on the ground has forced tactical units to rely on private initiatives. Worried parents are raising money to buy protective nets, and battalion-level officials have at times used personal credit cards to protect exposed weak points. The IDF says it has deployed about 118,000 square meters of protective netting, though military sources acknowledge there are still shortages in the field. “A brigade operating in a sector needs about 15,000 square meters of nets for infantry forces, armored combat vehicles and protection of hot spots,” one professional source said. “About 120,000 meters have been distributed so far, but much more is needed. There are deception operations and other elements that also require nets, so there are definitely shortages.” The lack of physical protection is especially noticeable at the most sensitive points in the sector. Explosives used with shells are stored outside armored vehicles. Those areas, along with antennas, communications trucks and radar systems, are high-value targets for enemy drones, as seen in Hezbollah propaganda videos. “The incidents we saw in Hezbollah videos are being investigated,” a military source said. “Most hot spots are protected, but some still are not, and work is underway to protect them too. The soldiers received instructional videos. It takes time.” message hyksy4o1fx A 16-year-old was lightly wounded after an apparent roadside dispute between Palestinians and Jewish residents of a nearby outpost Idan Bloemhof https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2023/06/23/SkWVLSmu2/SkWVLSmu2_0_186_3000_1689_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hyksy4o1fx Wed, 20 May 2026 16:02:22 +03:00 IDF troops were searching Wednesday for a Palestinian suspected of attempting to ram people with his car near the West Bank settlement of Ofra after an apparent roadside argument. A 16-year-old boy was lightly wounded in the incident. The military said it received a report of an attempted car-ramming attack in the Binyamin area and sent troops to the scene. Soldiers began searching for the suspect, who fled. Initial details indicated the incident was preceded by an argument on the road between Palestinians and Jewish residents of a nearby outpost. The Palestinian man then got into his vehicle and allegedly tried to run them over before escaping. He remains at large. message bkqiqfjkgx Footage shows handcuffed activists in Ashdod after Israel intercepted 430 flotilla passengers; one woman shouting 'Free Palestine' was pinned to the floor by prison officers; Foreign minister: 'You caused damage to the country with this disgraceful performance' Liran Tamari https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/20/SkkTWMs1fg/SkkTWMs1fg_0_0_850_479_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkqiqfjkgx Wed, 20 May 2026 15:37:22 +03:00 National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir arrived at the facility holding activists from the Gaza-bound flotilla, berated them in front of cameras and distributed the footage himself, as international criticism of Israel continues to mount over the war in Gaza. In footage released by Ben-Gvir’s office, the minister is seen standing before handcuffed activists, their faces turned toward the floor, while waving an Israeli flag. “The summer camp is over,” Ben-Gvir said. “Anyone who acts against the State of Israel will find a determined state. Am Yisrael Chai.” One of the activists shouted “Free Palestine” toward him and was pinned to the floor by Israel Prison Service officers. Alongside images of the activists, Ben-Gvir’s office said the footage was from the minister’s tour with prison officers, police and IDF forces at Ashdod Port during the capture of the flotilla activists. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar blamed Ben-Gvir, writing on his X account: “You knowingly caused damage to the country with this disgraceful spectacle, and not for the first time. You squandered enormous, professional and successful efforts made by many people — from IDF soldiers to Foreign Ministry staff and many other good people. No, you are not the face of Israel.” Transportation Minister Miri Regev also arrived at Ashdod Port, posted a video on X and wrote: “This is what should be done to terror supporters who came to break the blockade on Gaza.” Italy condemned the treatment of the flotilla activists, with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani calling it unacceptable. Rome said it expects an apology from Israel and will summon the Israeli ambassador to demand formal explanations. The IDF completed its takeover of the anti-Israel flotilla that left the Turkish port of Marmaris, allegedly en route to the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid. The Foreign Ministry said 430 activists were brought to Israel. In its statement after the takeover, the Foreign Ministry said: “The flotilla once again proved it is nothing more than a PR stunt in the service of Hamas. Israel will continue to act in accordance with international law and will not allow any breach of the legal naval blockade on Gaza.” Shayetet 13 and Shayetet 3 forces took control of the vessels in the Cyprus area, far from Israel’s territorial waters. The forces first boarded the lead and largest boats in an attempt to cause the rest to turn back, but ultimately completed the takeover. After seizing the vessels, the soldiers transferred the activists to a “floating prison,” from where they were taken to Ashdod Port for detention and questioning. Israel is expected to decide which activists will be detained and which will be deported. During the operation, soldiers fired rubber bullets in several cases to deter vessels that failed to obey instructions and did not stop, but according to the IDF, there were no injuries or unusual incidents. The Foreign Ministry also denied claims in Turkey that the Navy had opened live fire on the flotilla. The ministry said that “at no stage was live ammunition fired. After repeated warnings, non-lethal means were used against the vessels and not against protesters as a warning. No protesters were harmed during the incident.” message sjcvagikfl Unit 989 recruits young men from settler outposts, using tracking and survival skills to gather battlefield intelligence in Syria and Lebanon while the IDF says enlistment has risen 50% Elisha Ben Kimon https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/20/HyZCa4yjkGg/HyZCa4yjkGg_0_0_1280_720_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/sjcvagikfl Wed, 20 May 2026 12:57:35 +03:00 The television in the living room of the large two-story house on the outskirts of Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon was still on. On a table in the sitting room lay three Kalashnikov rifles. A quick check showed there was a round in the chamber. The terrorists had been moments away from opening fire. “When you find a regular weapons cache, the weapons are usually unloaded and packed away,” said Maj. D., 24, commander of the Golan Reconnaissance Company. “When you find a weapon with a round in the chamber, you understand terrorists were here just moments earlier. Inside the closets, we found Iranian-made explosive devices still wrapped in their original plastic packaging, ready for use, along with anti-tank missiles. In another incident, we found a huge anti-aircraft machine gun meant for firing at helicopters. I had never seen a weapon like that in my life.” The Golan Reconnaissance Company, known as Unit 989, usually operates under the 474th Territorial Brigade in the 210th Division and is assigned to the Syrian front. But its fighters in the field pushed to cross the border into Lebanon. “I came to the commander of the 52nd Battalion and told him, ‘If you’re going to Lebanon, we’re coming with you,’” Maj. D. said. “It came from below, from the fighters. We changed our gear from short operations to a long maneuver, trained for exercises simulating combat there, which is different from the Syrian sector, and adapted the company to the Lebanese terrain.” The company is based on recruiting young men who grew up in West Bank settler outposts. The entry requirement is at least two years of residence in an outpost recognized by the military. Many of the recruits are defined as lone soldiers and serve in a track that includes eight months of basic training and another four months in the company. The phenomenon of West Bank farming outposts has grown sharply in recent years and now includes about 170 sites. Many operate in coordination with Central Command and the IDF, but they also remain a constant point of friction with the Palestinian population. Security officials have repeatedly pointed to some illegal outposts as sources of nationalist crime, sometimes against Palestinians and sometimes against security forces. The Golan Reconnaissance Company project sits precisely inside that sensitive space. The army acknowledges that not everything runs smoothly and that disciplinary offenses are part of the command challenge. But commanders say the operational results have proved themselves. Word of the company has spread through the outposts, and young men who had previously been flagged by the Shin Bet or had criminal records are now working to clear those records in order to enlist. “These guys who grew up in the outposts are very connected to the terrain. They know how to survive, they are highly independent and you can give them responsibility,” said Col. Benny Kata, commander of the 474th Brigade, under which the company operates. “They operate here in the Syrian sector and know how to produce high-quality intelligence. Discipline problems can exist in any framework, and that is why there are commanders and IDF values, to draw clear lines for them and for every other soldier. When we do that, we see the results in the field.” In Syria, the fighters serve as a reserve force to prevent raids and operate on foot and by vehicle from the border triangle to Mount Hermon, including in complex areas such as Wadi al-Yarmouk. Their mission is to map the first and second lines of villages, including Saida, Rafid and al-Maalqa, to build an intelligence picture. There, they bring the knowledge they acquired in the outposts into the army: reading terrain and tracking. “The guys bring me evidence that terrorists were here only a few hours earlier,” Maj. D. said. “They know how to identify footprints, tiny changes in the ground and animal droppings, and date them precisely.” In Lebanon, the challenges changed. The company first operated under the 91st Division and the Givati Brigade in the villages of al-Khiam and Aainata, and later joined the 98th Division in the Bint Jbeil area, moving at the front alongside tanks from the 52nd Battalion. One of the main threats the fighters encountered was explosive drones, aimed mainly at armored vehicles. “As a foot infantry force, we have an advantage,” one fighter said. “With correct terrain reading, if they don’t see you, they won’t attack you. We assigned several fighters whose only job was to look at the sky and detect drones, and in one case we also managed to bring them down. Beyond that, correct positioning behind cover and movement through concealed terrain with large spacing make it very difficult for the enemy to identify us.” The stories of the company’s soldiers reflect the complexity of the track. Sgt. Shuval came from the Neria outpost, also known as Givat Ronen. “On October 7, I understood that I wanted to enlist and started training,” he said. “Ahead of enlistment, I received notice that I was barred from joining because of the Shin Bet. At first, I didn’t want to go to the reconnaissance company because I was looking to serve in the West Bank, but the recruiter who works with the outposts acted together with the Shin Bet, and we resolved the restriction literally the day before enlistment.” “In hindsight, I’m glad I got here,” he added. “This is a place that fights for everyone who wants to enlist. Without this system, I would not have managed to enter the IDF. When people around me see something that works and succeeds, enlistment rates rise. At first, I was sure the place was less operational, but I was pleasantly surprised by the level of trust they give us.” According to IDF figures, 17 soldiers in the company are defined as lone soldiers, four soldiers from the last class entered officers’ training and enlistment has risen 50% compared with last year. From time to time, claims are also raised against the army and government for cooperating with young men from settler outposts, many of which have not been legalized. The IDF is trying, through the sensitive enlistment process into the company, to draw those young men into military service and create an easier path for them into the army. On one hand, it is a welcome move. On the other, it must be done carefully and with close supervision so the project does not spin out of control. Cpl. Gur Aryeh, who came from Kfar Zoharim in the Elah Valley, a youth village for at-risk teenagers from Haredi backgrounds, described the operational atmosphere in Lebanon. “You enter with a certain fear, but alongside it there is a sense of power from the size of the mission,” he said. “A lot of people told us they had not seen fighters with this kind of fire in them. We would say, ‘Let’s capture another house and another house.’ We are a foot unit that walks dozens of kilometers with bags and equipment on our backs. That was the peak for every fighter. That is what we trained for, and we didn’t think about the cost.” Gur Aryeh was wounded in the Bint Jbeil area by indirect fire and evacuated to a hospital. “You see there that everyone, everyone from the unit who was wounded, only wants to return and go back inside,” he said. Asked about the gap between the complex reality of the outposts and joint service in the IDF, the fighters gave a sharp answer. “We make a complete separation,” one said. “The moment you put on a uniform, there is no outside influence.” At the same time, they understand that the project’s future depends on how the military treats it. “The classes are getting bigger, and what happens here later depends on the system, if it knows how to treat graduates of the company and give them full rights,” one fighter said. message syxoebiyzx Netanyahu is still trying to revive the draft exemption bill to keep Haredi parties in the bloc, while final election timing remains disputed between September and late October Amir Ettinger https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2025/12/24/Syrxc1dtQZe/Syrxc1dtQZe_0_46_1280_721_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/syxoebiyzx Wed, 20 May 2026 12:45:31 +03:00 The Knesset on Wednesday approved in a preliminary reading a bill to dissolve the 25th Knesset, with 110 lawmakers from both the coalition and opposition voting in favor, launching the possible process of moving Israel toward early elections. With the agreement of the ultra-Orthodox parties, which are demanding early elections over the failure to pass the military draft exemption bill, a separate dissolution bill submitted by Blue and White also passed its preliminary reading. The approved bills will now move to the Knesset House Committee before returning to the plenum for a first reading. They will then return to committee and only later come up for second and third readings, when the election date would be set. Coalition chairman MK Ofir Katz presented the coalition’s dissolution bill in the plenum and criticized the opposition. “I don’t understand why the opposition is holding press conferences,” Katz said. “You caused the coalition to grow from 64 to 68. We are completing a full right-wing term, a record nine budgets, 520 laws passed. For four years, we played against an empty goal.” In practice, two parallel processes will now begin in the Knesset. On one track, the parliamentary process to dissolve the Knesset and move up elections will advance. On the other, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will continue efforts to block the move by reaching understandings with the ultra-Orthodox parties and reviving the draft exemption bill in an attempt to prevent the government’s collapse. The passage of the Blue and White bill gives the ultra-Orthodox parties a way to join the opposition in advancing a process that is not under coalition control. Even after the bills passed their preliminary readings, it remains unclear when elections would be held if the process is completed: at the end of October, as Netanyahu prefers, or already in September, as the ultra-Orthodox parties are demanding. Politically, Netanyahu is trying to pass the draft exemption bill to persuade the ultra-Orthodox parties to drop their demand for early elections. His central goal is to appease the Haredi parties and preserve a united bloc ahead of any vote. The statement by Rabbi Dov Landau, leader of the Lithuanian Haredi public, that “there is no bloc anymore,” along with signals from the ultra-Orthodox parties that they would be open to negotiations with the change bloc after the election if the right fails to win 61 seats, alarmed Netanyahu, even though political officials believe the threats may not be fully backed by action. As part of those efforts, Netanyahu met with wavering coalition lawmakers in an attempt to persuade them to support the draft exemption bill, or at least abstain. Netanyahu initially believed there was no majority for the move, but he is now personally lobbying lawmakers including Moshe Solomon of Religious Zionism and Eli Dellal of Likud. Coalition officials claim some of the wavering lawmakers could eventually support the bill or abstain in the vote. message bkyjuyjymx Parents say 15-second warnings leave children no time to reach shelters, forcing them to take cover in an unprotected hall as residents warn the north is being pushed back into a dangerous routine Yair Kraus https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/20/r11Uy05yfl/r11Uy05yfl_0_300_1600_901_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bkyjuyjymx Wed, 20 May 2026 10:50:00 +03:00 Students at Hamaginim School in Kiryat Shmona were filmed hiding under tables and screaming in fear Wednesday morning as sirens sounded across the city and nearby communities over a suspected drone infiltration. “The situation here is insane. I have no words. It doesn’t feel real,” said Yarden Bar, a daycare worker in Kiryat Shmona and mother of two children who attend the school where the video was filmed. The children, dressed in white for a Shavuot ceremony, were forced to take cover under tables. Some screamed, others cried, while parents and accompanying adults stood helplessly by. Only later did it emerge that the alert had been a false alarm. “The warning time in Kiryat Shmona does not allow them to reach protected spaces, so they have to hide under tables in an unprotected hall,” Bar said. “There was also a siren at the school two days ago. They run and they’re used to functioning, but as parents, we can’t process this.” In March, the Home Front Command extended warning times in parts of the north. In 58 communities, including Kiryat Shmona, the warning time was increased from immediate to 15 seconds; in eight communities, from immediate to 30 seconds; and in six communities, from 15 to 30 seconds. In 10 communities, there was no change. ‘We don’t matter to the government’ Although even 15 seconds is not enough for students to get from classrooms to protected spaces, the Home Front Command has allowed studies to take place “in a standard building or protected space.” Parents say the current situation is impossible. “One missile and everyone there is finished,” Bar warned. She said that every time a siren sounds because of a drone threat or rocket fire, she is torn between protecting the children at the daycare where she works and worrying about her own children, who are forced to hide under tables at school or in open areas on their way to class. “We can’t get used to this reality,” she said. “We don’t matter to the government. Tomorrow or today, there will be a disaster like Majdal Shams and only then will they start paying attention, but I’m not willing to pay that price.” Nuriel, a Kiryat Shmona resident, also told ynet: “Unfortunately, this has become routine, but it is still shocking every time, infuriating and frightening. How do you normalize this? I understand and believe children need routine, but it’s sad. I have two children on the autism spectrum in special communication classes. I don’t know how they’re reacting now or whether they’re going into anxiety.” Speaking from reserve duty in southern Lebanon, he added: “When they’re at home next to me, they scream and panic, so who knows how they feel and function now. I’m in reserves in southern Lebanon, and it feels like we’re living in a reality that could bring October 7 to the north. Like the Gaza border communities before the massacre, we’re becoming what they were before the attack, and they’re getting us used to this routine. My heart is shattered.” Moshiko Hazan, another Kiryat Shmona resident, wrote on Facebook: “Here we celebrate and run to shelters. Here, routine means sirens and missiles. Here, routine means waking up in the morning after another sleepless night because of explosions and tank fire, and they expect us to function normally.” “Northern residents are eating s**t, excuse the language, and you’re feeding it to us with a spoon,” he wrote. “For two and a half years, there has been no life in Kiryat Shmona. Fear controls everything and every siren shakes the heart. Not to mention the number of people who have abandoned the city and those who still will. Our city is broken.” message bj6s6aqjgg Military tells lawmakers it needs 12,000 new soldiers, including 7,500 combat troops, warning shorter service could cut combat strength by 10% and add pressure on reservists already serving 80 to 100 days a year Amir Ettinger https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2025/09/28/H1WgrUn82xl/H1WgrUn82xl_0_167_1601_901_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/bj6s6aqjgg Wed, 20 May 2026 10:23:39 +03:00 Moments before a preliminary vote on a bill to dissolve the Knesset, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee convened Wednesday morning to discuss the military draft exemption bill, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to advance in an effort to persuade the ultra-Orthodox parties to drop their demand for early elections. During the discussion, the military’s representative warned of the high number of draft evaders. “We will very soon reach the range of 80,000 to 90,000 draft evaders. This is a legal problem,” said Brig. Gen. Shay Taib, head of the IDF’s Manpower Planning and Administration Division. Taib said during the debate that “we need about 12,000 soldiers, including some 7,500 combat troops. The need is first and foremost operational. In order to build a combat force within the ultra-Orthodox public, it is important to have a mechanism that arranges the age groups in a certain distribution, not a random group of people with no control over ages, because that would make things very difficult.” “I referred to the increase in enlistment, an increase we have seen over the past three years — since the start of the war,” he added. “I am referring to the counting rules that were customary — figures of 1,700, which rose after the start of the war to 2,200 and then to 2,800. We counted the first half of 2025 and reached about 1,860, meaning the numbers are rising. In my view, the numbers are rising because there are people who want to enlist and cannot stand by, because there are more diverse tracks, and because for some people, the sanctions also have an effect. This also creates very large ripples of noncooperation.” Regarding the number of draft evaders, he said: “Today we stand at 32,000 draft evaders, if I remember correctly, and more than 50,000 Order 12 notices, meaning people who have gone through the entire process, a large share of whom will very soon become draft evaders if they do not cooperate.” Taib also addressed the IDF’s goal of limiting reservists to up to 60 days of service a year, noting: “Today we are at 80 to 100 days of reserve duty.” In addition, regular military service is set to be shortened from 32 months to 30 in January 2027, unless a change is made. Addressing the implications of the shortened service, Taib said: “If we implement this in January 2027, we will see a roughly 10% drop in the size of the IDF’s combat force. This involves a very large number of combat troops, and the figures can be discussed behind closed doors. In practice, this is an even more significant decline, because it disrupts the army’s replacement cycle. We will lose between four and five regular battalions. I translate that into roughly 35 reserve battalions in operational employment.” message hkarwacyge Daniel Hershkowitz’s withdrawal leaves Michael Rabello and retired justice Yosef Elron in the race, with a secret Knesset vote set for June 3 and the next comptroller expected to handle October 7 probes Amir Ettinger https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2019/10/27/9560602/9560602_0_102_981_552_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hkarwacyge Wed, 20 May 2026 09:47:41 +03:00 Professor Daniel Hershkowitz, a former civil service commissioner, announced Wednesday that he is withdrawing from the race to become Israel’s 10th state comptroller. Wednesday is the final deadline for submitting candidacies. Barring dramatic changes, the race will now be left to retired Supreme Court justice Yosef Elron and attorney Michael Rabello, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s personal lawyer and his preferred candidate to replace outgoing State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman. A statement on behalf of Hershkowitz said: “Professor Hershkowitz wishes to sincerely thank the ministers and Knesset members from factions across the political spectrum who expressed confidence in him and supported his candidacy throughout the process, and he appreciates the broad and warm support he received. Professor Hershkowitz will continue to serve the State of Israel and the public in other public roles in the future, out of a sense of mission toward Israeli society and state institutions.” Hershkowitz arrived at the Knesset on Monday and asked lawmakers to sign his candidacy form. Under the law, every candidate must collect at least 10 signatures in order to run for the post. Rabello also came to the Knesset on Monday to seek support. Elron has been holding intensive talks with lawmakers and has already secured the required signatures for his candidacy. After keeping their position vague in recent days, Yesh Atid announced Tuesday that it had decided to collect signatures in support of appointing Elron as state comptroller. The announcement came after five coalition lawmakers withdrew their support for Elron, including Likud MK Eli Dellal, who had been the one to collect 10 signatures backing him. Elron sparked controversy in 2023 when he challenged the Supreme Court’s traditional seniority system and took the unprecedented step of putting himself forward as a candidate for court president. The move drew sharp criticism from the legal establishment and the opposition, but won support from the political right. Now, some of those who opposed Elron’s challenge to the seniority system are promoting his candidacy for state comptroller. Elron’s name was also considered for chairmanship of a commission of inquiry into the October 7 massacre, but Netanyahu prefers a candidate close to him, partly because he would not be able to control Elron’s moves, as the retired justice is considered an independent candidate who cannot be given instructions. Until now, the opposition had largely remained ambiguous, except for Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party, which supports Elron. The election for state comptroller is held by all 120 Knesset members in a secret ballot, making it difficult for Netanyahu to control how lawmakers actually vote. Assessments are that Netanyahu will not succeed in appointing his personal lawyer, Rabello. The election for the next state comptroller will be held on June 3, exactly one month before Englman’s term ends. The next comptroller may be able to complete the investigations into the failures surrounding October 7, which were halted during the current comptroller’s term due to petitions to the High Court of Justice. message h1nxpt5kfl A Board of Peace report says ceasefire progress is stalled by Hamas’ refusal to decommission weapons, with reconstruction, Israeli withdrawal and Gaza’s civilian transition tied to verified disarmament Associated Press https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2025/02/22/Hyj118gP5kg/Hyj118gP5kg_0_0_3000_1689_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1nxpt5kfl Wed, 20 May 2026 08:36:53 +03:00 The body overseeing the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza will ask the United Nations Security Council to press Hamas to disarm, according to a report seen by The Associated Press on Tuesday. The report by the Board of Peace, an international body established by U.S. President Donald Trump to oversee the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, is expected to be discussed Thursday when the Security Council meets on the situation in the Middle East. “At this stage, the principal obstacle to full implementation [of the ceasefire] remains Hamas’ refusal to accept verified decommissioning, relinquish coercive control, and permit a genuine civilian transition in Gaza,” the report said. Hamas rejected the report, saying it contained “fallacies.” A diplomat familiar with the report confirmed its authenticity to AP, speaking on condition of anonymity because it has not been made public. Trump’s 20-point ceasefire plan calls for Hamas to surrender its weapons and destroy its extensive tunnel network. It also envisions an Israeli military withdrawal from Gaza, the formation of a new technocratic Palestinian government, the deployment of an international security force and the reconstruction of the enclave after more than two years of war. Board of Peace says ceasefire has stalled Last week, Board of Peace head Nickolay Mladenov, a former UN Middle East envoy, acknowledged that the truce had stalled since taking effect in October, saying the deadlock over Hamas disarmament had paralyzed progress. “Reconstruction cannot commence where weapons have not been laid down,” the board’s report to the Security Council said. “The critical variable, the single factor that unlocks every other element of the plan, is the conclusion of an agreement on the Roadmap for the full implementation of the plan that includes full decommissioning by Hamas and all armed groups in Gaza.” Hamas, which led the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel that sparked the war in Gaza, has accused Israel of failing to meet its obligations under the first phase of the ceasefire and has sought to link any demilitarization to Israeli troop withdrawals. According to AP, Israel’s military has expanded its control of Gaza since the truce took effect and now controls about 60% of the territory. The new report calls on the Security Council to “reiterate publicly, clearly and consistently that the decommissioning of weapons in Gaza is not merely a requirement” of the UN resolution to end the war, but is critical for reconstruction, a timebound Israeli withdrawal and “a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood.” The Security Council endorsed the Board of Peace in a resolution in November. Hamas says report could derail ceasefire Hamas said the report “contains a number of fallacies that absolve the occupying government of its responsibilities for the daily violations of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza.” The terror group said the report ignored what it called Israel’s failure to uphold most of its commitments under the ceasefire deal, including continued restrictions on crossings into Gaza and preventing the entry of materials and equipment needed to repair basic infrastructure and provide shelter for the displaced population. “The report’s adoption of the occupation’s conditions regarding disarmament is a dubious attempt to muddy the waters and derail the ceasefire agreement,” Hamas said. It called on the Security Council and Mladenov to compel Israel to fulfill its commitments under the first phase of the ceasefire deal, “foremost among them the cessation of the daily aggression against our Palestinian people in Gaza.” Ceasefire marked by repeated violations The report also noted near-daily ceasefire violations, “some of which are serious,” adding that their human consequences, including civilians killed, families living in fear and continued obstacles to humanitarian access, “cannot be minimized.” Despite the ceasefire, Israel’s military continues to carry out airstrikes in Gaza and has pushed deeper into the territory, where AP reported it now controls more than it was granted under the ceasefire agreement. Living conditions remain dire, with most of Gaza’s 2 million residents living in tent camps without basic services. Mladenov said last week that his office is addressing violations by both sides on a daily basis. But he repeatedly pointed to Hamas disarmament as the central sticking point, saying the group’s obligation to give up its arsenal is “not negotiable” and that progress on all other issues is being held up. message hjhvlp51zx Teitelbaum, who wrote as Israel Tomer, survived Bergen-Belsen, immigrated in 1949, served in the IDF and spent decades covering economics and the Knesset before lighting a Yad Vashem torch in 2018; funeral set Thursday Gad Lior https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/19/yk14776254/yk14776254_0_0_752_424_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hjhvlp51zx Wed, 20 May 2026 08:06:03 +03:00 Raul Teitelbaum, one of Israel’s veteran journalists, died in Jerusalem at 94. Teitelbaum, who for years signed his articles under the pen name Israel Tomer, was born in Prizren to the only Jewish family in the town, in the Kosovo region near the Albanian border. His father, Yosef, a chess enthusiast, named his only son Raul after world chess champion José Raúl Capablanca. In 1945, after the Teitelbaum family was imprisoned in Bergen-Belsen, they were transferred on the last train toward central Germany shortly before the camp was liberated by the British. The German guards fled the train on April 23, and Russian cavalrymen rescued the family. After the Holocaust, Teitelbaum studied in Belgrade and was active in the Communist youth movement. Under pressure from his mother, who had relatives in Israel, the family immigrated in 1949. Teitelbaum enlisted in the Artillery Corps and served in the reserves as a deputy battalion commander. “I was the highest-ranking communist in the IDF,” he used to say. For 12 years, he wrote for the Maki party newspaper Kol HaAm as an economic reporter and Knesset commentator, and was also a Maki candidate for Knesset. He also reported for newspapers in Belgrade. After Kol HaAm shut down, Teitelbaum moved to Yedioth Ahronoth, where he spent 30 years as an economic reporter and Knesset correspondent. Under the pseudonym Israel Tomer, he published hundreds of articles, investigations and essays on economic, social and political issues, and also appeared as a commentator on radio programs. His final position was as Yedioth Ahronoth’s correspondent in Germany. Teitelbaum also served for years as chairman of the Journalists Association’s ethics committee and published several books on the Holocaust. In 2018, he lit a torch at the Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony at Yad Vashem. Teitelbaum was married to Aliza for 60 years and is survived by two daughters, Anat and Iris. His funeral will be held Thursday at noon at Kibbutz Yad Hanna. message rjvocdcjml Coalition set to advance Knesset dissolution bill as Netanyahu scrambles to pass ultra-Orthodox draft exemption law; Haredi parties suspect he is stalling for October elections Amir Ettinger https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/01/26/ByPLxIHUbx/ByPLxIHUbx_0_0_850_479_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rjvocdcjml Wed, 20 May 2026 03:34:43 +03:00 The Knesset was expected to hold a preliminary vote Wednesday on dissolving itself, a first step toward early elections as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu struggles to contain a coalition crisis over military draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men. Barring a last-minute change, the bill is expected to be brought by the coalition itself and pass its initial reading, after ultra-Orthodox parties demanded elections over the government’s failure to advance legislation exempting yeshiva students from military service. The move would set two parallel processes in motion: a parliamentary effort to dissolve the Knesset and bring forward elections, and a political push by Netanyahu to revive the draft exemption bill, appease his ultra-Orthodox partners and prevent the collapse of his government. Even if the dissolution bill passes its preliminary reading, the timing of elections would remain unclear. Netanyahu prefers a vote in late October, while the ultra-Orthodox parties are pushing for September. Under Israeli law, elections must be held by Oct. 27, 2026, as the current Knesset finishes its four-year term. The dispute centers on Israel’s long-standing exemption for many ultra-Orthodox men studying in religious seminaries, an arrangement that has become increasingly contentious during the war as reservists serve repeated tours and the military says it needs more manpower. The High Court of Justice has ruled that the state cannot continue to grant blanket exemptions without a law regulating the issue. After a preliminary vote, the dissolution bill would return to the Knesset House Committee before coming back to the plenum for a first reading. It would then return to committee again before final votes, when an election date would be set. Coalition officials hope to stretch out the process, though it could technically be completed within days. Netanyahu has been meeting with undecided coalition lawmakers in an effort to secure support for the draft bill or persuade them to abstain. Coalition officials say some holdouts could still back the measure, though several lawmakers remain firmly opposed. Among the hard-line opponents are Yuli Edelstein, Sharren Haskel, Ofir Sofer and Dan Illouz from Netanyahu's ruling Likud Party, as well as Yitzhak Goldknopf and Ya’akov Tessler of Agudat Yisrael, the Hasidic branch of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism alliance, who argue the emerging legislation would harm yeshiva students. Adding to the uncertainty, lawmakers have not yet seen the final text. Boaz Bismuth, chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee and a staunch Netanyahu ally, has not circulated the bill, saying there is little point until it is clear whether the coalition can support it. Senior ultra-Orthodox officials voiced skepticism, saying Netanyahu’s main goal was to buy time. “Netanyahu is trying to show effort and sell us the idea that there may be a majority for the draft law,” they said. “But as time passes, from a logistical and practical standpoint, elections in October become more relevant.” The Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee is also expected to discuss a separate bill extending mandatory military service, which the army says is needed to preserve readiness. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has warned that failure to extend service would seriously harm the military’s capabilities. But the committee’s legal adviser opposes advancing the service extension before the passage of an effective law regulating ultra-Orthodox enlistment. message rklxjvcjmx Two weeks before he fell in battle, Capt. Maoz Recanati left Lebanon to visit wounded soldiers in the hospital, giving a battalion flag to R., a tank soldier who later attended his funeral in a wheelchair Eitan Glikman https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/16/HJzrFV8kGg/HJzrFV8kGg_0_337_795_448_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rklxjvcjmx Wed, 20 May 2026 02:49:36 +03:00 About two weeks before he fell in battle, Capt. Maoz Israel Recanati left an operation in southern Lebanon to visit wounded soldiers from his unit at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa. There, he met R., a 22-year-old tank soldier from the 7th Armored Brigade’s 77th Battalion who had been wounded in the leg, and gave him a flag from Recanati’s 12th Battalion of the Golani Brigade. The flag still hangs in R.’s hospital room. Days after receiving it, R. attended Recanati’s funeral in a wheelchair. R. was wounded on April 26 when a joint Golani and armored force operating in southern Lebanon was hit by an explosive-laden first-person-view (FPV) drone launched by Hezbollah. The strike killed Sergeant Idan Fooks and wounded six others, four of them seriously. During the evacuation, another FPV drone was launched toward the helicopter sent to rescue the wounded. Golani troops opened fire at the incoming threat with their personal weapons and narrowly managed to prevent a disaster. R., who suffered a leg injury and faces a long rehabilitation, was a close friend of Fooks. He asked that a photo of his fallen comrade be hung above his hospital bed, bearing a phrase Fooks often used: “Live like there’s no tomorrow.” On his first leave, Recanati visited wounded soldiers from the 12th Battalion and also entered R.’s room. “He came in with his big smile and said he strongly believed in his soldiers and in the hard work they were doing in Lebanon,” one soldier said. “He encouraged R. and his family, gave them his battalion flag and promised he would visit again.” Another soldier said: “It is deeply painful that a few days later he returned to Lebanon and was killed by the same kind of drone he had always warned about. On Sunday, R. insisted on attending Capt. Recanati’s funeral in Jerusalem, arriving by ambulance and wheelchair. Now the flag hanging here remains the last memento from him.” message b16cwp91fx Military completes takeover of Gaza-bound Turkish flotilla, detaining 430 activists; officials deny claims live fire used as Israel’s Eurovision song 'Michelle' broadcast to passengers Elisha Ben Kimon, Itamar Eichner https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/05/19/H1lE00T451Gg/H1lE00T451Gg_2_0_1279_720_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/b16cwp91fx Wed, 20 May 2026 02:03:49 +03:00 The IDF completed on Tuesday the takeover of the pro-Palestinian flotilla that departed from the Turkish port of Marmaris, allegedly en route to the Gaza Strip with humanitarian aid. The Foreign Ministry said 430 activists are being transported to Israel. In its statement on the completion of the takeover, the Foreign Ministry said: “The flotilla once again proved it is nothing more than a PR stunt in the service of Hamas. Israel will continue to act in accordance with international law and will not allow any breach of the legal naval blockade on Gaza.” Shayetet 13 and Shayetet 3 forces operated to take control of the vessels in the Cyprus area, far from Israel’s territorial waters. The forces first boarded the lead and largest ships of the flotilla in an attempt to cause the rest to turn back, but ultimately completed the takeover. Upon seizing the vessels, the soldiers transferred the activists to a “floating prison” from where they are being taken to the port of Ashdod for detention and questioning. Israel will later decide which activists will be detained and which will be deported. During the takeover of the vessels, the soldiers fired rubber bullets in several cases to deter ships that did not obey instructions and failed to stop, but according to the IDF, there were no injuries or unusual incidents during the operation. Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry denied claims made in Turkey that the Navy opened live fire on the flotilla. The ministry stressed that “at no stage was live ammunition fired. After repeated warnings, non-lethal means were used against the vessels and not against protesters as a warning. No protesters were harmed during the incident.” During the operation, the IDF remotely accessed the flotilla’s communications network and played songs on loop to the activists, including “Michelle,” performed by Noam Bettan as Israel’s Eurovision entry on Saturday night. Activists also reported hearing Britney Spears’ “Oops!... I Did It Again.” Several weeks earlier, the Navy carried out a similar takeover of another flotilla made up of dozens of vessels. The IDF has developed a structured plan for handling such flotillas, centered on intercepting vessels as far from Israel as possible and carrying out relatively non-violent takeovers, a process that also takes time. The distance from Israel’s territorial waters gives the forces room to operate in a controlled manner. message hyq4mrcymx US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will attend NATO talks in Sweden this week amid concerns over President Donald Trump’s Europe troop reduction plans, the Iran war and rising energy prices, before traveling to India for Quad-related meetings.  Associated Press https://ynet-pic1.yit.co.il/picserver6/crop_images/2026/04/23/Hk8V2TDpZx/Hk8V2TDpZx_0_136_3000_1689_0_small.jpg https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hyq4mrcymx Tue, 19 May 2026 23:56:01 +03:00 Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel this week to a NATO foreign ministers meeting in Sweden, where U.S. plans to reduce troop levels in Europe coupled with President Donald Trump’s often inconsistent stance on the alliance have created concern while the world grapples with the fallout from the Iran war and rising energy prices. The State Department said Tuesday that Rubio would attend the NATO meeting in Helsingborg on Friday, one of the last senior-level NATO gatherings before alliance leaders meet at a summit in Ankara, Turkey, in July. Rubio will then travel on to India and plans to visit four cities, including Kolkata, Agra, Jaipur and New Delhi, where he will see Indian officials and is expected to meet with his Indian, Australian and Japanese counterparts, the other three members of the so-called “Quad” grouping of Indo-Pacific democracies. In Sweden, Rubio will echo previous U.S. demands “for increased defense investment and greater burden sharing in the alliance,” the State Department said in a statement. It added that he would also focus on Arctic issues and meet with NATO’s Arctic members “to discuss our shared economic and security interests in the Arctic and our strengthened posture in the High North.” The statement did not mention Greenland by name, but Trump has rankled Europeans with persistent talk about wanting to take over the Danish territory. Trump’s special envoy for Greenland, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, visited the island this week. Greenland’s Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen said Monday that he had a respectful and positive meeting with Landry, but that he made it clear that the Greenlandic people insist on self-determination. “The Greenlandic people are not for sale. Greenlandic self-determination is not something that can be negotiated,” Nielsen was quoted by Danish TV 2 as saying after meeting Landry. For Europeans nervous about Trump, Rubio’s presence at transatlantic meetings has often been welcomed because of his less antagonistic nature and calm demeanor. He has been dispatched on several such missions this year, including to the Munich Security Conference in February, and more recently to Italy, where he met with Italian officials and the pope after Trump criticized the pontiff for his stances on crime and the Iran war. Ahead of the NATO foreign ministers meeting, the alliance’s top military officer said Tuesday that he doesn’t expect any more drawdowns of American troops from Europe — at least not anytime soon — beyond the 5,000 that Trump announced would leave the continent. The remarks by U.S. Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich follow Trump’s surprise announcement of the move early this month. The U.S. leader has bickered with allies over the Iran war and called for changes. The Pentagon later said it would draw down thousands of troops in Europe by canceling deployments to Poland and Germany as opposed to yanking out forces already stationed there. Asked Tuesday about Trump’s plans regarding troop levels in Poland, Vice President JD Vance said the administration’s focus is on promoting “European independence and sovereignty.” He also disputed that the U.S. is reducing troop levels in Poland. “What we did is that we delayed a troop deployment that was going to go to Poland,” Vance told White House reporters. “That’s not a reduction. That’s just a standard delay in rotation that sometimes happens in these situations.” Trump’s announcement blindsided NATO and came despite U.S. promises to coordinate military moves with its allies and avoid creating security gaps. Trump was notably angry at Germany, after Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the United States was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized what he called a lack of U.S. strategy in the war. message