The IDF killed two Palestinian Islamic Jihad platoon commanders and a Hamas deputy company commander in precision strikes in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, the military announced on Friday. 

The two commanders from the Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror organization were identified as Qasslam Hassan Saleh and Sami Jamil Abu Dalal, while the Hamas commander was identified as Ubay Mamoun Saleh Farwana. 

The terrorists, according to the military, had been planning to execute imminent attacks on IDF troops. 

IDF strikes, destroys Hamas weapons storage facilities

Earlier on Friday, the IDF announced that it had struck and destroyed three Hamas weapons storage facilities in the central Gaza Strip overnight. 

The facilities contained launchers, mortar shells, RPGs, explosive devices, firearms, and additional military equipment, according to the IDF. 

The weapons, said the IDF, were intended to be used against Israeli troops operating in the area surrounding Gaza’s Yellow Line, as well as against Israel. 

The IDF emphasized that measures, including aerial surveillance and the use of precise munitions, were taken before the strikes to reduce the risk of harm to civilians in the area.

Several anti-government demonstrators were barred from joining the Tel Aviv Pride Parade on Friday, videos posted on social media showed.

N12 News reported that the demonstrators had arrived with protest shirts and anti-government signs. Those wearing clothing with messages advocating against National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir were asked by police to go outside 

A video from the parade shows a woman wearing a pride-themed shirt reading FCK BNGVR and arguing with police officers.

“What, because of the shirt?” the cameraman is heard saying, to which an officer responded, “Yes, you already knew in advance and brought a camera.”

המשטרה מנעה מצועדת שלבשה חולצה עם הכיתוב FCK BNGVR להיכנס למתחם מצעד הגאווה. גם אחרי שהצועדת פשטה את החולצה והכניסה אותה לתיקה מנעו ממנה השוטרים להיכנס

(צילום: אודי סלמנוביץ) pic.twitter.com/2A95lFbJ4F

— Yair Foldes (@Yair_Foldes) June 12, 2026

When the demonstrators continued to argue, the police officer told them, “You’re allowed to say whatever you want, but not in this area.”

Protester barred from Pride Parade even after removing anti-government shirt

The cameraman accused the officers of acting like cowards, while the woman wearing the shirt attempted to take it off and put it in her bag in order to be allowed into the parade.

A second video showed the woman still not being permitted to enter the area of the parade, even without the shirt.

מצעד הגאווה בתל אביב, משטרת בן גביר פועלת בניגוד לפסיקת בית משפט ולא מאפשרת כניסה למי שלובשת חולצת FBG גם אחרי שהורידה את החולצה, שהחולצה בתיק.

צילום: אודי סלמנוביץ pic.twitter.com/aAEW27S60D

— חדר מלחמה (@waroomisrael) June 12, 2026

Pride parade a symbol of democracy

“Even at the Pride Parade, you can’t walk around in a bathing suit,” the woman said, adding, “Amazing, democracy.”

Another participant claimed that police prevented her partner from entering because he was wearing a shirt with the slogan “You are the head – you are to blame.”

“This is a democratic country, and I can enter the protest area with signs and T-shirts,” one protester claimed, calling the police’s actions “illegal.” 

Deputy Mayor of Tel Aviv Chen Arieli had praised the parade as a “civic statement for a strong democracy in Israel” during a time when there are people attempting to “weaken democracy, violate human rights, and repeatedly label various groups in society as domestic enemies.”

Ahead of the Jerusalem Pride Parade earlier this month, event organizers had warned Police Commissioner Daniel Levy that officers might attempt to confiscate any anti-Ben-Gvir items, citing incidents from last year’s celebrations, according to N12. 

Levy had called the confiscations a mistake, arguing that “police are not supposed to intervene in protest content against any particular minister.”

As a child growing up in gloomy northern England, David Hockney noticed the sharply defined shadows in the Hollywood films of comedy duo Laurel and Hardy.

“Strong shadows meant a lot of sun,” the painter recalled to BBC television in 2009. “So I thought, well, wherever that is, it’s always sunny.”

Two decades later, Hockney moved to Los Angeles to immerse himself in that dazzling light.

The artist, whose brightly colored renditions of California would go on to make him one of the most celebrated artists of the 20th and 21st centuries, died on Thursday, Sky News reported, citing his publicist. He was 88.

No cause of death was given.

‘Here I felt free’

Initially, almost as much as his paintings, Hockney was known for his own image — thick-rimmed spectacles, peroxide hair, shiny gold jacket — which became a symbol of Britain’s Swinging Sixties.

As an art student in the northern English city of Bradford — where he was born to an accountancy clerk father and a devout Methodist mother — Hockney rebelled against convention. He gave titles to his abstract paintings such as “Going to be a Queen for Tonight” and “Doll Boy” at a time when homosexuality was punishable by prison.

To continue his studies, in 1959 he moved to London where he had a meteoric rise in the British pop art movement and rubbed shoulders with stars from dancer Rudolf Nureyev to Mick Jagger.

But Hockney yearned for the excitement he saw in the work of American artists. Using money from the sale of his art, he visited New York for the first time in 1961 — where he became a friend of Andy Warhol — and moved to California three years later.

“I thought people who produced such work must live in color, so I went in search of it,” he is quoted as saying in a biography written by art critic and friend Peter Adam.

“I had spent the first 20 years of my life in the gothic gloom of the North. Here I felt free.”

His pictures of swimming pools and naked men in showers became icons of a sun-drenched lifestyle that he documented with luminous acrylic paint before dividing his time between Los Angeles, London and Paris in the late 1960s and 1970s.

He remained unpretentious despite his success.

“I am actually still a student,” he told Adam. “I just happen to have quite a lot of credit cards in my pocket.”

In 1985, when he was invited to the White House to dine with President Ronald Reagan, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, he was held up for half an hour by security officers because he was the only guest to arrive on foot, his biographer wrote.

‘You don’t retire doing this’

Hockney’s images of love, sex and material wealth led to claims by some art critics that his work was trivial. But he won greater renown than any other British artist of the 20th century.

One of his most famous paintings, “Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures)” — showing a figure swimming underwater and a man gazing into the pool — sold for $90.3 million in 2018, the most expensive work by a living artist sold at auction at the time.

As he grew older and his life turned more domestic, dogs replaced men in Hockney’s work, at a time when many of his friends were dying of AIDS.

He said he cried for two days when Stanley, one of his beloved dachshunds, died in 2001, having been immortalized in scores of paintings and sketches.

In the late 1990s, Hockney began returning more frequently to visit his mother in the northern English county of Yorkshire, where he had grown up, and a terminally ill friend encouraged him to paint the local landscapes.

Feeling increasingly lonely, he moved from California to the seaside town of Bridlington on England’s North Sea coast. For a decade he painted clumps of bare trees in winter, fields full of ripe crops and tracks stretching towards the gentle rolling hills of the Yorkshire Wolds region.

It was the most productive period of his entire career as he rushed to capture scenes that, he said, changed more dramatically with the seasons than did those of California.

“You don’t retire doing this,” he told the BBC in his broad Yorkshire accent when asked about his unflagging energy. “You just do it until you fall over.”

The former enfant terrible of British art, a cigarette almost always in his hand, never stopped trying new techniques. He used faxes to share his work and then iPads to produce it. His Yorkshire paintings led to a stained-glass window for Westminster Abbey, in central London.

In 2018, Hockney bought a farmhouse in Normandy, in northern France, and turned his eye to the fields and flowers of his garden there. The 90-meter-long “A Year in Normandie” frieze was inspired by the nearly 1,000-year-old Bayeux Tapestry.

Hockney’s work ethic — instilled in him from getting up daily at 6 o’clock to work in hospitals for two years, when he refused to do his military service in the army — barely relented in his later years.

“I tend to think that you should work every day,” he said. “And I do.”

Jerusalem is absolutely bursting with summer camp options for kids, tweens, and teens. But with so many incredible choices, how do you track down the perfect match for your child? 

Whether you are a local family or a tourist visiting the capital for the summer, keep these insider tips in mind to ensure your kids have the best time!

• Language: Jerusalem camps come in all flavors – bilingual, trilingual, or purely English-speaking. If you are a recent oleh or a tourist, you can choose to fully immerse your kids in a Hebrew-only environment, or stick to a familiar comfort zone where both counselors and campers speak English. 

• Type of Camp: The camp scene here is incredibly diverse, and there is something for everyone. Whether your kid loves art, sports, technology, music, drama, nature, photography, or baking, you can find a dedicated specialty camp to match their passion. First step: decide whether a dynamic day camp or an adventurous sleepaway experience is the right move for your child. 

BONUS TIP – The summer is the perfect time for your kids to test their wings and taste true independence in a safe, secure environment. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a wave of North American-style sleepaway camps land right here in Israel. We’re talking zero cell phones, real-world friendships, and enriching, high-energy activities that naturally skyrocket self-confidence, build independence, and forge lifelong skills. 

• Transportation: Spending the summer in Jerusalem without a car? Just make sure to check which programs offer dedicated transportation, or pick a camp that is an easy walking distance from where you are staying. 

• Learning new skills: Summer break is the ultimate opportunity for kids to master awesome new life skills in a totally laid-back, low-pressure environment. 

• Hours: Every camp runs on its own clock. Keep an eye out for extended afternoon hours; many camps offer this add-on, and it is an absolute lifesaver for working parents trying to manage their work-life balance over the summer! 

BONUS TIP – If your kids are teens, be sure to check that their camp offers fun, teen-friendly hours that fit their relaxed summer schedule.

• Camps by age: Although locking down a camp for school-age kids is usually a breeze, finding the right fit for toddlers or picky teens can feel like a mission. Luckily, Jerusalem and its surrounding areas have fantastic, dedicated options for all ages.

• Values: Every camp is built on its own unique DNA of core values that they aim to instill in campers all summer. Think about what matters most to your family, and choose a camp that matches your vision – whether that’s leadership, a deep love for the Land of Israel and the Jewish people, Zionism, pluralism, tolerance, or a pure focus on creating lifelong friendships. 

• Finally, decide on the social landscape: do you want a mega-camp packed with endless social tracks and programming options, or a smaller, close-knit group where every camper gets personalized attention? 

Here are some of our absolute favorites!

Baking

Teen Baking Academy: Summer at Jerusalem Cake Design 

Teen Baking Academy, hosted by Tammy Y, owner of Jerusalem Cake Design, is a popular camp that transforms next-generation bakers (grades 7-11, ages 12-17) into kitchen pros right from her boutique studio in Baka.

Each week features a fresh lineup of structured units in which teens learn, taste, and play with professional techniques. From mastering quick, simple bakes to tackling complex, show-stopping cake designs, campers will dive into hands-on projects, level up their culinary skills, and bring home an array of delicious, picture-perfect treats!

When: Is It Cake Week 1, June 21-25; Is It Cake Week 2, June 28-30. Week 1, July 1 and 3; Week 2, July 5-9; Week 3, July 12-16; Week 4, July 19-24; Week 5, July 26-30; Week 6, August 2-6

Price: Is it Cake week, NIS 1,700; Mini-Is it Cake week, NIS 1,100; 5-day weeks, NIS 1,350; 2-day workshops, NIS 650

Details: cakes@funinjerusalem.com 

Drama

JELLY Theater

JELLY (the Jerusalem English Language Library for Youth) is bringing the ultimate immersive theater workshop back to Baka for teens who have the acting bug or just love to create. Tailored for kids aged 11 to 15, this high-energy camp builds a joyous “theater family” while taking young actors on a deep dive into the world of the performing arts. 

Campers won’t just experience the absolute thrill of being on stage and developing sharp acting skills; they’ll also master the behind-the-scenes crafts that bring a show to life – including set design and costume creation.

Best of all, JELLY runs this unforgettable workshop completely at cost, and your registration comes with 10 free tickets to the grand finale play.

When: July 27-August 13, 9:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

Price: NIS 2,300 + NIS 100 non-refundable deposit

Details: jelly@funinjerusalem.com

Games & tech

Jerusalem HackerCamp 

The Jerusalem HackerCamp, run by LearningWorks, is a bilingual (Hebrew and English) thinking paradise. While many people simply call it “the robotics camp,” that barely scratches the surface of what goes on. This is an epic fusion of cutting-edge technology, design, and hands-on engineering where campers are challenged to break boundaries, think critically, and innovate collaboratively. 

Ariel, Shaiel, and their expert team pack the summer with an insane lineup of activities: stargazing astronomy nights, (optional) morning bike rides, radio fox-hunts in Gan Sacher, awesome field trips when available, board game nights, LEGO City Week, sleepovers – and more. If your child is ready to become an independent thinker and dive into the ultimate maker experience, this is their galaxy.

When: July 5-August 20, Sun.-Thurs., 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. 

Price: NIS 2,000-NIS 7,200 (depending on weeks)

Details: lw@funinjerusalem.com 

Music

Lenagen Bekef

Located in the heart of Jerusalem, Lenagen Bekef Music School is turning up the volume this summer with high-energy programs designed for children and teenagers of all levels. 

Already play an instrument? Dive straight into “Bands in the Summer,” where you’ll join a band, record your tracks professionally, and perform live – all in just two weeks. 

Absolute beginner? No problem – Lenagen Bekef’s “Crash Course in Guitar” will give you a fast-paced, practical start, and get you playing the songs you love. It’s a great way to swap phone scrolling for soul-feeding music, build self-confidence, make new friends, and do something meaningful with your summer break.

When: Every two weeks, throughout July and August 

Price: NIS 2,400 per program

Details: lenagen@funinjerusalem.com

Shir Music 

Shir Piano Camp helps girls ages 8-17 make months of musical progress in just one exciting week. Through daily immersion in music and personalized coaching in an exclusive group of only four campers, students build confidence, fluency, strong sight-reading skills, and a genuine love of playing. 

Beyond traditional piano lessons, campers learn practical skills such as playing chords, accompanying songs, and performing customized repertoire, from popular favorites to Jewish songs. Beginners can learn to play confidently with both hands, while more experienced students often advance an entire level in one week. 

Instead of losing momentum over the summer, campers leave inspired, accomplished, and excited about their growth. Led by Naomi Markovic, with 17 years of piano teaching experience and over 10 years of camp leadership, Shir Piano Camp is the perfect blend of serious musical progress and summer fun.

When: Sun. to Thurs., 8:45 a.m.-1:15 p.m. Sessions run weekly throughout July and August (with a shortened 3-day option during session 2).

Price: Weekly 4-day sessions: NIS 1,295; session 2 (3-day option): NIS 1,015

Details: shirpiano@funinjerusalem.com

Nature

King David Horseback Riding Camp 

Nestled in the breathtaking scenery of Moshav Yad Hashmona in the Jerusalem Hills, King David Stables is a certified slice of horse heaven waiting for your kids. This isn’t just a camp; it’s an unforgettable, educational equestrian experience run by the legendary Lipschitz family, who have been bringing their signature warm, welcoming atmosphere to the stables for nearly 40 years.

Led by elite bilingual instructors, campers will form a genuine bond with the horses and skyrocket their self-confidence while mastering horseback riding across beautiful mountain trails. The excitement doesn’t stop in the saddle, either; kids will dive into a thrilling lineup of archery, lassoing, horse care, polo, paintball, and classic cowboy games. 

All activities are run in small, attentive groups with plenty of on-site shade. Convenient transportation is provided directly from Jerusalem and Mevaseret.

When: July 6-August 28 (2-week sessions). Sun.-Thurs., 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m. 

Price: Contact Anthony or Arik for pricing

Details: kdstables@funinjerusalem.com 

Photography

Traveling Teen Photography Camp

This is a summer photography experience for teens who want to level up how they see the world. Each day, the group will head to a different corner of Jerusalem – buzzing markets, hidden courtyards, ancient alleys, quiet pockets of green – and turn it into their playground for shooting. 

Led by veteran photographer and educator Nili Auerbach, teens learn how to use light, composition, color, and framing to create strong, intentional images – not just snapshots. Whether they’re working with a digital camera or a smartphone, the focus is the same: train the eye, build confidence, and start thinking like a photographer. 

By the end of each session, teens will develop a full digital portfolio of work. It’s hands-on, fast-moving, and creative – with space for different levels and styles. Bilingual groups (English and Hebrew). Open to local and visiting teens.

When: Session 1, July 5-9; session 2, July 12-16; session 3, July 19-24, Sun.-Thurs., 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

* No camp on Tisha B’Av; instead on Friday, July 24

Price: NIS 1,298 per person, per session, including VAT

Details: photos@funinjerusalem.com

Sleepaway

Camp Dror 

Camp Dror is a premier Orthodox Jewish sleepaway camp that brings together hundreds of boys and girls, entering 5-10 grades, from Israel and all over the globe for an unforgettable summer that blends high-energy fun, passionate Zionism, and inspiring Torah learning. 

Operating on separate, top-tier campuses for boys and girls, the camp boasts fully furnished, air-conditioned rooms, premium sports fields, and a spacious mehadrin kosher dining hall. The action never stops with an epic lineup of activities, including mountain hiking, kayaking, swimming, competitive sports, creative arts and crafts, and impactful hesed community projects. 

Campers are guaranteed to build lifelong friendships and next-level independence. There are a final few places for the boys’ camp. You can join a waiting list for the girls’ camp. 

This year, they’re also offering Dror b’Ktana for boys entering grade 4, to get a taste of what camp is like, but b’Ktana – just four nights – is a full program, including a trip! 

When: Camp Dror, July 9-30; Dror b’Ktana, July 26-30

Price: Regular registration: NIS 9,250. Sibling discount: NIS 8,900. Dror b’Ktana NIS 1,800 

Details: campdror@funinjerusalem.com

Caliber 3 Summer Boot Camp 

Tailored for Jewish teen boys aged 14 to 18 from all backgrounds, Caliber 3’s Summer Boot Camp is a life-changing blend of elite IDF-style training, core Torah values, and unforgettable Israeli adventure. It is the perfect opportunity to reboot a boy’s mindset, recharge his physical strength, and deeply reconnect to his heritage right in the heart of Israel. 

Under the expert leadership of Col. Sharon Gat, campers train alongside real Caliber 3 combat instructors and experienced counselors. They will tackle a thrilling, action-packed lineup featuring Krav Maga, tactical drills, field navigation, survival skills, first aid, epic hikes, daily minyan, and special Shabbat programming – all within a safe, fully supervised Modern Orthodox environment. 

With instruction in English and three delicious kosher meals provided daily, this is way more than a camp – it’s a summer of total growth. Registration is officially closed, but a few last-minute spots have just opened up, so act fast to secure your child’s spot.

When: June 30-July 28 

Price: $7,000 (excluding airfare).

Details: caliber@funinjerusalem.com 

Sports

All Star Israel 

All Star Israel is a warm, high-energy American-style camp, where kids have an unbelievably fun-filled, friend-filled summer, learning new skills, building self-confidence, forming deep friendships, and developing a real sense of teamwork and unity.

Girls and boys entering kindergarten through Grade 10 enjoy tons of exciting activities: sports, swimming, games, Slip’n’Slide, electives, creative crafts, and special events like Color War and the world-famous All Star Israel “Bean Day”! Campers entering Grades 9-10 join the CIT program, gaining hands-on counselor and leadership experience, responsibility, and real-world skills while enjoying the fun and spirit of camp. 

All Star Israel has three great campuses: Jerusalem, Hashmonaim, and the new Gush Etzion “Re’im” branch. Transportation is available from many areas, including Tzur Hadassah, Ma’aleh Adumim, Beit Shemesh, Modi’in, the Gush Etzion area, and within Jerusalem.

For over two decades, All Star Israel has been giving every child a chance to grow, a place to belong, and a summer to remember – where campers gain confidence, discover new abilities, build friendships, and feel like true All Stars.

When: July 1-August 20; families can register their children for any number or combination of weeks. Short day (8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.) and extended day (8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.) options. 

Price: Jerusalem and Hashmonaim price per week – for registration by June 15: Short day, NIS 994; extended day NIS 1,192. 3-Week/Family discount: Short day NIS 894, extended day NIS 1,092. After June 15: Short day NIS 1,124, extended day NIS 1,322. 3-Week/Family discount, short day NIS 1,024, extended day NIS 1,222. 

Gush Etzion “Re’im” Branch. Session 1 (3 weeks), NIS 3,150 – for registration by June 14. NIS 3,350 – for registration from June 15. Session 2 (2 weeks), NIS 2,400 – for registration by June 14. NIS 2,600 – for registration from June 15. 

Details: allstar@funinjerusalem.com

Liga Camp

Get ready for an action-packed summer at Liga Camp! Located in Jerusalem’s Baka neighborhood, this popular American-style sports camp combines top-quality athletic training with a warm, religious atmosphere.

Boys and girls enjoy professional instruction from outstanding bilingual (English/Hebrew) counselors across a wide range of activities, including basketball, soccer, football, baseball, volleyball, tennis, hockey, swimming, martial arts, arts and crafts, cooking, and exciting trips. 

Campers choose a specialty track to develop their skills in basketball, soccer, teen/CIT, art, or dance. Liga Camp offers an unforgettable summer experience for every child.

When: Session 1, July 15-21 (grades 7-9). Session 2, July 26-August 13 (pre-kindergarten to grade 7), featuring basketball, soccer, art, and dance programs.

Price: First session, NIS 1,850. Second session, NIS 2,850 for 3 weeks, long day, meals included.

Details: liga@funinjerusalem.com

Tamir Goodman Basketball Camp 

If you are looking for world-class basketball options for committed players, Tamir Goodman’s exclusive camp for boys aged 9 to 16 is an absolute slam dunk. This is a next-level, high-energy experience where your kids will train directly with leading industry professionals, master advanced court skills, and learn from some of Israel’s top coaches – alongside elite special guests, NBA coaches, and a pro player.

The program goes way beyond basic drills, offering individualized strength and conditioning programs to maximize athletic potential, combined with powerful charity opportunities to build character off the court. It is a high-octane, game-changing experience of a lifetime!

When: July 1-15 (including Fridays), 8 a.m.-2 p.m. No camp on July 13 (Tisha B’Av) 

Price: $1,300 

Details: tamir@funinjerusalem.com

Jerusalem International YMCA Summer Camp

The Jerusalem International YMCA has been creating unforgettable summers for children from diverse backgrounds for decades. If you are looking for a unique summer adventure that combines core values, educational and fun programming, and unforgettable multicultural connections, then the YMCA Summer Camp is for you. 

Your children will go on a magical “Time Travel” journey through some of the most fascinating periods in history. This one-of-a-kind trilingual and multicultural experience, offered in English, Hebrew, and Arabic, provides a warm, energetic environment built on friendship, respect, inclusion, and fun.

Designed for adventurous preschoolers through imaginative 11-year-olds, campers will enjoy an enriching and exciting program featuring professional swimming lessons, sports, gymnastics, music, arts and crafts, science activities, games, special events, and much more. At the YMCA, children don’t just spend their summer – they create memories, build friendships across cultures, and become part of a tradition that has inspired generations of young people in Jerusalem.

When: Session 1, July 5-23; session 2, August 2-20, Sun.-Thurs., 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. (Includes kosher breakfast, lunch, and snack)

Price: Session 1, NIS 3,000; session 2, 

NIS 3,200

Details: camps@ymca.org.il

Friendship Circle of Central Jerusalem, FCGI-Camp Klara 

Run by the Friendship Circle of Central Jerusalem, FCGI-Camp Klara is an extraordinary summer haven dedicated to youth with special needs. The Friendship Circle’s beautiful mission is to deliver unstoppable support, genuine friendship, and true social inclusion for kids and their families. 

At the same time, it gives local teenagers a high-energy, deeply rewarding opportunity for an enriching and meaningful volunteering experience like no other. Summer camp stands as their ultimate flagship program, featuring a spectacular junior camp for young boys and girls alongside their FCBC overnight camp for adult boys. It is a genuinely life-changing experience to be a part of this beautiful, welcoming circle of friendship.

When: Friendship Circle Boys Camp – July 26-August 9; FCGI – July 19-30

Price: Details upon registration 

Volunteer and camper 

registration: 

friendshipcircle@funinjerusalem.com

Now it’s up to you to select your children’s super summer destination…

For a full listing of events in Jerusalem, visit the Fun In Jerusalem Summer Camp Guide: www.funinjerusalem.com/camps. 

Joanna Shebson is the founder of Fun In Jerusalem (www.funinjerusalem.com). She lives in Jerusalem with her husband and three children, and loves to inspire family fun. 

joanna@funinjerusalem.com 

Ronit Ansbacher is the content and sales manager at Fun In Jerusalem. She lives in Efrat with her husband and two children, and loves promoting all the fun stuff going on in and around Jerusalem. 

ronit@funinjerusalem.com 

Gadi Eisenkot was born in Tiberias to parents who immigrated to Israel from Morocco. He grew up in Eilat, attended several schools, and at 18 was drafted into the Golani Brigade. From there, he climbed through the ranks of the Israel Defense Forces, eventually becoming chief of staff in 2015.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was born in Tel Aviv and spent his childhood in Jerusalem and in the United States. After graduating high school near Philadelphia, he returned to Israel to serve in the IDF, and then went back to the US, where he studied at MIT, worked in the private sector, and later served in Israel’s diplomatic corps.

Two Israelis. Two very different life stories. Both accomplished and both deserving of respect.

But if someone were asked – without knowing either man – which of the two is likely to speak English more fluently, the answer would be obvious – the person who spent formative years in the United States, the person who earned a degree there, and the person who worked there professionally for years.

That observation is not controversial. It is simple common sense.

This has nothing to do with Eisenkot’s intelligence; obviously, someone does not become chief of staff of the IDF without remarkable capabilities. But how much opportunity did he have throughout decades of military service to perfect his English? 

Yes, there were foreign delegations, overseas trips, and occasional interactions with visiting officers. None of that compares to living, studying, and working for years in an English-speaking environment.

Normally, this would not matter. In fact, it should not matter at all.

Yet this week, Netanyahu’s senior campaign strategist, Yonatan Urich – yes, the same Urich who has been under investigation in the Qatargate affair – decided to make this an issue.

Urich took to social media to ridicule Eisenkot’s English. He reposted an old video of Eisenkot speaking at the Washington Institute and mockingly referred to him as “Mr. Hasbara.” The intent was obvious. It was an attempt to portray Eisenkot as unqualified for national leadership because he is less fluent in English than Netanyahu.

Earlier in the week, after Eisenkot challenged Netanyahu to a debate, Urich responded with another sneering reply: “Are you prepared to do it in English?”

The absurdity is hard to overstate. There is no reason for Israeli prime ministerial candidates to debate in English. If they were to hold a debate – which sadly Netanyahu refuses to do – it would obviously be in Hebrew because they are running to lead Israel.

Yet Urich’s point was clear: he wanted voters to think that weaker English somehow means weaker leadership.

Is English important? Yes. Can fluency help in diplomatic meetings? Of course. But does it determine whether a leader can unite Israeli society? Does it indicate whether someone understands the threats on our borders? Does it reveal an ability to formulate military strategy, navigate economic crises, or make life-and-death decisions under pressure?

Of course not.

History is full of extraordinary leaders who spoke little or no English. Their effectiveness was measured by their judgment, character, vision, and ability to lead their people – not by their pronunciation.

What makes Urich’s attack even more bizarre is that he framed it as a criticism of Eisenkot’s ability to explain Israel’s case to the world. 

He might want to look in the mirror. 

Just a few days earlier, a Pew survey showed majorities in 36 countries – including the United States, Canada, Britain, Italy, Spain, Sweden, and Poland – holding negative views of Israel. Earlier this year, Gallup found that for the first time in a quarter century, more Americans sympathized with Palestinians than Israelis.

These trends emerged while Israel was led by a prime minister with excellent English, and if English fluency was the secret to successful public diplomacy, those numbers should look very different.

Tearing down opponents

The truth is that this was never about English. It is about something far simpler: finding another way to delegitimize a political opponent.

And it was not the only example this week. Another campaign advertisement sought to portray Israel’s Arab citizens as a threat while suggesting that any government led by Eisenkot would be dependent on them. The message was familiar from the past: sow fear, division, and demonization.

What is striking is not merely the content of these attacks but the complete absence of anything positive. There is no attempt to explain why voters should support Netanyahu’s vision or to present a roadmap for the future. There is no discussion of policy, strategy, or national priorities.

Instead, the focus remains one – tearing down opponents.

Eisenkot does not need anyone to defend him. He spent more than four decades in uniform, he was wounded in combat, and he made life-and-death decisions daily.

This is also not about him. It is about us and the political culture we are willing to accept.

Whenever concerns like these are raised about the political culture in Israel, someone always responds that politics are ugly everywhere – in America, in the UK, and in France.

Perhaps. But we do not live in America, Britain, or France. We live in Israel.

Israelis are constantly telling ourselves that we are different from other countries. We point to our history, our security challenges, our shared sense of destiny, and the extraordinary circumstances under which this country exists.

If we truly believe that, then now is the moment to prove it. We need to reject a political culture that is built entirely on ridicule, division, and personal attacks. We have to demand of our leaders to offer ideas instead of insults. Most importantly, we can refuse to allow people like Urich to define the tone of the national conversation.

He and the party he serves need to understand that he is not the norm, but rather the exception.

And if we care about the future of Israeli democracy, we should make sure he remains one.

The writer is co-founder of MEAD, a senior fellow at the Jewish People Policy Institute, and a former editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post. His latest book, While Israel Slept, is a national bestseller in the US.

Amid the dire reports from the ongoing fighting on our borders, the political scrambling, and the disturbances over the draft issue, there is a cheery item on Israel’s evening news. Israeli pop Mizrahi singer Peer Tasi has created his first album for children. Ask your children or grandchildren if you don’t know who he is.

This new album has been welcomed as a happy addition to the tradition of popular Israeli singers producing music for children, among them Arik Einstein, Chava Alberstein, Shlomo Artzi, Uzi Hitman, and Gidi Gov.

Tasi, 42, like all these singers, is a parent. His musical career began when he was a child in his family’s Yemenite synagogue. The album is called Yaldei Hashetach, literally “children of the field,” but closer in modern Hebrew to “Children of the Real World.”

Israeli children of the real world deserve all the light-hearted music and celebration we can provide, always, but this year in particular. Tasi’s songs are full of puns and humor. I particularly like “The Biggest Salad in the World,” but the top hit is Tasi’s version of an alphabet song, which reportedly had more than 200,000 online views in the first three days alone.

In this month of school graduations, end-of-year performances, and landmark events that were postponed amid the current missile attacks, I am relieved, impressed, and proud of our Israeli children.

I am not fooling myself that the year of war and terror, the canceled class trips, and the lack of loving families arriving from abroad have not hurt our children.

When I look out at each class or group of youngsters with whom I have been this month, I assume that most of them know someone who was injured or killed, and that all of them have sprinted to shelters and safe rooms.

But there they are, dressed in leotards and karate suits, or elegantly coiffed for graduations in Jerusalem, Modi’in, Binyamina, Tel Aviv, and Mitzpe Yeriho. I kvell over their stunning achievements and strength, despite the year’s challenges.

This realization struck me when I managed to get a seat on a towering bleacher in a Modi’in neighborhood gym. There was the end-of-year performance of Snunit Acrobatics – a display of acrobatics, gymnastics, trio pyramids, and aerial duos. 

Mostly girls, from preschoolers to graduating high school seniors, performed aerial cartwheels, leaps, and tumbling to complex musical choreography.

There are 2,000 participants in this program, so the final performances have to take place over three days. To take part in this program, each participant had to show up after kindergarten or school for about six hours a week, even when they had tests or birthday parties. Okay, the younger students only came for four hours a week, but that is still an impressive commitment.

This year, their classes and practice sessions were, of course, interrupted by war. Nevertheless, to my admittedly untrained eyes, the junior gymnasts and acrobats looked good enough for international competitions.

Indeed, when I poked around the Internet, I learned that the Modi’in group had won 21 medals in a February 2025 Dubai competition. After competing respectably in the June 2025 Tbilisi Cup, they had trouble getting home because flights from Georgia were canceled.

Bar mitzvah gets rescheduled

Then, in my Jerusalem synagogue on Shabbat, a boy named Gili looked too tall to be chanting his bar mitzvah portion. Suddenly, I remembered why. His bar mitzvah, scheduled for a year ago, had been canceled when synagogues were closed and we were all huddling in shelters from Iranian missile attacks. So, with aplomb, at age 14, he chanted his bar mitzvah portion six inches taller than a year ago.

Gili almost missed this bar mitzvah, too, because he had just returned from volunteering in Tanzania, where he helped build a greenhouse for a public school. To qualify for the volunteering, he had to attend six hours a week of training in public diplomacy through the PICO Kids Ambassadors program, so he could promote Israel’s good name.

Here, too, though not because of the war, there were transportation snafus on the way home. But he managed to arrive in time and get ready for Shabbat.

The two high school graduations I am attending are for our grandchildren in Modi’in and Zichron Ya’acov. Both teens have gone to too many funerals of friends, and siblings of friends, in their school years. Both have volunteered for at least one extra year of commitment, in pre-army service, in addition to the years they will serve in the IDF.

One of my granddaughters is singing in the Hazamir musical grand finale, if it’s not canceled because of the latest missile attacks. She and the other singers weren’t able to take part in the Lincoln Center concert in Manhattan because their flight was canceled at the last minute during Operation Roaring Lion.

A SPECIAL invitation to Mitzpe Yeriho took me to an English-language, end-of-year book fair by first- to sixth-graders, who take part in the after-school program A.H.A.V.A. – learning English the natural way.

The CEO is master teacher Gaila Cohen Morrison, a grandmother who lives out in the boondocks and is obviously a gifted teacher with a touch of both Mary Poppins and Amelia Bedelia.

The students wrote the books at the fair themselves; lovely stories in pencil on lined paper, bound with string, with impressions from their lives, about books they had read, and even from poetry.

Visitors were encouraged to stick silver stars on their favorites. The students came from as far away as Beersheba. For nearly all these children, even those who come from fully English-speaking homes, Hebrew is their school language. Yet they created these books in English.

As part of their studies, the sixth graders had read my book Ilan Ramon: Israel’s Space Hero, and I had a chance to talk to them about the writing process. I explained that in Israel, we have the advantage of being able to hear true stories from original sources, even pilots and generals, to supplement or replace anything we might read on the Internet.

I encouraged them to keep writing, stressing that their own stories are unique and important. Even a year from now, they will be fascinated by what they are writing today.

I asked them if they minded hearing stories with a sad ending, like the biography of the late astronaut Ilan Ramon.

“That’s the real world,” someone answered.

Just like the new album of children’s songs.

Snunit, the acrobatics program, is the Hebrew name of the swallow, a bird known for covering enormous distances during its migratory journeys, and for returning each year to the same nest. Therefore, in Israeli culture, the swallow is an emblem of loyalty, renewal, flight, and return.

What better symbol could there be for our children? They have covered enormous distances this year, sometimes frightened, sometimes delayed, sometimes forced into shelters, but still returning to their music, their books, their gymnastics, their volunteering, their Torah readings, and their dreams.

Mazal tov to all the graduates. Hail to the children of Israel.

The writer is the Israel director of public relations at Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America. Her latest book is A Daughter of Many Mothers, co-written with Holocaust survivor and premier English-language witness Rena Quint.

Authorities in Afghanistan’s western city of Herat arrested at least 30 women, accusing them of violating dress rules imposed by the Taliban government, the UN agency for women’s rights said, but added that some were later released.

Thursday’s statement followed a clampdown on protests against the arrests in Herat’s district of Injil on Tuesday.

Fear and apprehension across Afghanistan, although many women have been released

“The arrests have heightened fear and apprehension among women and girls across Afghanistan,” UN Women said, adding that many of the women had since been released.

“Taliban security forces allegedly opened fire on protesters – men, women and children – administering beatings to some,” it added. “At least two people, including a boy, were killed and more than 20 were injured.”

Media said officials from the Taliban’s morality police, the Department for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, had detained some women in the days before the protests for allegedly failing to comply with hijab regulations.

Local authorities have denied reports that women were arrested.

Since seizing power in Kabul in 2021, the Taliban have imposed sweeping restrictions on women and girls in the war-shattered country, including ​limits on access to education, employment and sport, drawing international criticism.

Two Ebola-related deaths have been confirmed in a displacement camp in eastern Congo, the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR) said in a report.

The two victims were internally displaced people living in the Kpangba camp, which hosts 30,000 refugees, UNHCR said in the report published on Thursday, adding that the high risks of transmission required strengthened prevention and response measures.

‘Blind spots’ could hide full spread of Congo’s Ebola outbreak, WHO suggests

There are many “blind spots” in the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a World Health Organization expert said on Friday, suggesting the spread of the deadly disease may be much wider than official estimates.

Congo said on Thursday the disease had spread ​to three new health ‌zones. It reported 676 confirmed cases and 136 deaths in an outbreak that has also spread to neighboring Uganda.

“There are still many blind spots in some areas that are high risk,” Olivier le Polain, a WHO epidemiologist in Beni, eastern Congo, said.

“Surveillance really needs to be strengthened in those areas.”

Another big challenge is a shortage of beds that medics can use to isolate patients, he said. There were only 250 across the three affected provinces, he added.

The outbreak involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no approved treatment or vaccine.

The disease went undetected for weeks, and first responders say they are playing catch-up.

The WHO does not yet have projections for the size of the epidemic, Le Polain said, after the US CDC said it could be on the same level as the 2014-2016 West Africa outbreak, which caused more than 11,000 deaths.

They had no idea what they were creating.

Faced with Britain’s ban on immigration to Palestine, the Hagana set up “The Mossad (Institution) for Aliya B,” which would plant agents in multiple lands, gather prospective immigrants, hire boats and skippers, and ship them illegally to the Promised Land’s shores.

That was in April 1939. By September, the evolving network’s operations were abruptly halted with the outbreak of World War II. 

Even so, those brief months’ work laid the foundations for one of the world’s most fabled spy agencies, and also gave it its name – the Mossad.

Now, as outgoing Mossad director David Barnea is succeeded by Roman Gofman, the Mossad’s failures must be probed and its tasks reformulated, even while its recent successes are hailed.

The Mossad resurfaced the morning after the war, ultimately sealifting more than 100,000 Holocaust survivors and airlifting another 160,000 Jews from Yemen and Iraq. 

It would continue struggling for oppressed Jews, but its main mission soon shifted to hardcore espionage, penetrating enemy lands, spying on foreign armies, and hunting down wartime Nazis.

Benefiting from the young state’s ample supply of multilingual immigrants, the agency infiltrated the Arab world and the Eastern Bloc.

The world got its first glimpse of the Mossad’s reach in 1956, when it obtained a copy of the secret speech in which Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev unveiled Joseph Stalin’s crimes.

Four years later, the Mossad stunned the world by capturing Adolf Eichmann and smuggling him, undetected, halfway across the world.

While that operation took much resourcefulness, it paled compared to the 1967 Six Day War, in which the IDF’s victory was helped by detailed intelligence that was gathered over years by daring agents such as the legendary Eli Cohen.

Mossad success paired with occasional failure

But the Mossad also had its failures.

It failed to detect the Yom Kippur War’s approach in 1973 (although it did read well an Egyptian mole’s warning the day before the attack).

Before that, the Mossad mistakenly killed an innocent man while pursuing the Munich Massacre’s perpetrators, and in 1997, it botched an attempted assassination of Hamas leader Khaled Mashal.

These successes and failures animated the Mossad’s work in the last century, when its tasks were entirely different from the threat that would dominate its work this century – Iran.

THE MOSSAD began focusing on Iran during Ariel Sharon’s premiership (2001-2006), and his appointment in 2002 of Meir Dagan as head of the Mossad.

A retired general, veteran commando, and son of Holocaust survivors, Dagan brought a new fighting spirit to the Mossad, sending its agents to actively sabotage Iran’s nuclear program, and meticulously mapping the Islamic regime’s political apparatus, scientific community, industrial layout, and military deployment.

During Dagan’s 11-year directorship, the Mossad reportedly killed scientists, sabotaged installations, and planted operatives across Iran.

The effort continued in earnest under his successors, Tamir Pardo and Yossi Cohen, and was underscored when a full archive of Iran’s nuclear program was snatched.

That is how the Mossad arrived at Barnea’s term, when the shadow war with Iran became a full-blown confrontation from which the Mossad, on the face of it, emerged with flying colors.

What was the Mossad’s responsibility for failures on Oct. 7?

THE COMMISSION of inquiry that will ultimately investigate the past three years’ events will face a dilemma: what was the Mossad’s responsibility for Israel’s failures on October 7, 2023? 

Formally, Gaza is out of the agency’s jurisdiction. The question, therefore, is: to what extent Iran and Qatar – which, unlike Gaza, were part of the Mossad’s responsibility – knew in advance of the invasion that the Mossad, like everyone else, failed to foresee.

At the same time, regarding its hardcore assignments, the Mossad delivered. In Lebanon, years of imaginative work resulted in the beeper attacks, which disabled thousands of Hezbollah terrorists in a matter of minutes. 

In Iran, the Israel Air Force got precise locations of more than 70 personal targets, and hundreds of military installations and industrial plants, while being helped by squads of local operatives who reportedly fired missiles and unleashed explosive drones.

Gofman to be tested on Barnea’s failures

Even so, Barnea’s Mossad failed on two fronts, and that is where Roman Gofman will be tested.

THE FIRST failure was in Iran itself. Yes, the military successes during the IDF’s attacks were breathtaking, but they did not bear the political fruit that should have been their aim.

Reports that the original plan was to be crowned by a Kurdish charge on Tehran are no consolation and, in fact, are alarming. The Kurds are a small and remote minority in Iran. They cannot be assigned to remove the regime, and the Mossad should have realized this.

The ayatollahs should be unseated by a Persian underground with leaders, arms, organization, and troops. Helping this happen should be Gofman’s top priority, just like his predecessors’ priority was Iran’s nuclear program and missile industry.

The second front is the global attack on Israel’s legitimacy.

The protest movement that we have come to face, and its influence on Western academia, politics, and culture, poses a strategic threat to the Jewish state. 

Tracing this effort’s financing, exposing its masterminds, hounding its lieutenants, and sabotaging their ploys should be a central goal for Gofman’s Mossad.

Much has been said about Gofman’s suitability for his new position. This writer has nothing to add to this debate, except that in the last century, he urged the Mossad to tap the massive wave of Russian-speaking immigrants who arrived here in the 1990s (“Ephraim’s Mossad,” March 6, 1998). 

The new Israelis, I argued, brought a type of worldliness that the Mossad’s founders possessed, and their Israeli-born successors lacked.

One of those immigrants had arrived here from Belarus at age 14; at that writing, he was a 22-year-old lieutenant in Armored Battalion 53. Now he is head of the Mossad. 

Hopefully, his background will help him deliver what his Sabra predecessors didn’t deliver, and Israel’s survival now demands.

www.MiddleIsrael.net

The writer, a Hartman Institute fellow, is the author of the bestseller, The Jewish March of Folly (Yedioth Books 2026), now available in English on Amazon.

An American businessman who wrote a book about living through a military coup in Myanmar was detained on his return to the Southeast Asian nation on Thursday, according to two people briefed on the matter.

Adam Castillo, a former head of the American Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar who is based in Yangon where he runs a security firm, was stopped at an airport after traveling to the country, one of the people said.

A US State Department spokesperson said it was aware of reports of the detention of an American in Myanmar but had no further comment “due to privacy concerns.”

A spokesperson for the military-backed government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

‘Finding Our Voice,’ the book about the 2021 Myanmar coup

Castillo had been abroad promoting his book, Finding Our Voice, about staying in Myanmar following the 2021 coup that threw the country into turmoil, according to social media posts.

The military’s power grab ended a brief experiment in democratic rule under Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, and sparked a civil war between the army and a coalition of pro-democracy armed resistance forces allied to long-established ethnic minority groups.

In early April, former junta chief Min Aung Hlaing ⁠was sworn ​in as the country’s president, following a ​widely criticized, military-engineered election that excluded the main opposition groups, including Suu Kyi’s political party, and was conducted in the throes of conflict.

Castillo, a former US Marine, last year visited the White House and suggested to officials that the United States play a peace-broker role with a view to accessing rare earth minerals, Reuters reported.

His book chronicles the military’s bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters but also criticizes Washington’s policy, including sanctions, as ineffective and advocates for more business engagement.

It was a short news headline, but it said a lot. The 9 a.m. radio news on Israel’s public broadcaster on Monday, June 8, announced: “No rockets have been launched on Israel in the last hour.”

Take a second for the meaning of that to sink in – the absence of rockets was the news itself. By 10 a.m., the headline was obsolete, and Israelis in large parts of the country were rediscovering their stairwells, shelters, and safe rooms. And spare a thought for residents of northern Israel, for whom this has become the norm, as they dodge incessant Hezbollah attacks from Lebanon for almost three years.

The flare-up this week marked the first time Iran launched ballistic missiles on the Jewish state since the April 8 ceasefire. The Houthis in Yemen, apparently suffering from severe FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), joined in, while Hezbollah continued its ongoing rocket and drone terrorism. The round of hostilities earned several social media nicknames, including: “The One-Day War,” and journalist Emily Amrousi’s “Operation Routine Lion” (a play on the name of this year’s Operation Roaring Lion and last June’s Operation Rising Lion). As usual, the humor was a way to deal with the tension and reflected Israel’s famed but strained resilience.

The Iranian missiles did not come out of the blue, as it were. The Islamic Republic launched its barrage in support of its proxy, Hezbollah, which has constantly violated a US-brokered ceasefire and didn’t like the consequences. When Israel attacked Hezbollah’s stronghold in Beirut’s Dahiya neighborhood in response to the terrorists’ barrages, Tehran decided to strike out – firing missiles indiscriminately on Israeli citizens (and shooting a few rockets on Arab Gulf states for good measure). 

One unintentional outcome: Iran’s attacks on its neighbors have strengthened the Arab states’ understanding of the importance of Israel as an ally against the global village bully.

Ignoring US President Donald Trump’s blunt warning not to respond, Israel hit back, targeting aerial defense systems and a petrochemical facility reportedly used to manufacture raw materials used for ballistic missiles. Although the opposition criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu personally, especially ahead of the upcoming elections, there was a virtual consensus that Israel had no choice but to take action.

In the bloody aftermath of the Iranian-sponsored, Hamas-led invasion and mega-atrocity of October 7, 2023, it is clear that Israel cannot afford to let terrorist organizations get away with attacks. Indeed, this week’s rocket barrages diverted attention from the lethal terrorist shooting in the Sharon region, in which one Israeli man was murdered and five were wounded. Other recent attacks were thwarted or did not result in fatalities.

As Khaled Abu Toameh wrote for the Gatestone Institute, “All terrorist roads lead first to Tehran.” Abu Toameh noted the interview given by Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to CNN on June 5, when Aoun, directly referring to the Iranian regime, declared: “You are not trying to help us; the people of Lebanon are paying the price for your own interests… Our interests do not align with yours… This is not your country, it is our country.”

The same day, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, referring to Iran’s rejection of a ceasefire agreement, told a UN humanitarian appeal, “This is yet another confirmation that this war is not ours, that it is not fought for us, but on our soil and at the expense of our people.”

Abu Toameh noted: “So long as Hezbollah and Hamas remain armed and in power, and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps remains ruling Iran, there will be no lasting peace or stability in the Middle East. All three remain deeply committed to their jihad (holy war) against Israel, and are prepared to pursue it indefinitely.”

Ceasefire and the World Cup

TRUMP’S CALLS for a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities might be driven partly by the desire to present solid foreign policy successes ahead of the midterms in November, but he also has his eyes on the ball of a non-political game. The US, along with Canada and Mexico, is hosting the 2026 FIFA World Cup, scheduled for June 11 to July 19.

Security will be extra tight, not because of Israeli actions but because the Palestinian massacre of 11 Israeli team members at the 1972 Munich Olympics showed the world a new type of terrorism – getting as much global attention as possible.

When Paris Saint-Germain FC beat England’s Arsenal in last month’s Champions League final, rioters took to the streets of Paris and across France to celebrate with acts of looting, arson, and violence that included the attempted storming of a police station.

As many quipped, if this is what a football victory looks like, imagine what would have happened had PSG lost. Ironically, both European teams wear the shirts of Gulf sponsors: PSG is owned by Qatar Sports Investments, which is backed by the Qatari government, while Arsenal is sponsored by Dubai’s Emirates airline.

Backing sports is not necessarily financially lucrative, but it does buy soft power and influence – a winning situation as far as countries like Qatar are concerned. As I noted when Qatar hosted the 2022 FIFA World Cup, apparently the result of kickbacks rather than being good sports, the tiny but mind-blowingly wealthy state has consistently played a double game: It sponsors terrorism and carries out human rights abuses while winking to the Western world and using its powerful Al Jazeera media empire to project a desired moderate image.

Iran, too, has politicized sports, including banning its citizens from competing against Israelis. Perhaps that’s not really so different from Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Iceland, and Slovenia (which last week elected a friendlier government) refusing to participate in this year’s Eurovision Song Contest because Israel took part.

At pro-Palestinian rallies around the world, the national flags of the countries where the demonstrations are taking place are rarely, if ever, found. Those ostensibly celebrating PSG’s victory were not waving France’s Tricolore.

At solidarity rallies for Israel, however, the local flag is usually seen alongside Israel’s Blue-and-White Star of David. There are also often Iranian expats, people who escaped the ayatollahs’ regime, proudly raising the pre-Islamic Republic’s “Lion and Sun,” as they stand next to Israel’s supporters, united by the understanding of the true enemy of global peace and stability. 

This was particularly true after the January crackdown by the Islamist regime, which left more than 30,000 protesters dead within days. Incidentally, FIFA is allowing the Palestinian flag to be displayed inside World Cup stadiums, even though no Palestinian team is participating, while it has banned the Lion and Sun. International politics can be a dirty game indeed.

MEANWHILE, FOR the European Union, kicking Israel is the name of the game. It is singling out the Jewish state on the international playing field with the threat of sanctions next week.

This week, France led a string of countries, including the UK, Canada, and Norway, in banning Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and several “settlers” in a move against the settlement movement in Judea and Samaria (the West Bank). Last week, Australia and New Zealand also imposed sanctions. These are all countries that have experienced escalating antisemitism, by the way.

Ostensibly, this is a move against (isolated but reprehensible) acts of so-called settler violence; however, every year brings a different pretext for the anti-Israel measures. Ironically, the economic sanctions often harm Palestinian and Arab workers associated with the Israeli companies. Talk about foul play.

The more the EU, UN, and others delegitimize Israel, the more Israel’s enemies are encouraged. The more terror attacks are perpetrated against Israeli and Jewish targets, the less the people of Israel feel there is a peace partner to talk to.

Here’s praying that it is football strikes and goals, rather than rocket strikes and hits, that make the local and world news headlines this summer.

The annual Tel Aviv Pride Parade began on Friday morning, beginning at 11 p.m. on Shalag Street, near Gordon Beach, with the route passing along the city’s promenade before ending at Charles Clore Park.

Tel Aviv’s mayor, Ron Huldai, announced at the start of the march that it “represents exactly how all of Israel needs to look – equal, inclusive, and loving.

“The city of Tel Aviv-Yafo is a warm home for all the communities that live there and is proud to be a groundbreaking city in relation to the LGBT community and a global source of inspiration, and we will march again this year to continue the struggle for full equality for every citizen,” he added.”

Opposition leader Yair Lapid posted a message in support of the LGBT community on X/Twitter as the parade began.

“As long as “homo” or “trans” is a curse in schools, as long as a lesbian walks the streets feeling unsafe, as long as there is a girl or boy who are afraid to come out of the closet – we have a duty to change reality for them,” he wrote.

כל עוד ״הומו״ או ״טרנסית״ היא קללה בבתי ספר, כל עוד לסבית מסתובבות לא בטוחה ברחוב, כל עוד יש ילדה או ילד שמפחדים לצאת מהארון – יש לנו תפקיד לשנות את המציאות בשבילם.
להט״בים – תהיו גאים. יש לכם על מה. אני איתכם. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🇮🇱

— יאיר לפיד – Yair Lapid (@yairlapid) June 12, 2026

“LGBT – be proud. You have reason to. I’m with you.”

Chen Arieli, deputy mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo and chair of the Israel Gay Youth society, also spoke ahead of the Pride Parade, saying that this year more than ever it served as a reminder that achievements should not be taken for granted.

“In days when some seek to weaken democracy, violate human rights, and repeatedly mark different groups in society as internal enemies, the Pride Parade is a clear civic declaration for a strong democracy in Israel,” she stated.

“The LGBTQ+ community has fought for decades to secure basic rights, recognition, and safety. This struggle has never been only about LGBTQ+ issues. It has always been a fight over the character of Israeli society as a whole. This year we also march for those still waiting for full equality, for young people seeking a safe place to be themselves, for families still fighting for recognition, and for a country where no one should fear because of who they love or who they are.

“Pride is the choice to be seen, to speak out, and to fight for a better future,” Arieli concluded. “Tomorrow we will march in pride, remember the journey we have shared for the rights already won, and continue marching until equality becomes a reality for everyone.”

Democrats MK Rabbi Gilad Kariv announced that he, along with other representatives from the Democrats party, was at the parade.

הדמוקרטים כאן, במצעד הגאווה בתל אביב.
עומדים בגאווה מול הכהניסטים.
עומדים בגאווה מול ההומופובים.
עומדים בגאווה גם מול המתקרנפים.
בואו לצעוד איתנו למען השוויון, הסובלנות, הדמוקרטיה והשלום.

פרישמן פינת הרברט סמואל. pic.twitter.com/ydnPBLZbt9

— גלעד קריב (@KarivGilad) June 12, 2026

“Standing proudly in front of the Kahanists. Standing proudly in front of the homophobes. And standing proudly in front of the cowards,” he wrote on X/Twitter. “Come march with us for equality, tolerance, democracy, and peace.”

Police on high alert as planned attack against LGBT community averted

Israel Police announced that over 1,000 police officers, undercover and Border Police officers, and volunteers will be deployed throughout the event to ensure the safety and security of all participants. Special units, including the Israel Police’s air and maritime units, will also be deployed.

As the event began, police announced that they had averted a planned attack against the LGBT community, arresting a 37-year-old suspect in Haifa.

“They were destroyed once, it’s about time they were destroyed again,” the man had written on social media. “Sick people, disgusting.”

Police sources said security plans for the event were developed in coordination with production parties, the Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality, MDA, and others.

As part of this, police have said that the entry of two-wheeled vehicles of any kind, weapons, glass bottles, alcohol, and animals (except for guide dogs in training or on duty) to the parade and the party at Charles Clore Park will be prohibited.

Police close roads for Pride event

Police have closed off roads throughout Tel Aviv to accommodate the event, Israeli media reported.

Earlier this week, police announced which roads would be closed, including: 

Rokach Boulevard: westbound, starting at Ibn Gabirol Street.

Hayarkon Street: southbound, starting at Jabotinsky Street, and northbound from Yosef Halevi Street to J. L. Gordon Street.

Herbert Samuel Street: southbound from Shalag Street to Yehezkel Kaufman Street, including service roads.

Yehezkel Kaufman Street: northbound from Eilat Street to Yosef Halevi Street.

Nahum Goldmann Street: northbound from Eilat Street to Yosef Halevi Street, and from Yossi Carmel Square (Clock Square) to Kaufman.

Eilat Street: westbound from Eliphelet Street.

Eliphelet Street: northbound from Derekh Shalma.

Derekh Shalma: westbound from Eliphelet Street.

Mapu Street: from Yeho’ash Street to Hayarkon Street.

Frishman Street: from Dizengoff Street to Herbert Samuel Street.

Trumpeldor Street: from Ben Yehuda Street to Herbert Samuel Street.

Ness Ziona Street: from Ben Yehuda Street to Hayarkon Street.

Ge’ula Street: from HaKovshim Street to Herbert Samuel Street.

Nechemiah Street: from HaKovshim Street to Herbert Samuel Street.

Carmelit Street: from HaKovshim Street to Hayarkon Street.

Israel Police added that additional streets may be closed during the event to ensure it can take place safely.

It added that no parking will be allowed along the parade route and recommended using public transportation.

The FIFA World Cup 2026  is expected to be the most carbon-intensive World Cup ever staged, an analysis by Good Vision suggested ahead of the opening ceremony on June 11.

Good Vision is a part of the global Grant Thornton network, specializing in sustainability and corporate responsibility.

They estimate that the 2026 World Cup will produce a carbon footprint of approximately 3.7 million tons of CO2e, while the 2022 World Cup in Qatar was estimated to produce 3.63 million tons, and the tournaments in Russia (2018) and Brazil (2014) were responsible for around 2.16 and 2.72 million tons, respectively.

The analysis suggests that this World Cup alone could account for nearly a third of the annual global carbon emissions associated with soccer.

According to the report, the increase in carbon emissions is a result of the unprecedented expansion of the tournament, from 32 to 48 teams, which increased the number of matches from 64 to 104. Additionally, the tournament is being staged across three different countries, Canada, the US, and Mexico – a first in World Cup history.

This means that teams and fans will have to travel extensively between host cities throughout the competition, further increasing carbon emissions.

Stadiums launch sustainability initiatives

Despite this troubling data, there are also positive steps being taken by both FIFA and host venues towards sustainability.

SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, for example, incorporates passive cooling technologies based on natural airflow and a specialized ETFE roof that reduces direct solar heat gain by approximately 86%, significantly lowering energy demand and reducing the need for artificial lighting during daytime matches.

Additionally, several venues have achieved some of the highest waste-diversion rates in professional sports, redirecting 90+% of waste to composting and recycling rather than landfills.

Good Vision notes that these measures are unlikely to significantly offset the increase in carbon emissions, adding that many stadiums in the US and Canada that typically use artificial turf have switched to water-intensive natural grass for the World Cup, which will require tens of thousands of liters of water per day, including in water-stressed regions.

Ivri Verbin, CEO of Good Vision, explained, “The 2026 World Cup highlights one of the defining contradictions facing global sports today. On the one hand, we are seeing greater investment in green technologies, recycling systems, and waste-reduction initiatives. On the other hand, the continued expansion of major tournaments – more matches, more host countries and more flights – is driving carbon emissions to unprecedented levels.”

“You cannot continue expanding tournaments, increasing air travel, and adding more host cities while simultaneously claiming a commitment to climate goals. At some point, the numbers simply stop adding up.”

Israel waged the Six Day War in June 1967. The 12-Day War with Iran in June 2025. And now, in 2026, the 12-hour war. Again with Iran. Again in June.

To help make sense of what happened, what the country experienced, and what it means going forward, it is useful to look at other examples.

In a Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security Zoom briefing this week, former National Security Council head Yaakov Amidror and Eran Lerman, a former senior NSC official, turned to two seemingly unlikely examples: North Korea and Google.

No free lunch for Israel

First, Google.

The week’s events made it clear to everyone in Israel that there is no free lunch. US President Donald Trump’s support for Israel – the steps he has taken across the board over the years to assist the country – is not without a cost. And the cost is that he gets a say, a big say, in what Israel can and cannot do.

Never has Israel had a more supportive president in the White House. That’s the upside. The downside? Never has Israel been so dependent on a US president.

And this is where Google comes into play.

Amidror said that he has two friends with startups in which Google decided to invest. Both welcomed the partnership.

But after a year, both realized that when Google is your partner, Google has something to say about how the company is run. Amidror said one of his friends disliked the arrangement and decided to sever the partnership and continue on his own.

The other chose to stay with Google and figure out how to work with its input.

“If someone thinks that when Google is your partner, you can neglect Google, I think they are making a big mistake,” Amidror said.

“But you have to make a strategic decision. Do you want to continue with Google and have some flexibility here, or do you say, ‘Okay, I’ll continue alone without Google?’”

Amidror said that when he posed that question to other friends, they all gave the same answer.

“All my friends told me that if they had to make the decision, they would stay with Google. This is the situation of Israel today. We are with Google, and we have to take into consideration that Google is our partner.”

The US, to carry the metaphor, is Israel’s Google. As a result, it will have a say in how we run our startup.

At times, that smarts. At times, it is frustrating. At times, it limits your ability to make fully independent decisions. 

But it also carries enormous benefits – benefits that should not be overlooked in a moment of frustration over interference by the larger partner.

Keeping the bigger picture in mind

IT IS ALSO important to keep the bigger picture in mind. And what is the bigger picture? Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu often boasts that he has been sounding the alarm about Iran’s nuclear program for more than 30 years. And he has. It has been his top priority.

When history is written a hundred years from now, one of the defining elements of Netanyahu’s legacy will be his efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

That remains his overriding priority. Hezbollah, the Houthis, Hamas – all of that is secondary. What is key, what is essential, is preventing Iran from getting the bomb.

Then along comes Trump and says, “I’m almost there. I’m just a step away from getting the Iranians to concede on the nuclear issue in negotiations. The military pressure, the economic pressure, it’s having an effect, and soon they will give it up in talks.”

Do you believe him – a president who has declared peace where there is no peace, victory where there is no victory, and the destruction of Iran’s military capabilities when they clearly still possess them? Maybe not.

But remember: he is Google, and Google has a say.

Why Netanyahu bends to Trump’s demands

This is why Netanyahu deferred this week to Trump’s wishes and did not carry out the type of attack Israel had reportedly planned for Iran on Monday after the Iranian regime fired 11 ballistic missiles at Israel. Trump said stop shooting, and Israel – and Iran – stopped shooting.

Why?

To give those negotiations a chance.

Trump, being Trump, cast this in terms of his own omnipotence – at least when it comes to Netanyahu.

Netanyahu, he has repeatedly suggested over the last few weeks in various forums and in various ways, will dance obediently to his tune.

“He’s fine. He will do whatever I want him to do. He’s a very good man,” Trump told reporters on May 20.

On Sunday, he told the Financial Times: “I call all the shots. He doesn’t call the shots.”

And on Tuesday, he told the BBC: “If I tell him to do something, he does it.”

Those quotes will inevitably be trotted out by Netanyahu’s political opponents during the upcoming election campaign as evidence that the prime minister is Trump’s poodle and puppet.

The widespread assumption, at least until recently, was that Netanyahu was Trump’s preferred candidate. If that is the case, doesn’t Trump realize that remarks like these could be politically toxic?

Perhaps. But Trump, too, has domestic political considerations.

According to Lerman, Trump has been stung by accusations from the Tucker Carlson wing of the MAGA movement that Netanyahu dragged him into the war with Iran.

Comments such as “If I tell him to do something, he does it” need to be seen in the context of rebutting the charge, increasingly common in some US circles, that the Iran episode is a classic case of the tail wagging the dog.

While Lerman said Trump has been “quite decisive” in shutting down the anti-Israel and antisemitic elements of the MAGA landscape, he added that the president is nevertheless “affected by the music and has responded to it.”

Which brings us to North Korea.

“One of the best examples of bad diplomacy in modern history is the success of North Korea in becoming a nuclear power,” Amidror said.

One reason the US did not use force to stop North Korea, he argued, was South Korea’s adamant opposition.

And why was South Korea opposed?

Because of the fear that, in the event of a US attack, North Korea would unleash devastating force against Seoul, which sits only 60 km. from the Demilitarized Zone. 

The North Koreans have thousands of artillery pieces and rocket launchers dug into the mountains along the border that, South Koreans feared, could be used in a massive retaliatory barrage on the capital. So they forcefully urged the US not to strike.

Iranians learned ‘hostage strategy’ from North Korea

The Iranians have learned more from the North Koreans than just how to build missiles. They have also learned the value of this “hostage strategy.”

IRAN IS effectively holding the Gulf states hostage in much the same way North Korea held Seoul hostage – not only deterring overwhelming American action but also helping persuade Washington to limit Israel’s attacks.

“The Iranians are slowly building this same dynamic in the Gulf,” Amidror said. “What they are saying clearly is, ‘If you do something to Iran, we will destroy the Gulf countries.’

“Under the table, these countries are saying to the Americans: ‘If you are going to take action, do it to the end. Finish this regime. Destroy its capabilities totally. But if you don’t finish the job, don’t put us – the Gulf countries – in a very dire situation. Because if you go halfway, at the end of the day we will pay the price.’”

The Iranians have succeeded in creating a “coercive situation” in the Gulf because the Americans are not ready to go the extra mile and totally destroy Iran’s capabilities, Amidror said.

Lerman, trying to make sense of Trump’s often contradictory rhetoric – one day talking about obliterating Iranian civilization, the next about meeting the new Iranian leader – offered a riff on the well-known saying by the ancient Chinese strategist Sun Tzu: “Know thyself and know thy enemy, and you will not lose a hundred battles.”

The Trump version, he said, is: “If you don’t know what you’re doing, the enemy doesn’t either.”

That said, Lerman added that Trump has shown a determination to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear state. And that, too, may stem from North Korea.

“The experience of trying to get Kim Jong Un to give up on his nuclear project during Trump’s first term – and failing – has taught him that these kinds of regimes have to be stopped before they have the bomb,” he said.

“And on this, I think he’s been very consistent. Either they actually give him something distinctly better than the deal [then-president Barack] Obama struck, or we may go back to square one.”

Meaning, back to a full-scale war.

Whether Trump is right about the negotiations is anyone’s guess. What this week demonstrated, however, is something else entirely: that Israel’s strategic dependence on the US is now so deep that when the president says stop, Israel stops.

That may be frustrating. It may even be uncomfortable and humbling.

But, as Amidror’s start-up story illustrated, that is the price of having Google as your partner.

Hamas co-founder Hassan Yousef, 71, was released from Israeli administrative detention on Thursday, Yousef’s son Owais confirmed to local and international media on Thursday night.

In addition to his son’s confirmation, Hamas released an official statement confirming that Yousef had been released, congratulating him and his family, and mentioning that he had spent more than 20 years in prison, cumulatively. Before his most recent detention, he was released in July 2020 after 16 months in prison. 

After having been detained most recently since October 2023, Yousef was reportedly released near Hebron and taken directly to a hospital in Ramallah. Media reports indicated that he was not given a trial and therefore not charged with anything during this latest detention and release. 

‘I can’t sleep because of the pain’

Footage reviewed by Agence France-Presse (AFP) appeared to show Yousef lying in a hospital bed with one arm in a sling; the source of his injury is not publicly known, according to the media outlet. The footage also reportedly captured Yousef telling loved ones, “I can’t sleep because of the pain.”

Yousef is a senior leader of Hamas in the West Bank, a report from the AFP noted, having co-founded the group in 1987 along with Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and other Palestinian members of the Muslim Brotherhood.

He is also the father of Mosab Hassan Yousef, who wrote a book titled Son of Hamas in 2010, and has rallied against the terror group since defecting in the 1990s. Yousef worked with Israeli counter-intelligence and helped the Mossad in various operations – including incarcerating his own father

James Genn contributed to this report.

Israeli and Palestinian civil society groups will meet in France on Friday to urge the international community not to abandon a two-state solution, as Paris seeks to keep the issue alive amid the Middle East war.

The meeting, attended by foreign ministers and senior officials from dozens of countries, marks one year since the UN-backed New York Declaration, which set out a roadmap toward Palestinian statehood and prompted around a dozen countries, including France, Britain, and Canada, to recognize a Palestinian state.

“Given the current situation in the region, marked by seemingly endless conflicts, too many civilian casualties and a cycle of violence, and in light of the stalled implementation of the Gaza ceasefire … we believe this conference is now more essential and urgent than ever,” France’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson told reporters on Thursday.

The gathering will end with an eight-point “Call for Action” urging a permanent ceasefire, a halt to settlements, Gaza reconstruction, governance reforms and stronger international backing for civil society.

It will be delivered to the G7 leaders who meet in the French Alps from Monday.

“The region continues to fracture. Gaza is devastated, Israel remains under threat. Settler terrorism, settlement expansion, and de facto annexation and threats to the Palestinian Authority continue to undermine the viability of a future Palestinian state,” according to the action plan seen by Reuters.

“Israelis and Palestinians alike remain trapped in fear, insecurity, and trauma. We return because, as the G7 convenes in Évian, this conflict risks once again being set aside. The window for a solution remains open; but it is narrowing.”

Anger in the West over settler violence

The conference comes amid escalating violence by Israeli settlers in the West Bank and underscores anger in many Western countries toward Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, which has expanded settlements.

Diplomats say that expansion is aimed at undermining prospects for a Palestinian state.

A key concern is Israel’s plan to build a settlement east of Jerusalem, known as the E1 project, which would bisect the West Bank and cut it off from east Jerusalem, fragmenting territory Palestinians seek for an independent state.

Britain, Canada, France, and Norway announced new coordinated sanctions on Tuesday against Israeli networks involved in financing, enabling, and carrying out violence in the West Bank.

Israeli ambassador says conference ‘has nothing to do with promoting peace’

Israel and the United States declined to attend the meeting.

“The ambassador was invited but will not attend the conference, as it has nothing to do with promoting peace,” the Israeli embassy said in a statement.

“France cannot act as a mediator between Israel and the Palestinians. Regarding the two-state solution, the ambassador recalls that the Palestinians have rejected proposals to establish a Palestinian state on five occasions.”

MK Tally Gotliv (Likud) launched a broad attack against those predicting her ouster, the top ranks of the defense establishment, and the prosecution, in an interview with 103FM on Thursday. In the process, she clashed directly with the program host, Sivan Cohen.

Gotliv was unimpressed by Amit Segal’s report on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s intention to cancel the Likud primaries, saying that he was “diminishing the leadership strength of the Prime Minister.”

“You think he doesn’t want strong people around him,” she added. “I really haven’t lowered my head, I haven’t turned the Prime Minister’s circle into my own environment. The only thing driving me is the Prime Minister.

“I have news for Amit Segal – there will be primaries. No court will help; primaries are the pride of the Likud party. I understand this really bothers you. Oh woe, right‑wing Tally Gotliv, the one who thinks terror supporters shouldn’t be in the Knesset, the one who thinks there’s a narrative of harming Jews in the West Bank,” she said.

Gotliv also said that Netanyahu wants her “very, very much.”

“You can count on one hand the denials Netanyahu has issued about media reports. When was the last organized denial from his office? When Amit Segal reported that Netanyahu and Yariv Levin had spoken and said I was weakening Likud, the Prime Minister’s Office issued a denial. Do you know what poll the Prime Minister conducted regarding me? How much am I worth? Thank God, I’m worth five seats. I don’t want to be worth five seats.”

“The Prime Minister cannot cancel the primaries; this is not his decision,” Gotliv emphasized. “We are not a one‑man party. I am not part of that; we have an excellent leader and a great party. Netanyahu is not leaving; he’s with us as much as he can. Leadership took us from crisis and low points to control. The primaries will not be canceled; it cannot be the Prime Minister’s decision. There will be primaries in Likud. If you want to see what happens without primaries, just look at the ‘Ein Atid’ (No Future) party. We are a democratic party; we don’t bow our heads to the chairman.”

Gotliv called Likud an “excellent party,” saying that she was not involved in “this low-level gossip.” 

“I know what political persecution is,” she said. “The fact that an indictment is filed leaves no impression on me. An indictment against right‑wing individuals is political persecution. To the dismay of leftists, the corrupt prosecution leadership chasing us this week in the Knesset committee, people were shocked to hear what was said. Right‑wing people are smart; the right will continue to govern despite the scheme to weaken, suppress, and stir pessimism on the right. Likud will remain in power, and the only way to do so is through primaries.”

Gotliv defends ‘Bild’ leak affair

Later in the interview, Gotliv defended the Bild case, saying that the leaking of secret documents to the German newspaper was “one of the most important things that cut through Hamas’s glorification in the world, which was taking place under the guise of protests here in Israel.”

“‘The Prime Minister does not kill hostages,’ ‘The Prime Minister does not want hostage deals,’” she said the protesters claimed. “The document, which was held by the army and should have been transferred to the Prime Minister, stated: we will not release hostages. That’s what the document says. So the fact that Amit Aisman says revealing the document harms state security – I didn’t know that cutting off the enemy’s glorification is harming state security. Fortunately, they said about Amit Aisman that he doesn’t know and it’s unclear how he chooses the offenses.”

Cohen couldn’t contain herself, interjecting with “I’m letting you speak, but I’m exploding inside. As someone who established the Hostages Forum, listen, what you just said is a disgrace and shame. Any connection between reality and what you say is humiliating. Bild didn’t harm the hostages? I was in the meetings.”

Gotliv did not back down, saying, “The German Bild document says not to release hostages, not to carry out hostage deals. Why wasn’t this revealed to the people of Israel? Bild published it, revealing the truth; this is Hamas’s stance and strategy.”

“You claim that security officials betrayed and allowed October 7,” Cohen replied. “Zini, the Shin Bet chief appointed by Netanyahu, openly said there was no betrayal.” 

Cohen also tried to de-escalate, saying, “Tali, don’t get angry, let’s speak nicely.”

Gotliv remained firm, saying she would not speak nicely with Cohen because she was “weakening the nation.”

“You have no courage to face reality,” she argued. “The top ranks of Shin Bet and the IDF did not update the Prime Minister on signs indicating war; their excuse after three years was fear of miscalculation. What does that mean? The top Shin Bet ranks are responsible for harming the system. I don’t see leadership before me; I don’t care how eminent or big a person is.”

October 7 investigation needs IDF soldiers involved, MK says

“So who can investigate the biggest disaster since the Holocaust? You don’t trust Esther Hayut to lead the committee? Who can head the committee?” Cohen asked the MK.

Gotliv offered an alternative: “In a state investigation committee, we won’t know the truth. The people can lead the committee. We want a national inquiry. I want people from the army, up to lieutenant colonel rank, who were in the field; I want intelligence from Unit 8200, the materials that raised warnings, what happened, and what they did with them. I don’t want a Supreme Court judge like Isaac Amit, who said there’s no such thing as insubordination; I want someone to investigate and tell me how Shin Bet did not prevent insubordination and calls for disobedience like ‘Brothers in Arms.’”

Cohen pressed Gotliv, asking her, “Why don’t you waive your immunity and confront reality? You have immunity, and you’re disregarding everyone and harming state security, putting private individuals at risk targeted by terror organizations.”

Gotliv replied, “Do you know why I can’t reveal everything? Who signed the certificate of immunity? Israel Katz. All the materials are classified; you will never know them.”

“Remove the immunity, remove it, you know how to deal with these matters,” Cohen responded sarcastically.

Gotliv concluded sharply: “I don’t need your compliments. Don’t belittle me, you’re really on the edge of a kind of misogyny that doesn’t suit you. I have immunity under the law. Why? Not to harm an anonymous person, not me, I don’t harm anonymous people, not to take bribes; the Prime Minister was the one who suspected Shikma Bressler’s partner.”

US President Donald Trump has said that he doesn’t expect Kurds to fight in Iran.

“I don’t want the Kurds to go into Iran,” he said on Saturday, apparently referring to rumors circulating last week about an Iranian Kurdish offensive underway by opposition groups based in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. Kurdish groups have denied the rumors, saying that they were waiting. There had also been reports of contact between the Trump administration and the Kurdish groups.

Trump noted that the Kurdish fighters were willing to fight in Iran. “They’re willing to go in, but I’ve told them I don’t want them to go in… The war is complicated enough as it is… We don’t want to see the Kurds get hurt or killed.”

The American president spoke aboard Air Force One. He had recently stood on a tarmac with the bodies of six Americans returned from the Middle East when they were transferred to US soil.

It is possible that the sight of the bodies of Americans coming home has made the US president rethink where the war is going.

The Kurdish Iranian groups were thrust into the spotlight after February 28, when the US and Israel began strikes on Iran.

Kurdish groups targeted over inaccurate reports

Initially, reports had indicated that these groups were preparing to fight the Iranian regime. Within two days, reports said that the Kurdish groups were being armed by the US. It was not clear how this was possible in such a short period. Rumors about the Kurds kept growing over the following days. A false report was pushed by several major media outlets that suggested the groups had launched an offensive into Iran.

Iran has taken these reports seriously and has kept up drone strikes targeting the Kurdish groups in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq. The situation here is complex. There are seven Kurdish Iranian groups in Iran. Six of them have come together as a coalition against the Iranian regime.

One group, a Communist branch of the Komala party, has rejected the coalition.

The major Kurdish groups include the Kurdistan Free Life Party, the Kurdistan Freedom Party, the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, two branches of the Komala Party, and the Khabat group.

The spotlight on the Kurds has led to pushback.

Some Iranians call the Kurds “separatists.” Others argue that the Kurds could end up as cannon fodder or that it would be hard for them to take control of the Kurdish region in western Iran.

The Kurdish region in Iran is relatively small, despite the country’s eight million Kurds.

It is possible that if the Kurds were to start an uprising, it would trigger a domino effect across the rest of Iran.

Other groups in Iran don’t appear to be well-armed. There also appears to be controversy between the Kurdish groups and those backing other Iranian opposition groups, such as those backing the former shah’s son, Reza Pahlavi, the crown prince.

This controversy could divide the opposition groups. Without the spotlight on the Kurds, it’s possible that the spotlight could now move to other Iranian groups.

There are many minorities in Iran, namely the Azeris, Baloch, and Arabs. The Persian opposition in Iran generally argues that the minorities are “separatists,” which creates challenges for the US in deciding whom to back.

The Trump administration seems to be keeping most of the groups at arm’s length. However, the administration has a long experience working with Kurds. It worked with them in Syria and Iraq.

Some Kurds feel that the US walked away from them in 2017 when the Iraqi army attacked them in Iraq, as well as when the Syrian government attacked them in January 2026 in Aleppo.

As Trump changes tack, it appears that cool heads are prevailing. The Kurdish groups are waiting to see what happens. They have trained for years, but they are also cautious.

For more than a decade, political leaders, military strategists, and sections of the media across the Muslim world have periodically revived the idea of an “Islamic NATO,” a unified military bloc of Muslim-majority nations capable of defending collective interests and confronting perceived adversaries.

Countries such as Turkey, Pakistan, and Iran have often invoked the language of Islamic solidarity, while political narratives have frequently suggested that Muslim states could one day gather under a single strategic umbrella. In many cases, the implied adversaries have been Israel and, more subtly, India.

Yet the reality of contemporary geopolitics tells a very different story. Far from moving toward military unity, the Muslim world today is fractured by ideological, sectarian, economic, and geopolitical rivalries so profound that the very notion of an “Islamic NATO” appears less like a strategic project and more like a recurring political slogan.

The strongest evidence of this failure emerged from Saudi Arabia’s ambitious attempt to create precisely such a framework. In December 2015, Riyadh announced the formation of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC), initially comprising 34 Muslim-majority countries and later expanding beyond 40 members. Headquartered in Riyadh and eventually led by former Pakistan Army Chief-General Raheel Sharif, the coalition was marketed as a historic military partnership against terrorism.

Simultaneously, Saudi Arabia hosted the massive “North Thunder” military exercises in 2016, involving around 20 countries and presented as a demonstration of collective Islamic military power. However, despite the symbolism, the coalition never evolved into a coherent military alliance and remained largely confined to conferences, statements and limited coordination mechanisms. Research and policy assessments consistently pointed to the absence of integrated command structures, shared doctrines and binding defense commitments that define genuine military alliances.

Rivalries within the Muslim world

The principal reason for the failure of any Islamic NATO is that there is no agreement on who should lead the Muslim world. Saudi Arabia regards itself as the natural custodian of Islamic leadership because it hosts Mecca and Medina. Iran, meanwhile, presents itself as the ideological center of resistance politics and has long challenged Saudi Arabia’s claim to religious authority.

The Saudi-Iranian rivalry is not merely geopolitical; it is theological and civilizational. For decades, both states have competed for influence across Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and the wider Islamic world. Riyadh views Iran’s revolutionary ideology and Shia political networks as existential threats. Their clerics have often called the Iranian regime “Majoos,” referring to them as the fire-worshippers from Iran.  Iranian hardliners, on the other hand, have often portrayed the Saudi monarchy as unfit custodians of Islam’s holiest sites. Under such conditions, any collective military alliance claiming to represent the entire Muslim world is structurally impossible.

Even among Sunni powers, rivalries are severe. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have frequently found themselves on opposite sides despite public displays of partnership. Qatar and Bahrain are in opposing camps. In Yemen, differences emerged over support for competing local factions and visions for the country’s future. In Sudan’s ongoing conflict, Abu Dhabi and Riyadh have often been perceived as backing different political outcomes. These disagreements reveal that even among close Gulf partners, strategic objectives frequently diverge.

The contradictions of selective solidarity

The myth surrounding Islamic military unity becomes even harder to sustain when examining actual conflicts involving Muslim nations.

Afghanistan provides a striking example. Pakistan and Afghanistan have repeatedly exchanged accusations over border violence, militant sanctuaries and military operations. Cross-border strikes by the Pakistani Army have periodically resulted in Afghan civilian casualties, including women and children.

Yet none of the countries that routinely invoke Muslim solidarity has mobilized an “Islamic NATO” response to defend Afghan civilians or mediate disputes in a meaningful way. In practice therefore, shared religious identity often takes a back seat to national interests.

The silence becomes even more conspicuous regarding China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang. While governments across the Muslim world frequently issue statements on Palestine, few have shown comparable willingness to challenge Beijing.

Pakistan, despite presenting itself as a leading voice of the Islamic world, has consistently avoided criticism of China due to its economic dependence and defense partnership with Beijing. The same coalition that speaks of defending Muslims globally has remained largely inactive on one of the most discussed Muslim human rights issues of the 21st century.

Such inconsistencies expose a central truth: the foreign policies and defense partnerships of Muslim-majority states are driven primarily by national interests, economic dependencies and regime security rather than civilizational solidarity. The language of Islamic unity often functions as a domestic political instrument rather than an operational strategic doctrine.

Israel, India, and the emerging new alignments

The geopolitical landscape has changed dramatically since the Abraham Accords. The United Arab Emirates has emerged as one of Israel’s most significant partners in the Arab world, expanding cooperation across technology, trade, intelligence, and investment. Simultaneously, India has become a critical component of emerging economic and strategic frameworks connecting the Gulf and Israel.

This triangular relationship among India, Israel, and the UAE increasingly reflects the realities of twenty-first-century geopolitics. Economic modernization, technology partnerships and supply-chain integration now outweigh ideological slogans. More broadly, the Middle East and South Asia are witnessing a gradual shift away from identity-based alliances toward more pragmatic and interest-driven partnerships.

For the United States, however, there remains a recurring tendency to overestimate Pakistan’s ability to function as a stable pillar within regional alliances and security arrangements. Washington has repeatedly viewed Islamabad as a strategic asset capable of balancing multiple regional interests, only to encounter familiar patterns of ambiguity, dependence and competing loyalties.

Pakistan’s military partnerships with Saudi Arabia coexist alongside deep defense ties with China, while its domestic political narratives and open opposition to normalization with Israel often differs substantially from its external behavior. This pattern explains why visions of a unified Islamic military alliance remain far more compelling in theory than in practice.

The idea of an “Islamic NATO” continues to attract attention because it appeals to powerful emotional and political instincts across the Muslim world. Yet every major regional development – from the Saudi-Iran rivalry and Gulf divisions to relations with China, Israel and India – demonstrates the same reality.

The Muslim world is not moving toward strategic unity. It is moving toward a more fragmented, interest-driven and multipolar order in which national calculations consistently override religious solidarity. The “Islamic NATO,” despite periodic revival in political discourse remains not a military reality, but a geopolitical mirage.

Geopolitics rarely stands still. As tensions surrounding Iran, maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, and Trump’s pressure campaign continue to evolve, the Middle East may witness new alignments that cut across old ideological divides. The more important question is no longer whether an “Islamic NATO” will emerge, but how a fragmented and increasingly transactional regional order will reshape the security architecture of the wider Middle East in the years ahead.

Over the past week, the IDF has conducted operations on three separate fronts, aiming to handle terrorism threats from Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, from the Gaza Strip, and from the West Bank, the military announced on Friday.

In addition, the IDF operated to combat smuggling along Israel’s eastern and western borders.

In southern Lebanon, the Israeli Air Force struck approximately 310 Hezbollah sites, killing around 80 terrorists, the IDF stated.

Ground forces also conducted operations in the area, dismantling infrastructure and removing threats.

Meanwhile, in the Gaza Strip, IDF forces worked to continue dismantling terror tunnels, with a focus on Khan Yunis. Over 20 terrorists were killed during these operations, the IDF said, including three senior Islamic Jihad terrorists, and the head of a Hamas funds transfer infrastructure and his deputy.

IDF captures over 50 terror suspects in West Bank, seizes weaponry

West Bank counterterrorism operations captured over 50 suspects, who were wanted for inciting terrorism, advancing terror activities, and possessing and trading weaponry.

IDF forces in the West Bank also confiscated 250,000 shekels intended for terrorism, as well as a lathe used to manufacture weapons, a drone, military equipment, ammunition, and more than 10 weapons including handguns and improvised Carlo weapons.

Leaders from Gulf and South Asian countries called US President Donald Trump to ask him to call off strikes against Iran after Trump posted about his planned attack on Truth Social, Politico reported on Friday morning.

The calls came from Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and Pakistani defense chief Asim Munir, who assured Trump that a preliminary agreement, which would pave the way for more detailed talks, was at hand.

A Trump administration official told Politico that these countries have influence over Tehran and Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, adding that their assurance of a deal led the President to walk back his plans to attack.

Trump posted to Truth Social on Thursday, announcing that “Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have, as President of the United States of America, canceled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening.”

He added, “Discussions and final points have been, in both concept and great detail, approved by all parties involved.” However, shortly after his post, Fars, a semi-official publication in Iran, reported that the country hadn’t agreed to any deal. 

Israeli sources told Channel 12 that Israel does not recognize reaching an agreement.

Trump claims a deal has been reached and war is over 

On Thursday night, Trump held a virtual tele-rally for Burt Jones, saying, “I don’t know if you heard, but we ended the war with Iran today, and they agreed they will never have a nuclear weapon.”

Iranian state media reported that Esmaeil Baghaei, a spokesperson for the foreign ministry, said that while large parts of the negotiating text have been finalized, Iran would not compromise on its red lines, Reuters reported.

“Iran has not yet reached a final conclusion on an agreement,” he said.

Many diplomats were skeptical that Khamenei had actually agreed to anything. “I’ll believe it when I see it,” one Arab diplomat said, according to reports from Politico.

The Prime Minister’s office said that Netanyahu expressed his appreciation for Trump’s commitment to the ceasefire agreement with Iran, which “will include the removal of enriched nuclear material, the dismantling of enrichment infrastructure, limits on missile production, and an end to Iran’s support for its terrorist proxies in the region.”

Israel is not part of the US’s memorandum of understanding with Iran.

A prominent Palestinian doctor captured by the Israeli military in Gaza in late 2024 and held in detention ever since appeared by video link at a High Court of Justice hearing in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

Hussam Abu Safiya appeared in the video to have lost weight since being captured at a Gaza hospital. The media were briefly allowed into the courtroom before being ushered out as proceedings got underway.

Abu Safiya’s brother, Muafaq, said in April that the family learned through his lawyer that he had lost 40 kg. (88 lb.) in prison and suffered four fractured ribs and other ailments. An Israeli rights group has said Abu Safiya is among a group of Gazan doctors held by Israel who have been denied adequate food.

The Israel Prison Service has denied those allegations.

The Supreme Court was hearing an appeal from Abu Safiya’s lawyer, Nasser Odeh, challenging his detention. The court is expected to announce its decision later on Wednesday.

Abu Safiya has been held without charge, according to the Physicians for Human Rights Israel (PHRI), an Israeli rights group, for more than 500 days. His appearance before the court on Wednesday, by video link, was the first time he has been seen publicly since February 2025, the group said in a statement.

IDF does not provide evidence for Hamas accusation

Abu Safiya was captured by the IDF from the Kamal Adwan Hospital ​in Beit Lahiya, northern Gaza, and is accused of being a member of Hamas.

Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry and Hamas ​have denied the allegation.

Following the hearing on Wednesday, Odeh told reporters his client was handcuffed and shackled throughout the proceedings and said he was being held in solitary confinement.

Odeh also claimed that Abu Safiya was not receiving medical treatment, including for what he described as severe neck and back pain caused by an assault during detention, or medications for what he said was needed to treat a chronic illness.

Abu Safiya also had his eyeglasses confiscated and was experiencing vision problems as a result, and his hands were showing signs of skin disease, which Odeh said was widespread among Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.

IPS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Abu Safiya’s treatment in detention.

Palestinian doctors denied medical care, food, rights group says

During the hearing, Abu Safiya could be seen handcuffed and wearing a white t-shirt and grey tracksuit pants, clothing commonly worn by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.

Abu Safiya is among 14 Palestinian doctors captured in Gaza by the IDF and detained for over a year without charge.

PHRI in April called for their release, saying they had been denied adequate medical care and food and subjected to physical abuse while in detention.

IPS at the time said it rejected all allegations that the doctors had been mistreated in ⁠prison.

The Japanese city of Utsunomiya captured a wild black bear on Tuesday after a dramatic, multi-day search that gripped the nation, with local schools closed and residents urged to stay indoors.

The city closed all 94 municipal primary and middle schools for a second straight day on Tuesday after its first-ever bear sighting on Saturday evening. Authorities decided to keep schools closed again on Wednesday due to a report of a possible second bear roaming the city, an official said.

Bear attacks have spiked in Japan, including in urban areas, prompting the government to set up a task force this year to reduce incidents. In fiscal 2025, the country reported a record 238 casualties, including 13 deaths, according to the environment ministry.

With about 500,000 residents, Utsunomiya, in Tochigi Prefecture, is part of the Greater Tokyo Metropolitan region, about 100 km north of the capital.

When the bear resurfaced in a residential area early on Tuesday afternoon, police cars and other vehicles involved in the search promptly blocked off the vicinity. For more than an hour, police officers milled about, with some holding long sticks and others holding metal shields, as national broadcasters aired live footage from helicopters.

City has yet to decide what to do with captured bear

The adult bear, which was estimated to weigh about 100 kg, was eventually shot with a tranquilizer gun, loaded onto a cage on a truck, and driven away. The city has yet to decide what to do with it, an official said.

About 100 km to the northeast, Iwaki in Fukushima Prefecture also suspended classes at three schools on Tuesday in a neighborhood where a black bear was spotted a day earlier.

Last week, a bear attack in Fukushima city left at least four people injured, with security footage in one incident showing the animal chasing a man and throwing him to the ground.

Asiatic black bears are listed as a globally vulnerable species, but their numbers are estimated to have tripled in Japan since 2012, aided by a decline in hunting.

Experts say climate change has reduced harvests of natural bear food like acorns and beechnuts, while the depopulation of rural areas and the proliferation of abandoned farmland have emboldened them to seek nourishment near human settlements.

Physicians at Clalit Health Services’ Beilinson Hospital have successfully performed Israel’s first intrauterine (prenatal) surgery to remove a rare placental tumor that threatened the life of an unborn child, Clalit announced.

The 25-week pregnant mother was rushed to the Petah Tikva medical center after a routine anatomy scan revealed a growth developing on the placenta’s surface.

Follow-up ultrasound examinations indicated that the tumor was disrupting the blood circulation between the mother and the fetus. The severe circulatory changes had already triggered fetal heart failure, placing the unborn baby in immediate, life-threatening danger.

Because the pregnancy was at an early stage, delivering the baby prematurely carried severe developmental risks.

Consequently, the medical team opted for an emergency in utero intervention.

The operation was led by Dr. Yuval Gielchinsky, Director of the Fetal Medicine Center at Clalit-Beilinson, alongside Dr. Kinneret Tenenbaum, Head of the Twin Pregnancy Clinic.

“In advanced stages of pregnancy, delivery can sometimes be the solution,” Dr. Gielchinsky explained. “But in this case, the patient was only 25 weeks pregnant. The only remaining option was an endoscopic fetal intervention, which is only possible when the tumor is located in an accessible area of the placenta, as it was in this case.”

A minimally invasive procedure

During the minimally invasive procedure, surgeons entered the uterus, pinpointed the precise blood vessels supplying the tumor, and used advanced cauterization techniques to seal them off, effectively starving the tumor of its blood supply.

Placental tumors are generally rare, according to experts at the National Library of Medicine (NLM). While many remain benign and develop too slowly to interfere with a normal pregnancy, severe cases can dangerously divert blood away from the fetus. This can lead to serious complications, including fetal anemia, low platelet counts, extreme excess amniotic fluid, and preeclampsia in the mother, a study from the NLM explained.

Following the milestone surgery, the mother was monitored closely in Beilinson’s maternal-fetal medicine unit. The hospital confirmed that she has since been discharged home in stable condition and will continue to receive specialized outpatient follow-up care at the Fetal Medicine Clinic.

British Jewish groups say they are alarmed about revelations that a fraternal society for Muslim police officers published a policy paper that described Zionism as a form of anti-Muslim hatred and called the Israeli army a “Zionist terrorist group.”

The Board of Deputies of British Jews called the paper posted by the National Association of Muslim Police “disturbing” in its presentation of Jewish identity, history and the nature of antisemitism.

“If this is being circulated among officers, it poses a direct challenge to the integrity of policing and it should be withdrawn immediately,” the group said.

NAMP has distanced itself from the report and, in a statement, rejected any allegation that the group “supports Hamas.”

The 39-page paper titled “From Past Prejudices to Present Policies: Confronting anti-Muslim hatred and Promoting Human Rights,” was written by NAMP’s then-vice president, Khaldoun Kabbani, and published in July 2025. It says “Zionism represents one of the manifestations of anti-Muslim hatred”; likens the war in Gaza to the Holocaust; and disputes facts about Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel, including that Israeli children were killed.

The Spectator, a right-wing British newspaper, drew attention to the report in a piece published on Friday that said the report illuminated “the disturbing truth about the National Association of Muslim Police.” The group has a formal affiliation with 16 of 43 police departments in the U.K. and says it represents more than 20,000 officers.

Kabbani, a forensics officer, was briefly the chair of the Scottish Muslim Police Association but planned to move abroad after retiring earlier this year, according to a post by the group on LinkedIn.

The revelation of the NAMP report comes at a time of heightened tension over policing in the UK, amid both a surge in anti-Jewish crimes and a renewed uproar over a December murder that has fueled allegations of “two-tier policing” that treats some victims differently from others. The Spectator referenced the victim, Henry Nowak, in the column about NAMP.

Rising number of antisemitic incidents in the UK

The NAMP report has spurred distress for many British Jews who are on edge amid a string of violent incidents targeting Jewish communities. The Campaign Against Antisemitism, a watchdog group, said its polling shows that 83% of British Jews do not think the police are doing enough to protect them — and that the report suggested their concerns were well founded.

“The people responsible for publishing this extremist screed on the official police.uk web domain are unfit to be police officers and must be immediately investigated by their respective forces’ professional standards departments and dismissed,” Steven Silverman, CAA’s director of investigations and enforcement, said in a statement.

“British Jews have long suffered two-tier policing that sees antisemitic crime go unpunished,” he said, adding that CAA would press the British government “ensure a clear message is being sent. This cannot pass with the document being quietly deleted.”

The report was removed from NAMP’s website over the weekend. The group distanced itself from the report in a statement published on Tuesday, saying that it had removed the report “immediately” after learning about its existence and emphasizing that the author was “no longer associated” with NAMP.

“We understand that the publication of this document has affected several communities, and we regret any concern, discomfort, or misunderstanding it may have caused,” the group said.

It added, “NAMP categorically does not ‘defend’ Hamas or any other proscribed organisation. We condemn all forms of terrorism and extremism.”

Responses from British Jewish leadership

The document is “deeply troubling,” a spokesperson for the Jewish Leadership Council, which coordinates British Jewish groups, said in a statement.

“This document appears to falsely associate an ideology held by the majority of Jewish people as a threat to Muslims. It also engages in deeply troubling Holocaust inversion and denial of some of the worst atrocities carried out by Hamas on October 7th,” the spokesperson said. “At a time of rising antisemitism including violent attacks on British Jews, this document further threatens community cohesion and police forces should be clear in distancing themselves from it.”

The Board of Deputies of British Jews said it plans to speak with the “relevant” government and police departments to discover the paper’s provenance, how it’s being used and “how to ensure that the valued relationships of trust between British Jews and the police are not being undermined.”

The Metropolitan Police of London, the largest police department in the UK and a formal NAMP affiliate, declined to comment on the report. The department has recently stepped up policing in Jewish communities in an effort to stem antisemitic violence.

What was reported as another collateral hit in an “open area” during the Iranian missile attack on Israel earlier this week turned into a personal and professional disaster for the Simantov family. Missile interception fragments that fell during the night between Sunday and Monday struck the unique white lily plot at their Seeds from Zion nursery, causing severe damage to a rare preservation project developed over more than two decades.

The initiative began in 2004 during the excavation of the Carmel tunnels. Bulbs of white lily uncovered during the engineering works were transferred to the Simantov family with approval from the Nature and Parks Authority to save the rare plant. Using tissue cultures, they produced thousands of new bulbs – some returned to the wild in the Carmel, while others were kept at the nursery for propagation and conservation.

“When we started, there were only a few dozen bulbs,” Zion Simantov said. “Today we have tens of thousands of bulbs. We are practically the only place in the country that holds the original white lily from the Carmel – not a commercial variety but the real natural plant that returns from here to its natural location in the Carmel and to other suitable places in Israel.”

According to Simantov, the plot reached its peak just a month and a half ago.

“After 12 years of waiting, we saw an amazing bloom. Flowers about a meter tall. Thousands of people came to see, photograph, and be moved. We expected a large seed harvest that would allow us to continue and expand the project.”

The morning after the missile attack, the harsh reality became clear.

“Our dedicated Thai workers called and told me to come to the site immediately,” he recalled. “We found a huge crater, about six meters in diameter, right inside the plot. Parts of the area were blown away, and the damage is scattered over hundreds of meters.”

Shortly after, police officers and Border Police fighters arrived.

“They saw the hole, documented it, collected the fragments that were on the ground, and left,” Simantov recounted. “But so far, no government officials have arrived to inspect the damage itself.”

Representatives from the Property Tax Authority are expected only next week.

“And that’s exactly the issue,” he said. “This is not like an orange grove where you can count how many trees were hit and calculate their value. This is something unique, with almost no parallel in the country. You need an expert to examine what happened above and below ground.”

Hidden damage and uncertain future

The difficulty, he explained, is that much of the damage is underground. The lily bulbs take many years to mature and bloom.

“We still don’t know how many bulbs were destroyed,” he said. “It could be hundreds, it could be thousands. Only in months or even years will we know the full extent of the damage.”

Hila Friedman, Zion’s daughter who manages the nursery with her father and husband, said this is more than a financial loss.

“This is not just an agricultural plot. This is heritage, this is nature conservation, this is something my father dedicated decades of his life to.”

A long road to recovery

While waiting for the official damage assessment, the family hopes that some bulbs survived.

“We do not intend to give up,” Simantov said. “But it is clear that the path to restoration will be very long. What was destroyed in an instant took us more than twenty years to build.”

Amid a brief round with Iran, which ended in a “hand-tying” by US President Donald Trump, who also said he is unsure whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will run in the upcoming elections, as well as the coalition’s accelerated legislation promoting a law equating Torah students with IDF service members, the Likud party is dropping this week by three seats to just 22, according to a Maariv poll published on Friday.

This is Likud’s lowest figure since August 2025, when it received 21 seats in a Maariv poll. However, the coalition bloc maintained its strength from last week at 50 seats, after the Religious Zionism party again passed the electoral threshold. The Zionist opposition bloc remained at 60 seats, and the Arab parties received an additional 10 seats.

In the opposition, Gadi Eisenkot’s strengthening trend continued, with his party Yashar! jumping three seats this week to a record 20. Conversely, the Together party, led by Naftali Bennett, fell by two seats to 21. In effect, a three-way race has emerged for the title of the largest party among Likud, Together, and Yashar! Drama is intensifying in the opposition bloc, with the gap narrowing between Together and Yashar!

In response to the question, “If elections for the Knesset were held today, which party would you vote for?” the answers were: Likud 22, Together 21, Yashar! 20, the Democrats 10, Yisrael Beytenu 9, Otzma Yehudit 9, Shas 8, United Torah Judaism 7, Hadash-Ta’al 6, Ra’am 4, Religious Zionists 4.

Blue and White (1.9%), Balad (2%), and the Reservists (1.7%) did not pass the threshold.

Bennett, Eisenkot beating Netanyahu for PM in poll

The poll also showed that Bennett leads Netanyahu in a hypothetical prime minister match-up, 43% to 39%.

Eisenkot widened his lead over Netanyahu with 44% compared to 40% for Netanyahu.

Against Avigdor Lieberman, Netanyahu leads 41% to 37%, but the gap has narrowed significantly from the previous poll, where Netanyahu led the Yisrael Beytenu chairman by a double-digit margin (48% to 29%).

The survey found that half of Israelis (50%) believe Trump will act in Israel’s interests in the confrontation with Iran, while 43% have low or no trust in him on this issue, and 7% are unsure.

The poll, conducted June 10–11 by Lazar Research under Dr. Menachem Lazar, in cooperation with Panel4ALL, included 500 respondents, representing a representative sample of Israel’s adult population, Jewish and Arab, aged 18 and over. The maximum sampling error is 4.4%.

The 32-year-old man who killed a high school student from Nahariya after he accidentally stumbled upon the scene of an attempted assassination in January 2020 was sentenced on Wednesday in the Haifa District Court. 

Halal Khlo from Acre was given 25 years in prison following his conviction for the murder of the 17-year-old. He was also sentenced to 12 months in prison, on probation, and the maximum possible compensation to the victim’s family.

After more than six years of a complex trial, largely based on circumstantial evidence, Khlo accepted a plea deal arranged by defense attorneys Uri Ben Natan and Zohar Arbel for the Haifa District Attorney’s Office.

Khlo pleaded guilty to an amended indictment and was ultimately convicted of intentional murder, attempted murder, carrying a weapon, recklessness, and negligence.

What happened in the run-up to the student’s murder?

According to the amended indictment, Khlo and others conspired to harm Muhammad Rubai, 28, while he was in Nahariya. They intended to shoot him from a passing vehicle as he walked. They opened fire on the target, who was wounded, but one of the bullets also hit the high school student who happened to be walking nearby.

The 17-year-old was taken to the hospital and died due to his wounds a few hours later.

The case was reportedly close to a conviction when the defense attorneys requested a plea deal. Prosecutor, attorney Muhammad Molla said that “examining the evidentiary difficulties that emerged during the trial and involving the families of the deceased and the injured in the incident, the prosecution came to the conclusion that this was a proper and balanced arrangement.”

The defense’s arguements for the deal

The defense emphasized that Khlo was not accused of shooting or driving the vehicle, but rather of committing the offenses along with others, as the prosecution was unable to determine which of the individuals involved had hit the deceased and the injured.

Attorney Tomer Ben Hamo, who represents the family on behalf of the SNA program, the assistance for families of victims of homicide, said in court that agreeing to the settlement was a “very difficult decision” after six years of conducting a trial, but the family preferred the certainty of convicting the defendant of murder and bringing the case to an end. 

According to him, financial compensation was not a consideration for the family.