July 7: Police spokesman refuses to say force will obey High Court in case of clash with Ben Gvir
US revokes sanctions relief on Iranian oil following 'wholly unacceptable' attacks on tankers * In recordings, Shin Bet chief says he’s loyal to ‘elected leadership,’ but has his own ‘agenda’
The Times of Israel liveblogged Tuesday’s events as they unfolded.
US launches ‘powerful’ strikes on Iran following attacks on ships in Strait of Hormuz
The US military has launched a series of strikes against Iran, US Central Command says in a post on X, adding that the strikes are in response to what it says were Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels that were transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
According to CENTCOM, the “powerful strikes” are meant to “impose heavy costs” on Iran “for targeting and attacking commercial shipping crewed by innocent civilians in an international waterway.”
“Iran’s demonstrated aggression was unwarranted, dangerous, and a clear violation of the ceasefire,” it adds.
Man shot dead, son seriously wounded in shooting in northern Arab town
A man was killed and his son seriously wounded in a shooting in the northern Arab town of Jadeidi-Makr, according to first responders and media reports.
The slain man is identified as Mahmoud Naimi. The Arab48 news site reports he was shot in the yard of his home, and that his son, in his 30s, was shot too upon exiting the house at the sound of gunfire.
Police say officers are working the scene. No arrests have been reported.
It is the second homicide in the Arab community today, after 34-year-old Yasser al-Haija was shot dead in the northern town of Tamra this afternoon.
Iranian official: US will lead negotiations with Iran to failure
It is quite clear that the United States will lead the negotiations with Iran to failure, Mohsen Rezaei, adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, says in an interview with state TV
Rezaei adds that the US is trying to create an alternative passageway in the Strait of Hormuz for its ships.
Earlier today the US revoked sanctions relief on Iran’s oil industry that it had implemented in the wake of the MOU the US and Iran signed last month, saying it was doing so because of Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran says Qatar’s accusation that it struck an oil tanker is ‘unacceptable’
Iran condemns Qatar for accusations that it was behind an attack on one of the Gulf emirate’s vessels, after Doha said Tehran had targeted a liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker off the coast of Oman.
“Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Qatar’s accusations against Iran over the alleged attack on a vessel linked to the country in the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday were questionable and contrary to the principle of good neighborliness, describing them as unacceptable,” state news agency IRNA reports.
In recordings, Shin Bet chief says he’s loyal to ‘elected leadership,’ but has his own ‘agenda’
Shin Bet chief David Zini says in newly revealed recordings that he is loyal to the “elected leadership,” slams Israel’s legal system and says he brings his own agenda to the position.
The recordings, published tonight by the i24 news site, were purportedly made of Zini — who entered the role in October 2025 — speaking at an event earlier today.
In the recordings, Zini says he agreed to take on the role because “of my ability to be loyal to the elected leadership.”
However, he adds, “I have an internal drive, I have a worldview; I’m not a marionette moved by the wind. I have an agenda, I want to advance it — that is my responsibility.”
Zini also speaks disparagingly about lawyers and the legal system in Israel, saying that jurists are at times “monsters that harm human rights, individual rights, growth, the economy, prosperity, national security — in every direction you can think of.” He accuses attorneys of “harming and trampling people in the name of all sorts of procedures and regulations.”
Zini’s appointment to the role of Shin Bet head was shrouded in controversy, and petitioners turned to the High Court seeking to disqualify him for the role, arguing that he was unfit for the job.
A group of former Shin Bet chiefs called on the court to intervene in the appointment, claiming Zini lacked relevant experience and that he was “messianic” in his religious and political beliefs. However, the High Court ultimately dismissed the petitions, upholding his appointment.
Riyadh condemns ‘Iran’s targeting’ of Saudi tanker in Hormuz strait
Saudi Arabia blames Iran for an attack today on one of its tankers as it transited the Strait of Hormuz, after Qatar issued a similar condemnation for another attack it accused Tehran of committing.
The Saudi foreign ministry denounces in a statement “Iran’s targeting of the Saudi tanker Wedyan while it was transiting the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the targeting of the Qatari tanker Al-Rekayyat.”
Qatar summons Iran deputy ambassador over LNG tanker attack
Qatar summons Iran’s deputy ambassador to lodge a complaint after an attack on a Qatari LNG tanker as it was transiting off the coast of Oman, which Doha had earlier blamed on Iran.
The Qatari foreign ministry says in a statement that it handed a diplomatic note to the “deputy ambassador,” demanding an explanation for the incident and calling on Iran to “immediately cease any practices undermining regional security and to refrain from endangering the safety of international shipping and global energy supplies.”
Official: US revoking sanctions relief on Iranian oil after ‘wholly unacceptable’ strikes on tankers
The United States is revoking a general license that authorized the sale of Iranian oil, a US official says, warning that Iran’s actions in the Strait of Hormuz are “wholly unacceptable” and will be met with consequences after attacks on tankers in the strategic waterway.
The move comes after three tankers reported being struck by unknown projectiles in and near the Strait of Hormuz in recent days, the British navy-affiliated agency UKMTO said in a report. There was no immediate comment from Tehran, or any claim of responsibility.
“As President Trump and the administration have repeatedly affirmed, the memorandum in effect in effect with Iran is entirely performance-based. Iran will only reap benefits if they exhibit good behavior,” the US official says in a statement sent to querying reporters.
“Iran’s actions in the strait were wholly unacceptable to the United States and will be met with consequences. Our negotiators continue to work in good faith towards a final deal,” the US official adds.
The attacks and the US response threaten to put a fragile diplomatic understanding between Washington and Tehran on shaky ground, raising the risk that further retaliation could derail negotiations over a broader agreement.
The potential escalation comes as both sides had been working toward a deal that included limits on Iran’s nuclear program and relief from some sanctions, including restrictions on oil exports.
The US Treasury Department had on June 21 lifted previous sanctions to allow the production, delivery and sale of crude oil and petrochemical and petroleum products of Iranian origin through August 21, after the US and Iran signed an MOU.
Swiss teen avoids jail for 2024 antisemitic stabbing attack
A teenager who stabbed a Jewish man in March 2024 in Zurich is sentenced to one year in prison – the maximum for someone of his age – but his punishment is commuted to compulsory mental care.
Age 15 at the time of the incident, he had stabbed a 50-year-old man 17 times in the street near a synagogue. The man survived his injuries but was seriously wounded.
The district court near Zurich convicts him of “attempted murder,” emphasizing that it had deemed his act to be “particularly unscrupulous.”
The teenager, who had become radicalized online, was also found guilty of “supporting a criminal and terrorist organization,” “repeatedly disseminating depictions of violence” and “repeatedly” inciting hatred or discrimination based “on ethnic origin or religion,” the statement says.
The court also determines that he had intended to kill more people but after finding the door to a synagogue shut, he instead attacked a man in the street who was easily identifiable as Jewish.
The teenager, who is of Tunisian descent and became a naturalized citizen in 2011, announced his plans to kill Jews at a synagogue in a video posted on social media and claimed responsibility for the attack on behalf of the jihadist group Islamic State.
Police spokesman refuses to say force will obey High Court in case of clash with Ben Gvir
Israel Police spokesman Aryeh Doron refuses to say police would abide by the High Court in case a ruling clashed with an order from National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.
Asked repeatedly in an interview with Reshet Bet radio who police would heed in such a case, Doron answers: “Whomever the law of the State of Israel requires it to obey.”
The comment comes after the government on Sunday declared for the first time in Israeli history that it would not respect a High Court of Justice ruling, in a case about Israel’s commercial broadcasting regulator.
The court has previously rebuked Ben Gvir for denying adequate rations to Palestinian prisoners, and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has expressed support for petitions demanding the High Court order his ouster over alleged abuses of power.
Coffin of slain Iranian supreme leader arrives in Iraq’s Najaf, state TV says
The coffin of Iran’s slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei arrives in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf, where Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi and senior Iraqi officials receive it ahead of funeral ceremonies and a mass public procession, Iraqi state TV reports.
The official reception at Najaf International Airport is attended by Iraqi political leaders and Shi’ite religious figures, before the coffin is carried through the city in public mourning events expected to draw large crowds tomorrow.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian also arrives in Najaf to participate in the ceremonies, joining Iraqi political leaders and Shi’ite religious figures.
Marine Le Pen says she will run for French president with court-ordered ankle monitor
Far-right leader Marine Le Pen says she’ll run for the French presidency next year despite being sentenced today to wear a court-ordered electronic monitor for embezzlement.
The decision by the 57-year-old veteran of three presidential races sets up a fourth campaign like no other: potentially seeking votes while subject to electronic monitoring and a judge’s determination of how, and for how long, the punishment is applied.
Le Pen says she will appeal the ruling to France’s highest court.
Netanyahu faults ‘very lenient courts’ when asked about unchecked settler violence
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears to fault Israel’s courts for letting violent settlers off the hook.
“It’s a tightly knit group that tries to skirt the law, and when we bring them to the courts, our courts are very lenient. I don’t know why. Maybe because they’re young, and I’ve said that we have to challenge that, and I don’t accept it,” Netanyahu says when asked about rampant, unchecked settler violence during a CNN interview.
He insists that those behind attacks on Palestinians, which take place on a near-daily basis, are not from the settlements, but rather are some 100 to 150 “juvenile delinquents” from outside of the West Bank.
However, activists on the ground say those behind the attacks are Israelis who have established illegal outposts throughout the West Bank in record numbers over the past three years. Netanyahu’s government has provided significant funding and protection to these wildcat communities, which critics say are being used as a tool to dispossess Palestinians of their lands.
CNN's Dana Bash presses Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on why settler violence in the West Bank hasn't ended. pic.twitter.com/JbqzHhOqQN
— Inside Politics (@InsidePolitics) July 7, 2026
While Netanyahu placed the number of violent offenders at 100 to 150, Israel’s own security establishment reportedly believes the numbers are much higher. When Netanyahu was asked about the phenomenon last year, he downplayed it as one caused by “about 70 kids.”
Israel has come under fire for rarely carrying out arrests in instances of settler violence, with indictments and convictions even more infrequent.
Shin Bet figures from earlier this year found that three times more Palestinians were victims of terror attacks in the West Bank than Jews.
Netanyahu, in the CNN interview, insists that Israel is taking the issue seriously.
“We have real investigations. Israel is a transparent country. You can’t hide crimes in the military, you cannot hide crimes in the police… We’ll take care of it because that’s the kind of country we are,” he says. “This is blown up beyond belief and causes a lot of damage. I think it’s wrong on its own account. I don’t accept vigilantism, and I don’t care if it comes from Arabs or Jews.”
Netanyahu is then pressed on whether he’ll commit to seeking justice for 20-year-old Palestinian-American Sayfollah Musallet, who was allegedly beaten to death by settlers last year.
The premier says he’s not aware of the incident, but will look into it.
Argentina stages stunning late comeback to oust Egypt at World Cup
Lionel Messi inspires Argentina to a stunning late comeback as the reigning champions beat Egypt 3-2 to reach the World Cup quarterfinals.
After Argentina fell 2-0 down with just over 20 minutes remaining, Messi created one goal and then thrashed in the equalizer before Enzo Fernandez’s injury-time winner sent Argentina into the last eight.
Argentina will meet Switzerland or Colombia in Saturday’s quarterfinal in Kansas.
UK summons senior Iranian diplomat over stabbing of Iranian journalist in London
Britain summons Iran’s Chargé d’Affaires, Tehran’s most senior diplomat in London, after two Romanian nationals were given lengthy jail sentences over the stabbing of a journalist working for a Persian-language media group in London.
The two men, Nandito Badea, 21, and George Stana, 25 — who British prosecutors said were acting as proxies for the Iranian government — were sentenced last week to eight years and 12 years in jail, respectively, for their role in the 2024 attack.
Pouria Zaratifoukolaei, known as Pouria Zeraati, a British journalist of Iranian origin who works for Iran International, was stabbed three times in the leg near his home in southwest London in March 2024.
The British Foreign Office says the judge had “concluded that this attack [on the journalist] was carried out in the interests of, and on behalf of, the Iranian state.”
“This follows a longstanding pattern of hostile activity by the Iranian intelligence services on UK soil,” it adds. “Iran’s actions attempt to undermine UK sovereignty and security and are completely unacceptable – it must cease in these activities immediately.”
Reports: Member of Egyptian aid committee in Gaza killed in strike
Gaza media outlets affiliated with Hamas report that Mohammed al-Wahidi, the public relations director of the Egyptian Committee for Aid to Gaza, an Egyptian organization that assists Gazans, was killed in a strike targeting a vehicle in Gaza City.
According to some reports, two other people were killed along with him.
The IDF has yet to comment on the purported strike.
ارتقاء الأستاذ محمد فواز الوحيدي "أبو صهيب"، مدير اللجنة المصرية في مدينة غزة، إثر استهداف إسرائيلي لمركبة في حي الصبرة جنوب مدينة غزة اليوم. pic.twitter.com/i9LI3bP3RY
— ق.ض (@Qadeyah1) July 7, 2026
Netanyahu: I have doubts about success of Trump’s Iran diplomacy, but ‘he should be given chance’
It is “too early to say what will happen” with Iran, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in an interview with CNN.
Netanyahu says “I have my doubts” about US President Donald Trump’s ability to stop Iran’s nuclear program through diplomacy, “but I think he should be given the chance.”
As he has done repeatedly in recent weeks, Netanyahu downplays the idea that there are serious strains in his relationship with Trump: “On the big things we see eye-to-eye, and occasionally we don’t.”
“Deal or no deal, I certainly will not allow Iran to have nuclear weapons,” he promises, “and that is the president’s position.”
Netanyahu adds that “America has no greater ally in the world than Israel and Israel has no greater ally than the United States, and I say that with complete recognition of the fact that we sometimes see things a bit differently.”
“You’re a big country, you’re far away,” says Netanyahu, adding an implied dig at American understanding of the threats Israel faces. “We’re a small country, beleaguered, and close to these regimes that want to destroy us.”
Asked about the fight against Hamas, Netanyahu repeats his assertion that the terror group will disarm and Gaza will be demilitarized. He says he would prefer avoiding renewed large-scale combat in Gaza.
IDF on South Hebron Hills violence: Palestinians damaged settler-built fence, 5 Palestinians detained
The IDF issues a response to reports of clashes between settlers and Palestinians earlier today in the South Hebron Hills, in which several Palestinians were reportedly injured.
According to the military, “forces were dispatched to the area near the village of Azwadin following a report of a gathering of Palestinians around an Israeli civilian and damage to a fence he owns.”
The IDF asserts that “upon arriving at the scene, the forces acted to disperse the confrontation and detained five Palestinians. All those detained were later released.”
The Palestinians claim that the fence was built on privately owned land. Settlers established an illegal outpost nearby — one of over 100 that have been established in recent years, with rights groups accusing Israel of using them to dispossess Palestinians of their lands.
The army adds that “contrary to the claims, no injuries resulting from the confrontation are known to us.” Palestinian reports had said that at least eight people were hurt, with footage from the scene appearing to confirm those claims.
Israeli Consulate in New York evacuated due to unstable skyscraper nearby
The Israeli Consulate in New York says it has been evacuated from its building due to an infrastructure incident at a nearby building in Midtown Manhattan.
In a statement, the consulate says it was “safely evacuated as a precaution” and thanks the New York police and fire departments.
Consul General Ofir Akunis says he is working to find “alternative arrangements to resume normal operations as quickly as possible.”
Reports of falling bricks and buckling columns forced evacuations in the area around a Midtown Manhattan high-rise office building that was being converted to luxury apartments, fire officials say.
The 1970s-era building is located in a busy corridor about a block from the landmark Chrysler Building and between Grand Central Terminal and the United Nations headquarters.
Among the evacuated buildings is a school with about 400 children, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said. There were no reported injuries and all workers inside the building were accounted for, he said. Nearby streets were closed to people and vehicles.
Netanyahu on CNN hours after Trump hailed Erdogan: Turkey not a ‘friendly country’ to the US
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says he spoke several times with Donald Trump ahead of the US president’s visit to Ankara about the need to keep Turkey out of the F-35 program.
“Everybody understands that notwithstanding the personal friendship that President Trump has with [Turkish President Recep Tayyip] Erdogan, it doesn’t make Turkey a friendly country to the United States,” Netanyahu says during an interview with CNN.
During his sit-down with Erdogan earlier today, Trump said he would lift sanctions on Turkey and consider resuming the sale of F-35 jets to Ankara, praised Erdogan as a friend, and said that “we have a better relationship with Turkey, and Turkey has been in many ways much more loyal, than other countries.”
Netanyahu on CNN accuses Turkey of being “infected” with the Muslim Brotherhood, threatening EU states, occupying Cyprus, harboring Hamas, and throwing political opponents and journalists in jail.
“He’s not exactly a model ally of the United States,” says Netanyahu, adding that Erdogan threatens to destroy Israel.
Turkey has “aggressive aspirations,” he says.
“This is not a force for peace and stability,” Netanyahu continues, arguing that giving Turkey F-35s will bring “aggression in its wake.”
Rahm Emanuel in Tel Aviv: Netanyahu is driving Israel toward ‘a dead end’
A leading Democrat is visiting Tel Aviv this week, where he is expected to directly accuse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of driving Israel into a “dead end.”
Potential presidential candidate Rahm Emanuel plans to denounce Netanyahu and call for an end to US subsidies of Israel’s defense budget in a speech tomorrow at Tel Aviv University.
“You’ve lost Europe,” Emanuel will say, according to remarks obtained by The Associated Press. Castigating Netanyahu for doing little to end the Iran war, he’ll note that “support for Israel is plummeting around the world.”
Emanuel tells The Associated Press in an interview from Tel Aviv ahead of his speech that he’s avoiding interactions with elected officials in Israel so as not to interfere with upcoming elections. Instead, he’s visiting a hospital serving Israelis and Palestinians and meeting with the family of a freed hostage.
Emanuel says Israel’s continued military response to the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, has been “reckless and careless in the treatment of Palestinian life — not only the military campaign but using food and medicine as an instrument of your military goals.”
Asked whether Israel had committed genocide, the stalwart of Democratic centrists says the question should not be considered in isolation without also examining conflicts in Ukraine and Sudan.
“I’m ready to have that discussion,” he says, “but I don’t think it should be politicized, and then dilute the power of what genocide means.”
Israel leaves ambassador to Turkey post vacant after envoy’s retirement amid sharp tensions
Israel has not appointed a new ambassador to Turkey following the recent retirement of its previous envoy amid escalating tensions between Jerusalem and Ankara, leaving the post vacant despite maintaining full diplomatic ties between the countries remaining, Channel 12 reports.
Irit Lillian, who was appointed Israel’s ambassador to Ankara in 2022, returned to Israel following the outbreak of the war against Hamas after the October 7, 2023, attack due to security concerns. Turkey subsequently recalled its own ambassador from Israel.
Since then, Lillian had continued managing ties with Turkish officials on a professional level from Israel, passing messages between the sides and handling issues involving Israeli citizens in Turkey, according to the Hebrew network.
However, Lillian retired several weeks ago, and the Foreign Ministry has given the impression that there is currently “no rush” to appoint a replacement, the report says.
The Foreign Ministry and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s office do not immediately respond to requests for comment from The Times of Israel on the report.
Israel’s relations with Turkey have drastically deteriorated following Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s rise to power and even further since the start of the Gaza war, and have taken a turn for the worse in recent weeks over harsh rhetoric from Turkish officials and the potential sale of American F-35 fighter jets to Turkey.
Lawsuit says US illegally shared confidential information on Iranian asylum seekers with Iran
A lawsuit filed today alleges that the Trump administration’s immigration agencies have been sharing confidential information about Iranian asylum seekers with the Iranian government, violating national immigration regulations and endangering countless Iranians, court filings argue.
The lawsuit depicts a coordinated campaign between the US and Iranian governments to identify Iranians in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody and pressure them to return to Iran — a marked departure from decades of diplomatic hostility between the two governments and an ongoing war.
Roughly 600 Iranians were put in immigration detention last year, according to public records obtained by the National Iranian American Council. In June, an Iranian woman was among the two dozen migrants the US deported to the Central African Republic — in a stark departure from a decades-long practice by the US of welcoming Iranian dissidents, exiles and others since the 1979 Islamic Revolution forced a large number of Iranians to flee.
The US government is allowed to work with government officials of foreign countries to coordinate deportation logistics. However, federal regulations passed in the late 1990s prohibit the government from sharing information that could reveal that the individual getting deported applied for asylum.
Starting in March 2025, the US State Department arranged monthly meetings with Iranian officials, using the Pakistani embassy as an intermediary, in which US officials shared detailed, sensitive information about detained Iranian immigrants who the US government hoped to deport, lawyers for the Iranian American Legal Defense Fund and the Public Citizen Litigation Group write in a complaint.
The information included details about asylum applications filed by people who say they were persecuted for converting to Christianity, for their sexuality or for participating in the Women, Life, Freedom protests against the Iranian government in 2022, according to the lawsuit, which was filed in US District Court in Washington, DC.
Netanyahu to sit for two more foreign interviews, with CNN and Newsmax
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be interviewed on the US outlets CNN and Newsmax in the coming hour, his office says.
He appeared on Fox News in each of the past two days.
With the appearances, Netanyahu is continuing his practice of sitting for interviews with foreign press, but only rarely doing so for Israeli press outlets that aren’t openly supportive of the premier.
Troops uncover Hezbollah weapons cache in civilian home in south Lebanon, IDF says
A Hezbollah weapons cache hidden inside a civilian home in the village of Tallousa, located within the security zone, was uncovered by troops operating in the area, the IDF says.
According to the military, troops of the 769th “Hiram” Regional Brigade discovered RPG launchers, ammunition and small arms in the village.
The IDF says further searches uncovered explosive devices, anti-tank missile launchers and missiles, RPG rockets, tactical vests, helmets and Hezbollah flags concealed inside a bedroom of a civilian home.
Trump: Italy’s PM Is a ‘nice person’ but she ‘refused to help us’ in Iran war
US President Donald Trump calls Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a “nice person” but criticizes her for failing to help in the conflict with Iran, his latest remarks in a diplomatic dispute that is straining bilateral ties.
Meloni was once seen as a close ally of Trump, but the relationship faltered last month when he told Italian TV channel La7 that she had “begged” him to take a photo with her at a G7 summit in France. She denied the claim and accused him of fabricating the story.
She had criticized him this year for lashing out at Pope Leo over his condemnation of the Iran war. That, in turn, prompted a blunt rebuke from the US president, who denounced her for refusing to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump says his relationship with Meloni “became a little bad because she refused to help us” with Ian.
“She refused to get involved, so it soured my relationship with her a little bit. But I like her. I think she’s a nice person, actually. But I think she made a mistake,” Trump tells reporters in Turkey, where he was attending a NATO summit.
Reports: 8 Palestinians injured in clash with settlers; two Palestinians arrested
Palestinian media outlets report that a clash broke out this morning between settlers and Palestinians in the South Hebron Hills, apparently near an outpost established in the area.
The reports say eight Palestinians, including children and a woman, were injured during the confrontation.
Footage from the scene appears to show IDF forces arriving at the site and arresting two Palestinians.
The IDF has not yet responded to The Times of Israel’s request for comment.
???? طواقم الهلال الأحمر تقدم الإسعافات الأولية لعدد من المصابين بعد اعتداء المستوطنين وجيش الاحتلال على عائلة إبراهيم الجبور بمنطقة مسافر يطا جنوب الخليل بالضفة الغربية صباح اليوم#فلسطين#غزة #غزة_الآن #غزة_تُباد #المسجد_الأقصى #القدس pic.twitter.com/BRB45OjHri
— أحمد عبداللّه علي شيخ الكلدي اليافعي (@ALHIJASHI) July 7, 2026
No settlers were arrested in the incident, according to eyewitnesses.
Left-wing activists at the scene lament the occurrence as the latest example of Israeli authorities punishing Palestinians for violence instigated by settlers, who are rarely prosecuted.
Visiting German FM says Iran’s missiles, proxies must be part of US-Iran talks
Visiting German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul says Berlin will scrutinize any easing of sanctions on Iran, stressing that Tehran must be prevented from acquiring a nuclear weapon and that its ballistic missile program and support for regional terror proxies must also be addressed in the US-Iran negotiations.
“I believe there is a fairly aligned position here between Israel and Germany in these negotiations,” Wadephul says in German during a press conference with Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, in response to a question from The Times of Israel on Berlin’s position regarding the US-Iran memorandum of understanding.
Wadephul stresses that Iran must never possess nuclear weapons, pointing to Europe’s renewal of the snapback mechanism and the introduction of new sanctions against Tehran last year.
“At some point, we as Europeans will have to be involved in the [US-Iran] negotiations, and we will look very carefully to ensure that sanctions are eased only when it is truly clear to us that safeguards have been put in place to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon,” Wadephul says.
He emphasizes that Tehran’s support for regional terror proxies and its ballistic missile program — key Israeli concerns not addressed in the MOU — will also need to be part of the US-Iran talks, adding that he expressed this to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio during a meeting last week.
“We have always made clear that Iran’s behavior in its regional neighborhood must be taken into account — its support for various terrorist organizations — not only Hezbollah, not only Hamas, also the Houthis. The Houthis endanger not only Israel, but also international sea routes and trade routes that Germany needs for Europe. That must be taken into account, and of course also Iran’s ballistic missile program, which can also threaten Europe,” Wadephul says.
These issues “should be included in the negotiations,” he says, while noting that “at this point, the negotiations have not yet really begun in substance.”
Energy Minister Eli Cohen: Israel can be home to oil pipeline linking Gulf to Europe
Gulf countries’ dependence on oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz could be significantly reduced by a pipeline linking the Gulf to Europe via Israel, says Energy Minister Eli Cohen, which would allow them also to bypass Red Sea shipping disruptions.
“The Gulf countries do not want to be dependent on either Iran or the Houthis [in Yemen] when it comes to their oil exports, which are their primary source of income,” Cohen tells Reuters in an interview in Jerusalem. “If you create a land route, you bypass both Iran and the Houthis… The best route is through the State of Israel.”
Israel, Cohen says, already has existing infrastructure with a pipeline between its Red Sea city of Eilat and the southern Mediterranean port city of Ashkelon, but infrastructure would be needed to connect Arab countries if they were willing.
Cohen says he has suggested to the US a 700-kilometer (435-mile) pipeline that could run from Saudi Arabia to Eilat. From there, oil could pass through the Trans Israel Pipeline to Ashkelon, and on to oil tankers to Europe.
Third tanker struck in Hormuz in 24 hours, says UK maritime agency
A third tanker was hit in the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours, British maritime security agency UKMTO reports, after Qatar blamed Iran for an attack on one of its ships.
“UKMTO has received a report of a further incident involving a tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The tanker was struck by an unknown Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV) and has sustained minor structural damage. No casualties or environmental impact reported,” it says in a post on X.
‘Destroy Israel’ banner shown at Pamplona’s running of the bulls festival
A banner reading “Destroy Israel” was unfurled during the opening ceremony of Spain’s annual “Running of the bulls” festival in Pamplona, drawing condemnation from Jewish organizations.
Video circulating on social media showed the banner stretched above the crowd before the traditional chupinazo rocket launch yesterday that marks the start of the weeklong San Fermin festival, known for its running of the bulls. The banner featured the words “Destroy Israel” alongside an image of an Israeli flag crossed out.
The initials “EHKS” appeared at the bottom of the banner, referring to a far-left socialist organization within the Basque Socialist Movement.
The European Jewish Congress condemns the display, writing on X that “such rhetoric promotes hatred, fuels hostility and contributes to an environment in which antisemitism is increasingly normalized.”
Israel’s Foreign Ministry also calls out the display.
“500 years after the Inquisition, calls for the destruction of the Jewish State in the streets of Spain,” it writes on X. “Shame on you.”
A banner reading “Destroy Israel” was displayed before thousands of people during the San Fermín festival in Pamplona, Spain,
Calls for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish state go far beyond legitimate political expression. Such rhetoric promotes hatred, fuels hostility… pic.twitter.com/gM8FbfGlof
— European Jewish Congress (@eurojewcong) July 7, 2026
State comptroller report: Government has no policy to combat foreign interference in elections
A state comptroller’s report on the threat of foreign interference in Israeli elections finds that the government has no national policy to combat the threat, which the report says could harm state sovereignty and undermine public trust in the upcoming election results.
Outgoing State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman says that Iran and other hostile actors are systematically exploiting social media to deepen social divisions in Israel, spread panic and manipulate the public’s perception of reality.
“We found that Israel’s national preparedness is fundamentally inadequate: nine years after the threat was first identified by the state, there is still no national policy, and no government body is leading efforts to address the issue,” says Englman.
He says the threat is even more acute ahead of the upcoming election, a period the state comptroller says provides fertile ground for “malicious activity by foreign actors” that could “influence election outcomes and undermine public confidence in the results.”
Such an outcome is even more likely given the advent of AI tools which allow hostile elements to rapidly create highly credible fictitious identities and fake content on a huge scale, Englman says.
“Without an immediate and organized government response, attempts to interfere in Israel’s domestic public discourse could even lead to harm to the state’s sovereignty and undermine public trust in the democratic process,” says the outgoing state comptroller.
“I wish to raise a [warning] flag: leaving the gaps in addressing foreign influence in the digital sphere unresolved leaves the Israeli public exposed, and demands decisive national action.”
Macron says Syria must not ‘be destabilized’ by blasts, pledges support from French special forces
French President Emmanuel Macron calls for rule of law in Syria during his visit to Damascus, as the country transitions from the longtime rule of toppled president Bashar al-Assad.
“It is necessary that the dictatorship be succeeded by a genuine rule of law,” Macron says in a joint press conference with his Syrian counterpart in Damascus, adding that it “will allow the building of a new Syria and its prosperity.”
Macron says Syria should not let the blasts that wounded 18 people during his landmark visit affect the country’s stability.
Alongside Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa, Macron calls to “not let ourselves be destabilized” after the attacks, while Sharaa salutes Macron’s “courage” for continuing his visit after the bombings.
Macron says that France is working to redefine its security and military cooperation with Syria, including the potential support of French special forces to fight against Islamic State in the country.
“France remains committed to the fight against terrorism in the region,” Macron says. “So we are also ready, within a framework that we are currently redefining, to provide support through our special forces in the fight against terrorism and terrorist groups.”
Macron says Paris is also ready to look at possible partnerships to enable the equipping and diversification of Syria’s armed forces.
Netanyahu: Israel will protect freedom of navigation at sea
Israel will protect the freedom of navigation on the seas, says Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a visit to the naval base in Haifa.
“I set a simple objective,” he says. “The objective of the Navy, and of Israel, is to ensure shipping routes and freedom of maritime trade, which are so important to the State of Israel.”
Netanyahu’s comment come as Iran continues to strike tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, and after the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen issued new threats to Israeli ships in the Red Sea.
Another tanker hit by unidentified projectile in Strait of Hormuz, says UK military
A tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency says Tuesday.
The tanker is believed to have suffered “structural damage,” the UKMTO says, adding that there were no casualties or environmental impact.
Two other tankers were hit overnight in the Strait, one of which was a Qatari oil tanker, with Doha blaming Iran for the attack.
Trump says he will lift sanctions from Turkey over its purchase of Russian air defense system
US President Donald Trump says he will lift sanctions off Turkey and make a decision on a potential sale of F-35s to Ankara as he began a meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan at a NATO summit.
“We’re going to be taking the sanctions off,” Trump tells reporters when asked about the measures imposed under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
In 2020, Washington imposed CAATSA sanctions on Turkey over its acquisition of Russian S-400 air defense systems. It also removed Ankara at the time from the F-35 fighter jet program, a move Turkey called unjust and illegal.
Trump said today he “will consider” restoring Turkey’s right to purchase the fighter jets, after heavy speculation that he was poised to do so. Israel has attempted to push back against the decision, in light of its deeply strained ties with Ankara.
Visiting German FM signs deal for Berlin to raise Yad Vashem funding to €5m annually through 2030
Israel and Germany sign an agreement for Berlin to provide annual financial support of €5 million ($5.7 million) to the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial center until 2030, the Foreign Ministry announces.
The funding will be used for “Holocaust research, documentation, education, and remembrance,” the ministry says, after Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar and his German counterpart Johann Wadephul sign the agreement at the ministry in Jerusalem.
The agreement amends a 10-year framework signed in 2020 that committed Germany to providing €1 million annually.
Germany, the birthplace of the Nazi Party, has long prioritized Holocaust education in its relations with the Jewish state.
Earlier this year, Yad Vashem selected Munich as the site for its first Holocaust education center outside Israel, with plans for the new institution to strengthen Holocaust education and combat rising antisemitism.
Erdogan: Trump promised us five F-35 jets and he ‘always keeps his promises’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says he hopes for a positive result on Ankara’s desire to buy F-35 fighter jets after his meeting with US President Donald Trump in Ankara, adding that Trump had previously promised to give the NATO ally five jets and that “he always keeps his promises.”
Turkey was a buyer and manufacturer of the F-35 jets before it was expelled from the program in 2020 over its purchase of Russian S-400 defense systems. It has called the move unjust and demanded the jets it has paid for or to be reinstated or reimbursed. Since Trump came to office, the sides have publicly voiced a desire to resolve the issue.
Speaking to reporters alongside Trump at the presidential palace in Ankara before their bilateral meeting, Erdogan also says he will discuss the war in Ukraine with Trump.
Sharaa says Syria is relying on France to help stop Israeli ‘escalation’
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa says he is counting on an “active French role” to halt what he calls Israeli escalations against his country.
During a joint press conference with his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron in Damascus, Sharaa condemned “systematic Israeli attacks,” saying “we are counting on an active French role to stop this escalation and ensure respect for international agreements.”
The two countries say they have agreed to reappoint ambassadors after more than a decade, marking a major restoration of diplomatic ties for a country recovering from years of civil war.
“Our meeting marks a historical milestone,” Sharaa says.
France had closed its embassy in 2012 during the civil war but symbolically reopened it in early 2025.
Ahead of summit, Trump says he was ‘very disappointed’ with NATO over Iran
US President Donald Trump says he was “very disappointed” by the response of NATO allies in Europe to his war with Iran after arriving in Turkey for the alliance’s summit.
“I was very disappointed with NATO,” Trump tells journalists as he meets Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
“We didn’t need any help at all, and in a way, I was testing people, I was testing to see whether or not they’d be there, because I’ve long said that we helped them, but I’m not sure that they’d be there for us,” he adds.
Alongside Erdogan, Trump says ‘we will consider’ selling F-35s to Turkey; praises host for not fighting with Iran against Israel
US President Donald Trump says he will make a decision on a potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, as he begins a meeting with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan at the NATO summit in Ankara.
“It’s a decision we’re going to make,” Trump says, adding that the leaders will also discuss trade and the military.
“It’s certainly something we would consider,” he adds of the sale, noting that “we have a better relationship with Turkey, and Turkey has been in many ways much more loyal than other countries.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview yesterday that Israel is opposed to such a sale, and he reportedly urged Trump against the move during a recent conversation.
Reporter: Mr. President, are you going to sell F-35s to Türkiye, and what about the legal restrictions?
Trump: We're going to make a decision. I would think that many people — I can tell, many people sitting right here — would say, why wouldn't we do that?
We have a better… pic.twitter.com/VkFnKWorxk
— Clash Report (@clashreport) July 7, 2026
Trump also praises Turkey for not “getting into the fight” — on the side of Iran, in the recent war — given Turkey’s acrimonious “relationship with Israel.”
The F-35, built with stealth technology that allows it to evade enemy detection, is considered the world’s most advanced fighter jet.
Israel has operated the aircraft for over a decade, building multiple squadrons, and remains the only Middle Eastern country to possess it.
The Israel Air Force currently operates 48 of the aircraft with another 52 units on order.
Israel is anxious to preserve its qualitative military edge in the region by having the most advanced aircraft, and has previously worked to prevent the sale of the F-35 to other nearby countries, including Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
Doha says Iran bears full legal responsibility for attack on Qatar tanker near Hormuz
Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Majed Al Ansari, says the targeting of Qatari tanker Al Rekayyat near the Strait of Hormuz was an unacceptable attack on the security of international navigation and global energy supplies.
Describing the incident as a clear violation of international law, he urges Iran to immediately halt actions threatening regional security and maritime navigation, and says Tehran bears full legal responsibility for the attack and any resulting damage or consequences.
WATCH: Trump and Erdogan sit down for meeting in Ankara
US President Donald Trump is meeting now in Ankara with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Trump is in town for a NATO summit in the country, and high on the agenda is Turkey’s desire to rejoin the US’s F-35 fighter jet program.
Syrian FM says Macron’s visit to Damascus is a ‘pivotal point’ in relations
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani says that French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Damascus this week marks a turning point in ties between the countries.
“The historic visit of French President Emmanuel Macron to Damascus marked a pivotal point in the course of Syrian-French relations, establishing a new phase of partnership based on mutual respect and shared interests,” Shaibani says in a post on X, after several memoranda of understanding were signed between the two sides.
Meanwhile a source from Syria’s foreign ministry tells AFP on that “terrorist acts” will not deter the country from its path to stability, following two blasts in Damascus during Macron’s visit.
“The state affirms that these terrorist acts will not deter it from continuing its path of stability and openness,” the source says, requesting anonymity.
Syria is proceeding “confidently in expanding its international partnerships… and any attempts aimed at destabilizing security or hindering the path of recovery and openness will not succeed in changing this direction,” the source adds.
Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party to hold Knesset primary on July 26
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party announces that it will hold primaries on July 26 to elect its slate of candidates for the next Knesset, ahead of national elections set to be held by October 27.
The deadline for candidates to register is July 21, with voting open to all registered members.
The primary follows an internal leadership vote in September by the party’s central committee that reaffirmed Smotrich as party leader, meaning the upcoming contest will determine the slate from the No. 2 spot downward.
The party is one of only a handful in Israeli that elect their Knesset slate using an internal primary vote, in addition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud, Yair Golan’s The Democrats, and Hadash led by Yousef Jabareen.
In a letter to party members, director-general Yehuda Wald says the accelerated timetable was chosen in light of the Knesset’s expected dissolution on July 17 and the upcoming August vacation period.
The primary is expected to shape the party’s electoral list ahead of the election. Among those expected to feature prominently is Zvika Mor, father of former hostage Eitan Mor, who joined the party in May after co-founding the Tikva Forum, a small group of hostages’ families who — unlike members of the larger Hostages and Missing Families Forum — consistently opposed partial hostage release agreements with Hamas that involved the release of Palestinian security prisoners and temporary ceasefires in Gaza.
The future of MK Moshe Solomon, meanwhile, remains uncertain after Smotrich removed him from all Knesset committees for breaking coalition discipline and voting against the government’s proposed Basic Law on Torah study last month.
Religious Zionism has been struggling in the polls, with much of the party’s decline attributed to frustration among its largely national-religious electorate — which serves in the military, including in reserve and combat units, at disproportionately high rates — over the party’s support for ultra-Orthodox legislation preserving draft exemptions for Haredi yeshiva students and shielding draft evaders from sanctions.
The party, which currently holds seven Knesset seats, has spent months polling around or below the electoral threshold, although some recent surveys have shown it recovering to four or five seats.
French court clears way for far-right leader Le Pen to run in 2027, but under a condition she rejects
A Paris appeals court clears the way for popular far-right leader Marine Le Pen to possibly run in the 2027 French presidential election but says she must wear an electronic bracelet, which she has said is a no-go.
The verdict declares Le Pen guilty of embezzlement but softens the ban on her holding elected office, putting the ball in her court.
She must now decide whether campaigning in 2027 with a monitoring bracelet as part of her sentence to be served at home is possible.
Man killed, another seriously wounded in shooting in northern Arab town of Tamra
A man was killed and another wounded in a shooting in the northern Arab town of Tamra shortly past noon, according to first responders.
Police say officers are on the scene. No arrests are reported.
The slain man is identified as Yasser al-Haija, 34 after he was declared dead at Haifa’s Rambam Hospital.
Local sources cited by the Arab48 news site say he was shot in a barbershop he owns.
The other man, 29, was taken to Rambam in serious condition, medics say.
Sa’ar: I hope F-35 sale to Turkey won’t happen, US supports ‘critical’ need to preserve Israel’s military edge
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar says he hopes that US President Donald Trump will not approve the sale of F-35 fighters to Turkey, stressing the “critical” need for Israel to maintain its US-guaranteed qualitative military edge, during a Jerusalem press conference alongside German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul.
“I will not make speculation about what President Trump will tell Mr. Erdogan,” Sa’ar says in response to a question from The Times of Israel on the matter, amid reports that Trump is expected to throw his support behind the potential sale during his visit to Ankara today.
“We made it clear that we oppose [the sale of] F-35 planes to Turkey,” he says, referring to remarks yesterday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“It’s critical that Israel, in the region we are living, will maintain its qualitative military edge.] This was always the policy of the United States to support that advantage. And I’m sure this is also the policy of President Trump and his administration, which is a very friendly administration. And therefore, I hope it will not happen,” he says.
Hamas Nukhba Force commander, intel officer killed in recent Gaza strikes, IDF and Shin Bet say
A Hamas Nukhba Force commander and a commander in the terror group’s intelligence division were killed in recent strikes in the Gaza Strip, the IDF and Shin Bet announce.
A strike on Sunday in northern Gaza killed Ahmad Yahya Ibrahim Batsh, a commander of a Nukhba Force cell, according to the military.
The IDF says Batsh had recently b been working to advance attacks on troops in Gaza.
A separate strike yesterday, in southern Gaza, killed Hamouda Abu Daqa, who served as an intelligence commander, according to the military.
The IDF says Abu Daqa was involved in collecting intelligence on troops to advance attacks, and therefore he posed a threat.
The announcement comes after last night the military said it killed a commander in Hamas’s training division, Fadi Daghmash, who had been advancing attacks.
The IDF in recent months has been ramping up strikes on terror operatives in Gaza, saying they posed a threat to Israeli forces.
Reports: Two killed in separate strikes in Gaza
Hamas-affiliated media outlets in Gaza report that one person was killed in a strike on al-Rashid Street in Gaza City earlier today.
According to the reports, another person was killed in a strike around midday in the al-Mawasi area near Khan Younis.
There is no comment from the IDF.
Trump greeted on tarmac by Erdogan after landing in Ankara
US President Donald Trump is greeted on the tarmac by Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan as he lands in Ankara.
Trump is reportedly expected to tell Erdogan that he is prepared to allow the country to rejoin the F-35 stealth fighter program. Israel and Greece are against the move.
Turkey slams ‘Netanyahu and his partners in crime’ for ‘disinformation’ on potential F-35 deal with US
Turkey rejects as “disinformation” Israel’s claim that the sale to Ankara of US F-35 fighter jets and components would upset the regional power balance.
Ahead of a NATO summit in Turkey, Ankara’s foreign ministry slams comments made yesterday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“The baseless allegations recently circulated by Israeli officials in a coordinated manner and with calculated timing are part of a disinformation campaign,” the ministry says.
“Netanyahu and his partners in crime deliberately distort any criticism directed at them and seek to divert attention through a systematic propaganda effort.”
The sale of the F-35 to Turkey would be seen as an important gesture to Ankara ahead of the pivotal NATO summit, as well as to Erdogan, whom Trump considers a key ally. Aside from Israel, Greece is also opposed to such a sale.
The fighter jet, a top-of-the-line stealth plane, was originally developed by the US in partnership with other NATO countries under a program called the Joint Strike Fighter. However, the US booted Turkey from the development of the F-35 after Erdogan went ahead with purchases of the S-400 missile defense from Russia.
While Israel’s relations with Turkey, which were once the Jewish state’s strongest with any country in the region, have drastically deteriorated following Erdogan’s rise to power, they have been particularly strained since the start of the Gaza war sparked by the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack.
Trump lands in Ankara for Erdogan talks, NATO summit
US President Donald Trump lands in Ankara on Tuesday for a NATO summit in the Turkish capital.
The US leader is due to hold talks with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan at his sprawling presidential palace before joining an official leaders dinner ahead of the main session of the summit tomorrow.
US President Donald Trump is expected to tell Erdogan that he is prepared to allow the country to rejoin the F-35 stealth fighter program, the New York Times reported, citing four senior administration officials.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that Israel does not think Turkey should receive F-35s or engines for its fighter jets, and he reportedly urged Trump against such a move in a recent phone call.
For 2nd month in a row, Bank of Israel buys foreign currency in bid to stem sharp shekel gain
For the second month in a row, the Bank of Israel intervened in the foreign exchange market, buying $1.02 billion in June in a bid to curb the sharp appreciation of the shekel, according to the central bank’s monthly foreign exchange reserves report.
The central bank says the purchases in June were aimed “specifically to maintain the orderly functioning of the markets.” In May, the bank intervened in the FX market for the first time since 2022, buying $801 million.
The move comes as a host of business leaders and policymakers have criticized the central bank’s reluctance to act, saying the rapid shekel appreciation is harming exports, a major growth engine of the economy. The strength of the local currency is forcing exporters and startups to make tough decisions about hiring abroad and moving R&D centers out of Israel, stirring fears about future economic growth.
Yoaz Hendel’s Reservists party joins forces with ex-Blue and White MK Chili Tropper
Yoaz Hendel’s Reservists party announces that it will run together with former Blue and White MK Chili Tropper in the upcoming national election, due to be held by October 27, after weeks of reported talks between the two.
Describing the alliance as “the first step toward creating a significant new Zionist political force,” the party says its goal is to “lead a broad Zionist government” that will represent “those who serve, volunteer, fight, perform reserve duty and contribute through action.”
“To me, Chili represents the best of Israeli society,” Hendel says in a statement, calling the partnership “what can pull the State of Israel out of the current deadlock.”
The move ends months of speculation about Tropper’s political future after he announced in May that he was leaving Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party. Other senior lawmakers had previously departed Blue and White and later joined the Yashar party, established by Gadi Eisenkot after he split from Gantz last year.
Eisenkot welcomes the move, saying he “congratulates my friend Chili Tropper.”
“Chili is an experienced, unifying leader who deserves to play a central role in the national rehabilitation Israel so urgently needs, and to be an important voice in the Zionist, statesmanlike government we will establish,” he continues.
Gantz also welcomes Tropper and Hendel “joining the effort we are leading to establish Israel’s bloc.”
The announcement comes after reported talks between Hendel and an emerging alliance led by Gantz and political newcomer Dedy Simhi collapsed on Sunday over the question of potentially joining a future coalition including the ultra-Orthodox parties.
Hendel, who founded the Reservists last year to pass a universal draft law, has repeatedly ruled out joining a coalition with the Haredi parties, which are campaigning to preserve draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men.
Gantz has declined to rule out such a coalition, while Simhi has said he would consider one if it were necessary to form a broad Zionist government and avoid another election.
Italy’s FM welcomes Israel-Lebanon talks to be held in Rome next week
Italy “warmly welcomes” the announcement that the next round of Israel-Lebanon peace talks will be held next week in Rome.
“Last April, I had communicated to the Lebanese and Israeli governments Italy’s willingness to support the dialogue for peace in the region and to serve as the venue for the negotiations,” says Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on X, boasting that it is evidence of Italy’s “authoritative and credible role on the international political scene.”
Israeli Ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter announced yesterday that the talks would take place in Rome on July 14 and 15.
Macron says France ready to help rebuild Syria, after Damascus bombs disrupt trip
France is ready to help rebuild Syria’s economy and banking sector, French President Emmanuel Macron says as he presses on with a visit to Damascus after two bombs exploded near a hotel where he had been holding meetings.
“We want to continue working on the restructuring of the banking sector,” Macron says at a news conference alongside Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. France was working on helping the Syrian central bank, Macron adds.
Knesset legal adviser: Torah study law could give yeshiva students benefits meant for IDF reservists
Knesset Legal Adviser Sagit Afik warns that a proposed law declaring Torah study a foundational value of Israel could result in yeshiva students being eligible for study scholarships meant for IDF reservists.
Afik tells a Knesset panel that the law must be clear that it is only “declarative,” otherwise yeshiva students could be eligible for a raft of benefits, Channel 12 reports.
According to the Kan public broadcaster, Yesh Atid MK Naor Shiri says in response that “[the government is] creating the tools to give free degrees to Torah students, the same benefits as reserve soldiers.”
The bill forms part of the Haredi parties’ broader legislative push to preserve mass exemptions for yeshiva students from military service by elevating the status of Torah study. The legislative effort includes a parallel measure to shield draft evaders from criminal enforcement.
Sources say Qatari tanker hit in Hormuz suffered significant damage, engine room on fire
A Qatari LNG tanker that was hit as it traveled through the Omani side of the Strait of Hormuz overnight suffered significant damage, four sources with knowledge of the matter say, after reports that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards fired missiles at ships transiting the waterway.
It is the first time an LNG ship from Qatar, which is a mediator in the talks between Washington and Tehran, has been struck since the start of the Iran war at the end of February.
The vessel, Al Rekayyat, was loaded with liquefied natural gas. It sent out distress signals seeking assistance after it was hit on its port side, one of the sources says, adding the crew was safe.
The engine room is on fire and filled with smoke and the crew was unable to assess further damage, they add.
128 immigrants arrive from France, as French aliyah sees continued growth
A group of 128 new immigrants from France arrived at Ben Gurion Airport yesterday on a special flight, as immigration from the country is expected to increase for the third straight year, the Immigration and Absorption Ministry says.
Some 3,357 new immigrants arrived from France in 2025, more than three times the 1,097 who came in 2023, the ministry says. So far this year, 790 immigrants have arrived from France, compared to 690 at this time last year, indicating a continued upward trend, it says.
In total, more than 6,500 people have immigrated to Israel from France since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, the ministry says, in the face of rising antisemitism in the country.
About 2,500 French Jews have opened immigration files at the Jewish Agency’s Global Aliyah Center since the beginning of 2026, an increase of 30% percent compared to the same period last year, the ministry adds. Not everyone who opens a file ultimately moves to Israel.
The flight marked the beginning of the summer immigration season to Israel, with thousands of new immigrants from around the world expected to arrive in July and August, the ministry says.
A total of 22,522 new immigrants arrived in 2025, including some 8,500 from Western countries like the United States, France, Britain, and Canada, the ministry has said.
The Central Bureau of Statistics has previously said more than 69,000 Israelis left the country in 2025, indicating a negative migration balance for the second straight year.
Poll: One-third of Americans, including a similar share of American Jews, believe Israel committed genocide in Gaza
After decades of reliable bipartisan backing for Israel, a new AP-NORC poll reveals a dramatic erosion of support for the longtime US ally, with rising opposition from Democrats and signs of division among Republicans.
The survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research arrives at a moment when a once-consensus foreign policy issue is increasingly polarizing Americans along partisan and generational lines, driven by criticism for Israel’s conduct nearly three years after the outbreak of its latest war with Hamas in Gaza, sparked by the terror group’s October 7, 2023, onslaught.
About one-third of US adults — including roughly half of Democrats — believe that Israel has committed genocide against Palestinians during the war in Gaza, an accusation that’s been leveled by some human rights organizations and vehemently denied by Israel and the US government.
About 2 in 10 Americans say Israel has not and the rest, about half, don’t know enough to say.
A similar share, 30 percent, of Jewish adults say Israel has committed genocide, although about half, 49%, say it has not.
About three-quarters of Jewish adults say Israel’s initial response after October 7 was justified, but only about 4 in 10 believe that about its ongoing, but reduced, operations.
About 58% of Democrats now say the US is “too supportive” of the Israelis, up from 45% in an AP-NORC poll from January 2024 when former US president Joe Biden was in office. That includes 51% of Jewish Democrats in the new poll.
Roughly 6 in 10 Democrats, 62%, say the US is “not supportive enough” of the Palestinians, up from 49% in 2024. Younger Democrats — those 45 and younger — are still more likely than older ones to say that the United States is “not supportive enough” of the Palestinians, but older Democrats are catching up to their younger counterparts. About 57% of older Democrats now say the US should do more for the Palestinians, up from 39% two years ago.
Just a sliver of Republicans, 13%, describe Israel’s actions as genocide, although there is an apparent age gap. About 2 in 10 Republicans under 45 say Israel has committed genocide, while about 1 in 10 Republicans ages 45 and older say the same.
Overall, 60% of Republicans describe the US support for Israel as “about right.” Only about 2 in 10 Republicans say that the United States is “too supportive” of the Israelis, although Republicans under 45 are more likely to say this.
The share of Republicans overall who say the US is “too supportive” of Israel has not changed meaningfully since 2024, but the share who say the US is “not supportive enough” has shrunk from 39% to 15%.
Times of Israel staff contributed to this report.
NATO foreign ministers to meet Gulf counterparts for talks on Strait of Hormuz
NATO foreign ministers will meet Gulf Arab counterparts today to address the stalemate over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, including a Franco-British proposal for a multinational maritime mission that Iran has so far dismissed.
The meeting on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Ankara will bring together ministers from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates following weeks of tensions in the strategically important waterway despite an interim US-Iran peace deal.
Shas set to back Karhi media bill after party’s spiritual leader orders support for coalition agenda
The ultra-Orthodox Shas party is expected to back Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s controversial media overhaul bill after the party’s spiritual leader, Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, reportedly instructed party chairman Aryeh Deri to support all coalition legislation in exchange for the passage of a Basic Law for Torah study and repeal of the previous government’s kosher certification reform.
The apparent about-face comes a day after Shas announced it could not support the media bill because of its failure to include amendments demanded by the Haredi parties to prevent a government media app from broadcasting on Shabbat and to filter adult content.
Karhi reportedly appealed directly to Yosef in a letter yesterday, prompting the rabbi to reply, “There is no room for delay, and under no circumstances should the passage of the Torah Study Law be put at risk.”
Regarding the kosher certification bill, which would restore the Chief Rabbinate’s exclusive control over kosher certification, the former Sephardi chief rabbi said, “The people of Israel must be saved from eating non-kosher food” and that “the Torah is above all else.”
The other ultra-Orthodox party, United Torah Judaism, is still refusing to support Karhi’s bill, potentially depriving the coalition of the majority needed to pass the legislation.
The media overhaul bill would give the government significant control over broadcast media, news sites, and other media. It has been criticized by the Knesset’s professional legal staff and by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who have warned that it undermines press freedom and allows for political interference in the media.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly reached an agreement with the ultra-Orthodox parties last month ending their boycott of coalition legislation. Under the deal, the coalition agreed to advance key Haredi priorities, including the Basic Law, kosher certification repeal, and legislation freezing arrests of ultra-Orthodox draft evaders, in exchange for Haredi backing for the coalition’s legislative agenda.
18 people wounded in twin Damascus explosions; 2nd blast went off near ambulance
Syria’s state news agency reports that 18 people were injured in the explosions that rocked Damascus during a visit by France’s President Emmanuel Macron, including four police officers.
The first blast hit soon after Macron’s motorcade left his hotel for the presidential palace. Reuters footage showed flames and smoke billowing from a trash can when a second explosion was caught on camera a few meters (yards) away.
The second blast went off next to an ambulance parked at the scene, where some two dozen people had gathered.
Flames and thick black smoke were seen billowing close to the shops behind, as emergency personnel worked to put out the blaze.
Cameras recorded the exact moment of the blast in Damascus, close to where the French president was staying. pic.twitter.com/fuqMCgVJv2
— IRNA News Agency ☫ (@IrnaEnglish) July 7, 2026
Energy Ministry, Weizmann Institute release series of science videos aimed at kids
The Energy Ministry announces that it is partnering with the Weizmann Institute of Science’s educational arm, the Davidson Institute, to present a series of experiential videos on social media.
The series seeks to connect the general public, especially the young, to topics such as renewable energy, sustainable energy, and energy consumerism and conservation.
The videos, presented by Avi Saig, who heads the Davidson Institute, combine scientific knowledge with catchy and interesting experiments, explaining complex concepts such as energy storage, renewable energy production via solar radiation, water, and other sources, as well as the advantages of electric transportation and efficient construction, and the economic and social impacts of these issues on our daily lives.
Aa well as sparking curiosity and interest, the educational content is structured to drive action — aiming to encourage small behavioral changes in daily life that will lead to real savings and a reduction in energy consumption over time.
The video content will eventually be integrated into the ministry’s website, science lesson plans, and various media platforms.
Poll: In new low, just 28% of Israelis think Trump prioritizes Israel’s security
A poll by the Israel Democracy Institute finds that just 28 percent of Israelis think their country’s security is one of US President Donald Trump’s main considerations — a collapse from 44% last month.
The finding comes more than four months after the US and Israel jointly launched a war against the Iranian regime, and amid concerns from Israeli officials over the Trump’s administration negotiations with the Islamic Republic.
The poll finds that just 26% of Jewish Israelis and 36% of Arab Israelis think that Israel’s security is one of Trump’s main considerations, marking a record low of 28% of Israelis overall.
When the views of Jewish Israelis are broken down by political beliefs, the survey shows that a majority across the spectrum do not believe Trump is prioritizing their security — 81% of those on the left, 73% in the center, and 65% of those on the right.
In March, 64% of Jewish Israelis thought Trump prioritized their security, the IDI notes.
The poll also finds just 38% of Israelis believe the country is in a better strategic situation today than it was before Israel and the US launched the war against Iran in February.
The poll surveyed more than 750 respondents between June 28 and July 1, and has a 3.57% margin of error.
Senior coalition ministers double down on refusal to obey High Court ruling: ‘Judicial mafia’
Senior coalition ministers double down on the government’s refusal to respect a High Court ruling over a media regulation body, after justices warned that defying the court could lead to anarchy and expose public officials to civil lawsuits.
The court’s warning came after the government declared Sunday that it would not comply with a High Court ruling, raising concerns about a possible constitutional crisis.
“The judicial mafia has moved on to extortion. This is exactly what a threatening message from a protection racket sounds like,” says Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, vowing to “deal with them” at the ballot box.
“What’s next? Envelopes with bullets sent to government ministries? A horse’s head in their beds? Bottles of gasoline left on the cars of elected officials?” he continues.
Smotrich was reportedly detained by the Shin Bet security service for three weeks in 2005 on suspicion that he was planning to block major Israeli traffic arteries and damage infrastructure to protest the Gaza disengagement. He was part of a cell of five people who were caught allegedly planning an attack with 700 liters of gasoline. He was released without charge.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir accuses Supreme Court President Isaac Amit and the court of issuing “mafia-style threats.”
“In a democracy, public servants are subordinate to elected officials, in accordance with the law,” Ben Gvir says, adding that “if the High Court judges are unhappy with the government’s policies, they are welcome to run for office. The people alone decide.”
Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, likewise rejects the court’s warning, declaring that “the shofar heralding the government’s and the people of Zion’s freedom from the yoke of the High Court has already been sounded.”
Levin: High Court acting ‘like dictators’ after justices warned against officials not obeying rulings
Justice Minister Yariv Levin condemns the High Court of Justice over its warning that public officials may be exposed to civil damages suits if they do not abide by court rulings.
“Like the last of the dictators who have lost the public’s trust, they are threatening to use force to suppress those who demand justice. They will not succeed,” writes Levin on Facebook.
“It is time for the justices to engage in some soul-searching about how they reached such a low point. Respect for the law and respect for democratic decisions are obligations incumbent on every citizen, even if that citizen is a justice of the Supreme Court,” he says.
The war of words between the court and the government comes against the background of the government’s declaration on Sunday, issued by Levin himself and Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, that it does not view a High Court ruling regarding the Second Authority media regulation body as valid.
That declaration appeared designed to undercut the ability of the Second Authority council to function at present, and in particular to approve the acquisition of Channel 13 by a tech entrepreneur who is a prominent government critic.
The High Court’s decision today seems calculated to warn the Second Authority council members that they could be exposed to civil damages suits, for instance from anyone who would be negatively affected by a failure to approve the Channel 13 deal, if they do not act in accordance with its ruling on the matter.
The court issued its statement as a “decision” to make it part of the official case record and formally express how it expects the existing law and prior court orders to be respected.
Macron did not even hear Damascus blasts, says Elysee Palace
French President Emmanuel Macron did not hear the explosions that occurred in the Syrian capital, his office says.
Macron was on his way to meet with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. The French president is the first main EU leader to visit the country since the fall of President Bashar al-Assad.
Reports say that explosive devices detonated near Macron’s hotel shortly after his motorcade left.
Explosions in Damascus near Macron’s hotel; Syrian state TV says French president at palace
Explosive devices blew up in Syria’s capital Damascus near a hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron was going to be staying, a security source says.
Syrian state TV says that Macron was received at the presidential palace shortly after the explosions.
Roads have been sealed off and security measures implemented.
A Reuters witness heard explosions in the vicinity and smoke is seen rising.
It is unclear if there are casualties.
Macron is first major EU leader to visit Damascus since Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was toppled.
Wearing sunglasses indoors, Macron meets representatives of Syrian civil society in Damascus
Again wearing sunglasses indoors, France’s President Emmanuel Macron attends a breakfast in Damascus with representatives of Syrian civil society.
Macron wore the aviators inside at the Davos conference in January, with officials explaining the French president had a minor medical issue.
Macron landed in Syria yesterday, in the first visit to Damascus by a European Union head of state since rebels led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa toppled Bashar al-Assad in 2024.
The visit underlines Syria’s geopolitical transformation under Sharaa, a former al-Qaeda commander who has established close ties with Western and Middle Eastern powers that shunned Assad, as he seeks to rebuild a country shattered by 13 years of civil war.
Thousands of mourners gather in Qom for 4th day of Khamenei’s funeral
Thousands of people are taking to the streets in the Iranian holy city of Qom during a fourth day of marathon funeral proceedings for late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The remains of Khamenei, who was killed in late February on the first day of the US-Israeli war against Iran, are lying in state at the Jamkaran Mosque in Qom, a holy city that houses Shia Islam’s most influential seminaries and shrines.
Aerial footage broadcast by state television shows the streets of Qom — home to about 1.5 million people — packed with mourners.
A prayer service is held inside the mosque by Abdollah Javadi-Amoli, a 93-year-old ayatollah and influential conservative Shia figure in the Islamic Republic.
The massive crowd chants in unison, “Death to America.”
Other television footage shows mourners, including clerics wearing turbans, paying their respects at the coffins of Khamenei and four relatives killed alongside him, including a granddaughter reportedly only 14 month old.
A procession then follows with a truck carrying the bodies towards the mausoleum of Fatima Masumeh, the sister of Imam Reza, the eighth Shia imam, a descendant of the Prophet Mohammed.
High Court warns of ‘anarchy,’ societal breakdown if officials don’t abide by rulings
The High Court of Justice warns that failing to obey or respect a court ruling will lead to anarchy, societal breakdown and unrestrained government power.
The court makes its comments in reference to a declaration by the government on Sunday that it does not view a High Court ruling regarding the media regulation body as valid, giving rise to concerns that the coalition was violating the rule of law and taking the country toward a constitutional crisis.
Additionally, the court warns that public officials who do not abide by court rulings may not enjoy immunity from civil damages suits.
“The obligation to comply with and respect court judgments is among the fundamental conditions upon which the rule of law in a democratic state is founded,” the court says.
“Without compliance with court rulings, the principle of the rule of law is undermined, and social order disintegrates. Everyone will do as they see fit, and the distance between the rule of law and anarchy is a hair’s breadth,” the court says, citing a ruling from 2007.
The court’s comments about exposure to civil suits for public and elected officials appears to be a warning to members of the Second Authority council, among others, to abide by the court’s ruling in June that the panel can continue to function despite not having the requisite quorum.
The High Court issues its statement as a “decision” making it part of the official case record and formally expressing how it expects the existing law and prior court orders to be respected.
The government’s declaration on Sunday stated that it would not see any decision taken by the council under the terms of the High Court order as valid.
Yesterday, all living former presidents of the Supreme Court issued a joint condemnation of the government’s announcement, saying that refusing to respect or obey court decisions is “the last nail in the coffin of democracy.”
Iran’s Araghchi says US ‘threats’ are impediment to negotiations on final deal
Talks to reach a final deal between Tehran and Washington won’t re-start if US threats continue, Iran’s foreign minister says, after US President Donald Trump warned he would “finish the job” if an agreement is not reached.
“Negotiations on final deal will not commence if threats continue. Honor your signature,” Abbas Araghchi writes in a post on X.
An interim deal signed last month by Iran and the US calls upon both sides to refrain from both the threat and the use of force against each other.
The top Iranian envoy’s statement comes hours after reported attacks on two commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state television said a liquefied natural gas tanker came under attack off the coast of Oman after ignoring warnings, but did not directly claim the assault. There was no mention of the second vessel.
2 security officers shot, injured when they allegedly attacked Border Police at West Bank crossing
Two security officers were shot and injured when they attacked Border Police officers and tried to snatch their weapons at the Qalandiya Crossing between Israel and the West Bank, police say.
In a statement, police say the Border Police officers heading to the West Bank arrived at a gate designated for security forces only, passed through it, and waited for it to close.
A civilian vehicle arrived in the opposite direction, from the West Bank, and attempted to enter the gate area, the statement says.
Border Police officers approached the vehicle and several individuals exited the vehicle and attacked the troops while trying to snatch their weapons, police say.
One of the Border Police officers fired warning shots in the air, but the clash continued.
At the same time, police say an officer saw another officer being choked by a suspect and believed there to be a real danger to his life and those of his comrades, so opened fire at their lower body areas.
Police say that it only became clear that the civilian car was carrying security officers after the incident and that an investigation has been opened.
There is no update on the condition of the two individuals who were shot.
Officer tells Utah court he found ‘sniper pad’ on rooftop after Charlie Kirk assassination
A former campus police officer testifies that he found an apparent “sniper pad” on a rooftop near where Charlie Kirk was assassinated, as prosecutors seek to convince a state judge they have enough evidence to put a Utah man on trial for murder.
Former Utah Valley University Officer Christopher Bagley says he witnessed Kirk’s shooting while the conservative activist was speaking on Sept. 10 to a crowd of thousands. Soon after, Bagley searched a nearby gravel rooftop, where it appeared someone had been lying prone with a clear sightline to Kirk’s location, he said.
“It looks like a sniper pad,” Bagley says, adding, “you’ve got markings of elbows, knees and feet.”
The testimony came as Kirk’s parents, Kathryn and Robert, and his widow, Erika, were in the courtroom for the first time since the case began, along with the president’s son Donald Trump Jr.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for defendant Tyler Robinson, 23, who is charged with aggravated murder. Robinson’s parents also were present, sitting a few rows behind the Kirks.
The five-day preliminary hearing is expected to mark the most significant presentation of evidence to date in the case. There were no major revelations on the first day, although prosecutors aired new video that investigators believe showed Robinson getting in and out of his vehicle on Sept. 10 and 11.
Robinson turned himself in the day after the shooting. He has not yet entered a plea, and his attorneys have not commented on his guilt or innocence. They have, however, sought to get the death penalty taken off the table, so far unsuccessfully.
Iranian state TV: Gas tanker struck in Strait of Hormuz after ignoring warnings
Iranian state television says a liquefied natural gas tanker came under attack off the coast of Oman in the Strait of Hormuz after ignoring warnings, but does not directly claim the assault.
Iranian state TV, quoting anonymous sources, implies Tehran carried out the assault on a tanker it said was carrying natural gas from Qatar. However, there’s been no official claim from the Islamic Republic for the attack.
NYT: Trump set to tell Erdogan that Turkey can rejoin F-35 fighter jet program
US President Donald Trump is expected to tell Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that he is prepared to allow the country to rejoin the F-35 stealth fighter program, the New York Times reports, citing four senior administration officials.
The report comes as Trump heads to Ankara for a NATO summit, where he is expected to meet Erdogan. The summit is set to begin this evening.
According to the New York Times report, the officials differ on the details of how Trump would seek to work around congressional and legal restrictions, but suggest there could be an exchange of letters on the subject between the two leaders.
The White House does not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment on the report.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that Israel does not think Turkey should receive F-35s or engines for their fighter jets, and he reportedly urged Trump against such a move in a recent phone call.
Turkey’s 2019 acquisition of the Russian S-400 air defense system has soured ties with the United States and hampered congressional support for Ankara. In response, Washington imposed sanctions and removed Turkey from the F-35 fighter jet program.
Congress also passed a law prohibiting any sales of F-35s to Turkey as long as Ankara remained in possession of the S-400s, saying the Russian system poses a security risk to US-made combat aircraft.
Iran said to fire at 2 commercial ships in Strait of Hormuz, including Qatari gas tanker
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards fired at least two missiles at commercial ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz overnight, Axios and the Wall Street Journal report.
Two commercial ships suffered significant damage but had no casualties, Axios says, citing a US official.
US Central Command does not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment.
The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) said earlier that a tanker was hit by an unknown projectile on its port side while traveling southbound about 8 nautical miles (15 km) east of Oman’s Limah, causing a fire.
One of the vessels under attack appears to be Al Rekayyat, a liquefied natural gas tanker owned and managed by Nakilat the shipping arm of Qatar’s LNG industry, the WSJ says, adding that the ship had been hit on the port side, at the top of the engine room.
The vessel was at the mouth of the strait, in the Gulf of Oman, when it was attacked, the WSJ says.
The development comes after indirect US-Iran talks ended last week without any public sign of headway toward a lasting peace, despite a 60-day ceasefire intended to create space for diplomacy following the US and Israeli strikes that triggered the conflict.
Despite Trump intervention, Belgium dumps US out of World Cup with 4-1 win
Belgium dumps the United States out of their own World Cup, as Charles De Ketelaere’s brace secures a 4-1 win that was eclipsed by the bitter row over Folarin Balogun’s ban.
Victory means the Belgians face Spain in the quarterfinals, while the US follow co-hosts Canada and Mexico out of the tournament with elimination in the round of 16 after a thoroughly flat performance.
All attention pre-game had been on Balogun’s place in the US starting lineup, after US President Donald Trump asked FIFA to review the striker’s one-game suspension for a red card, and the governing body controversially obliged.
FIFA’s move to suspend Balogun’s ban after he was sent off in the previous round against Bosnia and Herzegovina has been slammed by soccer fans, pundits and players around the world, but there were no such misgivings among the Seattle crowd. A colossal roar greeted the stadium announcement of Balogun’s name in the starting XI, vastly dwarfing the cheers even for US talisman Christian Pulisic.
The “USA” thunderclap then echoed around the stadium, utterly drowning out a small corner of chanting Belgium fans in the opening minutes.
Another TV poll shows Eisenkot pulling even with Netanyahu’s Likud
An opinion poll aired on Channel 12 Monday evening showed Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party pulling even with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud.
A similar result has been seen in polls published by Zman Yisrael, The Times of Israel’s sister site, as well as the Kan public broadcaster.
The Channel 12 poll of 503 respondents — with a margin of error of ±4.4% — showed both Yashar and Likud receiving 23 seats in the next Knesset.
The next largest party was predicted to be Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid’s Together party, with 16 seats, followed by The Democrats headed by Yair Golan, with 10 seats.
Oil tanker hit by ‘unknown projectile’ in Strait of Hormuz region, says maritime agency
A tanker was hit by an “unknown projectile” on its port side while traveling southbound about 8 nautical miles (14.8 km) east of Oman’s Limah, causing a fire, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency (UKMTO) says.
UKMTO says no casualties or environmental impact had been reported.
Egypt coach Hassan says FIFA should use ‘soft power’ to aid plight of Palestinians
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan says at the World Cup that the suffering of the Palestinian people is a “shame on the world” as he calls on the world of soccer to do more to come to their aid.
Hassan waved a Palestinian flag after the Pharaohs beat Australia on penalties on Friday to reach the World Cup last 16, where they will meet defending champions Argentina tomorrow.
“If there is someone who has not felt the suffering of the Palestinian people then he or she has no humanity,” Hassan says in a lengthy address to a question on the subject at his pre-match press conference in Atlanta.
“I would like to say this is a shame on us. A shame on the entire world, not just the Arab world, a shame on everyone and a shame on first of all decision makers who leave human beings behind.”
Hassan’s answer is greeted by applause from many of the journalists present at the press conference.
Egypt’s all-time top goalscorer goes on to call for FIFA and players to take a more active stance for the Palestinian people.
“My message would be to use football as soft power,” he adds. “I urge all of you, the media, all athletes worldwide, regardless of their identities, maybe we can convey a collective message. That is as follows: ‘let the Palestinian people be, let them exist, let them live a life of their own.’ This is normal.”
Maine’s Democratic Party calls for Platner to drop out of Senate race after sex assault claim
Maine’s Democratic Party calls for Graham Platner, its nominee for a US Senate seat in the state, to withdraw his candidacy after a woman accused him of sexual assault.
“Over the past several weeks, multiple women have made serious, credible allegations against Graham Platner. Today’s statements take those allegations even further,” it says in a statement.
“Maine Democratic Party leadership is calling on Graham Platner to withdraw as the Democratic nominee for US Senate.”
Platner, a sharp critic of Israel, has faced numerous mounting scandals, including that he had a Nazi tattoo for several decades, something which did not stop him winning the primary last month.
Preliminary hearing begins in murder trial of Charlie Kirk
A former campus police officer testifies that he found an apparent “sniper pad” on a rooftop near where Charlie Kirk was assassinated, as prosecutors seek to convince a state judge they have enough evidence to put a Utah man on trial for murder.
Former Utah Valley University Officer Christopher Bagley says he witnessed Kirk’s shooting while the conservative activist was speaking to a crowd of thousands in September last year. Soon after, Bagley went to a nearby gravel rooftop, where it appeared someone had been lying prone with a clear sightline to Kirk’s location, he says.
“It looks like a sniper pad,” Bagley says, adding, “you’ve got markings of elbows, knees and feet.”
The testimony came as Kirk’s parents, Kathryn and Robert, and widow, Erika, were in the courtroom for the first time since the case began, along with Donald Trump Jr., US President Donald Trump’s son.
Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for defendant Tyler Robinson. A five-day preliminary hearing that began today marks the most significant presentation of evidence to date in the case.
Knesset votes to split controversial bill to erode power of attorney general
The Knesset votes 59-45 to split its highly controversial legislation gutting the powers of the attorney general.
The decision to split the bill arose seemingly because the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee no longer had time to prepare the original bill before the Knesset is set to dissolve next week ahead of October elections, due to the legislation’s size and potential impact.
As a result, the bill will no longer divide the role of the attorney general into two separate offices — an attorney general and a prosecutor general — as the coalition had sought throughout the legislative process. Instead, criminal prosecution powers will remain with the attorney general for now.
The bill nevertheless preserves the most controversial aspect of the draft law: that the attorney general’s legal positions will no longer be binding for the government. Critics of this provision, including Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, say that allowing the government to decide for itself whether its actions are legal will severely violate the rule of law and remove a key check on government power.
The bill’s advancement follows a reported agreement between Netanyahu and the ultra-Orthodox parties ending their boycott of coalition legislation last month. Under the deal, the coalition agreed to advance key Haredi priorities, including legislation enshrining Torah study as a Basic Law and other related measures, in exchange for their support for the coalition’s own legislative agenda.
Constitution committee legal adviser Gur Bligh stated during today’s hearing that a key concern over the bill was the ability of the government to ignore the attorney general’s legal positions in “extreme” situations in which it tries to expand its authority beyond the boundaries of the law. Bligh said this was “especially dangerous” regarding criminal proceedings and election law for which the bill does not provide “adequate safeguards.”
The new version of the bill also removes the highly politicized method of hiring and firing the attorney general, which the previous version of the legislation stipulated, and which critics said would almost certainly undermine the independence of the attorney general. Instead, the new text of the bill says that the government will decide how the attorney general will be appointed and dismissed within 30 days of the law coming into effect after the upcoming elections.
The original version of the legislation passed its first reading in the Knesset plenum in June, but today’s plenum vote was required to approve the committee’s decision to split the bill.
Committee chairman MK Simcha Rothman intends to begin the process of approving the bill for its final readings in Knesset tomorrow night, meaning that votes in the plenum for the final passage of the legislation will likely be scheduled for next week.
Maine Democrat Platner says he will ‘reflect’ on Senate campaign, denies report on sex allegations
Graham Platner, the Democratic nominee for a US Senate seat in Maine, says he is taking time to reflect on his campaign, but denies allegations in a Politico report that a woman he had dated accused him of forcing her to have sex with him nearly five years ago.
“We are taking the time to reflect on the best path forward,” Platner says in a statement.
Politico said the woman detailed the allegation in three interviews. It reported that it also reviewed documents, including emails between the woman and her therapist, and others.
Platner does not indicate whether he is considering suspending his campaign or dropping out of the race. It is also unclear whether Maine Governor Janet Mills, who had been running for the Senate seat but suspended her campaign earlier this year amid Platner’s surge in fundraising and polling, will rejoin if he leaves the race.
Platner is attempting to capture the Senate seat long held by Republican Senator Susan Collins. The race is one of the most closely watched contests in this year’s November 3 midterm elections.
Collins’ seat is a key target in Democrats’ drive to win majority control of the Senate. Republicans currently hold 53 Senate seats, while Democrats control 47. They would need a net gain of four seats to take over the 100-member chamber.
Group of army reservists accuse Channel 14 of regularly airing confidential info, harming national security
A lobby group of military reservists who served in the Gaza war has filed a complaint with police, the state attorney and the military censor against Channel 14, accusing the network of routinely harming national security by airing confidential information about military operations, and demanding an investigation.
The pro-government Channel 14 has become increasingly popular over the last five years. Critics say its pundits and anchors frequently engage in extreme, incendiary, and hyperbolic rhetoric against those perceived as hostile to the government.
The Swords of Iron Combatants Forum, led by Col. (res.) Hanoch Dauba, claims in its complaint that “for over two years, Channel 14 has been engaging in a systematic pattern of publishing sensitive security information, at times even before military operations are carried out, in violation of censorship regulations and criminal law.”
It alleges that this is “not a series of isolated errors, but an orderly system by which sensitive security information, at times highly classified, is used as a tool to generate ratings and public-political influence, while directly harming the national and security interests of the State of Israel.”
It further points to cases in which the military censorship asked for the removal of information, but said that in such instances, “Channel 14 and its employees employ methods of evasion, deliberate delay, and even re-publication of the information on the claim that it has become ‘public knowledge.’” It argues that “the cumulative consequences of this pattern are devastating. Exposure of security force locations in combat zones, exposure of classified intelligence systems, the leaking of operational plans based on the element of surprise — all of these are not only serious criminal offenses, but also harm the operational capabilities of the security forces.”
In a response, the network says: “The attempts by emissaries of Channel 12 to approach the state attorney in order to shut down Channel 14 will not succeed.
“The people of Israel remember well who harmed the fighters of Unit 100 and falsely accused them in the most serious blood libel in the history of the State of Israel,” it says, referring to Channel 12 being the first to air leaked footage of the alleged abuse of a Palestinian prisoner by guards at the Sde Teiman holding facility.
They also remember “who cooperated with the leak regarding the moment of the strike in Iran, thereby endangering our pilots and the state’s security,” it adds, referring to claims that Channel 12 was told of the strike ahead of time by unidentified figures, and therefore brought its anchors to the studio on the morning of February 28. The network did not broadcast any information on the attack prior to its start.