June 24: Haredi politicians pledge to keep protesting until arrests of draft dodgers are halted

Trump claims he stopped ‘great leader’ Erdogan from bringing Turkey into Iran war

US President Donald Trump meets with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in the Oval Office at the White House, June 24, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump praises Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, claiming he was a prime candidate to enter the war on the side of Iran because he doesn’t like Israel.

“He was a prime candidate to go into the war with Iran — maybe on the Iran side, because he’s not a big fan of Israel,” Trump claims, even though Turkey gave no indication that it was preparing to enter the war on the side of Iran, and even came under Iranian fire at one point.

“I asked him to stay out. He stayed out,” Trump tells reporters in the Oval Office.

“Erdogan is a great leader, a very strong person… Everything I’ve ever asked from him, he’s done.”

Amid reports that the US is readying for a major weapons sale to Turkey, Trump is asked whether he’s preparing a major “gift bag,” including F35 fighter jets for Ankara.

“I think so, look… I’m going to probably do something that’s going to make him very happy,” Trump says.

Pressed on what specifically needs to happen for the F35 sale to go through, Trump punts the question to Vice President JD Vance.

“There are certain things that we have to certify that have happened in order to comply with American law. The president has asked us to do that… so they can get the F35s… This is really a congressional thing,” Vance says before Trump chimes in, insisting that the issue will be sorted out.

ICC judges sue Trump administration over sanctions it imposed on them

Three International Criminal Court judges have sued US President Donald Trump and his administration over sanctions imposed on them last year, arguing the measures were unlawful.

In the lawsuit filed in the federal court in Manhattan, judges Kimberly Prost of Canada, Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda, and Reine Adelaide Sophie Alapini-Gansou of Benin say the sanctions were designed to exert extrajudicial pressure with the objective of punishing and coercing the judges.

The State and Treasury departments and the White House have not immediately responded to requests for comment.

The Trump administration imposed sanctions on several judges at the International Criminal Court last year in an unprecedented retaliation over the war tribunal’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former defense minister Yoav Gallant, and a past decision to open a case into alleged war crimes by US troops in Afghanistan.

Sanctions severely hamper individuals’ abilities to carry out even routine financial transactions as any banks with ties to the United States, or that conduct transactions in dollars, are expected to comply with the restrictions.

The ICC, which was established in 2002, has international jurisdiction to prosecute genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in member states or if a situation is referred by the UN Security Council.

Although the ICC has jurisdiction over war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide in its 125 member countries, some nations, including the US, China, Russia, and Israel, do not recognize its authority.

IDF says soldier moderately injured in ‘operational accident’ in southern Lebanon

An IDF soldier was moderately injured in an “operational accident” in southern Lebanon earlier today, the military announces.

The soldier was taken to a hospital and his family was notified, the IDF adds.

The circumstances of the incident are under further investigation by the army.

Rubio defends US decision to lift Iran sanctions as part of ‘give and take’ negotiating process

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to members of the media before boarding a US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft en route to Bahrain at Kuwait International Airport, in Kuwait City, Kuwait, June 24, 2026. (Eric Lee/Pool Photo via AP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio defends the Trump administration’s decision to lift sanctions on Iran earlier this week, insisting that Washington has to make some concessions as part of the negotiation process.

“Anytime you enter into a negotiation, it’s a process of give and take. This is a temporary measure. It’s for 60 days. As a result, we expect them to live up to the commitments they made in Switzerland. If they don’t… the president has a lot of options at his disposal,” Rubio tells reporters in Kuwait.

The US first asserted that any sanctions relief that Iran would enjoy would only commence after Tehran made concessions in the 60 days of talks that kicked off over the weekend following the signing of a memorandum of understanding last week to end the war between the two countries.

But then the US went on to acknowledge that some relief would be up-front, in the form of a waiver on the sanctions against Iranian oil exports.

Then on Monday, the US lifted major sanctions to allow Iran to trade oil in US dollars and delisted blacklisted shipping vessels under a 60-day temporary waiver.

Given the US insistence that sanctions relief would be based on performance, those more sweeping steps apparently came in response to Iran’s decision to allow UN nuclear inspectors back in the country. That was the only concession that the US has said Iran agreed to make in last weekend’s talks, although Tehran denies having done so.

Rubio also confirms that the next round of technical talks between the US and Iran will begin early next week in Switzerland. The secretary says participants will be at levels beneath his post, so he will not be taking part, though more senior meetings have been led by US Vice President JD Vance, not the top US diplomat.

Defense Ministry civilian contractor killed in building collapse in Gaza

Defense Ministry civilian contractor Raad Abu al-Qi'an in an undated photo (X, used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)

A Defense Ministry civilian contractor was killed in a building collapse in the Gaza Strip earlier today, the military announces.

The contractor, who is named as Raad Abu al-Qi’an from Hura, was employed by a civilian company carrying out demolition works on behalf of the Defense Ministry in the Strip.

During the demolition works, a structure collapsed on Abu al-Qi’an while he was operating heavy machinery, killing him.

The IDF says his family was notified of the incident — described as an “operational accident” — and the military and Defense Ministry “share in the family’s grief.”

Iran says US holding up members of World Cup delegation at airport

US host officials “caused problems” for Iran forward Mehdi Taremi and assistant coach Saeed Alhoei, delaying their delegation as they traveled to Seattle for the World Cup match against Egypt, Iran’s football federation said on Wednesday.

Iran’s ISNA news agency, citing the federation, says team members are waiting for Taremi and Alhoei to rejoin the group.

The reported incident comes days after US authorities eased travel restrictions on Iran’s World Cup delegation following complaints from Tehran and the team that strict entry rules were disrupting preparations.

It is not immediately clear what caused the latest delay. US authorities did not immediately comment.

US officials had previously required Iran, who are based in Tijuana, Mexico, during the tournament, to enter the United States only shortly before matches and leave soon afterwards.

Iran coach Amir Ghalenoei had criticized the arrangements as unfair and said repeated cross-border travel left his players fatigued. US authorities this week allowed the team to arrive in Seattle two days before their match against Egypt on Friday, granting greater flexibility than for their earlier games.

Relations between Washington and Tehran have added political sensitivity to Iran’s participation in the World Cup, with the team facing heightened travel and security restrictions throughout the tournament.

Report: Ex-Shin Bet chief told PM of arrest of his former spokesman Feldstein hours after it happened

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, at a pre-Passover toast on April 4, 2023. (Kobi Gideon/GPO)

Former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the decision to arrest his former spokesman, Eli Feldstein, for alleged involvement in the Bild intelligence leak scandal, shortly after the arrest was carried out, according to new information revealed by Channel 12.

The disclosure is notable because the investigation was under a sweeping gag order at the time, with knowledge of the arrest reportedly restricted to a very small circle of officials. According to the report, even many senior figures who would ordinarily have been informed were initially kept in the dark as investigators sought to preserve the secrecy of the probe.

According to the report, however, Bar was permitted to inform Netanyahu of the arrest in very limited detail.

“The prime minister responded with astonishment, and I indicated [to him] that I could not elaborate” on the reason for the arrest, Bar said during testimony in judicial proceedings on the affair, according to the Hebrew network.

Channel 12 adds that, according to suspicions under investigation, Jonatan Urich, a close Netanyahu aide who is also allegedly involved in the affair, deleted the contents of his phone within a day of Feldstein’s arrest. While Urich has argued that he routinely deletes the contents of his phone and that he was completely unaware of Feldstein’s arrest, Bar’s testimony would challenge that claim, since by that point, Netanyahu had already been informed.

However, the report does not indicate that Netanyahu passed the information to Urich or anyone else, and does not cite evidence that Urich learned of the arrest through the Prime Minister’s Office.

Urich and Feldstein are under investigation for allegedly playing roles in the leak of a classified document from IDF military intelligence to the German tabloid Bild in September 2024 as part of an effort to buttress Netanyahu’s claim that it was Hamas, not the prime minister, who was holding up a deal for the release of the hostages held by the terror group in Gaza. The document was leaked to a foreign news outlet in order to bypass Israel’s military censor.

Zini orders Shin Bet to dismantle unofficial memorial for agency staff killed on Oct. 7

Shin Bet chief David Zini has ordered the dismantling of a memorial established in the Shin Bet headquarters for the agency’s employees killed in the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, the Haaretz daily reports.

According to unnamed sources cited by the Hebrew news outlet, Zini gave the order after Memorial Day in April, telling employees that there was no reason they should “have to see the failure [of October 7] right in front of our eyes every day.”

Another source is quoted as saying that Zini believes the memorial to the fallen Shin Bet agents is a show of “defeatism.”

The informal memorial corner established in the security agency’s Tel Aviv headquarters featured photos of Shin Bet employees killed during the massacre, as well as photos of victims whose parents served in the Shin Bet, Haaretz says.

In response to Haaretz, the Shin Bet confirms that Zini decided to dismantle the memorial, saying he did so because he believed that “displaying only some of the fallen minimized the failure and reflects only part of the terrible disaster that befell us.”

It says there is an official memorial elsewhere in the headquarters “on which all of the fallen are displayed, not just a small portion of them.”

Zini has made a string of controversial decisions since entering the role in October 2025.

Yesterday, Channel 12 reported that he ordered the cancellation of a planned Pride Month event within the agency and took away the budget of the organization’s LGBTQ employee group.

Netanyahu: I never asked Trump for permission to strike Iran last year, ‘I simply informed him’

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Muni Expo 2026 conference in Tel Aviv, on June 24, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterates that he never asked US President Donald Trump for permission to strike Iran ahead of the June 2025 Israeli campaign against the Islamic Republic, which the US eventually joined.

Netanyahu says he told Trump ahead of the campaign, “We are going into Iran, because I am not going to sit around waiting for our enemies – enemies who openly declare, at the top of their lungs, that they want to destroy us, and you [America] too, by the way,” in a speech in Hebrew at the Muni Expo conference for local officials in Tel Aviv.

“I am not going to let that happen. And that is why we are acting. I did not ask for permission. I simply informed him of our plan,” he says, adding, “I was pleased that he ultimately joined in toward the end of this very important action.”

Netanyahu said early on in last year’s campaign that he had informed the US of Israel’s plans to attack, though the comments now appear aimed at reaffirming Israel’s strategic independence amid tensions between Jerusalem and Washington over Trump’s ongoing pursuit of a deal with Tehran following this year’s US-Israeli campaign against Iran, and concerns over US limitations on Israeli military freedom of action.

In extended remarks defending Israel’s military achievements against Iran, Hamas in Gaza, and Hezbollah in Lebanon since the 2023 Hamas-led October 7 massacre, Netanyahu insists that “security is achieved through one rule…’If someone comes to kill you, rise early and kill him first,'” referring to a well-known Talmudic precept.

He says this reflects a shift in Israel’s security doctrine to be more preemptive, “to go out into the arena, to initiate, to attack,” saying “the most important thing we did” in the recent conflicts “was break the barrier of fear.”

Ultra-Orthodox demonstration ends after over four hours, with most failing to reach military prison

Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men block Route 1 near Jerusalem during a protest against the imprisonment of Haredi draft evaders, June 24, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

After more than four hours, the ultra-Orthodox anti-conscription protest convoys, which set out from around the country to protest the detention of draft evading yeshiva students, have turned around and begun heading home.

Most of the demonstrators do not appear to have reached their destination, the Neve Tzedek (Beit Lid) military prison in Kfar Yona, where police turned away anyone who showed up.

The head of one Haredi yeshiva nevertheless managed to set up a truck near the prison from which he blasted messages of encouragement to the incarcerated draft evaders via megaphone.

הפרגוד: מקריאים את רשימת האסירים ליד כלא 10 (אנשים לא באו לשם כ"כ) pic.twitter.com/MCCgxuV3uu

— הפרגוד (@moshepargod) June 24, 2026

The protests were marked by scattered clashes and car accidents but did not culminate in any violence at Kfar Yona itself, where residents gathered at the city entrance in a bid to block demonstrators from entering the neighborhood of the prison.

“The decision to end the protest at this hour stems from a deep sense of responsibility and consideration for the traveling public and families on the road,” the organizers say, claiming that “nearly 10,000 vehicle owners” took part in the demonstration.

The protest, they say, sent a “resounding message: Enough! There is no path forward without the path of Torah! The Haredi public has ceased to remain silent in the face of the trampling of the Torah world and the imposition of sanctions, and will stand firmly for its rights.”

They call for authorities to “immediately release” jailed draft evaders and “cancel all decrees” against yeshiva students.

“If the demands of the Haredi public fall on deaf ears, the [organizing] committee will consider additional, surprising courses of action, in accordance with” rabbinic guidance, they conclude.

Cop seen brandishing gun at protester blocking traffic in a tunnel

Hasidic anti-conscription demonstrators block vehicular traffic in a tunnel, angering motorists and leading a police officer to lift his gun at a Haredi man before pushing him, footage shared online by the ultra-Orthodox HaPargod outlet shows.

It is unclear where the event took place, but it appears to have been near Jerusalem.

Hasidim blocking traffic in a tunnel (looks like near Jerusalem) and a cop raising his gun at a Haredi demonstrator pic.twitter.com/3Klzl96DK1

— Sam Sokol (@SamuelSokol) June 24, 2026

The outlet also reports that a member of the Gur Hasidic sect participating in the protest convoy was injured in a crash near Safed in northern Israel.

In a separate incident, the Shlomei Emunim movement, a block within the Hasidic Agudat Yisrael faction of United Torah Judaism, claims that Beitar Illit Deputy Mayor Gedalyahu Eisenstein “was severely and violently attacked during a protest convoy leaving Beitar Illit” when an angry member of the public “crashed into his vehicle and then began violently choking” him.

Asked for comment, a spokesman for Eisenstein tells The Times of Israel that he underwent medical checks and is fine. “One of the people who was angry about the signs got out, blocked him, and tried to pull him out of the vehicle by force. He went for medical checks and afterward returned to participate in the protest,” the spokesman says.

In a video, Eisenstein states that his assailant “blocked my car, forcibly took me out and started beating and strangling me. There were other people there who helped me and rescued me.”

In a video recorded from his car, United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzhak Goldknof claims that the demonstrators acted “in an exemplary manner, responsibly, and without any violence.”

“It is a shame that there are those who chose to act violently toward the protest participants simply because they sought to exercise their democratic right to protest,” he says. “I expect the Israel Police to act decisively against those individuals and bring them to justice.”

Rubio confirms Jerusalem, Beirut discussing possible scale-back of IDF from Lebanon

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirms that Israel and Lebanon are discussing a potential scale-back of Israeli troops from southern Lebanon as part of the US-mediated negotiations in Washington this week.

“One of the issues that’s been discussed in these negotiations is the creation of pilot zones — specific, defined areas where the Lebanese Armed Forces can go in, take control, and secure that territory, and then move on to the next pilot zone,” Rubio tells reporters during a trip in the Gulf.

Rubio defends Israel’s current buffer zone in southern Lebanon, saying the only reason that it exists is because Hezbollah was using that area to launch rockets and drones at Israel.

“The more of that area that the Lebanese armed forces is able to secure, the less of it is in Hezbollah’s control, the less Israel will be in Lebanon. But that’s the process we’re working to right now with these talks,” Rubio says.

Only limited progress has reportedly been made toward that end, amid significant Israeli frustration with the US decision to agree to a ceasefire in Lebanon as part of the MOU Washington inked with Iran last week.

Frustration with the US is extending across the region, where Rubio currently is, trying to reassure Gulf allies UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain after a war Washington launched left them significantly more exposed to threats from Iran.

IDF confirms striking vehicle in southern Lebanon, claims it ‘posed a threat’ to troops

The IDF confirms carrying out an airstrike against a vehicle in southern Lebanon this afternoon, saying that it had crossed into Israel’s self-described security zone.

The vehicle with several suspects in it crossed the ceasefire line in the Ali Taher ridge area, and “posed a threat to IDF troops,” the military says.

The Israeli Air Force then struck the vehicle, “to remove the threat.” Lebanese media reported two dead in the strike.

Pregnant woman said injured in car accident caused by slow-moving Haredi convoy on Route 1

A pregnant woman was injured in a car accident with slow-driving members of a Haredi anti-conscription convoy driving to Kfar Yona protest outside the military prison there, Channel 12 reports.

In a statement, Magen David Adom says that it had received a report of a traffic accident on Route 1 near the Shaar Hagay Interchange,” adding, “MDA medics and paramedics are providing medical treatment and evacuating a 29-year-old woman in moderate condition with an abdominal injury to Shaare Zedek Medical Center.”

There have been multiple disruptions associated with today’s mass protest. According to Channel 12, protesters in Ashdod blocked a bus of soldiers while secular counter-protesters attempted to block Haredi demonstrators in Arad, prompting clashes.

United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf, a major backer of the protest, was filmed driving slowly and holding up traffic while using emergency lights in his car, leading police to insist he stay in the proper lane.

A video from the convoy posted on X by national broadcaster Kan’s Daniel Grovais showed a motorist appearing to flash a gun at protesters as he passes.

שימו לב – נראה בתיעוד כמו אדם ששולף אקדח ומכוון על המפגינים pic.twitter.com/BfOcVu74zL

— דניאל גרובייס Daniel Grovais (@daniel_grovais) June 24, 2026

Colombia leftist Cepeda concedes in presidential race

Colombian leftist senator Ivan Cepeda concedes in the country’s presidential race, saying that political differences should be solved with respect and dialogue, though he accused his rival of vote-buying.

Cepeda was less than 1% behind the winner, right-wing pro-Israel lawyer Abelardo De La Espriella, in an initial vote count, winning 48.7%, and had said he would wait for a final verification of the count by the country’s national registrar.

The registrar said yesterday that the final count differed by just 0.003% from the initial one.

“I have decided to accept the result that emerges from this process, which indicates that Abelardo De La Espriella is the new president of the republic. I do so as an act of democratic responsibility; I do so to contribute to coexistence, to peace, and to dialogue among Colombians,” Cepeda tells journalists at his party’s headquarters in Bogota.

Cepeda criticizes what he says was foreign interference by US President Donald Trump — who endorsed De La Espriella — in the race, says voters were manipulated by content made with artificial intelligence and accuses De La Espriella of a massive vote-buying operation, without providing evidence.

De La Espriella, who has promised a crackdown on crime and an economic revival, has also accused Cepeda of vote-buying, without providing evidence.

Police block Haredi anti-conscription convoy from entering Kfar Yona, where military prison is located

Police are currently blocking cars that are part of the ultra-Orthodox anti-conscription convoy from entering the town of Kfar Yona, where they intend to demonstrate outside the Neve Tzedek (Beit Lid) military prison, Ynet reports.

A correspondent at the scene says that police are redirecting Haredi motorists to a nearby parking lot. Residents have pledged not to allow the demonstrators to enter their town.

IDF says Palestinian arms dealer involved in attack on troops killed in West Bank

A Palestinian arms dealer involved in an attack on troops was killed by Israeli commandos in the West Bank town of Yamun earlier today, the IDF says.

Soldiers of the Duvdevan Unit attempted to detain Mohamed Zayed, who was hiding in Yamun.

“During the attempt to apprehend him, he attempted to attack the soldiers and was eliminated on the scene,” the military says.

According to the IDF, Zayed was an arms dealer, and he provided the weapon used in an attack last year in which two soldiers were severely wounded.

Haredi protest organizers say motorist attacked demonstrator with a knife

Organizers of today’s anti-conscription demonstration claim that a truck driver attacked a participant’s car with a knife as he took part in a convoy from the central Israeli city of Bnei Brak.

“An incited truck driver got out of his vehicle in the middle of the Ayalon Highway and charged toward one of the protest convoy vehicles coming out of Bnei Brak, armed with a knife and sticks,” organizers say in a statement shared without any corroborating footage.

“The attacker did not stop at threats; he began brutally striking the vehicle and smashing violently on the windows in front of the terrified passengers, who felt immediate danger but exercised restraint in accordance with instructions,” the statement adds.

A spokesman for the protest tells The Times of Israel that those involved “didn’t have time to document [the incident] clearly.”

Videos of several incidents of violence or aggression toward protesters have been posted online, including one clip showing one man running up to and shoving a protester, leading to a fistfight on the side of the highway.

מדינת ישראל, מלחמת האזרחים שלך בדלת. pic.twitter.com/x8UJk9I4bH

— חרדים אקספרס (@haredimex) June 24, 2026

Separately, police say that officers “are currently operating in the city of Arad, following a report received about a brawl near a residential complex in the city.”

It says police and border police forces “rushed to the scene” and were “working to restore public order and prevent further acts of violence.”

תיעוד: עימותים אלימים בהפגנות החרדים בערד; גורם בחסידות גור אומר לנו: "אם צריך נשלח כוחות משלנו להגן על עצמנו – התירו את דמנו"@GLZRadio pic.twitter.com/ormPKtCsWU

— מרדכי הלפרין (@MHlpryn) June 24, 2026

United Torah Judaism MK Meir Porush, meanwhile, blames Deputy Supreme Court Chief Justice Noam Sohlberg, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and Police Commissioner Danny Levy for making “the Haredi public fair game.”

“We are following the reports regarding the assault on the protest participants with deep concern, and we call upon the police to act firmly against anybody who uses violence against the Haredi public,” says Porush.

IDF says Hamas terrorist who took part in Oct. 7 attack killed in airstrike

A Hamas terrorist who invaded Israel during the October 7, 2023, onslaught was killed in an airstrike this week, the IDF announces.

Akram Abu Madi, a member of Hamas’s military wing, recently worked to restore the terror group’s capabilities and advance attacks against IDF troops and Israeli civilians, the military says.

He was therefore targeted in a strike on Sunday in southern Gaza, according to the IDF.

The IDF also publishes a photo of Abu Madi during the October 7 onslaught.

לאחר שניסה לשקם את ארגון הטרור חמאס: חיל-האוויר חיסל מחבל שפשט לשטח מדינת ישראל בטבח ה-7 באוקטובר

חיל-האוויר תקף בדרום רצועת עזה מוקדם יותר השבוע, וחיסל את אכרם מחמד מחמוד אבו מאצ'י, מחבל בזרוע הצבאית של ארגון הטרור חמאס.

אבו מאצ'י פשט לשטח מדינת ישראל בטבח ה-7 באוקטובר.… pic.twitter.com/2bEkV3ZWjk

— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) June 24, 2026

‘Netanyahu’s legacy’: Opposition leaders blame PM for Haredi protests, vow to enact change

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett complains that he has been stuck in traffic for two and a half hours due to the massive ultra-Orthodox anti-conscription protests taking place up and down the country, and vows to put an end to it if he wins the election.

Speaking to the Reshet Bet radio station, Bennett characterizes the demonstration as “a group of privileged draft dodgers” who “decided to shut down the country.”

He says that if he wins the upcoming election, “everything will change,” and Haredi men who evade conscription and choose not to participate in the labor market will have their benefits cut.

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid places the blame for the demonstrations on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, pointing out in a post on X that they were organized by his coalition partners.

“Instead of telling them that anyone who does not enlist will not receive a single shekel from the state, while soldiers are being killed every day in Lebanon, he gives them more and more of the working and serving public’s money so that they won’t enlist in the IDF,” Lapid complains.

Yisrael Beytenu chairman Avigdor Liberman asserts that the ultra-Orthodox Shas and United Torah Judaism parties “are holding the Haredi public hostage” and are only out “for power, honor, and money,” while “the bill is paid again by those who serve, work, and pay taxes.”

Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot describes the protest as “Netanyahu’s legacy” and pledges that “the next government will act according to the national interests of the State of Israel, and not according to the interests of Deri, Gafni, and Goldknopf.”

Police accuse anti-conscription protesters of acting dangerously on highways

A car decorated with anti-conscription posters prepares to depart for a rally against the imprisonment of ultra-Orthodox draft evaders, in the Geula neighborhood of Jerusalem, June 24, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

The Haredi protest convoys heading from around the country to the Neve Tzedek (Beit Lid) military prison in Kfar Yona have created congestion on several highways, including Routes 1 and 6, with participants acting in a way that endangers other drivers, the Israel Police say in a statement accusing demonstrators of failing to “comply with the agreements previously made with the protest organizers.”

הפרגוד: מנחה בכביש 2, צומת עתלית pic.twitter.com/oyxqQnKuAN

— הפרגוד (@moshepargod) June 24, 2026

“At several locations, protesters have been observed exiting their vehicles and moving along the traffic lanes, endangering themselves and other road users. The Israel Police calls on the protest organizers and participants to act responsibly, adhere to the established agreements, and operate in a manner that does not harm the freedom of movement of the general public or jeopardize their safety,” the police say.

“The Israel Police respects the right to protest and works to facilitate its realization within the framework of the law. However, if the disruption to road users continues or if unlawful road blockages are carried out, the police will act in accordance with their authority to maintain public order, public safety, and freedom of movement.”

In a statement, organizers of the protest state that they are “receiving reports from drivers regarding police attempts to infringe upon the right to protest, including the issuing of fines.”

“This is a severe attempt to violate a fundamental right in a democratic state, and we will not remain silent. The committee’s legal team will use every available avenue to fight this severe infringement on freedom of expression and protest,” the organizers say.

Footage shared online shows participants in the demonstration holding a public prayer service on Route 2, blocking off lanes to traffic.

Haredi protest convoy drivers block exit to Jerusalem, clash with motorist near Ashdod

The highways leading out of Jerusalem are currently blocked due to the high volume of traffic from the ultra-Orthodox convoy leaving the city to attend a massive anti-conscription rally at the Neve Tzedek (Beit Lid) military prison in Kfar Yona, according to the ultra-Orthodox news outlet HaPargod.

Residents of Kfar Yona have pledged to keep protesters out, and videos from the scene shared by the outlet on X show people gathering at the entrance of their neighborhood with Israeli flags, while police also gather in the area in apparent anticipation of possible clashes.

הפרגוד: צומת כפר יונה התושבים מתארגנים לחסימת הרכבים שיבואו.

קרדיט: חיליק. pic.twitter.com/FqMFnlgyIR

— הפרגוד (@moshepargod) June 24, 2026

Footage from the road has shown several incidents of motorists yelling at the protesters. Organizers of the protest shared images of the smashed window of a participant’s car near Ashdod, claiming in a press release that “an incited and violent individual blocked and damaged a vehicle participating in a car convoy on Route 7, smashed the vehicle’s window, and even threatened to harm the passengers.”

“The individual attempted to assault the driver, who quickly rolled up the window, causing it to shatter as a result,” organizers said, adding that there was footage of the incident that would be handed over to the police.

Senior Hamas official: Israel’s demands have sent Gaza negotiations back to square one

Senior Hamas official Taher al-Nunu says in an interview that Israel has sent negotiations over the future of Gaza back to square one through its demands regarding the continuation of the ceasefire and advancing to the second phase under Trump’s plan.

According to al-Nunu, Israel is unwilling to commit to implementing all the provisions of the first phase of the ceasefire — including, he said, allowing sufficient aid into Gaza — and seeks to dismantle the “Palestinian factions” (the terrorist organizations in the Strip, led by Hamas).

He also says that, according to a draft proposal submitted by Israel via the Board of Peace, Jerusalem wants the future government of the Gaza Strip to “promote an Israeli agenda.”

In an interview yesterday with Hamas’s Al-Aqsa channel, al-Nunu said that since April 14, Hamas has received three different proposals from US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace regarding the continuation of the ceasefire, and that the latest proposal, received on June 12, was completely different from previous understandings.

Haredi politicians pledge to keep protesting until arrests of draft dodgers are halted

Setting out in protest convoys to the Neve Tzedek (Beit Lid) military prison in Kfar Yona, Haredi leaders pledge to continue protesting until the government halts all enforcement action against yeshiva students who evade the IDF draft.

“We are fulfilling the commandment of the great men of Israel from all communities and factions to protest the fact that in the Land of Israel, yeshiva students are being arrested when their only sin is studying Torah,” says United Torah Judaism chair Yitzhak Goldknopf, in a video filmed in his car as it leaves Jerusalem. “We will continue the protests until the arrests stop completely.”

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Tzachi Brim, one of the organizers of the protest, says that the Haredim “will not remain silent” when yeshiva students are arrested. “We have chosen a quiet and nonviolent protest, but with absolute determination: there is no path without the path of the Torah. Enough is enough!”

Bnei Brak Mayor Hanoch Zeibert tells reporters that “anyone who is in pain goes out to the street to show that they are hurting.” Asked if he supported conscripting those not enrolled full-time in yeshiva, he replied: “First, exempt those who study, and then ask me questions about those who don’t study.”

The protest has sparked anger among non-ultra-Orthodox Israelis, with video footage shared online showing a secular motorist tearing protest signs off a car and throwing them at the driver while yelling at him to enlist.

הפרגוד: חילוני קורע שלטים מאחד מרכבי המחאה "לך לצבא חתיכת זבל" pic.twitter.com/IWRQ9dpN7L

— הפרגוד (@moshepargod) June 24, 2026

Lebanese media reports two dead in Israeli strike in southern Lebanon

Lebanese media reports two dead in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon a short while ago.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reports that the strike targeted a car near Kafr Rumman.

There is no immediate comment from the IDF on the incident.

Earlier, the military said it killed two Hezbollah gunmen near the Ali Taher ridge.

US military says it killed senior ISIS leader in airstrike on Syria last week

The US military conducted an airstrike in northwestern Syria last week that killed a senior Islamic State leader, US Central Command says.

The strike, carried out on Friday, was part “of ongoing US efforts to disrupt and eliminate terrorists seeking to attack Americans abroad or the US homeland,” and killed Ali Husayn al-Ulaywi, it says in a statement on X.

Islamic State has declared a new phase of operations in Syria against the government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa, carrying out a spate of attacks since February. Last year, Sharaa’s government joined the US-led coalition fighting Islamic State.

On Saturday, the militant group claimed responsibility for an attack near the city of Manbij in Syria’s northeastern Aleppo province.

Islamic State controlled around a quarter or more of Syria at the peak of its power during the Syrian civil war a decade ago, before being driven out of the territory by a US-led coalition and other foes.

Haredi MKs lead convoys to military prison in protest of draft evader arrests

MK Meir Porush and Deputy Minister Yisrael Eichler prepare to set off on one of several anti-conscription convoys to the Neve Tzedek (Beit Lid) military prison in Kfar Yona, June 24, 2026. (Courtesy Agudat Yisrael)

Organizers of today’s planned anti-conscription rally claim that approximately 5,000 vehicles are ready to depart from 19 gathering points around the country on their way to the Neve Tzedek (Beit Lid) military prison in Kfar Yona, where a number of draft evaders are incarcerated. Local leaders have pledged to block the protest.

“Activists in the cities are working at a rapid pace, marking thousands of vehicles with protest signs and explanatory materials bearing the sharp and clear message: ‘Enough is enough!'” organizers say in a statement, adding that the protest aims to “shake the nation for the honor of the Torah and its scholars.”

Various Agudat Yisrael MKs will be leading the convoys.

The Times of Israel is unable to independently verify the number of cars participating in the convoys.

Members of an anti-conscription convoy set out from Jerusalem to the Neve Tzedek (Beit Lid) military prison in Kfar Yona pic.twitter.com/ox5ijbQnZo

— Sam Sokol (@SamuelSokol) June 24, 2026

Report: ICC bureau says prosecutor Karim Khan should be fired for inappropriate sexual relationship

International Criminal Court Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan speaks during a press conference at the San Carlos Palace in Bogota, Colombia, April 25, 2024. (Luis Acosta / AFP)

Diplomats running the International Criminal Court’s oversight body have decided that chief prosecutor Karim Khan had an inappropriate sexual relationship with a junior staff member and should be fired, two copies of its decision show.

It is the first time details of the decision on accusations of misconduct brought by a female lawyer in 2024 against Khan, a 56-year-old British barrister, have been reported, including the recommendation that he be dismissed.

The decision by the executive bureau of the ICC’s governing body will inform a vote on his fate by the ICC’s 125-member Assembly of States Parties in New York on July 24. It is unclear which way the vote will go.

Khan has repeatedly denied wrongdoing. “The decision is unlawful, procedurally unfair and unsupported by evidence,” his lawyers say in comments sent to Reuters yesterday. They cite a review by judges that finds the evidence is insufficient to prove the allegations “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

The 27-page document, shown to Reuters by two independent sources, says Khan committed a serious breach of duty and serious misconduct.

“His behaviour escalated over time resulting in him engaging in non-consensual sexual contact with her in his office, at his private residence and whilst on mission,” the document quotes the UN report as having found.

The bureau recommends “removal from office of the elected official, prosecutor Karim Khan,” the document says.

At least 63 of the 125 member states of the world’s criminal court of last resort are required to pass his dismissal.

Khan’s supporters have suggested that he has become a political target for seeking arrest warrants in 2024 ​for Israeli officials over Israel’s conduct in its war against Hamas in Gaza.

The US has imposed sanctions on 11 ICC judges and prosecutors, including Khan, citing the ICC’s ​arrest warrants against Prime ​Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ⁠and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, and for a past probe into US troops in Afghanistan.

The warrants will remain even if Khan is dismissed because they were confirmed by ICC judges.

EU proposes 3-year military, civilian mission to support Lebanese armed forces — report

Lebanese soldiers look on at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut, Lebanon, April 8, 2026. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

The European Union’s diplomatic service has proposed a three-year military and civilian mission to advise and train Lebanese forces, according to a document seen by Reuters.

EU diplomats are discussing a possible mission to help support the Lebanese Armed Forces and Internal Security Forces. Any such mission will require approval from the EU’s 27 member countries.

In a document dated June 17 and circulated to EU member countries, the European External Action Service says a potential mission will “have an initial mandate duration of three years” and will “support the Lebanese authorities in reinforcing territorial control and border security through strengthening the capacities of the LAF and the ISF.”

“To this end, the Mission would focus on strengthening land border regiments; Mobile Force and Regional Gendarmerie Units; enhancing Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities; and reinforcing maritime security capacities, including border and port security governance,” it adds.

Brent crude drops below $75 a barrel for first time since February 28

The price of Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, extends losses to trade under $75 a barrel for the first time since the start of the US-Israel war with Iran on February 28.

Brent slides 3.1 percent to $74.73, extending its fall since the United States and Iran last week struck a deal to end the conflict.

Iran-Gulf reconciliation talks expected to be held in Saudi Arabia, diplomat says

Talks on reconciliation between Gulf countries and Iran are expected to take place in Saudi Arabia, a diplomat with knowledge of the arrangements tells AFP.

A summit aimed at mending ties between Gulf nations, Iran and possibly other regional neighbors in the aftermath of the war is expected in Riyadh, the diplomat says, without specifying a date.

The meetings will be independent of ongoing talks between the United States and Iran, the diplomat adds.

Anti-conscription rally opens rift between Degel HaTorah spiritual leaders

Rabbi Moshe Hillel Hirsch, head of the Slabodka Yeshiva, delivers a lesson at a yeshiva in Jerusalem, October 22, 2024. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Bucking the Degel HaTorah spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lando, Moshe Hillel Hirsch, one of the faction’s top rabbis, endorses today’s anti-conscription demonstration outside the Neve Tzedek (Beit Lid) military prison in Kfar Yona.

Hirsch’s endorsement comes one day after spokesmen for Lando and Degel HaTorah told The Times of Israel they were not involved in the protest in any way.

A week ago, Lando nixed Hirsch’s decision to support their faction’s participation in an almost identical protest.

Following a mob attack on two female IDF servicewomen in Bnei Brak in February, both Lando and Hirsch had called on ultra-Orthodox yeshiva students to refrain from attending demonstrations.

Agudat Yisrael, which together with Degel HaTorah comprises the Knesset’s United Torah Judaism party, is set to send out convoys of hundreds of cars from ultra-Orthodox communities across the country at 4 p.m. culminating in a massive anti-conscription demonstration.

A spokesman for Lando does not immediately reply to a request for comment on Hirsch’s endorsement of the demonstration.

Treasury secretary insists Washington will manage Iran’s unfrozen funds, use them for US food, medicines

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent listens during a state dinner with President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People on May 14, 2026, in Beijing. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent echoes President Donald Trump and insists that a large percentage of Iran’s unfrozen assets will be used to buy US foods and medicine even as Iran says it will determine its own spending.

Bessent, in an interview on CNBC, adds that the US Department of Treasury will have an operation in Doha to oversee the funds.

Trump claims Iran informed US that it’s not charging tolls in Hormuz

US President Donald Trump arrives to speak during a visit to the Lehigh Valley operations facility for Mack Trucks in Macungie, PA, June 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump claims Iran has informed the US that it is not charging any fees in the Strait of Hormuz.

“If this is false information, negotiations would end immediately!” Trump writes in a Truth Social post.

Iran agreed in the MOU not to charge tolls in the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days.

But on Monday, Iran and Oman issued a statement on Monday claiming they were looking into the possibility of charging vessels fees to pass through Hormuz. The day before, though, Oman said the two countries were committed to toll-free passage through the strait.

Trump also insists that the US has not given or allowed the release of any funds to Iran.

He claims all money released will be used to buy American food products for hungry Iranians — something Tehran has denied.

Trump has tried to frame the release of Iranian funds as an investment in the American economy after ridiculing former president Barack Obama for releasing far smaller sums to Tehran as part of his nuclear deal in 2015.

Israel halts Palestinian construction work amid expansion of Israel Antiquities Authority’s powers

The Civil Administration halted construction work and confiscated an excavator belonging to Palestinians in the Jericho area of the West Bank, in Area A, as part of an expansion of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s powers.

In February, the security cabinet approved broad enforcement powers for the Antiquities Authority, including measures ostensibly aimed at preventing damage to archaeological sites in Areas A and B. Under the Oslo Accords, responsibility for archaeology in those areas lies with the Palestinian Authority.

Monday’s incident appears to be the first time such action has been taken since the decision was approved four months ago.

A local resident, Iyad Makhalis, tells The Times of Israel that work began on Monday to open an additional road in the area, which he said was needed because of difficulties reaching the Palestinian village of Ein ad-Duyuk, north of Jericho.

The Times of Israel has learned that the work was part of an organized Palestinian Authority plan to replace the existing road with a safer one.

Archaeological remains are located in the area, and excavations have previously been carried out there.

According to Makhalis, the civilian security coordinator of one of the nearby settlements arrived at the location on Monday morning and confiscated the excavator’s keys. Later that day, IDF forces arrived and confiscated the excavator itself on behalf of the Civil Administration.

In response to a query from The Times of Israel, the Civil Administration says it received a report regarding an excavator operating near the outskirts of Jericho, in Area A, “to open a route in the vicinity of an archaeological site containing a Jewish cemetery and numerous historical artifacts.”

“Upon receiving the report, officers from the Jordan Valley District Coordination and Liaison Headquarters, together with the inspection unit, acted to confiscate the excavator in accordance with authorities and procedures aimed at protecting archaeological sites throughout Judea and Samaria,” the administration says, using the biblical name for the West Bank.

המנהל האזרחי עצר השבוע לראשונה עבודות פלסטיניות בשטח A בנימוק של פגיעה באתר ארכיאולוגי, בעקבות החלטת קבינט להרחיב את האכיפה גם לשטחי A ו-B. בפברואר השנה אישר הקבינט אכיפה גורפת של רשות העתיקות – ובתוך כך פגיעה באתרים ארכיאולוגים – גם בשטחי A ו-B. לפי הסכמי –> pic.twitter.com/XVe3pWiKoO

— Nurit Yohanan (@nurityohanan) June 24, 2026

Rubio discussed Iran-US deal with UAE leader and committed to Emirati security, spokesman says

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio (2nd R) walks alongside UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (R) before boarding a US Air Force aircraft at Al-Bateen Executive Airport, en route to Kuwait, in Abu Dhabi on June 24, 2026 (Eric Lee / POOL / AFP)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the US-Iran deal with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed, renewing Washington’s commitment to the country’s security as he embarks on a tour of the Gulf, his spokesman says.

Rubio is seeking to reassure close US allies — who were hit hard by Iran during the war — about the memorandum of understanding with Tehran, which fails to address some of the Gulf’s long-standing concerns about its missile program and proxies.

“They discussed President Trump’s memorandum of understanding with Iran, efforts to secure full and safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region,” Rubio’s spokesperson Tommy Pigott says.

Rubio also “thanked the UAE for their leadership and unparalleled support, praised their courage and resilience in the face of Iran’s attacks, and reaffirmed the US commitment to the security of the Emirates,” Pigott adds.

The secretary of state arrived in Abu Dhabi yesterday evening and held closed-door talks today, before setting off for Kuwait.

After that he will travel on to Bahrain, where he will attend a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting tomorrow.

Erdan resigns from IAI board, fueling speculation of political comeback with new right-wing party

Gilad Erdan take part in a special ceremony for a new bulletproof ambulance donated by the Harvest Christian Fellowship to Magen David Adom, at the Tower of David in the Old City of Jerusalem, June 1, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

Former UN ambassador and Likud minister Gilad Erdan announces his resignation from the board of Israel Aerospace Industries, fueling renewed speculation that he is preparing a return to politics ahead of the upcoming national election.

Upon announcing his resignation, Erdan told fellow board members that he is currently making “significant decisions” and that these matters are commanding most of his attention, according to a Channel 12 report.

The move comes amid ongoing reports that Erdan is exploring the creation of a new right-wing political party, which he publicly confirmed last month.

Erdan and Likud MK Yuli Edelstein were reported in May to have reached initial understandings regarding the establishment of a new party.

The two have also reportedly been in contact with other right-wing figures, including Deputy Foreign Minister Sharren Haskel, former finance minister Moshe Kahlon, former Beit Shemesh mayor Aliza Bloch, former IDF general Ofer Winter, and former fire commissioner Dedi Simhi (who is now reportedly expected to run with Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party).

The initiative, dubbed “Likud B,” is reportedly aimed at creating a more “statesmanlike” alternative to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud, eschewing some of the extreme populist elements of his party and catering to right-wing voters dissatisfied with the current government.

However, sources familiar with the initiative previously told The Times of Israel that the party would be willing to partner with Netanyahu and far-right figures like Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

They added that any such party would be open to partnering with former prime minister Naftali Bennett and Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot, but not The Democrats’ Yair Golan.

IDF: 2 Hezbollah gunmen struck after posing threat to troops in southern Lebanon

Two Hezbollah gunmen were targeted in an Israeli strike this morning after being identified near troops in southern Lebanon, the military says.

The IDF says troops of the Givati Brigade’s Reconnaissance Unit, operating in the Ali Taher ridge area near Nabatieh, spotted the two armed Hezbollah operatives, who “posed a threat to forces operating in the security zone.”

The Israeli Air Force and the troops then struck the operatives “to remove the threat,” the military adds.

Unarmed suspected Hamas operative detained by IDF troops after approaching Gaza crossing

An unarmed suspected Hamas operative was detained by Israeli soldiers after approaching the Kerem Shalom border crossing in the southern Gaza Strip earlier, the military says.

Troops were dispatched to the area “following suspicion of the presence of a Hamas terrorist on the Gaza side of the crossing,” the IDF says. The soldiers detained the suspect and took him for further questioning.

“The details and identity of the suspect are currently under review,” the army says.

The IDF says it also “emphasizes that there was no infiltration into Israeli territory” during the incident.

Noam Shapira appointed to fill long-vacant public diplomacy chief role

Tzipi Hotovely, the recently appointed head of the National Public Diplomacy Directorate in the Prime Minister’s Office, announces the appointment of Noam Shapira as director of the National Public Diplomacy Staff, a position that has been vacant since January 2023.

Shapira, 44, served in the military’s elite Sayeret Matkal unit, known in English as the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit, and in recent years has “led numerous efforts in international public diplomacy, leveraging strategic partnerships for Israel, and establishing the IDF’s freedom of action” in the IDF’s Operations Directorate, the PMO says in a statement, adding that he was appointed following a unanimous approval by the selection committee.

“The role of director of the Public Diplomacy Staff is a key position within the organization, and I am confident that together we can work to strengthen the State of Israel and meet the challenges facing us,” Hotovely says in the statement.

Until the past few months, several key positions in the PMO’s Public Diplomacy Directorate — which is officially responsible for coordinating Israel’s global messaging — remained vacant following a series of resignations and layoffs, even as Israel fought wars on several fronts and faced severe and mounting global criticism from both allies and adversaries.

Local residents plan to prevent Haredi protesters reaching military prison, mayor says

Thousands of ultra-Orthodox men protest outside Military Prison near Kfar Yona against the jailing of draft dodgers, June 17, 2026 (Tal Gal/Flash90)

Residents of Kfar Yona are planning on physically blocking thousands of Haredi protesters from nearing the military prison for a demonstration in support of Haredi draft evaders being held there.

Haredim frequently protest outside the prison, with demonstrations sometimes escalating into clashes. This has angered local residents, who say that their quality of life has been disturbed.

Speaking with 103FM, Kfar Yona Mayor Albert Taib says that residents of the city will blockade the Givat Alonim neighborhood, where the prison is located, stating that a previous protest by members of United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf’s Gur Hasidic sect last week “left behind destruction that no words can describe,” destroying “traffic signs and protective iron bars that protect kindergartens.”

Demonstrators “relieved themselves right inside the yards of the houses,” he continues, stating that “what was left behind for us in the Givat Alonim neighborhood is something indescribable.”

“We will stand at the entrance, the city’s residents and I at their head. I estimate that the police will not allow them to enter the neighborhood,” Taib adds.

In further comments to Israel Hayom, Taib says that his objections are not about Haredim but the fact that whenever a soldier or evader is arrested, the city is “besieged” by protesters.

Speaking with the daily, one resident complains that “every demonstration in front of the prison turns our lives into a nightmare. We will block the entrance to the neighborhood and in addition, a convoy of vehicles will leave on our behalf to drive slowly through the neighborhood. We will not allow vehicles to enter the neighborhood.”

Asked if he believes that there will be violence, a spokesman for the protest told The Times of Israel yesterday that the demonstrators “don’t want violence” and hope that there won’t be any.

UTJ chair Goldknopf to join protest outside military prison against detention of draft dodgers

United Torah Judaism chair Yitzhak Goldknopf attends a House Committee meeting at the Knesset, in Jerusalem, June 9, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

United Torah Judaism chairman Yitzhak Goldknopf announces he will join a major protest outside the Neve Tzedek (Beit Lid) military prison in Kfar Yona this afternoon in order “to strengthen Torah students” being held there for draft evasion.

The demonstration is being organized by UTJ’s Agudat Yisrael faction, which Goldknopf also chairs.

Speaking with the ultra-Orthodox Radio Kol Barama, Goldknopf threatens to significantly escalate the anti-conscription protests.

“The day will come when we turn the country upside down, but that is for a later stage. The entire country like a bonfire. Do you think they will make slaves and handmaids out of us? The moment will come when everyone takes to the streets in protests across the entire country. We will take the prisons and turn them into yeshivas,” he says.

Goldknopf says that he will set out from Schneller Street in Jerusalem at 4 p.m. as part of a series of vehicular convoys from around the country which will converge on the prison, which has seen repeated demonstrations over the detention of draft dodgers.

Residents complained that a previous demonstration last week, led by members of Goldknopf’s Gur Hasidic sect, caused significant damage to their neighborhood.

Katz vows IDF won’t withdraw from south Lebanon ‘even if there’s an American demand’

Defense Minister Israel Katz attends the Muni Expo 2026 conference in Tel Aviv, on June 24, 2026 (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)

Defense Minister Israel Katz vows that the IDF will not withdraw from its southern Lebanon security zone, “even if there is an American demand.”

“200,000 [Lebanese] residents will not return [to the homes they evacuated]. Because what happened in the past in security zones, where there was also a civilian population [present], was roadside bombs and attacks against the soldiers, and therefore we will not allow that,” he says at the Muni Expo conference for local officials in Tel Aviv.

“We are not withdrawing,” Katz adds.

Man recruited by Iran, living in Iraq, directed attack on Melbourne synagogue, security chief says

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (C) and members of the local Jewish community visiting the torched Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on December 10, 2024. (DEPARTMENT OF PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET / AFP)

A former Australian resident living in Iraq directed the attack on Melbourne Adass Israel Synagogue in December 2024, the head of ASIO Mike Burgess reveals.

Burgess says Iran, which was behind the attack, recruited the man through a “complex web of Iraqi-based militia groups.”

“Valuing his high wealth and criminal connections, the IRGC [The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] protected him and supported his illegal enterprises.

“That changed dramatically after ASIO publicly named Iran’s involvement in the arsons.

“This person’s Iranian backers lost their enthusiasm, and after further pressure from Australian and local law enforcement, they threw him in prison.”

Burgess gives the details while delivering his Annual Threat Assessment speech. He also says an Iran-based Australian citizen orchestrated the firebombing of the Lewis Continental Kitchen in Bondi in October 2024, which was the “the first major attack in the summer of antisemitism.”

“This person is a senior agent of the IRGC Quds Force, running its networks around the world.

“We know more about him than he realizes, including the name of his superior in Iran and the department he works for. Department eleven-thousand, a covert unit within the IRGC Qods Force, is responsible for coordinating operations in the West.”

Burgess says he can’t name the individuals because of the need to protect continuing investigations and related prosecutions.

“But I want them to understand this: We know who you are, we know what you’ve done and we know who you work for.”

On antisemitism generally, Burgess says it is often seen through a narrow lens. But it could come from “diverse sources simultaneously, challenging traditional definitions, assumptions, and approaches.”

Police detain Yavne’el sect members suspected of conducting underage marriages

An underage bride interacts with an officer following a police raid on an illegal wedding ceremony in February in Yavne'el, northern Israel (Israel Police)

Police this morning detained several residents of Yavne’el in northern Israel on suspicion of secretly marrying dozens of minors to one another, a practice law enforcement believes has been ongoing for years in the northern town.

Yavne’el’s Breslov sect has been reported to systematically marry off girls as young as 12 to husbands, some their age and others much older, pointing to widespread child sexual abuse in the community.

The raid comes after a months-long investigation into underage marriages performed within a “small, closed community,” police say, referring to the Breslov Hasidic sect that dominates Yavne’el.

Community members suspected of playing matchmaker, organizing weddings and conducting the ceremonies were detained for interrogation, police say, without specifying the number of suspects.

Several minors believed to have been married in recent months were also detained for questioning, police say.

Organizers allegedly went out of their way to conceal these weddings from the public eye, limiting the number of guests and barring those in attendance from bringing their cellphones to ceremonies, usually held early in the morning.

Children raised in the community are taught to marry and conceive young as part of the sect’s religious outlook.

Additionally, police say they identified over 20 cases over the past three years in which girls from the community gave birth without being officially married, indicating that they had been unlawfully wedded to their spouse in a secret ceremony.

In February, police raided an underage wedding ceremony that took place in a private home in Yavne’el. The couple was wearing wedding attire, and police found a marriage contract and wedding rings on the property.

France reports its 1st Ebola case, a doctor returning from humanitarian mission in Congo

A doctor returning from a humanitarian mission in Congo has tested positive for Ebola, the country’s first case of the virus during the current outbreak, the French health ministry says.

The patient is being isolated and authorities are contact tracing, the ministry says in a statement, adding that the risk for the general European population is low.

Congo’s Ebola outbreak, which has infected more than 1,000 people and killed 267, has had the largest number of confirmed cases within the first month of any episode of the disease, the World Health Organization has said.

Netanyahu completes testimony in his corruption trial after 98 hearings stretching over 18 months

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives to testify at the District Court in Tel Aviv in his corruption trial on September 16, 2025. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu testifies for the final time, wrapping up his primary and cross examination in 98 hearings in the three corruption cases for which he is on trial.

Netanyahu’s first day on the witness stand was on December 10, 2024, but his testimony was repeatedly delayed for health issues, diplomatic trips abroad, and numerous requests to cancel and shorten hearings due to pressing security and diplomatic concerns requiring the prime minister’s attention.

Netanyahu ends his testimony with a fierce attack on the prosecutors,

“The goal was to go through with a fine-tooth comb, to look for something; they found nothing. They interrogated all my relatives and family, methods of interrogation that are unbelievable. They destroyed families. They weren’t looking for a crime, they were looking for a person and they found nothing,” Netanyahu alleges, according to Channel 13.

Netanyahu is charged with three counts of fraud and breach in cases 1000, 2000, and 4000, and one count of taking a bribe in the form of positive media coverage, in Case 4000.

The trial is expected to continue for several more months as the remaining witnesses give testimony.

The hearings for Netanyahu’s testimony were conducted in the Tel Aviv District Court since the Jerusalem District Court did not have adequate security measures for the prime minister, but will now return to Jerusalem.

IDF: Strikes destroyed 4 rocket launchers in Gaza that were set up during ceasefire

Overnight, the IDF struck four rocket launchers across the Gaza Strip that were set up by terror groups during the ceasefire, the military says.

“The launch posts that were destroyed were set up by the terror organizations in the Gaza Strip in the recent period, after the ceasefire came into effect,” the military says, adding that they were armed for attacks on IDF troops and Israel, “and therefore posed an immediate threat.”

חיל-האוויר תקף והשמיד במהלך הלילה ארבע עמדות שיגור במספר מרחבים ברצועת עזה.
עמדות השיגור שהושמדו, הוקמו על ידי ארגוני הטרור ברצועה בתקופה האחרונה, לאחר כניסת הפסקת האש לתוקף.

עמדות השיגור היו מוכנות לשיגור לעבר כוחות צה"ל ואזרחי מדינת ישראל, ועל כן היוו איום מיידי.

כוחות צה"ל… pic.twitter.com/hZLKCB24t8

— Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) June 24, 2026

Memorandum of understanding a ‘declaration of US defeat,’ says Iran’s chief negotiator

Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, in Islamabad, Pakistan, on April 11, 2026. (Pakistan Prime Minister Office via AP)

The deal between Iran and the United States to end the war is “America’s declaration of defeat,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the head of the Iranian negotiating team, says.

“The Islamabad understanding was not the result of pressure and coercion, but rather the result of the resistance and authority of the brave Iranian nation,” Ghalibaf says at a conference in Azerbaijan broadcast on Iranian television.

“That is why, the Islamabad memorandum of understanding became a declaration of America’s defeat,” he says, adding that security in the Middle East must be ensured by the countries of the region.

Haredi anti-draft protesters to deliberately block traffic today if convoys ‘disrupted’ – report

Thousands of ultra-Orthodox men protest outside Military Prison near Kfar Yona against the jailing of draft dodgers, June 17, 2026 (Tal Gal/Flash90)

Leaders of the Haredi protest against the draft have threatened to stop all the vehicles traveling in mass convoys to a demonstration later today, and deliberately block the traffic if there “any disruption” en route, the Kan public broadcaster reports.

“If there is any disruption to even one of the convoys, we will all get out of the vehicles and block all the roads at the same time,” the officials warn.

Traffic chaos is expected as Haredi protesters heading for the anti-conscription protest at a military prison are set to leave 19 locations nationwide in large convoys at 4 p.m.

According to organizers, “masses of vehicles will depart in organized convoys” from cities, including Ashdod, Beit Shemesh, Bnei Brak, Jerusalem, Arad and Safed.

The convoys will pass along major highways including routes 1 and 4, and are expected to snarl traffic until at least 8 p.m.

The vehicles will converge at a massive anti-conscription demonstration outside the Neve Tzedek (Beit Lid) military prison in Kfar Yona, where a number of draft evaders are incarcerated. Local leaders have pledged to block the protest.

Iran’s Araghchi discusses ‘regional developments’ with top Hamas official

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrives to attend talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Boris Yeltsin Presidential Library, in St. Petersburg, Russia, April 27, 2026. (AP/Dmitri Lovetsky, Pool)

Iran’s top diplomat spoke with a senior official from the Palestinian terror group Hamas regarding talks between Iran and the United States, Iranian state television reports.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi discussed the “latest developments” in the region with Basem Naim, a member of Iran-backed Hamas’s political bureau, Iranian television says.

The call follows the signing last week of a memorandum of understanding between Iran and the United States.

The text does not mention Gaza but stipulates “an immediate and permanent cessation of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon.”

Airlines should avoid airspace over Iran, Iraq and Lebanon, exercise caution in rest of region – EU agency

This picture shows a Baghdad airport terminal on February 20, 2025. (AHMAD AL-RUBAYE / AFP)

Airlines should continue to avoid the airspace over Iran, Iraq and Lebanon and remain cautious across the region despite the framework deal between Washington and Tehran, because violations remained possible, the EU aviation safety agency EASA sys.

EASA says it is extending its conflict-zone advisory for the region until July 1.

Short-term violations of the US-Iran ceasefire remain possible, in particular in and around the Strait of Hormuz and neighboring airspace, the agency says.

The agency also flags the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, creating the potential for military activity impacting the airspace of Lebanon.

EASA says all operators must exercise caution and take potential risks into account when operating within the airspace of Bahrain, Kuwait, Israel, Jordan, Qatar, Oman, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.

Over 250 female officers decry pressure from rabbis to exclude women from combat: ‘Harming national security’

Female soldiers operate a tank in the Negev desert in an undated photograph. (Israel Defense Forces)

More than 250 female reserve officers have signed a letter warning of what they describe as a growing effort to exclude women from combat service and undermine the IDF’s chain of command, Channel 12 reports.

The letter, signed by 257 officers including six brigadier generals, seven colonels and 28 lieutenant colonels, was sent to IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, Defense Minister Israel Katz and Defense Ministry Director General Amir Baram.

The officers claim that “external pressure” has interfered in military operational decisions and describe recent calls by religious Zionist rabbis opposing mixed-gender service and women’s integration into combat units as a threat to national security.

“Yielding to external pressure is security negligence and the dismantling of the people’s army from within,” the officers write. “We demand a rejection of the rabbis’ letters and the exclusion of women from the military, and we warn of harm to the state’s security. Stop this madness immediately.”

The letter comes amid growing tensions over women’s service in combat roles, following a decision by several hesder yeshivas to stop directing students to the Armored Corps due to a High Court ruling that the IDF must begin a trial program for female soldiers to serve in the corps by November, following repeated delays by the military.

Yesterday, Zamir met with rabbis from the religious Zionist community, telling them that the military “is still short thousands of combat troops and needs every male and female soldier to fulfill its missions and consolidate the campaign’s achievements.”

Bondi Beach terror attack hero pleads not guilty to assaulting his father

This handout photo taken and received from the NSW Premier's Department on December 15, 2025, shows Ahmed Al Ahmed, the man who tackled and disarmed one of the Bondi Beach terrorists, at St George Hospital in Sydney. (Handout/ NSW Premier's Department/AFP)

A Sydney man who rose to global fame for disarming a gunman in last year’s terror attack targeting a Jewish event at Bondi Beach pleads not guilty to assaulting his father.

Ahmed al Ahmed, a fruit seller, was hailed as a hero when viral video footage showed him intervening in the December 14 attack in which 15 people were killed. The 44-year-old ducked between parked cars as the shooting unfolded, grabbing one of the two gunmen and wresting away his weapon in an effort to stop the killing.

Facing court in the Sydney suburb of Bankstown, Ahmed denies charges of common assault and domestic stalking or intimidation, according to court documents provided to AFP.

The next court hearing is set for August 12.

“It has been very difficult. It is a family situation that he never expected, one would never want to expect, and it must be very difficult for him,” his lawyer Mohamad Sakr tells journalists outside court.

“There is one thing that must be upheld and that is the presumption of innocence. He is a heroic man and his honesty and dignity should be maintained until these matters are determined.”

Ahmed, who sustained gunshot wounds at Bondi Beach, later met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

A fundraiser set up for him raised over $1 million.

Last month, his two brothers faced court in Sydney over allegations they had attempted to pressure Ahmed into handing over some of that money, local media said.

Zamir meets religious Zionist rabbis, tells them IDF short ‘thousands of combat troops, needs every male and female soldier’

IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir attends a Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, May 10, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir met yesterday with rabbis from the religious Zionist community, amid threats by them to stop sending their students to serve in tank units because of a pilot program integrating women into the Armored Corps, the military says.

In a statement, the IDF says that Zamir told the rabbis that the military “is still short thousands of combat troops and needs every male and female soldier to fulfill its missions and consolidate the campaign’s achievements.”

According to the IDF, Zamir also vowed to the rabbis that “as part of expanding the integration of women into key positions and combat roles, which is of tremendous operational importance and which the IDF will continue to expand, the establishment of frameworks and the opening of positions will be implemented in full accordance with the [military’s protocols on men and women serving together] during routine periods, emergencies, and wartime.”

“These measures will be carried out in accordance with operational needs and while meeting professional standards, without compromise,” he says.

The military says that the rabbis “clarified that they would continue to educate their students toward meaningful military service as required,” and they also described “the challenges faced by observant soldiers during their military service and raised the need for every observant soldier to be able to serve in the IDF in accordance with his beliefs and values.”

Many men from the religoius zionist community enlist as part of the Hesder program, which allows observant young men to combine several years of Torah studies with a shortened military service, currently set at 17 months.

Meanwhile, women who graduate from all-girls religious high schools are automatically eligible for an exemption from army service on religious grounds, although some still choose to serve.

After contradictory comments from US and Iran, UN nuclear agency boss signals inspectors will visit Iran’s nuclear sites

International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Rafael Grossi speaks during a meeting with Tokyo Electric Power Company Holdings officials at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma, Fukushima prefecture, Japan June 24, 2026. (Kyodo News via AP)

The head of the UN’s nuclear agency signals that Iranian nuclear enrichment sites will be visited by his inspectors, a key component in the interim deal between the United States and Iran to reach an end to the war.

The comment by International Atomic Energy Agency head Rafael Mariano Grossi is the firmest yet from the United Nations agency, which is viewed as key in determining the status of Iran’s nuclear stockpile.

Since the war last June, the IAEA has been blocked by Tehran from visiting enrichment sites where the Islamic Republic is believed to store enough highly enriched uranium to potentially build as many as 10 nuclear weapons, should it choose to rush for the bomb. Iran long has maintained that its program is peaceful, though it is the only country in the world to have uranium enriched up to 60% purity without a weapons program.

The US and Iran offered contradictory remarks yesterday about whether those sites would be inspected.

“I can understand political statements, they are part of the reality, but the fundamental thing I would like to remind you and draw your attention to is that there has been a Memorandum of Understanding, signed by both presidents,” Grossi tells journalists at a news conference at the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The accord “explicitly states that the nuclear activities that are going to be carried out with the regards of the nuclear material facilities will be supervised by the IAEA — in all letters,” he says.

Grossi adds: “Obviously, to do that, we have to inspect. Whether this happens the day after tomorrow or in one week or in ten days, it’s important, but not essential. This is going to happen.”

Those inspections are key for the deal, which calls for Iran’s stockpile of uranium to be “downblended” from highly enriched levels.

Italy: Flotilla activists detained in Libya en route to Gaza have been released after a month

Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani says three Italian pro-Palestinian activists detained in Libya have been released after spending about a month in custody.

In a post on social media platform X, Tajani says they have been handed over to Italy’s consul in Benghazi.

The three were anti-Israel flotilla activists who tried to reach Gaza by land.

According to the Global Sumud Flotilla, the activists had staged a hunger strike in protest at their detention and alleged mistreatment.

Kennedy scion Schlossberg loses to Lasher in New York City congressional primary

Democratic US congressional candidate Jack Schlossberg speaks during an election night watch party June 23, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)

Kennedy family scion and political novice Jack Schlossberg loses to New York state Assembly Member Micah Lasher, in a closely watched and crowded Democratic primary for an open congressional seat in the heart of Manhattan.

Lasher has spent his career in politics, working for officeholders including the man whose seat he hopes to win in November, Democratic longtime Rep. Jerry Nadler.

Flanked by another former boss, Gov. Kathy Hochul, and other politicians in New York City’s Democratic establishment, Lasher says in his victory speech that he aims to “revamp and recharge the Democratic Party in Washington” and to show it has “bold new ideas to improve the lives of struggling Americans and then deliver on them.”

Lasher is well positioned for November’s general election — Democrats make up two-thirds of the district’s registered voters.

Before the race was called, Schlossberg had made an early appearance at his evening watch party at a Manhattan concert venue to thank his campaign workers and reiterate his message that Democrats need to put forward more frank, responsive and inspiring candidates “who are willing to speak plainly about the cost of living, about corruption and fearlessly about the Constitution.”

“We don’t just need younger candidates. We need different people,” he said, adding, “unless Democrats learn from the signals that are being sent all across the country, we are going to keep on losing.”

About an hour later, deflated “oohs” rippled through the room of largely young supporters as they got news of Lasher’s victory.

The campaign was colorful and hotly contested, partly because of Schlossberg’s star power as the social-media-savvy grandson of the late President John F. Kennedy, but also because the race became an expensive proxy fight among artificial intelligence interests.

Schlossberg got plenty of attention in the race, as a member of a famous political family who delivered his own “progressive and aggressive” message in dynamic and popular, if sometimes wacky, social media posts.

New national security adviser said to convene urgent meeting on ‘encouraging voluntary emigration’ from Gaza

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new national security adviser, Shmuel Ben Ezra, convened an urgent meeting Tuesday on “encouraging voluntary emigration” of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, the Haaretz daily reports.

According to the report, Mossad representatives said during the meeting that they have found no countries willing to take in Gazans and that there were otherwise no new developments on the matter.

“We are unaware of any countries in the world prepared to take in Palestinians who choose to leave the Strip,” a security source tells the newspaper.

Pro-Israel US Congress members Torres and Meng pick up wins in NYC

The pro-Israel Congress members Ritchie Torres and Grace Meng are declared the winners of their primaries in New York City.

Torres, the incumbent in New York’s 15th Congressional District in the Bronx, trounces his leftist opponent, Michael Blake.

With 88% of the vote counted, Torres has 72%, compared to Blake’s 22%.

Meng, the incumbent in New York’s 6th Congressional District in Queens, leads Chuck Park 57% to 43%, with 84% of votes counted.

Outside New York City, the pro-Israel House representatives George Latimer, in Westchester County, and Tom Suozzi, on Long Island, win their primaries.

Latimer won an uncontested vote while Suozzi has 80% with nearly all votes counted.

Trump fumes at US Senate for passing Iran war powers resolution

WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump lashes out at the US Senate for passing a motion aiming to prevent him from resuming the war with Iran.

“So, I have Iran on the ropes, ready to go down for the fall, willing to give us practically anything, and for the first time in decades, respecting the hell out of the United States and its president; and the US Senate decides to have a poorly timed and meaningless War Powers Act vote, telling the number one sponsor of terror in the world that the United States doesn’t like what I am doing to them, and I must stop, and by so doing has provided aid and comfort the enemy,” Trump writes in a Truth Social post.

He takes particular issue with the four Republican senators who joined their Democrat colleagues to help pass the measure.

“Iran asked my people, ‘What does that all mean?’ These senators have just made my job more difficult, but I will get it done, one way or the other, because I always get it done!” Trump claims.

Far-left Chevalier wins NY Congressional primary, capping sweep for Mamdani

Democratic congressional candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier speaks during a Get Out The Vote rally ahead of New York's primary election, Thursday, June 18, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

Darializa Chevalier, a far-left activist backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, is declared the winner of the Democratic Party primary in New York’s 13th Congressional District.

Chevalier’s win over the centrist incumbent Adriano Espaillat caps a stunning night for Mamdani and his far-left Democratic Socialists of America.

Chevalier defeats Espaillat despite a history of extremist rhetoric against the US, Israel and Democratic party leaders, and having never held political office.

Chevalier attended a rally celebrating Hamas’s October 2023 onslaught in southern Israel and made anti-Israel rhetoric a focal point of the campaign.

Jewish centrist Lasher declared winner in NY’s 12th District primary

Micah Lasher at the state Capitol, February 1, 2023, in Albany, New York. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

Micah Lasher, a Jewish centrist, wins the Democratic Party primary in New York’s 12th Congressional District, covering the Upper East Side, Upper West Side and Midtown Manhattan.

The Associated Press declares Lasher the winner. With 87% of votes counted, Lasher has 39%, while his leading opponent, Alex Bores, has 35%.

Lasher and Bores are both centrists, unlike several high-profile primaries in the city that saw far left candidates backed by Mayor Zohran Mamdani challenge centrist opponents.

Bores concedes to Lasher in a statement. “This is not the outcome we hoped for, but I want to congratulate Micah Lasher, who will represent this district well in Congress,” Bores says.

Mamdani’s pick Valdez declared winner in NYC Congressional primary

Democratic congressional candidate Claire Valdez speaks ahead of New York's primary election, June 18, 2026, in Brooklyn. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

Claire Valdez, a far-left ally of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, is declared the winner in the primary for New York’s 7th Congressional District.

With 69% of votes counted, Valdez has 58%, leading her leading challenger Antonio Reynoso, who has 32%.

The Associated Press declares Valdez the winner.

Valdez’s win is a major victory for the far-left Democratic Socialists of America, Mamdani’s home base, which has made anti-Israel activism central to its politics.

Mamdani ally Brad Lander defeats incumbent Dan Goldman in NYC primary for US House seat

Democratic US Congressional candidate Brad Lander takes the stage during an election eve rally at Silo on June 22, 2026, in the East Williamsburg neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough in New York City. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images/AFP)

Brad Lander is projected to win the primary for New York’s 10th Congressional District, defeating incumbent Dan Goldman.

With 42% of the votes in, Lander is ahead with 63%, compared to Goldman’s 37%.

The Associated Press declares Lander the winner of the Democratic primary.

The primary victor is the presumed winner of the general election in the Democratic district.

Lander and Goldman are both Jewish and Israel was a major issue in the race.

Lander ran to Goldman’s left, allying with the city’s anti-Zionist mayor, Zohran Mamdani, accusing Israel of genocide, and attacking pro-Israel lobbying, while acknowledging that the attack line played into antisemitic tropes.

Lander’s win bolsters the far left, anti-Israel political movement in the city, home to the world’s largest Diaspora population.

Deputy Supreme Court chief reportedly says ‘limited’ delay of elections could be justified in case of emergency

Supreme Court Deputy President Noam Sohlberg at a court hearing, February 2, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

Deputy Supreme Court Chief Justice Noam Sohlberg, who heads the Central Election Committee, told a conference held at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem that a “limited postponement” of the elections could be justified in case of an emergency that would prevent a free and fair vote, according to the Ynet news site.

The report says Sohlberg stressed to the crowd that such a delay could not be used “as a tool by the government to extend its tenure,” adding that postponing an election should only be considered as a “last resort.”

He also reportedly called for the Central Elections Committee to be ready for anything, “so we aren’t thrust into a situation in which we must consider delaying the elections.”

A separate report by the Israel Hayom daily on Sohlberg’s remarks says the senior judge declared “only a fool would see we aren’t in a crisis,” citing the security situation, social divisions, “blurring borders between what is acceptable and not,” foreign influence efforts and artificial intelligence.

DC talks between Israel and Lebanon wrap up for the day

WASHINGTON — The first day of the fifth round of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon has wrapped up in Washington after over eight hours.

No joint statement is issued by the sides recapping today’s talks.

A source familiar with the matter says a statement is more likely at the conclusion of the talks on Thursday.

Tuesday’s meeting addressed both political and security issues. Talks will pick resume Wednesday at the Pentagon, but focus solely on security matters, before returning to the State Department on Thursday for a politically-focused session.

The US is reportedly hoping that this week’s negotiations will result in Israel agreeing to a minor withdrawal from territory in southern Lebanon where IDF troops would be replaced by the Lebanese army, in what is being dubbed a “pilot program.”

The US pressure for an Israeli withdrawal comes as Washington seeks to solidify its memorandum of understanding inked with Iran last week, which requires an end to military operations in Lebanon.

That MOU infuriated Israel, which isn’t a party to the deal and has argued that Iran should not have a say in what happens in Lebanon. The MOU also undercut Washington’s own efforts to separate the two tracks.

NY candidate Lander won’t defend ally Mamdani’s AIPAC comments

Democratic congressional candidate Brad Lander speaks during a Get Out The Vote rally ahead of New York's primary election, June 18, 2026, in the Brooklyn borough of New York. (AP Photo/Ryan Murphy)

Brad Lander, a Jewish leftist running for Congress in New York City, wavers on Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s characterization of AIPAC as “monsters.”

Lander has allied himself with Mamdani, who endorsed Lander’s campaign for New York’s 10th Congressional District in today’s primary election.

Lander is a harsh critic of Israel, but is Jewish and identifies as a “liberal Zionist.”

This sometimes puts him in an awkward position, as Mamdani is an anti-Zionist who is sometimes accused of antisemitism.

Mamdani made the AIPAC comment last week, saying the pro-Israel lobby was using “dark money” to foment “genocide” and stoke societal divisions.

Jews, including leftist Mamdani supporters and Jewish leaders in the city government, said the comments played on old antisemitic tropes. Mamdani doubled down on the comments yesterday.

Lander is asked about Mamdani’s AIPAC comments at a Brooklyn polling site.

He agrees with Mamdani’s characterization of “negative forces” associated with AIPAC, but won’t defend his ally Mamdani’s comments, despite repeated questions, Politico reports.

“I can only be responsible for the words I use,” Lander says. “I’m going to keep trying to simultaneously be critical when I think it’s necessary, but also build in a spirit of unity and humanity.”

A Jewish voter tells Lander his non-response is “disappointing.” He says it’s “pretty challenging” to “navigate these waters,” the report says.

In another sign of Lander’s awkward fit in the Mamdani coalition, the mayor’s wife, Rama Duwaji, leaves Lander out of a get-out-the-vote statement.

Duwaji posts a photo of herself with an “I voted” sticker to her 2 million Instagram followers, telling them to vote for the two other candidates that Mamdani endorsed, Claire Valdez and Darializa Chevalier.

Lander is notably absent from the endorsement.