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The Times of Israel liveblogged Sunday’s events as they unfolded.
Saudi Arabia says it intercepted three drones launched from Iraqi airspace
Saudi Arabia says it has intercepted three drones after they entered its territory from Iraqi airspace.
The kingdom’s defense ministry says it will take the necessary operational measures to respond to any attempt to violate its sovereignty and security.
Saudi Arabia condemns drone attack at UAE nuclear site as ‘threat’ to region
Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministry condemns the drone strike that triggered a fire near a nuclear power plant in the neighboring United Arab Emirates.
The ministry says in a statement that the attack was “a threat to the security and stability of the region” and expresses its solidarity with the UAE, saying it will “support all measures taken to preserve the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity” of the country.
Affidavit by military intelligence officer in Gofman appointment case filed to High Court
The Attorney General’s Office announces that it has filed the affidavit of a former military intelligence officer referred to as Gimmel to the High Court of Justice, in accordance with its orders from last Tuesday, in the framework of petitions against the appointment of Maj. Gen. Roman Gofman as the next head of the Mossad.
The affidavit was signed in the presence of an attorney from the Military Advocate General’s office. No officials from the Attorney General’s Office were involved in preparing the affidavit, the statement says, as attorneys for Gofman and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had requested.
The affidavit has been filed as a classified document, but the Attorney General’s Office has requested that the IDF declassify it so that it is publicly available.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara is also set to request permission to file additional material to the court, which she believes is relevant to the case. She will also request to make additional arguments on the basis of this new material, either orally or in writing.
Gofman was appointed as the next head of the Mossad in April this year, but several petitions were filed against the decision, including one by a blogger whom Gofman had authorized to publish classified information in a social media influence campaign while he was serving as the commander of the IDF’s 210th Division.
Gofman was investigated by the IDF and given a disciplinary note in his record over the incident, specifically for denying knowledge of the influence operation during the investigation.
Gimmel, a brigadier general, questioned Gofman during the IDF investigation and therefore has knowledge of the extent of Gofman’s involvement in the affair, but the Senior Appointment’s Advisory Committee, which approved Gofman’s appointment, did not hear from the military intelligence officer.
Following a hearing last week, the High Court requested that Gimmel file an affidavit, including details of what he knew Gofman himself knew of the influence operation affair, in order to determine if the advisory committee failed to properly evaluate whether Gofman acted unethically, and if he did, whether he was a fitting candidate to head the Mossad.
Death penalty law for West Bank Palestinians convicted of deadly terrorism comes into effect
Palestinians demonstrate against a new Knesset law imposing the death penalty on West Bank Palestinians convicted of deadly terrorist acts, in Nablus, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Majdi Mohammed)
The death penalty law for Palestinian terrorists in the West Bank comes into effect after the commander of IDF Central Command. Maj. Gen Avi Bluth signs the military order necessary to enact the measure in the territory.
The military order requires that a military court presiding over the prosecution of a terror attack that resulted in the death of a victim apply the death penalty alone as the only available sentence, unless the court finds special circumstances allowing for life imprisonment.
The legislation has been widely condemned as discriminatory since it states explicitly that it does not apply to Israeli citizens or residents of Israel. It also only applies to terror trials in the military courts system, which is used for Palestinians, whereas Israelis are tried in Israel’s civil court system.
And one of the three conditions for imposing the death penalty is that the motive was to either “negate the existence of the State of Israel or the authority of the military commander in the area,” motives which would likely only be applicable to Palestinian terrorists.
“This is a clear and sharp change of policy after the October 7 [2023] massacre: a terrorist who murders Jews can no longer rely on [prisoner exchange] deals, [good prison] conditions, or the hope to be released in the future,” Defense Minister Israel Katz and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir say in a joint statement.
“Whoever chooses murderous terrorism against Jews needs to know that the State of Israel will bring him to justice all the way.”
“Terrorists who murder Jews will not sit in prison in pleasant conditions, will not wait for [prisoner exchange deals. and will not dream of release — they will pay the heaviest price,” Katz adds.
Ben Gvir lauds the signing of the military order as the fulfilment of a campaign promise of his far-right Otzma Yehudit party, saying “we promised and we fulfilled,” adding: “We do not capitulate or contain murderous terrorism, we defeat it.”
Haredi Knesset faction’s spiritual leader doubles down on need to dissolve Knesset
Degel HaTorah chairman Moshe Gafni (left) meets with Rabbi Dov Lando in Bnei Brak, May 17, 2026. (Courtesy Rabbi Lando)
Degel HaTorah spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lando doubles down on his insistence that the Haredi party “vote in favor of dissolving the Knesset on Wednesday” during a meeting with faction chairman Moshe Gafni in Bnei Brak.
The rabbi “reiterated and emphasized the message conveyed last night, according to which Degel HaTorah members of Knesset should vote in favor of dissolving the Knesset on Wednesday,” a spokesman says in a statement.
IDF says apparent Hezbollah drone intercepted over troops in southern Lebanon
The IDF says it intercepted an apparent Hezbollah drone over an area of southern Lebanon where troops are deployed a short while ago.
No injuries are reported in the incident.
Trump to meet with security advisers Tuesday to discuss military options against Iran — report
US President Donald Trump is expected to hold a Situation Room meeting on Tuesday with his top national security advisers to discuss the options for military action regarding Iran, Axios reports, citing two US officials.
Reuters cannot immediately verify the report.
Report: Netanyahu publicized secret UAE visit amid concerns over Bennett’s planned visit
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and former prime minister Naftali Bennett (right) attend the funeral of Rabbi Haim Drukman, at Merkaz Shapira, near Kiryat Malachi, on December 26, 2022. (Gil Cohen-Magen/ AFP)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to publicize his wartime visit to the United Arab Emirates — a trip that the UAE had reportedly asked to keep secret — was driven by political concerns over a planned trip to the Gulf state by former prime minister Naftali Bennett, Channel 12 reports.
On Wednesday, Netanyahu said he had secretly visited the UAE during the US-Israeli war with Iran and met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed. The UAE denied the claim, calling the statement from Netanyahu’s office “entirely unfounded.”
According to Channel 12, Emirati officials had explicitly asked that the meeting remain confidential and were angered by Netanyahu’s decision to disclose it, sparking a diplomatic crisis between the countries despite warming ties.
The report says Netanyahu decided to reveal the visit after learning that Bennett was expected to travel to the UAE the following day for meetings with bin Zayed and senior Emirati officials.
According to two sources familiar with the details cited by Channel 12, Netanyahu feared Bennett’s visit would become public while his own meeting remained secret, creating the impression that the Emiratis were receiving Bennett officially but not the sitting prime minister.
It remains unclear whether Bennett’s reported visit ultimately took place.
Bennett’s office declined to comment on the report, while Netanyahu’s office denied the story, according to Channel 12.
PM set to begin pressuring coalition holdouts to support draft exemption bill
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has begun putting pressure on some coalition MKs opposed to the ultra-Orthodox draft exemption bill and will meet with them tomorrow, two days before deliberations on the controversial legislation renew, a coalition opponent of the bill tells The Times of Israel, confirming earlier reporting by Channels 12 and 13.
“He will publicly shame anybody who is against it,” the source states. “He’s going to meet one-on-one with Likud MKs only.”
Channel 12 reports that Netanyahu is planning to exert strong pressure on lawmakers, including by leveling threats regarding the upcoming Likud primary elections.
It remains unclear who will actually be meeting with the prime minister. Multiple coalition lawmakers opposed to the bill tell The Times of Israel this evening that they have not been invited by the prime minister, although one says that it is likely only those on the fence who have been summoned.
According to Channel 13, Netanyahu hopes to bring around some of the strongest opponents of the bill, hoping that he can convince them to support the bill publicly.
Asked about the reported meeting, Likud MK Eli Revivo replies that he was “not invited to such a meeting” and assumes “that anyone whose opposition is a matter of principle and ideology will stand firm in their position, and the rest, as usually happens in these situations, will fall into line.”
This morning, the controversial legislation was placed back on the parliamentary agenda for Wednesday, with a discussion planned in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee to prepare the controversial legislation for the final two readings needed for it to pass into law.
The announcement came shortly after Haredi political sources told the press that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office offered to resume discussions in the committee in an effort to postpone elections until October, while the Haredim want a September date, during the High Holidays.
Trump said to believe Iran still interested in making a deal
US President Donald Trump still believes Iran wants to make a deal and expects Tehran to submit an updated proposal in the coming days, according to reported remarks he made in a phone call with Channel 12.
According to the news outlet, he declines to specify a deadline for negotiations, but threatens harsher military action if Iran fails to meet US demands over its nuclear program.
“We want to make a deal. They are not where we want them to be. They will have to get there or they will be hit badly, and they don’t want that,” Trump says, according to Channel 12 and Axios.
Trump also says his phone call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier today was positive and focused largely on the war with Iran, according to Channel 12.
Trump warns ‘clock is ticking’ for Iran
US President Donald Trump threatens consequences for Iran if its leaders do not act quickly.
“For Iran, the Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!” he writes in a Truth Social post.
American Airlines extends suspension of New York-Tel Aviv route until January 2027
American Airlines extends the suspension of nonstop flight services from New York to Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport through January 6, 2027.
“We will proactively reach out to impacted customers of this schedule adjustment, offering options in line with our customer-friendly schedule change policy,” American Airlines says in an e-mailed statement.
The US carrier previously put Tel Aviv flight services on hold through September 7, amid the war with Iran. Rival United Airlines has extended the suspension of flights from New York to Ben Gurion Airport through at least September 7, and US carrier Delta has canceled services to Tel Aviv through September 5.
The suspensions by the US carriers leave passengers reliant on Israeli airlines El Al and Arkia for direct air travel from Ben Gurion to the US.
Qatari PM discusses Iran mediation with Pakistani counterpart
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani held a phone call about mediation efforts in the Iran war with Pakistani Prime Minister Mohammad Shahbaz Sharif, Qatar’s foreign ministry says in a statement on X.
Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs @MBA_AlThani_ Holds Telephone Call with Pakistani Prime Minister @CMShehbaz
Doha | May 17, 2026
HE Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, held a telephone call with HE… pic.twitter.com/n9SDNVwt6B
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Qatar (@MofaQatar_EN) May 17, 2026
The two discussed “the latest developments in the region, as well as Pakistan’s mediation efforts” aimed at reaching a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, the statement says.
The statement follows a phone call between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump, reportedly on the possibility of renewing the war against Iran.
IDF again warns it is missing some 12,000 soldiers, with gap expected to widen in coming year
An ultra-Orthodox man walks past a sign for the IDF recruitment office in Jerusalem, August 16, 2023. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
The Israeli military again warns that it is short some 12,000 standing army soldiers, a gap that it says will only expand due to the shortening of mandatory service at the start of 2027, unless the government passes legislation addressing the army’s personnel shortages.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has several times urged the government to again extend mandatory military service for men to 36 months, after it was shortened to 30 months in August 2024.
The first cohort enlisted under this shorter service period will be discharged in January 2027, further exacerbating manpower issues unless the existing law is changed.
The IDF has repeatedly said it urgently needs 12,000 recruits — including 7,000 combat troops — due to the strain on standing and reserve forces caused by the multi-front war of recent years.
The military warns that if the shortened service period takes effect as planned in January 2027, the gap will grow by thousands more combat soldiers and service members in non-combat roles.
Reservists, meanwhile, are serving dozens more days in reserve duty beyond the IDF’s original planning. Initially, the military sought to call up reservists for 55 days of duty in 2026. However, due to the war in Iran, many reservists have now served 80 to 100 days.
“If we do not do something now through legislation, the situation will worsen and disrupt the entire system,” a senior officer says.
The IDF’s Personnel Directorate has intensified its efforts over the past two and a half years to “maximize manpower” and expand its pool of recruits, including by opening more combat roles to women, calling on those exempt from reserve duty to return to service, and working to integrate ultra-Orthodox men into the army.
The current government has been working to pass a bill that would enshrine blanket exemptions from military conscription for Haredi yeshiva students, despite repeated warnings from the IDF that it needs more troops.
Some 80,000 ultra-Orthodox men aged 18 to 24 are currently believed to be eligible for military service but have not enlisted.
During the first half of the 2025–2026 draft period, around 1,850 Haredi soldiers enlisted, and the military estimates that by the end of the draft period, the number will exceed 3,000 — a record figure, but still far below the military’s goal of 4,800 ultra-Orthodox recruits per year.
According to the IDF’s data, there are some 80,000 individuals designated as draft evaders or who will soon be declared such. Among them, 50% are confirmed to be ultra-Orthodox, while another 25% are likely Haredi.
Netanyahu speaks with Trump about Iran war ahead of limited security meeting
US President Donald Trump, right, shakes hands with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a news conference at Mar-a-Lago, in Palm Beach, Florida, December 29, 2025. (Alex Brandon/AP)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US President Donald Trump minutes ago about the war with Iran before convening a limited security discussion this evening, Netanyahu’s office confirms to The Times of Israel.
The conversation comes amid reports that the US and Israel are preparing to restart the war with Iran.
The leaders discussed the possibility of renewing the war with Iran as well as Trump’s recent trip to China, according to Hebrew media reports.
IDF: Hezbollah launched rockets, mortars, drones at troops in southern Lebanon
Hezbollah launched several rockets, mortars and explosive drones at troops in southern Lebanon today, the military says.
The IDF says the projectiles struck near forces, but did not cause any injuries.
Police investigating after settler runs over flock of sheep with ATV in West Bank
The Israel Police say they have opened an investigation after Palestinian media outlets published footage of a settler on an ATV running over a flock of sheep owned by Palestinians in the area of Khirbet al-Tawil, near Nablus.
The footage shows the settler stepping off the ATV while the sheep are trapped underneath it.
Police say that “as part of the investigation, actions are being taken using all tools at the police’s disposal to clarify the circumstances of the incident.”
#متابعة| مستوطنون يدهسون أغنامًا فلسطينية في خربة "الطويل" قرب بلدة عقربا، جنوب نابلس. pic.twitter.com/NzccrZSgHk
— المركز الفلسطيني للإعلام (@PalinfoAr) May 17, 2026
Wounded soldier who received cornea from fallen soldier meets donor’s parents
Shily Leibovitch, the cornea transplant recipient, left, meets with Hagit and Nir Ludar, parents of Sgt. First Class Guy Ludar, who donated his cornea. (Courtesy/ Clalit-Beilinson Spokesperson’s Office)
The parents of Sgt. First Class Guy Ludar, a soldier of the Commando Brigade’s Maglan Unit who fell in Lebanon on April 3, met for the first time with Lt. Shily Leibovitch, a Golani Brigade soldier who was wounded in Lebanon and received Loder’s cornea transplant at Rabin Medical Center (Beilinson), the hospital says.
Leibovitch, 22, a team commander in the Golani Reconnaissance Unit, was injured in both eyes during operational activity in Lebanon about two months ago. He underwent four surgeries and suffered severe damage to the retina and cornea in his right eye.
“Friends from Guy’s unit told me that Guy was a smiling, joyful person who influenced so many people, and that everyone close to him carried a little piece of Guy with them through life,” says Leibovitch. “I was given the privilege of receiving the light of his eyes. I’m honored to be the one who continues his light in this world, and I hope to do so in the best way possible.”
Dr. Assaf Dotan, head of the hospital’s retina unit, says, “Shily’s vision has improved thanks to Guy’s cornea donation. He still faces a long road to full recovery, but the act of the Ludar family gives both us and Shily the hope and strength to continue treatment. Shily, until now you fought for us. Now we will fight for your vision.”
UAE says it’s investigating source of 3 drone attacks, one of which hit nuclear plant
The United Arab Emirates intercepted three UAVs that entered the country from its western border today and is investigating the source of the attacks, the UAE Defense Ministry says in a statement.
Two of the UAVs were successfully intercepted, while the third “struck an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra Region,” the statement says.
“Investigations are underway to determine the source of the attacks,” the ministry adds, saying, “Further details will be announced upon completion of the investigations.”
Government to establish dedicated unit to support immigrant soldiers in the IDF
Lone soldiers in uniform celebrate their bar and bat mitzvah as Jews for the first time, after completing a conversion process during their military service, at the Western Wall in Jerusalem’s Old City, February 23, 2026. (Yonatan Sindel/ Flash90)
The government has approved a plan to establish a dedicated unit to support immigrants serving in the military, with a focus on lone soldiers serving without immediate family in the country, the Immigration and Absorption Ministry says.
The initiative, led by Immigration and Absorption Minister Ofir Sofer, alongside Defense Minister Israel Katz and Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, will create a new unit within the Immigration and Absorption Ministry to provide assistance to immigrant soldiers before, during and after their military service.
The program will coordinate with the Israeli military and Defense Ministry to improve personal support, language accessibility and access to benefits and mental health services. It will also assist families living abroad by helping them navigate military and government systems during emergencies, including injuries or emotional crises involving soldiers.
An interministerial team will recommend additional measures to strengthen coordination among government agencies and the military, the ministry says. The program is intended to strengthen coordination between the army and immigration authorities, it notes.
“It is our duty to ensure that [immigrant soldiers] are not left alone,” Sofer says. This decision is intended to provide them with a single address, personal support and a tailored response that will help them integrate, exercise their rights, and feel at home in the State of Israel.”
Government approves proposal to financially assist relocation of embassies to Jerusalem
The government unanimously approves a proposal to financially incentivize countries to move their embassies to Jerusalem, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s office announces in a statement.
The framework, proposed by Sa’ar and Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage Minister Yariv Levin, is “to encourage countries around the world to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and to actualize that recognition by moving foreign embassies to Jerusalem,” the statement reads.
Under the proposal, budgets from both ministries will be invested in an incentives package, providing “encouragement and assistance…through participation in financing expenses related to establishing or relocating embassies to Jerusalem, as well as housing solutions and planning solutions as needed,” according to Sa’ar’s office.
The proposal reflects “diplomatic efforts” by Sa’ar to move and open embassies in Jerusalem, the statement adds.
Currently, seven countries have embassies in Jerusalem — the US, Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, and Fiji. In December, Ecuador opened an innovation office with diplomatic status in Jerusalem.
Israel considers Jerusalem to be its capital, including East Jerusalem, which it annexed in 1980. Most of the international community says the final borders of the city should be decided in negotiations with the Palestinians, and therefore, many countries maintain their embassies in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area, while maintaining consulates in Jerusalem.
Returning to Israel after Eurovision, Noam Bettan calls to ‘be kind to one another’
Noam Bettan lands back at Ben Gurion Airport on May 17, 2026, after his appearance at the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, a day earlier. (Courtesy Kan)
Landing back in Israel from his second-place finish at last night’s Eurovision, Noam Bettan thanks his fans for their support and nods to the challenges that Israel’s delegation faced this year.
“I know how hard it was to do the Eurovision this year and how many challenges were part of it, but it happened and it happened in the best way I could have asked for,” he tells reporters in a press statement at Ben Gurion Airport.
Bettan thanks the security team and the Shin Bet for “protecting us — no matter what we went through, and you know how much we went through. We felt calm and protected.”
Bettan performed “Michelle” in French, English, and Hebrew on stage at the grand final last night in Vienna, Austria, ultimately finishing in second place, after the jury and public votes were combined.
“Thank you to all the people of Israel for being here for us for the past few months, for supporting us and giving us love that gave us so much strength, you can’t even imagine,” he adds.
“I think yesterday, I personally felt — as I think many in the country did — felt a sense of unity, after a long time when such a thing was missing,” Bettan says. Moving forward, he adds, he hopes all those in Israel can “make the effort to be kind to each other,” to understand one another and not to judge others, and “I’ll try very hard to do so myself as well.”
Hamas commander killed in Gaza strike on Saturday, IDF says
A Hamas commander was killed in an airstrike in the Gaza Strip yesterday, the military says.
The IDF says that Bahaa Baroud, who served in Hamas’s operations division, had advanced many attacks against troops and Israeli civilians “in the immediate timeframe.”
“Baroud posed an immediate threat to IDF troops and was struck and eliminated in a precise aerial strike,” the military says.
Apparent Hezbollah drone triggers sirens in Western Galilee
An apparent Hezbollah drone triggered sirens in several communities in the Western Galilee.
The military says “the incident has concluded,” with no injuries caused.
Coalition pushes to fast-track media overhaul through committee, bypassing legal opposition
The Knesset special committee debating Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi’s sweeping media overhaul bill descends into chaos as opposition lawmakers and the committee’s legal advisers accuse coalition lawmakers of bypassing legal oversight and parliamentary procedure in a push to bulldoze the legislation toward final votes ahead of possible early elections.
Opposition lawmakers say they received a new 178-page draft of the legislation only hours before the start of Shabbat on Friday, leaving little time to review extensive last-minute changes before discussions resumed this morning — the first of a three-day legislative blitz aimed at advancing the controversial bill to final votes in the Knesset ahead of the body’s possible dissolution.
“You tried to drop an entirely new draft on us that we had never seen before, without any legal oversight whatsoever,” says Yesh Atid MK Shelly Tal Meron to committee chair Likud MK Galit Distel-Atbaryan, alleging that entirely new provisions were added to, among other things, benefit pro-government news outlet Channel 14.
Committee legal adviser Pinchas Grot warns that the coalition is introducing major new clauses and revisions to the legislation at the last minute while deliberately accelerating the bill ahead of possible elections, despite repeated objections from the committee’s legal advisory team.
“The pace, which does not allow for proper study, is an inherent problem,” Grot says, adding ominously, “once the law passes, I don’t know what the next Knesset will look like.”
Justice Ministry representative Adi Liberos warns that the Communications Ministry has ignored their concerns for months and accuses ministry staffers of drafting legislative provisions despite “lacking the authority or professional qualifications” to perform legal advisory functions, calling the situation “an unprecedented systemic failure.”
The legislation, which would give the government significant control over broadcast media, news sites, and other media by establishing a new regulatory council, with a majority of members chosen by the communications minister, has drawn sharp opposition from both the committee’s professional legal staff and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who have warned that the current draft undermines press freedom and allows for political interference in media.
Cellphones to be banned from middle schools nationwide starting next academic year
A policy prohibiting the use of cellphones in middle schools will be rolled out across Israel over the next academic year, the Education Ministry announces, in an expansion of a ban that has been in place in elementary schools since February.
The ban means that students will not be permitted to use their cellphones anywhere on school grounds, and will either be required to keep them turned off, but in their possession, or to hand them over to be stored by the school.
The ministry says the ban will be rolled out gradually from September, with the goal being to “strengthen social ties, reduce distractions, and increase attention to learning among students.”
The decision brings Israel in line with a growing number of countries that have barred cellphones from schools in recent years. UN culture and education body UNESCO said that at the end of 2024, 40 percent of global education systems had some sort of ban on smartphone use in schools, up from 30% a year earlier.
IDF: Hezbollah rockets intercepted over troops in southern Lebanon
Several rockets launched by Hezbollah at troops in southern Lebanon a short while ago were intercepted by air defenses, the military says.
No injuries are reported in the incident.
Shas MK Moshe Arbel submits Knesset resignation, to be replaced by Erez Malul
Shas MK Moshe Arbel submits his formal letter of resignation from the Knesset to Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, on May 17, 2026. (Courtesy Amir Ohana)
Shortly after announcing his retirement from politics, Shas MK Moshe Arbel submits his formal letter of resignation to Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.
Once his resignation takes effect, he will be replaced in the Knesset by former MK Erez Malul, who was pushed out of parliament under the Norwegian Law when the party’s ministers quit the government last summer.
Israel operated a second covert base in Iraq in lead-up to Iran wars — report
Israel built two covert bases in Iraq in the lead-up to its two wars with Iran, and Iraqi soldiers and civilians were killed in order to protect the secret, The New York Times reports.
Recent revelations from the Wall Street Journal indicated that Israel had built one base in Iraq’s western desert for use in the war that began on February. But Iraqi officials tell the NYT that Israel had maintained another base there, this one used in the June 2025 Israeli attack on Iran.
Israel began building that base in late 2024, according to a regional official. It is no longer operational.
The status of the base used in the 2026 war is not known.
The US knew about at least one of the bases, says the NYT.
Israel built the bases to cut down on flight time for strikes in Iran, and to serve as a hub for logistics to support the Israeli Air Force. They also housed special forces troops and search-and-rescue teams poised to act if any Israeli pilots were downed.
Local Bedouins had seen suspicious activity around one of the bases and reported it, but the Iraqi army chose to try to observe from a distance and ask the US for information.
Washington was not forthcoming.
Awad al-Shammari, a Bedouin shepherd driving to the nearest town to pick up groceries on March 3, was killed by an Israeli helicopter after he stumbled on the base, relatives tell the NYT. He had managed to report the base to Iraqi authorities.
The Iraqis sent a reconnaissance mission, but retreated after one soldier was killed and two were wounded by what was likely Israeli fire.
IAEA expresses ‘grave concern’ over drone strike near UAE nuclear plant that triggered a fire
The UN atomic watchdog, the IAEA, expresses “grave concern” over a drone strike near a United Arab Emirates nuclear plant that triggered a fire, though it said that radiation levels remained normal.
The International Atomic Energy Agency on X says its head, Rafael Grossi, voiced the concern and adds: “Military activity that threatens nuclear safety is unacceptable.”
“The IAEA has been informed by the UAE that radiation levels at the Barakah NPP (nuclear power plant) remain normal and no injuries were reported,” the agency says.
4 IDF troops wounded, one severely, by roadside bomb in south Lebanon
Four troops were wounded, including one severely, by a roadside bomb in southern Lebanon overnight, the military announces.
One soldier is listed in serious condition, an officer is moderately hurt, and another officer and a soldier were lightly injured.
The IDF says the troops were taken to a hospital and their families were notified.
It is unclear if the bomb was planted by Hezbollah before or during the ceasefire.
ICC denies report it issued 5 new arrest warrants against Israeli officials
A general view of the exterior of the International Criminal Court at The Hague, Netherlands, March 12, 2025. (AP/Omar Havana, File)
The International Criminal Court (ICC) denies a report that it had issued new arrest warrants for five Israeli political and military officials for alleged crimes against Palestinians.
ICC spokesperson Oriane Maillet says in a note to journalists that the report, in Israel’s Haaretz newspaper, is not accurate, and the court “denies the issuance of new arrest warrants in the situation in the state of Palestine.”
Netanyahu admits Israel taking more territory in Gaza: ‘We are tightening our grip on Hamas’
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admits that Israel has been expanding the territory it controls in the Gaza Strip.
“In Gaza now we already control not 50 percent — but 60 percent,” he says.
Maps issued by Israel in March showed a new restricted area beyond the 53% of Gaza that Israel controlled after the ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump. The restricted area, marked on the maps with an orange line, makes up an estimated 11% of Gaza’s territory beyond the “Yellow Line” demarcating the part of Gaza occupied by Israeli troops since the October ceasefire. The areas cordon off nearly two-thirds of Gaza’s territory in total.
“We are tightening our grip on Hamas,” Netanyahu continues. “We know exactly what our mission is, and our mission is one thing only — to ensure that Gaza will no longer pose a threat to Israel.”
He does not pledge that Hamas will be destroyed as a military and governing organization, as he has many times since October 7, 2023.
Addressing the killing of Hamas military chief Izz al-Din al-Haddad on Friday, Netanyahu says that he promised “that all the architects of the massacre and all the architects of the kidnappings would be eliminated, every last one of them, and we are getting very close to completing that mission as well.”
Netanyahu says he warned about drone threat 6 years ago, doesn’t address why solution not found
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads the weekly cabinet meeting on May 17, 2026 (Screenshot/GPO)
Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to get ahead of growing criticism that Israel failed to prepare for the Hezbollah drone threat.
“Six years ago, in a cabinet meeting, I warned about the threat of drones,” he says. “At the time, I first saw it as a serious threat as a tool for assassinating individuals, but since then, of course, it has evolved.”
He doesn’t address why, during his years in office since that meeting, Israel hasn’t come up with a solution to the drone threat to IDF soldiers and residents of northern Israel. An IDF officer was killed on Friday in southern Lebanon, the latest Israeli casualty of Hezbollah drones.
“From the beginning of the war, and of course after I saw the war in Ukraine, I thought this could also serve as a tool on our battlefield,” says Netanyahu, who has a rather strained relationship with Kyiv, a world leader in tactical drone defense. “At my request, the IDF installed protective canopies on the tanks.”
“The IDF and the Defense Ministry have done many things over the years — it’s important to understand this — and they have thwarted many hundreds, if not thousands, of attempts to strike our forces using UAVs and drones,” Netanyahu insists. “And they are succeeding. Every time there is a new threat, they succeed in thwarting it.”
Netanyahu says he convened a special team to confront the fiber-optic drone threat from Hezbollah, which has met three times in the last two weeks.
“The best minds in the country, and in my opinion the best minds in the world,” he says.
“At a meeting we held a few days ago, I told them something that surprised them a little – ‘You have no budget limit,'” he says. “Whatever it costs, it costs. And you also have no limitations, as I know, in creativity and imagination — because you are the best in the world. Therefore, my instruction to the team is to provide a solution for this as well as for the next threat that will come.”
He promises that Israel will find “a complete solution to this problem.”
“It requires patience and sometimes gritted teeth,” says Netanyahu, “but we have both those things in abundance: patience, determination, and the ability to meet the challenge. We will achieve this, too.”
Anti-government protester released after arrest for phallic keychains portraying PM as ‘dicktator’
An anti-government protester is freed from custody after police arrested him at a demonstration last night for passing out phallic keychains dubbing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a “dicktator.”
The 3D-printed keychain depicts Netanyahu’s face atop a penis with the words, “Bibi #1 Dicktator.”
Police held the protester until midnight and sought to bar him for 45 days from Paris Square, where the protest was held. A police representative who appeared in court this morning accused the man of sexual harassment, arguing he distributed some of these keychains to minors, according to Yoni Nussbaum, the detained protester’s lawyer.
At the hearing, the Jerusalem Magistrate’s Court partially granted the police’s request, allowing the man’s release on the conditions that he does not set foot in Paris Square until June 7 or participate in an unlawful gathering until June 21.
Nussbaum plans to appeal his client’s release conditions in the Jerusalem District Court. He claims that the demonstrator has been distributing the keychains for three months without any complaint from other protesters, including yesterday.
Netanyahu to speak with Trump later today on China, Iran
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads the weekly cabinet meeting on May 17, 2026. (Screenshot/GPO)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will speak with US President Donald Trump today, the premier says at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem.
“Our eyes are open regarding Iran,” says Netanyahu.
“I will certainly hear impressions from his trip to China,” he continues, “perhaps other things as well. Certainly there are many possibilities, and we are prepared for every scenario.”
Netanyahu congratulates Noam Bettan on finishing 2nd at Eurovision and ‘standing strong’
Noam Bettan from Israel, center, reacts as the points are awarded during the Grand Final of the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria, May 17, 2026. (AP/Martin Meissner)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulates Noam Bettan for his second-place finish at last night’s Eurovision, saying the whole country is “very, very proud of you.”
“Noam, what an incredible victory, what an achievement — and how much honor, strength, confidence and artistry,” Netanyahu tells Bettan in a phone conversation released by his office.
“You are on a very great path. You have the appreciation of the entire country. Everyone is very, very proud of you. And you also stood strong against those hollow verbal slingshots,” Netanyahu says, referring to anti-Israel chanting during the semifinal and some booing heard last night.
“There were quite a few of those,” Bettan agrees.
The singer thanks Netanyahu for his support, and says “it was a great privilege to bring honor and represent us in a positive light, and to bring light and a little goodness into this world.”
Bettan says he felt a lot of unity among Israelis last night, “and I really hope it stays with us — in two days, in a year, and in 50 years.”
IDF issues evacuation warnings for 4 south Lebanon villages ahead of strikes targeting Hezbollah
People sit along a beach in Tyre in southern Lebanon on May 17, 2026, as smoke billows behind them following strikes in the village of Zibqin. (Kawnat HAJU / AFP)
The IDF issues evacuation warnings for four villages in southern Lebanon ahead of airstrikes targeting the Hezbollah terror group.
Residents of Irzay, Merouaniyeh, Babliyeh, and Baisariyah are instructed to evacuate at least a kilometer away.
“In light of the Hezbollah terror organization’s violations of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is forced to act against it with force and does not intend to harm you,” warns army spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee.
Israel approves new defense complex at former UNRWA East Jerusalem headquarters
Israel demolishes a structure inside the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in East Jerusalem on January 20, 2026 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
The government approves plans to establish a new IDF museum, enlistment office and an office for the defense minister at the site of UNRWA’s former headquarters near Ammunition Hill in East Jerusalem.
According to a joint statement from the Defense Ministry and the Jerusalem municipality, the new complex will be built on a roughly 36-dunam (9-acre) site and is intended to strengthen the defense establishment’s presence in Israel’s capital.
Defense Minister Israel Katz says the move is “a decision of sovereignty, Zionism and security,” arguing there is “nothing more symbolic or just” than establishing defense institutions “on the ruins of the UNRWA compound,” which he accuses of being tied to Hamas terror activity.
“In a place where an organization operated that became part of the machinery of terror and incitement against Israel, institutions will now be established that strengthen Jerusalem, the IDF, and the State of Israel,” Katz says, adding, “This is a clear message to all our enemies: we will continue to build, strengthen, and deepen our hold on Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel, from a position of strength.”
Israel began demolishing UNRWA’s East Jerusalem headquarters in January, following years of legislative measures against the UN agency for Palestinian refugees and their descendants, which Israel has long accused of colluding with Hamas and participating in terror activities, including the October 7, 2023, attacks.
The Defense Ministry signed an agreement with the Jerusalem municipality in December to establish new defense headquarters in the capital and relocate the military’s colleges to the city, among other moves.
Haredi draft exemption bill on Knesset panel agenda for Wednesday
Haredi protesters in Jerusalem on January 20, 2026. (Flash90)
The coalition’s ultra-Orthodox draft exemption bill has been placed back on the parliamentary agenda for Wednesday, with a discussion planned in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee to prepare the controversial legislation for the final two readings needed to pass it into law.
Earlier today, Haredi political sources told the press that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office offered to resume discussions in the committee in an effort to postpone elections until October, while the Haredim want a September date during the High Holidays. The suggestion was rejected by the ultra-Orthodox, with Degel Hatorah spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lando telling lawmakers “not to get drawn into political games and to support the dissolution of the Knesset this coming Wednesday.”
The Haredim decided to push for the dissolution of the Knesset after Netanyahu informed them that his coalition does not have a majority to push the controversial bill through, and suggested waiting until after the 2026 elections. They further rejected Netanyahu’s proposal allowing work on the bill to continue in the next Knesset under a proposed amendment to the Law of Continuity.
The coalition’s draft exemption bill — which would ostensibly increase military conscription in the Haredi community, but ultimately enshrines continued exemptions for full-time yeshiva students — is widely seen as legally iffy and loophole-laden and has generated intense resistance even among members of Netanyahu’s coalition.
It was taken off the table in March with the outbreak of the US-Israeli war with Iran. However, Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Boaz Bismuth later announced that he would continue to advance it.
Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot slams Netanyahu for continuing to push the bill, calling it “another desperate attempt” by the premier “to buy himself a few more weeks in power at the expense of the national interest of strengthening the IDF during a war.”
Netanyahu to convene top ministers, aides for security discussion this evening
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seen at a ceremony at Mount Herzl, for the Ethiopian Jews who died while making their way to Israel. May 14, 2026. (Gil Yohanan/POOL)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is convening top aides and ministers this evening for a security discussion in his office in Jerusalem, the office of one of the ministers attending tells The Times of Israel.
Such discussions — often termed the “small security cabinet” — usually include Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, Defense Minister Israel Katz, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, and Shas head Aryeh Deri.
Preliminary results in Fatah leadership elections: Abbas’s son, intelligence chief elected
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah, December 22, 2025. (AP/ Nasser Nasser, Pool)
Palestinian media outlets report that preliminary results have been received from the elections for Fatah’s Central Committee, the small leadership body of around 20 members that runs the movement currently controlling the Palestinian Authority. Fatah is headed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.
According to reports, Abbas’s son, Yasser Abbas, was elected as one of the members of the Central Committee, alongside Majed Faraj, head of the Palestinian General Intelligence Service, one of the Palestinian Authority’s security bodies. Faraj is considered close to Abbas.
According to the reports, Leila Ghannam, the governor of the Ramallah district, who is also considered close to Abbas, was elected as a new member of the Central Committee.
Other members who retained their seats on the committee include Hussein al-Sheikh, Abbas’s deputy in the Palestinian Authority and the PLO, Jibril Rajoub, and Mahmoud al-Aloul, Abbas’s deputy in Fatah.
The results are not official.
The elections are being held as part of Fatah’s conference, the eighth since the movement was founded around 60 years ago. Ahead of the gathering, Arab media outlets reported that Abbas had unusually convened the conference in order to bring in new candidates aligned with him into Fatah’s small leadership forum.
According to the Palestinian reports, voting for the broader Fatah Revolutionary Council, which has around 80 members, is still ongoing.
IDF says it intercepted apparent Hezbollah drone above troops in south Lebanon; no injuries
The IDF says that a short while ago, it intercepted an apparent Hezbollah drone over an area of southern Lebanon where troops are deployed.
No injuries are reported in the incident.
Somaliland’s first ambassador to present credentials to Herzog tomorrow
Somaliland’s first ambassador in a foreign country will present his diplomatic credentials to President Isaac Herzog tomorrow, according to the President’s Residence.
Mohamed Hagi, appointed in February, has been serving as adviser to Somaliland President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, and was an architect of Israel-Somaliland relations.
In December, Israel became the only country in the world to recognize Somaliland’s independence — something the territory has been seeking since declaring its autonomy from Somalia in 1991.
The new ambassadors of the Vatican, Australia, Korea, and Vietnam will also present their credentials tomorrow.
Lapid: Attempt to rush draft exemption law ‘yet another betrayal of IDF troops’
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid at a faction meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, on March 9, 2026 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Responding to reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered the Haredi parties to rush the coalition’s controversial draft exemption bill through the Knesset, Opposition Leader Yair Lapid declares that the premier “knows that he is facing defeat in the elections and will do everything to gain a few more days in the Prime Minister’s Office.”
“His attempt to sell out Israel’s security and to try to pass the draft exemption law is yet another betrayal of IDF fighters and the reservists,” Lapid posts on X.
UAE says drone hit generator at nuclear plant; no injuries, radiological levels unchanged
File: An undated photograph of the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi's desert. (Arun Girija/WAM via AP, File)
Authorities in Abu Dhabi responded to a fire caused by a drone strike on an electrical generator outside the inner perimeter of the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the Al Dhafra Region, the Abu Dhabi Media Office says.
No injuries were reported, radiological safety levels were unaffected, and the Federal Authority for Nuclear Regulation confirms the plant’s essential systems are operating normally.
IDF: Drone made emergency landing in West Bank due to malfunction, no fear of intel leak
A military drone made an emergency landing in the West Bank due to a technical malfunction, the military says.
The IDF says troops located the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and there is no concern of any leaked information.
Former Shas minister Moshe Arbel announces he’s stepping down from the Knesset
Interior Minister Moshe Arbel attends a Knesset committee meeting, Jerusalem, April 1, 2024. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Shas MK Moshe Arbel announces his pending resignation from the Knesset, sharing a letter in which he thanks party chairman Aryeh Deri for accepting his request to end his parliamentary tenure at the end of the current session.
He praises Deri’s “analytical thinking, wisdom, and endless dedication to the entirety of Israel” and thanks him for his “full backing and steadfast support for decisions made during these significant years.”
Arbel, who does not give a reason for his resignation, says he will “continue acting in the light of the values of the magnificent Shas movement” and “continue being a public servant even outside the Knesset” by striving “for the unity of the people and the sanctification of Heaven’s name.”
Arbel, who entered the Knesset in 2019, served as both interior and health minister. He was liked on both sides of the aisle and widely seen as a competent minister who acted with compassion.
He broke ranks with his party in 2024, stating that after Hamas’s October 7 attack, there was no longer a “moral” justification to exempt ultra-Orthodox Jewish men who were not studying in a yeshiva from army service, breaking a long-standing taboo within his community.
At the time, Shas distanced itself from Arbel’s remarks, stating that “the subject of the conscription law and the status of yeshiva students is entrusted exclusively to the rabbis of the Council of Torah Sages and is managed by the movement’s chairman, Rabbi Aryeh Deri, and his representative to the negotiations, Rabbi Ariel Atias.”
In a statement, Deri calls Arbel “one of the precious sons of the Shas revolution” who “worked devotedly for the movement and the public” and “demonstrated loyalty, talent, and impressive capabilities.”
“I have accepted his request to resign from the Knesset for personal reasons that he laid out before me. Alongside this, he announced that he is ready to continue assisting the movement in any way required, and I hope to continue utilizing his help and assigning him tasks in the near future,” Deri continues, wishing his success.
Palestinian media reports: Taxi driver attacked, moderately injured by settlers in northern West Bank
Palestinian media outlets report that settlers attacked a taxi driver this morning in the village of Ya’bad, near Jenin in the northern West Bank, moderately injuring him.
Footage published online shows a taxi with a shattered window.
There is no immediate comment from the police.
The circumstances of the incident are unclear.
مستوطنون يهاجمون، صباح اليوم، مركبة عمومية عند مدخل بلدة يعبد جنوب جنين، ما أدّى إلى إصابة السائق بجروح متوسطة، وتضرر المركبة. pic.twitter.com/ji2dQl8Nh0
— Ultra Palestine – الترا فلسطين (@palestineultra) May 17, 2026
Haredi factions say PM’s office offered to rush draft exemption bill; top rabbi: ‘No political games’
File: Likud leader MK Benjamin Netanyahu (sitting) with United Torah Judaism MK Moshe Gafni at a vote in the Knesset, on December 28, 2022 (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
Political sources within Haredi parties claim that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office offered to resume discussions in the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee as early as tomorrow to hold a vote advancing the coalition’s long-delayed Haredi draft exemption bill to its final two readings in the Knesset.
Speaking to the ultra-Orthodox Kikar HaShabbat news site, Haredi political sources say Netanyahu is looking to postpone elections until October, while the Haredim want a September date during the High Holidays.
“What do you do when you want to buy time? You inform the Haredim right now that there is a breakthrough to secure a majority when he doesn’t have a majority. They tell [the chair] to hold discussions in the committee, and according to the attorney general, at least two or three more [committee] hearings are needed” before the final readings, a Degel HaTorah source tells the site.
An Agudat Yisrael source appears to agree, telling Kikar HaShabbat that Netanyahu and his allies “are lying to the Ultra-Orthodox.”
Degel HaTorah and Agudat Yisrael together comprise the larger United Torah Judaism party.
In a statement released in the wake of the reports, Degel HaTorah spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lando’s office states that last night he instructed lawmakers “not to get drawn into political games and to support the dissolution of the Knesset this coming Wednesday.”
According to Kikar Hashabbat, Shas chairman Aryeh Deri told his party’s lawmakers over the weekend that “the coalition failed to deliver our most basic and crucial law” and “we have no choice but to bring about the dissolution of the Knesset and new elections as soon as possible.”
The draft exemption bill has run into significant opposition from top military officials, the Attorney General’s Office and even coalition lawmakers.
Last week, the seven-strong ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party said it would seek to dissolve the Knesset and trigger early elections after Netanyahu told them that there was not enough parliamentary support to pass the controversial legislation before the election.
In response, Netanyahu reportedly sought to dissuade the Haredi parties from backing a September election date, and is said to have proposed an amendment to the law to allow work on the bill to continue in the next Knesset, an idea rejected by the Haredim.
ICC issues 5 new arrest warrants against Israeli officials – report
A general view of the exterior of the International Criminal Court is seen in The Hague, Netherlands, March 12, 2025. (Omar Havana/AP)
The International Criminal Court in The Hague has issued five new arrest warrants against Israeli individuals, three are against politicians and two against military officials, Haaretz reports.
It is unclear when the arrest warrants were issued. The ICC has often issued its arrest warrants secretly and only subsequently made them public.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry and the State Attorney’s Office do not respond immediately to requests for comment.
Arrest warrants were issued against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in November 2024, after ICC prosecutor Karim Khan filed a public request for the warrants in May 2024.
Khan alleged at the time that the two leaders were responsible for the commission of war crimes and crimes against humanity due to Israel’s actions during the war in Gaza following the October 7, 2023, Hamas invasion and atrocities.
The court had also initially issued warrants for several top Hamas officials, but dropped them after they were killed by Israel during the war. The Haaretz report does not mention any further warrants for leaders from the terror group.
Palestinian reportedly killed in IDF strike in Gaza Strip
Media outlets in Gaza affiliated with Hamas report that a Palestinian was killed and four others were wounded in a strike in central Khan Younis.
There is no immediate comment from the Israel Defense Forces.
شهداء ومصابون في غارة جوية إسرائيلية وسط مدينة خان يونس جنوبي قطاع غزة. pic.twitter.com/PVZLjJv8su
— وكالة سند للأنباء – Snd News Agency (@Snd_pal) May 17, 2026
Opposition MKs walk out of Knesset panel as Rothman tries to rush bill to split AG’s role
MK Simcha Rothman leads a Constitution, Law and Justice Committee meeting, January 5, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)
Opposition lawmakers walk out of a heated Constitution Committee session in protest after chair Religious Zionism MK Simcha Rothman orders Yesh Atid MK Yoav Segalovitz removed during deliberations on a controversial bill to split the role of the attorney general, as the coalition races to advance the legislation ahead of the Knesset’s possible dissolution in the coming weeks.
The legislation, which has only passed a preliminary reading, would split the attorney general’s role into three separate positions, effectively depriving the position of all authority and independence, in a move critics say is intended to weaken the office’s authority and independence and remove a major check on government power, including during upcoming elections.
Multiple opposition MKs object during the meeting to advancing such a major constitutional change while the Knesset appears headed toward dissolution, following bills submitted by both the coalition and opposition last week.
Segalovitz asks the committee’s legal advisor for “a written legal opinion on whether the legislation can continue advancing through second and third readings during dissolution proceedings.”
After Segalovitz continues pressing the issue, Rothman, who opened the meeting by declaring that “this week we will vote on [the bill] in its first reading, God willing,” silences the lawmaker and orders him removed from the room, prompting shouting and a walkout by opposition committee members in protest.
Yesh Atid MK Karin Elharrar calls the committee’s discussions “a fundamentally flawed process to pass amendments to a Basic Law within minutes, without allowing for a genuine professional discussion.”
“The goal is clear: to do everything possible so that the process is ultimately struck down, in order to continue the campaign and blame the court,” she says.
Opposition lawmakers accuse the coalition of intentionally rushing through the legislative process to advance legally vulnerable legislation so that any future intervention by the High Court of Justice can later be used to fuel political attacks on the judiciary during election campaigns.
ועדת חוקה חזרה לשגרה – חברי האופוזיציה יצאו במחאה מהדיון לאחר שיו״ר הוועדה שמחה רוטמן ביקש להוציא את ח״כ יואב סגלוביץ׳ בטענה שאין לו רשות דיבור. pic.twitter.com/RbEitU2u8s
— efrat avivi | אפרת אביבי (@avivi_efrat) May 17, 2026
Defense source on Lebanon: ‘Military action is not enough, political breakthrough is required’
An unnamed security source tells the Kan public broadcaster that there is no military solution to the Hezbollah threat and that a political breakthrough is necessary.
“Even if we occupy all of southern Lebanon, as some are suggesting, these steps will not be able to destroy the last explosive drone or Hezbollah’s last rocket,” the source says.
The source tells the outlet that while the defense establishment is taking measures against the explosive drones used by the terror group, it is “not a solution.”
“Military action is not enough. A political breakthrough is required, alongside the maintenance of prolonged military deterrence in order to try and change the situation,” the source says.
Settlers attack at least 5 Palestinians in Bethlehem area — reports
At least five Palestinians were attacked by settlers near the villages of Marah Rabah and Beit Fajjar in the Bethlehem area of the southern West Bank earlier this morning, Palestinian media outlets report.
Footage shows a Palestinian man with a head injury inside an ambulance.
According to Wafa, the Palestinian Authority’s official news service, the settlers entered Marah Rabah and began damaging property and beating residents.
The report says the settlers stole a number of cellphones and damaged others.
There is no comment from law enforcement.
إصابات فجر اليوم إثر اعتداء مستوطنين على مواطنين قرب مراح رباح وبيت فجار جنوب بيت لحم. pic.twitter.com/ZzJoVb9go2
— وكالة سند للأنباء – Snd News Agency (@Snd_pal) May 17, 2026
Yuval Wilner named as suspect in two highly publicized rape cases
Yuval Wilner, a 38-year-old musician from Tel Aviv suspected of raping Shaylee Atary and Naama Shachar, whose name was cleared for publication on May 17, 2026. (Screenshot/Youtube)
The musician Yuval Wilner is named as the suspect in two highly publicized rape cases after the Tel Aviv District Court clears his name for publication.
The 38-year-old Tel Avivian is accused of raping Shaylee Atary, a filmmaker, singer, and survivor of the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, in 2011, and Naama Shahar in October 2022.
Wilner, who is married, resides overseas but returned to Israel for questioning in the case earlier in May. He was arrested upon arrival over the suspicions, then transferred to house arrest.
Wilner was released from house arrest this morning, though the court has decided to delay his departure from Israel for 30 days, Hebrew outlets report.
Hila Neubach, head of legal affairs at the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel, tells Channel 12 that Wilner’s name is released after a “long and torturous legal journey.”
“No victim should have to struggle for months in the legal system while the suspect plays games with her and in the courts and presents false impressions as if his life is in danger, all while he is already interviewing with media outlets and trying to paint himself as a victim in the story,” she says.
IDF says apparent drone attack in north ‘concluded’ with no injuries
An apparent Hezbollah drone triggered sirens in the Lebanon border communities of Manara and Margaliot.
The military says “the incident has concluded,” with no injuries caused.
Sirens in north warn of suspected Hezbollah drone attack from Lebanon
Sirens sound in a number of communities in northern Israel, warning of a suspected Hezbollah drone attack from Lebanon.
The Israel Defense Forces says it is looking into the incident.
Suspect in highly publicized rape cases released from house arrest ahead of publication of his name
From L to R: Shaylee Atary arrives at a court hearing in Tel Aviv, May 6, 2026; Naama Shahar arrives for an interrogation of the man she recently accused of raping her, at a police station in Tel Aviv, May 6, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
The suspect in two highly publicized rape cases, whose name is set to be released today after a long battle by victims and women’s groups, is released from house arrest.
Police have requested he remain in Israel for the next 30 days.
The suspect, whose name has been barred by courts from publication, allegedly raped Shaylee Atary, a filmmaker, singer, and survivor of the October 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, in 2011, and Naama Shahar in October 2022.
Atary launched a legal battle last year for the lifting of the gag order that was imposed on the name of the suspect when she filed a complaint against him in 2022. The gag was imposed over concerns he could be at risk of suicide or self-harm.
The suspect arrived in Israel earlier this month from overseas and was arrested over the suspicions.
USS Ford finally returns home after 11-month deployment for Iran war, Maduro’s capture
Sailors make their way to their loved ones after disembarking from the USS Gerald R. Ford at Naval Station Norfolk in Norfolk, Virginia May 16, 2026, following an 11 month deployment. (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world largest aircraft carrier, returns home to Virginia after an 11-month deployment, the longest since the Vietnam War, that saw it support the US war with Iran and the capture of Nicolás Maduro when he was Venezuela’s president.
The most advanced US warship and two accompanying destroyers docked at Naval Station Norfolk with about 5,000 sailors waiting to see their families for the first time since June. Besides combat operations and traversing continents, the sailors aboard the carrier faced a noncombat-related fire that left hundreds without places to sleep and forced lengthy repairs on the Greek island of Crete.
In recognition of their service during the Iran war, the Ford and the accompanying ships were awarded the prestigious Presidential Unit Citation, lauded for “outstanding performance in action” against “a determined enemy.” It’s the highest award a unit can receive and one typically reserved for significant achievement in combat.
The Ford’s 326 days at sea are the most for an aircraft carrier in the past 50 years and broke the record for the longest post-Vietnam War deployment, according to US Naval Institute News, a news outlet run by the US Naval Institute, a nonprofit organization. The only longer deployments were the 1973 deployment of USS Midway at 332 days and the 1965 deployment of USS Coral Sea at 329 days.
When the Ford first left Virginia’s coast in June, it headed to the Mediterranean Sea. It was then rerouted to the Caribbean Sea in October as part of the largest naval buildup in the region in generations.
The carrier took part in the military operation in January to capture Maduro. Then it would see more battle, heading toward the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalated. The Ford participated in the opening days of the Iran war from the Mediterranean Sea before going through the Suez Canal and heading into the Red Sea in early March.
Technically, the crew of the USS Nimitz was on duty and away from home for a total of 341 days in 2020 and 2021. However, that included extended isolation periods ashore in the US meant to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Settlers set fire to vehicle, spray graffiti in Palestinian West Bank village – reports
Palestinian media outlets report that settlers set fire to a vehicle in the village of Beit Ummar, near Hebron in the southern West Bank, overnight.
Footage from the scene shows graffiti reading “revenge” in Hebrew, alongside a Star of David.
No injuries were reported in the arson.
It comes amid a spate of near-daily settler attacks on Palestinians.
مصادر صحفية| مستوطنون يحرقون مركبة فلسطينية ويكون شعارات عنصرية على الجدران في منطقة صافا ببلدة بيت أمر شمال الخليل. pic.twitter.com/Z1bhNM07UR
— الجرمق الإخباري (@aljarmaqnet) May 17, 2026
6 environmental campaigners arrested on suspicion of flying Palestinian flag from Eiffel Tower
French authorities have arrested six people suspected of flying a Palestinian flag from the Eiffel Tower without permission, a police source says.
Climate activist group Extinction Rebellion France claims responsibility for draping the large flag from the tower’s first floor on Friday afternoon.
A representative says it was sending a “message of support” to Palestinians, accusing Israel of carrying out “massacres” in Gaza, as well as “ecocide crimes” including uprooting olive trees on Palestinian land.
The stunt was to coincide with Nakba Day, commemorating the 1948 displacement of Palestinians during the creation of Israel.
The flags of both Israel and Palestine, as well as peace images of a dove and olive branch, were in September projected onto the Eiffel Tower, ahead of France recognizing the Palestinian state.
In October 2023, after Palestinian terror group Hamas carried out deadly attacks on Israel that triggered the Gaza war, the tower was lit up with the Israeli flag.
#WATCH: Activists hang a Palestinian flag on the Eiffel Tower in Paris, with police arresting six people for the stunt #France #Palestine https://t.co/PkZakFYunQ pic.twitter.com/tXq0tBDl4h
— Arab News (@arabnews) May 16, 2026
IDF says Hezbollah fired rockets, explosive drones at troops in southern Lebanon; no injuries
Hezbollah fired several rockets and explosive drones at troops in southern Lebanon overnight and this morning, the military says.
The projectiles struck near the forces but did not cause any injuries, the military says.
One drone triggered sirens in the border community of Misgav Am.
WHO declares international health emergency over rare Ebola strain
The World Health Organization declares an international health emergency over a rare strain of Ebola that has killed dozens in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but stops short of calling the outbreak a pandemic.
“WHO…is hereby determining that the Ebola disease caused by Bundibugyo virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), but does not meet the criteria of pandemic emergency,” the Geneva-based global health body says in a statement.
Israel’s Noam Bettan finishes second to Bulgaria in Eurovision Song Contest
The final result of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, early on May 17, 2026, with Bulgaria the winner and Israel in second place. (Eurovision world)
Israel’s Noam Bettan finishes in second place at the Eurovision Song Contest grand final in Vienna, Austria, as Bulgaria’s Dara takes the overall top prize.
The nail-biting finish came down to Bulgaria edging out Israel at the end of the public vote.
Israel ultimately took home 343 points overall — 123 from the juries and 220 with the public — while Bulgaria, whose dance hit “Bangaranga” was a crowd favorite — got 204 from the juries and 312 from the public, cementing its first place win with a whopping 516 in total.
Those figures left Israel third overall in the popular vote and eighth in the jury vote, but with enough combined support to propel it to second overall.
Bettan performed his song “Michelle” in French, Hebrew and English along with five backup dancers as millions around the world tuned in. Unlike during Tuesday’s semi-final, no anti-Israel chanting or boos could be heard on the live broadcast. A number of fans could be heard chanting “Noam, Noam” just as the song began.
Israel’s jury gave its top points to Australia, followed by 10 to Denmark, eight to Bulgaria and seven to Finland.
Israel received 12 jury points — the highest possible — from Poland, as well as 10 from Ukraine and Moldova, and eight from Albania, Austria and Lithuania.
This is the second year running that Israel has finished in second place, after Yuval Raphael came in the same spot last year with “New Day Will Rise,” after she topped the televote.
IDF says it intercepted rockets launched by Hezbollah at troops in southern Lebanon
Several rockets launched by Hezbollah at troops stationed in southern Lebanon were intercepted a short while ago, the military says.
No injuries were caused, the IDF adds.
Hezbollah claims to have launched drone swarm at IDF base in north
Hezbollah claims to have struck a military target in northern Israel, with a statement from the Iran-backed terrorist group saying its fighters targeted “the Ya’ara barracks… with a swarm of attack drones.”
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