The rejection spurred blistering expressions of anger by U.S. officials.

By Ron Kampeas, JTA

Israel has rejected a Gaza peace plan advanced with much fanfare by President Donald Trump, saying it did not adequately address disarmament by Hamas.

“There will be no Israeli withdrawal,” an unnamed “diplomatic official” said in a statement issued in Hebrew to Israeli reporters.

The rejection has spurred blistering expressions of anger by unnamed U.S. officials in comments to reporters and has thrown into public view an area of dispute between the two longtime allies.

The statement came in the hours after Trump posted what might have sounded like a dramatic breakthrough to his Truth Social account on Thursday evening. The U.S.-convened Board of Peace had announced a “HISTORIC” agreement that would lead to the “COMPLETE DISARMAMENT” of Hamas, Trump wrote in a statement that the White House shared.

“CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL ON THIS AMAZING DEVELOPMENT, THAT EVERYBODY SAID COULD NEVER BE ACHIEVED!” Trump said.

Referring to the Hamas attack on Israel that initiated the Gaza war, he added, “The threat that emerged from Gaza on October 7 will NOT be allowed to rebuild!”

The Board of Peace had announced a deal several hours ahead of Trump, saying, “For the first time, Hamas officially has committed to an actionable plan for relinquishing all its weapons, which will be followed by Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.”

Hamas officials have said they had accepted the plan in principle but were waiting for Israel to sign on. Ghazi Hamad, a senior official, told Reuters on Friday that Israel must accept the plan before Hamas would disarm, while a different leader associated with the group tweeted that the “ball is now in the enemy’s court” while also acknowledging that Hamas had accepted the proposal despite misgivings.

“Certainly, it is not what our people aspire to after their epic battle on the path to liberation,” tweeted Basem Naim, a former health minister who now lives in Turkey.

The Israeli rejection said the plan did not “adequately address” Israel’s demands that Hamas must be divested of its weapons, and that the weapons must be removed from Gaza and that the Gaza Strip must be demilitarized. It did not mention Trump or the Board of Peace, the entity Trump established last year in part to supplant the United Nations, a body he does not trust.

“There will be no Israeli withdrawal from the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip until Hamas is disarmed and the strip is demilitarized,” the statement said. The Yellow Line demarcates the areas Hamas and Israel control in Gaza; Israel still controls just over half of the strip.

The statement said these messages were conveyed to “envoy Tony Blair,” an executive member of the Board of Peace, without naming him as such. Other executive members include Trump intimates, among them, Secretary of State Marco Rubio;; Middle East peace envoy Steve Witkoff; Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles; and Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

The Israeli statement also did not mention Nickolay Mladenov, the board’s High Representative for Gaza, who first posted the news about the ostensible agreement, which Hamas has yet to confirm.

“Implementation and verification have to be real,” Mladenov said. “Withdrawal must move in lockstep with decommissioning.”

U.S. officials bristled at the Israeli statement. “We’re not asking Israel to do anything that isn’t in the 20-point plan that they agreed to initially, and so we’re very confident they will adhere to it,” an official told the Times of Israel, referring to the agreement that brought about the release of Israeli hostages a year ago. “If they don’t, President Trump would be very, very disappointed.”

The ceasefire that ended the hostage crisis did not last, and Hamas and Israel have been fighting in Gaza since, although with fewer casualties than characterized the first two years of the war.

Axios quoted an official who was blunter: “He’s f–king got to stand by his commitments,” the official said of Netanyahu.

Netanyahu, facing elections in October, is under pressure from the Israeli right not to relinquish Gaza. His coalition last year absented itself from the Knesset when the opposition brought up Trump’s 20-point plan for a vote of approval. Netanyahu last year accepted the plan in an appearance with Trump, but he has not sought its ratification.

Axios also reported that Trump and Netanyahu spoke about Gaza in their meeting this week, when Netanyahu met with Trump to discuss next steps in the war Israel and the United States launched against Iran in February.

The Israeli statement pointedly said — in its first paragraph — that did not happen.

“The topic of Gaza did not come up at all between Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump,” it said.

In his statement, Trump also singled out Turkey and Qatar for helping to broker the deal. Israel reviles both countries as enabling Hamas, and their presence on the Board of Peace initially delayed Israel’s own entrance.

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By JNS

Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv, will join forces with OpenAI to become a fully AI-powered hospital, the hospital announced on Tuesday.

The move will permit physicians, nurses, researchers, and staff to gain secure access to an advanced AI-powered platform that synthesizes the latest medical evidence to support faster, better-informed clinical decisions, the statement read.

As the San Francisco-based OpenAI’s first international hospital partner, Sheba will also provide feedback, research, and real-world clinical insights to OpenAI, informing the continued development of AI technologies for healthcare organizations worldwide.

Clinicians, for example, will be able to access millions of peer-reviewed research papers, clinical guidelines, and public health sources, with each response including citations, journal references, and publication dates, enabling clinicians to verify the evidence underpinning each recommendation, Sheba Medical Center said.

Beyond clinical use, the platform will support administrative and operational workflows, helping automate routine tasks, reduce documentation burdens, and improve efficiency across the organization.

“We are not just implementing AI in medicine but building a fully AI-powered hospital, and providing secure access to the world’s most advanced AI is a decisive step in that transformation,” said Professor Eyal Zimlichman, chief innovation and AI officer at Sheba Medical Center and founder and director of ARC, Sheba’s global healthcare transformation engine.

“Physicians, nurses, and researchers at Sheba will now have a powerful clinical reasoning tool at their fingertips, one that surfaces the best available evidence in seconds, reduces administrative burden and burnout, and frees clinicians to focus on what matters most: their patients,” he added, according to the statement.

The center further emphasized that the collaboration with OpenAI has been designed with “rigorous security and governance safeguards.”

OpenAI’s models will not be trained on Sheba’s data, while patient information will remain protected, leaving all medical decisions to the sole responsibility of Sheba’s healthcare professionals.

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Ambulance driver recruited by Iran spied on President Herzog and Finance Minister Smotrich, authorities say.

By World Israel News Staff

An Arab Israeli ambulance driver has been indicted on allegations that he exploited his access to hospitals to collect intelligence for Iran, including information about emergency preparations and photographs taken during a visit by President Isaac Herzog and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.

Amir Hisham Mohammed Titi, 34, of the Arab town of Bi’ina in the Galilee, was charged Thursday in the Haifa District Court following a joint investigation by the Shin Bet and the Israel Police Northern District’s central investigative unit.

Titi was arrested on June 29 by undercover Border Police officers, according to a joint statement from the security agencies.

Investigators allege that Titi used his work as an ambulance driver, which gave him access to medical centers across the country, to photograph hospitals and provide an Iranian handler with information about their operations during both routine conditions and national emergencies.

The allegations are particularly sensitive because Israeli hospitals have moved patients, equipment and essential departments into protected areas during periods of missile and drone attacks. Details about which services remain above ground, where emergency facilities are located and how hospitals operate during wartime could potentially be useful to an enemy seeking to disrupt medical care.

During a visit by Herzog and Smotrich to the Galilee Medical Center in Nahariya, Titi allegedly contacted his handler on his own initiative and alerted the Iranian operative that the two senior officials were at the hospital.

Prosecutors say he photographed Herzog and members of the president’s entourage and sent the image to the Iranian handler.

The indictment alleges that Titi’s assignments extended beyond hospitals.

He was reportedly instructed to travel to Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, where he filmed the area while carrying a sign displaying photographs of hostages. The alleged use of the sign may have allowed him to appear to be participating in the demonstration while documenting the location for his handler.

Titi was also allegedly sent to film a protest near the Horev Center in Haifa.

In another mission, he traveled to Amikam, a moshav in northern Israel where former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant lives. Prosecutors say Titi photographed homes, streets and a local clinic, although authorities have not alleged that he located or reached Gallant’s residence.

The assignments followed a pattern identified in numerous alleged Iranian recruitment cases uncovered by Israeli authorities. Suspected handlers have frequently approached Israelis through social-media platforms or messaging applications and initially requested apparently low-level tasks, such as photographing public places, hanging signs or documenting demonstrations.

Authorities say the requests can gradually develop into the collection of intelligence on military facilities, infrastructure, security personnel or senior officials.

Titi allegedly received tens of thousands of shekels for his work. According to the joint statement, payments were transferred through bank accounts belonging to members of his family and through a digital wallet.

The authorities did not immediately disclose how Titi first came into contact with the alleged Iranian operative, how long he was active or precisely how many hospitals he documented.

The indictment was filed by attorney Yehuda Dayan of the Haifa District Prosecutor’s Office.

“This is serious activity by an Israeli citizen who assisted the enemy during wartime,” the Shin Bet and police said.

The agencies said they viewed attempts by Israeli citizens to cooperate with hostile intelligence services with the utmost severity, particularly when the activity could endanger the public or expose information about critical infrastructure and emergency capabilities.

They also urged Israelis to be cautious when approached online by unknown individuals offering payment for photographs, deliveries, surveillance or other assignments, even when the initial request appears harmless.

Titi’s indictment comes amid an extended Iranian effort to recruit people inside Israel using money and remote communications. Israeli authorities have arrested dozens of citizens and foreign residents in a succession of cases involving alleged Iranian handlers.

In one case announced earlier this week, a former member of a classified IDF unit was charged with maintaining contact with an individual who identified himself as an Iranian intelligence operative. The defendant was also allegedly asked to recruit another soldier.

Other cases have involved allegations that Israeli recruits photographed air-defense systems, military bases, ports, power facilities and the residences of public officials. Some defendants were allegedly asked to vandalize property or distribute propaganda before being offered more serious intelligence assignments.

An Iron Dome reservist was indicted in March on allegations that he gave an Iranian handler information about interception-system operations, the locations of batteries and Israeli Air Force bases in exchange for cryptocurrency.

Israeli prosecutors have also charged minors and foreign nationals in alleged Iranian recruitment schemes. A 14-year-old boy was accused earlier this year of filming a hospital and residential areas and of being asked to gather information on Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar.

Security officials say financial incentives are a central feature of the recruitment effort. Payments have commonly been made through cryptocurrency or digital wallets, allowing handlers to remain outside Israel and avoid direct meetings with recruits.

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More than 30 light-rail vehicles will operate on the line at speeds of up to 62 mph, with trains arriving every four to 10 minutes.

By JNS

A consortium of Israeli banks has signed a contract worth 9.6 billion shekels (~$3.1 billion) for the construction and operation stages of the Nofit light-rail project linking Haifa to Nazareth, Israeli financial outlet Globes reported on Tuesday.

The government company Trans Israel was selected in 2024 to advance the project, aimed to serve Israel’s northern residents in three main hubs: the Haifa region, the Krayot region and the area of Nof HaGalil and Nazareth.

The Nofit light-rail line will span approximately 41 kilometers (25.5 miles) and include 20 stations, along with transit terminals and park-and-ride facilities, according to the Trans Israel website.

More than 30 light-rail vehicles will operate on the line at speeds of up to 62 mph, with trains arriving every four to 10 minutes.

The train will be powered by electricity and use innovative, advanced green technology, with around 100,000 passengers expected to use it daily to commute to work, school, or other destinations, according to the project’s website.

Following a year’s delay in construction due to the ongoing war, a consortium of banks led by Bank Leumi has signed a financing agreement with Electra, Minrav, and Alstom, the private firms chosen by Trans Israel to design and execute the project, according to Globes.

The project is now scheduled for completion in 2029.

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Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said, “Israel has proven itself to be the best ally we’ve had since Great Britain in World War II.”

By Joshua Marks, JNS

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a series of high-level meetings in Washington on Wednesday, sitting down with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, four U.S. senators from both parties, and leaders of AIPAC and the evangelical community, as he wrapped up a visit built around Tuesday’s funeral for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

Netanyahu met Hegseth at Blair House, the president’s official guesthouse, in the highest-level meeting of the day.

“Earlier today I had the pleasure of meeting with Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu,” the Pentagon chief said.

“Members of my team, including Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby and Sean Parnell, joined me to reaffirm the strength of our defense partnership and commitment to advancing our shared security interests.”

The prime minister also met separately at Blair House with Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

Fetterman, one of the most outspoken pro-Israel Democrats in Congress, used his meeting to criticize his own party’s direction on Israel.

He pointed to New York City’s mayor, calling Zohran Mamdani “that worthless mayor in New York, you know, saying these kinds of ridiculous claims,” according to a readout of the conversation provided by the Prime Minister’s Office.

“Now I think, as far as I know, I was the only Democrat that was proud to push that trash back, and now here we are. I’m proud to stand with Israel through everything,” said Fetterman.

He voiced support for the U.S. and Israeli military campaign against the Iranian regime and its regional terror proxies, saying, “It’s always been a just war for me,” and added he was “always so sorry for what Israel and the Jewish community have suffered, especially since after Oct. 7.”

Netanyahu told Fetterman that “history will record your contribution to truth and justice.”

Cotton, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that “Israel has proven itself to be the best ally we’ve had since Great Britain in World War II.”

Netanyahu called Cotton “a great, great friend of Israel, none better.”

Sheehy told Netanyahu that “when you’re under siege, that’s when your true friends come out.” Netanyahu thanked him for his “courageous and clear championing of our alliance.”

No public remarks were released from the meeting with Cruz.

Netanyahu and his wife, Sara Netanyahu, also met with leaders of AIPAC and with leaders of the evangelical community.

Addressing the evangelical leaders, Netanyahu said, “We’re descendants of the original Hebrews of the Holy Land,” and linked rising antisemitism to what he called “anti-evangelicalism.”

He urged the group to “stand up” against attacks, saying, “It’s time to fight, fight, fight, that’s it.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu met in Washington with leaders of the Evangelical community.

The community leaders welcomed Prime Minister Netanyahu on his important visit to the U.S. and bolstered him in his struggle against the Iranian axis of… pic.twitter.com/2DOxtbp4er

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 30, 2026

Wednesday’s meetings capped Netanyahu’s Washington trip, centered on Tuesday’s funeral service for Graham, a longtime Senate ally of Israel who died on July 11.

Netanyahu also met on Tuesday with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House and with Vice President JD Vance at Blair House.

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Abbas’s refusal to answer may have broader electoral consequences in the upcoming national elections in October, as it reinforces right-wing warnings about the danger of bringing an Arab party into the government.

By David Isaac, JNS

United Arab List (Ra’am) Party Chairman Mansour Abbas on Tuesday refused to condemn Hamas as a terror organization that needs to be destroyed during an interview with Israeli radio station Kan Reshet Bet.

In an uncharacteristically emotional outburst by the party leader, Abbas refused to directly answer the question repeatedly posed to him by interviewer Esti Perez-Ben Ami:

“Can you say unequivocally, clearly, that Hamas is a terrorist organization that massacred Israeli citizens, Jews, and Arabs on Oct. 7, [2023] and needs to be eliminated?”

Abbas first launched into a tirade about how his party was constantly being required to pass purity tests.

“We condemned every act of terrorism. We condemned the crimes of Oct. 7, not only from the secular viewpoint but also from the Islamic religious viewpoint. We came out against it. … And again they want to bring us back to the tests,” he said.

He then defended his supporters, drawn from traditional, religious Muslims, particularly Bedouin in the Negev region, describing them as “normative, law-abiding citizens.”

They want to integrate into Israeli society and “aspire to achieve peace and reconciliation between the Palestinian people and the Jewish people,” he said.

Perez Ben-Ami responded: “You don’t answer me, but I’m asking you a question: Is Hamas a terror organization that needs to be destroyed?”

Abbas again dodged the question, saying that on top of putting him through additional tests, it wasn’t wise to play into the hands of the extreme right, which seeks to delegitimize his party.

He said it’s also an attempt to delegitimize The Democrats, a new party formed in 2024 through the merger of the far-left Meretz and Labor parties.

He said it was outrageous to put “any one of us to this loyalty test.”

“MK Mansour Abbas, I hear you. I also hear the emotion in your voice. But I ask you for an answer, which my listeners also want to ask. Is Hamas a terrorist organization that needs to be destroyed? What’s wrong with saying yes or no?” Perez Ben-Ami asked.

After a back-and-forth during which they spoke over each other, Abbas said, “I don’t want to give you an unequivocal answer.” He later added, “I have an unequivocal answer. I don’t want to say it.”

Abbas’s refusal to answer may have broader electoral consequences in the upcoming national elections in October, as it reinforces right-wing warnings about the danger of bringing an Arab party into the government.

Mathematically, the opposition must include at least one Arab party to form a governing coalition.

Ra’am, which is projected to win five votes according to the latest Channel 12 poll on Monday, is the most logical partner.

Indeed, it’s the only alternative as the other Arab parties, Hadash-Ta’al and Balad, refuse to be part of a Zionist governing coalition.

Ra’am has expressed readiness to become part of an Israeli government, having already participated in the Lapid-Bennett government (June 2021-Dec. 2022).

Israeli right-wing politicians jumped on Abbas’s latest comments. Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir of the Otzma Yehudit Party posted to X:

“I have a clear-cut answer on what needs to be done with all the terror supporters, the left’s partners, who are in the Knesset under the auspices of the hostile judicial system. And I’m ready to say it: Send them to Iran. Out!”

This is not the first time Abbas has made controversial statements regarding Hamas. On May 23, 2024, he described Hamas as a legitimate part of the Palestinian people.

He attempted to clarify his words the following day, telling Kan Reshet Bet, “Arab states are seeking a solution through reconciliation between the nations. Regarding Hamas, there is no room for those who do not see reconciliation as part of the solution. Those who have committed crimes must pay the price; Hamas has committed crimes.”

In 2024, a Ra’am-linked charity, Aid 48, was caught sending large sums to Hamas.

Abbas has attempted to broaden his party’s appeal. He announced in Dec. 2025 that he would split from the Shura Council, a body associated with the Muslim Brotherhood-inspired Southern Branch of the Islamic Movement, which guided the party and ultimately made its decisions.

Abbas’s move followed an announcement by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a month prior that he intended to ban the Muslim Brotherhood. His declaration followed a similar announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump.

In 2009 and 2019, the Knesset Central Elections Committee banned Ra’am from running due to its extremism, only to have its ruling reversed by the Israeli Supreme Court.

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Authorities indict Israeli man who served in classified military unit after he allegedly spied on behalf of Iran.

By World Israel News Staff

An Israeli man who served in a classified military unit during both his compulsory and reserve service has been charged with maintaining contact with an Iranian intelligence operative, Israeli security agencies said Wednesday.

The indictment was filed at the Tel Aviv District Court on July 16 by the State Attorney’s Office Cyber Department. The defendant was charged with contact with a foreign agent and attempting to provide information for the benefit of an enemy.

According to a joint statement from the Israel Police, Defense Ministry, and Shin Bet security agency, the suspect was arrested and questioned during an investigation conducted by the Arazim investigative unit, the Defense Ministry’s security department and the Shin Bet.

Investigators said the defendant communicated with a person who identified himself as an Iranian intelligence representative.

At one point, the alleged Iranian operative asked the defendant to help recruit an Israeli soldier who could also establish contact with the group, according to the statement.

Authorities did not identify the defendant, disclose the classified unit in which he served or provide details about the information he allegedly attempted to transfer.

The Shin Bet, Defense Ministry, IDF and Israel Police warned Israelis against communicating with unidentified foreign actors or individuals connected to enemy states.

Authorities said citizens should report any suspicious or unusual approaches to law-enforcement agencies, stressing that contact with such individuals can constitute a criminal offense from its outset.

“Israel’s security agencies will continue to act determinedly to identify and thwart terrorist and espionage activity and will seek the full severity of the law against everyone involved in such activity,” the joint statement said.

Israeli security officials said hostile intelligence and terrorist organizations continue trying to recruit Israelis to carry out espionage, terrorism and other activities against the state.

Recruitment attempts are frequently made through social media platforms, where operatives may conceal their identities and initially offer seemingly harmless or financially motivated assignments, the agencies said.

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More than 4,000 ultra-Orthodox men enlisted in the IDF last year, more than twice the annual recruitment level prior to the outbreak of the war.

By David Rosenberg, World Israel News

More than 4,000 ultra-Orthodox men enlisted in the IDF over the past year, including approximately 1,000 who entered combat roles, according to new military personnel figures reported by Yedioth Ahronoth on Wednesday.

The total marks a sharp increase from the approximately 2,800 ultra-Orthodox men who enlisted during the previous recruitment year and is more than double the annual number recorded before the current war.

The IDF calculates the figures according to recruitment years running from July to July rather than by calendar year. Around 1,700 ultra-Orthodox men enlisted annually before the war, rising to approximately 2,200 in the year ending in July 2024 and 2,800 in the year ending in July 2025.

The latest total is also higher than a preliminary estimate presented to lawmakers last month by Brig. Gen. Shay Tayeb, head of the IDF’s Personnel Planning and Management Division, who said enlistment was expected to reach approximately 3,500.

Military officials attributed the increase to a combination of stricter enforcement against draft evaders, the introduction of personal sanctions and the expansion of military programs designed to allow ultra-Orthodox men to serve while maintaining their religious lifestyle.

Arrests and the threat of criminal proceedings have had a particular effect on ultra-Orthodox men who are no longer studying full-time in yeshivas but have not previously enlisted, according to the report.

Speaking during a recent Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee hearing, Tayeb argued that enforcement remained necessary under the country’s compulsory military service law.

“It is not possible for enforcement not to apply to one group that is subject to the Security Service Law,” Tayeb said.

He said enforcement measures, “including arrests,” were part of the military’s ability to implement the law and had contributed to the steady increase in enlistment since the start of the war.

The Supreme Court this week issued an interim order blocking legislation that would freeze the arrest of ultra-Orthodox draft refusers while legal challenges against the law are considered.

The law was passed by the Knesset despite opposition from the IDF and the attorney general’s office, which argued that removing the possibility of arrest and criminal proceedings would weaken the state’s ability to enforce military service requirements.

Ultra-Orthodox political and religious leaders have strongly opposed the arrests. The Shas party’s Council of Torah Sages said the enlistment of full-time Torah scholars was forbidden under Jewish law and accused state authorities of conducting a campaign against the ultra-Orthodox community.

Alongside enforcement, the IDF has expanded frameworks specifically created for ultra-Orthodox recruits.

Those initiatives include the Hasmonean Brigade, the IDF’s first full ultra-Orthodox infantry brigade, as well as technical, intelligence and cyber programs such as the Kodkod track. The military has also appointed a senior adviser on ultra-Orthodox affairs and adopted a formal order intended to guarantee religious conditions for ultra-Orthodox soldiers.

The IDF said 537 soldiers joined its specialized ultra-Orthodox programs during a single recruitment cycle held in late 2025 and early 2026, including 230 combat soldiers and 307 combat-support personnel.

Addressing recruits during that intake, IDF Personnel Directorate chief Maj. Gen. Dado Bar Kalifa said the military would seek to protect their religious commitments during their service.

“The operational need requires us to fill the ranks. You are trailblazers, and many more will follow you,” Bar Kalifa said.

The reported increase nevertheless falls well short of the military’s potential ultra-Orthodox recruitment pool.

The IDF estimates that a single ultra-Orthodox age cohort contains approximately 14,000 men with the potential to serve. The latest figures also include some older recruits between the ages of 21 and 23 and represent only a small share of the approximately 70,000 ultra-Orthodox men who have received exemptions or deferments.

Only around one-quarter of the more than 4,000 recruits entered combat units, a proportion military officials would like to increase as the IDF struggles with a severe personnel shortage.

The military estimates that it currently lacks approximately 7,500 combat soldiers and a similar number of combat-support troops. More than 950 soldiers have been killed during the war and thousands of others have been wounded, increasing pressure on active-duty and reserve forces.

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The warnings were issued in recent days amid assessments that Tehran continues to seek retaliation against Israeli leadership.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Current and former Israeli ministers and senior officials have been warned by Israel’s security establishment that Iran may attempt to target them as it seeks revenge for Israel’s killing of senior Iranian leaders, prompting the Shin Bet, Israel’s Security Agency, to increase protective measures and advise officials to alter their daily routines.

The warnings were issued in recent days amid assessments that Tehran continues to seek retaliation against Israeli leadership.

Security officials delivered general alerts to senior figures, cautioning that they could become targets as part of Iran’s broader effort to avenge the elimination of its top command.

In response, the Shin Bet strengthened security arrangements for a number of Israeli public figures and instructed those receiving protection to vary their routines and adopt additional precautionary measures.

The heightened security concerns also prompted an unusual change to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s travel arrangements.

Instead of departing from Ben Gurion Airport for Washington aboard the government aircraft Wing of Zion, Netanyahu’s flight took off from Nevatim Air Base.

Israeli authorities also kept the departure time and flight route confidential.

The precautions come as the United States has also taken additional security measures in response to Iranian threats.

On July 9, The New York Times reported that the U.S. Secret Service recommended President Donald Trump use the older Air Force One aircraft rather than the newly refurbished plane donated by Qatar during travel from Turkey, citing security concerns linked to renewed fighting with Iran.

The newspaper cited officials familiar with the planning of the trip.

The Wall Street Journal later reported that the aircraft change followed Israeli intelligence warning U.S. officials of a possible plot to assassinate Trump.

Several American officials told the newspaper they did not consider the threat fully credible and expressed concern that Israel may have shared the intelligence in an effort to influence U.S. decision-making and encourage a return to full-scale war with Iran.

On July 25, The Times reported that Trump’s unexpected aircraft switch during his return flight from the NATO summit in Turkey earlier this month followed a “credible threat” from “Iranian proxy forces.”

CBS later reported that U.S. authorities identified a genuine plot to fire a missile at the presidential aircraft.

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IDF International Spokesperson Lt. Col. Ariella Mazor published a video on X commemorating the 12 victims of the Hezbollah rocket attack.

By JNS

Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Monday marked two years since the Majdal Shams tragedy, in which 12 children were killed in a Hezbollah attack, and announced the launch of a national Druze leadership initiative.

Speaking alongside Druze community leaders led by Sheikh Mowafaq Tarif, Herzog introduced the “Dorna” program, aimed at strengthening leadership within Israel’s Druze community and expanding its influence across multiple sectors.

אתמול, במלאת שנתיים לאסון במג׳דל שמס, בו איבדנו 12 ילדים במתקפה מרושעת של חזבאללה, התכנסנו במעמד מנהיגי הציבור הדרוזי, בראשות השיח׳ מואפק טריף, להשיק לראשונה את תכנית ״דורנא״ – תכנית לאומית למנהיגות ומנהיגים מהציבור הדרוזי בישראל.

החברה הדרוזית היא חלק בלתי נפרד מהחברה הישראלית,… pic.twitter.com/p7GqFIBMVk

— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) July 28, 2026

“The Druze community is an integral part of Israeli society, and its contribution to the resilience and future of the State of Israel is immense,” said Herzog.

He also thanked the initiative’s partners, including the Taib Foundation, Israel’s Negev, Galilee and National Resilience Ministry, the Forum of Druze Local Authority Heads and the Ma’ase Center.

Separately, IDF International Spokesperson Lt. Col. Ariella Mazor published a video on X commemorating the 12 victims, writing: “Today, we remember the 12 lives lost in Majdal Shams.”

Today, we remember the 12 lives lost in Majdal Shams pic.twitter.com/fZOqGnamoo

— LTC Ariella Mazor (@LTC_Ariella) July 27, 2026

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Israel’s defense minister says Washington is preventing renewed military action against Iran, despite Israeli readiness.

By World Israel News Staff

Defense Minister Israel Katz said Tuesday that Israel is prepared to renew direct military action against Iran but is currently being restrained by the Trump administration—an unusually candid assessment of the strategic differences between Jerusalem and Washington as tensions with Tehran remain high.

Speaking to Channel 14 News ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with President Donald Trump in Washington, Katz suggested that the Israeli premier would press the U.S. administration to support a return to direct military operations against the Islamic Republic.

According to Katz, Israel believes additional military action may become necessary, but “the US does not approve” of such a move at this stage.

The defense minister emphasized that Israel’s position has not changed and warned that any future Iranian attack would trigger a forceful response.

Israel has “made it very clear” that should Iran fire upon Israel, the Jewish state will retaliate “with all our might.”

Katz added that the Israel Defense Forces remain fully prepared for such a scenario.

The Israeli military is “prepared to strike Iran,” he said.

In one of the interview’s most notable remarks, Katz stated that American fighter aircraft operating from Israel are participating in strikes against Iranian targets. If accurate, the comments would amount to a significant public acknowledgment of U.S. military operations being launched from Israeli territory.

Katz argued that Tehran is aware of the American military presence in Israel but has so far refrained from responding to Israel in the same manner that it has targeted other countries hosting U.S. military assets.

The remarks come as Iran has launched missile and drone attacks against American military facilities in several countries across the region during the current escalation. Tehran has frequently justified those attacks by arguing that the host nations were facilitating U.S. military operations.

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The study called for stronger coordination between civilian hospitals, emergency services, and military authorities to improve the flow of operational information.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

A new study of a hospital in southern Israel’s response to Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack found that years of disaster training helped medical teams continue treating casualties while rockets were falling nearby, while also revealing challenges in communications, staffing, and casualty distribution that could inform hospitals preparing for future conflicts.

Hospitals around the world are increasingly preparing for the possibility of prolonged conflicts and large-scale emergencies.

The study’s findings offer practical guidance on strengthening hospital resilience, from improving communication and staffing plans to ensuring medical systems can continue operating when the crisis extends beyond the emergency department.

The study — published in the peer-reviewed Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness — analyzed the experiences of 19 staff members from the emergency department at Assuta Ashdod Medical Center, a civilian hospital in southern Israel and one of the first hospitals in the region to receive casualties on the morning of October 7.

Researchers conducted in-depth interviews with physicians, nurses, and administrators who worked that day, as well as the hospital’s head of trauma and disaster management.

Led by Maximilian Nerlander, a doctoral candidate at Linköping University in Sweden and a visiting scholar at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem’s School of Public Health, the research was conducted with Prof. Adam Rose of the Hebrew University and Dr. Debra West of Assuta.

Unlike previous mass casualty incidents—such as terrorist attacks in London, Paris, or Boston—the October 7 assault evolved over many hours while communities across southern Israel remained under attack.

Ambulances struggled to reach victims, communication systems faltered, and hospitals had little reliable information about the rapidly changing situation.

Despite those conditions, Assuta Ashdod continued operating while rockets fell nearby.

Preparedness Tested Under Fire

The researchers found that one of the hospital’s greatest advantages was extensive preparation.

Regular mass casualty drills conducted before the war meant doctors, nurses, and support staff understood their responsibilities instinctively, allowing them to focus on unexpected problems rather than basic emergency procedures.

The hospital’s reinforced emergency department, designed to protect patients and staff from rocket attacks, also enabled staff to continue treating patients without interrupting care to seek shelter.

However, the interviews also revealed challenges that could not have been fully identified through drills alone and only emerged during a prolonged wartime emergency.

Some employees received simultaneous call-up orders from both the Israel Defense Forces reserve system and the hospital.

Others hesitated to report for duty because their families were also under threat.

Administrative personnel responsible for registering patients were unable to reach the hospital, creating unexpected bottlenecks, while plans to transfer less seriously injured patients out of the emergency department proved impractical because other parts of the hospital lacked rocket protection.

Researchers identified limited situational awareness as another major challenge.

Staff frequently lacked reliable official information about events unfolding outside the hospital, forcing them to piece together fragmented reports from soldiers, paramedics, patients, and even social media in order to anticipate the next wave of casualties.

The study found that while some Israeli hospitals received casualty numbers that strained their capacity that day, Assuta Ashdod believed it had the ability to treat significantly more patients.

Preparing for Future Conflicts

Based on those findings, the researchers said hospitals should rethink disaster planning to account for prolonged armed conflicts rather than isolated mass casualty incidents.

They recommended conducting more realistic drills that simulate repeated waves of casualties, communications failures, and staffing shortages while testing logistical challenges such as moving patients through hospitals functioning during active attacks.

The study also called for stronger coordination between civilian hospitals, emergency services, and military authorities to improve the flow of operational information.

Researchers further urged health systems to develop contingency plans for staffing shortages and regional casualty management.

Recommended measures include securing transportation for healthcare workers during active conflict, cross-training personnel to perform critical administrative functions, and creating mechanisms to distribute patients among hospitals according to available capacity.

West, who led Assuta Ashdod’s emergency department response on October 7, said the experience demonstrated how modern warfare can affect every aspect of hospital operations.

“Unlike a conventional mass casualty event, a mass casualty event under fire disrupts every aspect of hospital operations, from patient flow and emergency department evacuation to staffing and the ability of personnel to work while their families are under threat,” she said.

“These experiences offer lessons beyond clinical care for hospitals preparing for disasters in which the healthcare system itself becomes part of the crisis.”

Nerlander said recent conflicts demonstrate that hospitals worldwide must prepare for prolonged warfare rather than isolated disasters.

“It is becoming increasingly evident that at some point in the future, other parts of the world will face the same type of high-intensity asymmetric warfare as Israel did on October 7,” he said.

“My hope with this study is that the tragedy of that day can be converted into knowledge that can save lives and avert suffering in the future, wherever it occurs.”

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India has been Israel’s largest defense customer for years, accounting for 34% of Israeli arms sales between 2020 and 2024, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

By Yaakov Lappin, JNS

Israel and India are deepening a defense and strategic partnership that former Israeli officials say now extends far beyond arms sales to include water technology, trade corridors, and shared efforts to shape regional strategic trends.

In June, Israeli Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram led an official delegation to India and held high-level meetings with India’s defense minister, defense secretary, chief of defense staff and other senior Ministry of Defense officials to discuss expanding bilateral defense and industrial cooperation.

Meir Ben Shabbat, Israel’s former national security adviser, who now heads the Misgav Institute for National Security, told JNS in recent days, “From Israel’s point of view, deepening relations with India has supreme strategic importance and the potential for significant impact on the state’s security and economic and political resilience.”

Describing India as a stable anchor for Israel in Asia, given its status as the world’s most populous country, Ben Shabbat listed several pillars underpinning the relationship, beginning with India’s role as Israel’s top defense customer.

“India is the largest customer of the Israeli defense industries, which finances research and development essential for the IDF,” he said.

He also pointed to intelligence sharing on Islamist terrorism and border security, as well as the diplomatic value of diversifying beyond the West.

“Strengthening ties in Asia reduces Israel’s exclusive dependence on the support of Western and European countries,” Ben Shabbat said, adding that joint production of weapons systems with India helps secure Israel’s supply of raw materials and components during emergencies.

Ben Shabbat also framed the relationship within a broader geopolitical structure, connecting Israel to a wider network of partners across Asia and the Gulf.

“The partnership between Israel, India, the United States, and the United Arab Emirates creates a powerful economic-strategic corridor connecting Asia, the Middle East, and Europe, with the potential to connect additional countries,” he said.

He also described India as an enormous market for Israeli civilian technology.

“India offers immense business potential for Israeli cyber, communications, and civilian technology companies,” Ben Shabbat said, crediting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally with advancing the relationship throughout the war.

“The friendship of Prime Minister Modi and his policy toward Israel throughout the entire war period has made a significant contribution to the tightening of relations between the countries and peoples,” he said.

Micky Aharonson, former head of the foreign relations directorate of Israel’s National Security Council in the Prime Minister’s Office and now a partner at 6H Ventures, a national security-focused investment fund, told JNS that framing the Israel-India relationship purely around weapons sales understates its scope.

“To say that we’re talking about just security issues is to dramatically diminish the relationship, and when we talk about the relationship, we need to talk not about security but about national security, which broadly means military and security matters plus what I call the ability to preserve sovereignty,” Aharonson said, defining sovereignty in terms of agriculture, water, and food security.

She noted that India faces severe climate pressures, including water shortages.

“Israel is considered a world leader in desalination, wastewater purification, and irrigation technologies,” Aharonson said, arguing that these capabilities are no less important than the military equipment discussed during the Israeli delegation’s visit in June.

Aharonson pointed to the India-Middle East-Europe Corridor (IMEC) as a central strategic project tying the relationship together.

“The idea was to connect India through the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel to Europe, in the direction of Greece—and it’s not just about a rail line; it’s also about pipelines, fiber-optic cables, and other infrastructure. It’s a critical project for the State of Israel,” she said.

Aharonson warned, however, of a rival route under discussion running from Iraq through Syria that could undercut Israel’s position, describing the initiative as a substantial strategic threat.

“The chance that it won’t happen is mainly because Syria is a state in ruins, and good luck to them dealing with all the militias, but otherwise the Turks very much want to do this, with the encouragement of American envoy Tom Barrack,” Aharonson said.

Aharonson also cited I2U2—the economic and technology framework linking Israel, India, the United Arab Emirates and the United States—as an underappreciated pillar of the relationship. The grouping was launched in October 2021 during a virtual meeting of the four countries’ foreign ministers.

“It’s not less important than weapons, and it’s even more important—food security, water, renewable and green energy, transportation, and supply chains,” she said, noting that agricultural parks have already been established in India under the framework’s water and irrigation cooperation.

On the threats driving India toward Israel, she identified China as paramount.

“They have military confrontations on the shared border in the Himalayas. India fears what is known as the ‘string of pearls’—China’s ports and bases that are slowly closing in around India, in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and Djibouti,” Aharonson said, adding that Pakistan, Islamist radicalization by groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, and the vulnerability of Indian Ocean shipping lanes are additional concerns.

During the June visit, the Defense Ministry released a statement by Baram saying, “India is a key strategic partner of the State of Israel. A bond rooted in shared values, deep cultural appreciation, and mutual trust that goes well beyond mere interests. That is what makes this partnership unique, and the joint projects we are advancing together all the more meaningful.”

Globes reported on Feb. 15, 2026, citing Forbes India, that Israel and India agreed to arms deals worth $8.6 billion in 2026, including Rafael’s SPICE 1000 precision-guided bombs, Elbit Systems’ Rampage air-to-surface missiles, Israel Aerospace Industries’ Air Lora air-launched ballistic missiles and Rafael’s Ice Breaker missile system.

Globes noted that India has been Israel’s largest defense customer for years, accounting for 34% of Israeli arms sales between 2020 and 2024, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

Total sales during that period reached roughly $20.5 billion, according to Israel’s Defense Ministry International Defense Cooperation Directorate (SIBAT).

India has also signed multiple major contracts with Israel Aerospace Industries to purchase the naval and ground-based Barak 8 air-defense systems, with a combined value of more than $3 billion.

Aharonson said India serves as a valuable complement—not a substitute—to Israel’s alliance with Washington.

“I don’t think India is a substitute, but India is a very, very significant reinforcement. It doesn’t need to be a substitute; it needs to be one of the club,” she said, arguing that Israel benefits from a broader coalition of democratic, productive partners so that if ties with one weaken, others can help offset the loss.

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Investigators determined the suspect had carried out illegal excavations in Area C of Judea and Samaria, where Israel has administrative and security jurisdiction.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Thousands of archaeological items, including coins and artifacts from the Persian (539–332 BCE), Hellenistic (332–140 BCE) and Hasmonean (140–37 BCE) periods in the Land of Israel, were recovered from a suspect accused of looting antiquities in Judea and Samaria, Israeli authorities said on Monday.

According to the Civil Administration’s Archaeology Unit, the Israeli Police, and the Israel Defense Forces, the items were seized after security forces detained the suspect, who was found carrying metal detectors, excavation tools, and archaeological finds.

He was handed over to the Archaeology Unit’s Intelligence and Investigations Department for questioning.

The Civil Administration is the military body responsible for overseeing many governmental functions in Judea and Samaria.

Investigators determined the suspect had carried out illegal excavations in Area C of Judea and Samaria, where Israel has administrative and security jurisdiction.

A raid on the suspect’s home uncovered additional artifacts, including ancient coins.

Under Israeli law, trading in antiquities without a permit, as well as transporting antiquities from Judea and Samaria into Green Line Israel without authorization, are criminal offenses.

Searching for antiquities without a license using a metal detector is punishable in Israel by up to three years in prison.

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Under the terms of the tender, the ministry will allocate up to NIS 5 million,($1.6 million) or as much as 50% of construction costs, toward building a hydrogen refueling station in one of the communities of the eastern Negev.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure announced a NIS 10 million ($3.3 million) government tender to develop hydrogen infrastructure and advance plans for a “Hydrogen Valley” in the eastern Negev, a regional hub designed to test and expand hydrogen-based energy technologies.

The tender, published by the ministry’s Fuel and Gas Administration, will support the construction of hydrogen refueling stations and subsidize the purchase of hydrogen-powered trucks.

The ministry described the initiative as the first phase of a broader plan to expand Israel’s hydrogen energy sector.

“The call for proposals constitutes another significant step in promoting the hydrogen economy in Israel and in making the vision of a hydrogen and innovation valley in the Eastern Negev a reality,” said Batsheva Abuhatsira, director of the ministry’s Fuel and Gas Administration.

Under the terms of the tender, the ministry will allocate up to NIS 5 million,($1.6 million) or as much as 50% of construction costs, toward building a hydrogen refueling station in one of the communities of the eastern Negev.

The project is being carried out under a December 2025 initiative to encourage demographic growth and sustainable economic development in the region.

An additional NIS 5 million ($1.6 million) will subsidize the purchase of hydrogen-powered trucks, with eligible buyers receiving grants of up to NIS 700,000 per truck, or up to half the vehicle’s purchase price.

The ministry said the refueling stations funded through the tender would provide an initial demand base for hydrogen fuel, helping create the conditions needed to expand Israel’s hydrogen supply chain.

Officials described the eventual Hydrogen Valley as a platform to test and demonstrate hydrogen technologies, from production and storage to transportation and industrial use, while fostering international partnerships and regional cooperation on energy innovation.

“Hydrogen Valley” refers to a regional ecosystem in which hydrogen production, storage, transportation, and use are developed together.

The initiative aims to create a demonstration site for advancing hydrogen technologies and supporting the growth of the sector.

According to Abuhatsira, the funding aims to build early momentum for the sector.

“The support for the establishment of the hydrogen refueling station and the purchase of hydrogen-powered trucks is intended to generate initial demand for infrastructure, strengthen its economic feasibility, and accelerate the development of the hydrogen value chain in Israel,” she said.

“The Fuel and Gas Administration is working to promote infrastructure and advanced fuels, with the aim of diversifying energy sources, reducing emissions, encouraging innovation, and strengthening economic growth, while positioning Israel at the forefront of global development in the field of hydrogen,” Abuhatsira added.

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According to the Antiquities Authority, the coin was minted in the ancient city of Salamis, on the eastern coast of Cyprus, around the middle of the 5th century BCE.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

A deputy director of the Ashdod Beaches Department, who typically helps bathers find jewelry and belongings lost in the sand, discovered a 2,500-year-old coin from Cyprus, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Sunday.

Avi Chaprak, deputy director of the department, was searching for lost objects on an Ashdod beach about a month ago when he came across the ancient coin.

He submitted the find to the Israel Antiquities Authority.

An examination by the Antiquities Authority’s coin department confirmed that the object was an exceptionally rare specimen never before recorded in the country.

“At first glance it looked to be made of silver, but a closer examination showed it to actually be of metal that was only plated with silver, a known phenomenon in Cypriot silver coins from this period, given the shortage of silver on the island,” said Yaniv David Levy, a researcher and curator in the Antiquities Authority’s coin department.

One side of the coin bears a left-facing recumbent ram, while the other shows a left-facing ram’s head set within a sunken square frame, accompanied by a vertical laurel branch and three symbols believed to belong to the Cypriot syllabic script.

According to the Antiquities Authority, the coin was minted in the ancient city of Salamis, on the eastern coast of Cyprus, around the middle of the 5th century BCE, during the period when the Persian empire controlled the island.

Weighing roughly 11 grams (0.39 oz.), it is a standard denomination known as a siglos.

“Coins of this size and value from the Persian period are rare altogether in the archaeological record,” Levy said.

“Usually, silver coins of this size were not preserved intact. Over time, they were cut into small pieces, for use as local trade currency. Furthermore, evidence of such use is known mainly from inland sites in Israel. Therefore, the discovery of a complete coin from the coastal area is thus unusual on all accounts, and of special historical importance.”

Dr. Evangeline Markou, a senior researcher at the Institute of Historical Research at the National Hellenic Research Foundation in Athens and an expert on ancient Cypriot coinage, said Salamis coins from the 5th century BCE circulated widely across the Eastern Mediterranean, but pieces with a clear findspot are far less common.

“Salamis coins from the 5th century BCE were circulating throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. However, finds with an exact provenance are rarer, and therefore this coin potentially offers significant information about trade ties and movement between Cyprus and the Land of Israel during this period,” Markou explained.

Levy said the way the coin was reported strengthens its scholarly value.

“The circumstances of the discovery and the accurate reporting allow us researchers not only to identify the coin itself, but also to use it as a reliable source of information about economic and maritime ties that existed in this region some 2,500 years ago,” he said.

Israeli Heritage Minister Rabbi Amihai Eliyahu praised the find and Chaprak’s decision to report it.

“The rare coin discovered on the Ashdod coast is tangible evidence of the maritime and commercial ties that existed between the Land of Israel and Cyprus some 2,500 years ago,” Eliyahu said.

“The public’s cooperation in reporting on antiquities makes it possible to preserve the heritage assets that belong to all of us.”

Said Chaprak, “I am happy that I was privileged to be part of a discovery of historical value. If through this act I contributed another small piece toward the research and history of the Land of Israel, then that is a great honor for me.”

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