Archive for month: October, 2026

News Update

With nearly 80% of the votes counted, here are the election results (which could still change, albeit slightly):

Likud (Netanyahu) – 27

Yashar  (Eisenkot) – 22

Beyachad (Bennett) – 12

Joint List (Arab) – 11

The Democrats – 8

United Torah Judaism – 7

Shas – 7

Yisrael Beiteinu – 7

Otzma Yehudit (Ben Gvir) – 7

Religious Zionism (Smotrich) – 6

Ra’am (Arab) – 6

At this point, the Netanyahu block would appear to control 54 seats, and the opposition 49.

The ballots of the soldiers and other special voters have not yet been counted, but there are 600,000 of them, which could have a material effect on the breakdown of seats. These ballots have traditionally been overwhelmingly skewed to the Right and could potentially boost Netanyahu’s block enough to cross the 61 seat threshold required to form a government.

In the event that a government cannot be formed, the current government will continue until new elections are held in a few months. Of course, a unity government between the 3 largest parties would be an ideal outcome, but the opposition parties have refused to sit in a Netanyahu led government, and it’s highly unlikely (impossible?) that Netanyahu will give up the premiership.

So now we wait until all the votes have been counted.

News Update

Five people were wounded, included 2 critically, when 2 Hamas affiliated terrorists opened fire on soldiers and civilians near Yehuda Junction, southeast of Hebron. The terrorists were both 27, from Hebron, and married with children. A large quantity of explosives and ammunition was found in the terrorists’ vehicle. Soldiers from the Ari Battalion (775) of the IDF Home Front Command’s Search and Rescue Brigade arrived at the scene and engaged the terrorists. The deputy battalion commander and a company commander killed the terrorists. Prime Minister Netanyahu ordered entire Hebron area has been cordoned off and the IDF is conducting searches for additional terrorists. It is believed that the 2 terrorists were planning to continue deeper into Israel for a larger scale attack.

In an interview with TIME magazine, National Security Minister Ben Gvir said, “If Israel wants to continue to live and not be destroyed, we have to capture all of Gaza. We have to promote voluntary emigration. Gaza could be a Riviera. It’s a beautiful place. But we can’t have one Hamas member there.” He said, “Gaza was always ours. Israel is a tiny country. We have to be wider, broader.” Asked whether removing Palestinians from Gaza would deepen Israel’s international isolation, Ben-Gvir replied, “I think that the stronger we are, we won’t be isolated. Israel is isolated when it’s weak. If we help the population leave Gaza, we can be very strong.” He added that wants Netanyahu to be Prime Minister over the other candidates. For more, click here.

Earlier this week, Netanyahu accused Russia of operating networks of bots targeting Israel and said he had raised the issue directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Yesterday, Russia’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying, “We were shocked by these unfounded accusations against our country, publicly voiced by the prime minister of Israel.” It called them “particularly absurd.”

News Update

President Trump has endorsed Prime Minister Netanyahu ahead of next week’s election:

“To the Great People of Israel:

Bibi Netanyahu has been a Great Warrior Prime Minister, and an even greater Partner for Peace in combatting the Islamic Republic of Iran, with its 51 year old chant, “Death to Israel, Death to America! We will destroy the Little Satan and the Big Satan.” What Country can survive when things such as this are allowed to be said, because eventually, they always end up being true? It would have been only a question of time until Iran would have put that ominous phrase into effect, but they have been systematically destroyed, both Militarily and Financially, and unless they change their ways, rapidly, we will soon finish the job. If Israel has the wrong Leader, which would be anyone other than Bibi, America will have to do this work ourselves, and I am not inclined to do so. Bibi Netanyahu has been Strong, Brave, and Brilliant in the face of tremendous opposition, including that coming from even Israel, itself. Despite all of that, he has endured and, in fact, he has thrived! I have watched Bibi under the most trying of times. Normal men or women in such situations would have wilted under the pressure — But Bibi did not wilt, he actually got stronger, and maintains that same Strength today. This is the kind of Partner that the United States of America is demanding of Israel, a Country for which it has done so much. Please let this Letter serve to represent my Complete and Total Endorsement of Bibi Netanyahu in his upcoming Race for Re-Election as Prime Minister of Israel. BIBI NETANYAHU WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN! Thank you for your attention to this matter.”

Netanyahu responded with profuse praise and thanks.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir has placed the IDF on its highest alert level and suspended all leaves beginning Thursday, in preparation for the election. The IDF also has decided to increase the presence of senior commanders in operations centers, headquarters and units to ensure operational readiness and effectiveness. Reinforcements have also been deployed to Judea and Samaria.

The IDF announced that it killed three Hamas terrorists, including a cell commander and a member of the group’s engineering battalion, in a series of airstrikes across the Gaza Strip on Saturday. The 3 were involved in preparing attacks against Israeli troops and civilians and efforts to rebuild Hamas’ military capabilities in violation of the ceasefire.

The Israel police arrested eight Jewish suspects in Judea and Samaria early today as part of a new operation launched following violent attacks on American photojournalist Heidi Levine and European diplomats over the weekend. On Friday, dozens of masked Jewish attackers descended on Palestinian olive harvesters near the village of Abu Falah, in the Ramallah area, injuring two people, including veteran photojournalist Heidi Levine, who was covering the harvest for The Washington Post. On Saturday, Jewish extremists attacked diplomats from France, Belgium and Poland, along with Israeli activists, who were visiting an olive harvest near the Palestinian village of Taybeh, widely considered the West Bank’s last entirely Christian village. The incidents drew condemnations, including from senior officials in the U.S. administration.

Elbit Systems (TASE: ESLT; Nasdaq: ESLT) announced today that it had secured a $235 million contract to supply EXTRA-MR (Medium Range) rockets and PULS rocket artillery systems to a European client, under a government-to-government agreement between the Israeli Ministry of Defense and the client nation’s Ministry of Defense. The country is reportedly Azerbaijan. For more, click here.

News Update

IDF forces killed Muhammad Muhsen Nimr Yazj, a Hamas commander in the Shati Battalion, in an airstrike in Gaza City earlier this week. He who was involved in holding Emily Damari, Romi Gonen and Matan Angrest captive. Another Hamas terrorist was eliminated in a different airstrike this week too. According to the IDF, both terrorists had recently been advancing terrorist plots against Israeli forces and civilians and were involved in efforts to rebuild Hamas’ capabilities.

Capt. Eliav Haim Tzapalamus, a combat engineering officer in the IDF’s 603rd Battalion, was killed Thursday when a Humvee overturned during operational activity in southern Lebanon. Three other IDF soldiers were lightly wounded in the incident.

Three years after the outbreak of the war, the IDF is launching a formal process to review and award military commendations and decorations to officers and soldiers for acts of heroism during the defensive battles in Gaza border communities on October 7, 2023, and in the days that followed. The IDF also will address acts of heroism by civilians during the October 7 battles. The IDF repeatedly said it could not move forward until its in-depth operational investigations into the October 7 battles had been completed. The process also was delayed by the ground campaign in Lebanon and the fighting against Iran.

President Isaac Herzog presented civilian bravery awards to six Israelis who subdued the terrorist and prevented disaster on the FlyDubai flight last week. The awards were presented at the President’s Residence in Jerusalem to Tali Manes, Zvika Manes, Yaniv Hayun, Asaf Rajuan, Or Pardilov and Dr. Shota Musaiev.

The Palestinian Authority has informed France that elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council will be postponed by several months, due to “fundamental obstacles affecting their inclusiveness, freedom of participation and the integrity of the electoral process.” The elections had been scheduled for November 28 following a pledge Abbas made to French President Emmanuel Macron, which played a significant role in Macron’s decision to recognize a Palestinian state.