Israel News for 8-28-2026
News Update
Israel and Greece are set to sign a deal next week for Greece to purchase advanced Israeli systems, including Spyder, Barak MX and David’s Sling, which would be integrated into the country’s existing defense systems. The project is called “Achilles’ Shield,” with an estimated cost of about 3.1 billion euros. The expected signing on Monday marks another significant stage in the defense relationship between Israel and Greece.
Finance Minister Smotrich is promising that his Religious Zionist party would demand control, in the next government, of the Planning Administration and the Israel Land Authority, the state bodies that play central roles in planning, development and management of most of Israel’s land, and then implement a plan to dramatically expand Jewish settlement in the Negev and Galilee by 1 million people through the establishment of 40 new communities, dozens of agricultural farms, major expansions of existing towns and hundreds of thousands of new housing units. A major section of Smotrich’s program also focuses on crime, illegal weapons and state authority in Arab communities. Israeli Arab politicians condemned the plan. [But what’s wrong with strengthening Jewish communities in the Galilee and Negev?]
Prime Minister Netanyahu would like Smotrich and Ben Gvir to unite their parties in the upcoming election like they did in the last election. Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party quickly responded to the invitation, stating, “The Otzma Yehudit party and the Religious Zionist Party will not run together in the upcoming Knesset elections. This decision is final and absolute and will not change under any circumstances.There will be no negotiations, meetings, or discussions on the matter, either directly or indirectly.”
The UK government under new prime minister Andy Burnham is preparing a comprehensive package of sanctions on trade with Israeli settlements in Judea and Samaria. Such measures have already been taken by Spain and the Netherlands, and are being considered by other European countries. The Netherlands adopted a particularly strict law not only banning imports of goods from Israeli settlements but also forbidding their sale and purchase, making that an offence that could result in a prison sentence of up to six years. The Dutch law will come into effect on September 22. Meanwhile, Israel’s minister of foreign affairs, Gideon Sa’ar, has ordered that the expulsion of representatives of the Netherlands from the International Support Center for Gaza in Kiryat Gat.
