Israel-Palestinian Conflict

Two new polls by Israel’s Channel 12 and Channel 13, respectively, show that the centrist National Unity alliance led by former Israeli Defence Minister Benny Gantz would easily defeat the current far-right governing coalition in a new election, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports. The polls were taken amid massive nationwide protests over the government’s plans for judicial reform, which many see as a power grab that would weaken judicial authority to review and override bad laws created by politicians.

According to a trove of classified documents leaked from the Pentagon and published first by Ynet, the United States believes Israel has held large-scale drills simulating an attack on Iran’s nuclear program despite what it considered Israel’s “declining military capability.”

American officials are reaching out to their Israeli counterparts to “reassure” them after an explosive U.S. intelligence leak suggested that Washington spied on Israel, as well as researched how to pressure Jerusalem into abandoning its neutral stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Israel has readied its air defenses amid fears of a security flare-up on Friday when Palestinian worshipers will throng the Al-Aqsa Mosque for Ramadan prayers and Iran will commemorate its annual “Quds Day” with anti-Israel activities.

Security forces are bracing for expected further escalation on the Temple Mount, with the IDF, Israel Police and the Shin Bet security agency on high alert ahead of the last Friday of Ramadan this week, when the annual anti-Israel “Quds Day” is observed across the Arab world.

Israel’s embattled prime minister pledged on Monday evening to restore security after a turbulent few days saw violent clashes on Jerusalem’s Temple Mount, deadly acts of terrorism, and cross-border rocket fire including the biggest barrage from Lebanon since the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.

Jewish visitors will be barred from the Temple Mount from Wednesday until the end of Ramadan in ten days’ time, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced on Tuesday, after a series of security consultations on the issue amid widespread violence linked to tensions at the holy site.

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, speaking at a press conference on Monday night, announced that Defense Minister Yoav Gallant would remain in his post, despite earlier announcements of his dismissal.

According to a New York Times report, a leaked Pentagon document revealed that Israel may supply Ukraine with lethal weapons in certain scenarios. The document assessed that Israel would only provide Ukraine with weapons if diplomatic ties with Russia were at a crisis point, either from Russia’s ties with Iran or if Israeli aircraft were to be damaged by Russian defense systems in Syria.

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah met with a delegation led by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Beirut on Sunday to discuss cooperation, amid spiking violence in Israel from rocket barrages and terror attacks.

Six rockets were launched from southern Syria at the Golan Heights on Saturday night and early Sunday in two separate barrages hours apart, with three landing in Israeli territory, the military said.

The IDF struck sites belonging to the Hamas terrorist movement in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon early Friday morning after dozens of rockets were fired towards Israel in recent days and as dozens more were fired overnight from Gaza.

Southern Israel woke up with air raid sirens after Palestinian militants fired a barrage of rockets early Thursday as the nation prepared for Pesach, the Biblical Passover holiday.

A statement Gen. Mark Milley, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, made during a House hearing last week on Iran’s nuclear program alarmed Israeli defense and intelligence officials to the point they protested and asked the Biden administration for clarifications, four Israeli officials told Axios.

IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi said Wednesday that while security cooperation with the US is beneficial, it is not “essential” and Israel knows how to act on its own.

Israel carried out air strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday morning after 16 rockets were fired at Israeli towns from the enclave hours earlier, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports. The escalation comes on the eve of the Jewish Passover holiday, which this year coincides with the Islamic religious month of Ramadan.