Friday, April 10, 2026

What You Need to Know:

PM Netanyahu: The news is full of analyses of the ceasefire with Iran and how it affects Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu addressed the nation Wednesday evening with these words:

“As you know, a two-week temporary ceasefire between the United States and Iran went into effect tonight, in full coordination with Israel. No, they did not surprise us at the last minute. Now, I want to emphasize, this is not the end of the campaign. This is a way station on the way to achieving all of our goals.”

In response to those who question the solidity of his relationship with President Trump, the prime minister said: “And yes, I can reassure those worried about the relationship between myself and President Trump. As he said: 'You are great.' We speak every day, and we smile when we hear these assessments.”

Opposition Leader Minister of Knesset (Parliament) Yair Lapid called the ceasefire with Iran a “political disaster,” adding that “Israel wasn’t even at the table when decisions were made concerning the core of our national security.” Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and MK Aryeh Deri, chairman of the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, both accused Lapid of seeking to promote his own political goals by criticizing the prime minister.

IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir is facing a different challenge: how to encourage the troops and keep up the momentum of successfully weakening Iran’s defenses and infrastructure during the next two weeks of the ceasefire inactivity.

Dig Deeper:

Statement by PM Netanyahu Regarding the Temporary Ceasefire  

Bezalel Smotrich: Criticism of Iran Ceasefire Weakening Israel

We are approaching ‘a Strategic Crossroads’ in the War with Iran

What You Need to Know:

Iran: As President Trump’s April 6 deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz approached, we held our breath here in Israel. Since the deadline was for 3 a.m. local time, we went to sleep not knowing what would happen. Although there were multiple missile launches and sirens throughout the night, we woke to the news that President Trump agreed to a 15-day ceasefire, provided the Strait of Hormuz is opened immediately. This would give time for a permanent ceasefire to be reached. Yet looking at the US demands and the Iranian counter-demands, most of which contradict each other, agreement seems impossible.

In the hours leading up to the ceasefire, Iran continued to launch missiles while the Israeli and US air forces hit the country’s infrastructure, such as bridges used by the IRGC to transport munitions.

Lebanon/Hezbollah:  The IDF continues its ground operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, uncovering stockpiles of weapons as well as underground living quarters with equipment for prolonged stays. More than 500 terror infrastructure sites have been destroyed by aerial and ground operations. Even if the conflict with Iran ends, the IDF expects to maintain its presence in southern Lebanon to protect Israel’s northern communities.

Gaza/Hamas: Although the IDF’s focus has been aerial strikes against Iran as well as operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, there are still troops in Gaza. Essentially a stalemate, Hamas refuses to disarm—a non-negotiable requirement from Israel to protect communities in the south.

Dig Deeper:

Trump Buys Time with Iran Ceasefire while Israel Pays the Price  

 IDF Continues Pushing Hezbollah toward the Litani River 

Over 100 Wounded by Iran/Hezbollah Barrage over the Weekend  

Hamas: We Will Not Disarm

What You Need to Know:

The soldiers of the IDF operate in a variety of roles, each with its own set of dangers and challenges. At times it may seem that the main focus is on the F-35 pilots who fly 2,000 km.- (1,243 mi.-) missions to Iran and back. However, here are two other groups who are putting their lives on the line to defend Israel.

IDF commanders are known for leading their troops into battle rather than directing their forces from a position behind the frontline. Col. Efrat Kaikov, who commands the 213th Fire (artillery) Brigade under the 146th Division, leads from the front. Her brigade is currently operating in southern Lebanon, and as commander, she makes a practice of regular visits to the ground forces for whom they provide artillery cover. In her words, “There isn’t a visit to the forward defensive line that I return from without becoming a better commander.” As one of the few women to command at this level, Col. Kaikov said, “I focus on the mission—how to eliminate the threat and learn the enemy as quickly as possible.”

Some of the most dangerous and complex missions in Lebanon involve airborne evacuations of wounded soldiers in order to get them to the hospital quickly. Not only are these helicopter crews racing against time, they also operate in active battlefields. According to air force officials, “Hezbollah very much wants to shoot an Israeli helicopter, certainly when it is engaged in rescuing wounded soldiers, and that is why it carries out aggressive fire at helicopters in flight.”

Dig Deeper:

Female IDF Artillery Commander in Lebanon: 'I focus on the mission'

How IDF Helicopters Reach Wounded Soldiers in the Heat of Battle   

IAF Commander Speaks About Long-Range F-35 Missions 

What You Need to Know:

So many facets of life, things we take for granted, must be adjusted during wartime. Of the many effects of war on daily life, two areas drastically affected for Israelis are education and the ability to travel abroad freely. Though the Israeli population is often applauded for its resilience—and rightfully so—there remains an underlying tension for the people. 

Since the outbreak of the war on February 28, approximately 2.5 million Israeli children have been at home rather than in the classroom. Not only does this put pressure on parents to make arrangements for childcare, learning via Zoom sessions is less than efficient for both children and teachers. Late Wednesday evening, the Home Front Command rescinded its current restrictions to allow students to return to schools on Thursday, April 9. This is a huge step toward normalcy for many Israeli families.

The wartime closure of Israeli airspace to commercial flights and subsequent relaxing with restrictions has been difficult on many fronts. Travel plans have been seriously disrupted for many: tourists caught in the Land when the war began, Jewish families from abroad who had planned to spend Passover here and Israelis with travel plans for the holiday. Although incoming rescue flights have been coming in full, outgoing planes have been limited to 50, then 80 and now 100 passengers. Hopefully, air travel will also return to normal soon.

Dig Deeper:

Israel May Reopen Schools on Thursday  

Israel Slightly Increases Number of Passengers on Wartime Flights  

North Stays Strong under Hezbollah Assault

What You Need to Know:

Hillel Neuer is the executive director of UN Watch, a watchdog NGO. In a recent interview with Rabbi Rowe of Aish, Neuer discussed the UN’s ongoing obsession with Israel. He frankly admitted, “It’s a profound question and we don’t have the complete answer.” There are 193 UN member states, of which 56 are Islamic. This gives them a lot of influence among African and Asian countries in the area of vote trading: “you vote for me, I vote for you.” When you add oil and gas reservoirs in those Islamic countries, there is another bit of leverage. While Neuer does not see the European countries “compelled or coerced by vote trading, by financial issues, by petrol, by fear of terrorism,” he does say that “many of them seem very content to go along and demonize Israel.” So Israel as the only Jewish state in the world has one vote in comparison to the 56 of the Islamic states—a situation in which it is nearly impossible to have a level playing field.

Calls for the resignation of Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur on the Occupied Palestinian Territories, began several months ago, but she remains in her position. Recently UN Ambassador Mike Waltz called a Politico Europe article a “fawning celebrity profile” that “manages to ignore all the ways she’s sabotaging the UN’s mission of peace” as she continues to vilify Israel.  

Dig Deeper:

What It’s Like Inside the UN – an Interview with Hillel Neuer  

Waltz Criticizes Fawning Celebrity Profile of US-Sanctioned Albanese 

What You Need to Know:

Antisemitism appears in many different venues and ranges from verbal confrontation to violent acts directed at anyone appearing to be Jewish or supportive of the nation of Israel. Tel Aviv University is set to release a study analyzing antisemitic crimes in the US, France, Canada and the UK between 2020 and 2025. See the article in “Dig Deeper” for an interesting summary.

Increasing antisemitism and anti-Israel hatred is spilling into film festivals. A cinema in Frankfurt, Germany has decided not to take part in the “2026 Jewish Film Days,” citing its workers’ “reluctance to staff movies that are part of the biennial festival, as well as concerns about security required to host Jewish events,” the Times of Israel reported. Although the cinema’s managing director later said the concern is strictly financial, “the Jewish community of Frankfurt was prepared to guarantee a minimum revenue.”

On a positive note, the University of West Florida (UWF) is dedicating a half-day program on “Antisemitism, Free Expression and the Challenge of Dialogue” on April 17. The aim is to “bring together national experts in antisemitism and higher education…to explore how individuals, educators and communities can navigate difficult conversations with intellectual rigor, academic freedom and civil discourse.” While many campuses have become battlegrounds, the organizers hope to present “an opportunity to ground difficult conversations in knowledge, to ask better questions and to engage across differences with both intellectual integrity and respect.”

Dig Deeper:

Study Reveals Pattern Behind Antisemitic Attacks in the West   

Frankfurt Cinema Declines to Participate in Jewish Film Festival  

University to Hold Mini-Institute on Jew Hatred and Free Speech 

What You Need to Know:

Since the rebirth of the modern State of Israel, its relationship with the United States has seen highs and lows. Today, in the words of Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, it is a “rock solid alliance built on shared values and interests.” Dannon went on to say, “I sit and write my speeches, and [U.S.] Ambassador Mike Waltz sits with his team—and suddenly you realize the speeches sound as if they were written together. We speak the same language, and that is significant."

Despite the ongoing war against Iran and its terror proxies, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art was listed 77th among the world’s top 100 visited art museums in 2025. Museum Director Tania Coen-Uzielli “thanked her staff, the Israeli art community, and the general public for choosing to visit the museum and for taking an active part in cultural life, even during complex and challenging times.” Due to the security situation, the museum was closed for many days. Still, the museum welcomed over one million visitors throughout the year, making this the 8th year the Tel Aviv museum has made the list.

After being shut down for a month, Israel’s Energy Ministry announced the reopening of the Leviathan natural gas platform. While the military said protecting these offshore rigs remains a challenge, the decision will “restore a key source of gas exports to Egypt and Jordan.” The reopening of the Leviathan platform will help alleviate natural gas shortages and lower prices in the global market.

Dig Deeper:

Israel Enjoys Historic Peak in Cooperation with the US  

Against the Odds—Tel Aviv Museum of Art in World’s Top 100   

Leviathan Gas Platform to Resume Operations after War Shutdown