Friday, June 12, 2026

What You Need to Know:

PM Netanyahu: “The Real Battle behind the Ceasefire” (link in Dig Deeper) is a good analysis of the goals and motives driving the United States, Israel and Iran. It is much like a chess match, as Iran has tried to drag the negotiations out, seeking to link any agreement with the US to a ceasefire in Lebanon as well to gain recognition as a regional power. President Trump would like to be seen as one who prevented Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons and the one who made peace in the region. For Israel’s part, Lebanon cannot be included in any agreement that results in a final ceasefire with Iran. The situation is definitely fluid, and PM Netanyahu needs all his considerable diplomatic experience and negotiating skills to lead the nation at this time.

Defense Minister Israel Katz is the politically appointed spokesperson for the IDF. In his position, he works closely with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir as well as with the prime minister. This week, he addressed the situation with Iran. In response to the rhetoric of the ayatollahs, he said the battle is “far from over and the military remains prepared to attack with great strength.”

Knesset: The coalition’s bill to dissolve the Knesset (Parliament) passed the first of three readings on June 2. As of June 11, dates have not been set for the second and third readings and votes required for the bill to become final.

Dig Deeper:

The Real Battle behind the Ceasefire   

Israel Holding Fire for Now but Iran will Face Overwhelming Force if it Attacks   

Katz: Campaign against Iran is ‘Far From Over’

What You Need to Know:

Iran: This week saw approximately 30 missile launches from Iran that began Sunday evening and ended Monday, when the US called a halt to the brief round of hostilities. However, with the downing of a US Apache helicopter in the Strait of Hormuz and US strikes on Iran, the situation is once again unpredictable. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir stated: “We are ready to strike Iran again with another hard and deep blow. Iran’s attempt to set equations and change reality will fail.”

Hezbollah/Lebanon: In response to continued attacks on Israel’s northern communities, the IAF struck a Hezbollah command center in the stronghold of Dahiyeh on Sunday afternoon. It was the first IAF strike in the Beirut area since a freeze on such attacks was requested by the United States. The operation caused friction between the US and Israel and sparked Sunday evening’s retaliatory missile launches by Iran. In addition, troops in southern Lebanon continue to face the deadly FPV explosive drones, with 23-year-old Cpt. Shahar Gamla being the latest casualty.

Defense Agreement with US: High-level talks have begun between Israel and the United States for a new bilateral defense agreement. The current security assistance agreement will expire in 2028. Israel’s team, headed by Defense Ministry Director Gen. Maj. (res.) Amir Baram, aims to “deepen security cooperation and shift toward a full mutual partnership, including joint research, development and production.” While PM Netanyahu has announced a goal of eliminating Israel’s dependence on US-provided munitions in 10 years, the two nations will continue to be strong allies in the area of regional security.

Dig Deeper:

Chief of Staff Zamir: “We’re Ready to Strike Iran Again”

IDF Strikes Hezbollah in Beirut after Terror Group Ignores Ceasefire   

Israel & US Open Talks on Post-2028 Defense Pact  

What You Need to Know:

Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, once said, “In Israel, to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.” There have been many documented miracles during the wars Israel has been forced to fight since 1948. And they are still happening today, as seen in this account of “N,” a 20-year-old soldier who is recovering from wounds he suffered during a drone strike in southern Lebanon. Lying next to “N” is his unit’s commander, who was seriously wounded but managed to shoot down an explosive drone while his men were attempting to cover their Namer armored personnel carrier with protective netting. N’s mother told Ynetnews: “Despite this miracle, an urgent solution must be found for this problem. How many soldiers have already been killed by these drones?”

The men and women working behind the scenes are no less important than those in direct combat. During last summer’s Operation Rising Lion and the most recent operation, pilots of the IAF flew hundreds of missions over vast distances without losing a single plane. They attacked targets that were especially dangerous and had been “defined by the top command as tasks that had to be completed at almost any cost because of their strategic importance.” This was made possible by systems developed by the Defense Ministry’s electronic warfare personnel. Not content to rest on their laurels, Lt. Col. M., head of the Electronic Warfare Branch, and his team are already preparing the next round of “surprises” for Israel’s enemies.

Dig Deeper:

Givati Soldier Recalls Drone Strike and Commander’s Heroism 

The Electronic Warfare Personnel Who ‘Opened’ the Skies of Iran 

What You Need to Know:

Resilience fatigue: In five short months, Israel will have been in a state of war for three years. Although there have been lulls and periods of relative quiet, the nations’ resilience and ability to “keep moving forward even in difficult times” is being tested. The human body was not meant to live in a state of emergency for long periods of time. It is important to know the difference between resilience and repression. A resilient person does not deny their anxiety and fear, but is “able to contain those emotions without being paralyzed by them.” Experts advise against “functioning at all costs” but rather cultivating “small islands of certainty” and knowing when to stop and rest.

The Haredim: In many ways the ultra-Orthodox, or the haredim, live a life set apart from mainstream Israeli society. With their priority set on Torah (Gen.–Deut.) study, only 53% of the men are part of the labor force. Established in 2007 by a British philanthropist, the Kemach Foundation is seeking to change that for haredi men who want to pursue professional success as well as remain Torah-observant. Moti Feldstein, Kemach’s CEO, said that “when given the right tools, appropriate training and personal guidance, the haredi public brings significant value to employers and the entire Israeli economy.”

Rehabilitation: The Defense Ministry recently announced that more than 25,000 Israelis have been wounded in the war since October 7, 2023. In addition to putting a strain on the Ministry’s Rehabilitation Department, this is also causing a reevaluation of how wounded soldiers and their families receive assistance for healing—both physical and mental.

Dig Deeper:

Resilience Fatigue: “I Am Functioning, but I Have No Energy for Anything,”    

Employment Foundation Helps Bridge Gap between Torah Study & Careers   

25,000 Wounded Since Oct. 7 Push Israel to Major Rehabilitation Overhaul    

What You Need to Know:

Lawfare: Sadly, Israel is no stranger to war in its various forms. She has been accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, war crimes in Gaza at the International Criminal Court and over the years of apartheid by various global entities. The BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) movement has a 20+ year history of economic warfare against businesses in Judea and Samaria—Israel’s biblical heartland. This week, PM Netanyahu met with a delegation of senior US administration legal advisers to discuss responses to these “lawfare” threats.

Biased World Health Organization: A recent report by the Center for Medical Integrity (CMI) says the way the World Health Organization (WHO) “monitors attacks on health care facilities is problematic and unfairly biased against Israel.” The WHO expands the definition of “attacks on healthcare” to include a broad range of actions, leaving the impression “that Israel deliberately targets health-care facilities and is therefore responsible for war crimes.” As Israel learned during the Gaza conflict, once erroneous information is published, it is very seldom corrected when proven false.

Sanctions: The foreign ministers of the UK, Australia, Canada, France and Norway announced that they are taking “coordinated action” to sanction one person and six entities from Judea and Samaria (the so-called “West Bank”). Their crime? They are accused of being “involved in financing, enabling and carrying out settler violence in the occupied West Bank.” Israel’s foreign minister, Gideon Sa’ar, called the move “disgraceful,” stating that “The real essence of these steps is the attempt to impose a political stance regarding the right of Jews to settle in the Land of Israel.”

Dig Deeper:

PM Netanyahu, Top US Legal Advisers Discuss Lawfare against Israel  

New Report Finds WHO Health Care Monitoring Unfairly Blames Israel   

UK, Australia, Canada, France, Norway Sanction Israel

What You Need to Know:

Berlin: Open less than three years, a Jewish bakery in Berlin recently closed its doors. Originally from Haifa, owner Shahar Elkin earned a master baker’s certificate in Berlin and was accepted as the first Jewish master baker in the Berlin Bakers’ Guild. Though a construction site near their location caused economic hardship, Shahar and his wife Marcin also experienced significant antisemitic harassment after October 7, 2023. They experienced “numerous verbal and even physical attacks, received hate-filled letters and calls.” Forced closure of Jewish restaurants in Europe has become a troubling trend in recent days.

London: Last month, the number of antisemitic incidents in London nearly doubled in comparison to the previous month. Not surprisingly, many of the incidents took place in areas with large Jewish populations, including Golders Green, Hendon and Finchley. While anti-Muslim hate crimes are also on the rise, “Lord John Mann warned that the scale of anti-Jewish racism in Britain ‘constitutes a national emergency.’”

Spain: According a report released by the Interior Ministry, hate crimes against Jews in Spain are on the rise. There were 69 in 2025, compared to 37 in 2024 and 23 in 2023. Those figures are somewhat in question, as the ministry “relies strictly on police records, [which] are significantly lower than those published by the Observatorio de Antisemitismo en España, a watchdog on antisemitism established by the Federal of Jewish Communities of Spain.” Spain’s Jewish population numbers at approximately 40,000, or 0.1% of its total population.  

Dig Deeper:

Celebrated Berlin Jewish Bakery Closes Citing Antisemitic Harassment   

Antisemitic Incidents in London Jump by 72% in May  

Spain Reports 86% Rise in antisemitic Hate Crimes  

What You Need to Know:

This year’s “Walk with Israel” event drew 60,000 participants, transforming the streets of Toronto into “a vibrant celebration of Jewish pride, community and connection.” Organized by the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, participants included non-Jews who marched in support of their Jewish friends and neighbors. Adam Minsky, head of the Federation, described the walk: “Today was a powerful reminder that hate will not define us. We choose unity over division, connection over fear and hope over hate.”

When Tzach Shichrur was eight years old, a bus ran over his foot, crushing the bones and requiring seven surgeries that did little to stop the pain. After living with the pain for years, Tzach opted to have his foot amputated when he was 30. A new, pain-free world opened up, and he tried various sports with his prosthetic. Once he discovered soccer, he fell in love with the sport and founded a team. From its grassroots beginnings, Tzach’s amputee soccer team now represents Israel on a national level. Made up of Jews and Arabs with various missing limbs, they empower each other. Tzach explains, “They [teammates] don’t give up and don’t feel sorry for themselves. On the national team, there is no option to give up on yourself. It is a very difficult sport, and when you are in a group like this, it lifts you.”

In preparation for Hebrew Book Week, the National Library released its 2025 annual report, showing an upward trend over the previous year, with 7,029 new books printed and 1,544 digital books published.

Dig Deeper:

60,000 March for Israel in Canadian Parade   

Wounded in War—Back on the Field—Israel’s Amputee Soccer Team Plays On  

Oct. 7 War Leaves Mark on Israel’s Bookshelves, National Library Reports