Friday, November 28, 2025

What You Need to Know:

President Isaac Herzog, Israel’s 11th president is the first to have been born after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. He is the son of Chaim Herzog, Israel’s sixth president, and the grandson of Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog, the first chief rabbi of Ireland. Israel’s presidents are elected by the Knesset (parliament) for a seven year term, serving as the head of state in a largely ceremonial role. Since his inauguration on July 7, 2021, President Herzog has consistently called for unity within the country and building bridges with the Jewish community in the Diaspora. He has also traveled internationally, representing the nation on a number of major state visits.

National Security Cabinet: Although there was an informal, unofficial war cabinet during the 1973 Yom Kippur War, today’s Security Cabinet has only been in existence since 1999. It is made up of six permanent members specified by law: the prime minister; the ministers of defense, foreign affairs, justice, finance and national security; and five additional seats. Headed by the prime minister, these leaders have the responsibility of outlining a foreign and defense policy and implementing it. The leadership role of the Security Cabinet is particularly important during times of crisis.

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Security Cabinet of Israel

Herzog Meets with Delegation of Christian Leaders from Africa

President Herzog Calls for “Zero Tolerance for Violence” 

What You Need to Know:

Hezbollah/Lebanon Border: This week Israel succeeded in eliminating one of the last of Hezbollah’s “old guard,” acting military chief Haytham Ali Tabataba’i. An influential leader, he had been in command of the group’s military operations since the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah on September 27, 2024. Israel has been bracing for a possible Hezbollah response since targeting Tabataba’i.

Judea and Samaria: Also this week, the IDF and Shin Bet (Israeli internal security) conducted a large “counterterrorism operation” in an area of Samaria called the “five villages.” The operation comes in response to attempts by terror organizations to establish a foothold in the area. According to a security official, “Forces are working to dismantle terror infrastructure and locate explosives and weapons.”

Iran: Although weakened by last summer’s war and its own internal water and energy crises, Iran remains a security threat as its leaders continue to pursue the annihilation of Israel through its proxies. Beni Sabti, a researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies shared that in the last four months, Iran has smuggled US $1 billion dollars to Hezbollah to aid in their efforts to rearm.

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IDF Hones in on Hezbollah’s Next Generation of Leaders

Israeli Forces Launch Major Counterterrorism Attack in Judea/Samaria  

Iran Smuggles $1 Billion to Hezbollah over Last Four Months

What You Need to Know:

On Monday, Ramiz Alakbarov, UN Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process briefed the Security Council on conditions in Gaza and Judea and Samaria, which he incorrectly labeled “the occupied West Bank.” He called the progress on the ground “fragile” and claimed that violence was jeopardizing the ceasefire. Although he did acknowledge Hamas attacks have resulted in the deaths of IDF soldiers, he did not mention the continued Hamas violations of the agreement and their refusal to disarm. 

During the same Security Council briefing, Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian representative, accused Israel of “seeking the collapse of the ongoing Israel–Gaza ceasefire” in order to prevent peace in the region. Danny Danon, Israel’s UN representative, reminded the UN body that 78 years ago, Israel said “yes” to peace while the Palestinians did not. Dannon said, “Seventy-eight years later, they continue to choose terror and fund terrorists.”

Only two countries—Turkey and Indonesia—have indicated they are willing to send troops to participate in the International Security Force envisioned by US President Trump’s plan, which the UN approved last week. While Israel has openly rejected Turkish troops in Gaza, it has not responded to the Indonesian offer, which could also prove problematic. Indonesia has never had diplomatic relations with Israel and consistently states that Israel has no legitimate sovereignty in Palestinian-populated areas, which would include Judea and Samaria.

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UN Security Council Must Seize ‘Moment of Renewed Hope’ in Gaza

Palestinian UN Rep Accuses Israel of Seeking Ceasefire Collapse  

Opinion: Blocking anti-Israel forces in Gaza: Why Indonesia’s ‘Peacekeepers’ Must Stay Home

What You Need to Know:

Despite the ceasefire that came into effect on October 10, the IDF still faces threats from Hamas terrorists in Gaza. In the northern Gaza Strip, troops identified a Hamas sniper as he prepared to fire on them. The would-be sniper was killed as the IDF determined he represented an immediate threat to their lives. In eastern Rafah, the IDF has begun “development work to build a new city for Gazans…unaffiliated with Hamas.” During this work, the troops were confronted with terrorists emerging from a nearby tunnel. This demonstrates the challenge Israel’s soldiers are facing. Even in an area on their side of the yellow demarcation line, terrorists can suddenly appear from underground.

In addition to serving in Gaza, troops continue to hold positions in buffer zone areas on Mount Hermon and along the Lebanon border. This week, members of the Border Police and the Shin Bet joined a large IDF force in the counterterrorism operation in Judea and Samaria. A weapons-smuggling network was uncovered in the area, with the arms ultimately intended for Hamas.

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Hamas Sniper Eliminated in Northern Gaza

Turkey-Based Israeli Arab-led Weapons Supply Ring Uncovered in Judea/Samaria

What You Need to Know:

Although it has been nearly one month since the signing of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, life for Israelis may never return to the pre-October 7 days. Israelis suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) include not only soldiers and first responders but also the news reporters who have been covering the war. Families whose loved ones were abducted by Hamas terrorists and held in captivity, some of them for over two years, have undergone their own trauma. As shared last week, many students had their lives disrupted when their families were evacuated from communities in the north and along the Gaza Envelope at the beginning of the war. They have recently returned to their schools. but the scars remain.

It is a well-known fact that Israelis love to travel, and the winter tourist season is approaching. This season, they are being forced to consider “shifting global attitudes” and choose to travel to nations that are perceived as friendly. Western European nations saw a decline in popularity while Thailand and the US remained high on the list.

Finally, though not Israeli citizens, a significant number of men and women, primarily from India, Sri Lanka and Thailand work in construction, agriculture and caring for elderly Israelis. One of the two remaining bodies held in Gaza is that of Sudthisak Rinthalak, who was among the 31 Thai agricultural workers kidnapped by Hamas on October 7.

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When the Sirens Quiet, the Trauma Speaks   

Winter Holidays, Israelis Turn to Countries Viewed as Pro-Israel

More than 85,000 Foreign Workers Have Arrived in Israel since October 7  

What You Need to Know:

Although global antisemitism has spiked, especially since October 7, 2023 and the resulting war against the terrorist entity of Hamas, there are hopeful signs. Poland’s Justice Minister Waldemar Zurek pledged to take action against far-right MP Grzegorz Braun for the remarks he made outside Auschwitz regarding the government’s plan to adopt a resolution combating antisemitisim. Zurek said, “There is no place for antisemitism in Poland and such statements’ [Braun’s] cause significant damage to the Polish state internationally and within our country.”

A recent survey shows 44% of British Jews consider the UK to be “unsafe,” as compared with just 9% who felt that way in 2023. On a hopeful note, polling also shows that 60% of Britons are concerned about the rise in antisemitism and “67% have lost patience with the marches, saying that the most disruptive should be banned.” Finally, Shaun O’Sullivan, a pastor from Swindon, was recently arrested simply for proclaiming, “We love the Jews” in public. It was his 16th arrest on a “religiously aggravated intentional harassment” charge—and 16th acquittal by a jury.  

There is still a plethora of antisemitic acts flooding the world. One particularly shocking act happened in a Washington DC train station where “a guerrilla art display…portrayed US and Israeli leaders feasting on the blood of Palestinian children,” eerily reminiscent of the blood libel charges the Jewish people have experienced for centuries.

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Poland Is for Poles, not for Jews, Polish MK Speaks Outside of Auschwitz  

UK Police Suppress Pro-Israel Speech, Pastor Says, as Jury Acquits Him for the 16th Time

What You Need to Know:

Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center recently became the scene of a game changing operation for the blind when Dr. Michael Mimouni successfully implanted a 3-D printed cornea. This procedure marks a moment of real hope for those who suffer corneal blindness since direct donors can currently provide only one available cornea for every 70 patients who need one. After the operation, Dr Mimouni said, “It was an unforgettable moment, a glimpse into a future where no one will have to live in darkness because of a shortage of donor tissue.”

Hosted by Israel’s Foreign Ministry, the second group of Iranian dissidents to visit Israel in recent months arrived this week. They will attend the “opening of an Iranian film festival” in Sderot and tour sites of the October 7 Hamas-led attack. Through visits like these, Foreign Ministry hopes to “lay the foundation for a future peace agreement…dubbed the Cyrus Accords.”

According to a government decision this week, the next five years will see the entire Bnei Menashe community making aliyah (immigrate home to Israel) from India. Twelve hundred are expected in 2026, with the remaining 4,600 by 2030. Over the past two decades, approximately 4,000 members of this ancient Jewish community have arrived and settled in northern Israel.

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First Cornea Transplant Using 3-D Printed, Lab-Grown Material

Iranian Dissident Delegation Visiting Israel  

Israel Approves Immigration of 5800 Bnei-Menashe by 2030