Category: Israel

Netanyahu to be in US Just 6 Hours, Return After UN Speech

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to depart Wednesday afternoon for one of his shortest-ever visits to the United States. Netanyahu will land in New York on Thursday, spend just six hours in the city, address the United Nations General Assembly at 9:00 p.m. Israel time, and then immediately depart for Israel without spending the night in the United States, aiming to return home before the start of the Sukkot holiday. Reports have likewise indicated that the New York portion of the trip could last only six hours.

Prime Minister Netanyahu at a previous UN General Assembly, archive | Photo: Screenshot

Ahead of the visit, efforts were made to arrange several diplomatic meetings. However, scheduling constraints—including Israel’s Tishrei holiday calendar and U.S. President Donald Trump’s schedule—meant only a few hours remained in which the two leaders could potentially meet. Current reporting indicates that no Netanyahu-Trump meeting is planned during the brief New York visit.

Trump and Netanyahu in Florida, 2025 | Photo: Reuters

Efforts were also made to arrange a meeting between the prime minister and billionaire Elon Musk. Netanyahu’s associates estimate that a meeting between the two will take place before Israel’s elections. Earlier plans for Netanyahu to visit Musk’s SpaceX facilities in Texas were also dropped for logistical reasons.

Elon Musk | Photo: Shutterstock

Meanwhile, Netanyahu convened a multi-front security consultation Tuesday evening with the heads of Israel’s defense establishment. One of the purposes of the consultation was to coordinate positions ahead of Netanyahu’s U.S. visit and diplomatic meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, against the backdrop of ongoing security developments and rising tensions across multiple fronts.

September 22, 2026
Hamas Denies Plot to Kidnap Israelis After Katz Warning

Senior Hamas sources responded Tuesday to Defense Minister Israel Katz’s warning that Gaza City would be evacuated southward if a civilian or IDF soldier is kidnapped. The sources told the Qatari channel Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed that they “deny the Israeli claims about preparations for operations or a plan to kidnap Israeli soldiers.”

Hamas terrorists | Photo: Flash 90

According to the Hamas sources, Israel is preparing aggression that will include an attack on civilian and government assets in the Gaza Strip. The terror organization called for establishing a committee to verify Israel’s claims. Hamas also claimed it is “committed to the ceasefire agreement” and called on mediators to pressure Israel.

Katz’s warning followed a Channel 14 report regarding concrete intelligence of a Hamas plan to kidnap an Israeli soldier or civilian. Speaking at a memorial ceremony for fallen soldiers of the Yom Kippur War, the defense minister said intelligence had been received indicating Hamas intended to carry out kidnapping operations. Katz warned that if an Israeli soldier or civilian is abducted, Israel will respond with a broad military operation in the Gaza Strip.

September 22, 2026
Two Muslims Arrested in Jenin Mob Attack on Mother and Son

Two suspects have been arrested Thursday in connection with an attempted lynching of a mother and son who accidentally entered Jenin. Following their interrogation by the Central Unit of the Judea and Samaria District Police, prosecutors filed a notice of intent to indict in the coming days, police said.

The incident occurred on August 13, when the mother and son were driving from the Samaria region toward Afula. The driver made a wrong turn and entered the Muslim city. According to police, a mob that spotted the Israeli license plates gathered around the vehicle, blocked it, and tried to prevent it from continuing.

Several people in the crowd smashed the car’s windows in what police described as an attempted lynching. The driver managed to escape and was later handed over to security forces.

The investigation was conducted jointly by the Central Unit of the Judea and Samaria District Police and the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency. After the suspects were identified, the two were arrested, interrogated, and detained. Their detention was extended repeatedly until the evidentiary foundation against them was completed.

Police urged the public to check travel routes in advance and pay attention to roadside signs. They emphasized that anyone who accidentally enters Area A should immediately call the police emergency line, and that entering these areas knowingly is illegal and life-threatening.

September 22, 2026
NYC Mayor Escalates Attack on Netanyahu Ahead of UN Speech

Against the backdrop of the opening of the United Nations General Assembly and the anticipated arrival of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address the plenary, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani launched a scathing personal attack against the Israeli leader on Tuesday, labeling him a “war criminal and architect of genocide of the ‘Palestinian’ people.”

Mamdani | Photo: Shutterstock

In an exclusive interview with CNN, Mamdani reiterated his hostile posture toward the Israeli premier: “When it comes to Benjamin Netanyahu, I have described him as I believe him to be—a war criminal and an architect of a terrible genocide of the ‘Palestinian’ people.” Mamdani also invoked the arrest warrants issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC), noting that the issue was discussed during his meeting with the Mayor of The Hague: “If the International Criminal Court calls for the arrest of someone for violating these laws, who are we to say that anyone should be above that? I plainly believe that everyone must be held accountable.”

Photo: Itay Beit-On/Laam

Conversely, Mamdani was forced to acknowledge that he possesses absolutely no legal jurisdiction to arrest Netanyahu—openly walking back his controversial campaign pledges, during which he vowed to instruct the New York City Police Department to detain the Israeli prime minister should he set foot in the city. His remarks come as anti-Israel groups organize protests across Manhattan opposing Netanyahu’s high-profile visit to the UN General Assembly. Despite his incendiary rhetoric, Mamdani clarified that he does not plan to participate in the street protests himself. The confrontation surrounding Netanyahu plays out against an unusual and complex domestic political landscape in the United States, underscored by the burgeoning relationship between Mamdani—a Democratic Socialist and New York City’s first Muslim mayor—and President Donald Trump.

U.S. President Donald Trump | Photo: The White House

The two leaders met this week at Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s official residence, marking the first visit by a sitting US president to the historic site in 45 years. Despite their stark ideological divide and a long history of exchanging vitriolic barbs—in which one branded the other a “little communist” while the other countered with “fascist”—the two men projected a remarkably smiling, cordial front. Trump surprised observers by offering supportive remarks regarding Mamdani: “I certainly hope he is going to be a great mayor. I want what’s good for New York, I want what’s good for the country.” The pragmatic rapport between the two figures has left political observers watching closely to see where this improbable alignment leads.

September 22, 2026
Ireland Demands Soccer Federation Boycott Israel Matches

The Israeli national football team is set to face the Republic of Ireland in the upcoming UEFA Nations League international window. After the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) Chief Executive David Courell announced that the team will show up because he “must do his job,” widespread calls have surfaced across Ireland to boycott the fixtures over the conflict in the Gaza Strip.

Photo: From the official X page of the Ireland national football team

In opinion editorials and letters to editors across Irish media, critics have fiercely attacked sports administrators and the government in Dublin for proceeding with the matches as scheduled. Opponents argue that attempts to separate sport from politics are unjustified, contending that forfeiting a moral stance to avoid UEFA financial penalties and regulatory sanctions amounts to capitulating to balance sheets at the expense of core principles.

Critics cited historical sporting boycotts as well as Irish state broadcaster RTÉ’s previous decision to sit out the Eurovision Song Contest, arguing it creates a bizarre paradox where the nation refuses to sing alongside Israel but agrees to play football against it. Detractors added that the association and the Dublin government have abandoned national team manager Heimir Hallgrímsson and the squad to absorb public backlash alone.

Photo: From the official X page of the Ireland national football team

Conversely, the FAI emphasized that forfeiting the fixtures would trigger automatic point deductions, technical forfeits, heavy financial penalties, and potentially catastrophic downgrades to the national team’s seeding coefficient for future European and World Cup qualifying draws. The League B Nations League fixtures are scheduled for late September and early October, with both matches taking place in neutral European venues behind closed doors for security reasons.

At the Israeli national team camp, players have decided not to exchange jerseys with Irish players after the match, protesting inflammatory public remarks by Irish figures leading up to the game. Whether Israeli players will participate in pre-match handshakes has yet to be finalized.

September 22, 2026
Defense Minister Katz Issues Sharp Warning to Hamas

Defense Minister Israel Katz revealed on Tuesday morning during an official memorial service for fallen soldiers of the Yom Kippur War that intelligence has been received indicating intentions by the Hamas terror organization to execute abduction operations. Katz warned that should an Israeli soldier or resident be kidnapped, Israel will unleash an extensive campaign across the Gaza Strip.

Israel Katz in Gaza | From Channel 14 News broadcast

“I warn Hamas and its sponsors, from Iran to Erdoğan: If an Israeli soldier or resident is kidnapped, all of Gaza City, with its one million residents, will be evacuated south, exactly as we have done in the past,” the Defense Minister stated. Katz made clear that any abduction attempt will be met with decisive, disproportionate force against Hamas, while explicitly aiming his warning at Iran and Turkey, which he identified as active sponsors of the terror organization.

Hamas terrorists | Photo: Shutterstock

The defense chief’s public warning comes in the wake of unusual, escalating incidents adjacent to IDF positions along the Gaza perimeter. On Saturday, Channel 14 News broadcast exclusive footage documenting a suspect approaching an IDF outpost, alongside a separate incident in which a terrorist crossed the Yellow Line, coming within roughly 100 meters of an active military post.

September 22, 2026
Israel Extends Emergency Homefront Status Through October 6

The Israeli government is expected to approve on Tuesday, via an expedited telephone vote, an extension of the declaration of a “special status on the home front” across all parts of the country through October 6. The measure is being advanced at the initiative of the Defense Minister, following intelligence assessments from the defense establishment that a tangible danger of strikes on the civilian home front persists due to continued volatility vis-à-vis Iran and Lebanon.

Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs | Photo: Yonatan Sindel, Flash90

The draft proposal was circulated among ministers for accelerated sign-off after Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs requested swift ministerial approval. The current declaration is set to expire tomorrow, and continuing it will also require formal ratification by the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

A legal opinion attached to the proposal noted that this represents a continuous extension of the emergency status since February 28. If the current motion is approved, the special status on the home front will have remained in continuous effect for over seven months. Legal advisers determined that no legal impediment exists to extending the declaration in light of existing operational defense imperatives.

Operation of our forces in Lebanon during “Lion’s Roar” | Photo: IDF Spokesperson

Under the declaration, the IDF Home Front Command retains the legal prerogative to impose emergency directives as operational circumstances dictate—including mandatory shelter-in-place protocols, restrictions on gatherings and educational institutions, and tailored civil defense instructions. At this stage, no special restrictions or activity limitations apply to the general public.

The original declaration was instituted at the launch of Operation “Lion’s Roar” against Iran in late February and has since been repeatedly renewed. Defense sources emphasize that despite subsequent truces and ceasefires, high operational uncertainty and threat postures from Iran, Lebanon, and Yemen remain unresolved.

September 22, 2026
Terrorist Who Murdered Netanel Shakron Moved to Base

The Arab terrorist responsible for the deadly shooting attack at the Ein Riya spring near the community of Neve Tzuf in the Binyamin region was discharged from the hospital overnight and transferred to an undisclosed Israeli security installation. The suspect, who murdered Natanel Yehonatan Shakron in the shooting, had been receiving medical treatment under armed guard following his capture. Overnight between Monday and Tuesday, Israeli security forces moved him to a specialized detention facility, the name and location of which remain barred from publication under a strict gag order.

Photo: Eliya Aviv via Arabic social media

The attack occurred at the Ein Riya spring, a popular local recreational site. The terrorist opened fire at Israeli civilians in the area, fatally wounding Shakron before security forces and first responders arrived on the scene. Following his transfer, the assailant is slated for continued interrogation by security agencies ahead of formal legal proceedings and an indictment.

September 22, 2026
Israeli Father Dies in Slovenia Saving Son from Fall

A devastating tragedy struck an Israeli family in Slovenia during Yom Kippur: Gil Hillel, 44, a resident of Kibbutz Yizre’el, was killed on Sunday after rushing down a steep drop to save his young son during a family hike. The incident unfolded as the family was traversing a local mountain trail. Hillel’s seven-year-old son slipped and fell toward a river below. Without hesitation, Gil leaped down after him to pull him from danger. During the daring rescue effort, Gil sustained fatal trauma and succumbed to his injuries. The young boy was rescued in light condition and evacuated by medical helicopter to a local hospital for treatment.

Photo: ‘GRS Bohinj Mountain Rescue Service’ Official Website

Gil, who was born and raised in Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek, was an engineer at medical device giant Medtronic and a graduate of the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology. A married father of three, his brother Ben remembered him in an emotional tribute as a brilliant, athletic, humorous, and deeply devoted family man—someone whose immediate instinct was always to leap forward and help others. This quality ultimately cost him his life in an act of extraordinary paternal devotion.

September 22, 2026
Thousands Dance at Western Wall After Yom Kippur Fast Ends

As Yom Kippur concluded on Monday night, after 25 hours of fasting and solemn supplication, thousands of worshipers at the Western Wall remained in the plaza long after the final Shofar blast echoed across the Old City. Rather than rushing home to break their fast, the throngs joined into expansive circles of dance, singing together: “And I will bring them to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer.” Approximately 25,000 people visited the Western Wall throughout Yom Kippur, culminating in one of the most moving scenes of the holy day.

Archive | Photo: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

For hours, the Western Wall plaza was filled with worshipers who spent the sacred day at the foot of the ancient stones. From the opening Kol Nidre prayers through the concluding Ne’ilah service, thousands stood facing the Wall, absorbed in their personal prayers, pleas, and introspection. Then, the resonant sound of the Shofar marked the official conclusion of Yom Kippur. After a full day without food or water, ordinary expectations would suggest a rapid departure toward home-cooked fast-breaking meals. Yet thousands chose to stay.

Within moments, the reverent quiet gave way to uplifting song. Worshipers linked arms as concentric dancing circles formed across the upper and lower plazas, giving tangible life to Isaiah’s prophetic words. The singing swelled as thousands celebrated the completion of a day marked by solemn soul-searching, atonement, and repentance—giving way to an outpouring of relief, unity, and shared joy.

Archive | Photo: Western Wall Heritage Foundation

In total, roughly 25,000 worshipers visited the Western Wall throughout the 24 hours of Yom Kippur. Some arrived for specific services, while others stayed on-site for the day. As the fast lifted, the solemn hours converged into a single striking tableau: thousands dancing in unison at the foot of the ancient stones, moments after Ne’ilah drew to a close.

September 22, 2026