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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-01 at 05:06
HEADLINES
Israel Warned of Wartime Power Shortages
Pentagon Ready to Send Tomahawks to Kyiv
Mamdani Endorsement Splits NYC Jewish Voters
The time is now 1:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
Good evening. We begin this hour with a broad briefing on security, energy resilience, and political currents that touch Israel, the Jewish world, and the alliances that shape the region.
A new study suggests Israel could face power disruptions in wartime if several structural weaknesses in its electricity system persist. Analysts point to overreliance on imported natural gas, limited storage capacity, and heavy centralization in the sector as factors that could curtail electricity supply at critical moments. The findings come as Israel continues to calibrate its readiness for potential escalations and to balance energy security with ongoing needs for reliability and redundancy. Officials say the study will inform ongoing planning and investments, underscoring that even in peaceful times, resilience in essential infrastructure remains a national priority for ensuring continuity of services to hospitals, defense installations, and other critical sites.
In a personal, human frame, a story from Gaza offers a window into life after the war’s tunnels and combat. Elkana Bohbot, who spent time inside Gaza’s tunnels during captivity, is now adjusting to ordinary life outside those confines. His wife Rivka Bohbot describes the adjustment as a return to normal rules of daily life, even as memories of captivity linger. The account highlights the enduring human impact of the conflict and the long road to normalcy for families separated by war, a reminder of the prioritization many Israelis put on security, stability, and safe reconstitution of daily life for civilians.
Turning to domestic politics in the United States, a major urban center’s Jewish community is weighing how to vote in a closely watched mayoral race. In New York City, the cross-endorsement of Zohran Mamdani by Brad Lander—who had been a leading voice for progressive Jewish involvement in the contest—has created a complex calculus for Jewish voters. Polls and interviews show a spectrum of views: some Jewish leaders and voters welcome Mamdani’s affordability agenda but remain wary of his outspoken opposition to Israel; others back his rival, Andrew Cuomo, because they judge his track record more predictable, even amid his own controversies. The most recent data from independent polls indicate a strong preference among Jewish voters for Cuomo, even as Mamdani leads among progressives in other communities. Voters describe a difficult choice between concerns about Israel policy, economic issues, and local governance, with several expressing that personal safety, community security, and the city’s economic recovery are decisive factors as election day approaches.
On the national stage, President and fellow Republicans are debating how to address antisemitism and Israel policy within the party. Ted Cruz, speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalition summit in Las Vegas, warned that antisemitism is a crisis on the right and urged party unity in defending Israel. Cruz linked the problem to certain voices that have gained attention in recent years and urged colleagues to take a clear stand against anti-Israel rhetoric. His remarks come as the party weighs its broader foreign-policy direction and the balance between supporting Israel and addressing domestic concerns about civil rights and political rhetoric. The conversation reflects a broader and ongoing debate about how the United States should engage with Israel while confronting new strains of political discourse on campuses, social networks, and in public life.
In US defense policy, a notable development has emerged from Washington’s deliberations on Ukraine. The Pentagon has signaled readiness to tra
Published on 22 hours ago