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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-14 at 03:07
Published 1 month, 1 week ago
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HEADLINES
Israel eyes portraits in classrooms amid elections
Gaza technocratic government eyed in peace plan
Iran crackdown spurs US Israel risk calculus
The time is now 10:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is the 10:00 PM update. Across the region, a set of dynamics are evolving that could shape policy debates and traction on the ground in the weeks ahead.
In Israel, the Ministry of Education is weighing a policy that would require the display of portraits of state leaders in classrooms. Currently the national flag is the only symbol mandated to be displayed in the main building of recognized schools. The proposed uniform policy could include portraits of the Prime Minister, the President, and the Opposition Leader in classrooms, a move that has ignited debate amid a volatile political climate as elections approach. Reports from Israel Hayom note videos in which educators remove the Prime Minister’s photo from classrooms, while others protest the idea of displaying images of the Opposition Leader and the IDF Chief of Staff in certain contexts. In a related development, the Branco Weiss network of high schools has announced that the Declaration of Independence will now be displayed in every classroom across its schools. Branco Weiss Chief Executive Aviv Kinan told staff that the founding document should be visible and familiar to students as a reminder of shared values during times of division and waning trust. The Education Ministry’s office responded to the coverage by saying the report is intended to cause division and that the ministry is exploring a unified policy on state and government symbols, calling other interpretations incorrect.
In Gaza and the wider Palestinian arena, a transitional governance process is moving forward. Roughly a dozen Palestinians have received official invitations to join a technocratic committee to manage daily affairs in Gaza in place of Hamas during a transitional phase. The letters, signed by the Board of Peace’s high representative, Nikolay Mladenov, indicate Ali Shaath will head the technocratic administration, with Ayad Abu Ramadan, chair of the Gaza Chamber of Commerce, named as commissioner for Economy, Trade and Industry, among others. The effort forms part of a broader framework for phase two of the peace plan associated with the Board of Peace, a panel of world leaders led by former United States President Donald Trump. The plan envisions the disarmament of Hamas, the completion of Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, a reconstruction program, and the establishment of transitional bodies to govern Gaza before a potential handover to a reformed Palestinian Authority. Washington has signaled readiness to support steps that would grant legitimacy to the technocratic committee, including the reopening of the Rafah crossing, while Israel has emphasized conditions such as Hamas’s disarmament and the return of the Israeli hostage Ran Gvili before full implementation of phase two. The first public unveiling of the Board of Peace and its Gaza framework could come in Cairo within hours, as Palestinian factions converge for talks. Hamas has indicated it could resist formal power transfers, and the Palestinian Authority’s role remains uncertain amid broader regional diplomacy. The United States and other mediators describe the process as incremental, aiming to address humanitarian needs, security concerns, and the political realities on the ground.
Turning to the broader regional security context, discussions about Iran continue to shape strategic calculations. Iran’s United Nations ambassador wrote to the Security Council accusing the United States and the Israeli regime of bearing direct and undeniable responsibility for civilian casualties in Iran’s crackdown on protests, a message circulated alongside discussions of international responses. In Washington, President Don
Israel eyes portraits in classrooms amid elections
Gaza technocratic government eyed in peace plan
Iran crackdown spurs US Israel risk calculus
The time is now 10:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is the 10:00 PM update. Across the region, a set of dynamics are evolving that could shape policy debates and traction on the ground in the weeks ahead.
In Israel, the Ministry of Education is weighing a policy that would require the display of portraits of state leaders in classrooms. Currently the national flag is the only symbol mandated to be displayed in the main building of recognized schools. The proposed uniform policy could include portraits of the Prime Minister, the President, and the Opposition Leader in classrooms, a move that has ignited debate amid a volatile political climate as elections approach. Reports from Israel Hayom note videos in which educators remove the Prime Minister’s photo from classrooms, while others protest the idea of displaying images of the Opposition Leader and the IDF Chief of Staff in certain contexts. In a related development, the Branco Weiss network of high schools has announced that the Declaration of Independence will now be displayed in every classroom across its schools. Branco Weiss Chief Executive Aviv Kinan told staff that the founding document should be visible and familiar to students as a reminder of shared values during times of division and waning trust. The Education Ministry’s office responded to the coverage by saying the report is intended to cause division and that the ministry is exploring a unified policy on state and government symbols, calling other interpretations incorrect.
In Gaza and the wider Palestinian arena, a transitional governance process is moving forward. Roughly a dozen Palestinians have received official invitations to join a technocratic committee to manage daily affairs in Gaza in place of Hamas during a transitional phase. The letters, signed by the Board of Peace’s high representative, Nikolay Mladenov, indicate Ali Shaath will head the technocratic administration, with Ayad Abu Ramadan, chair of the Gaza Chamber of Commerce, named as commissioner for Economy, Trade and Industry, among others. The effort forms part of a broader framework for phase two of the peace plan associated with the Board of Peace, a panel of world leaders led by former United States President Donald Trump. The plan envisions the disarmament of Hamas, the completion of Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza, a reconstruction program, and the establishment of transitional bodies to govern Gaza before a potential handover to a reformed Palestinian Authority. Washington has signaled readiness to support steps that would grant legitimacy to the technocratic committee, including the reopening of the Rafah crossing, while Israel has emphasized conditions such as Hamas’s disarmament and the return of the Israeli hostage Ran Gvili before full implementation of phase two. The first public unveiling of the Board of Peace and its Gaza framework could come in Cairo within hours, as Palestinian factions converge for talks. Hamas has indicated it could resist formal power transfers, and the Palestinian Authority’s role remains uncertain amid broader regional diplomacy. The United States and other mediators describe the process as incremental, aiming to address humanitarian needs, security concerns, and the political realities on the ground.
Turning to the broader regional security context, discussions about Iran continue to shape strategic calculations. Iran’s United Nations ambassador wrote to the Security Council accusing the United States and the Israeli regime of bearing direct and undeniable responsibility for civilian casualties in Iran’s crackdown on protests, a message circulated alongside discussions of international responses. In Washington, President Don