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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-19 at 20:06
Published 1 month, 1 week ago
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HEADLINES
Israel budget standoff risks elections and fractures
Netanyahu unveils Gaza Phase B disarmament plan
Palestinian attacks fall 2025 IDF boosts readiness
The time is now 3:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is your hourly news update. In Jerusalem, debate over Israel’s 2026 state budget intensified as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the government is determined to pass the budget on the first reading, even as coalition fractures persist. The 2026 draft, delivered to the Knesset ahead of the initial plenary vote, foresees total state spending of 662 billion shekels, with a deficit ceiling of 3.9 percent of GDP and defense outlays raised to 112 billion shekels for the year. If a full three readings are not completed by the end of March, the Knesset would dissolve and elections would be called. The budget’s path forward remains entangled with the dispute over the haredi draft bill and broader coalition tensions that have eroded the governing coalition’s stability since July.
In a separate move aimed at easing domestic transport costs, a Knesset panel approved a bill to allow ride-sharing apps such as Uber and Lyft to operate in Israel. The measure, backed by ministers and lawmakers from across the political spectrum, is designed to open the market to competition and address a taxi shortage and high fares. Final approval in the plenum is anticipated, though opposition from traditional taxi drivers warned of safety and regulatory concerns. The government argues the bill would create jobs and offer consumers more affordable options, while keeping licensing and safety standards in place.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed Gaza policy, stating that Turkish or Qatari soldiers would not be present in the Strip and signaling a continued focus on the security framework surrounding the Gaza front. He framed the situation in terms of Phase B of the Trump administration’s ceasefire framework: Hamas must be disarmed, and Gaza demilitarized, with the United States and regional partners involved in a governance arrangement that Netanyahu said would be implemented with or without a expedited path. The remarks came amid a broader US-led discourse on Gaza governance and the role of regional actors, including renewed attention to the Gaza Board announced by Washington. Opposition figures criticized the handling of the Gaza strategy and warned that external meddling risks complicating Israel’s security calculations.
On the domestic political front in the United States, Josh Shapiro’s forthcoming memoir has intensified discussion about the vetting process for vice presidential candidates. Shapiro, the Jewish-American Pennsylvania governor, recounts questions about loyalty that led some observers to label the process as an antisemitic double standard. Advocates for stronger protections against such rhetoric argue that scrutiny of public officials should be governed by policy stance and competence rather than questions about identity. The episode underscores ongoing debates within American political circles about loyalty, identity, and foreign policy considerations in candidate selection, even as the party moves toward its 2024–2026 electoral dynamics.
In the Gaza arena, Israel has faced continued pressure over the Rafah crossing. Reports indicate delays in opening the border despite US expectations and ongoing disputes over Gaza’s leadership structure and the potential involvement of Turkey and Qatar. The clash over postwar governance in Gaza and the management of reconstruction and security arrangements continues to reverberate in Washington and Jerusalem, influencing Israeli calculations about negotiating leverage and regional security architecture.
A separate set of developments concerned security in the West Bank. The IDF released new figures showing a significant declin
Israel budget standoff risks elections and fractures
Netanyahu unveils Gaza Phase B disarmament plan
Palestinian attacks fall 2025 IDF boosts readiness
The time is now 3:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
This is your hourly news update. In Jerusalem, debate over Israel’s 2026 state budget intensified as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said the government is determined to pass the budget on the first reading, even as coalition fractures persist. The 2026 draft, delivered to the Knesset ahead of the initial plenary vote, foresees total state spending of 662 billion shekels, with a deficit ceiling of 3.9 percent of GDP and defense outlays raised to 112 billion shekels for the year. If a full three readings are not completed by the end of March, the Knesset would dissolve and elections would be called. The budget’s path forward remains entangled with the dispute over the haredi draft bill and broader coalition tensions that have eroded the governing coalition’s stability since July.
In a separate move aimed at easing domestic transport costs, a Knesset panel approved a bill to allow ride-sharing apps such as Uber and Lyft to operate in Israel. The measure, backed by ministers and lawmakers from across the political spectrum, is designed to open the market to competition and address a taxi shortage and high fares. Final approval in the plenum is anticipated, though opposition from traditional taxi drivers warned of safety and regulatory concerns. The government argues the bill would create jobs and offer consumers more affordable options, while keeping licensing and safety standards in place.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed Gaza policy, stating that Turkish or Qatari soldiers would not be present in the Strip and signaling a continued focus on the security framework surrounding the Gaza front. He framed the situation in terms of Phase B of the Trump administration’s ceasefire framework: Hamas must be disarmed, and Gaza demilitarized, with the United States and regional partners involved in a governance arrangement that Netanyahu said would be implemented with or without a expedited path. The remarks came amid a broader US-led discourse on Gaza governance and the role of regional actors, including renewed attention to the Gaza Board announced by Washington. Opposition figures criticized the handling of the Gaza strategy and warned that external meddling risks complicating Israel’s security calculations.
On the domestic political front in the United States, Josh Shapiro’s forthcoming memoir has intensified discussion about the vetting process for vice presidential candidates. Shapiro, the Jewish-American Pennsylvania governor, recounts questions about loyalty that led some observers to label the process as an antisemitic double standard. Advocates for stronger protections against such rhetoric argue that scrutiny of public officials should be governed by policy stance and competence rather than questions about identity. The episode underscores ongoing debates within American political circles about loyalty, identity, and foreign policy considerations in candidate selection, even as the party moves toward its 2024–2026 electoral dynamics.
In the Gaza arena, Israel has faced continued pressure over the Rafah crossing. Reports indicate delays in opening the border despite US expectations and ongoing disputes over Gaza’s leadership structure and the potential involvement of Turkey and Qatar. The clash over postwar governance in Gaza and the management of reconstruction and security arrangements continues to reverberate in Washington and Jerusalem, influencing Israeli calculations about negotiating leverage and regional security architecture.
A separate set of developments concerned security in the West Bank. The IDF released new figures showing a significant declin