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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-02 at 16:02
Published 1 month ago
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HEADLINES
Israel stands resolute against Iran's looming threat
Netanyahu warns democracy teetering on edge
Emirates set to revive Tel Aviv flights
The time is now 4:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
In the conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, opposition leader Yair Lapid said after a security assessment on Monday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the entire State of Israel is united in facing Iran. Lapid noted Netanyahu’s military secretary also participated in the meeting and stressed there are no disagreements about confronting the threat, adding that Tehran should know Israel stands united against the regime’s terror. The gathering came amid talk of a possible US-Iran conflict that could involve Israel and followed a day of public sparring over the Qatargate affair, with Lapid accusing people close to Netanyahu of receiving millions from Qatar.
In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, French judges issued arrest summons for two French-Israeli activists accused of complicity in genocide and incitement to genocide after protests against the transfer of humanitarian aid into Gaza. One activist is Nili Kupfer-Naouri, a French-Israeli lawyer and founder of Israel Is Forever; the other is Rachel Tuito, spokesperson for Tzav 9, which campaigns against sending humanitarian aid into Gaza. The two were said to have blocked aid trucks at the Nitzana and Kerem Shalom crossings at various points in 2024 and 2025 and urged others to join the protests, making statements that dehumanized Gaza residents. Kupfer-Naouri told Le Monde she would not comply with the summons and called the situation antisemitic; Tuito did not comment when contacted.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that democracy in Israel is eroding during a ceremonial Knesset session marking the building’s 60-year anniversary. He urged restoring balance among the three branches of government and said the greatest danger to democracy is the abolition of democracy. The ceremony highlighted tensions, with Supreme Court President Isaac Amit not invited amid the government-judiciary rift, and President Isaac Herzog absent due to a scheduling issue; opposition MPs boycotted the session, leaving several seats empty as Netanyahu spoke. The High Court of Justice ordered the government to explain why its December decision to close Army Radio should not be canceled, focusing on the process used rather than the government’s authority. The court gave the government until March 15 to respond after petitions by groups including the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, the Union of Journalists, the Press Council, and Army Radio. Top IDF officials say the ICJ genocide case poses a greater risk to Israel than the ICC, given a March 12 deadline to respond. While genocide charges carry broader implications, the ICJ could yield long-lasting diplomatic and economic fallout if a finding is made. Following the order against closing Galei Tzahal, the state said it would respond to the High Court, noting that even if flaws were found in the committee’s setup, it was only advisory and that the station could have been closed without it.
In Israeli Economy and Business, Emirates is expected to resume flights to Tel Aviv in early 2026, ending a two-year hiatus prompted by the 2023-2025 Israel-Hamas War, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. The report followed a November note by KAN News that Emirates planned to resume in early 2026 after Transportation Minister Miri Regev met with senior Emirates officials in Dubai. Emirates began operating at Ben-Gurion Airport in June 2022, two years after the normalization of relations under the Abraham Accords. Dubai is viewed as a gateway for visitors to connect with the world, and Tel Aviv represents an important milestone as Emirates expands its services
Israel stands resolute against Iran's looming threat
Netanyahu warns democracy teetering on edge
Emirates set to revive Tel Aviv flights
The time is now 4:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
In the conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, opposition leader Yair Lapid said after a security assessment on Monday with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the entire State of Israel is united in facing Iran. Lapid noted Netanyahu’s military secretary also participated in the meeting and stressed there are no disagreements about confronting the threat, adding that Tehran should know Israel stands united against the regime’s terror. The gathering came amid talk of a possible US-Iran conflict that could involve Israel and followed a day of public sparring over the Qatargate affair, with Lapid accusing people close to Netanyahu of receiving millions from Qatar.
In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, French judges issued arrest summons for two French-Israeli activists accused of complicity in genocide and incitement to genocide after protests against the transfer of humanitarian aid into Gaza. One activist is Nili Kupfer-Naouri, a French-Israeli lawyer and founder of Israel Is Forever; the other is Rachel Tuito, spokesperson for Tzav 9, which campaigns against sending humanitarian aid into Gaza. The two were said to have blocked aid trucks at the Nitzana and Kerem Shalom crossings at various points in 2024 and 2025 and urged others to join the protests, making statements that dehumanized Gaza residents. Kupfer-Naouri told Le Monde she would not comply with the summons and called the situation antisemitic; Tuito did not comment when contacted.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that democracy in Israel is eroding during a ceremonial Knesset session marking the building’s 60-year anniversary. He urged restoring balance among the three branches of government and said the greatest danger to democracy is the abolition of democracy. The ceremony highlighted tensions, with Supreme Court President Isaac Amit not invited amid the government-judiciary rift, and President Isaac Herzog absent due to a scheduling issue; opposition MPs boycotted the session, leaving several seats empty as Netanyahu spoke. The High Court of Justice ordered the government to explain why its December decision to close Army Radio should not be canceled, focusing on the process used rather than the government’s authority. The court gave the government until March 15 to respond after petitions by groups including the Movement for Quality Government in Israel, the Union of Journalists, the Press Council, and Army Radio. Top IDF officials say the ICJ genocide case poses a greater risk to Israel than the ICC, given a March 12 deadline to respond. While genocide charges carry broader implications, the ICJ could yield long-lasting diplomatic and economic fallout if a finding is made. Following the order against closing Galei Tzahal, the state said it would respond to the High Court, noting that even if flaws were found in the committee’s setup, it was only advisory and that the station could have been closed without it.
In Israeli Economy and Business, Emirates is expected to resume flights to Tel Aviv in early 2026, ending a two-year hiatus prompted by the 2023-2025 Israel-Hamas War, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter. The report followed a November note by KAN News that Emirates planned to resume in early 2026 after Transportation Minister Miri Regev met with senior Emirates officials in Dubai. Emirates began operating at Ben-Gurion Airport in June 2022, two years after the normalization of relations under the Abraham Accords. Dubai is viewed as a gateway for visitors to connect with the world, and Tel Aviv represents an important milestone as Emirates expands its services