Episode Details

HEADLINES
- Israel arrests Jenin terror figure linked Funduq
- Macron marks Halimi anniversary warns of antisemitism
- Israel polls tighten as Netanyahu edges Bennett

The time is now 8:01 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In The Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), Israeli forces backed by the Shin Bet arrested Muhammad Zidan in Jenin, a senior figure in the Jenin terror network who acted as an aide to the gunman behind the January 6, 2025 Funduq shooting that killed three Israelis and wounded eight. The operation, conducted yesterday in Jenin under the command of the Menashe Brigade with guidance from the Shin Bet, targeted a figure who had previously led financing for extremist groups and promoted acts of terror against Israel.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, French President Emmanuel Macron marked the 20th anniversary of Ilan Halimi’s brutal killing and denounced an “antisemitic hydra” that has taken root in society, infiltrating every crack and sometimes surfacing as anti-Zionism. He said that despite two decades of police, gendarmerie, judges, teachers and elected officials’ efforts, antisemitism has continued to advance and has at times cloaked itself in new faces. He tied this rise to Islamist antisemitism behind the October 7 pogrom. Separately, researchers described online radicalization patterns in a Canada school shooting case, noting the suspect wrote “I need to hate Jews” before killing nine people, including himself.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, a columnist argues that Prime Minister Netanyahu’s release of a 55-page booklet responding to the State Comptroller’s questions about October 7 does not rewrite the truth of those events, pointing to quotes from a 2014 cabinet meeting and a Military Intelligence representative to illustrate ongoing debates over Gaza strategy. In the same vein, a new Maariv poll shows Israelis in a tight race for prime minister, with the opposition bloc at 60 seats and the coalition at 50; Netanyahu receives about 41% support to Bennett’s 40%, while Bennett’s bloc dwarfs hadash-Ta’al and other parties in various shifts as the political landscape tightens ahead of the next elections.

In Uplifting News, Eating monkeys and living off the land in the Amazon, geography teacher Guy Steinbruch recounts more than two years spent deep in the Amazon, surviving by hunting and embracing ancient routines, facing disease, danger, and encounters with cultures largely untouched by modern life.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://www.maariv.co.il/breaking-news/article-1284475
https://www.timesofisrael.com/honoring-2006-jewish-murder-victim-macron-says-antisemitic-hydra-has-only-grown-since/
https://worldisraelnews.com/school-shooter-in-canada-wrote-i-need-to-hate-jews-before-killing-9-people-including-himself/
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-886524
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-886571

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