Episode Details

HEADLINES
Iranian-directed recruitment indicts Israeli official
Greene meets Bethlehem mayor, condemns persecution
Envelope triggers tests at Netanyahu office

The time is now 4:01 AM 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, a resident of northern Israel, Fares Abu al-Hijja of Kaukab Abu al-Hijja near Nazareth, has been indicted on charges of collecting intelligence on a senior Israeli official, allegedly at the direction of an Iranian intelligence operative. The senior official was not publicly identified, though Israeli media identified him as former defense minister Yoav Gallant. Prosecutors say Abu al-Hijja was detained after being caught carrying out an intelligence-gathering assignment targeting a senior personality, and investigators found that he had contact with a foreign agent linked to Iranian intelligence and that he accepted payments to perform assignments including gathering information intended to harm state security. The case is described as part of Tehran-backed recruitment efforts inside Israel. In a separate report from Lebanon’s Al-Manar, the channel says Israeli forces penetrated early this morning into the area between the villages Ramiyah and Itaa al-Sha'ab across the northern border and blew up a building.

In the Disputed Territories (Gaza, Judea and Samaria, East Jerusalem), former US congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene met Bethlehem’s mayor, Maher Nicola Canawati, on Sunday. Greene lauded Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus but condemned alleged Christian persecution in the area, asking, “What is the Holy Land without Christians?” Canawati described Christians being killed in Gaza bombings and churches being attacked, and said residents want to live in peace with Jewish and Muslim neighbors while noting that settlers “continue to take their homes.” Greene was given a commemorative medal, a stone from the Church of the Nativity, and a piece of wood from its roof. Separately, Israeli police arrested seven people and deported eight after stopping a vehicle carrying 15 Palestinian residents suspected of entering Israel illegally last week, as they were headed to work in Bnei Brak for an extended stay. The operation is part of the “Shield of the Capital” effort to enforce laws against illegal entry and stay, and to bolster security in the capital; some detainees had criminal records. The crackdown follows a broader past operation across the Coastal District, which included closing 10 businesses and detaining more than 45 undocumented Palestinians in early February.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, a suspicious envelope arrived at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office on Monday and was examined on site by Israel Police forensic laboratory personnel, who ruled out an explosive and then sent the envelope to a biological laboratory in Ness Ziona. The Prime Minister’s Office said tests showed suspicious signs, and the matter was handled according to protocol and posed no danger to workers. An unnamed source cited by Maariv said the envelope contained ampoules with an unknown substance. Separately, Israel Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman reacted to reports about changes to the wording of the conscription exemption law, saying, “no words,” and criticizing the government for a sweeping exemption from public service in the wake of tensions after the 7 October attacks.

In Uplifting News, New Zealand’s Māori performed the powerful Haka in solidarity with the Iranian people.

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.

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