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Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-02-20 at 02:02
Published 1 week, 2 days ago
Description
HEADLINES
West Bank crossings surge for Friday prayers
Israel eyes Iran strike as talks intensify
Ultra-Orthodox clash over blocked conscription bill
The time is now 2:01 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), more than two thousand Palestinians have crossed the Qalandia and Rafah crossings since they opened this morning to allow exits for Friday prayers at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria issued about ten thousand entry permits for Friday prayers for West Bank residents. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Brigadier General Yoram Halevi; the head of the Civil Administration, Colonel Hesam Ibrahim; the Jerusalem District police chief Avishai Feld; and the Border Police commander Yitzhak Brik, visited the Qalandia crossing this morning and held situation briefings with field commanders as part of preparations for Friday prayers. Ramadan 2026 begins, and authorities remained on alert as security coordination continued; reports noted a deadly accident on Highway 6 that claimed two lives and left others injured.
In US Policy Concerning Israel, life in Israel continues with normal travel and commerce even as talk of potential action against Iran grows. The departure hall at Ben-Gurion Airport looked routine, with flights arriving from Bucharest, New Delhi, and Naples and departures to Athens, Krasnodar, and Berlin; coffee stands were busy and security lines moved at their usual pace. In conversations, people asked when the United States might strike Iran, while Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership and possible pardons were topics of discussion as well. President Herzog, returning from abroad, said he had no inside information about any attack and that pardons for political leaders proceed through standard procedures, with Israel staying attentive to developments around Iran.
Separately, in Illinois, Representative Jan Schakowsky withdrew her endorsement of Donna Miller in the 2nd Congressional District, saying Illinois deserves leaders who are not funded by outside interests tied to AIPAC. Miller has drawn contributions from AIPAC-affiliated donors and from groups accused of operating as AIPAC-related entities, though AIPAC has not endorsed her campaign or lent its name to any affiliated fund. Schakowsky’s decision signals ongoing tensions over the influence of the pro-Israel lobby in Democratic primaries ahead of next month’s elections.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, ultra-Orthodox party figures accuse the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee’s legal adviser Miri Frenkel-Shor of blocking the long-delayed conscription bill. They say some of her conditions are not purely legal and reflect an ideological approach, including a demand to maintain ongoing sanctions against those who do not enlist even if recruitment targets are met. A senior official from the ultra-Orthodox camps suggested Frenkel-Shor does not want the law to pass, noting rhetoric that goes beyond the Knesset’s legal framework and stressing the bill’s passage faces resistance within closed-door talks.
In Uplifting News, The people of Iran need our support! The people of Iran need our support!
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-1287038
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-887294<
West Bank crossings surge for Friday prayers
Israel eyes Iran strike as talks intensify
Ultra-Orthodox clash over blocked conscription bill
The time is now 2:01 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), more than two thousand Palestinians have crossed the Qalandia and Rafah crossings since they opened this morning to allow exits for Friday prayers at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The Civil Administration in Judea and Samaria issued about ten thousand entry permits for Friday prayers for West Bank residents. The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories, Brigadier General Yoram Halevi; the head of the Civil Administration, Colonel Hesam Ibrahim; the Jerusalem District police chief Avishai Feld; and the Border Police commander Yitzhak Brik, visited the Qalandia crossing this morning and held situation briefings with field commanders as part of preparations for Friday prayers. Ramadan 2026 begins, and authorities remained on alert as security coordination continued; reports noted a deadly accident on Highway 6 that claimed two lives and left others injured.
In US Policy Concerning Israel, life in Israel continues with normal travel and commerce even as talk of potential action against Iran grows. The departure hall at Ben-Gurion Airport looked routine, with flights arriving from Bucharest, New Delhi, and Naples and departures to Athens, Krasnodar, and Berlin; coffee stands were busy and security lines moved at their usual pace. In conversations, people asked when the United States might strike Iran, while Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership and possible pardons were topics of discussion as well. President Herzog, returning from abroad, said he had no inside information about any attack and that pardons for political leaders proceed through standard procedures, with Israel staying attentive to developments around Iran.
Separately, in Illinois, Representative Jan Schakowsky withdrew her endorsement of Donna Miller in the 2nd Congressional District, saying Illinois deserves leaders who are not funded by outside interests tied to AIPAC. Miller has drawn contributions from AIPAC-affiliated donors and from groups accused of operating as AIPAC-related entities, though AIPAC has not endorsed her campaign or lent its name to any affiliated fund. Schakowsky’s decision signals ongoing tensions over the influence of the pro-Israel lobby in Democratic primaries ahead of next month’s elections.
In Israeli Domestic Politics, ultra-Orthodox party figures accuse the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee’s legal adviser Miri Frenkel-Shor of blocking the long-delayed conscription bill. They say some of her conditions are not purely legal and reflect an ideological approach, including a demand to maintain ongoing sanctions against those who do not enlist even if recruitment targets are met. A senior official from the ultra-Orthodox camps suggested Frenkel-Shor does not want the law to pass, noting rhetoric that goes beyond the Knesset’s legal framework and stressing the bill’s passage faces resistance within closed-door talks.
In Uplifting News, The people of Iran need our support! The people of Iran need our support!
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-1287038
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-887294<