The Council for Higher Education approved Tel Hai Academic College as Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee, after a unanimous vote on Tuesday to grant the institution the status."The decision to approve the establishment of Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee is a central step in the process of restoring and strengthening the city of Kiryat Shmona," said Education Minister Yoav Kisch.The main hurdle to establishing the university was Tel Hai's willingness to transfer its eastern campus to the Kiryat Shmona Municipality's jurisdiction, a move seen as key to the university's full integration into the city.The Tel Hai Academic College will now receive provisional university status for the 2026 academic year, with a five-year trial to comply with the government's requirements. "At the end of this period, permanent recognition can be discussed, subject to compliance with the established goals and criteria," the authorities from the Education Minister explained."The Kiryat Shmona University will be a lever for regional development and creating an academic and economic future for the young people of the north, while strictly maintaining academic quality," said Kisch.<figure><img alt="The Council for Higher Education approved Tel Hai Academic College as Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/702723"></figure><h3>Rebuilding Israel's north after Hezbollah war</h3>"The university will focus on applied research and serve as a bridge between the highest level of academia and industry, community, and environment," said the management of Kiryat Shmona University in a statement."This project will attract thousands of students to the Galilee from all over the country and create new sources of employment around it, which will allow students to stay in the area and make their home there. We are not only establishing a new university in Kiryat Shmona, but we are also building the future of the north of the country."The institution had to pass a comprehensive professional review, based on the recommendations of the Steering Committee and the Planning and Budgeting Committee, and after a series of prerequisites by the Education Ministry were implemented.'Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee will be an anchor for academic, economic, and social growth, and will serve as a center of attraction for students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and families from all over the country," added the Kiryat Shmona municipality."The recognition of Kiryat Shmona University of the Galilee is proof that persistence, regional partnership, and faith in the path bring results. This is a significant growth engine for the city, for young people, and for the next generation, and a cornerstone in building a strong and stable future in the Galilee," added the city's mayor, Avichai Stern.

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Council for Higher Education approves Kiryat Shmona University in effort to rebuild Northern Israel

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara responded on Tuesday to the petition regarding the closure of Army Radio, criticizing the government's handling of the media outlet's future.&nbsp;She stated, "The decision is illegal, contains numerous serious flaws, and the goal was clearly predetermined. It was made hastily, without considering alternatives, and forms part of a broader pattern of actions intended to restrict press freedom in Israel, creating a chilling effect on free media."The decision to close Army Radio, which has been in operation for 75 years, has prompted multiple petitions, including those from the Journalists' Organization and the Movement for Quality Government. In response to these petitions, Supreme Court President Isaac Amit issued an interim order to freeze the government's decision until a further ruling is made.Baharav-Miara expressed her belief that the government's decision to shut down Army Radio aims to silence a central media outlet in Israel. "The station is part of Israel's public broadcasting system and is one of only two national Hebrew public radio stations that operate news desks, provide current affairs programming, and adhere to established journalistic principles. It is the second most balanced current affairs station in Israel," she stated.She further explained that the decision to close the station is not an isolated action but rather part of a larger effort to fundamentally change Israel’s broadcasting market. This would weaken the market for news and current affairs broadcasts, both public and commercial, diminishing the diversity of available opinions.<figure><img alt="An illustrative image of a reporter for Army Radio (Galei Tzahal) taken in 2019." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/689606"></figure><h3>Government is 'using its power' against media</h3>She emphasized that the government is using its power against media outlets that do not align with its perspectives, including print media.Baharav-Miara's statement continued, "The decision to close the station was made quickly, within just a few weeks. As outlined, it appears that the goal was set from the beginning. The process seemed designed to ensure the desired outcome, ignoring the harm to freedom of speech caused by silencing the station and contributing to a broader strategy to limit press freedom in Israel."“This is occurring in the months leading up to the general elections - not only does it seem that the goal was predetermined, but the urgency of implementing these steps reinforces that impression, especially regarding the substantive considerations behind the decision."

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A-G Baharav-Miara criticizes Army Radio's closure, warns of impact on Israel's press freedom

The restrictive conditions levied upon Histadrut labor federation chairman Arnon Bar-David in November don’t have legal grounds to be continued in full, Central District Court Judge Dror Arad-Ayalon wrote in a judgment issued on Wednesday.&nbsp;Bar-David, the longtime chairman of Israel’s largest labor federation, became the central figure in a sweeping corruption investigation that came to light in November.&nbsp;Police raided union offices and detained Bar-David, his wife, and dozens of others amid allegations of bribery, fraud, breach of trust, and money laundering in what authorities have termed one of the most serious scandals in recent years.<figure><img alt="The attorneyrs of Histadrut chairman Arnon Bar David arrive to Bar David's court hearing at the RIshon le Tzion court, December 14, 2025." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/702734"></figure><h3>Bar-David, senior colleagues suspected of trying to benefit Ezra Gabbay</h3>Investigators say Bar-David and senior colleagues are suspected of using their positions to steer lucrative insurance portfolios and appointments to benefit an insurance businessman, Ezra Gabbay, in exchange for cash and other benefits, and the probe involves hundreds of potential suspects across labor committees, municipalities, and public entities.&nbsp;He was released to house arrest under stringent restrictions and suspended from his post, with courts extending limits on his involvement in Histadrut affairs as the inquiry continues.

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Histadrut corruption probe: Judge blocks extension of restrictions on union chairman

Israel's ability to project power into space reduces some of its vulnerabilities as a small country, top Israeli sources said on Tuesday.As Iran, with Russia's help, and others develop greater abilities to perform surveillance of Israel's small physical geographic area, sources said that shifting more capabilities and aspects of its various industries to space can avoid that surveillance.Likewise, if aspects of intelligence operations are moved into space, it will be more difficult for adversaries to crack into or otherwise access that intelligence, sources said.In addition, it is harder for adversaries to know when Israel may be watching them from space than from drones or other lower flying aircraft or human spies on the ground.Moreover, sources stated that maintaining command and control functions in space or using space assets is more feasible than doing so on land, in the event that an adversary manages to pierce Israel's air defense missile shield.<figure><img alt="Ofek 19 satellite being launched into space" src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/681183"></figure>With only seven countries deeply involved in developing space capabilities, Israel now has a larger qualitative advantage in that arena than in others where it once had an advantage.Over the decades, one of the most frequent objections to basing too many operations or goals on space developments has been the exorbitant cost of creating space technologies and of transporting anything, human or objects, into space.However, sources said that the price of sending a kilogram into space in 2026 is around 10 times lower than it was when the US sent a spaceship to the Moon in 1969.Predictions are that aspects of space development are on the way to becoming even less expensive, maybe even in the next couple of years.Israel's space "footprint" is mostly in the lower atmosphere (typically for surveillance assets) and the higher atmosphere (typically for communications assets).It has fewer assets in the mid-range of the atmosphere.<h3>Space Directorate Unit established during Israel-Hamas war</h3>In 2024, Israel announced the launch of its new Space Directorate Unit, tasked with consolidating all missions beyond Earth's atmosphere.This unit was established during the Israel-Hamas war, and its first head was announced as Lt. Col. N., who said that the time of opening the unit "may not be standard, but precisely at this time, we saw fit to establish the directorate. The air force realized that it was necessary to stop for a moment, pick up binoculars, and look even further ahead in order to expand our defense capabilities."The directorate has two structures working in tandem: the first is satellite projects, and the second is cooperation between the IDF and the existing defense system."The Israeli Air Force is a body with experience in defense, attacking, and leading operational systems. Therefore, the Space Directorate will bridge the challenges between the country and the Israeli Air Force," noted Lt. Col. N., the head of the Space Directorate at the time."Space may seem far away, but it's only about 100 kilometers from here, which is like an hour's drive on Route 6," Lt. Col. N. clarified. "We use this dimension of space all the time without noticing, even in routine activities, such as navigating on a mobile phone.""Until a decade ago, in order to be in space, we had to launch satellites on our own, which is a very complex technological and economic thing, which was busy and challenging," the commander said.After Israel Aerospace Industries launched the Ofek 19 surveillance satellite in early September, there were reports that the Shavit launcher, which was used to put the satellite in space, is on schedule to be replaced by a larger launcher for Israel's next generation of satellites, which may be almost twice the weight.At the same time, Elbit and Rafael are developing smaller satellites.Reports have said that the mix of large and small satellites could eventually enable Israel to surveil a given location or target every quarter of an hour.On December 2, Avi Berger, Head of the Space and Satellite Administration in the Defense Ministry, stated, “The Israeli satellite constellation was a full partner in all operational activity before, during, and after Operation Rising Lion. Over the 12 days of war, we collected tens of millions of square kilometers of extremely high-quality imagery, day and night.""Targets were built in real time, and critical communications were provided with high availability to support strike operations discreetly and without risking our forces," he stated.In addition, Berger said, “The war with Iran has further sharpened our understanding that we must dramatically increase investment in developing and maintaining Israeli superiority over our adversaries in space."Further, he committed that "Israeli space capabilities will be present at every point in the Middle East, collecting intelligence and providing alerts – around the clock and in all weather conditions. Space is a decisive component in ensuring the IDF's freedom of action."In a December report, Calcalist interviewed Berger about potential weapons to use against adversaries in space.Berger would not give complete specifics, but revealed that such weapons could include, "For example, anything that can prevent satellites from doing what they can do. By any means, whether it is kinetic or not. We examine everything that happens and can affect us and we are constantly considering such things. The space race also creates such challenges."On January 17, Berger told Channel 12 that the ministry was building "the technological surprises for the next war," promising they would be dramatic. "If at one point, we used to speak about spy satellites as opposed to communications satellites, now the conversation is much broader."In September, Defense Minister Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram directly linked the Ofek 19 launch to the lessons of the June 2025 Israel-Iran War, saying it had "demonstrated that modern warfare extends into space. Expanding and strengthening our foothold in space is a central objective in the Ministry’s strategy,” he said.“In the coming decade, we will invest billions in deploying a satellite constellation that will allow us to maintain persistent, simultaneous surveillance of any point throughout the Middle East.”

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Israel can reduce vulnerability by projecting power in space, Israeli sources say

Defense Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday took the remarkable act of publishing IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir's private letter to him and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warning that he needs more soldiers lest the IDF lack a sufficient volume for readiness to defend the country by some later point in 2026.He took this measure after attacks on the government for failing to push for haredim to draft into the IDF in large numbers.Katz then characterized the letter and Zamir as concerned only with the Knesset's failure to pass a law extending mandatory military service from 30 months to 36 months, but not with the haredim draft issue."The longer military service is not extended, the more damage to the army's competence and quality of training will be done," the letter warned, noting that the existing shortage "could lead to the loss of operational capability as early as the coming year."In contrast, WT understands that Zamir has been at least as concerned about increasing haredi participation in the IDF as he has about extending mandatory service times, and confirmed this with IDF sources on Tuesday night.<figure><img alt="Ultra-Orthodox Jews carry a banner in Hebrew that reads, “to prison and not the army,” during a “million man” protest against military conscription, in Jerusalem October 30, 2025." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/693768"></figure>However, this specific letter addresses only the mandatory service issue, while other letters and meetings have addressed Zamir's concern about the government's failure to order the drafting of more haredim.Incidentally, Zamir insisted on drafting haredim in large numbers even in his opening speech in March 2025, though mentioning the issue was a source of embarrassment for the government, which is seeking to pass a law that will have much more modest goals in terms of drafting haredim.Katz also attacked opposition figures who ousted Netanyahu and ran the Israeli government from June 2021 to December 2022 for failing to increase the size of the IDF at the time and continuing the trend of reducing the military's size to a "smaller, smarter army."The defense minister did not mention that the "smaller, smarter army" push began in the mid-2010s under Netanyahu, continued during the [former prime minister] Naftali Bennett and [Opposition leader] Yair Lapid governments, and resumed when Netanyahu returned to power in January 2023.<h3>'Trying to wake the gov't by raising red flags'</h3>In a Monday social media post, Bennett shared a blurred screenshot of the letter, saying that Zamir has been "trying to wake the government by raising red flags.""Now, it's official," Bennett's post read. "The draft evasion law undermines the IDF's competence and endangers Israel's security."MK Gadi Eisenkot (Yashar!) called Zamir's letter "a shocking document unlike anything [he'd] ever seen before," N12 cited, and warned of a potential disconnect between Israel's security needs and the country's ability to make political decisions.&nbsp;Lapid echoed Eisenkot's statement, according to N12, while the Reservists Party, led by Yoaz Hendel, noted that Zamir's letter confirms "repeated calls from the field" about the IDF's manpower shortage.

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Israel Katz publishes IDF chief's letter warning of manpower shortage amid haredi draft debate

The High Court of Justice has blocked the plan perform autopsies on the two infants who died in Monday's Jerusalem daycare disaster, ZAKA rescue and recovery said in a Tuesday post to X/Twitter."Attorney Dror Shoshayim, Chair of ZAKA's Legal Department, represented the families of the toddlers, and after hearing the arguments, it was determined that no post-mortem autopsy will be performed, while emphasizing the need to preserve the dignity of the deceased," ZAKA's post read.The decision comes after the families of the two deceased infants filed an appeal with the court on Monday night against performing the autopsies, after a Jerusalem Magistrate's Court judge ruled that there is room within Jewish law (halacha) to permit an autopsy in order to uncover a criminal or to clear a criminal suspicion, according to N12.Authorities have called for the autopsies, given that the cause of death has not yet been definitively determined.This is a developing story.&nbsp;James Genn contributed to this story.&nbsp;

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High Court of Justice blocks autopsies of dead infants from Jerusalem daycare disaster

The family of Yonatan Samerano, 21, who was murdered during Hamas’s October 7 attack, has filed a lawsuit in the Jerusalem District Court against the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), alleging the agency played a role in his abduction and death.The lawsuit, submitted by attorneys Nitsana Darshan-Leitner and her legal team at Shurat HaDin on behalf of Samerano’s estate and immediate family, seeks NIS 25 million in punitive damages under Israel’s Compensation for Victims of Terrorism Law. It names UNRWA, a UNRWA employee alleged to have taken part in the attack, and several current and former senior UNRWA officials as defendants.According to the filing, Samerano fled the Nova music festival near Re’im as Hamas terrorists stormed the area, killing hundreds. After reaching Kibbutz Be’eri, he was shot by terrorists at the entrance to the community. The suit alleges that later that morning, a UNRWA employee, driving a vehicle belonging to the agency, arrived at the scene with another armed operative, placed Samerano’s body in the trunk of the UN-marked car, and transported it into Gaza.&nbsp;The filing identifies the alleged perpetrator as Faisal Ali Musallam al-Naami, whom they describe as a Hamas operative employed by UNRWA in the Nuseirat refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip.The plaintiffs say the alleged actions were not isolated, but part of what they describe as a long-standing and systemic entanglement between UNRWA and Hamas in Gaza. The lawsuit claims that UNRWA employed hundreds, if not thousands, of Hamas operatives over the years, either knowingly or by turning a blind eye, and that agency facilities, vehicles, and resources were repeatedly used for terror-related activity.<figure><img alt="UNRWA COMMISSIONER-GENERAL Philippe Lazzarini speaks in Cairo in September. He had claimed that UNRWA didn’t know what was ‘under its headquarters,’ and fired a handful of terrorists, but it wasn’t just a few bad apples." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/693496"></figure>In detailing its claims, the suit cites Israeli intelligence assessments and international reporting suggesting that approximately 10% of UNRWA’s workforce in Gaza were members of Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad, while roughly half were close relatives of terror operatives. It further alleges that dozens of UNRWA employees took part directly in the October 7 massacre, including kidnappings and the transport of hostages.Beyond financial damages, the family is asking the court to issue an injunction compelling the defendants to provide information regarding Samerano’s remains and their location, as well as any internal UNRWA investigations into the events of October 7.<h3>UNRWA challenged on status as neutral humanitarian body</h3>A central legal argument in the filing challenges UNRWA’s claim to immunity as a UN agency. The suit alleges that UNRWA no longer functions as a neutral humanitarian body and therefore cannot benefit from the protections typically afforded under international conventions governing UN operations. Also listed were UNRWA Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini and other senior officials, whom the filing argues bear responsibility for the employment of operatives who took part in the attack.The lawsuit comes amid growing legal and political scrutiny of UNRWA in Israel following the war in Gaza. Darshan-Leitner welcomed the evacuation of UNRWA’s offices in Jerusalem, describing the move as “an act of justice for the victims of terror,” and arguing that Israel “has both the right and the duty to remove” the agency’s presence from the capital.While the case could face significant legal and diplomatic hurdles, including questions over whether Israeli courts can hear civil claims against a UN agency, it marks the first attempt by Israeli victims’ families to hold UNRWA civilly liable in an Israeli court for alleged involvement in the October 7 attack. The suit joins parallel civil proceedings against Hamas and affiliated actors, alongside hundreds of other victims.UNRWA has previously denied institutional involvement in terror activity, stating that any employees implicated in violence acted independently and in violation of agency rules. As of publication, the agency had not issued a response to the lawsuit.

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Family of slain hostage sues UNRWA for alleged role in October 7 kidnapping, murder

US conservative activist Charlie Kirk will be honored posthumously at Israel’s “Generation of Truth” conference in Jerusalem next week, as the government convenes lawmakers, diplomats, and Jewish leaders for two days of events tied to International Holocaust Remembrance Day.The Second International Conference on Combating Antisemitism, led by Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli, was scheduled for January 26–27, with the main conference at Jerusalem’s Binyanei Ha’uma convention center on January 27, alongside invitation-only side events including a Knesset meeting and a formal gala.&nbsp;Chikli said in a statement that the conference aimed to build “an international coalition” that recognized antisemitism as “a murderous ideology” that threatened “the entire free world,” according to the organizers’ materials.Kirk, a co-founder of Turning Point USA who became a prominent voice in US conservative politics, was killed in a September 2025 shooting, and Israeli officials said the Jerusalem gathering would include a tribute in his memory.According to the conference agenda published by organizers, speakers on January 27 were set to include President Isaac Herzog, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, former Australian prime minister Scott Morrison, and Argentina’s justice minister Mariano Cúneo Libarona, alongside panels on Holocaust denial, disinformation, and radicalization in Western societies.&nbsp;<figure><img alt="CEO of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk speaks on stage on the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/687910"></figure><h3>Increased concern over antisemitism since October 7</h3>The conference was being held against a backdrop of heightened concern over antisemitism worldwide since October 7, 2023. A September 2025 Anti-Defamation League and World Union of Jewish Students survey cited by WT found that 78% of Jewish students globally said they felt a need to hide their Jewish identity on campus.&nbsp;Organizers also pointed to a recent string of deadly attacks. In May 2025, Israel’s Foreign Ministry said two Israeli Embassy employees, Yaron Lishinsky and Sarah Milgram, were killed in a terror attack outside the Jewish Museum in Washington.In December, an antisemitic attack targeting a Hanukkah event on Sydney’s Bondi Beach killed 15 people and wounded dozens, with Rabbi Yehoram Ulman, listed on the conference program, among those who led funerals for victims.

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Israel to honor Charlie Kirk at Jerusalem 'Generation of Truth' antisemitism conference

Released hostages Aviva and Keith Siegel have decided to step into international humanitarian work following their Hamas captivity trauma, the pair announced at the SID Israel conference on Tuesday.SID-Israel is the umbrella organization for Israel’s international development and humanitarian aid community.The Siegels have recently partnered with IsraAID, one of Israel’s leading humanitarian aid organizations, and are set to travel with the NGO to Kenya, where they will visit the world's largest refugee camp in Kakuma.The Siegels told attendees of the annual conference of SID Israel that their experience in Hamas captivity in Gaza has motivated them to enter humanitarian work."The extraordinary mobilization of Israeli society that fought for our freedom moved us deeply," said Keith, who spent 484 days in Gaza. "We felt firsthand the meaning of holding on to hope even in the hardest moments. From this, we understood how critical humanitarian aid and international development are, and we decided to become part of this field in order to restore hope for others."<figure><img alt="Keith and Aviva Siegel speak at WT's Annual Conference in New York, US, May 19, 2025" src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/664143"></figure>He also said that his own suffering made him realize he could not be indifferent to others' suffering."Just as suffering does not distinguish between people, we also want to be wherever we are needed," he said, adding that "That is why we chose to strengthen Israeli humanitarian action in the world, action based on compassion, human equality, respect for human dignity, and care for others."<h3>Keith Siegel shows hope about the future</h3>Keith expressed hope that the strength, commitment, and determination that Israeli society directed toward the release of Hamas' hostages will now be directed toward raising awareness about reducing suffering and assisting millions of people around the world who live in extreme living conditions and need help.He added that he views humanitarian and development work as an investment in the future and in the next generation's ability to live with security, dignity, and hope."We hope to build together a safer and more just world for our children, a world in which education and conscious action for others are foundational pillars of society, and where real action is taken with the intention of reducing human suffering and increasing hope," he said.Aviva spoke of her experiences in Gaza and how she witnessed people making the choice to commit acts of evil."I saw it there in Gaza, how people who have the simplest choice, to do or to be, choose to be the worst, the most cruel, the most terrible people. But we are not like that. We sit around the table with family and friends and only talk about what more we can do so that others will have it better. Who else can we give water to? Who else can we ensure safety for and bring things they do not have?"She spoke of how she tried to remain "an Israeli, with a heart" in Gaza, and recounted a story of how she provided support for an 86-year-old woman on the pickup truck who "was almost no longer alive.""I did everything I could to make her start breathing, while they brought a cameraman to film the woman who looked dead. I looked at that cameraman and learned what they are made of, and I continued to be myself, giving her a massage, calming her, shouting in her ear that she had to stay alive for her children."She stayed alive because I, like you, am a human being with a heart who only wants to give and to help.""We must ensure that this does not continue, that it does not exist anywhere, not in Kenya, not in Ukraine, because I was there, I saw it, I felt it," she said."Precisely in an era of ongoing crises, conflicts, and disasters, humanitarian work is more important than ever," added Keith, "No matter how suffering is created, it can always be reduced when people choose to act."<h3>Israeli aid organizations see decline in partnerships post-war</h3>Unfortunately, research by SID earlier this month revealed that 40% of Israeli humanitarian and international development organizations operating abroad reported a decline in international partnerships since the start of the war.Around 60% have also reported that their ability to raise funds has been negatively affected since the outbreak of the war in Gaza. More than one-third say they have faced threats – and, in some cases, actual moves – to suspend cooperation.About 60% of organizations also reported experiences of anti-Israeli or antisemitic incidents, either personally or among colleagues. Staff and volunteers also reported a decline in personal security, fear of operating in the field, and, in some cases, staff departures and layoffs.Nevertheless, SID CEO Ayelet Levin Karp told WT that it is “Precisely at a time when criticism of Israel and international isolation are growing, that it is crucial to strengthen Israel’s positive contribution to the world and to insist on being part of the solution to the most pressing global challenges."“This moment calls for stronger partnerships, shared thinking, and recognition of the importance of Israeli humanitarian work on the international stage.”

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Released hostages Keith and Aviva Siegel to enter humanitarian work following Gaza captivity trauma

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday sought to downplay evidence presented by prosecutors in Case 4000, portraying alleged interventions in media coverage and late-night contacts with the controlling shareholder of Walla as routine, misunderstood, or rooted in sarcasm, as his cross-examination entered another pointed day at the Tel Aviv District Court.The hearing, part of the bribery, fraud, and breach of trust case centered on the Bezeq-Walla affair, focused largely on Netanyahu’s relationship with Shaul and Iris Elovitch, the former owners of the Walla news site, and on whether regulatory decisions were improperly linked to favorable coverage.Prosecutors maintain that Netanyahu advanced regulatory benefits worth hundreds of millions of shekels to Bezeq while he was communications minister, in exchange for systematic interference in Walla’s editorial line. Netanyahu denies the charges.At the heart of Tuesday’s session was a May 2016 Walla article criticizing Channel 12 analyst Amit Segal, and a text message Segal sent in response, quipping that he might as well “call the Netanyahu family to have the item removed, as was customary on your site.”Prosecutor Yehudit Tirosh argued that the message reflected what Segal said he had observed at Walla, suggesting political intervention in editorial decisions.<figure><img alt="Yehudit Tirosh, pictured at the Jerusalem District Court, June 15, 2021." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/690638"></figure>Netanyahu rejected that interpretation, insisting the prosecution was inflating a sarcastic remark into evidence of systemic conduct. He described Segal as a journalist known for irony and said the text should be read in that context. According to Netanyahu, extracting a single line from a journalist’s offhand response and presenting it as proof of editorial manipulation distorted both Segal’s intent and reality at the site.<h3>Netanyahu uses senior aides to convey messages to Elovitch</h3>Tirosh also returned to a central pillar of the indictment: Netanyahu’s alleged use of senior aides to convey messages to Elovitch, including during late-night hours. She cited testimony by former Communications Ministry director-general Shlomo Filber, now a state witness, describing how Netanyahu asked him shortly after midnight to contact Elovitch and coordinate a meeting at the prime minister’s Caesarea residence the following day.Netanyahu said he did not recall the specific exchange but rejected the notion that such conduct was unusual or improper. He acknowledged that he often contacted subordinates at unconventional hours, attributing it to his own work habits rather than to any special relationship with Elovitch.If someone was available and had a phone number, he said, he would call. The prime minister bristled at the characterization of Elovitch as a uniquely powerful figure in this context, arguing that late-night calls were not uncommon in dealings with senior officials and international counterparts.The cross-examination revisited a series of binders containing opinion columns published on Walla, some supportive and some critical of Netanyahu, which prosecutors say he closely tracked.Tirosh argued that the evidence showed Netanyahu was less concerned with ideological balance than with whether coverage served his political and personal interests. She suggested that the message conveyed to Elovitch was clear: criticism, whether from the right or the left, was unwelcome if it undermined Netanyahu.Netanyahu countered that argument by framing the coverage dispute as part of a broader ideological struggle. He said attacks from the right were used to lend credibility to what he described as a wider campaign against him and against right-wing governance.Requests for supportive coverage, he maintained, stemmed from a belief that he was facing a sustained effort to unseat him for representing the right-wing camp, not from any quid pro quo arrangement.Tirosh also pressed Netanyahu on the transfer of a booklet analyzing pro- and anti-Netanyahu opinion pieces at Walla, which Elovitch said he received directly from the prime minister.Netanyahu said he did not clearly remember the encounter and suggested the material may have been passed on via his office staff. When confronted with Filber’s testimony describing the booklet as part of an assignment he felt crossed a line, Netanyahu dismissed the account as exaggerated and denied instructing aides to act as intermediaries without his knowledge.At several points, the exchange grew sharp, with Netanyahu accusing the prosecution of constructing implausible narratives and wasting court time, while Tirosh underscored inconsistencies between his courtroom testimony and earlier statements to investigators.The presiding judges intervened intermittently to clarify the factual record and keep the questioning on track.Outside the courthouse, a small group of demonstrators gathered, some calling for the trial to be halted and others carrying protest signs, underscoring the political and public sensitivity surrounding the proceedings.

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Netanyahu dismisses ‘Walla’ coverage claims as sarcastic banter in continued cross-examination

Israel Prize laureate Zubin Mehta slammed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel's "occupation" of Palestine in an interview with India Today, calling on people in the arts to speak out on political issues.The comments were shown during a preview of the interview earlier this week, with the full interview slated to be broadcast on India's Republic Day, January 26.The interviewer asked Mehta whether he believed that music could be separated from politics."I can't, and I never have," he answered, noting that many of his colleagues take the same view."I canceled all my engagements in Israel this year because of my objection to [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu's way of treating the whole Palestinian issue," he noted.<figure><img alt="Indian conducter Zubin Mehta performs with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra during the New Year's Concert at the Golden Hall of the Musikverein on January 1, 2015 in Vienna; illustrative." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/702611"></figure>"I hope that [Netanyahu's policy] finishes. I hope he is outvoted at the next election," he commented."We must, and we do [take a stand on political issues,]" he continued. "Many of my colleagues turn a blind eye, but I can't agree with them."The interviewer noted that Mehta has been vocal about Israel's "occupation of Palestine" in the past, and that he stood up for Argentinian-born Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim, who faced boycotts from Israel's political echelon for producing compositions of German conductor Wagner in Israeli orchestras.Barenboim notably took up Palestinian citizenship, and Wagner was a favored composer of Nazi leadership, including Adolf Hitler, for his usage of German mythological imagery and folklore."Do you believe a day would come when you would have an orchestra with Israelis and Palestinians together?" the interviewer asked."I have that now. I toured Spain, Italy, and Austria with an orchestra called the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra [co-founded by Barenboim and Palestinian political activist Edward Said] made of Israelis and Palestinians who sit together, get along well, and make music without any problems."He also commented that he never knew what antisemitism was in India until he moved to Vienna and his landlord told him he could not invite Jewish friends to his house.<h3>Zubin Mehta's ties with Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, special Israel Prize award</h3>Mehta worked as the musical director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra for approximately 50 years.Mehta was awarded an Israel Prize, the state's highest civilian honor, as a special prize awarded to a non-Israeli in "recognition of his devotion to Israel and the IPO" in 1991.The prize usually requires Israeli citizenship, residency, or is granted to worldwide Jewish organizations. Mehta is one of the few non-Israeli nationals in the prize's history to receive the award.

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Zubin Mehta cancels all Israeli shows, cites Netanyahu's 'treatment of Palestinians'

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