Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett accidentally revealed the identity of one of his Shin Bet Personal Security Unit bodyguards in a social media post, according to a KAN News report on Wednesday.Bennett revealed the security guard’s name and picture, both of which are prohibited by Shin Bet for safety reasons.Shin Bet disallows the publication of its officers' identities, even after their duties are over.Bennett was ordered to remove the post immediately.In a statement regarding the incident, Bennett's office described the post as a “mistake made in good faith.”<figure><img alt="BENNETT IS seen during a march in support of the conscription of ultra-Orthodox Jews into the IDF, from the entrance of Jerusalem to the Knesset, last month." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/707419"></figure>“The post described a moving story about Bennett's meeting with one of the greatest commanders to ever rise in the IDF,” Bennett’s office added, confirming that the post had been deleted.<h3>Friction between Bennett, Shin Bet</h3>This was the second incident of friction between Bennett and his Shin Bet guards.A few weeks ago, according to KAN, Bennett published his location in real-time while in Narariya, creating what Shin Bet labeled a "security risk."

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Bennett accidentally reveals identity of Shin Bet bodyguard, forced to delete social media post

Eretz Nehederet, Israel’s beloved sketch comedy show, has been helping Israelis find some laughs during one of the most turbulent periods in the country's history throughout its most recent season, which came to a close on Wednesday night, just as Israel’s 78th Independence Day celebrations wound down.The series, which runs on Channel 12 on the Keshet network, opened its 23rd season just after the last living hostages held by Hamas in Gaza were released in October, and it hosted the former hostage Alon Ohel, a pianist, just two weeks after he came home. His performance of David Broza’s “Under the Sky,” during which he was joined by the show’s cast, was one of the most moving moments in the show’s history. &nbsp;On Wednesday night, the cast came out again at the end and joined host Eyal Kitzis as they celebrated simply getting through the season, during which, from the end of February until well into April, the cast, along with all Israelis, were frequently running to bomb shelters.Audiences grew used to seeing the right side of their television screen light up with missile alert warnings for different towns as the cast performed. Pre-ceasefire, thousands of Israelis ran to bomb shelters in the middle of the show, and most tuned back in as soon as they got out, because the need for jokes and a little fun was so strong.The show made fun of virtually every aspect of Israeli life during Operation Roaring Lion, from crowded bomb shelters, one of which featured Tel Aviv resident Quentin Tarantino (Ori Laizerouvitch), to mood swings, comfort-food binges, and the rising gap between the have-bomb-shelters and the have-no-bomb shelters.<figure><img alt="Host Eyal Kitzis on the set of Eretz Nehederet, April 22, 2026" src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/717406"></figure>For weeks leading up to the Operation Roaring Lion war, Kitzis would quiz US President Donald Trump (Omer Etzion, who is so good he puts all Trump impersonators to shame, even those in the US) on plans for a war to follow up the 12-day conflict against Iran in June, but Trump played it close to the vest, even admitting, “I don’t know s**t,” at one point in February.On Wednesday’s show, Prime Minister Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu (Mariano Edelman) kept thinking that every noise he heard was Air Force One bringing Trump back to Israel, since Bibi had promised the US president the Israel Prize, Israel’s most prestigious civilian honor, and that he could light a torch at the official Independence Day ceremony.Bibi boasted of how close he still was to Trump, and said the president always answered him, as long as he called from the phone of Channel 12’s White House correspondent, Barak Ravid.Trump answered from the White House, pretending to be a Spanish-speaking cleaning woman when he realized it was Bibi and not Ravid. The prime minister reminded Trump about all the honors awaiting him in Israel, and Trump told Bibi he could have a messenger leave the Israel Prize outside the White House door.Asked by Kitzis why he was no longer close to the Israeli prime minister, Trump replied that, because it was Independence Day, he had watched some classic Israeli “seretei bourekas” comedies and realized that Israelis had been fooling him. The prime minister had told him that the war with Iran would be a “piece of cake. I said yes because I like cake… Iran is not cake… No more boom boom, Bibi.”<h3>'When I say ceasefire, I mean all the fire'</h3>Trump told Bibi that Israelis couldn’t even celebrate Independence Day with traditional barbecues, just with the cans of foam that people like to spray on each other at open-air parties, because, “When I say ceasefire, I mean all the fire.”But Transportation Minister Miri Regev (Yuval Semo), who is also in charge of the Independence Day festivities, reminded Bibi that even if Trump couldn’t make it, there was another crazy foreign president at the torch-lighting ceremony, President Javier Milei (Mariano Edeleman) of Argentina, who actually attended the event and sang a song in Spanish.Much of the show focused on this year’s torch-lighting, which was criticized by many for being too complimentary to the prime minister and for failing to get any young celebrities to take part.There was also a sketch with a new spy series about how Turkish intelligence had rigged the heads of Israeli men who went to Turkey for cheap hair transplants to explode, and how they had to be stopped by actor Yehuda Levi, whose mane of hair has remained thick for over 20 years.The show’s cold open was about resilience, a quality much celebrated when the missiles were falling but perhaps overrated in peacetime, as it showed a woman dumping her boyfriend and immediately praising him for his resilience.In the continuing parody of counterculture life in Pardes Hanna, a straitlaced woman who has been staying home watching the news all the time is finally persuaded to get out and dance in the sun with New Age hippies.<h3>A new band</h3>Kitizis then said that the army had added a new band: the Home Front Command Troupe. In a loving parody of Avi Nesher’s classic 1978 film, The Troupe (Ha Lahaka), inspired by an army entertainment troupe, soldiers appeared dressed to resemble characters from the film and performed a medley of the beloved songs from the film, with the lyrics updated to reflect today’s reality.The songs touched on subjects such as running to a bomb shelter and locking others out as explosions are heard outside, emotional eating, repairing broken windows, and perhaps, most cynically, the words to the lilting “What Birds” were replaced by “What Launches."Meanwhile, “Song of Peace” was rewritten as “Alerts and another round of fighting/Will be here for many years/So don’t sing a song of peace/There’s already no such word/But just sing there’s a light in the bomb shelter/For next time.”On that sad note, the cast assembled at Kitzis’s desk and proceeded to take off their elaborate masks and wigs, while Kitzis signed off by saying that he hoped Israel’s 79th year would be marked by healing, rebuilding, and peace. saying, "It’s in our hands, and it’s worthwhile to make an effort because, remember, we have a wonderful country.”

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Eretz Nehederet searches for light at the end of the bomb shelter in season finale

"We will not fund a single shekel to those who don't enlist,” declared former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett on Maariv’s Radio 103FM on Monday.&nbsp;"Currently, the IDF cannot carry out its missions because it is short 20,000 soldiers. We need to say something harsh and true: draft evasion is costing us the lives of our soldiers,” he claimed, criticizing Chairman of Religious Zionism and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s proposed plan to encourage ultra-Orthodox enlistment to the IDF.&nbsp;<h3>Smotrich the 'architect of the evasion'</h3>"This is what Smotrich did,” he said. He is largely the architect of the evasion. He was supposed to represent religious Zionism, people who give 500 or 600 days in reserve duty, and because of the alliance with Goldknopf and Deri, he simply sold them out. It’s a crime."“They [soldiers] are being sent again and again, worn down,” he continued. “When you are worn down for such a long time, your sharpness diminishes, and in the end, there are casualties. Due to the lack of soldiers, they are forced to conquer a point but cannot stay there, so they withdraw.”Bennett blamed Smotrich, Knesset members Yitzchak Goldknopf and Arye Deri, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for the lack of religious soldiers in the IDF, calling their decisions “terrible” and claiming they put politics above the well-being of the country.<figure><img alt="Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich holds a press conference ahead of the vote on the state budget at the Knesset, the Israeli parliament in Jerusalem, March 29, 2026." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/717417"></figure>"There are 100,000 young, healthy ultra-Orthodox who could enlist. If just one-fifth of them enlist, we have solved the problem,” he said.<h3>‘No autonomous ultra-Orthodox state’</h3>Bennett proposed to completely halt funding, “the dozens of money channels that enable this evasion,” he said. “The era of teaching against the values of the State of Israel without math and English is over. We will no longer fund this. We will not fund a single shekel to those who don’t wear uniforms. This is costing us lives. There will be no autonomous ultra-Orthodox state within the State of Israel. It's over.”When asked if he would win over right-wing voters, he responded that he is “received excellently” when he travels across the country. “As Prime Minister, I was much more assertive than my predecessors,” he stated. "Out of 22 mandates, about nine come from Likud and Religious Zionism. We are not in a sterile world, and certainly, there are people who are angry, and I can accept that and understand them.”“The story is [about] who will advance draft evasion, and who will advance corruption and the transfer of billions to political operators.”Maariv asked Bennett if he would sit in Netanyahu’s government following the elections, to which he responded, “This question is absurd.”Additionally, he announced his intention to form what he called a “Zionist government.” If Likud members don’t want to join, then no, he said.“I have 61 Zionist mandates, and Netanyahu has 38 Zionist mandates. What is this question?” he asked. “It's very pathetic to keep looking at this. We are going to win."Bennett emphasized his plans to form a government to replace Netanyahu. “After more than 30 years, enough. We need to say thank you and take the country to a new page of rebuilding Israel,” he said.When asked about the security situation over the past two and a half years, Bennett replied that he believes the country can “get out of the hole we’re in to a much better place.”"We went through a very difficult trauma of the October 7 massacre. They didn’t promise us a garden of roses, but I am proud of our country and our amazing people, and very optimistic about our ability to thrive and succeed again," he stated.

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Bennett doubles down on mandatory haredi enlistment, blames current gov't for lack of IDF soldiers

A new baby was born in Israel's northern community of Kidmat Tzvi in the&nbsp;Golan Heights&nbsp;as the country celebrated its 78th Independence Day, the Ziv Medical Center announced on Wednesday.Tal and Kirish Akrish brought their third son into the world, thanking the medical team at Ziv Medical Center in Safed. "We went through a difficult time in the north, but from the moment we entered the delivery room at Ziv, we felt that we were in the best hands possible," they said."The moment we held our baby for the first time was a moment of great light!" they added.“There are moments when our profession becomes a real mission. The transition from sadness to joy took on tangible meaning in the delivery room," said Hanan Abu Assi, the midwife who accompanied the birth."When the baby emerged into the world, we felt happiness and hope. There is no more moving gift than this to start Independence Day with,” she added.<figure><img alt="The first baby from the North for the 78th year of the State of Israel was born at Ziv Medical Center in Safed." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/717382"></figure><h3>Northern Israel's 'Baby boom'</h3>The Ziv Medical Center said that it's expecting a "baby boom" in its maternity ward, which came back to operation after the confirmation of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah a week ago. "It is a great privilege for us to accompany every birth again,” said the Ziv Medical Center Director, Prof. Salman Zarka.The hospital's fourth-floor maternity ward, which is described as the one with "the best view in Israel," wasn't able to operate during the war with Iran and Hezbollah due to the threat of missiles.“Returning to the fourth floor symbolizes our resilience, hope, and commitment to continue providing mothers with a safe, professional, and compassionate birth experience in every situation – here at Ziv, close to home,” Zarka added.

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Israel's furthest north communities welcome baby born during Independence Day

In addresses to the foreign diplomatic corps and heads of non-Jewish religious communities at the annual Independence Day reception, peace with Lebanon figured prominently in the speeches of President Isaac Herzog and Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar. They co-hosted this event at the President’s Residence.In a departure from tradition, the event took place in the morning instead of the late afternoon. The event that usually takes place in the morning is a ceremony honoring 120 outstanding soldiers. However, the diplomatic reception was held in the morning as the military event had been pre-recorded on video.Referring to the time change, Herzog declared this to be a period of historic times. He also said that decisions by leaders and nations can affect the future of the region for generations to come.In relation to the war with Iran and Hezbollah, he emphasized: “This is a battle for the future of our children.”Harking back to the first reception for the diplomatic community, which was hosted by Israel’s first president, Chaim Weizmann, Herzog underscored that no Arab ambassadors or diplomats from Muslim countries were present.<figure><img alt="The 78th anniversary Independence Day ceremony, held at Mount Herzl, Jerusalem, on April 21, 2026." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/717390"></figure>He was happy to welcome both on Israel’s 78th anniversary of independence and was hopeful that more would attend next year following the expansion of the Abraham Accords. He expressed the possibility that by then, any talk of war will be in the past tense, ensuring that future generations of children “will inherit opportunity instead of fear.”His big dream, he said, was to get into a car and drive straight to Beirut. “But first we have to be able to defend our borders,” he added.<h3>Herzog urges regional nations to communicate with Israel</h3>Implying that no progress can be made without direct communication, Herzog urged the leaders of Lebanon and other countries in the region to at least talk to Israel.Turning to freedom of worship for people of all faiths, as enshrined in Israel’s Declaration of Independence, he assured the non-Jewish religious leaders present that Israel offers full equality and full respect to all faiths. He also thanked the representatives of the countries that are allied with Israel in fighting antisemitism.Sa’ar, in an attempt to define the meaning of Zionism, said that it is “restoring the ability of the Jewish people to defend themselves by themselves. We harm only those who rise up to eliminate us,” he stated. “What is Zionism? It is the right of the Jewish People in its own state.”Sa’ar was bothered by the fact that no other nation is judged in the same manner that Israel is judged, and he questioned whether any other nation in the world would be accused of indiscriminate acts when it retaliated after an attack.“The world order is falling apart before our eyes,” he said, noting that Iran attacked eleven states during the war. “Does the free world do anything to rescue the world order? The free world does not have the basic willingness to defend its own security,” he charged, adding that “the international community has a weak ability in a crisis.”Sa’ar queried what would have happened in the world if Israel had not prevented Saddam Hussein from using nuclear weapons.“All the fruits of Israel’s actions are enjoyed by the Middle East and the free world, even as they condemn us,” he said.Yet for all that, Israel is always willing to hold out the hand of peace, said Sa’ar, referring to the historic decision to enter into direct negotiations with Lebanon, which has so far refused. He attributed the refusal to Hezbollah, claiming that they are the obstacle.Calling on the Government of Lebanon to work with Israel against Hezbollah, Sa’ar said there is no real alternative to a future of peace for Lebanon and for Israel, and voiced the opinion that it was even more important for Lebanon than it is for Israel.

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Messages of peace feature prominently in Herzog, Sa'ar Independence Day speeches

Several former Gaza hostages visited wounded soldiers two days before this year's Independence Day - their first since being released.Avinatan Or, Alon Ohel, and Guy Gilboa-Dalal were treated at the Rabin Medical Center-Beilinson Campus when they were first freed from Hamas captivity.<figure><img alt="Rabin Medical Center." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/704082"></figure>On Monday, they returned to meet several soldiers who had been wounded in southern Lebanon during Israel's ongoing conflict with Hezbollah.<h3>Soldier's mission was to find hostages in Gaza</h3>Four of the soldiers the hostages met were from the Yahalom unit, while a fifth was from the 890th Brigade."For two years, when we were reservists in Gaza, our main mission was to locate you in the tunnels," one soldier told the former hostages. "Sitting here with you now is the real victory."

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Former Gaza hostages visit wounded soldiers before Independence Day

Hodaya Cohen, an 11th-grade student from Haran School, became the latest winner of Israel's World Tanach Quiz for Youth 2026, celebrated on Tuesday as part of Israel's 78th Independence Day events.The event was held at the Jerusalem Theater and recorded in advance due to the security situation, and gathered 16 outstanding young men and women from seven countries. Second place went to Akiva (Jack) Schreier from the United States.Education Minister Yoav Kisch, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Leon were among those present at the event, which was organized by the Education Ministry, the Society and Youth Administration, the Jewish Agency, and the Israel National Fund.The participants were from Israel, the United States, England, South Africa, Mexico, Panama, and Canada. The Israeli delegation was composed of Georgi Rybnikov, Hoodia Cohen, Yedidiya Mulayev, and Yael Yau; the American delegation had Akiva (Jack) Schreier, Joshua Applebaum, and Hadassah (whose full name is under review).Leah Gittel Ostroff represented England, Tehila Ranels and Chaim Goldfein represented South Africa, Sara Shasho Shlouch and Miriam Dichi represented Mexico, Jackie Panono and Alan Eitan represented Panama, and Michelle Gamliel and Maya Varskin represented Canada.<figure><img alt="World Tanach Quiz 2026, held during the 78th Independence Day ceremony." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/717375"></figure><h3>Israel's connection with ancestral Judaism</h3>The head of the Merhavim Regional Council and chairman of the regional government center, Shai Hajj, congratulated Cohen and said: "I was privileged to meet Hodiya before the quiz and see up close the power of her Tanach, the book of laws, values, and foundations of all of humanity. The book is marked, highlighted, and full of thought and love. It is clear that this is an extraordinary young woman. Her victory is an impressive personal and family achievement. We are proud of you."Kisch also spoke during the ceremony, saying that "the Tanach quiz expresses the depth of the State of Israel's connection to its origins and identity. The quiz is far beyond a knowledge competition; the Tanach is the moral and cultural identity of the Jewish people, a compass that accompanies us throughout the generations. It is precisely during this challenging time that we understand that we are not just studying the Tanach, but continuing to write its chapters."At the end of the event, it was emphasized that beyond the personal achievement of the winners, the quiz continues to serve as a bridge between Jewish communities around the world and strengthen the young generation's connection to heritage, identity, and shared values.Minister Kish added that "strengthening the young generation's connection to heritage, values, and unity. I congratulate the winners on their impressive achievements and am proud of all the participants for their commitment to learning and deepening it. At this time in particular, the unity among us is not only a value, but a necessary condition for the strength and continuation of the State of Israel."

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Hodaya Cohen wins Israel's 78th Independence Day Tanach World Quiz for Youth

Former Gaza hostage Eli Sharabi on Wednesday told Maariv that he particularly misses his family on Independence Day, as it was the family's collective holiday where they all gathered.His wife, Lian, and daughters Noya and Yahel were murdered in their home during the October 7 massacre. His brother, Yossi, was kidnapped by Hamas terrorists and later murdered in captivity in the Gaza Strip."Independence Day was our holiday. Everyone used to gather at our lawn on the kibbutz," Sharabi&nbsp;said. "We would do a barbecue, laugh, and enjoy being together. The girls loved every moment of it.""This year, like last year, we will probably gather at my sister's house, and there will be love and joy. We do not let ourselves be in constant sorrow, only at certain moments. We learn to embrace the happy moments just like the sad ones," he added."The meaning of Independence Day has changed for all of us after October 7. Everything is much more powerful. We are still fighting for our independence, for our home," he continued.<figure><img alt="Released hostage Eli Sharabi signs his book “Hostage,'' during an event in Modi'in, July 2, 2025" src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/671004"></figure>"In the last two years, people have felt more than ever that the ground is slipping from under their feet. People have experienced turmoil and loss of personal security. Today, I know how to appreciate much more freedom and other basic things. I know what real hunger feels like, and not how you feel when someone typically says 'I'm starving' after not eating for four or five hours. I know how to appreciate that I have toothpaste, hot water in the shower, that I do not have to eat moldy pita and beg to burn it on the gas so I do not taste the mold," he continued.He told Maariv that he is "living a happy life," and enjoys the days when he is at home, starting his mornings with a walk on the beach, continuing with a workout, and preparing a small meal for himself, commemorating his murdered relatives, meeting childhood friends for a drink, and "cracking up laughing with them," before returning home to sleep.He still finds himself thankful for the hot water and soap in every shower, for not having to ask permission to use the bathroom, for the ability to go to the supermarket and buy food for himself, and for the right to live."My therapist says I've created my own therapeutic framework, one that suits me. The lectures I give, the interviews - I'm always in touch with the material, it's part of my processing of what happened. I'm not detached, I'm not running away, I'm not suppressing, and that's why I don't experience any symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, despite the official diagnosis I received because of the loss and captivity. I have no triggers, no flashbacks," he said."The day I was released was rough. Just two days before, I heard that my brother was kidnapped and his remains were being held in Gaza, and then the questions over whether there would be a release, and when it would happen - everything became tense," he commented."Then there was another absurd humiliation ceremony where I was also asked how I felt about reuniting with my wife and daughters. Then a few minutes passed, and I saw people in IDF uniforms, and finally felt secure. A few minutes later, an officer hugged me and told me my wife and daughters were murdered," he continued."I got to where my friends were waiting, and asked just to take a shower before reuniting with my mom and sister, to clean off the time in Gaza, the captivity, the tunnels, and then the hugging with them, the helicopter ride to Sheba Medical Center, and reuniting with the rest of the family and friends - moments of happiness," he added.He commented that he is not really a celebrity. "I am not celebrating anything; there is no celebration here. I am a well-known person, and I embrace the event. It's important for people to tell me how much they appreciate me, they want to strengthen me, they say I give them strength."He also said he misses being anonymous. "Yes, I'm a private person, and I definitely miss it, but one day it will all end, and then I'll return to business, to the gym, to anonymity. Until that time, I don't limit myself at all, I've only instructed my social manager not to post anything related to my private life on social media.""But I need a social media manager because I do not understand anything about that world, but I do understand that it's a tool that speaks to young people, and I understand its power, and I need someone to deal with it," he said.

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Former Gaza hostage Eli Sharabi reflects on Independence Day, family loss

The IDF conducted an operation in southern Lebanon before the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon came into effect, the military announced on Wednesday.According to the IDF, the operation was conducted around Dibbin, approximately 12 km inside Lebanese territory, by the 91st Division, in coordination with the Israeli Air Force."During the operation, troops engaged a Hezbollah compound in the area, wherein terrorist activity had been identified, and intelligence indicated attempts to carry out attacks against IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians," the IDF claimed.<figure><img alt="IDF TROOPS from the 769th Brigade in the area of Dibbin in southern Lebanon." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/717380"></figure>Over 70 targets were struck, the military said, and over 20 terrorists were killed, in both close-quarters combat and in airstrikes.<h3>Hezbollah violates ceasefire with Israel</h3>On Tuesday, the IDF stated that Hezbollah had violated the current ceasefire by firing rockets towards Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon, and added that the military had then struck the launcher from which the rockets were launched.Hezbollah later claimed that it had launched the rockets at Israeli forces "in response to more than 200 flagrant violations by the Israeli enemy since the ceasefire went into effect."WT Staff contributed to this report.

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IDF killed 20 Hezbollah terrorist, struck over 70 targets in op. prior to Lebanon ceasefire

The High Court of Justice ordered the state on Monday to explain why, three decades after Israel enacted its civil burial law, Jerusalem-area residents still do not have a state-funded civil cemetery.In a decision issued a day after a hearing on the matter, Justices Alex Stein, Khaled Kabub and Yechiel Kasher handed down a conditional order directing the Religious Services Ministry, Finance Ministry and Jerusalem Jewish Burial Council to show why they have not acted to establish a civil cemetery for Jerusalem and its surrounding area, allocate the required budget, grant a burial license to the lead petitioner -Menucha Nechona Jerusalem - after its establishment, and remove barriers that petitioners say have made it effectively impossible for non-Orthodox groups to operate such a site. The state was ordered to respond by July 1.The case was brought by Menucha Nechona Jerusalem, together with the Reform movement, Hiddush, the Masorti movement, and several private petitioners seeking access to civil burial. At its core is a challenge that has lingered for years: while Israeli law recognizes the right to alternative civil burial, the petitioners say that right has never been meaningfully implemented for residents of Jerusalem, forcing families who do not want an Orthodox religious burial to look outside the capital or forgo the option altogether.The court’s move does not yet decide the petition on the merits, but it is a significant procedural step. A conditional order means the burden shifts to the state and the other respondents to justify their conduct and persuade the court why the relief sought should not be granted. In practice, it signals that the panel found the petition raised serious legal questions requiring a fuller answer.That skepticism was on display during Sunday’s hearing.<figure><img alt="A hearing on a petition to convene the Judicial Selection Committee at the Supreme Court in Jerusalem, February 12, 2026." src="https://images.jpost.com/image/upload/f_auto,fl_lossy/c_fill,g_faces:center,h_537,w_822/717352"></figure>Stein told state representatives that the law was “very clear” and left no real room for discretion on the question of providing civil burial, adding that the provision imposed a duty - not a matter of choice - and warned that absent “good news,” the court would issue a conditional order.Kabub pressed the state over the cost issue, asking what exactly was expected of petitioners if the state itself was saying the project would require around NIS 15 million. Kasher, for his part, pointed to the structural problem raised by the petition, suggesting that a system in which only well-capitalized religious burial companies can realistically compete risks predetermining the result. After 30 years, he said, Jerusalem residents who want a civil burial still do not have it.The state, however, argued that the picture is more complicated.<h3>Behind Jerusalem's civil cemetery project</h3>In a preliminary response filed in late March, the Religious Services Ministry, Finance Ministry, and Israel Land Authority did not dispute that civil burial remains unavailable in Jerusalem in the way the petitioners seek.&nbsp;But, they argued that the law did not create an automatic obligation for the state to directly finance and build a civil cemetery in the manner demanded by the petitioners, and said the situation in Jerusalem was shaped by unusually high development costs at the designated site at the Har Hamenuchot Cemetery.According to the state, those costs run far higher than in other parts of the country because of the area’s terrain and infrastructure needs, with the first phase alone estimated in the millions of shekels and the broader project discussed in terms of roughly NIS 15m.The state also argued that the failure to establish the site could not be laid entirely at its door. It said the lead petitioner, Menucha Nechona, had not met the conditions tied to the allocation it received and had not secured the resources needed to develop the plot.In the state’s telling, the law guarantees access to civil burial but does not necessarily require that it be provided to Menucha Nechona. It further suggested that an Orthodox burial society could, in principle, operate a civil-burial section through a separate arrangement - a point that became one of the central clashes in the case.That argument was echoed by the Jerusalem Jewish Burial Council, which, in its own response, said it had already taken meaningful steps years ago to advance a civil-burial solution.The council said that as part of the western expansion plan for Har Hamenuchot Cemetery, approved in 2011, about 10% of a roughly 50-dunam tract was allocated for civil burial, with approximately five dunams earmarked for Menucha Nechona. According to the council, the petitioner failed to satisfy the conditions of that allocation, including obtaining a burial license and participating in the development costs. The council stressed that it is not itself the owner of the land and does not function as a funding body, describing its annual budget as roughly NIS 2 million and portraying its role as primarily coordinative. It also said another burial company had expressed willingness to take on the project.For the petitioners, that response only underscored the deeper problem.In their April reply, they argued that the state was effectively reducing a statutory right to a market contest that only wealthy and established Orthodox burial organizations could win.Jerusalem, they said, was not just another case of bureaucratic delay. The designated civil-burial plot was bound up with particularly costly collective development work at Har Hamenuchot, making it economically unrealistic for a nonprofit civil-burial body to carry the burden on its own. The result, they argued, was a framework in which civil burial existed on paper but remained inaccessible in practice.They also pushed back on the state’s suggestion that an Orthodox burial society could simply step in and provide the solution. That, the petitioners said, misses the point of the law. In their view, the issue is not only whether some formal civil-burial plot can be opened somewhere in Jerusalem, but whether residents are offered a real non-Orthodox alternative rather than one dependent on the same institutions that dominate religious burial.The legal and symbolic stakes are larger than the Jerusalem site itself.Israel’s civil burial law was passed in 1996 to ensure that people seeking burial outside the Orthodox religious framework would have that option. Over the years, implementation has been uneven, with some areas offering alternatives while others lag far behind. The petitioners argue that Jerusalem - the country’s capital and one of its largest population centers - has become the starkest example of that failure.That appeared to resonate with the bench. During the hearing, the judges repeatedly returned not only to the state’s prolonged inaction but to the practical consequences of a system in which civil-burial groups must compete with long-established religious burial societies that have accumulated experience, infrastructure, and financial strength over decades. The concern running through the hearing was that a legal right without a workable mechanism to realize it is no right at all.For now, the case stops short of a final ruling. But the court’s decision to issue a conditional order marks the sharpest judicial signal yet that the state may have to do more than point to old land allocations, procedural obstacles, or theoretical alternatives.It now has until July 1 to explain why Jerusalem residents still do not have the civil-burial option the law promised them nearly 30 years ago.

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High Court orders state to explain failure to establish civil cemetery for Jerusalem residents

Sister of fallen soldier Shachar Fridman told The Media Line about her brother, describing his values, life story, and final message, while recalling the character that defined him both in battle and in everyday life.For more stories from The Media Line go to themedialine.orgFridman was a soldier in the 101st Battalion of the Paratroopers Brigade, who returned to service after the October 7 outbreak of war despite having already been released from the army. Sahar Fridman Sierra explained that he answered his commander’s call without hesitation and went to fight in southern Israel before entering Gaza.Shachar was killed on November 18, 2023, during a hand-to-hand combat with Hamas fighters in the northern Gaza Strip while trying to protect fellow soldiers. He was 21.Fridman Sierra described her brother as “a beacon of light, joy, and love for others,” saying he lived with an open heart and constant concern for those around him. Born on September 13, 2002, in Jerusalem, he was the fourth child of Liat and Doron and grew up alongside his sisters Inbar, Sahar, and Noya. He was educated in the city and studied at a religious high school with a focus on art, where she said his creativity and warmth were already evident.She said his sense of responsibility toward others guided him from a young age. He was active in the Bnei Akiva youth movement, working with children with special needs and helping integrate them into group activities. He also made a point of helping people in everyday situations, from elderly individuals to children who felt isolated.<h3>Values he carried through his military service</h3>Fridman Sierra said those values carried into his military service. After enlisting in 2021, he served in the Paratroopers Brigade and later returned to his unit in a leadership role. She said he was known among his peers as someone who supported others and maintained close relationships with those he served alongside.Recalling his words, she said, “We need to be good people. We need to smile. We need to see the people that nobody else sees.” She added, “And to listen to other people in their sorrow.”She described him as someone who brought energy and light to those around him. “He was always smiling,” she said. “He was always trying to make everyone laugh.” She added that even those who recovered his body noted that he appeared to still be smiling, something she said reflected his nature.Shachar loved hiking, the sea, and music, and was deeply connected to his family. During high school, he met his partner Noga, and the two had planned a future together.In the days before entering Gaza, he wrote messages to his loved ones outlining what he believed mattered most. “Be a good friend. Be a good son. Be a good citizen. Love everyone,” his sister recalled, adding his guiding principle: “See the people that nobody sees. Help them.”Fridman Sierra described her brother as both a close friend and a source of support. “He was like one of my best friends,” she said. “I miss him. I miss him a lot.”She summarized the central to his belief. “We want peace. Shachar wanted peace. The soldiers who died want peace.”

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‘He was always smiling’: Sister of fallen soldier Shachar Fridman on Israel’s Remembrance Day

Israeli officials are still debating what comes next in southern Lebanon, including whether to pursue a more permanent ceasefire. For Sarit Zehavi, founder and president of the Alma Research and Education Center, the real question is not the pause itself but whether it produces a lasting change in the security reality along Israel’s northern border.For more stories from The Media Line go to themedialine.orgZehavi said the current debate cannot be understood without revisiting what she sees as the central failure of the past two decades. “Between May 2000 and until actually the end of the previous war in 2023, there was no Israeli presence in Lebanon and there was no buffer zone in Lebanon,” she told The Media Line. The area south of the Litani River, she noted, was supposed to be free of “any illegitimate weapon,” but “it never happened, and nobody enforced that.”In her account, the problem did not begin with the current campaign. After Israel’s maneuver in 2024, the army remained on only five hills overlooking Israeli communities, a posture she said quickly proved inadequate. Hezbollah’s Radwan forces were still able to maneuver near the border, she said, while rockets could be launched from both north and south of the Litani.That, she said, is why the prime minister ordered the IDF to push as far as the river itself. The Litani zone was meant to be disarmed, she argued, but in practice never was. “We are going to do that. We are going to control there, and we are going to make sure that Hezbollah is not there and it’s not capable of coming back there, because that’s the key issue.”Zehavi rejected the language of occupation, saying it distorts Israel’s objective. “I don’t accept the word occupation, because we have no interest in keeping lands of Lebanon,” she said. “We want to make peace with Lebanon.” But, she stressed, peace and a ceasefire are not the same thing. “We are not interested in just another ceasefire,” she said. “It will not only fail to solve the problem but… will enable Hezbollah to rebuild and to threaten us again.”In her view, restoring security for northern Israel cannot be achieved by Israeli military action alone because Hezbollah has become deeply embedded in Lebanese society and state institutions. “Providing security to the citizens of northern Israel is not just an Israeli effort, unfortunately, because Hezbollah became entrenched into the Lebanese society and into the Lebanese administration and government,” she said, adding that any serious effort would require Israel, the Lebanese government, and the international community to act in tandem.She tied that challenge directly to Iran, which she described as Hezbollah’s patron and strategic center of gravity. Hezbollah’s dependence on Tehran, she argued, extends beyond funding and weapons to training, ideology, and loyalty to Iran’s leadership. “You need to understand the boss of Hezbollah is Iran,” she said. “Hezbollah gets from Iran the money, the weapons, the training, and the ideology.” She added that “the core mission of Hezbollah is not to fight Israel,” but rather “to distribute the Islamic revolution values across the Middle East, starting from Lebanon,” including in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen.That broader role, she said, helps explain why developments in Iran and Lebanon are inseparable. Hezbollah embodies, in her telling, both “loyalty to the supreme leader of Iran” and “the extinction of the State of Israel.” If the Islamic Republic were to fall, she argued, Hezbollah would struggle to preserve both its political standing and its military power in Lebanon.“Hezbollah will have high difficulties in preserving its power in Lebanon, especially in preserving its military power in Lebanon, if the Islamic Republic in Iran will fall,” she said. “That’s why what will happen in Iran has a great impact on what will happen in Lebanon.”She said the reverse is also true: a genuine Lebanese effort to curb Hezbollah would weaken one of Tehran’s most valuable regional assets. As evidence, she pointed to recent diplomacy. “When Israel demanded to be capable of continuing the attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the Iranians in their negotiations with the Americans insisted that the ceasefire will include what is happening in Lebanon,” she said, “you can understand what kind of an asset Hezbollah is for the Islamic Republic of Iran.”<h3>Lebanon split over Hezbollah, Alma Center head says</h3>Inside Lebanon, Zehavi described a country split over Hezbollah’s role. She said the organization is rooted in the Shi'ite Muslim community and operates alongside the state as what she called a “state within a state.” Supporters and opponents of Hezbollah hold “complete opposite positions,” she said, while Lebanon’s current leadership wants to disarm the group, open negotiations with Israel, and fundamentally alter the country’s trajectory. “The leaders of Lebanon today, meaning the prime minister and the president, are against Hezbollah,” she said. “They want to disarm Hezbollah. They want to have negotiations with Israel. They want to create a thorough change in Lebanon. But the question is, are they brave enough to take the risks around it?”The danger, she said, is that any move against Hezbollah could trigger internal conflict. “Hezbollah is threatening that any action against it will end up in a civil war.” Lebanon’s sectarian structure makes the issue even more combustible, she argued. “There is a constant campaign between the different religious sects in Lebanon,” she said, describing identity there as something “much deeper” than belief or ritual alone. “Being a Christian in Lebanon is very different from being a Muslim Shi'ite in Lebanon and very different from being a Muslim Sunni in Lebanon.”Hezbollah’s power, in her telling, rests not only on arms but also on the parallel system of services it provides in southern Lebanon. She said that infrastructure includes schools, ambulances, banks, supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations, and even control over hospitals. Pointing to Bint Jbail, she cited the IDF’s claim that Hezbollah weapons were found in the town’s hospital. “Why weapons in the hospital?” she said. “Because Hezbollah controls the hospital, not the Lebanese government.”“There are schools of Hezbollah in South Lebanon. There are ambulances of Hezbollah in South Lebanon. Banks, supermarkets, pharmacies, gas stations, everything is provided by Hezbollah,” she said. That network, she argued, helps the group preserve its arsenal and conceal weapons “inside the houses of the Muslim Shi'ites.”Zehavi also acknowledged the constraints imposed by Israel’s alliance with Washington. “The American-Israeli alliance puts restraints on the Israeli decision-making,” she said. “I think this is natural.” At the same time, she said the relationship has brought major military advantages, helping Israel act forcefully against Iran and sustain operations against Hezbollah over time.Still, she warned that US pressure for a ceasefire could prove counterproductive if it comes before meaningful guarantees on the ground. “It looks like the Americans now want to get a ceasefire in Iran, and the way to get there goes through Lebanon, unfortunately,” she said. “I’m saying unfortunately, not because I don’t want peace, because I want peace, but as I’ve said, peace and ceasefire are not the same thing.”<h3>Northern Israel residents do not want to return to pre-October 7 formula</h3>Zehavi then shifted from strategy to personal experience, describing life in northern Israel after October 7 and after Hezbollah joined the fighting. “On October 8, I evacuated my kids,” she said. “For many weeks, I slept with my shoes next to my bed, prepared to escape if there are terrorists in my town.” She described a routine measured in seconds, with sirens, rushed decisions about the nearest shelter, and roads chosen based on whether protection was available. “I heard the blast above me before I got to the bomb shelter because it’s not enough [time],” she said. “All of them were very close to my house. All of them threatened my little girl.”That experience, she said, is why residents of the north do not want a return to what she sees as a failed formula. “We don’t want just another ceasefire that will not solve the problem. We want peace. We want a peace agreement with the state of Lebanon, while Hezbollah is not the mistress in the room that is actually disturbing us to make peace.”Asked what would actually need to change, Zehavi returned to both the military and political fronts. Israel, she said, should hold ground up to the Litani River and continue striking Hezbollah targets, including in Dahieh and along the Lebanon-Syria border. The Lebanese government, she added, would also have to move against Hezbollah’s financing, domestic activity, and Iranian ties - steps she said have not yet been taken.Her criticism extended beyond Beirut. “The international community should be part of the American-Israeli campaign against the Islamic Republic because this is an enemy of the international community,” she said. She sharply rejected what she sees as a Western preference for de-escalation over resolution. “De-escalation is not solving the problem,” she said. “De-escalation is creating a bigger problem. This is the lesson we learned from October 7.”

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Israel cannot settle for another ceasefire with Lebanon, Alma Center head says - interview