Fifth round of Iran nuclear talks end, rocket fired from Gaza intercepted by IAF
US-Iran nuclear talks begin amid doubts; Netanyahu shares Zini report; Hezbollah seeks boost; Palestinian leaders exit Syria after harassment
Netanyahu defends Shin Bet appointment, lauds Zini's report written before Oct. 7
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his decision to appoint Maj.-Gen. David Zini as the next head of the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) in a video posted to X/Twitter on Friday.
Netanyahu stated, "I’ve been following General Zini for all these years; I’ve seen him in many meetings, I’ve heard him speak. When I read the report he wrote six months before the [October 7] massacre, he saw things clearly. He warned precisely that there would be a ground invasion that would catch us by surprise, and that we need to reassess."
Netanyahu stated that he "was very sorry that this report didn’t reach me. But I can also say that I was glad that someone truly warned, raised the alarm, and saw everything that needed to be seen. This isn’t new; it wasn’t just a one-time meeting. It’s really an impression of a highly accomplished general with a wealth of experience, who has held every position in the chain of command."
Go to the full article >>Rocket fired from Gaza intercepted by IAF, triggers sirens in Gaza border area
One rocket fired from the Gaza Strip was intercepted by the Israeli air force on Friday, the military said.
As a result, sirens sounded in several Gaza border communities, and no injuries were reported.
Go to the full article >>Palestinian faction heads in Syria leave after harassment, property seizure by new gov't - report
Palestinian faction leaders in Syria, formerly aligned with the old regime and backed by Tehran, allegedly left Damascus after facing harassment and property seizures by the new government, Saudi-based newspaper Al-Arabiya reported on Friday.
This report follows US President Donald Trump's meeting with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa earlier in May.
During the meeting, Trump made several demands to Sharaa, including to "tell all foreign terrorists to leave Syria, deport Palestinian terrorists, help the US to prevent the resurgence of ISIS, and assume responsibility for ISIS detention centers in the northeastern parts of the country."
Go to the full article >>Fifth round of nuclear talks between Iran and US set to begin in Rome
US officials have indicated that, in the absence of an agreement, they may consider other measures—including military options—to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon.
The fifth round of nuclear talks between the United States and Iran began on Friday in Rome, The Jerusalem Post has learned.
The current round of negotiations holds particular importance due to firm and conflicting positions among the involved parties. Iran has stated that it will not agree to halt uranium enrichment.
The US maintains that uranium enrichment must be fully stopped and has expressed willingness to discuss the interpretation of "dismantling the nuclear program."
Go to the full article >>Iranians doubt nuclear deal will be reached - report
This report comes amid talks resuming in Rome, with delegations led by Iran's foreign minister and the US Middle East envoy.
The fifth round of nuclear talks between the US and Iran seems unlikely to yield an agreement, CNN reported on Friday, citing two Iranian sources.
The sources told CNN that Iran's participation in this round of talks is "solely to gauge Washington’s latest stance rather than pursue a potential breakthrough."
The sources also told CNN that Tehran "harbors mounting doubts about US sincerity in talks."
Go to the full article >>Hezbollah seeks boost in Lebanon vote as disarmament calls grow
The election results so far indicate "the war didn't achieve the objective of downgrading Hezbollah's popularity in the community," said Mohanad Hage Ali of the Carnegie Middle East Center.
Amid the rubble left by Israeli strikes on south Lebanon, campaign posters urge support for Hezbollah in elections on Saturday as the group aims to show it retains political clout despite the pounding it took in last year's war.
For Hezbollah, the local vote is more important than ever, coinciding with mounting calls for its disarmament and continued Israeli airstrikes, and as many of its Shi'ite Muslim constituents still suffer the repercussions of the conflict.
Three rounds of voting already held this month have gone well for the Iran-backed group. In the south, many races won't be contested, handing Hezbollah and its allies early wins.
Go to the full article >>Katz instructs IDF not to summon Democrats chair Golan to reserve duty
During Golan's military service, he served as the IDF deputy chief of staff, Home Front Command, and Northern Command head.
Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Friday that he has instructed the IDF not to summon Democrats party chair Yair Golan for reserve duty in light of his statement on Monday.
Golan holds the rank of Major-General and has nearly 40 years of combat experience.
Golan addressed the war in the Gaza Strip during an interview with KAN Reshet Bet’s This Morning program, saying, “A sane country does not kill babies for a hobby.”
Go to the full article >>Democrats party loses ground after Golan's statements on war - poll
Golan, during an interview on Monday with KAN Reshet Bet’s This Morning program, said, “A sane country does not kill babies for a hobby.”
The Democrats party has lost ground following remarks by its leader, Yair Golan, about the war in Gaza, dropping four seats to 12 in total, according to a Maariv poll published on Friday.
The Maariv poll, conducted by Lazar Research on May 21–22, surveyed 509 respondents representing a cross-section of Israeli adults.
Golan, during an interview on Monday with KAN Reshet Bet’s This Morning program, said, “A sane country does not kill babies for a hobby.”
Go to the full article >>IDF control of Gaza Strip jumps over 50%, on the way to vast majority
Israel's primary goal is to seize territory to separate the Gaza civilian population from Hamas and control food distribution, IDF's recent updates indicate.
IDF control of the Gaza Strip has jumped more than 50% in recent weeks. At that pace, the IDF is well on its way to controlling the vast majority of the enclave.
Whether IDF control of Gaza will stop at about 70% or reach 100%, as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a major speech on Wednesday night, is a matter of debate and interpretation.
Even before Operation Gideon’s Chariots intensified earlier this week to further defeat Hamas and take over more Gazan territory, the IDF had taken control of about 50% of Gaza since it renewed hostilities when negotiations for releasing more hostages broke down in March.
Go to the full article >>Netanyahu justifies Shin Bet head appt, says Zini will not be involved in 'Qatargate' probe
The statement said that a permanent successor to Bar must be appointed by the time Bar's term ends on June 15.
The Prime Minister's Office on Friday responded to criticism of the decision to appoint Maj.-Gen. David Zini as the new Shin Bet head to replace Ronen Bar, who was fired despite a High Court of Justice ruling that the decision was illegal.
Go to the full article >>Israel at war: What you need to know
- Hamas launched a massive attack on October 7, with thousands of terrorists infiltrating from the Gaza border and taking some 240 hostages into Gaza.
- Over 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals were murdered, including over 350 at the Supernova music festival and hundreds of Israeli civilians across Gaza border communities.
- 58 hostages remain in Gaza.
- 49 hostages in total have been killed in captivity, IDF says.
- The IDF launched a ground invasion of Lebanon on September 30.
- The Israel-Lebanon ceasefire came into effect on November 27 at 4 a.m.
- Netanyahu confirmed the first phase of the Israel-Hamas ceasefire on January 17, 2025.