Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-17 at 23:07 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-17 at 23:07

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-11-17 at 23:07

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 HEADLINESUN backs Trump Gaza plan, international forceSaudi US nuclear framework to be signed98 Palestinians dead in detention demand accountabilityThe time is now 6:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.A UN Security Council vote shaping the immediate path forward in Gaza is the headline from New York tonight. The council approved a US-drafted resolution endorsing President Donald Trump’s 20-point Gaza plan, a package that envisions the deployment of an international security force to the Gaza Strip and a pathway toward a future Palestinian state. The vote carried 13 in favor, with Russia and China abstaining and no veto cast. Washington has called the measure historic and constructive, emphasizing it as a starting point for stability after the war in Gaza.Israeli officials frame the plan as a necessary step toward security, stressing that disarming Hamas and constraining the militant group’s capabilities are prerequisites for any durable peace. In a statement issued as the resolution moved through the council, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations underscored the commitment to bring home hostages and, alongside that effort, to ensure Hamas is disarmed and no longer able to threaten Israeli civilians.Hamas, by contrast, rejected the UN action, arguing that the resolution would impose an international trusteeship over Gaza and strip the enclave of its own agency. The group warned that assigning an international force tasks inside Gaza, including disarming the resistance, would strip the force of neutrality and turn it into a participant in the conflict in favor of what it calls the occupation.Beyond the Security Council, the diplomatic clock is also ticking in Washington and Riyadh. Officials say the United States will sign the framework of a civil nuclear cooperation agreement with Saudi Arabia during President Trump’s visit to the White House, signaling a deepening of energy and defense ties in the region. That development comes as the White House treats broader regional alignment as a strategic objective, while Israel watches closely for any shifts that could alter the security outlook in an already volatile neighborhood.The same visit agenda has heated discussions over other security matters. Reports indicate Donald Trump’s administration is pursuing the sale of F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia, a move that draws careful scrutiny in Jerusalem given the jet’s stealth capabilities and the broader strategic balance in the Middle East. Israeli officials have repeatedly warned that expanding advanced weapons access in the region could complicate Israel’s qualitative military edge.Back in Gaza and the West Bank, regional dynamics remain tense as the international framework takes shape. In the West Bank, clashes and violence linked to settlers and security operations have continued to raise alarm. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised a firm response to violent outbursts, describing the actions of a minority of extremists as unacceptable and harmful to Israel’s standing. The country’s security apparatus has prioritized a crackdown on outposts and a broader effort to stabilize the situation in the face of sustained unrest that has intensified since last year’s conflict in Gaza.In Israel’s domestic arena, the Knesset advanced a controversial measure expanding the authority of rabbinical courts to arbitrate civil disputes, including child custody, for a temporary two-year period. The move, part of a broader political accommodation with ultra-Orthodox parties, has drawn critique from civil rights advocates who warn of potential inequities and increased power for religious courts at the expense of other legal avenues. Critics emphasize the need to protect the rights of all parties in civil cases, especially in sensitive family matters.On the legal front, Israel recently sought to shield its leadership from ICC proceedings. Jerusalem filed an appeal with the International Criminal Court, asking that the prosecutor be barred from cases involving Prime Minister Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant, arguing that ongoing investigations into the prosecutor’s conduct compromise the integrity of the process. The ICC has issued warrants in the past related to Gaza operations, and Israel argues that an independent review of the prosecutor’s conduct is necessary before any further involvement with Israeli officials can occur.Palestinian and international human rights concerns also remain at the forefront. Physicians for Human Rights Israel released a report alleging that at least 98 Palestinians have died in Israeli detention since October 2023, including cases of torture and medical neglect. The organization called for an independent international investigation to determine accountability, while Israeli authorities maintained that detention procedures comply with applicable law and that each death is subject to investigation....
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