Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-15 at 22:06 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-15 at 22:06

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-15 at 22:06

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 HEADLINESICC Refuses to Halt Gaza War ProbeQatar F-35 Sale Sparks Israeli AlarmNIS 220m Arab Funds Diverted to PoliceThe time is now 5:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.The International Criminal Court has rejected Israel’s bid to halt its Gaza war crimes inquiry, leaving warrants against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defense minister Yoav Gallant in place. Judges concluded the probe may encompass events after October 7, 2023 and that there is a basis to investigate allegations of war crimes, including restrictions on humanitarian aid and potential civilian harm. Israel condemned the ruling as politicized and an intrusion on sovereign rights, while the United States has imposed sanctions on ICC personnel amid the court’s actions in this case. Israeli officials insist the Gaza war was conducted in accordance with international law, and they reject the court’s jurisdiction, arguing the Palestinian Authority never held standing to authorize ICC involvement.Israel’s security calculus is also shaping how it views regional arms movements. Reports out of Jerusalem indicate renewed US discussions with Qatar about a potential sale of F-35 jets, a development Israel worries could erode its qualitative military edge. The unfolding diplomacy comes as Washington weighs broader arms deals with Gulf states and the United Arab Emirates, with Turkey also in the mix. In response, Israel is pursuing compensatory capabilities from Washington, including consideration of additional fighter squadrons—one with F-35s and another with F-15I aircraft—and expanded access to munitions, along with upgrades to early-warning and defense systems. Israeli officials estimate a narrow window before production slots fill and demand from other buyers complicates a swift response.In a related strand of regional diplomacy, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with the US Ambassador to Israel and a Special Envoy to the region amid concerns that renewed fighting with Hezbollah could flare if Beirut does not advance its disarmament effort. Lebanon’s army signaled progress on weapons control south of the Litani River and told diplomats that disarming Hezbollah remains a priority, though it noted no evidence of renewed active Hezbollah operations. Western and Arab diplomats toured the border area with Lebanese officers to observe the border security dynamic, while US and regional officials weigh how to sustain the November 2024 ceasefire that ended a longer period of hostilities. Israeli officials have warned that Hezbollah’s rearmament poses a persistent risk, and some Israeli circles say decisions about possible action against Hezbollah could hinge on US policy signals and broader regional stability.Domestically, a decision to divert NIS 220 million from an Arab community development program to police and security bodies drew sharp criticism from Arab leaders and rights groups. The plan, framed as strengthening the fight against crime and weapons trafficking, reduces components of a five-year program designed to elevate Arab communities to parity with Jewish ones in housing, policing and opportunity. Government supporters, led by Prime Minister Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, describe the move as a concrete step in restoring security and addressing root causes of crime, while opponents say the cutback undermines long-standing reforms and could worsen inequality. The diversion will fund police and Shin Bet enhancements, with some money earmarked for technical upgrades, and a separate budget process that could face parliamentary hurdles. Critics argue the timing and framing feed concerns about political optics and governance.In the West Bank, protests erupted over a Palestinian Authority reform to shift prisoner payments from a time-served model to one based on financial need, a change that Western partners have conditioned on reforms. Demonstrators in Ramallah, Tulkarem and Nablus argued the move undercuts the public narrative of “pay-to-slay” and accused authorities of undermining the struggle for dignity and accountability. Israeli and European officials have exchanged data and testimony on the reform’s implementation, with a US-backed audit expected to move forward next year. The protests underscore mounting pressures on Ramallah as it grapples with crime-fighting measures and social welfare programs, all amid the wider context of Israeli counterterrorism operations that have displaced thousands and cooled economic activity in the territory. West Bank communities have also faced a liquidity squeeze and continued access restrictions on movement, complicating daily life and commerce.The Israeli cabinet recently moved to give official status to nineteen illegal outposts in the West Bank, a decision supported by Netanyahu and the far-right Beit HaDin coalition partners. The move drew pushback from Arab leaders and several European...
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