Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-26 at 04:07 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-26 at 04:07

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-26 at 04:07

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 HEADLINESKafr Aqab raid seizes weapons amid unrestHistoric $35B Leviathan gas deal with EgyptHamas leak triggers security probesThe time is now 11:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.In northern Jerusalem, Israeli forces and police conducted a large operation in the Kafr Aqab area, seizing weapons and stolen vehicles, arresting suspects, and dispersing riots tied to terror and crime groups. Officials described the operation as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt violent networks that threaten civilians and security forces in the city’s outskirts, a reminder of the daily security pressures surrounding the capital.Separately in the West Bank, security forces extracted two Israelis who had entered Area A near Hebron and Nablus, in incidents that highlight the precarious nature of travel for Israelis in areas under Palestinian security control. Reports describe cooperation between Border Police units and local authorities as forces sought to recover individuals who had entered restricted zones. In one case, a Border Police officer was taken into a vehicle after an encounter near Kiryat Arba, and in another, troops retrieved an Israeli who had gone to pray at Joseph’s Tomb in Nablus. In Nazareth, a 48-year-old Arab Israeli man, Zaid Amara, was shot dead in what authorities described as a criminal act, with police investigating potential links to a revenge dispute; a car torched nearby in Kafr Kanna was also under examination as investigators sought connections to the shooting.In Europe, Liechtenstein reported the discovery of four bodies in a single family, including one body recovered in the Rhine, prompting suspicions of a triple murder and suicide and the disappearance of a substantial sum of money. The Alpine principality, known for its low crime rate, faced a somber, early-winter mystery as investigators pursued leads across a quiet, if suddenly unsettled, crime scene.On the political and security front, two ongoing probes dominate discussions of accountability and security leaks: questions swirl around who initiated the leak of a Hamas document to a German newspaper, what Prime Minister Netanyahu knew, and whether senior aides could face security charges as the Bild and Qatar-gate matters proceed. The revelations have fed a broader debate over information control, intelligence sharing, and the potential implications for ties with European partners amid ongoing investigations of security practices.Turning to energy and economics, Israel’s government backed a landmark $35 billion natural gas deal with Egypt, a development officials hailed as a historic milestone designed to lock in millions of dollars for state coffers through 2040. Under the agreement, Israel will export up to 130 billion cubic meters of gas to Egypt, with the Leviathan partnership—NewMed Energy, Chevron, and Ratio Oil Corp.—receiving a portion of the proceeds, while Israel is projected to obtain a sizable financial return. In exchange, Israel expects to benefit from stability in regional energy markets and continued investment in gas infrastructure. Yet critics warn that the deal accelerates the depletion of domestic gas reserves, a shift that could reduce Israel’s energy independence in roughly a decade and push up electricity prices for consumers as domestic gas supplies tighten. Analysts note that more than a decade of domestic gas production has underpinned a largely self-sufficient electricity sector, with about three-quarters of power generation currently fueled by gas.Experts emphasized the need to balance short-term gains with longer-term strategy. They warned that exporting large volumes of gas could speed the decline of domestic reserves and constrain future choices for price and energy security. The Finance Ministry’s earlier concerns about domestic energy security echoed in assessments that, without a comprehensive plan for renewables and alternative energy sources, the country could face higher electricity costs as gas production peaks and declines. Some scholars argued for anchoring Leviathan expansions to a domestic customer for decades to ensure that local demand remains satisfied, even as the country pursues export opportunities. Others cautioned that the current political economy—where export partners and private operators drive much of the decision-making—could complicate efforts to prioritize national energy resilience.The energy question sits at the heart of a broader debate about how Israel should manage its resources as the region’s energy map evolves. While the deal is praised by supporters as a strategic boost that could attract further investment and help fund public services, detractors say it risks converting a national asset into a source of revenue for a narrow group of investors and public interests that may shift as market conditions change. The conversation includes questions about how to sustain affordable electricity for ...
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