Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-27 at 12:08 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-27 at 12:08

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2025-12-27 at 12:08

Listen for free

View show details

About this listen

 HEADLINESQatargate hostages protests shake IsraelIranian backed militias inch toward disarmamentTrump Zelensky talks on front line planThe time is now 7:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.This morning’s update focuses on a still and rapidly shifting regional and international landscape as Israel, its neighbors, and global powers navigate a war that has stretched into its second year and drawn in new players and new questions about security, diplomacy, and the future of alliances.In Israel, the war dimension remains front and center for everyday life and national politics. Thousands are expected to rally in the country’s major cities this weekend, denouncing what organizers call a treasonous link between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and Qatar in the so called Qatargate investigations that have dominated headlines this week. Family members of hostages held in Gaza, including relatives of police personnel killed or captured during the October seventh attack, are preparing to speak at demonstrations in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Haifa, calling for no steps toward a Gaza ceasefire until the captive and missing are guaranteed proper treatment and accounted for. In parallel, supporters of Netanyahu say the government must continue its security and diplomatic efforts, including balancing international mediation with the demands of families and the broader public.Protests come as the government weighs the second phase of a US-backed plan for Gaza. The plan envisions a broader Israeli withdrawal from parts of the territory and the disarmament of Hamas with the establishment of an international stabilization mechanism chaired by a US partner to oversee a transition of power. Supporters of the government stress that any such shift depends on secure guarantees for hostages and a durable, verifiable cessation of hostilities. Critics argue that steps toward withdrawal and easing restrictions must not proceed while the current threats and the hostage situation remain unresolved. In the domestic arena, public attention remains divided between calls for accountability and questions about how security needs are balanced with the pressures of international diplomacy and the interests of Israel’s broader Jewish community abroad.On the security front, regional dynamics are underscored by reports that Iraqi armed groups backed by Iran may begin disarming in response to threats from the United States and Israel, with as many as 30 million light weapons remaining outside official control. Analysts caution that while a high percentage of Iranian-backed militias are signaling surrender, hidden caches, shifting loyalties, and political bargaining could complicate a clean disarmament. Observers say that any real reduction in nonstate weaponry would be a meaningful step for regional stability, but the shape of such a process—how it is verified, who oversees it, and how it interacts with ongoing conflicts from the Gulf to the Levant—will be crucial in determining whether this represents a durable change or a temporary lull amid broader tensions.Across the region, the Russian war in Ukraine continues to cast a shadow. A broad Russian strike on Kyiv and surrounding areas caused casualties and left hundreds of thousands without power as winter tightens its grip. Ukrainian authorities reported a fatality and dozens of injuries, with substantial damage to heating infrastructure and residential buildings. President Volodymyr Zelensky said the assault demonstrates Moscow’s unwillingness to end the war, even as Kyiv prepares for talks with United States President Donald Trump in Florida. The talks are expected to discuss a proposed twenty-point plan intended to freeze the front lines and permit Ukrainian forces to reposition, while creating a demilitarized buffer zone in the east. Russian officials have characterized Western backing for Zelensky’s approach as an effort to undermine negotiations. The discussions come amid a broader, ongoing debate inside the United States about how to balance military aid, diplomacy, and the risks of escalation with Russia.In Washington, President Trump has pressed the Justice Department to reveal more details from documents tied to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, arguing that the investigation has become a partisan distraction from what he calls the achievements of his administration. He posted on his social media platform that a million pages of material have been released and urged the department to name Democrats who allegedly worked with Epstein, contending that those tied to Epstein are aligned with the Democratic side rather than the Republican. The Department of Justice has maintained that redactions to protect victims’ identities and ongoing investigations are necessary, emphasizing that the materials contain a mix of true and sensational claims, some of which require careful scrutiny before drawing ...
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.