Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-21 at 02:06 cover art

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-21 at 02:06

Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-01-21 at 02:06

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 HEADLINESEisenkot Bennett Lapid unite against NetanyahuUS weighs Iran options after IAEA warningsHamas reorganizes as Gaza civilians moveThe time is now 9:00 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.Tonight's update focuses on evolving political dynamics in Israel, the ongoing Gaza conflict, and related regional and global context shaping policy and public diplomacy.Former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot has proposed forming a unified electoral list with Naftali Bennett and opposition leader Yair Lapid to challenge Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the next elections. The arrangement, according to N12, would determine who leads the joint list only after the election results are known, signaling a potentially fluid leadership structure depending on votes. Bennett, speaking at a conference in Karmiel, asserted his aim to become prime minister and challenged Netanyahu directly, inviting a confrontation and stressing he does not seek to humiliate but to win and to bring people together. In a separate interview, Eisenkot criticized the government’s handling of the Israel-Hamas War, arguing that two years into the conflict there had been military gains without a corresponding diplomatic achievement, and calling for a renewed emphasis on neutralizing Hamas’s military capabilities and conditioning Gaza’s rehabilitation on demilitarization while preserving security responsibility in the hands of the state.The broader security and diplomatic backdrop includes ongoing US policy considerations regarding Iran. The Wall Street Journal report cited ongoing discussions within the administration about “decisive” options for Iran, including potential strikes on facilities linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, as Washington positions carrier groups and jets in the region as a show of force. At the same time, the International Atomic Energy Agency’s chief Rafael Grossi stressed that Iran must account for material and provide a report about sites that were bombed, including Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, where about 440.9 kilograms of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent has been identified. Grossi warned that the situation cannot persist indefinitely and urged Iran to engage with the IAEA to prevent the indicators from growing more uncertain.On the ground in Gaza, a week after the United States signaled a shift to phase two in its approach, soldiers report ongoing Hamas activity and violations as the group reorganizes and moves civilians while establishing new positions opposite Israeli forces in Shuja’iyya. The human toll continues to mount as operations persist in the absence of a formal ceasefire, underscoring the fragile and uneven dynamics of any potential pause in hostilities. Israel’s objective remains the degradation of Hamas’s military capacity and the prevention of further attacks, while the international community weighs balance between humanitarian needs and security imperatives.In other Israeli civic and cultural developments, Noam Bettan, a Ga’ash-raised singer from Ra’anana, was chosen to represent Israel at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. Bettan acknowledged the hostile environment the entry will face but expressed gratitude for the opportunity to represent the nation on a global stage, noting the audience and juries will shape the final result. The Eurovision process has been complicated this year by political tensions surrounding Israel’s war with Hamas, with some European broadcasters facing protests and calls for boycotts; nonetheless, Israel remains represented in the competition and seeks to project a message of cultural resilience.Turning to global environmental and civil society context, a United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health report warns of a new phase described as “water bankruptcy.” The report argues that decades of overuse, pollution, and climate pressures have pushed many water systems beyond recovery, threatening major rivers, lakes, and aquifers worldwide. It calls for governments to acknowledge the severity of the crisis and adopt policies to manage water resources more honestly and decisively, highlighting the scarcity pressures that can intersect with regional security in water-stressed areas, including the Middle East.In the realm of civil society and political discourse within Israel, Mickey Gitzin has taken the helm as interim president and CEO of the New Israel Fund, an organization that funds civil society groups across Israeli politics, including those critical of government policy. Gitzin describes a programmatic focus on democracy, equality, and partnership, while noting that liberal Zionist voices face a shifting landscape in which supporters of civil society must work to maintain constructive space for dialogue amid a transforming political spectrum.Looking ahead, observers will watch how the potential formation of a united opposition slate with Bennett and Lapid...
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