Chag Sameach to my readers.
UPDATE ON FLYDUBAI INCIDENT (as at early afternoon 30/9)
A commercial flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after a bloody clash in the cockpit that Israeli officials suspect was an attempt to wrest control of the plane and crash it in an act of terrorism. None of the 180-odd passengers, most of whom were Israeli, were reported injured.
Witnesses aboard said that it appeared the flight’s copilot had stabbed the captain, at which point the plane went out of control, initially plummeting some 17,000 feet in under a minute.
According to witnesses, a group of Israeli passengers managed to storm the cockpit, subdue the stabber (restraining him with in-flight headphone cables) and save the captain. A passenger described the stabbed pilot as being in critical condition and said an Israeli dentist on board treated him and saved his life. Two off-duty flight crew aboard, took control and landed the plane safely.
Israel’s Transportation Minister Miri Regev suspended Flydubai operations to Israel while ordering a formal inquiry into potential breaches of bilateral aviation treaties. She ordered an investigation into whether Flydubai had breached Israel-UAE aviation pacts, which limit flight operations to crews holding passports from nations with formal diplomatic relations with Israel. The co-pilot was from Oman which does not have such diplomatic relations.
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NETANYAHU UN SPEECH 24.9.26
In his speech, Netanyahu contrasted Hamas’s actions with Israel’s efforts to keep Palestinian civilians safe during the conflict. He stated that Israel issued millions of text messages, phone calls, and leaflets to warn civilians before military action, alongside facilitating polio vaccinations and massive food aid deliveries. Consequently, he dismissed genocide allegations as the “greatest lie of the century,” arguing that such humanitarian steps contradict the concept of genocide. To support his claim, he referenced urban warfare expert Colonel John Spencer, who has stated that Israel has done more to prevent civilian casualties than any military in history. Click here
The “walkout”.
Israeli officials reported that 77 UN delegations, including Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia, were absent or walked out during the speech, leaving roughly 116 country delegations present, though not all absences were intentional boycotts. Notably envoys from Bahrain and the UAE remained despite the departure of most Arab and Muslim delegations.
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GAZA
Two IDF reservists, Master Sgt. (res.) Nadav Kali, 24 and Master Sgt. (res.) Ofek Moalem, 23, died last Thursday after a small explosive drone they were operating in Gaza crashed for an unknown reason and exploded. Click here
The IDF released footage showing a terrorist in central Gaza using a child as a human shield to transfer weapons into a civilian home. Upon identifying the child’s presence, the IDF refrained from launching a strike, citing the incident as an example of the systematic exploitation of children in violation of international law. Video embedded in this article.
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Saher Nidal Saqr, who took part in abducting Noa Argamani and Avinatan Or during the Oct. 7 invasion, was killed in an Israeli strike in Nuseirat in Gaza on Saturday. Infamous footage from the Hamas-led invasion and massacre showed Saqr taking Argamani on a motorcycle to Gaza after she and Or were abducted from the Nova music festival.
Saqr was involved in supplying weapons to Hamas during the war, and recently, he was advancing attacks on troops and Israeli civilians. The IDF said he was killed to “remove a threat.”
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Footnote: After a brief internship, Gaza hostage survivor Noa Argamani is officially joining venture capital firm Vine Ventures. click here
The commander of Hamas’s Northern Gaza Brigade, Izz al-Din al-Bik, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza City, Israel said Tuesday.
An airstrike in Gaza City on Sunday killed Hamas operative Shadi Abu Hasira, who headed a money exchange network which “transferred tens of millions of Israeli shekels in foreign currency to Hamas’s military.”
“These funds were used to finance terrorists, restore military infrastructure, and advance attacks against IDF troops,” the IDF said.
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The capture of top Hamas internal security official Mu’in al-Arabid in Gaza City on Sept. 2 gave Israel tremendous intelligence which has helped in targeting other top Hamas officials, funds, and weapons. Three out of the five Hamas brigade commanders in Gaza have been killed since Sept. 11.
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VIOLENCE IN WEST BANK/SAMARIA
Around 100 Israeli West Bank settlers (Jewish residents of Judea/Samaria) rioted to prevent the Palestinian Tubasi family from returning home.
Three Israeli police officers were injured while fighting against fellow Israelis to enforce Israeli law.
No one in the Tubasi family was injured, due to the protection of the Israeli police and the IDF.
The Israeli PM immediately and forcefully condemned these criminal acts and promised to prosecute the perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law.
The IDF also condemned the rioters.
Israel has already arrested three suspects, with more arrests expected to come as investigations are ongoing.
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Writing on X, President Herzog called the violence “of utmost severity” and said it was a “moral stain [and] an attack on the rule of law and our most basic values as a nation.” Click here
DEFENCE
Israel’s newest submarine, INS Drakon, has entered Israeli territorial waters, 14 years after construction began. On Thursday, the submarine will be formally welcomed at the Haifa Naval Base.
Its arrival was delayed by several months after Norway and Denmark barred the submarine from entering their territorial waters during sea trials, despite the fact that it was sailing under a German flag.
The vessel’s classified capabilities are considered “game-changing.”
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COLOMBIA
Colombia’s new government has withdrawn from South Africa’s genocide case against Israel in the International Court of Justice.
Israeli Ambassador to Colombia Vivien Aisen said Colombia chose “the right side of history” and made “a brave and responsible decision that we deeply appreciate.”
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PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY (PA)
The PA has praised Mahmoud Suleiman, the terrorist who critically injured IDF reservist Neria Leiter, 39, in a car-ramming attack last week, as a “Shahid” – a Martyr who died for Allah, in its official daily and on its official radio station.
Leiter is the son of Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter. Neria’s older brother Moshe was killed fighting in Gaza in November 2023.
Glorifying murderers who are killed while attacking Israelis as “Martyrs for Allah” has been standard practice in the PA for decades.
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“Pay for Slay” by the PA is still in full effect, paying Palestinians for killing Jews.
The murderer of father of six Nathaniel Shukrun [on Sep. 20] admitted he wanted to get out of debt and instead of just killing himself, he murdered a Jew.
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During a single day in the PA, researchers photographed sprawling private estates, swimming pools, landscaped gardens, fountains, guest houses and multi-story luxury villas.
100 luxurious Palestinian homes are documented in this 200-page report:
COUNTER TERRORISM
IDF soldiers monitoring surveillance cameras identified a drone crossing the border into Israel from Jordan on Monday. Troops dispatched to the scene located the drone, which was carrying nine Kalashnikov assault rifles and magazines, along with a pistol.
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THE UK
A former bodyguard for Hamas’s deceased leader Ismail Haniyeh was granted asylum and citizenship in Britain before he was caught last year hatching a terrorist plot against Jews and Israeli-linked figures in Europe.
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The UK’s embargo on arms exports to Israel has been significantly increased. 50 more export licenses have been added to the list of 30 previously frozen.
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On September 3, Husam Zomlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, appeared at the Bradford Literature Festival in a wide-ranging conversation about Palestine, identity, history, diplomacy, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He made a series of striking claims including “the Bible is a Palestinian book,” that “we (the Palestinians) are the original Christians,” and that Jesus was “our gift to you” and “to the rest of the world.” Click here
THE NETHERLANDS
A formal decree by the Dutch government took effect on September 22, banning across the board the import, sale, brokering and even personal possession of products originating in Judea and Samaria, east Jerusalem and the Golan Heights. But this new boycott list blindly follows an EU postal code table for determining communities’ eligibility for collaboration agreements. This includes many Druze and Palestinians, a Christian monastery, the coexistence town of Neve Shalom, as well as communities that it recognizes as sovereign Israeli territory pre-1967. Click here
MOROCCO
King Mohammed VI has appointed Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri, currently the mayor of Marrakesh, as Morocco’s first female prime minister. Jackie Kadosh, head of Marrakesh’s Jewish community, praised her strong ties to the community, highlighting her past hospitality to delegations and her visit to a local synagogue during Yom Kippur.
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BBC
The BBC reported the deaths of 53 “journalists” in Gaza who were claimed as terrorists by Hamas and other groups, with some having participated in the October 7 attacks. Additionally, many of these individuals appear on social media in military fatigues holding weapons and wearing headbands associated with terrorist organizations. Click here (paywall)
MEDIA OBSESSION
Independent researcher Jeremy Musighi released a decade-long study analysing 14.7 million news articles, revealing disproportionately high media coverage of Israel compared to other global events. The study found that in 2024, news outlets published over twice as many stories about Israel than all 48 sub-Saharan African countries combined, with Israel being the most-mentioned country on American cable news and appearing in 1 out of every 17 broadcast minutes on the BBC News Channel. Click here
MEDICAL STUDY
A study by researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Sheba Medical Centre found that individuals who eat with a partner experience smaller glucose spikes and recover to normal levels faster than those eating alone. Published in Science Advances, the research highlights the concept of “social physiology,” demonstrating that human bonding directly supports basic metabolic processes and regulatory systems.
They found a similar pattern when they exposed couples to the cold, with a smaller drop in temperature and a quicker recovery in both temperature control and physiological stress.
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FERTILITY
While fertility rates have fallen below replacement levels in countries like the U.S. and South Korea, Israel’s Jewish population serves as a clear exception to this global trend. Driven by a deeply pronatalist culture shared across both religious and secular communities, 81% of secular Jewish women aged 25 to 39 in Israel report desiring three or more children, an average higher than that recorded in any other Western country. Click here
AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION
Founded in 1939, southern Israel’s Hazera seed company is a global leader in vegetable innovation, having developed over 1,300 varieties including the Galia melon and the long-lasting Daniela tomato. Developing a new vegetable variety requires seven to 20 years of research and trialing to meet changing consumer demands and ensure worldwide food security. Today, Hazera actively adapts its seeds to withstand climate change challenges, such as extreme weather events, rising temperatures, and increased pest risks. Alongside durability, the company also focuses on nutritional and health benefits, such as its orange Zohar pepper, which contains high levels of zeaxanthin to support eye health. Click here
TALL BUILDINGS
On October 4, occupation will begin in The Beyond tower in Givatayim. At 320 metres high with 78 floors, the tower is the tallest tower in Israel, at least until the completion of Azrieli Group’s Spiral Tower in Tel Aviv, which will be 355 metres high.
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ENTERTAINMENT
British pop star Boy George is set to perform on November 4 at Tel Aviv’s Menora Mivtachim Arena. In a short video he said “It is my honour to be invited to come, and I hope you will be there to celebrate an evening of positivity, and love, and good vibes.”
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SPORT
Israel won the Team Award gold medal at the FIG Acrobatic Gymnastics World Championships in Italy, beating Russia & the US.
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Ofri Maliach won the U17 Danish Squash Open: Click here
Israeli dancers Emilia Tinkelman and Avi Tounkara won first place at the DSE Children Grand Prix Junior II Latin competition in Prague. Click here Short video of a previous performance Click here
A month after being crowned European champion, Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat has won gold in the floor exercise at the Challenge Cup in Paris.
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COMMENT & OPINION
Europe, the Middle East & Israel
JPost Editorial: In Abu Dhabi, an Israeli prime minister can spend hours discussing common threats with an Arab leader. In Morocco, governments are working toward ambassadors, investment and more flights. In Amsterdam, Israelis wonder whether customs officers will inspect their suitcases for a bottle of Judean wine.
There is something deeply strange about an Israel increasingly able to discuss its future with Arab and Muslim states while its citizens face growing suspicion and restrictions in European countries that once regarded friendship with Israel as essential.
Some in the Middle East have carefully cultivated bridges with Israel. Europe should think very carefully before it starts tearing its own down.
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Israel accusations rebutted
Dr Tuvia Book: Popular accusations against Israel—summarized as “GAWP” (Genocide, Apartheid, War Crimes, and Proportionality)—misrepresent both the facts and international law while ignoring the IDF’s significant efforts to minimize civilian harm. Drawing on legal definitions, military experts, and my personal experience in an IDF medical extraction unit, Hamas’s tactics of using human shields and intentionally targeting civilians fit the actual criteria for war crimes and genocidal intent. The post-October 7 narrative has inverted the roles of victim and aggressor. Those spreading these four claims (GAWP) are either wilfully ignorant of international law or driven by long-standing anti-Israel bias. Click here
Gaza
Sagiv Steinberg: Despite the 1993 Oslo Accords, PLO chief Yasser Arafat broadcasted a message in Arabic treating the agreement as merely a step in a phased takeover of Israel, a sentiment reflected today by a poll showing two-thirds of Palestinians oppose requiring election candidates to honour Oslo commitments. Consequently future security frameworks for Gaza cannot rely on transient leadership commitments and must instead be backed by public acceptance and terms enforceable directly by Israel. Click here
Moumen al-Natour: Even before October 7, Hamas systematically used Gaza’s religious and educational institutions to preach anti-peace ideology and mobilize the population for armed conflict. Consequently, dismantling this ideological radicalism in classrooms and mosques is just as critical as military disarmament to prevent future violence and foster long-term peace.
The writer is a Palestinian lawyer, co-founder of the We Want to Live movement in Gaza, and a former political prisoner held by Hamas.
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Herb Keinon: A Reuters report on Gaza students returning to in-person schooling fails to examine the curriculum, teachers (many affiliated with terrorist organisations), and ideological content being taught in those classrooms. Unless Gaza’s educational system undergoes fundamental reform to eliminate anti-Israel hostility and glorify martyrdom, Hamas will continue to shape future generations regardless of its military losses.
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West Bank Riot
Daniel Pomerantz: Genuine settler attacks against Palestinians are rare and UN statistics on “settler violence” are misleadingly inflated by including events such as traffic accidents, self-defence, and IDF counter-terror operations. In contrast, Palestinian attacks on Israelis are far more frequent and actively incentivized by the Palestinian Authority through financial rewards and social prestige. Violent settler incidents are driven by a small minority of about 100 delinquents among half a million Jewish residents. The Israeli people and leadership, from all sides of the political spectrum, strongly oppose and condemn this sort of violence, and Israel’s security forces risk their lives and safety to combat it.
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The UN
Wall St Journal Editorial:
UN Week predictably serves as a platform for unfair attacks and falsehoods against Israel, including Macron’s statement “Hamas was never forceful in the West Bank.” when a Hamas terrorist had just murdered an Israeli father of six there. The UN General Assembly has passed 187 condemnatory resolutions against Israel since 2015—more than double the total against Russia, China, Iran, Syria, North Korea, Myanmar, Qatar, Pakistan, Cuba, and Venezuela, fuelling a bureaucracy that leads to global sanctions. Unique permanent UN bodies target Israel. Why do democratic nations continue to fund institutional bias that hinders global anti-terrorism efforts. Click here (paywall)
Turkey
Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak: How Turkey is forging a new ring of fire around Israel
Following Turkey’s growing hostility, public endorsement of Hamas, and view of Israel as a national threat, Israel has reclassified Turkey as a potential enemy state.
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The BBC
Danny Cohen: Once again, the BBC finds itself at the centre of a scandal of inaccuracy and anti-Israel bias. BBC Arabic has claimed that dozens of terrorists killed during the Gaza war were journalists when in fact they were members of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, including participants in the Oct 7 massacres… The BBC is under new leadership. Yet it is still failing in its duties of balance and accuracy when it comes to their reporting on Israel.
Click here (paywall)
Palestinian Authority (PA)
Khaled Abu Toameh: In a pre-recorded UN address, PA President Mahmoud Abbas claimed the PA had completed its national reform programme, highlighting a new needs-based welfare system. However, the U.S. State Department stated on September 16, 2026, that the PA continues to pay stipends to terrorists, glorify terrorism, and fail on its reform commitments. The evidence points to a stark gap between Abbas’s declarations and reality on the ground.
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Ireland
Brendan O’Neill strongly criticizes Ireland’s anti-Israel protests, highlighting a boycott by 140 Irish pubs that refused to broadcast a Nations League soccer match between Ireland and Israel as evidence of widespread hostility. He writes that Irish society, media, and culture have embraced a deep-seated hatred towards Israel contrasting this intensity with the lack of outrage over cricket matches played against repressive regimes like Afghanistan a nation where women are treated like animals, homosexuality is punishable by death, and democracy is non-existent.
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Further reading
In his Yom Kippur sermon, Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch said that anti-Jewish hostility is a recurring historical reality. Even so, he was shocked at how quickly former allies turned away and displayed insensitivity towards Jewish suffering after October 7. The immediate wave of anti-Israel sentiment began before Israel even responded militarily, questioning why it required a massacre to unleash such widespread hostility. Ultimately, he warns that the mainstream tolerance and intellectualization of violent antisemitism signals a dangerous moral decay within American society itself. Click here
Video (50 minutes) of Yom Kippur sermon: Click here
Prof. Asher Cohen: Hostile reactions towards Israel, such as the praise for the film “NAZA” at the Venice Film Festival, stem from deep-seated antisemitic narratives rather than factual misunderstandings. Public diplomacy alone cannot counter this phenomenon, as modern criticism of Israel functions as a continuation of historical blood libels that subject the Jewish state to unique double standards. Accusations of genocide and demonstrations against Israel began the day after the Oct. 7 massacre, before Israel had undertaken any military action.
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Rabbi Dr. Maury Grebenau: The events of October 7 destroyed any possibility of a two-state solution for this generation, as Israelis feel forced to prioritize immediate self-preservation and safety above all else. Witnessing the atrocities after years of enduring constant rocket threats, has left Israelis unwilling to make further concessions or live alongside a neighbouring state governed by the perpetrators.
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