News Digest — 11/13/26
Eisenkot Meets Netanyahu for Two-Hour Security Briefing
Yashar Party leader Gadi Eisenkot met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Thursday (12th) for a security and diplomatic briefing that lasted more than two hours and was also attended by the prime minister’s military secretary.
The meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) allowed Eisenkot’s requests for security briefings and came amid recent reports of renewed tensions between Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff LTG Eyal Zamir over the possibility of resuming military action against Iran.
Following the meeting the two issued a joint statement saying that Eisenkot had been briefed on the security and diplomatic challenges currently facing the State of Israel.
They also agreed to continue exchanging updates as necessary, the statement added.
Netanyahu’s military secretary MG Guy Markizano, was said to have been present in the room throughout the meeting, indicating that the discussion was limited to security matters rather than political issues.
Eisenkot had requested to receive security briefings from the prime minister, which he had previously said were denied.
Eisenkot had also urged Netanyahu to exercise caution in making security decisions while the government remains in a caretaker capacity.
The Yashar leader said the briefings were necessary “to ensure effective oversight, maintain a proper national decision-making process, and safeguard security interests.”
By law, the prime minister must provide the opposition leader with a security briefing at least once a month. Eisenkot had requested the briefings because no new opposition leader has been officially appointed yet.
Amid the political deadlock between Netanyahu’s bloc and the bloc seeking to replace him, a new government has yet to be formed following the October 27 election. Netanyahu will continue serving as caretaker prime minister until a new government is established.
Meanwhile, Eisenkot was asked by President Isaac Herzog to form the next government. He has 28 days from Sunday (8th) to do so, with the option of requesting a 14-day extension.
The PMO issued a statement on Wednesday (11th) defending Netanyahu’s security decisions, saying that all government decisions “were based solely on security considerations and in full coordination with the security establishment.
Before Thursday’s (12th) meeting was announced, Eisenkot had argued that Netanyahu was preventing him from receiving the briefing he requested.
Trump Said Antisemitism In The US Is “Like Nazi Germany In 1938”
US President Donald Trump said antisemitism in the United States is at levels “like Germany in 1938,” at the beginning of the Holocaust.
The president was asked by conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt about the recent rise in antisemitism in the US and what his administration is doing about it.
“I’m amazed to see it,” Trump said. “This is like Germany in 1938, or whatever. It’s crazy what’s going on. When you look at the attacks on people, the racial attacks and the attacks, they’re, I guess, 63 percent on Jewish people, and you wouldn’t believe it”
According to FBI statistics, 63% of all religious-based hate crimes in the US last year targeted Jews. In 2024, the figure was 70%.
Trump’s comments came just days after the 88th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the 1938 Nazi mass pogrom often seen as the beginning of the Holocaust. That came after Jews were stripped of citizenship and faced severe restrictions, boycotts and discrimination from Adolf Hitler and his regime.
Trump claims that the rise in antisemitism “started, I would say, during Barack Hussein Obama’s run.”
In fact, the Anti-Defamation League and other groups have tracked an increase in US antisemitic incidents for more than a decade, dating back to the end of Obama’s second term in 2016, the year Trump was elected. That rise continued through Trump’s first term, which saw the deadliest antisemitic attack in US history in 2018, the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting in which a gunman killed 11 Jews.
The number of antisemitic incidents in the US spiked even further following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and the subsequent Gaza war, during former President Joe Biden’s administration. They have remained at historically high levels.
Pressed on how he is combating anti-Jewish discrimination, Trump pointed to his administration’s efforts to pressure universities to crack down on antisemitism, particularly surrounding campus protests against Israel, and called Harvard University antisemitic. The administration has combated campus antisemitism in certain cases by withholding research funding and reaching cash settlements.
Trump said universities are “paying tremendous awards, including colleges, for what they’ve done, because they’re antisemitic. Harvard’s antisemitic. And there are big prices for what they have done.
The crackdowns have split American Jews. Some have expressed appreciation for the fight against campus antisemitism, while the others have raised concern about pulling research funds or appearing to make antisemitism a partisan issue.
US Military Warns Israel To Prepare For Renewed War Against Iran
US Central Command has instructed Israeli military representatives in the United States to prepare for a possible resumption of war against Iran, Kan News reported Thursday (12th), citing warnings issued in recent days.
According to a US official, American defense officials have delivered similar messages to Gulf countries, advising them to prepare for renewed fighting in the near future.
The warnings contrast with recent statements by President Donald Trump, who has said he sees no need for another military campaign against Iran.
Meanwhile, Washington continues to reinforce its military presence in the Middle East. Approximately 200 US aerial refueling aircraft are stationed at bases across the region and Europe, while thousands of American troops operate military equipment, including air defense systems, at US installations in the Middle East.
The American naval deployment includes the aircraft carriers George Washington and George Bush, with a third, the Roosevelt, expected to reach the Arabian Sea next week.
According to Kan News, this marks the first deployment of three American aircraft carriers in the region since June.
Iran’s deputy chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, Amir Kioumars Heydari, warned Wednesday (11th) that Iranian missiles and drones could reach US military installations and interests, threatening strikes beyond the region if attacks against Iran resume.
Speaking in a televised interview with Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, Heydari characterized the conflict with Washington as a regional war and asserted that American bases and interests were vulnerable to Iranian attacks.
He also warned that Iran could retaliate against countries whose territory serves as a launching point for airstrikes against it, targeting comparable facilities in those countries.
Zamir: Jordan Valley Control Essential To Israel’s Security
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff LTG Eyal Zamir said on Wednesday (11th) that maintaining control of the Jordan Valley is essential to Israel’s national security, as he toured military posts and a border barrier under construction along the frontier with Jordan.
“The Jordan Valley holds historical, Zionist and security significance,” Zamir said. “It is the State of Israel’s eastern defensive shield, and maintaining control over it is an essential component of our national security and strategic depth.”
Visiting the area of the 96th Division, Zamir described the formation, established during “Operation Roaring Lion” as “a tangible example of implementing the lessons of Oct. 7 on the ground,” referring to the Hamas led invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
The division is deploying along a line of military posts forward of civilian communities, while improving its intelligence collection and lethality, he said.
“Alongside the need for intelligence alerts, IDF troops must maintain a constant state of readiness for rapid changes and unexpected developments,” Zamir said. “In every sector, we must remain highly vigilant, stay ahead of threats, and ensure the protection of our borders and civilians.”
During the visit, Zamir held a situational assessment with senior commanders and issued directives for implementing the defensive doctrine and strengthening operational readiness. He also emphasized their responsibility to strictly uphold law and order and protect the security of all populations living in the sector, according to the military.
The IDF Chief met with Jordan Valley Regional Council head David Elhayani and female troops serving in the newly established 909th Field Intelligence Collection Battalion. He also visited the Halutzim pre-military leadership program near the site of the former Beit HaArava kibbutz.
“Security does not rely solely on fortifications and military forces, but also on the strength of our national spirit, strong communities, thriving agriculture, and civilians who are deepening their roots in this land,” Zamir said.
(jns.org)
Government Approves bringing 600 Bnei Menashe To Israel
The government on Wednesday (11th) approved bringing approximately 600 additional immigrants from the Bnei Menashe community in northeastern India to Israel, allocating a dedicated budget of NIS 45.1 million for the initiative. The decision, advanced by Aliyah and Absorption Minister Bezalel Smotrich, is intended to ensure that members of the community can continue immigrating to Israel during the first half of 2027.
It is the third phase of a multiyear plan to bring the remaining members of the community to Israel. The latest decision continues an initiative approved by the previous government, under which additional groups of Bnei Menashe began arriving in 2026.
The immigrants are expected to arrive from the Indian states of Mizoram and Manipur, where members of the community live. Under the approved plan, their arrival will follow an organized process that includes preparation for conversion to Judaism, initial absorption in Israel and formalization of their citizenship status upon completion of the process.
The list of candidates for immigration has already been approved by a rabbinical delegation headed by the Rishon Lezion, Israel’s chief rabbi and president of the Supreme Rabbinical Court, in coordination with the population and Immigration Authority.
The order in which the immigrants arrive will be determined by their readiness for the process. Priority will be given to bringing entire families together and helping reunite families whose members directly live in Israel.
Upon arrival in Israel, members of the community will be directed to absorption centers, where they will stay for up to six months. During this period, they will participate in an intensive absorption program that includes Hebrew studies.
After completing their studies and conversion, members of the community will receive new immigrant status and Israeli citizenship. They will subsequently move into permanent housing in local municipalities.
The Aliyah and Immigration Ministry emphasized that the decision and budget approval are intended to maintain continuity in the absorption services established for the community. The initiative will allow professional teams to continue assisting groups of immigrants and prepare for the arrival of additional families.
Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich welcomed the decision’s approval and emphasized its significance for community members seeking to immigrate to Israel and reunite with their relatives. Smotrich said, “Bringing our Bnei Menashe brothers and sisters home to Israel is a great privilege and puts the Zionist vision into practice. The Beni Menashe community has maintained a deep connection to the Jewish people and the Land of Israel for generations, and many of its members seek to unite their families who have already immigrated to Israel.”
The finance minister also addressed cooperation with the Aliyah and Integration Ministry and the allocation of resources needed for the initiative. He added, “Together with the excellent work of Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer and the budget we approved today, we have provided the resources and professional support needed to ensure continuity in immigration, give them the best possible and dignified absorption process and support them until they are fully integrated into Israeli society.”
The Bnei Nenashe, Hebrew for Children of Manasseh, are an indigenous group of people from the northeastern Indian state of Manipur and Mizoram who claim to be one of the Ten Lost tribes of Israel. According to their oral tradition, their ancestor Manasseh ( son of Joseph) was exiled from the Northern Kingdom of Israel by the Assyrian Empire in 722 BCE. Their history holds that they migrated across Persia, Afghanistan, Central Asia, China, and eventually settled in northeast India, practicing traditional Judaism from their time in Israel. It is hoped that they will eventually all go back to Israel.
Some 5,000-5,200 Bnei Menashe have already made Aliyeh to Israel.
Bar Kochba Revolt-Era Hideouts And Byzantine Church Finally Opens To Visitors
Underground tunnels where Jewish rebels sheltered some 2,000 years ago, alongside a Byzantine church paved with colorful mosaics, opened to the public this past weekend at Horvat Burgin in Adullam-France Park
The inauguration was a joint effort of KKL-INF, Israel Antiquities Authority, and the Mateh Yehuda Regional Council, capping years of excavation, conservation, and development.
Digs led by Dr. Amir Ganor, Alon Klein and Dr. Peter Gendelman uncovered a settlement that endured from the Second Temple Period through Ottoman times.
Researchers suggest the large Second Temple village may be Caphar Bish, a place named by the historian Flavius Josephus.
As tensions with Rome mounted in the early Roman period, residents carved sprawling hiding networks into the bedrock.
The settlement was destroyed during the Bar Kochba Revolt.
A pagan population later moved into the ruins, building anew above ground and cutting elaborate burial complexes beneath.
In the Byzantine era a church and monastery rose on the site.
Dove cotes and winepresses found in the vicinity show that residents made their living from pigeon breeding, farming and winemaking.
Ganor, who heads the Antiquities Authority’s Antiquities Theft Prevention Unit, described Horvat Burgin as the area’s largest ancient settlement.
For years, he said, looters ravaged burial caves and tunnels and damaged standing structures.
Enforcement operations, arrests of looting gangs, rescue excavations, and the park’s opening finally stopped the destruction.
“The site was saved,” Ganor said, “and now it can be enjoyed by the public.”
