News Digest — 10/27/26
7.3 Million Israelis Eligible To Vote On Election Day
Approximately 7.3 million Israelis are eligible to vote in the current election Tuesday (27th), with the Central Election Committee (CEC) having prepared thousands of polling stations and hundreds of millions of ballots ahead of the vote.
According to the CEC, 12,018 polling stations and 8,000 ballot boxes will be available across Israel.
Active duty IDF soldiers serving on military bases and Israeli diplomats stationed abroad have already cast their ballots.
In preparation for the election, the committee has printed 450 million paper ballots, reflecting Israel’s voting system, in which voters select a party by placing a slip bearing its name into a ballot box. The CEC said the preparations are intended to ensure that eligible voters can cast their ballots and that the process runs smoothly.
Approximately 10,000 workers will staff polling stations, while 15,000 cameras will be deployed as part of efforts to monitor the vote and prevent fraud.
“All of this is… to ensure a proper, accessible, and supervised election process that enables the public to exercise its right to vote,” the committee said in a media statement.
The preparations come amid an unusually contentious campaign. Hebrew-language outlet Ynet reported that the CEC has received a substantial number of complaints concerning election campaigning and political activity.
Israel’s security forces, including the police and the Shin Bet domestic security agency, will also be protecting the electoral process and prevent disruptions before, during, and after election day.
Police Chief Daniel Levy said law enforcement agencies have been preparing for months to ensure the vote would proceed normally.
“We’ve prepared for months for this national mission, and we’ll employ our full strength to ensure a free, fair, and safe election,” Levy said in a media release.
He warned that authorities would respond firmly to any attempts to interfere with the election or intimidate voters.
“Anyone who tries to harm the integrity of the election, intimidate voters, or thwart the democratic process before, during, or after the election will find themselves confronted by a strong, determined, nonpartisan, and unyielding police,” Levy added.
Election Day Washout? Thunderstorms, Floods Forecast For Israel
Israel is expected to experience a sharp change in the weather over the coming days, with falling temperatures, local rainfall, thunderstorms, and a risk of flash flooding in the south and east according to the Israel Meteorological Service.
On Tuesday (27th), Election Day, temperatures will fall, returning to seasonal averages. Local rainfall is expected, mainly in southern and eastern Israel. The rain is forecast to intensify around midday, accompanied by thunderstorms, strong wind gusts, and hail. The Meteorological Service also warned of a risk of significant flash flooding in streams in the southern Negev, Arava, and Dead Sea areas.
Wednesday (28th) will see an additional slight drop in temperatures, reaching below seasonal average. Local showers and isolated thunderstorms are expected, with the risk of flooding in southern and eastern streams returning from midday.
On Thursday (29th), temperatures will continue to fall. Skies will be partly to mostly cloudy, with local rainfall and isolated thunderstorms expected in northern Israel. Local rain is also possible in central Israel.
Jordan Launches Airstrikes In Syria In Retaliation For Deadly Church Attack
The Royal Jordanian Air Force announced Monday (26th) that it had carried out airstrikes against terrorist positions in southern Syria in response to Friday’s deadly attack on a church funeral in southern Jordan which left nine people dead and 34 others wounded.
In a statement, the Jordanian military said the operation named “Jordan Deterrence – Hammoud,” targeted hideouts belonging to terrorist organizations whose members were allegedly connected to the perpetrators of the shooting at St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church in the village of Hammoud, in the Karak governorate.
According to the military, Jordanian fighter jets destroyed several terrorist facilities, killing and wounding numerous operatives and destroying vehicles belonging to the organizations.
The armed forces described the strikes as retaliation for those murdered in the church attack and pledged to continue fighting terrorism and protecting Jordan’s citizens and security.
King Abdullah II welcomed the operation in a post on X, declaring that Jordanian forces had pursued the terrorists to their hideouts.
“We said that the terrorists would not escape punishment,” the king wrote, adding that individuals promoting ideologies that divide Jordanians would also be held accountable.
The airstrikes followed the arrest of three suspects earlier Monday (26th) in connection with Friday’s (23rd) massacre.
Jordanian Public Security Director MG Obaidallah Maaytah said the suspects included two brothers and their brother-in-law, all of whom embraced “Takfiri” (heretical) ideology.
The suspects subsequently fled together in a vehicle following the attack, which investigators later located.
Security forces apprehended all three following an armed confrontation at an abandoned building. The suspects were wounded during the operation, and authorities recovered firearms and a substantial quantity of ammunition.
The attack occurred Friday, October 23, when gunmen opened fire on mourners attending a funeral at St. Geroge’s Greek Orthodox Church in Hammoud, near Karak.
Jordan authorities launched an extensive search for the perpetrators following the shooting, conducting raids and searches across several villages and surrounding areas.
Israel Is Not Abandoned: Record-Breaking Numbers Reveal A Global Movement Of Support – Opinion
By Mike Evans
For months, the headlines have told us that the younger generation is turning against Israel. We have watched images of campus protests, heard the chants of hostility, and been told repeatedly that the next generation has abandoned the Jewish people.
But on October 7, something extraordinary happened. Something the headlines could not ignore. Something that shattered the narrative.
On the third anniversary of the October 7 massacre, Friends of Zion sponsored a record-breaking 24-hour global broadcast that reached more than 250 million people across 167 countries.
At a time when Israel faces relentless attacks on its legitimacy, and the Jewish people continue to endure a rising tide of antisemitism, millions of people around the world chose to watch, listen, pray and stand with Israel.
The broadcast reached more than 3.8 million people in Syria, 1.2 million in Egypt, and 1.1 million in Algeria. In Brazil, the broadcast reached more than 8.5 million, following a public appeal by Senator Flavio Bolsonaro encouraging Brazilians to watch.
Let that sink in. Millions of people in nations where public support for Israel can be politically complicated were exposed to a message of solidarity, remembrance, and hope.
This was not a small gathering preaching to the choir. It was a global declaration that the Jewish people are not alone.
Perhaps one of the most significant findings was the age of the audience. Some 59.8% of the social media audience was between the age of 25 and 34.
We have been told that young adults have turned their backs on Israel and that support for the Jewish state is destined to disappear. Yet this great initiative reached tens of millions of people through social media, with a substantial share of its audience among younger adults.
We must be careful not to confuse the loudest voices with the majority, or viral outrage with the convictions of an entire generation. A protest does not speak for every student. A Hashtag does not represent every young adult. And the most hostile voices on social media do not have the final word on the future of Israel.
The October 7 broadcast demonstrated that a significant global audience remains willing to engage with a message of support for Israel and remembrance of the victims of terrorism.
The battle for the next generation is not over. In fact, it may be one of the most important battles we face.
The numbers from this broadcast should challenge every pastor, parent, educator, and Christian leader.
We must meet the next generation where they are, communicate with clarity, tell the truth with courage, and equip them to recognize antisemitism even when it is disguised as fashionable political rhetoric.
We cannot surrender the universities. We cannot allow the next generation to learn the history of Israel exclusively from those who deny the Jewish people’s history, distort the facts, or excuse terrorism.
We must offer something stronger than slogans: truth supported by history, conviction grounded in faith and a vision of human dignity that refuses to dehumanize the Jewish people.
The record-breaking reach of the October 7 broadcast should encourage us, but it should also challenge us. The world is watching. The next generation is listening. And our response will determine what they believe tomorrow.
The enemies of Israel want us to believe that the world has turned away, that the younger generation is beyond reach, and that standing with the Jewish people is a losing cause.
On October 7, millions across the world encountered a different message. Across 167 countries, a global broadcast brought remembrance, solidarity, and support for Israel to an audience that stretched across cultures, borders, and generations.
The writer has written 120 books and is a #1 best selling author and Nobel Peace Prize nominee. He is the founder of the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem, the Ten Boom Museum in Holland, and Churches United for Israel, one of the largest Christian Zionist networks in America.
Peru Says It Intends To Adopt IHRA Definition Of Jew-Hatred
Gideon Sa’ar, foreign minister of Israel, said on Monday (26th) that he welcomes Peru’s stated decision to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition of Jew-hatred.
The Peruvian government has not yet officially confirmed the news, but an Oct. 20 letter circulated online from its foreign minister to Sa’ar states the country’s decision to accept the alliance’s definition.
“I am convinced that this decision will contribute to strengthening the bonds and friendship and cooperation that unite Peru and the State of Israel, which are based on shared values,” Carlos Espa, Peruvian foreign minister , wrote in Spanish.
“I will reaffirm our commitment to preserving the memory of the Holocaust, as well as to promoting education to foster respect for human dignity, peace coexistence and fundamental rights and freedoms,” Espa wrote.
Sa’ar responded in Spanish that he celebrates the “historic decision” and that “together we continue strengthening the fight against antisemitism worldwide.” Jewish organizations reacted in kind.”
Evan R. Bernstein, CEO of B’nai B’rith International, told JNS that “with our deep roots and active on-the-ground volunteer presence across Latin America, we see firsthand how these recent adoptions by governments in the region give Jewish communities on the ground a stronger, practical framework to confront antisemitism where they live.”
“We thank Peru for this meaningful step and look forward to the continued process across the region,” Bernstein told JNS.
Shay Salamon, executive director of Latin American affairs for the Combat Antisemitism Movement, told JNS that although the government hasn’t confirmed the decision, “recent incidents we have followed in Peru demonstrate why adopting the IHRA definition is particularly important for the country’s Jewish community.”
He cited remarks in April by Jose Maria Balcazar, then Peru’s interim president, who said in a speech that Germany was “pushed into a war also partly because of the Jews, because they controlled all the banks, all the commerce and practiced usury.”
The comments received a widespread backlash. A government friendlier to Israel took office in July.
Earlier this month, the Peruvian Ethics Tribunal announced that after public complaints, it is requiring media outlets to moderate and control antisemitic comments on their platforms.
“The incidents highlight the importance of moving beyond political declarations toward concrete institutional measures to recognize, prevent and combat antisemitism,” he told JNS.
Peru formally adopting the IHRA definition should be “accompanied by meaningful implementation,” which would “represent an important step for the Jewish community and for the broader regional effort against antisemitism,” Salamon said.
Peru becomes the ninth Latin American country to adopt the most widely-used definition of Jew-hatred after Argentina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Uruguay, the Dominican Republic and Paraguay. Several have done so this year.
The United States and Argentina have made a concerted effort to expand IHRA adoption in Latin America.
Peru has a complex Jewish history dating back to the 16th century. It included a period of danger for conversos and so-called “crypto Jews” during the Inquisition. There have been waves of immigration from Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities.
According to the World Jewish Congress, the country has about 1,900 Jews, mainly in and near the capital, Lima.
(jns.org)
