News Digest — 9/10/26
Israel Police Deploying Thousands Of Officers Nationwide For High Holidays
The Israeli police said on Wednesday (9th) that it would be deploying thousands of officers, Border police personnel, and volunteers nationwide during the High Holidays.
Preparations for the holiday period, which begins this year on Friday (11th), the eve of Rosh Hashanah, and concludes after Simchat Torah on October 3, were completed on Wednesday (9th), the police said.
Officers will be stationed at holy sites, places of worship, main roads, parks and entertainment venues to maintain public order and security, and ensure freedom of worship for all faiths.
Police will operate “from the air, sea and ground” throughout the holidays in order to provide a “rapid response to any unusual incident,” it said.
Anticipating heavy traffic and increased activity at shopping centers, police urged motorists to leave early, follow officers’ instructions and avoid speeding and using mobile phones while driving.
The public was asked to report any unusual incident to the Israel police hotline.
“Even while you are gathered with your family around the holiday table, our police officers will be out in the field, looking out for you everywhere and at all times, so that we can all get through the holidays safely and return home safely,” the force stated. “The Israel police wish all the people of Israel a happy and safe holiday.”
The Israel Defense Forces held a surprise nationwide exercise on Sunday (6th) to test the military’s readiness for a sudden large-scale multi-front scenario ahead of the High Holidays. The Israel Police conducted its own nationwide exercise in the country’s northern and central regions in July as part of the forces’ annual training program, testing readiness for terrorist attacks and civilian emergencies.
(jns.org)
Israel In Numbers: National Population Hits 10.305m., CBS Data Shows Ahead Of Rosh Hashanah
Israel’s population stands at an estimated 10.305 million ahead of Rosh Hashanah after growing by approximately 124,000 people over the past year, the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) said on Wednesday (9th).
The figures were released as part of the CBS’s annual “Israel in Numbers” report ahead of Rosh Hashanah, which compiles data covering population, health, education, employment, housing, the economy, transportation, agriculture, the environment and other aspects of Israeli life.
The annual population growth was 1.2% according to the CBS figures. Of the country’s residents, about 7.825 million are Jews and others, representing 78.3% of the Israeli population, while approximately 2.173 million are Arabs, or 21.7%. Another 30,000 residents are foreign nationals.
The figures show that approximately 182,000 babies were born over the past year, while around 50,000 people died.
Around 24,000 new immigrants arrived in Israel over the period, along with some 4,000 people through family reunification. 21,000 Israelis who had previously emigrated returned to the country during this period.
Israel also remains home to nearly half of the world’s Jewish population. As of January 1, 2025, there were an estimated 15.9 million Jews worldwide, approximately 46% of whom live in Israel according to the CBS.
There were more than three million private households in Israel, with an average of 3.17 people per household, compared with approximately 2.5 across OECD countries. Some 53,025 couples were married in Israel in the past two years.
Life expectancy remained high by international standards. Israeli men had a life expectancy of 81.4 years and women 85.9 years, according to the latest figures. CBS international comparisons placed Israeli men seventh among OECD countries and women eighth based on the comparable 2024 data. This continues a pattern in which Israeli life expectancy ranks among the highest in the OECD.
The labor market remained tight, with 4.577 million people participating in the labor force and the unemployment rate standing at 2.9%. The employment rate among Israelis aged 15 and over was 60.9%, including 63.6% among men and 58.2% among women.
Asserting Control In Syria: Netanyahu Pledges The Defeat Of Iran, Defense Of Borders From Proxies
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the Syrian border on Wednesday (9th), where he released a statement on his commitment to defending Israel from border incursions and the defeat of Iran.
“We will not allow any terror army to establish itself on our border.… We are committed to defeating the terror regime in Iran – and we will do it,” the prime minister said, overlooking Syria from the top of Mount Hermon.
On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, we are at the summit of the Hermon, the crown of the Hermon. Damascus is here, Lebanon is there, the Syrian Golan Heights is over there, and we control the entire area from the crown of the Hermon to the Yarmouk, and from here to the Mediterranean Sea – absolute control the likes of which have never been seen before,” Netanyahu said.
“We will not allow any terror army to establish itself on our border, and this is one of the monumental achievements we have secured in the War of Revival,” he added.
“From these peaks, there is still work to be done – the primary job is to defeat the terror regime in Iran. We are very close to it. We know that the entire axis will ultimately collapse,” he said, before wishing a “Happy New Year to the citizens of Israel and to our heroic soldiers who are doing the work here.”
Netanyahu was joined by Defense Minister Israel Katz and Deputy Chief of Staff MG Tamir Yadai during his tour of the area, where he received an operational briefing from Northern Command Chief MG Rafi Milo and 210th Division Commander BG Yair Peli.
These comments by the prime minister come shortly after assessments by the Israeli establishment came out, saying that Iran is reportedly preparing for a broad, coordinated attack against Israel on several simultaneous fronts in a scenario resembling an October 7-style assault.
According to the assessments, Iran is seeking to combine its forces with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank, the Houthis in Yemen, and pro-Iranian militias in Iraq in a single unified offensive.
The IDF maintains a buffer zone with Syria, holding positions on Mount Hermon and the surrounding high ground, often launching patrols, searches, and raids into Syrian territory as defensive measures.
Last month, multiple incidents occurred wherein the IDF struck Syrian territory.
Israel carried out strikes on the Abu al-Duhur military airfield in northwestern Syria, causing US envoy to Iraq and Syria Tom Barrack to condemn the attacks as an escalation that threatens regional stability.
“Israel and Syria agreed to a status quo in security matters, which Syria was on the verge of breaching by permitting Turkish troops to deploy at an airbase near Aleppo,” the Prime Minister’s Office rebutted.
Additionally on August 22, the IDF killed a terrorist who was in the “final stages” of preparing an attack against Israeli soldiers, according to the military.
On Wednesday (9th), at least 14 people were killed, and 11 were wounded in an explosion at a weapons depot near the Syrian city of Sarmada in Idlib, according to state television.
It is not yet clear what the cause of the explosion was.
Sa’ar Confirms Israel Will Not Expel Palestinians From Gaza Strip During Visit To Slovenia
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar affirmed that Israel is not planning to expel any Palestinians from the Gaza Strip when asked if Slovenia would support efforts to remove Gazans out of the territory, during a joint press conference with Slovenian Foreign Minister Tone Kajzer on Wednesday (9th).
“First of all, we are not planning to expel or to deport anyone from the Gaza Strip,” Sa’ar emphasized, stating that his position is in line with international norms and laws.
He added that Israel would not force anyone to stay in Gaza and would not oppose Palestinians choosing to leave Gaza of their own volition if they are provided with an opportunity to do so,
“If someone wants to immigrate of their own will, and there is a country that is ready to accept them… we will not oppose that,” Sa’ar said.
Sa’ar was also asked for his response to a criminal complaint that was filed against him in Slovenia by the pro-Palestinian Hind Rajab Foundation (HRF) on Monday (7th), and accusations that Israel had committed genocide in Gaza.
He answered that HRF is “connected directly to terrorist organizations in Gaza” and rejected accusations of genocide. He added that those who participated in Hamas’s October 7 massacre and those who advocated for the destruction of the State of Israel are responsible for genocide.
“The objective is to eliminate the State of Israel,” Sa’ar added. “It is their public commitment to eliminate the Jewish state,”
Sa’ar was present in Slovenia for the opening of the first Israeli embassy in the capital of Ljubljana and to meet with Kajzer.
During the joint press conference, Sa’ar and Kajzer signed a cooperation agreement to expand cooperation in the fields of education, science, business, and tourism.
“After 16 years, we are once again hosting the Israeli Foreign Minister in Slovenia. Today’s visit therefore has significant political and symbolic weight,” Kajzer said of Sa’ar’s visit.
“After a long period of less intensive contacts, it is time to shift cooperation between Slovenia and Israel into a higher gear.”
As Israel faces increasing isolation and criticism on the global stage, Kajzer emphasized that Slovenia has chosen dialogue and cooperation with Israel over exclusion, telling reporters his government “believes that the progress of society is based on cooperation and opening up new horizons.”
Zamir Says IDF To Open New ‘Unmanned Systems And AI’ Branch By December
IDF Chief of Staff LTG Eyal Zamir announced on Tuesday (8th) that the military would soon inaugurate a new “unmanned systems and artificial intelligence” branch.
Currently, the Israel Defense Forces has three branches – the Ground Forces, Air Force and Navy. The existing branches are each headed by a major general. A new fourth branch would be an unprecedented move for the military.
“The battlefield is changing at a dizzying pace, and we are changing with it. We understand that the future includes unmanned systems, robotics, drones and widespread use of artificial intelligence,” Zamir said at a Navy officers’ graduation ceremony.
Zanir said that last week he finalized the plans for the establishment of the new branch, which he said would “be responsible for the rapidly developing field” of unmanned systems and AI.
“Maritime, land and aerial robotic capabilities will be developed. The capabilities that unmanned systems will provide will enable them to operate alongside manned combat teams or in independent missions. They will increase operational activity on the battlefield and save human lives,” he said.”
The Navy will also benefit from its fruits by incorporating advanced and autonomous capabilities above and below the sea,” Zamir continued.
Zaamir said the IDF intends to be a “global leader” in the field, and therefore, the new branch would be inaugurated by Hanukkah in early December.
No other details were given by Zamir on the new branch.
The IDF already uses unmanned systems in its existing branches. The Israeli Air Force and Ground Forces’ Artillery Corps operate unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and drones; the Navy has deployed unmanned vessels, also known as drone boats; and the Ground Forces has various unmanned vehicles, including remotely-controlled bulldozers and repurposed decommissioned M113 armored personnel carriers (APCs) packed with explosives.
Currently, the IDF’s C4l and Cyber Defense Directorate is responsible for the military’s AI systems. Last year, the directorate established a new Information and Artificial Intelligence Division.
Renovations Completed At Cave Of The Patriarchs Ahead Of High Holidays
Roof renovations at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron were completed Wednesday (9th) after several months of work, Israeli officials said.
The Tomb of the Patriarchs is the burial place of the Biblical patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and their wives, Sarah, Rebecca, and Leah, and is one of Israel’s most visited tourist sites.
The completion came as Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich moved to cancel the Hebron agreement and withdraw authority from the Hebron municipality.
Smotrich attended the ceremony marking the project’s completion alongside local officials and security officials.
“This is a historic closing of a circle,” Smotrich said, describing the site as a symbol of Jewish sovereignty.
He said the renovations would allow larger numbers of worshipers to pray at the site during the coming High Holidays.
The current structure around the tomb was built 2,000 years ago by King Herod the Great.
Byzantine and Crusader conquerors turned it into a church.
During the Mamluke conquest, the site was converted into a mosque, and Jews were banned from going past the seventh step of a staircase outside the building.
Israel liberated the site during the Six Day War in 1967.
The High Holidays begin with Rosh Hashanah, which starts at sundown on Friday (11th).
