During a diplomatic visit to Washington last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sat down with American political commentator Mark Levin on Fox News’ "Life, Liberty & Levin" for a wide-ranging interview that aired on Saturday evening.

The discussion highlighted the urgency of joint Israel-U.S. action against Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, praised President Donald Trump’s leadership and looked forward to the possibilities of peace and prosperity in the Middle East.

Netanyahu explained that the Jewish state confronted the Iranian regime "because we knew that if we didn't, we'd end up dead," as Tehran was "rushing" to develop nuclear weapons.

He continued, "They could have had one within a year. They were rushing to develop thousands, tens of thousands of ballistic missiles, each weighing a ton, coming down at Mach 8—that's eight times the speed of sound. It's like a bus full of explosives, with unbelievable devastation. If you have 20,000 of those targeting a country the size of New Jersey, you don't survive that.

"So we had to act," the prime minister said. "It's like taking out two lumps of cancer. Now, you know the cancer can come back, but if you don't act, you're not going to be around. So we did it, and there was great unity of purpose. It wasn't easy—a tough decision. But I could do it because, for 40 years, I've been talking about this threat, and I knew that if we didn't act now, we might never act again."

He revealed that covert operations over the past four decades had delayed Iran’s nuclear progress by roughly a decade, including targeted actions against scientists and infrastructure. Netanyahu said that Israel’s recent military successes had “smashed the Iran axis,” weakened proxies such as Hamas and Hezbollah, and disrupted Iran’s regional strategy.

"We didn't go through 3,500 years of Jewish history—the great odyssey in which we lost our land, were dispersed among the nations, and then came back, ingathered the exiles, and rebuilt our independence in our ancestral homeland—just for it to end because of these mad ayatollahs who chant 'Death to Israel, death to America.'

"They want to destroy us so they can conquer the Middle East and then go after you. We were not going to let that happen, and as the prime minister of the one and only Jewish state, I wasn't about to let it happen. So we made the decision to act, and we acted, and we won."

However, Netanyahu cautioned, "It's not over; it's never over."

Netanyahu underscored the unparalleled importance of the U.S.-Israel partnership, especially under Trump.

“We’ve never had a friend like him in the White House … he really is remarkable,” Netanyahu said, crediting Trump with clear-eyed support for Israel’s security and a willingness to act decisively against Iran.

He described unprecedented teamwork between the allies, saying, “No daylight between Israel and the United States … teamwork that has never been seen.”

Netanyahu also praised Trump’s efforts in advancing regional peace, including the Abraham Accords, and said, “If anyone deserves the Nobel Peace Prize, it’s President Trump.”

Netanyahu described Iran’s leadership as fundamentally hostile. “Their DNA is what you describe, so unless you get an exceptional deal—no enrichment, as President Trump and I say, no ballistic missiles that could reach your shores, only what is allowed under international treaties, that is, 300 miles, and no terror axis.

"Give me these three conditions, and it's a different regime if it agrees to them. If it doesn't, just keep them at bay and let things unfold inside Iran.

"I'm telling you, Mark, and I'm telling your audience—this regime is in deep trouble. A Middle East without Iran, a Middle East with Israel and our Arab partners, offers possibilities for economic cooperation, technological cooperation, energy cooperation, AI, tourism, trade. It's a different world," Netanyahu said.

"I don't see the world through rose-colored spectacles; I see reality. We've won a great victory, and that can produce tremendous growth. The victory of the Allies over the Nazis produced tremendous growth for the West and Europe. That's happening right now, but nothing is guaranteed unless you safeguard your success."

Israel's new national communications satellite, "Dror-1," was launched into space on Sunday morning, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) announced.

Designed to meet Israel's national communication needs, the Israeli-made satellite lifted off at 8 a.m. local time from Cape Canaveral, Florida, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Weighing 4.5 tons and with an 18-meter wingspan, Dror-1 separated from its launcher approximately 40 minutes after liftoff and began independently orbiting the Earth. The satellite is expected to reach its final geostationary orbit, 36,000 kilometers above the equator, within about two weeks following a series of maneuvers.

Dror-1 was developed and manufactured by IAI to ensure the country's industrial and technological independence in this strategically vital sector. Its geostationary position will allow for continuous and flexible communication coverage for various government systems.

"Israel Aerospace Industries has led the nation's space program since the 1980s, when the first observation satellite, Ofek-1, was launched. Since then, IAI has developed, produced, and launched additional communications and observation satellites for national, civilian, and scientific missions both in Israel and abroad," the company said.

Over the coming weeks, IAI engineers will perform a series of tests designed to verify the satellite's successful operation. From then on, it will embark on its multi-year journey in space as the State of Israel's national communications satellite.

"'Dror 1' is the most advanced communications satellite ever built in Israel, designed to preserve this national strategic capability in the country while providing Israel with essential satellite communications capabilities for years to come," said IAI President Boaz Levy.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian sustained a minor leg injury in a June 16 Israeli airstrike that targeted the country's Supreme National Security Council, Iranian state media reported over the weekend.

The unsourced Fars News Agency report claimed six bombs or missiles hit the building in western Tehran as Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Chief Justice Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejehi and other senior officials gathered on the fourth day of the Israel-Iran war.

The blasts blocked the building's entry and exit points and disrupted airflow, but officials managed to escape through an emergency hatch that had been prepared in advance, the Fars report said, adding that Pezeshkian and other officials were injured during the evacuation.

Given the accuracy of the intelligence used in the Israeli strike, the report said authorities were investigating the possibility of a mole.

Senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps general Mohsen Rezaei told Iranian TV last week that the Israeli military had "struck six points at the location where the Supreme National Security Council was meeting," claiming "not the slightest harm was done to any of its members."

Pezeshkian has also accused Jerusalem of trying to kill him during the 12-day war, telling U.S. conservative commentator Tucker Carlson on July 7: "They did try, yes. They acted accordingly, but they failed."

"I was in a meeting," the president said. "We were discussing the ways to move forward, but thanks to the intelligence by the spies that they had, they tried to bombard the area in which we were holding that meeting."

Iran International reported an Israel Defense Forces airstrike near the upscale Shahrak-e Gharb neighborhood in western Tehran on June 16.

Jerusalem's June 13 opening strikes wiped out Tehran's senior military command, including the chief of staff of its army, with additional top Iranian officials killed during the subsequent 12 days of fighting.

The Tower of David Jerusalem Museum, in partnership with the Jerusalem municipality, launched an exhibition on July 10 celebrating the life of the legendary Yehoram Gaon.

Inspired by Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, “Yehoram Gaon—The Exhibition” is a fitting tribute to the Jerusalem-born-and-raised cultural icon, whose music and films have thrilled Israelis since the 1960s. In 2004, he received the Israel Prize for his significant contributions to Hebrew song, among other prestigious awards.

“Yehoram Gaon is the soundtrack of Israeli life,” said Lion, a close friend of Gaon. “This exhibition offers a moving and personal journey into his remarkable legacy and the collective memories of generations.”

An immensely talented singer, actor, director and radio and television host, Gaon left a lasting mark on the country that extends beyond artistic achievement. His music and films, along with his activism, helped shape Israeli society for the better.

In the early decades of the state, Sephardi and Mizrachi Jews faced profound discrimination by the Ashkenazi elite, which limited even their access to educational and employment opportunities.

Notably, Gaon played the leading role in the hit 1973 Israeli musical film "Kazablan," which highlighted the social tensions in a young country with immigrants from diverse cultures. The movie, based on a popular play written in 1954 and staged in the 1950s and 1960s, raised greater awareness of the inequality and helped bring about meaningful change.

Among other high-profile roles, he starred as Yonatan (Yoni) Netanyahu, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's older brother, in "Mivtza Yonatan" (Operation Thunderbolt) in 1977. The exhibition features all his films with English subtitles.

Gaon, a former deputy mayor of Jerusalem as well as a member of the Jerusalem City Council in charge of culture, is still active in civic affairs, including organizations such as the Committee for the Advancement of Ladino, the Yad Ben-Zvi Institute, Adopt a Soldier, the Association for the Wellbeing of Israeli Soldiers, the Israeli Society for Autistic Children and the Academy of the Hebrew Language.

JNS asked Gaon if he believed he had made a difference to the country’s social fabric, particularly regarding the integration of Sephardim. “It’s hard for me to believe that I influenced people to such an extent,” he humbly replied. “It’s a process, with many players. I don’t believe that I, myself, made such a difference. I was just one of many.”

Although Gaon, 85, hasn’t lived in the Israeli capital since his young adulthood, when he went to study in America and then built a career in Tel Aviv, the center of Israeli culture, his love for and attachment to Jerusalem have never waned. "I'll always be a Jerusalemite," he said.

Addressing Israeli and foreign journalists at the Tower of David, he spoke about his parents’ and grandparents’ love for the holy city, which had inspired him for life. His father, Moshe David Gaon, made aliyah from Sarajevo, while his mother, Sara Hakim, came from Turkey.

In 1971, he directed the movie "Ani Yerushalmi" (I Am a Jerusalemite), a film about his family and the city of Jerusalem. Many of his songs reflect his love for the city and a karaoke booth in the exhibition allows visitors to choose one of his songs, sing along with him and record it for posterity.

The scenery surrounding the museum in the heart of the Old City enhances the experience, considering Gaon’s deep attachment to Jerusalem. "At the heart of this exhibition is the interplay between personal and collective memory—a dialogue that connects Yehoram Gaon’s individual memories with those of the wider public,” explained curator Tal Kobo.

She added, "We often think of personal memory— 'my' story, 'my' past—as entirely separate from 'our' collective memory. Yet when Gaon speaks about moments in his life, such as his family gathering around the radio on Nov. 29, 1947, listening to the United Nations vote to adopt the Partition Plan for Palestine, the War of Independence, the reunification of Jerusalem after the Six Day War or about the Nahal troupe or 'Kazablan,' he moves between his story and ours. The boundaries between the personal and the national blur and sometimes even disappear."

“This is more than an exhibition—it’s a celebration of Israeli identity through the lens of one of its greatest artists,” said Eilat Lieber, the museum’s director and chief curator. “By combining cutting-edge technology with rich historical content, we’re introducing Yehoram Gaon’s legacy to new generations.”

Gaon had not seen the exhibition in advance, which he said was a good thing because no matter how perfect, he would always find something to change. Addressing the journalists, Gaon expressed appreciation that it is not about one person who lived once upon a time; rather, he has the “great privilege” to view the history of his accomplishments “in front of my eyes and enjoy every minute of it.”

For those who remember the early years of Gaon’s career and the evolution of Israeli culture, the exhibition evokes a strong sense of nostalgia.

To complement the exhibition, which runs through December 2025, the museum is hosting a series of cultural events, inspired by Gaon’s life and work, including programming for children. For more information, visit www.tod.org.il. 

The Israel Defense Forces is investigating reports that a Palestinian with U.S. citizenship was killed during a riot that broke out on Friday after stones were thrown at Israeli civilians in Samaria.

"Earlier today, terrorists threw stones at Israeli civilians near Sinjil, lightly injuring two Israeli civilians," the army said.

"A violent confrontation developed in the area between Palestinians and Israeli civilians, which included the vandalism of Palestinian property, arson, physical altercations and stone-throwing," it added.

The military statement noted that Arab reports of a Palestinian being killed and several others wounded in the confrontation “are known and are being investigated by the Shin Bet and the Israel Police.”

Three Israelis were arrested in connection with the clashes, including a reservist who was detained on Saturday and handed over to the IDF Military Police for questioning, Kan News reported.

The Binyamin Regional Council, which oversees Jewish communities in southern Samaria, issued a rare statement on the incident during Shabbat, saying it had done so with rabbinic approval.

According to the council, the incident began when “dozens of Arab terrorists and rioters attacked a small group of Jewish shepherds with stones and slingshots near the community of Ateret in Binyamin.”

The statement said the attack was premeditated and cited the Palestinian Authority’s official Wafa news agency as reporting that the Palestinians had ambushed the Israelis in an attempt to “remove an outpost.”

When Israeli security forces arrived to disperse the confrontation, “a gas cylinder that Arab rioters had placed inside a bonfire exploded near them,” the regional council stated, adding that no casualties were reported.

Only hours after the riot ended, the P.A. announced that two Arabs had been found dead in the area, though Ramallah has refused to hand over the bodies to Israeli authorities for autopsy, according to the council.

The P.A. identified the two slain men as U.S. citizen Sayafollah Musallet, 20, who was said to have been beaten to death, and Hussein al-Shalabi, 23, who was reportedly shot in the chest during the disturbance near Sinjil.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson told Reuters on Friday that it was aware of the reports but had no further comment "out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones" of the reported victim.

Musallet, from Tampa, Fla., was visiting for two weeks and was killed "protecting his family's land," relatives told CBS News on Saturday.

The Israel Defense Forces recorded 663 instances of violence by Jews against Palestinians in Judea and Samaria last year, a 34% decrease compared to 2023.

Meanwhile, Palestinian terrorists targeted Israeli Jews in Judea and Samaria at least 6,343 times last year, according to figures published by Rescuers Without Borders (Hatzalah Judea and Samaria).

Twenty-seven Israelis were murdered in Judea and Samaria in 2024, and more than 300 others were wounded, the group said in its annual report.

Anti-Israel activist Mahmoud Khalil is suing the Trump administration for $20 million, alleging wrongful detention and prosecution over his support for the Palestinian cause.

His lawyers filed the claim on Thursday under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which is a required first step before a full lawsuit. The complaint alleges that the president and other officials launched a campaign to “terrorize him and his family” during and after his arrest on March 8. Khalil was subsequently held in ICE detention in Louisiana for over 100 days pending deportation proceedings.

The 30-year-old, a recent Columbia University graduate and U.S. permanent resident, remained in custody until June 20, when a federal judge ordered his release on bail.

Khalil’s claim states he missed his son’s birth and Columbia graduation while detained, suffering malnutrition, sleep deprivation and weight loss. He also feared for his family’s safety after officials publicly accused him of supporting terrorism and antisemitism.

Khalil said he would use any compensation to help other students affected by similar policies, or accept an official apology and policy reversal instead.

According to his attorney, Khalil’s arrest was part of a broader political effort targeting students involved in anti-Israel demonstrations. The filing names the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the State Department as defendants.

Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, called Khalil’s claim “absurd” in an emailed statement to the Associated Press, adding that his “hateful behavior and rhetoric” threatened Jewish students. The State Department stated that all measures taken were fully supported by legal authority.

Khalil, an Algerian citizen of Palestinian descent who was born in Syria, became a legal permanent resident of the United States after completing his master’s degree at Columbia in 2024. Federal agents arrested him in March after he spent months leading and serving as a spokesman for Columbia’s unsanctioned anti-Israel Apartheid Divest coalition.

The government argued that Khalil’s removal from the country was a “compelling foreign-policy interest” and claimed he had committed immigration fraud by failing to disclose previous employment with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.

Police on Saturday arrested dozens of pro-Palestinian activists throughout the United Kingdom, after protesters rallied across the country in violation of the country's Terrorism Act (2000).

Defend Our Juries, an NGO supportive of anti-Israel initiatives, said that more than 40 individuals were arrested in London.

“The Metropolitan Police were out in force again today, arresting more than 40 people in Parliament Square for holding signs opposed to genocide and supporting Palestine Action,” a Defend Our Juries spokesman told AFP.

He called the government's ban of Palestine Action as a proscribed terrorist organization, instituted on July 5, “Orwellian,” AFP added.

The Metropolitan Police tweeted, “Officers have made 41 arrests for showing support for a proscribed organisation. One person has been arrested for common assault. The area was cleared within the last hour.”

Two small groups of protesters sat beneath the Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela statues in Parliament Square to express support for Palestine Action, Scottish newspaper The National reported.

In an earlier X post, the Met warned protesters that “Palestine Action is now proscribed by the UK Government and it is a criminal offence to invite or express support for a proscribed organization. As we saw last week, those who do breach the law will face action.”

Defend Our Juries listed in a series of tweets the number of people arrested throughout the United Kingdom. “At least 10” were arrested in Derry, North of Ireland, the group reported.

An activist wearing a shirt that read, “Genocide in Palestine. Time to take action” was arrested in Glasgow, according to The National.

“A 55-year-old man was charged in connection with an offense under the Terrorism Act for wearing a T-shirt expressing support for a proscribed organization. A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal,” a police spokesperson was cited as saying by The National.

(A procurator fiscal is a public prosecutor in Scotland who has the power to impose fines.)

This was the second consecutive week in which protesters were detained for showing support for the banned group.

On July 6, police detained 29 individuals in London.

The demonstrators gathered in Parliament Square hours after the British government banned Palestine Action and designated it a terrorist organization.

The detainees held signs reading, “I oppose genocide. I support Palestine Action,” The Telegraph reported.

The Home Office proscribed Palestine Action following a vote in the House of Commons, where the banning was passed 385–26. The House of Lords also backed the ban, and the Court of Appeal in London on July 4 rejected an appeal to block the ban.

The decision to ban Palestine Action followed vandalism by its members of two Voyager refueling planes at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire on June 20 by spraying paint into their engines, resulting in about $9.5 million in damage.

The proscription means that membership of or support for the group is a criminal offense punishable by up to 14 years in prison.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich mourned on Saturday the passing of Moshe Zar, one of the key pioneers of Jewish communities in Samaria.

“A man of the Land of Israel, a pioneer of settlement, a trailblazer and guide,” Smotrich eulogized on X.

“One of the founding pillars of the settlement enterprise in Judea and Samaria, a man filled with love for the land, determination and courage,” he continued.

“Moshe dedicated his life to building the land, redeeming it parcel by parcel with unwavering devotion; all the more so after the terrible tragedy of the murder of his son Gilad, may his memory be a blessing. His legacy will continue to live on and inspire generations of pioneers,” the minister said.

Zar died on Friday at the age of 88. His funeral will take place at 5 p.m. on Sunday, at Mitzpe Tzva’im near Ramat Gilad in Samaria.

Zar was born in Jerusalem in 1937 and was one of the original members of the legendary Israel Defense Forces’ Unit 101 and the Paratroopers Brigade.

His father, Binyamin Zar, made aliyah, reaching Israel on foot from Iran.

Moshe Zar grew up in Tel Aviv. In 1955, he enlisted in the Paratroopers. He fought in the 1956 Sinai War and was seriously wounded in the head in the Battle of Mitla, losing his left eye.

He studied at the Merkaz HaRav yeshivah in Jerusalem with Rabbi Zvi Yehuda Kook.

Later, he moved to Moshav Nahalim and became friends with Rabbi Moshe Levinger, who introduced him to the Gush Emunim settlement project.

Redeeming the Land

Beginning in 1979, he became a successful land dealer, paving the way for the establishment of Jewish communities in Samaria including Immanuel, Karnei Shomron, Barkan and Ma’ale Shomron.

In 1983, an Arab landowner with whom he was trading struck Zar in the face and throat with an ax and shot him, seriously wounding him.

In 2001, his son Gilad Zar, the security coordinator of the Samaria Regional Council, was murdered in a shooting attack near Kedumim.

Following the murder, Zar purchased land near the attack site and founded Havat Gilad, aka Gilad Farm, an unauthorized outpost, in 2002. The community was granted legal status in 2018 and some 50 families live there today.

His family announced his death in a statement, Arutz Sheva reported: “The crown of our head has fallen. Woe to us, for we are broken. With broken and aching hearts, we announce the passing of the redeemer of Samaria’s lands and hero of Israel’s wars—our family patriarch, husband, father, grandfather, brother and brother-in-law, Moshe Zar, of blessed memory.

“May the clods of the Land of Israel, which he loved with all his soul and for which he gave his life, rest lightly upon him,” the statement concluded.

The Yesha Council—an umbrella organization of municipal councils of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria—issued a statement following Zar’s death. It praised his “glorious legacy of pioneering, love for the land, and immense contribution to the settlement of Judea and Samaria,” according to the report.

Samaria Regional Council head Yossi Dagan was cited calling Zar “A hero of Israel, a founder of the Samaria settlement enterprise, a fearless fighter. He symbolized love for the Land of Israel, perseverance and action. The entire Samaria movement bows its head at the loss of the man whose efforts made settlement in Samaria and many other places in Israel possible.”

The head of the Karnei Shomron Local Council, Yonatan Kuznitz, said, “Moshe Zar was a model figure in the Jewish community in Samaria, driven by deep faith in the right of the Jewish people to return to their land,” Arutz Sheva reported.

“His home atop the hill became a symbol of steadfastness and Zionist determination. His legacy will continue to guide the path of all who love the land and the pioneers of future generations,” Koznitz continued.

Zar was involved in the Jewish Underground in the 1980s and was convicted in 1985 of causing grievous bodily harm and membership in a terrorist organization, after participating as a driver in the planting of an explosive device targeting the mayor of Nablus, Bassam Shakaa.

In 2015, he expressed remorse over his actions, calling on the youth to focus on building, and to leave fighting terrorism to the state.

Zar left behind his wife, Yael, and eight children, all activists in the Jewish communities’ movement in Judea and Samaria, and grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The mother of Hamas hostage Matan Angrest, 22, recently received a bag containing his belongings, recovered by the Israel Defense Forces in the southern Gaza Strip.

“They told me they found Matan’s bag and it would take two days to reach me,” Anat Angrest recounted, Ynet reported on Friday.

“I didn’t know what this was about, but then this bag arrived with Matan’s name handwritten by me,” she said.

It was a personal bag, she continued, from the days when he played for a Hapoel Haifa F.C. youth soccer team at age 14. “A piece of his life [was] there,” she said.

Angrest’s son is an IDF soldier and was kidnapped 21 months ago by Palestinian terrorists during the Oct. 7, 2023, cross-border Hamas-led massacre.

“He was seriously wounded in a tank on the morning of Oct. 7, evacuated unconscious to Gaza after being abused, and regained consciousness only from electric shocks connected to car batteries,” Angrest told Ynet about her son's abduction.

“Since then, he has been subjected to interrogations, suffers from asthma attacks, shortness of breath, severe burns, and his wounds are infected in the dampness of the tunnels. They [other captives] saw him groaning and struggling. He is between life and death—and he’s still there,” she said.

Last month, Angrest’s family released video footage of Matan’s brutal abduction.

In the recording, Angrest can be seen being forcibly taken from his tank in the Nahal Oz area and beaten by a Gazan mob while unconscious.

The family also published an audio recording from inside the tank, capturing the moments before the crew’s face-to-face encounter with the Palestinian mob.

In the tank with Angrest were Sgt. Itay Chen and Capt. Daniel Perez, who were killed and whose bodies are being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip; and Sgt. Tomer Leibovitz, who also died in the line of duty.

In the audio, Angrest can be heard shouting in panic after the tank is hit and his fellow soldiers are wounded: “What is this? A terrorist! Stop, stop! Behind him! Perez! Is anyone hit? Perez?”

“For 611 days, I avoided watching the full video. Last night, I forced myself to see it for the first time. We have no choice. Matan’s life is in danger,” Anat wrote in a statement.

Speaking to Ynet on Friday, she related that his room at home has remained largely untouched since Oct. 7, 2023.

“A few days ago I tidied his room for the first time, but the bed—I’ll touch it only when I know he’s returning,” she said. “Then I’ll buy him the softest, most luxurious sheets, the kind he deserves. Since Matan was kidnapped, there’ve been no pots, no cooking. How can I cook knowing he’s hungry? … Shabbat dinners used to be a celebration. Now, there’s silence.”