Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-04-28 at 22:01

HEADLINES
PFA appeals CAS over West Bank clubs
US sanctions Iran's covert finance networks
Fort Polk soldier charged over Jewish threat

The time is now 10:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, the Palestinian Football Association has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against FIFA's decision not to sanction Israel over clubs based in the West Bank, a senior PFA official said on Tuesday as visa issues affecting several delegations added to tensions ahead of the FIFA Congress. The PFA has long argued that Israeli clubs based in the West Bank should not compete in leagues run by the Israel Football Association. FIFA said last month it would take no action against the IFA or Israeli clubs, citing the unresolved legal status of the West Bank under public international law. "Since we have exhausted every legal venue possible at FIFA, we'll still go by the rules, go by the book, and we'll appeal that decision because we think it's very unjust," PFA vice president Susan Shalabi said after the Asian Football Confederation Congress in Vancouver, held two days before the FIFA Congress in the same city. The move comes as visa issues affecting delegations added to tensions surrounding the governing body's discussions.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, the United States has imposed new sanctions on 35 groups and individuals involved in operating Iran's covert financial network, the US State Department said on Tuesday. Iranian "shadow banking" networks allow the regime to evade sanctions, despite the US "maximum pressure" campaign against the Islamic Republic. The State Department also accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Iranian military forces of illegally using the international financial system to profit from the sale of sanctioned oil, gather missile and weapon components, and fund terror proxies. The statement reflected on the plight of the Iranian people, noting a deteriorating economy while the regime extends favors to the elites. The action follows White House remarks to the Wall Street Journal about Operation Economic Fury, a joint effort among the Department of Defense, the State Department, and the Treasury Department to apply economic pressure as US-Iran ceasefire negotiations continue. Treasury sanctions, paired with the blockade and seizure of Iran-linked vessels, aim to cut off Iran’s access to revenue. Separately, a Reuters report noted that Trump instructed aides to prepare for an extended blockade on Iran, a move described as a prolonged pressure campaign that could affect global energy markets and extend the conflict with no clear endgame.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, newly surfaced letters show JD Salinger asked publishers to remove references to his Jewish heritage from the book jacket of The Catcher in the Rye, a move he described carefully in 1951 correspondence with his editor. The author wrote, "I don’t know that I’d like to have that Jewish-Irish business slapped on the jacket," adding, "Surely if it’s catchy, that is." The letters emerged as part of a listing for a New York book fair, coming before the novel’s first publication. Separately, a US soldier stationed at Fort Polk in Louisiana was arrested after authorities say he threatened to kill Jews in a synagogue. Jakob Marcoulier, 22, was charged with transmitting a threat in interstate commerce after an FBI tip. In documents, he allegedly spoke of attacking a synagogue with weapons and described violent plans tied to perceived threats against Jewish people.

In Uplifting News, the Jerusalem hills are showing green again a year after devastating wildfires, with recovery efforts aided by Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-J Jewish National Fund. The 2025 fires scorched more than 25 square kilometers of forest under extreme conditions, with firefighters preventing loss of life as authorities cleared hazards and worked to reopen areas; new tree seedlings are beginning to appear as regrowth continues, and Lag Ba’omer preparations include a Fire and Rescue Authority ban on unsanctioned bonfires. In Florida, former Surfside Mayor Shlomo Danzinger, an Orthodox Jewish leader, won a razor-thin runoff to reclaim the mayor’s office over Tina Paul by 22 votes, with turnout around 58.9% as 2,028 ballots were cast in a race decided by the final tally. Also, the government announced that up to 30,000 redesigned passports featuring an image of Donald Trump will be issued in Washington ahead of July 4, with applicants able to opt for a standard version by applying online or outside the capital.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-894518
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-894522
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/rj6taratwl
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/article-894521
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-894520
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-894523
https://t.me/JewishNews24/53535
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/hketdtaazx