Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-16 at 08:01

HEADLINES
- Jerusalem ties to Jews rooted in history
- Cannes shows limited Israeli presence, no boycott
- Jerusalem quiz tests 33 schools' knowledge

The time is now 8:00 AM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, an opinion piece argues that Jerusalem’s link to the Jewish people rests on history, not rhetoric. It notes that on Jerusalem Day, flags fly and celebrations mark the reunification of the eternal capital, and it says false claims about Jews’ connection to the city reappear every year. The piece emphasizes that slogans are not facts and that repetition does not make fiction into truth. It then points to a series of historical markers: Jerusalem has stood at the center of Jewish life for more than 3,000 years; around 1000 BCE, King David made the city the capital of the Jewish people; Solomon built the First Temple there more than 1,500 years before Islam’s rise; the Second Temple stood until its destruction in 70 CE. The connection, it argues, is historical, not abstract, and Jerusalem is mentioned more than 660 times in the Bible.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, at Cannes, a juror claims anti-Israel activists face blacklisting, the festival’s coverage notes. There was no official boycott or formal blacklisting of Israelis this year, and Israeli films were not part of the festival. At the 79th Cannes Film Festival, anti-Israel sentiments were expressed by several participants while Israeli filmmakers were not present to offer their perspective. Historically, Israeli films have been prominent in various festival sections, but this year Israeli presence is limited to two Russian-born Israeli actors, Anatoliy Beliy and Vladimir Friedman, in the new film Minotaur by Andrey Zvyagintsev, which is premiering in the Main Competition, and to Israeli cinematographer Giora Bejach, who worked on the French film La Bataille de Gaulle: L’âge de fer, shown out of competition. Off the record, several Israeli directors said their recent projects were rejected by Cannes, with one noting his film had been turned down by “every film festival you’ve ever heard of.”

In Uplifting News, how well do you know Israel’s capital? Take the Jerusalem Quiz, at the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum. Middle school students from 33 Jerusalem schools—secular, religious, and mixed—taced the Jerusalem Quiz in front of peers, teachers, family, and friends, during Jerusalem Day ceremonies at the Victor and Esther Achar Amphitheater. After four months of study, tours, and a deep dive into the city’s 4,000-year history, contestants tackled questions spanning archaeology, music, history, architecture, culture, and unforgettable Jerusalem trivia, having memorized material on 30 major Jerusalem sites. The quiz, organized by the Education Center of the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum, involved collaboration with the Jerusalem Education System and other local education leaders. Participants were challenged with questions such as identifying the biblical book that contains the phrase “Tower of David,” knowing where Theodor Herzl’s coffin lay before its burial on Mount Herzl, and recalling what happened to the animals at the Biblical Zoo during the War of Independence.

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/opinion/article-896057
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-896364
https://www.jpost.com/history/article-896199