Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-07-08 at 14:01

HEADLINES
Israel pushes F-35 downgrade over Turkey deal
Basic Law Torah Study stalls Netanyahu coalition
Zrihan 1948 burial found; seven others

The time is now 2:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, Israel is pressing the United States to downgrade the F-35 jets if the Turkey deal goes ahead, arguing that the sale can still be blocked or conditioned on Ankara cutting alleged terror-finance channels to Hamas and Hezbollah, even as Trump signals he may approve the sale.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, Moshe Gafni, leader of the ultra-Orthodox Degel HaTorah faction, demanded that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu advance the Basic Law: Torah Study unchanged, despite legal warnings that its current wording could allow Torah students who evade military service to receive the same academic aid benefits as reservists and other state benefits. The move could stall the legislation and has sharpened tensions in the coalition ahead of the Knesset's final readings. MK Ayman Odeh, head of the Joint List, is set to meet United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York on Thursday to press international attention on what he calls an Arab crime wave in Israel, saying the government will close no doors in the fight against crime and that the issue should be on the global agenda as he pledges to fight in every arena to ensure personal security for every citizen. Shin Bet chief David Zini's remarks about loyalty to the elected leadership sparked a defining debate about the role of security services in a democracy, with critics arguing they could become tools for a government if loyalty to the state is not maintained, while supporters maintain that unelected officials must be subordinate to elected leaders. The exchange highlights the broader political contest ahead of elections.

In Uplifting News, Reporter's notebook: At the Maccabiah, I found more than a medal, the author recounts winning bronze in 3x3 wheelchair basketball at the Maccabiah Games and describes how the experience of competition, camaraderie, and resilience among athletes filled the moment with meaning. Also, the IDF announced that the burial site of Private Yaakov Zrihan, missing since the 1948 War of Independence, has been identified in an unmarked mass grave in Kiryat Enavim, with the remains of seven additional soldiers found in the same grave following a 15-year Missing Persons Branch investigation that used documents, interviews, soil analyses, and archaeological surveys. A state ceremony will be planned for Zrihan, who immigrated to Israel from Casablanca in 1947 and enlisted in the Palmach in 1948, believed to have been killed near Shaar Hagai on April 20, 1948.

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.ynetnews.com/article/b1ghozh7ml
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-901918
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-901904
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-901906
https://www.jpost.com/opinion/article-901915
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/defense-news/article-901913