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Latest news on Israel, covering Israeli politics and the Knesset, Netanyahu, Likud, Eisenkot, Bennett, Lapid, Liberman, Ben-Gvir, Smotrich and the Israeli election, plus the IDF, Gaza, Hamas, ceasefire talks and hostages, Hezbollah, Iran, the West Bank, Mossad, the economy, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

Israel (Yisra'el in Hebrew) is a parliamentary democracy of just over 10 million people, about three quarters Jewish and about a fifth Arab, with Druze, Christian and Bedouin communities. Its 120-seat Knesset is elected by proportional representation with a 3.25% threshold, so coalitions and early elections shape politics. President Isaac Herzog, whose role is largely ceremonial, works from Beit HaNassi in Jerusalem, which Israel treats as its capital, a status disputed internationally. Major cities include Tel Aviv, Haifa, Rishon LeZion and Petah Tikva.

The war in Gaza that followed the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023 dominates the news, from hostages and ceasefire diplomacy to disarmament, reconstruction and humanitarian aid. Israel has also confronted Iran, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen, with the IDF and Mossad central to security reporting. In the West Bank, from Ramallah to Hebron, settlement expansion, settler violence and military raids fuel debate over international law and war-crimes allegations, which Israel rejects.

Politics revolves around Benjamin Netanyahu and Likud, challengers such as Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid and Avigdor Liberman, and nationalist leaders Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Figures such as Israel Katz, Yariv Levin and Yoav Gallant have also held senior government posts. Long-running disputes include the 2023 judicial overhaul protests, military service for ultra-Orthodox Haredi men, and relations between Jewish and Arab Israelis.

The economy leans on high-tech, cybersecurity and exports, which earned Tel Aviv its Startup Nation reputation, though the war, the shekel and emigration remain concerns. Jerusalem, known as Al-Quds in Arabic and home to many Jerusalemite communities, holds sites sacred to three faiths: the Wailing Wall, the Temple Mount (Haram esh-Sharif) with Al-Aqsa Mosque, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Nazareth and Haifa, with their mixed communities, and Tel Aviv's beaches, nightlife and Pride celebrations show the country's variety.

Modern Israel grew from the Zionist movement and declared independence in 1948, then fought a series of wars with Arab neighbours. Since the 1967 war it has controlled the West Bank, which most governments regard as occupied, and the Golan Heights. Peace treaties with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994, the 1993 Oslo Accords and the 2020 Abraham Accords reshaped diplomacy, yet a lasting Israeli-Palestinian settlement remains elusive. The Law of Return, passed in 1950, still shapes aliyah and ties with Jewish communities worldwide.

Our NewsNow feed gathers the latest Israel news from reliable sources, covering the Knesset, the Israeli election, Netanyahu and his rivals, Gaza, Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran, the West Bank, the economy and everyday life. Whether you follow politics, security or the human stories behind the headlines, it keeps you informed throughout the day.