HEADLINES
Israel joins US-led Gaza Board of Peace
Iran vows retaliation if attacked amid protests
US sanctions Hamas charities to curb funding
The time is now 4:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.
At 4:00 PM, these are the developments shaping the region and the surrounding diplomacy, with emphasis on Israeli security concerns, US policy stances, and the broader international context.
Ayman Odeh, a prominent Israeli Arab legislator, sparked controversy by comparing former US president Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler and by calling Trump’s allies “bootlickers” in a post on X/Twitter. Odeh argued that the world has entered “an era of cheap opportunism” where principles yield to power, drawing a parallel to European leaders who, in his view, flattered power in the 1930s. He included a Trump post showing a map with a US flag overlaid on the United States, Canada, Greenland, and Venezuela. Odeh suggested that those who flatter leaders today risk the same historical fate as those who bowed to Hitler, while adding that there remains hope as long as people speak truth to power and fight for justice.
Across the Atlantic, President Donald Trump announced that tariffs set for February 1 would not go into effect, following a “very productive” meeting with the NATO secretary-general. He argued progress toward a framework deal on Greenland and the Arctic, and indicated that the United States might pursue immediate negotiations over Greenland, including the possibility of acquiring Greenland “as we have acquired many other territories.” He insisted that this solution would be beneficial for the United States and NATO members and said further information would follow as discussions progress. At Davos, Trump said the US seeks talks about Greenland and ruled out using military force to take the territory. He said the US should be able to defend and develop the area for the benefit of the US and Europe, and he reiterated his view that any deal would be handled through negotiation rather than force.
In a related development on the US diplomatic track, Israel is preparing for a formal signature of the Board of Peace, the US-led initiative associated with Trump’s Gaza peace plan. Israeli officials have stressed that joining the board was not optional from Jerusalem’s perspective, citing a desire to influence decision-making on Gaza, concerns about the UN’s influence, and the Hamas challenge. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated Israel would join the BoP but did not specify whether Israel would pay the $1 billion founding fee. The BoP’s membership includes a broad group of regional and international actors, such as the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the UAE’s Gulf neighbors, along with several other states. European partners, including the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and France, have largely opted out or remained undecided. Belarus’s president, Aleksandr Lukashenko, has joined, as have some others who have been more cautious about the BoP’s implications for the UN system. The European reaction remains mixed, with some skepticism about ceding influence to a body led by a single country. Israel’s decision to participate reflects a strategic calculus: it gains access to high-level decision-making in Gaza-related governance and reconstruction, preserves influence over any disarmament terms for Hamas, and signals alignment with Washington on a framework that could redefine coordination around Gaza. Critics within Israel’s own coalition have warned that joining could transfer some unilateral policy authority to an international body and set a precedent for future involvement in territories beyond Gaza; supporters argue it could provide leverage to press for Hamas disarmament and to advance stabilization and reconstruction through a US-led framework.
The broader security and diplomatic context at Davos also featured Trump’s assertion that Iron Dome technology is “entirely American,” a line he used to push a broader defense concept. He described plans for a “Golden Dome” defense system intended to defend North America and Europe, while noting that Israel contributed a successful model. He warned that if Hamas fails to disarm, the United States would take action, a stance that underscores ongoing US emphasis on deterrence and disarmament as prerequisites to reconstruction in Gaza.
On related US policy, the US Treasury announced sanctions targeting Hamas-linked charities inside Gaza and elsewhere, aimed at disrupting covert financial networks used to support militant activities. The sanctions named Waed, Al-Nur, Qawafil, Al-Falah, Merciful Hands, and Al-Salameh societies in Gaza, describing them as integrated into Hamas’s military wing. The Treasury stressed that blocking these networks is part of a broader effort to cut off funding for terrorist activities and to safeguard humanitarian aims in Gaza. The State Department echoed the administration’s intent to disrupt such networks and to strengthen oversight of charitable activity to prevent diversion to violence.
In the region’s narrative around Iran, Tehran continues to be at the center of concern. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, penned a pointed opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal, signaling Iran’s readiness to respond if attacked and blaming Israel for destabilizing actions. He framed any potential broader conflict as a danger to civilians and regional stability, and he asserted that Iran’s approach is to seek peace over war, while accusing US and Israeli actions of provoking confrontations. Araghchi also claimed there was a near middle-ground framework in negotiations in Oman last May, which he said did not succeed because of Israeli proxies and US policy. The piece described protests across Iran as legitimate expressions of discontent, while arguing that Western media distorted events. Rights groups, however, have documented high casualties since late December, with Iran reporting an official toll of more than 3,100 dead in protests through mid-January, including both civilians and security personnel, and continuing internet disruption that hinders independent verification. Iranian authorities have claimed that the deaths reflect a violent uprising suppressed by state forces, while rights groups estimate higher tolls and warn of undercounting. The Iranian government has also asserted that protests were exploited by external actors and that the regime will respond to threats to its sovereignty, presenting a stark contrast to the line taken by rights organizations.
In domestic Israeli news, the Knesset advanced a bill enabling unlimited psychological treatment for victims of hostile acts, notably those affected by the October 7 attacks and related terror incidents. The bill, proposed by Merav Michaeli and Moshe Gafni, would remove caps on therapy and eliminate the need for victims to prove disability, seeking to provide comprehensive rehabilitation and stability for survivors. The legislation passed a preliminary reading unanimously and will proceed to committee before further readings. The government frames the measure as a national responsibility, aiming to address a severe and ongoing need for mental health support for a community affected by sustained conflict.
Other Israeli domestic issues continue to draw attention. In the context of the Gaza conflict and the BoP, some analysts view Israel’s move to join as a calculated bid to secure influence in postwar governance, demilitarization frameworks, and reconstruction oversight, while others warn that internationalizing Gaza policy could constrain Israel’s unilateral options. Within Israel, there are debates over security policy, regional diplomacy, and the balance of domestic political dynamics that could influence how far Jerusalem will participate in and shape the BoP’s agenda.
In legal and civil rights coverage, a high-profile court case in Tel Aviv resumes debate over publishing the identity of a person accused of raping Shay-Li Atari Wiener. The case highlights ongoing tensions between open justice and victims’ privacy, as advocacy groups push for greater transparency while the court weighs the potential impact on victims’ safety and dignity. The petition argues that publication bans undermine victims’ rights and extend the trauma of abuse, prompting broader calls for reforms that would increase survivors’ access to legal processes and information about proceedings.
On the human rights front within Israel’s prisons, a Public Defender’s Office report details troubling conditions for Palestinian detainees held by Israel. Inspectors visited multiple facilities in 2024 and described violent treatment by guards, food deprivation, unsanitary conditions, and limited access to medical care. The reports, released after court intervention and legal action by civil rights groups, indicate patterns of abuse across Ketziot, Megiddo, and Rimon prisons, including heavy restraints, protracted hunger, outbreaks of disease such as scabies, and restricted access to legal counsel. Prison authorities denied systematic violence, saying conditions should meet legal standards and that additional supplies could be requested. The releases coincide with ongoing debates about the treatment of Palestinian detainees, the broader human rights environment, and internal security policies in the wake of the Gaza war.
Security incidents outside the immediate conflict zone also drew coverage. In New York, authorities reported antisemitic vandalism at a Brooklyn playground serving a large Orthodox Jewish community, including multiple swastikas and the name “Hitler” appearing on public surfaces. City officials and Jewish security groups condemned the acts, and the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force opened investigations. The report notes a worrying pattern of antisemitic incidents in New York City and highlights ongoing concerns about antisemitism at a time of h
