HEADLINES
- Court Hears Challenge to Mossad Chief Pick
- Shin Bet May Downgrade Qatargate Charges
- Ramaswamy Wins Ohio Primary, Putsch Falters

The time is now 1:02 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Regional Impacts, today marks a full day since the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre reported an incident in the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, the Senior Appointments Advisory Committee urged the High Court of Justice to reject petitions against the appointment of IDF Major-General Roman Gofman as the next Mossad chief, saying its decision to clear the appointment was properly reached and did not justify judicial intervention. The High Court is set to hear the case on Tuesday after two petitions challenged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to appoint Gofman, who is currently his military secretary, to replace outgoing Mossad chief David Barnea. The petitions center on the Ori Elmakayes affair, in which Elmakayes, then a minor, was allegedly used in an unauthorized IDF-linked influence operation connected to the 210th Bashan Division while Gofman commanded it. Elmakayes was later detained and indicted before the case against him collapsed. The committee stressed that its role is advisory, focusing on questions of integrity and propriety in senior appointments.

The Shin Bet is considering downplaying the severity of offenses in the Qatargate affair, Haaretz reported, describing the current view as “completely watered down” and noting that officials believe Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein did not endanger state security. If this approach moves forward, the court may drop the security-related charges against Urich and Feldstein and instead pursue other alleged offenses, including bribery, fraud, breach of trust, and money laundering. Senior law enforcement officials reportedly criticized the move, linking it to Shin Bet Director David Zini’s new approach for the agency.

In Antisemitism and Anti-Jewish Hate, Ohio gubernatorial candidate Casey Putsch, whose rhetoric has included antisemitic dogwhistles, did not win the Republican primary. Vivek Ramaswamy, the former presidential candidate who had President Donald Trump’s backing, prevailed with 82.5% of the vote. Putsch drew nearly 150,000 votes, about 17.5% of the total, and drew attention for a planned “beer hall rally” and for a YouTube video in which he asked the AI tool Grok to name Hitler’s “good” qualities. Putsch’s result represented a stronger showing than polls had predicted.

In Israeli Economy and Business, Burger King is expected to reopen for a third time in Israel under the Delek Group. The chain’s history in Israel traces back to a period when more than 50 branches existed in the 2000s, after which the brand was consolidated into Burger Ranch and later reintroduced in a limited form. In early 2022, Delek Group took the reins as the franchisee and began anew, with CEO Dana Tuchner saying that in ten years the chain could have more than 100 branches. Tuchner emphasized leveraging Delek Israel’s widespread fuel-station network and access to new neighborhoods’ commercial centers, noting that securing prime locations years in advance is essential to staying ahead of competitors.

In Uplifting News, Tel Aviv Museum of Art gives voice to the female IDF observers of Oct. 7. The video installation Observation/The Field Observers of the Gaza Sector presents ten testimonies with no archival footage, maps, or recreations—only faces and spoken accounts. The exhibit is on view through the end of May, and visitors encounter a wall listing the names of the female field observers who were killed at the Nahal Oz outpost during Hamas’s October 7 massacre. The project, created by Talya Lavie and curated by Mira Lapidot, aims to provide a somber reckoning through personal testimony.

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://t.me/DefenderDome/20623
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-895507
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-895498
https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-895508
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-895506
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/culture/article-895502