The Israeli military has said its decisions on attacks against Iran are based solely on security considerations, after reports of a feud with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Channel 12 reported the two were at odds, while CNN reported that military chief Eyal Zamir warned that strikes before the election would delay the vote. Analysts say tension between the government and the military has been common. Netanyahu has stressed the Iranian threat in the final days of the election campaign, and polling suggests Gadi Eisenkot's party could challenge his Likud for the most seats.
Benjamin Netanyahu has stepped up warnings about national security ahead of Israel's election. He told voters that Iran's nuclear weapons could bring a second Holocaust, and posted an AI-generated image of a nuclear blast over a city widely read as Tel Aviv. He also said Israel needed a bypass economy to withstand possible sanctions, and agreed that cryptocurrency was one option. The Bank of Israel said cryptocurrencies could not avoid sanctions. Rival Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff, told supporters Israel faced a choice between international partnership and isolation.
Thousands of people rallied at Hostage Square in Tel Aviv, demanding an independent state commission of inquiry into the October 7 attack by Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to hold such an inquiry, while opposition leaders have pledged one. Protesters said Israel's democracy is under threat and called for a change of government ahead of Tuesday's election. Several speakers, including families of victims and hostages, said the country needs accountability. Netanyahu has said the only problem on October 7 was that he was not woken when the attack began.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered a major offensive in the West Bank city of Hebron after an attack at a military checkpoint. Two Israeli soldiers and two Palestinian gunmen were killed in the attack, which took place on Friday. Mr Netanyahu said Israeli forces would go house-to-house to destroy what he called terrorist infrastructure, and he threatened a broader operation across the West Bank. He also praised Israeli settlers and vowed further settlement expansion. The attack came four days before Israel's first election since the October 7 Hamas attack in 2023.
Masked settlers attacked a group of European diplomats visiting the occupied West Bank on Saturday, Belgium's foreign minister says. He said Palestinian civilians, French and Polish diplomats, Belgium's consul general and a French mayor were also attacked, and a Belgian vehicle was damaged. Mayor Bernard Baudoux said he was thrown to the ground while harvesting olives near Taybeh. Israeli police have opened an investigation, and no arrests have been announced.
A documentary called NAZA features 24 Israeli intelligence officers and soldiers describing surveillance and targeting systems used in Gaza. Filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor gathered the interviews over three years, speaking to sources on condition of anonymity. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival and won a special jury prize. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for the interviewees to be prosecuted, and the Israeli Defence Forces has rejected the claims. NAZA opens in select Australian cinemas on October 15, with free online release later in November.
Israel's longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, may face his biggest electoral challenge in an election due in about a fortnight. It is the first national vote since the October 7 attacks plunged the Middle East into turmoil. The Israeli electorate is highly polarised, and the winner is likely to depend on minor parties. Netanyahu and his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, are both trying to build a coalition to govern. The piece examines the forces shaping the race and whether change would follow if Netanyahu were removed from power.
Pro-Palestinian rallies were held in capital cities and regional areas across Australia for the Global Day for Gaza. Thousands gathered in Sydney's Hyde Park before marching through the CBD. Protesters in Sydney, Hobart, Newcastle and Adelaide criticised the federal government over arms shipments to Israel and called for sanctions. The Department of Defence has denied supplying weapons or ammunition to Israel since the conflict began. Gaza health authorities report more than 74,000 Palestinians killed.
