Yaron Zelekha — Israel news coverage in English

Eisenkot Leads in Most Polls Ahead of Israeli Elections, Netanyahu Trails

Ahead of the upcoming Knesset elections, Gadi Eisenkot's Yishar! party leads in seven out of nine recent polls, while Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party leads in only two. Most poll…

Politics1h ago

Bank of Israel Rejects Netanyahu's Crypto Sanctions Workaround Plan

The Bank of Israel rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal to use cryptocurrency to circumvent international sanctions, stating digital currencies cannot provide an…

Politics1h ago·3 outlets

Netanyahu's Sanctions Preparedness Sparks Fierce Opposition Outcry

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's discussion of contingency plans for economic sanctions, including cryptocurrency, has drawn sharp criticism from opposition leaders who fear in…

Politics1h ago

Bank of Israel Rejects Netanyahu's Crypto Sanctions Bypass Plan

The Bank of Israel has countered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal to use cryptocurrencies to bypass potential sanctions, stating they are not a viable solution. Netany…

Politics1h ago

Bank of Israel Rejects Netanyahu's Crypto Sanctions Bypass Plan

The Bank of Israel has countered Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal to use cryptocurrencies to bypass potential sanctions, stating they are not a viable solution. Netany…

Politics1h ago

Bank of Israel Governor Rejects PM's Crypto Sanctions Bypass Idea

Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's idea of using cryptocurrency to bypass international sanctions. Yaron stated that digital currencie…

Politics1h ago

Netanyahu Eyes Blockchain, Warns of Reduced US Aid Amid Sanctions Fears

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated Israel is preparing for potential economic sanctions, exploring blockchain as an alternative. He also warned that U.S. aid will likely dec…

Politics2h ago

Channel 14 to Broadcast Special Election Eve Programming

Channel 14 will air a special election eve program on the final Saturday night before the elections. The broadcast will include interviews with right-wing party leaders, including…

Politics2h ago

Reservists' Leader Calls Not to Vote for Netanyahu, But Doesn't Rule Out Joining His Government

Yoaz Hendel, chairman of the Economic Reservists, urged voters not to support Benjamin Netanyahu, blaming him for the October 7th attacks. Hendel, however, would not rule out join…

Economy3h ago

Economist Slams Netanyahu's Plan to Counter Sanctions

Professor Yaron Zelekha strongly criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's proposal to counter potential economic sanctions by utilizing cryptocurrency and blockchain technol…

Economy4h ago

Israeli Financial Sector Warns of Pension Fund Peril Amid Netanyahu's Sanctions Plan

Israeli financial leaders are warning of potential threats to pension funds due to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plan to create an alternative financial system. They fear th…

Security6h ago

Israeli Citizen Accused of Helping Russia Evade Billions in Sanctions

Moldovan oligarch Ilan Shor, an Israeli citizen, is accused of facilitating billions of dollars in sanctions evasion for Russia through his company A7. The U.S. Treasury sanctione…

Security8h ago

Hired Killer Who Cried at Graves Remained Silent on Witness Stand

Hired killer Yaron Sankar received two consecutive life sentences for a 2003 double murder. Despite expressing remorse and cooperating initially with investigators, Sankar later r…

Politics19h ago·4 outlets

Final Polls Show Eisenkot Leading Netanyahu, But No Clear Majority

Final Israeli election polls show Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party leading Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud, but neither bloc is projected to win the 61 seats needed to form a government. T…

Politics19h ago

Israeli Election Polls Show No Bloc With Majority, Small Parties May Miss Knesset

Final polls before Israel's upcoming election show neither the pro-Netanyahu bloc nor the opposition "change bloc" is projected to win the 61 seats needed to form a government. Se…

Politics22h ago

Final Election Polls Show No Bloc Reaching Majority, Potential for Repeat Elections

Final pre-election polls released Friday show no bloc reaching the 61 mandates needed for a majority government, with the "change bloc" leading the "Netanyahu bloc." The Yesh! par…

Politics23h ago

Eisenkot Leads Netanyahu in Final Election Poll; Two Parties Miss Threshold

A final election poll shows Gadi Eisenkot's "Yashar" party leading with 22 seats, ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud with 19 seats, just four days before elections…

Politics1d ago

Netanyahu Prepares Israel for Economic Pressure and Reduced US Aid

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is preparing Israel for potential international economic sanctions and reduced U.S. military aid, exploring alternative financial systems like bl…

Politics1d ago

Reservists Offer Path to Break Israel's Political Stalemate, Says Yoaz Hendel

Yoaz Hendel, leader of the Reservists-Economic Party, believes reservists are crucial to breaking Israel's political deadlock and preventing more elections. His party aims to be a…

Politics1d ago

Gal Gadot Returns to Israel to Vote in National Elections

Israeli actress Gal Gadot returned to Israel from Los Angeles to vote in the national elections. Her trip highlights a debate over Israelis living abroad influencing election resu…

Culture1d ago

New Hosts Take Over Radio Show After Prominent Duo's Departure

Moriyah Asraf and Yaron Avraham will host Radio 103FM's 9-11 AM show starting Monday, replacing Ben Caspit and Yinon Magal. Caspit announced his departure, citing a lack of recipr…

Politics1d ago

Pollster Mano Geva Identifies Key Voter Group That Could Sway Election Results

Pollster Mano Geva identified approximately 130,000 eligible voters who immigrated from Russia and Ukraine since 2022 as a key demographic that could influence election results. G…

Politics1d ago

Arab Vote Could Reshape Israeli Election Landscape, Experts Say

Arab voter turnout in Israel's 2026 elections is projected to rise significantly, potentially impacting the political landscape. Experts suggest this increase could influence the…

Politics1d ago

Gal Gadot Returns to Israel to Vote in Upcoming Elections

Israeli actress Gal Gadot returned to Israel to vote in the upcoming elections. Her arrival is part of a broader trend of Israelis living abroad returning to participate in the vo…

Politics1d ago

Netanyahu Links Election Outcome to Iran Action, Cites 'Total' Impact

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the upcoming election results will "totally" impact Israel's ability to act against Iran's nuclear program. He also rejected claims o…

Health1d ago

Israel Launches Spiritual Support for Families to Boost Organ Donations

Israel is experiencing a decline in organ transplants, with a 5% drop in 2025 and a 10% decrease in families agreeing to donation. A new national program, a collaboration between…

Politics1d ago

Netanyahu Shifts Strategy Five Days Before Election, Targets Bennett

Five days before Israeli elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has launched a "Big Party" campaign to consolidate right-wing votes and counter Ofer Winter. He has also shif…

Politics1d ago

Netanyahu Shifts Strategy Five Days Before Election, Targets Bennett

Five days before the Israeli elections, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has initiated a "Big Party" campaign to consolidate right-wing votes and counter Ofer Winter. He has also…

Politics2d ago

Israeli Party Leader Zelekha Promises Lower Prices, Rules Out Arab or Haredi Coalition

Yaron Zelekha, leader of the Reservists and New Economic Party, promised to lower the cost of living and stated his party is polling above the electoral threshold. He prioritized…

Economy2d ago

Bank of Israel Governor Meets Financial Forecasters

Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron met with financial forecasters for a quarterly review of economic projections. The meeting included discussions on inflation, interest rates, an…

Politics2d ago

Final Election Poll Shows Tight Race, Opposition Bloc Stalls

A final pre-election poll shows the Israeli political landscape in a tense deadlock, with the coalition and the opposition bloc each projected to win 51 mandates. The "Reservists"…

Politics2d ago

Co-Founder of Yoaz Hendel's Party Revealed as Former Draft Dodger Supporter

Yoav Adumi, a co-founder of Yoaz Hendel's "Reservists" party and candidate on a joint list, is facing scrutiny over past statements supporting draft dodgers and criticizing Israel…

General2d ago

Hostage Families Find Solace in Support Weekend

Families of hostages killed on October 7th gathered for a support weekend in Rosh Pina, organized by the Prime Minister's Office Hostages Directorate and the "One Family" associat…

Economy2d ago

Bank of Israel Raises Growth Forecasts Significantly Despite War

The Bank of Israel has significantly boosted its economic growth forecasts, projecting 5.6% growth this year and 7.5% next, despite the ongoing war. Governor Amir Yaron noted that…

Culture2d ago

Nissim Saroussi's Struggle Against Cultural Elitism in Israel

Nissim Saroussi, a Tunisian-born Israeli singer, faced significant cultural and media resistance in the 1970s despite his popularity. A demeaning 1975 TV interview with Yaron Lond…

Politics2d ago

Election Day Strategy: How the 'Change Bloc' and Netanyahu Prepare for Post-Vote Government Formation

The "Change Bloc," led by Gadi Eisenkot, is better organized than Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc heading into the 2026 Israeli elections. Polls suggest neither side will…

Politics2d ago

Election Day Strategy: How the Vote and Post-Election Maneuvers Could Shape Israel's Next Government

The upcoming 2026 Israeli elections are shaping up to be a close contest, with the organized "Change Bloc" led by Gadi Eisenkot facing off against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyah…

Politics2d ago

Bennett Refuses to Sign Pledge, Contrasting Past Stance

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett declined to sign a live pledge on 103FM radio committing him to avoid non-Zionist Arab parties and not serve with Benjamin Netanyahu. This co…

Politics2d ago

Pollster Warns Netanyahu's Gamble May Cost Him Majority

Pollster Tzuriel Sharon believes Prime Minister Netanyahu's handling of Ofer Winter's new right-wing party was a strategic error that may prevent his bloc from achieving a Knesset…

Security2d ago

US Firm Seeks to Enforce German Ruling Against Ex-German Firm Owner in Israel

US firm TAC Group Holdings is asking an Israeli court to enforce a German ruling against Yaron Valler, former owner of Sela Venture Capital GmbH, for 3.1 million shekels. TAC clai…

Politics2d ago

Polls Show Dramatic Shifts in Israeli Party Landscape Days Before Election

Five days before Israel's 26th Knesset elections, new Channel 12 polls reveal major political shifts. Naftali Bennett's party has surged to 15 seats, while Benjamin Netanyahu's Li…

Politics2d ago

Polls Show Dramatic Shifts in Israeli Party Map Days Before Election

Five days before Israel's 26th Knesset elections, polls show Naftali Bennett's party surging to 15 seats, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party has dropped to 19 s…

Politics2d ago

Netanyahu Courts Right-Wing Voters as Elections Loom

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is shifting his election strategy five days before the vote, focusing on consolidating right-wing support by targeting voters of smaller parties…

Politics2d ago

Bank of Israel Governor Criticizes Budget Cuts for Arab Society

The Governor of the Bank of Israel criticized the government's decision to cut 964 million shekels from a five-year plan for Arab society to fund defense purchases. Governor Yaron…

Politics2d ago

Israel Election 2026: Vote Threshold Explained Amidst Shifting Polls

A political party in Israel will need around 166,000 votes to enter the Knesset in the upcoming 2026 elections, according to the Taub Center. This figure is based on an estimated…

Politics2d ago4

Netanyahu Warns of 'Fake Right,' Iranian Threat Ahead of Elections

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of a potential loss for the right-wing bloc in upcoming Knesset elections, citing low turnout and the risk of a left-wing government allie…

Politics2d ago

News Anchor Criticizes Shas Party's 'Tefillin for Every Child' Election Pledge

News 12 journalist Yaron Avraham criticized Shas party chairman Aryeh Deri's election promise to give tefillin to every boy in Israel. Avraham called the pledge "delusional" and q…

Economy2d ago

Office Depot CEO's Journey From Military Police to Business Turnarounds

The CEO of Office Depot, a former military police officer and accountant, has successfully turned around the struggling office supply company. After revamping Avis, he was brought…