LiveLive Updates August 28, 2026Share to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribeAugust 28, 2026UpdatesHaredi protesters block West Bank road after police arrest draft evader in stolen carUltra-Orthodox protesters blocked Highway 443 in the West Bank after police pulled over a man driving a stolen vehicle, arresting him for IDF draft evasion.The man, a resident of the southern Israeli coastal city of Ashdod in his 20s, was arrested near the IDF's Ofer checkpoint, located near Ofer Military Prison. Border Police forces have yet to reopen the highway.As Syria rejoins the world, Israel's old playbook no longer applies | AnalysisU.S. President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Syria's President Ahmad al-Sharaa, at the White House in Washington, in November Credit: HOGP/APU.S. President Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Syria's President Ahmad al-Sharaa, at the White House in Washington, in November Credit: HOGP/APU.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio formally announced Syria's removal from Washington's State Sponsors of Terrorism list. The U.S. Treasury Department published the long-awaited decision, and within hours, key Middle Eastern countries had welcomed the move.Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and, of course, Turkey described it as a positive and essential step toward creating better economic conditions, reconnecting Syria with the global economy and strengthening security, stability and prosperity in the country.The United States designated Syria a State Sponsor of Terrorism in 1979, following its involvement in the Lebanese civil war and its support for Palestinian terrorist organizations. The designation discouraged international banks from doing business with Syria for fear of sanctions and largely shut the country out of the global economy. This, in turn, significantly increased Syria's dependence on the Soviet Union and, following its collapse, on Iran.With Syria rejoining the global economy, Cuba, Iran and North Korea are the only countries remaining on the U.S. State Sponsors of Terrorism list.Read the full articleGermany, Turkey postpone talks on reopening Strait of HormuzGerman and Turkish-led talks aimed at finding solutions to the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz have been postponed due to a scheduling conflict involving one participant, German government sources said Friday. No new date has been set.The meeting had been scheduled for Sunday in Istanbul, with the foreign ministers of Germany, Turkey, France and Britain due to meet their counterparts from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt. The talks were expected to focus on regional security and freedom of navigation in the strait, which has been blocked since the start of the Iran war.Iran urges countries not to enforce U.S. sanctions, vows to defend against U.S.-Israeli pressureIran's Foreign Ministry urged countries not to implement U.S. sanctions against Tehran, saying participation in the measures would amount to complicity in imposing what it called one country's "unlawful will" on others.The ministry said the new U.S. policy required action by the international community, including UN bodies, to uphold the rule of law. It added that Iran was determined to use all its capabilities to defend itself against what it described as a "combined U.S.-Israeli military and economic assault."The statement follows Washington's launch this week of a new sanctions campaign targeting Iran and entities doing business with it.Ben-Gvir spurns Netanyahu's call for joint election run with SmotrichNational Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Knesset, last year. Credit: Noam Moskowitz/KnessetNational Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the Knesset, last year. Credit: Noam Moskowitz/KnessetFar-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir's party rejected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's call for him to run on a joint slate with far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich in the upcoming election."The Otzma Yehudit and Religious Zionism parties will not run together in the upcoming Knesset election. This decision is final and absolute and will not change under any circumstances," Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party, which translates to Jewish Power, wrote in a statement."There will be no direct or indirect negotiations, meetings or discussions on the matter," the party wrote. Shortly before the statement, Netanyahu said he has invited Ben-Gvir and Smotrich to meet with him on Sunday in an effort to persuade the two to run on a joint slate, saying they "must unite to save the right-wing bloc."In its response, Otzma Yehudit said Netanyahu must choose between "uniting all the smaller parties into one or giving Smotrich one of the seats he had reserved on his Likud party's list."Read the full articleReport: Israeli strike kills three family members in south GazaAn Israeli strike killed three Palestinians in Qarrara, near Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip, the Shehab News Agency reported, saying their bodies have been transported to Nasser Hospital.According to Shehab, all three are members of the Abidin family. The three fatalities were reportedly identified as 42-year-old Lafi Fayez Lafi Abidin, 28-year-old Taysir Fayez Lafi Abidin and 42-year-old Abdul Hamid Muhammad Abdul Abidin.Iran’s Araghchi says diplomacy can get back on track if U.S. recognizes pressure does not workIranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi Credit: Khaled Elfiqi/AP Iranian Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi Credit: Khaled Elfiqi/AP Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that putting diplomacy back on track was not impossible but hinged on the United States understanding that pressure does not work.In a post on X, Araghchi said he had held what he described as "creative discussions" ⁠with Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister ‌Sheikh ⁠Mohammed bin ‌Abdulrahman Al Thani, adding that Washington should ⁠build trust, speak respectfully, acknowledge Iran's rights and ‌uphold its commitments.Shin Bet says minor, man charged with plotting ISIS attacks on IDF, Israel PoliceProsecutors are expected to charge a 19-year-old and a 16-year-old with security offenses after they allegedly pledged allegiance to ISIS.In a statement released Friday, the Israel Police and Shin Bet security service said they arrested 19-year-old Ibrahim Kaabiya from the northern port city of Haifa and a 16-year-old resident of northern Israel whose identity has not been released earlier this month.Police and the Shin Bet said the minor is suspected of studying material on how to make explosive belts and planning an attack against security forces at the Temple Mount/Al-Aqsa compound, while Kaabiya allegedly planned an attack on an IDF base in northern Israel.U.K. says Israel barring officials from base could undermine Gaza cease-fire dealU.S. and Israeli soldiers convene at the Civil Military Coordination Center, the U.S. base overseeing U.S. President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan implementation, in Kiryat Gat, southern Israel, in November. Credit: Alexander Cornwell/ReutersU.S. and Israeli soldiers convene at the Civil Military Coordination Center, the U.S. base overseeing U.S. President Donald Trump's Gaza peace plan implementation, in Kiryat Gat, southern Israel, in November. Credit: Alexander Cornwell/ReutersThe British government warned against Israel removing London's representatives from the U.S. base in southern Israel, which oversees the Gaza cease-fire, saying the move would undermine U.S. President Donald Trump's peace plan.In a statement released Friday, Britain said it is "committed to the implementation of the 20-Point Plan," adding that its representatives continue to work with U.S., Israeli and other partners at the base, which lies in the Israeli city of Kiryat Gat."Removing the UK or other partners would undermine these shared efforts," the statement read.UN rights office condemns U.S. designation of Palestine Action as 'terrorist' groupThe UN human rights office said on Thursday the Trump administration's designation of the Palestine Action group as a terrorist organization was "a disproportionate and unnecessary restriction" on free speech rights that amounted to an expansive use of the term terrorism and will have a chilling effect.British activists demonstrating in central London in support of Palestine Action in June. Credit: Henry Nicholls/AFPBritish activists demonstrating in central London in support of Palestine Action in June. Credit: Henry Nicholls/AFPWashington designated Palestine Action on Wednesday as a terrorist group, saying the step was part of President ‌Donald Trump's effort to crack down on left-wing groups in its counter-terrorism efforts. Israel's foreign ministry welcomed the designation.The designation "appears to be both a disproportionate and unnecessary restriction on the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association as well as the right to participate in public affairs," the office of United Nations human rights chief Volker Turk said."Expansive use of the term 'terrorism' has been documented to have a chilling effect on civic space."Britain ⁠previously banned Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, which was also condemned by Turk's office. The UK's Supreme Court ⁠has said it will hear an appeal against a lower court ruling that Britain's decision to ban the campaign group as a terrorist organization was lawful.Palestine Action has targeted Israel-linked defense companies in Britain, especially Israel's largest defense firm Elbit Systems, often blocking entrances or spraying red paint.It was banned by Britain shortly after a break-in at the Royal Air Force's Brize Norton base in June 2025 in which activists damaged two military planes. The U.K. ban on the group had prompted protests in which about 3,000 people were arrested.The group says its activities "have always been about saving lives by disrupting the Israeli war machine" and opposing Israel's assault on Gaza. It says it uses "disruptive tactics" to target "corporate enablers of the Israeli military-industrial complex."Israeli forces enter villages in southern Syria, state news agency reportsSANA, the official Syrian news agency, reported Thursday evening that Israeli military forces entered the village of Bariqa in the south of the country, near the border with Israel. Local sources quoted by al-Mayadeen said that an Israeli patrol also entered the village of Ras al-Ajraf in the southern countryside of Quneitra and conducted searches of several homes.Later, the Syrian Al-Ekhbariya network reported that the IDF fired two shells near the town of Beit Jinn, west of Damascus.The report comes days after Mossad chief Roman Gofman met with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani in an attempt to calm tensions between the countries. The meeting was held on Sunday following an Israeli attack on the Abu al-Duhur airbase in Syria last week. Reuters reported last week that the two also held a phone call a few days before the strike and discussed Turkey's military presence in Syria.In the NewsIs Turkey the New Iran?Two Months Out, Netanyahu's Bloc Is Stuck in Polls. But the Rest Is a Mystery100 Israelis Abroad Petition High Court After Being Removed From Voter RollBen-Gvir Rejects Netanyahu Push for Joint Election Run With SmotrichBy Playing Wagner in Israel, This Swiss Director Broke Two Boycotts at OnceRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMIAn Israeli Startup Is Reinventing Salmon Farming. It May Upend a Global IndustryHasan Piker Talks Hamas, anti-Zionism and Why Americans Are Fed Up With Israel'Israel Is Sending Militias to Commit War Crimes – and I Have to Protect Them'Being Israeli Abroad Has Become Embarrassing. You Don't Talk About ItIsraeli Court Acquits Man of Assaulting Nun in Jerusalem's Old CityPoll: Likud Sinks to 19 Seats as New Right-wing Party Falls Below Threshold