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Israeli coalition deal gives far right’s Itamar Ben-Gvir control over the police, including in the West Bank
(JTA) — Itamar Ben-Gvir, the right-wing Israeli politician called a “pyromaniac” by his critics because of his penchant for inflaming his country’s deep tensions, will head Israel’s police forces, under the terms of a deal inked with Benjamin Netanyahu early Friday.
The deal would expand the ministry of internal security, the old name of the cabinet position in charge of the police, into the ministry of national security and would also give Ben-Gvir authority over border police in Palestinian territories, according to the terms reported in Israeli media.
In the role, Ben-Gvir will have the power to carry out some of his long-held wishes, including loosening rules so that officers can open fire on Palestinians who throw stones and expanding the ability of Jews to pray on the Temple Mount, the Jerusalem site that is home to the Al-Aqsa mosque.
Ben-Gvir — an acolyte of Meir Kahane, a rabbi barred from Israel’s parliament in the 1980s because of his racism — has ignited conflict by accompanying Jews to pray on the Temple Mount, where Jewish prayer has been strictly limited for security reasons. Twice convicted of incitement in Israeli courts, Ben-Gvir has also called for annexing large parts of the West Bank and for deporting Arabs who are not loyal to Israel.
The agreement between Ben-Gvir’s party, Otzma Yehudit (Jewish Power), and Likud, Benjamin Netanyahu’s party, does not mean that Netanyahu has finished forming a governing coalition, which he is charged with doing after receiving a majority of parliament seats in Israel’s Nov. 1 election. But it is a crucial step that indicates progress among the parties — and indicates that any who hopes that Netanyahu would not in fact elevate Ben-Gvir and others in his far-right bloc are likely to be disappointed.
Some U.S. Jewish groups have expressed discomfort with Ben-Gvir and his allies being installed in government, saying that the right-wing lawmakers’ vision for Israel is at odds with that of American Jews; others have remained silent, perhaps recognizing that they may have to work with a government that includes him. The Biden administration is considering refusing to meet with Ben-Gvir, though his expanded portfolio would likely create more opportunities for such meetings.
Netanyahu is still working to finalize an agreement with Bezalel Smotrich, head of the Religious Zionist party. Netanyahu has reportedly agreed to give Smotrich authority over Israel’s administration of the West Bank, including construction and demolition of both Palestinian and Jewish settlements. But the pair are reportedly at odds over whether Smotrich, who has disparaged non-Orthodox Jews, should get control of the government division that oversees Jewish conversion.
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FBI Investigating Minnesota Fraud Scheme, Director Says
FBI Director Kash Patel attends the signing of an executive order by US President Donald Trump on a deal that would divest TikTok’s US operations from ByteDance from its Chinese owner ByteDance, at the White House in Washington, DC, US, Sept. 25, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
FBI Director Kash Patel said on Sunday the agency had deployed personnel and investigative resources to Minnesota to “dismantle large-scale fraud schemes exploiting federal programs.”
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Netanyahu Departs for Florida to Meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks during a press conference at the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem, Aug. 10, 2025. Photo: ABIR SULTAN/Pool via REUTERS
i24 News – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took off Sunday morning at 7:30 AM IST on the “Wings of Zion” aircraft to Florida ahead of his meeting with President Donald Trump, set to take place at his private estate in Mar-a-Lago. In their meeting, the two are expected to discuss the transition to Phase B of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip.
Netanyahu is scheduled to land in Florida at 2:00 PM EST. His meeting with the US president is set to take place on Monday at 3:30 PM local time at Mar-a-Lago.
In addition to the Trump summit, Netanyahu is also expected to meet with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as with members of the Jewish community in Miami and the Christian Evangelical community known for its support of Israel.
Netanyahu will attend a meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio early Monday afternoon before meeting with Trump.
On Wednesday, the Israeli Prime Minister will meet with Evangelical leaders at 10:30 AM local time at his hotel and will then head to the Temple of Bal Harbour for an event with lawmakers, Jewish and community leaders, and local students.
He takes off for Israel on Thursday afternoon and is expected to land in Israel early Friday afternoon.
Netanyahu is expected to clarify Israel’s position to Trump, namely stating that the transition cannot take place before the completion of the first phase, which includes the return of the body of the last Israeli hostage, Ran Gvili.
Netanyahu will also raise the issue of the Iranian threat and the concern in Israel about the possibility of the ceasefire being exploited on the other fronts where Israel has been fighting in the past two years, including Syria and Lebanon.
i24NEWS’s Weekend Edition reported Saturday evening that the “Wings of Zion” plane will fly on a route that passes over Canada, despite the international arrest warrant against the Prime Minister.
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Iron Beam: IDF’s First Operational High-Power Laser Defense System
The “Or Eitan” system. Photo: Spokesperson and Public Relations Division of the Ministry of Defense
i24 News – Israel has achieved a major technological breakthrough in defense with the delivery of its first operational high-power laser system, “Or Eitan” (Iron Beam), to the IDF. The handover took place Sunday at Rafael’s facility, with Defense Minister Israel Katz and senior military and industry officials in attendance.
Developed over several years, “Iron Beam” is the first interception laser of its kind in the world to reach operational maturity.
During extensive testing, the system successfully intercepted rockets, mortar shells, and drones under conditions simulating real combat scenarios.
The laser will be integrated into Israel’s multi-layered air defense network, complementing the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow systems. Operated by the Israeli Air Force, it offers a significant economic advantage: its marginal cost per interception is nearly zero, a major shift in the cost equation for missile defense.
The project was led by the Ministry of Defense’s Directorate of Research and Development in close cooperation with Rafael, Elbit Systems, responsible for the laser source, and other Israeli defense companies. Combining an advanced laser source with a unique electro-optical sight, the system provides maximum accuracy and efficiency at extended ranges.
The system’s name, “Or Eitan,” (Iron Beam) honors Captain Eitan Oster, who fell in battle in southern Lebanon.
Minister Katz described the milestone as a “game changer” that sends a strong message to Israel’s adversaries, from Tehran to Sanaa and Beirut. Rafael hailed the delivery as the beginning of the defensive laser era, placing Israel at the forefront of interception technology worldwide and reinforcing its strategic technological edge for future security challenges.