Overview

• Five Western governments—Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Norway—have slapped travel bans and frozen assets of Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and Interior Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over extremist statements against Palestinians.
• Foreign Minister Gideon Saar denounced the measures as outrageous, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s cabinet plans to meet next week to craft its official response.
• The Knesset voted 61-53 against a motion to dissolve parliament, averting early elections and preserving the ruling coalition’s 68-seat majority.
• A deepening standoff over the drafting of ultra-Orthodox Haredi men continues to fracture support within the coalition, reflecting broader societal tensions over unequal military service.
• Germany has opted not to join the sanctions, citing the need for unanimous agreement among EU member states before implementing such measures.