Maariv

A source in Likud claims that Benjamin Netanyahu's circle estimates that Naftali Bennett has not yet committed to recommending Gadi Eisenkot to the President of the State, Isaac Herzog, and they hope that the split in the rival camp will allow Netanyahu to receive the mandate to form a government.

The new appointees in Likud appeared on Ben Caspit and Yinon Magal's show on 103FM: Sasson Guetta admitted he does not know Oren Dobronsky but backed Benjamin Netanyahu - and then Caspit leveled sharp criticism at him.

Negotiations between Israel and Lebanon are deadlocked over the demand to disarm Hezbollah. Meanwhile, a Lebanese report claims that the IDF is tightening control around the Ali al-Taher hill and that the situation of Hezbollah and IRGC forces is deteriorating.

The debate over Haredi conscription misses a broader question: does Israel need more soldiers because of security needs — or because of a policy that expands settlements? The path to a new partnership lies through core education, employment, and civil service.

Yaakov Kisus, who has known Gadi Eisenkot since age 3, recalls their shared childhood in Eilat, the surprising decision to enlist in the Golani Brigade instead of the Navy, and the traits that have defined Eisenkot's career: modesty, perseverance, and sensitivity.

Netanyahu is planning a facelift for the Likud ahead of the elections. Following polls indicating that the list and the alliance with the ultra-Orthodox are harming the party, 7 reserved spots will be kept for well-known media figures who will lead the campaign.

The highlight of the wish-granting day took place at the President's Residence in Jerusalem, where Arbel had the privilege of meeting the President of the State. Later that day, Arbel enjoyed a VIP tour of the Knesset.

A "Free Voices" poll among 1,062 Likud members shows many veterans losing ground to new candidates. In a 30-mandate scenario, the political future of about half of the incumbent MKs and ministers appears uncertain.

Avi Issacharoff analyzes on 103FM Hamas's waiting game, as it continues to control and rearm in Gaza, arguing that the organization is waiting for Israel to sabotage the peace plan and identifying Mohammed Dahlan as a player who should not be underestimated.

The 2026 Galilee Conference, under the title "Restoring security to the North", will take place today at the Culture Hall in Safed.

56 senior citizens, the Association of Organizations for the Elderly, and the Marva organization filed a petition demanding accessible voting for nursing home residents. Supreme Court President Isaac Amit said at the hearing: "The previous arrangement worked excellently in the last elections."

A Financial Times investigation reveals the depth of the turmoil in the US State Department: thousands have left, more than half of ambassadorial positions are vacant, and veteran diplomats warn that Trump is weakening the US foreign policy apparatus for years to come.

Russia is promoting the expansion of the North-South corridor toward Qatar and Saudi Arabia, following signed memoranda with Iran and other nations. The initiative aims to connect Moscow to the Gulf, India, and non-Western markets.

Damascus confirms cooperation with the IAEA and the United States regarding the legacy of the Assad regime. Behind the official announcement hides a secret facility, radioactive material that worried Israel, and a covert process that has been in the works for months.

Quds Force commander Esmail Qaani arrived secretly in Baghdad and met with senior officials and militia commanders. On the agenda: the pressure to disarm the factions and Iraqi efforts to restore oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz.

It is impossible to manufacture an organ in a factory, purchase it with money, or import it from abroad. Life is granted only thanks to people who choose to give it to others.

Itamar Ben Gvir attacked Netanyahu's policy in Gaza on 103FM, claiming that the Prime Minister is making a mistake by agreeing to the 15-point document and allowing foreign forces into the Strip, and clarified why he will not leave the government two months before the elections.

Against the backdrop of the Ebola epidemic spreading in Africa, the Ministry of Health reports that a person who recently returned to Israel from the Democratic Republic of the Congo is suspected of having the disease. The patient is currently in isolation.

Rama Dawaji is scheduled to depart on September 20 for a family visit to the region, despite severe State Department travel warnings. The decision by the NYPD to provide a security detail at taxpayer expense has drawn criticism due to the risks posed to officers.

The Supreme Court in Moscow disqualified "Yabloko", the only party opposing the war in Ukraine, from the parliamentary elections. The opposition claims that the Kremlin is alarmed by its growing strength and continues to eliminate any voice that challenges Vladimir Putin's policy.

The opposition in Turkey is coming out frontally against the "Mecca Agreement", warning against turning the army into a "military contractor" for Gulf states, accusing Erdogan of hiding the details of the agreement and demanding it be brought immediately for public discussion in parliament.

The Institute of Certified Public Accountants has filed a petition to the Supreme Court against the Minister of Justice and the Commissioner for Insolvency, claiming that the threshold conditions for the trustees' database discriminate against its members compared to lawyers. The Institute is requesting to freeze the work of the appointments committee.

The debate surrounding the wave of emigration from Israel focuses mainly on numbers, but hundreds of thousands of Israelis are already living overseas. The truly great challenge begins with their children: how to preserve the connection to Israel, to Judaism, and to the community before it fades away?

The bereaved parents' choir was established in 2007 at the initiative of Dina Keet, a mother who experienced a double loss. Her partner, who loved to play and sing, stopped engaging with music after the loss of their son. Out of a desire to bring music back into his life, Dina established the choir, which eventually became a place of support for other parents as well.

The dismissal of Mohammad Bagher Zolqadr and his replacement by Mohsen Rezaee expose the Iranian regime's difficulty in rehabilitating its top decision-making echelon after the war. Alongside an attempt to stabilize the system, the appointment highlights the shortage of senior officials with experience and weight.

In recent years, Portugal has attracted foreign investors and residents, including Israelis, but alongside the influx of capital, housing prices have soared, and in some areas have even tripled. A local researcher explains who is paying the price and how foreign capital is changing the cities.

If an arrangement is reached that restores freedom of navigation and allows Iran to export oil, all sides will be able to declare victory. But if the talks fail, the story changes quickly.

The defense pact between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey creates a new Middle Eastern reality that distances Israel's integration into the region. Turkey strengthens its regional standing, Pakistan brings a nuclear umbrella, and Saudi Arabia explores alternatives to Washington.

Former National Security Council head Meir Ben-Shabbat analyzes the new Middle East in an interview with "Maariv" and warns that one must not fall for illusions and promote agreements "that will not be worth the paper they are written on."

Mapel Adam, who was murdered at the Nova festival, transformed her childhood experience with bullying into a lifelong mission of kindness. Her mother, Yona Adam, will present a lecture at a children's theater festival in Beer Sheva, focusing on Mapel's values of unconditional acceptance and giving.

After the fall of the Assad regime, Moscow is no longer the hegemonic power in Syria. Damascus is reclaiming infrastructure in Hmeimim and Tartus, while Russia tries to maintain influence through training, weapons, energy, and economic dependence, with implications for Israel as well.

If Netanyahu's first reserved candidate is a wealthy Ashkenazi expat, it is definitive proof that the Likud has become a satiated and rotten party, disconnected from the periphery and the Mizrahi communities it claims to promote.

Teacher burnout, crowded classrooms, lack of training, suppression of critical thinking, and budgetary discrimination: educators point to the deep crisis in the system and propose a series of measures designed to stop the exodus and improve the quality of teaching.

Mysteries in Time - a new interactive game for the whole family operating in 15 national parks and nature reserves. In August, Maariv and the Nature and Parks Authority present the innovations you didn't know about in popular and forgotten nature reserves and national parks. Second article in the series.

An Iranian threat against Donald Trump during his visit to Turkey in July led to a secret deception operation: the president boarded Air Force One in front of cameras, was secretly transferred to another plane, and flew to the UK while journalists remained on the decoy plane.

Eylon Levy, who served as a spokesperson for the National Public Diplomacy Directorate, reveals how he became the country's official spokesperson due to a suit and native-level English. He said these things to the "Blue and White" podcast with Ben Carasso.

Professor Eyal Zisser discussed with Ron Kofman and Aryeh Eldad the reports suggesting that certain regional actors sought peace with Israel to prepare for a covert confrontation. The expert dismissed these claims as "marketing non-news" and urged against overreacting to such narratives.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan signed a security agreement in Jeddah featuring a collective defense mechanism. Egypt, invited to join, declined at this stage due to sensitive relations with Israel and regional tensions.

A Channel 12 poll places Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party in first place with 24 mandates, ahead of Likud. The anti-Netanyahu bloc reaches 70 mandates, while the coalition remains with only 50.

The Ministries of Defense, Aliyah and Integration, and Diaspora Affairs are establishing a joint support framework for immigrant soldiers and overseas volunteers, which will accompany them from recruitment to civilian life. A new study pointed to gaps in information, rights, housing, and employment.