Kushner Holds Quiet Talks with Netanyahu in Jerusalem
Jared Kushner, senior adviser and son-in-law to former U.S. President Donald Trump, met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday for discreet talks.
The meeting, held at the Prime Minister’s Office, also included Israeli Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer, with Kushner accompanied by Aryeh Lightstone, a senior adviser to Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff.
According to Reuters, Kushner arrived in Tel Aviv on Sunday night for the unannounced visit to discuss progress on Trump’s proposed 20-point peace plan for the Gaza Strip. Israel’s Kan News had reported the planned visit earlier in the day.
The meeting led to a delay in Netanyahu’s corruption trial testimony, with the court approving his request to cancel Monday’s appearance due to “urgent diplomatic meetings.”
Israeli officials believe Hamas is intentionally delaying the return of the bodies of slain hostages to stall the next phase of the U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal. This phase involves the disarmament of Hamas and the deployment of an international monitoring force in Gaza.
Jerusalem claims Hamas is using the pause to reassert control in areas vacated by Israeli forces, hoping to strengthen its position ahead of future negotiations over Gaza’s reconstruction.
Knesset Advances Death Penalty Bill for Terrorists
Israel’s parliament moved forward on Monday with a bill that would impose the death penalty on terrorists convicted of murder, passing the first reading with a vote of 39 in favor and 16 against.
The measure, which eliminates judicial discretion, must still clear two additional readings before becoming law.
The bill was introduced by Knesset member Limor Son Har-Melech of the Otzma Yehudit Party, whose husband was murdered in a 2003 terror attack. Har-Melech argued that a dead terrorist cannot return to violence and cannot be released in a future deal.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, a strong supporter of the bill, said, “Every terrorist who goes out to murder must know there is only one punishment – death.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his support for the bill last week. Security officials have expressed concerns about the lack of judicial discretion in the legislation, but Ben-Gvir remains firm in his belief that deterrence requires certainty in sentencing.
Israel currently allows the death penalty for crimes of treason and murder committed by Nazis and their associates. It has been used just twice in the country’s history, most famously against Adolf Eichmann, executed in 1962 for his role in the Holocaust.
Israel Warns of Iranian Spy Recruitment After Arrest
Israeli authorities warned of ongoing Iranian efforts to recruit citizens for espionage after the arrest of a 27-year-old man from Tel Aviv, suspected of spying for Tehran.
The Shin Bet and Israel Police said the man contacted Iranian officials through social media and carried out several assignments in exchange for cryptocurrency. Investigators claim he was instructed to photograph sensitive sites, including the Tel Aviv Museum and a location in Ramat Gan hit by an Iranian missile during the June war.
Police found digital evidence and 18 SIM cards allegedly used to communicate with Iranian handlers. The man was arrested on Thursday and later released to his home under restrictions.
In a public video, the Shin Bet and police cautioned that Iranian intelligence continues to target Israeli citizens for espionage via social media. They urged the public to report any suspicious contacts immediately.
The agencies warned, “Spying for the enemy is an act of betrayal, especially during wartime, and carries the most severe penalties.”
